Large Density Research Articles

2D-on-2D Al-Doped NiCo LDH Nanosheet Arrays for Fabricating High-Energy-Density, Wide Voltage Window, and Ultralong-Lifespan Supercapacitors.

Battery-type electrode materials with high capacity, wide potential windows, and good cyclic stability are crucial to breaking through energy storage limitations and achieving high energy density. Herein, a novel 2D-on-2D Al-doped NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCoAlx LDH) nanosheet arrays with high-mass-loading are grown on a carbon cloth (CC) substrate via a two-step hydro/solvothermal deposition strategy, and the effect of Al doping is employed to modify the deposition behavior, hierarchical morphology, phase stability, and multi-metallic synergistic effect. The optimized NiCoAl0.1 LDH electrode exhibits capacities of 5.43, 6.52, and 7.25 C cm-2 (9.87, 10.88, and 11.15 F cm-2) under 0-0.55, 0-0.60, and 0-0.65V potential windows, respectively, illustrating clearly the importance of the wide potential window. The differentiated deposition strategy reduces the leaching level of Al3+ cations in alkaline solutions, ensuring excellent cyclic performance (108% capacity retention after 40000 cycles). The as-assembled NiCoAl0.1 LDH//activated carbon cloth (ACC) hybrid supercapacitor delivers 3.11 C cm-2 at 0-2.0V, a large energy density of 0.84 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 10.00mW cm-2, and excellent cyclic stability with ≈135% capacity retention after 150000 cycles.

From Quinary Co–Cu–Mo–Pd–Re Materials Libraries to Gas Diffusion Electrodes for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution

AbstractDeveloping a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst that can steadily drive a large current density is of great significance for industrial electrochemical water‐splitting technology. Herein, the compositionally complex noble‐metal‐lean system Co–Cu–Mo–Pd–Re is investigated for alkaline HER by a scanning droplet cell‐assisted high‐throughput screening of co‐sputtered thin‐film material libraries. The identified hit compositions are used to prepare a catalyst‐coated Ni foam‐based layer that is hot‐pressed with a specifically designed PEEK‐covered carbon‐based gas diffusion layer to obtain a novel‐design gas diffusion electrode (GDE). H2 bubbles that collect on the electrode surface are effectively reduced by controlling the hydrophobicity of the catalyst layer of the GDE, hence enabling a high current (−1 A cm−2) operation for HER in alkaline water electrolysis.

Ultra-High Performance of In Situ Constructed Trimetallic (Pd, Fe, Co) Nanoparticles on Carbon Paper as an Electrocatalyst for Large Current Density Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Seawater

Abstract Seawater electrocatalysis holds significant promise as a technology for hydrogen production. A simple and low-cost impregnation-hydrothermal and thermal reduction strategy was used to synthesis in-situ constructed three-dimensional porous trimetallic (Pd, Fe, and Co) anchored on a cheap and high-conducting carbon paper (CP) electrode for water electrolysis in alkaline media. The fabricated PdFeCo1−xONPs@CP electrode had superhydrophilic and superaerophobic properties, allowing for efficient removal of oxygen bubbles from the electrode surface due to the close interaction between the electrode and electrolyte. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of trimetallics and CP-fibers significantly increased OER intrinsic activity. PdFeCo1−xONPs@CP catalyst demonstrated critical low overpotentials of 220 and 300 mV, resulting in an extraordinarily high current density of 100 mA cm−2. For the full cell overall water splitting performance, cell overpotentials as low as 140 and 151 mV were needed to drive 10 mA cm-2 in seawater and alkaline solution electrolytes.

Light competition drives species replacement during secondary tropical forest succession.

