Application Of Materials Research Articles

Characterization of Composite Materials Using Carbon Nano Tube Carboxy Group Introduction and Aluminum Oxide Synthesis

The high integration and high density of semiconductor packages are generating increased heat in electronic devices, leading to issues such as reduced lifespan and malfunctions in electronic devices. In response, research on thermal interface materials is being conducted to address heat generated from heat sources, and various studies, particularly those applying carbon nano tube, are notable in this regard. However, in the case of carbon nano tube, there are challenges in industrial application due to the occurrence of cohesive forces through van der Waals interactions. Therefore, in this study, the characteristics were analyzed through the formation of carbon nano tube carboxyl groups (–COOH) and the synthesis of aluminum oxide via chloride (–COCl) formation. After the chloride process, a functional group –COCl was confirmed at 430 cm−1. It was confirmed that the electrical properties were improved as a result of the CNT, CNT carboxyl, and chloride process. It is believed that the electrical properties improved as impurities were removed during the acid treatment process. In addition, it is believed that the electrical properties were improved due to the increase in intermolecular forces between CNTs. Through this, it is determined that the application of carbon nano tube and aluminum oxide composite materials can be highly beneficial for thermal conductivity heat dissipation filler applications.

Recent Progress in the Applications of UIO-66 Materials: A Review

The integration of different disciplines is the core of the application orientation of UIO-66 materials, and it has expanded the boundaries of the application field of UIO-66 materials by exploring infinite space in chemical composition and material properties. Significant advancements have been achieved in utilizing the distinct characteristics of UIO-66 materials, both in basic and practical terms. In this review, our aim is to examine the key achievements in utilizing UIO-66 materials, encompassing areas like gas separation, catalysis, quartz crystal microbalance sensor and energy storage, and offer an essential viewpoint on their progress in practical applications. Finally, we succinctly address the primary obstacles that must be tackled in these domains to lay the groundwork for industrial utilization.

Biomaterial Improves the Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells by Passivating Defects and Inhibiting Ion Migration.

With the rapid improvement of power conversion efficiency (PCE), perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have broad application prospects and their industrialization will be the next step. Nevertheless, the performance and long-term stability of the devices are limited by the defect-induced nonradiative recombination centers and ions' migration inside the perovskite films. Here, usnic acid (UA), an easy-to-obtain and efficient natural biomaterial with a hydroxyl functional group (-OH) and four carbonyl groups (-C═O) was added to MAPbI3 perovskite precursor to regulate the crystallization process by slowing the crystallization rate, thereby expanding the crystal size and preparing perovskite films with low defect density. In addition, UA anchors the uncoordinated Pb2+ and suppresses the migration of I-ions, which enhances the stability of the perovskite film. Consequently, an impressive PCE exceeding 20% was achieved for inverted structure MAPbI3-based PSCs. More impressively, the optimized PSCs maintained 78% of the initial PCE under air with high humidity (RH ≈ 65%, 25-30 °C) for 1000 h. UA can be extracted from the plant, usnea, making it inexpensive and easy to obtain. Our work demonstrates the application of the plant material in PSCs and their industrialization, which is significant nowadays.

Molecular Photoelectrochemical Energy Storage Materials for Coupled Solar Batteries.

ConspectusSolar-to-electrochemical energy storage is one of the essential solar energy utilization pathways alongside solar-to-electricity and solar-to-chemical conversion. A coupled solar battery enables direct solar-to-electrochemical energy storage via photocoupled ion transfer using photoelectrochemical materials with light absorption/charge transfer and redox capabilities. Common photoelectrochemical materials face challenges due to insufficient solar spectrum utilization, which restricts their redox potential window and constrains energy conversion efficiency. In contrast, molecular photoelectrochemical energy storage materials are promising for their mechanism of exciton-involved redox reaction that allows for extra energy utilization from hot excitons generated by superbandgap excitation and localized heat after absorption of sub-bandgap photons. This enables more efficient redox reactions with a less restricted redox potentials window and, thus, better utilization of the full solar spectrum. Despite these advantages, practical application remains elusive due to the mismatch between the short lifetime of the charge separation state (<ns) and the slower redox reaction rate (>μs). This mismatch results in a significant portion of the photogenerated charges recombining before participating in desired electrochemical energy storage reactions, leading to diminished overall efficiency. It is therefore highly important to develop molecular materials with intrinsic prolonged charge separation state and extrinsic effective mass-electron transfer to enable efficient coupled solar batteries for practical applications.In this Account, we begin with an introduction of the general solar-to-electrochemical energy storage concept based on molecular photoelectrochemical energy storage materials, highlighting the advantages of periodic oxidative donor-reductive acceptor porous aggregate structures that have synergistic implications on charge separation state lifetime extension and mass-electron transfer. We then present our earliest trial on the design and application of molecular photoelectrochemical energy storage materials, which stimulated our subsequent studies on tuning electron donor and acceptor structures for enhanced charge separation and diverse photoelectrochemical