Light competition is thought to drive successional shifts in species dominance in closed vegetations, but few studies have assessed this for species-rich and vertically structured tropical forests. We analyzed how light competition drives species replacement during succession, and how cross-species variation in light competition strategies is determined by underlying species traits. To do so, we used chronosequence approach in which we compared 14 Mexican tropical secondary rainforest stands that differ in age (8-32year-old). For each tree, height and stem diameter were monitored for 2years to calculate relative biomass growth rate (RGR, the aboveground biomass gain per unit aboveground tree biomass per year). For each stand, 3D light profiles were measured to estimate individuals' light interception to calculate light interception efficiency (LIE, intercepted light per unit biomass per year) and light use efficiency (LUE, biomass growth per intercepted light). Throughout succession, species with higher RGR attained higher changes in species dominance and thus increased their dominance over time. Both light competition strategies (LIE and LUE) increased RGR. In early succession, a high LIE and its associated traits (large crown leaf mass and low wood density) are more important for RGR. During succession, forest structure builds up, leading to lower understory light levels. In later succession, a high LUE and its associated traits (high wood density and leaf mass per area) become more important for RGR. Therefore, successional changes in relative importance of light competition strategies drive shifts in species dominance during tropical rainforest succession.

Achieving Near‐Ideal Subthreshold Swing in P‐Type WSe2 Field‐Effect Transistors

AbstractThe pursuit of near‐ideal subthreshold swing (SS) ≈ 60 mV dec−1 is a primary driving force to realize the power‐efficient field‐effect transistors (FETs). This challenge is particularly pronounced in 2D material‐based FETs, where the presence of a large interface trap density (Dit) imposes limitations on electrostatic control, consequently escalating power consumption. In this study, the gate controllability of 2D FETs is systematically analyzed by fabricating pre‐patterned van der Waals (vdW)‐contacted p‐FETs, varying the WSe2 channel thickness from monolayer to ten‐layer. As a result, the channel thickness is optimized to achieve efficient gate controllability while minimizing Dit. The findings demonstrate negligible hysteresis and excellent subthreshold swing (SSmin) close to the thermal limit (≈60 mV dec−1), with a corresponding Dit of ≈1010 cm−2 eV−1, comparable to Dit values observed in state‐of‐the‐art Si transistors, when utilizing WSe2 channel thicknesses ≥ five‐layer. However, reducing the WSe2 channel thickness below the trilayer, SSmin (≈91 mV dec−1) deviates from the thermal limit, attributed to a comparatively higher Dit (≈1011 cm−2 eV−1), despite the still lower than values reported for surface‐contacted 2D transistors. Furthermore, all devices exhibit consistent p‐type characteristics, featuring a high ION/IOFF ratio, high mobility, and excellent electrical stability confirmed over several months.

Improving NiFe Electrocatalysts through Fluorination-Driven Rearrangements for Neutral Water Electrolysis.

Neutral electrolysis to produce hydrogen is prime challenging owing to the sluggish kinetics of water dissociation for the electrochemical reduction of water to molecular hydrogen. An ion-enriched electrode/electrolyte interface for electrocatalytic reactions can efficiently obtain a stable electrolysis system. Herein, we found that interfacial accumulated fluoride ions and the anchored Pt single atoms/nanoparticles in catalysts can improve hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of NiFe-based hydroxide catalysts, prolonging the operating stability at high current density in neutral conditions. NiFe hydroxide electrode obtains an outstanding performance of 1000mA cm-2 at low overpotential of 218mV with 1000 h operation at 100mA cm-2. Electrochemical experiments and theoretical calculations have demonstrated that the interfacial fluoride contributes to promote the adsorption of Pt to proton for sustaining a large current density at low potential, while the Pt single atoms/nanoparticles provide H adsorption sites. The synergy effect of F and Pt species promotes the formation of Pt─H and F─H bonds, which accelerate the adsorption and dissociation process of H2O and promote the HER reaction with a long-term durability in neutral conditions.

Alkali metal ion passivation of lead-free perovskite film for high responsivity self-powered broadband photodetectors

All-inorganic lead-free bismuth-based perovskites have attracted great interest in the optoelectronic applications due to their low toxicity and excellent stability. However, the inherent polycrystalline (PC) of perovskite films suffers severe charge recombination due to the large numbers of trap density. Herein, high-quality Cs3Bi2I9 (CBI) PC thin films are prepared by solution process with alkali sodium (Na+) cation doping strategy, resulting large grain size and lower trap density. Afterward, the photoelectrochemical-type detectors based on Na+ doped CBI thin film is constructed for the first time. The photodetector displays a broadband photoresponse covering ultraviolet (UV), visible and near-infrared (NIR) ranges. Significantly, by precisely controlling Na+ doping concentration, the performance of photodetector can be largely enhanced with the highest responsivity of 53.38 mA/W and detectivity of 5.99 × 109 Jones without bias, and these results exceed the performance of most reported CBI PC thin film based photodetectors. In addition, the photodetector exhibits an obvious increase in photoresponse and outstanding photo-stability after more than 150 on/off cycles. Finally, the mechanism of Na+ doping is further discussed. These results provide an outstanding example for the preparing high-quality CBI PC thin film and also demonstrate the great potential of CBI in the application of self-powered broadband photodetectors.

Synthesis of 2D yttrium zinc oxide nanosheets via simple chemical route toward high performance Schottky diode based on large charge carriers density and photoresponsivity

Abstract Yttrium zinc oxide (Zn0.85Y0.15O) nanostructures were stoichiometrically prepared by co-precipitation method. XRD, EDX, XPS, SEM, and TEM spectroscopy were examined to investigate structure, composition, and morphological characteristics. The synthesized nanocomposite exhibited polycrystalline structure with small crystallite size ~ 27 nm in which the particles appeared in sheets like shape with high atomic density on surface. The optical parameters including energy gap (Eg) and refractive index (n) were investigated from (T%) and (R%) measurements through wavelength range from 300-900 nm. Al/Y:ZnO/p-Si/Ag Schottky diode was fabricated using thermal evaporating technique and its current-voltage (I-V) was analyzed using different models. The photodiode showed non-ideal behavior with ideality factor greater than unity and small potential barrier. Under various illuminations, the photodiode has revealed high photosensitivity attributed to trapped charge carriers at the interface. The charge carrier density Nd and built-in voltage Vbi were estimated from Mott Schottky (M-S) function suggesting high Schottky diode efficiency.

Does collagen cross linking have any effect on retinal circulation in patients with keratoconus? An optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) study

BackgroundWe aimed to employ Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) to comprehensively assess changes in the optic nerve head (ONH) and macular perfusion before and after the Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking (CCL) procedure in patients with keratoconus.MethodsA total of 22 keratoconus patient’s candidate for CCL procedures were included based on specific criteria, with meticulous exclusion criteria in place to minimize potential confounders. Participants underwent OCTA assessments of the ONH and macula using the Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg) before CCL, as well as at 1- and 3-months post-CCL. MATLAB software was utilized for image analysis.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 20.09 ± 6.11, including 59% male, and the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) before the surgery was 13.59 ± 2.85 mmHg. Peripapillary Retinal nerve fiber layer (ppRNFL) thickness and overall retinal thickness remained stable post-CCL. However, significant alterations were observed in macular vessel density, emphasizing regional variations in vascular response. For macular large vessel density (LVD), both superficial and deep vascular complex (SVC and DVC) demonstrated significant differences between before surgery and the 3 months post-surgery follow-up (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Optic nerve head markers demonstrated relative stability, except for changes in avascular complex density, which was 49.2 ± 2.2% before the surgery and decrease to 47.6 ± 1.7% three months after the operation (P-value = 0.005).ConclusionWhile CCL appears to maintain the integrity of certain ocular structures, alterations in macular perfusion post-CCL suggest potential effects on retinal blood supply. Long-term monitoring is crucial to understand the implications of these changes, particularly in the context of conditions such as diabetes.

Mild-Temperature Supercritical Water Confined in Hydrophobic Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Fluids under extreme confinement show characteristics significantly different from those of their bulk counterpart. This work focuses on water confined within the complex cavities of highly hydrophobic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) at high pressures. A combination of high-pressure intrusion-extrusion experiments with molecular dynamic simulations and synchrotron data reveals that supercritical transition for MOF-confined water takes place at a much lower temperature than in bulk water, ∼250 K below the reference values. This large shifting of the critical temperature (Tc) is attributed to the very large density of confined water vapor in the peculiar geometry and chemistry of the cavities of Cu2tebpz (tebpz = 3,3',5,5'-tetraethyl-4,4'-bipyrazolate) hydrophobic MOF. This is the first time the shift of Tc is investigated for water confined within highly hydrophobic nanoporous materials, which explains why such a large reduction of the critical temperature was never reported before, neither experimentally nor computationally.

Flexible Aluminum-Air Battery Based on High-Performance Three-Dimensional Dual-Network PVA/KC/KOH Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte.

With a large theoretical capacity and high energy density, aluminum-air batteries are a promising energy storage device. However, the rigid structure and liquid electrolyte of a traditional aluminum-air battery limit its application potential in the field of flexible electronics, and the irreversible corrosion of its anode greatly reduces the battery life. To solve the above problems, a PVA/KC/KOH (2 M) composite gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) with a three-dimensional dual-network structure consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), kappa-carrageenan (KC), and potassium hydroxide was prepared in this paper by a simple two-step method and applied in aluminum-air batteries. At room temperature, the ionic conductivity of the PVA/KC/KOH (2 M) composite GPE was found to be up to 6.50 × 10-3 S cm-1. By utilizing this composite GPE, a single flexible aluminum-air battery was assembled and achieved a maximum discharge voltage of 1.2 V at 5 mA cm-2, with discharge time exceeding 3 h. Moreover, the single flexible aluminum-air battery maintains good electrochemical performance under various deformation modes, and the output voltage of the battery remains at about 99% after 300 cycles. The construction of flexible aluminum-air batteries based on a three-dimensional dual-network PVA/KC/KOH composite GPE provides excellent safety and high-multiplication capabilities for aluminum-air batteries, making them potential candidates for various flexible device applications.

Ni-Cu-based phosphide heterojunction for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural electrooxidation-assisted hydrogen production at large current density

5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation reaction (HMFOR) offers a promising avenue to achieve energy-saving H2 production and produce value-added chemicals. However, the lack of HMFOR electrocatalysts with large current density and high selectivity impedes the whole productivity. Herein, an Ni3P-Cu3P heterojunction grown on Cu foam (Ni3P-Cu3P/CF) was successfully constructed, achieving large current density (300mAcm-2 at 1.60V vs. RHE) and high selectivity and Faradaic efficiency (>99%) for HMFOR. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical calculations reveal that the interface charge redistributes at the Ni3P-Cu3P heterointerface, resulting into the charge-deficiency Ni3P and charge-accumulation Cu3P. The charge-deficiency Ni3P induced by charge-attracting Cu3P favors to form more high-valence Ni species, which facilitates to optimize the adsorption of HMF and OH⁎ species for improving current density and decreasing potential, while the charge-accumulation Cu3P enables to broaden the potential window by suppressing competitive oxygen evolution reaction, thus elevating the conversion rate and selectivity of products. Benefiting from the excellent performance of Ni3P-Cu3P/CF for HMFOR, when constructing a HMFOR-assisted H2 production system using Ni3P-Cu3P/CF and self-prepared MoNiNx/NF as anode and cathode, the energy consumption was substantially decreased to 3.8kW•h/Nm3 relative to that of pure water splitting (4.66kW•h/Nm3). Our work is instructive for achieving low energy consumption of H2 production and synthesis of valuable chemicals by constructing heterojunction.

Giant enhancement of vacuum friction in spinning YIG nanospheres

Experimental observations of vacuum radiation and vacuum frictional torque are challenging due to their vanishingly small effects in practical systems. For example, a nanosphere rotating at 1GHz in free space slows down due to friction from vacuum fluctuations with a stopping time around the age of the Universe. Here, we show that a spinning yttrium iron garnet (YIG) nanosphere near aluminum or YIG slabs generates vacuum radiation with radiation power eight orders of magnitude larger than other metallic or dielectric spinning nanospheres. We achieve this giant enhancement by exploiting the large near-field magnetic local density of states in YIG systems, which occurs in the low-frequency GHz regime comparable to the rotation frequency. Furthermore, we propose a realistic experimental setup for observing the effects of this large vacuum radiation and frictional torque under experimentally accessible conditions.

Realizing extraordinary bifunctional electrocatalytic performance of layered perovskite through Ba-site Gd doping toward oxygen reduction and evolution reactions

Herein we propose a Ba-site Gd doping protocol in layered perovskites, demonstrating highly active bifunctional PrBa1-xGdxCo2O5+δ electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Benefiting from enhanced oxygen surface exchange and chemical diffusion kinetics, resultant PrBa0.95Gd0.05Co2O5+δ (PBG0.05CO) exhibits an area-specific resistance (ASR) of 0.038 Ω cm2 at 700 oC, reduced by ∼46.5% relative to undoped PrBaCo2O5+δ (PBCO). When evaluated as the air electrode, the as-fabricated single coin fuel cell delivers a peak power density (PPD) of 1230 mW cm-2 at 700 oC. For the CO2-electrolysis at 750 oC, the large current density (J) of 2630 mA cm-2 is achieved in the PBG0.05CO anode-based electrolysis cell at a voltage (V) of 1.8 V. Furthermore, exceptional operating stability is realized in both ORR and OER manners. Our findings highlight an effective strategy to optimize the electrocatalytic properties of layered perovskites, endowing potential applications in energy storage and conversion aspects.

Large Capacity and High Energy Density Technology for Batteries and Fuel Cells

Large Capacity and High Energy Density Technology for Batteries and Fuel Cells

Constructing quasi‐amorphous cobalt oxyhydroxide nanowires with synergy of anion and cation via ion exchange reconstruction for large-current–density oxygen generation

Deep insight into the synergy between anion and cation aids in the maximization of catalytic activity and the rational exploitation of efficient oxygen-evolving catalysts. However, how to use ion exchange reconstruction to devise highly active and cost-efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts with anion and cation synergies for water electrolysis is rarely reported. Herein, the cobalt triphosphide (CoP3) nanowires are elaborately devised as a component-flexible precatalyst for directing an anodic reconfiguration with Ni cation exchange to construct a highly active and quasi‐amorphous cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) catalyst integrated with cation (Ni) substitution and oxyanion (PO43-) decoration (denoted by R-(Ni)CoP3). Interestingly, the structural evolution and the Ni cation exchange processes are captured through various in/ex situ techniques. The resultant R-(Ni)CoP3 nanowires display a splendid activity with low overpotentials of 406 and 420 mV to respectively deliver industrial grade current densities of 1000 and 1500 mA cm−2, and an outstanding stability over 300 h at a large current density of 500 mA cm−2, superior to most progressive cobalt-based OER materials and the benchmark IrO2. The combination of theoretical calculations with experimental studies demonstrate that the synergy of cation (Ni) substitution and oxyanion (PO43-) decoration can significantly modulate the electronic states of CoOOH and optimize the adsorption free energy of OER intermediates, thus immensely expediting the kinetics process and enhancing the charge transfer ability and the intrinsic OER activity. This research suggests ion-regulatory reconfiguration as a flexible and changeable strategy to construct various efficient and advanced catalysts for water electrolysis and beyond.

Lion lords and sharing hyaenas: Carnivore guild dynamics around elephant carcasses.

Megaherbivore carcasses represent sporadic but energetically rewarding resources for carnivores, offering a unique opportunity to study coexistence dynamics between facultative scavengers. South African fenced protected areas, such as Madikwe Game Reserve (Madikwe hereafter), host viable populations of large carnivores and high densities of elephants, Loxodonta africana. However, high carnivore densities can lead to potentially fatal interspecific encounters and increased competition, particularly around high-quality trophic resources. This study explores the temporal partitioning and co-detection strategies of carnivores at six elephant carcasses in Madikwe, aiming to understand how the increased carrion biomass available at elephant carcasses influences coexistence dynamics. Camera traps were deployed to monitor carcasses during two periods (2019 and 2020), revealing occurrences of six carnivore species. Carnivores, particularly black-backed jackals, Lupulella mesomelas, (hereafter jackal), lions, Panthera leo, and spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, comprised 56.7% of carcass observations, highlighting their pivotal roles in scavenging dynamics. Pairwise co-detection analysis demonstrated consistent association and shared peak activity periods between jackals and spotted hyaenas, indicating potential resource sharing. However, the minimal co-detection rates between lions and other carnivores highlight their resource domination. There was some evidence of temporal partitioning between carnivores, with most species exhibiting earlier peaks in nocturnal activity to avoid temporal overlap with lions. This study emphasises the importance of elephant carcasses in the diet of multiple species and coexistence techniques utilised to exploit this ephemeral resource. As fenced protected areas become crucial for conserving intact carnivore guilds globally, further research into carnivore behavioural adaptations at carcasses is recommended to shed light on their coexistence strategies.

Novel NaNbO3-based relaxors featuring ultrahigh energy storage performance

Ferroelectric ceramics with ultrahigh power density and fast charging/discharging are attracting increasing attention. The practical application of most antiferroelectric ceramics in current electronics is significantly limited by their poor recoverable energy storage density. Here, a novel system ceramic of (1-x) Na0.84Ca0.16Nb0.84Ti0.16O3-xBiZn2/3Nb1/3O3 (NCNT-xBZN) solid solutions, possessing a giant Wrec∼7.05 J cm−3 and excellent conversion efficiency (η)∼83.7% under 53 kV mm−1, was synthesized to exhibit superior stability with changing temperature, frequency and fatigue behavior, together with the large current density (CD=571.8 A cm−2), ultrahigh power density (PD=85.7 MW cm−3) and ultrafast discharge rate (∼200 ns). These outstanding properties are attributed to the phase transformation from the AFE R to the FE Q phase, accompanied by the smashing of sub-microdomains into polar nanoregions, as the BZN content raises. The experimental results disclose that the synergistic effect of the highly dynamic response of polar nanoregions and the local lattice distortion arising from the disruption of long-range polar ordering by heterovalent ion filling generates a delayed saturation polarization with a strong relaxor behavior, thereby optimizing the energy storage density. The unique combination, together with a simple synthesis strategy, offers a refreshing strategy for the development of dielectric materials.

Facile design of structurally robust, highly conductive and well-flexible hybrid film based on MXene, cellulose nanofiber and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiphoenes):polystyrene sulfonate for supercapacitors

Robust, conductive and flexible electrode materials have been the focus of attention in portable, wearable electronics. However, it is still a significant challenge to achieve synergistic development of multiple properties simultaneously. Herein, we propose a combination of microscale design and nanostructures strategy to prepare MXene/cellulose nanofiber-poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiphoenes):polystyrene sulfonate (Ti3C2Tx/CNF-PEDOT:PSS, TC-P) hybrid film by a simple in-situ polymerization and vacuum filtration process. CNF serves as the supporting skeleton of PEDOT:PSS, effectively mitigating its self-aggregation and structural deformation due to the expansion/contraction of the polymer network. And the CNF-PEDOT:PSS composite is capable to open up the interlayer space of Ti3C2Tx, which reduces the self-stacking of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets. The strong interactions among the three components enable the hybrid film electrode to possess both flexibility and high electrochemical properties. As a result, the film electrode exhibits a remarkable tensile strength of 77.4 MPa and an excellent conductivity of 162.5 S cm−1, as well as an outstanding areal specific capacitance of 896 mF cm−2 at 4 mA cm−2. Moreover, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device displays a large areal energy density of 62 µWh cm−2 at a power density of 800 µW cm−2 and demonstrates a long cycle life with 85.1 % capacitance retention after 10,000 GCD cycles. This study provides an effective strategy to balance mechanical flexibility and electrochemical properties, providing an inspiration to prepare flexible electrodes that are widely applied in a new generation of portable, wearable electronics.

Ghost states and surface structures of the charge density wave kagome metal ScV[formula omitted]Sn[formula omitted]

We investigate the high-temperature phase of the kagome metal ScV6Sn6 using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S) and density functional theory calculations. STM topographic images of the cleaved sample reveal two distinct surface terminations: flat islands with Sn termination and trenches terminated by kagome layers with Sn as the outermost atomic layer. STS measurements on the Sn-terminated and kagome-terminated surfaces show significant differences, in particular the presence of large density of states near the Fermi level in the former case. Our first-principles calculations reveal that the charge density on the kagome-terminated surface gives rise to “ghost states” which show intensity away from surface atoms, arising due to hybridization of orbitals above the surface. These states can obscure the intrinsic properties of the surface, potentially leading to misattribution of the surface termination. This underscores the need for careful interpretation in STM studies, especially when discerning surface states of localized states. Understanding the surface structure of this versatile quantum material provides essential information for interpreting surface-sensitive experiments, tailoring material properties, engineering interfaces, and controlling stability and reactivity. This knowledge paves the way for further exploration and potential applications of kagome lattice materials in various fields, including quantum computing, topological physics, and advanced electronic devices.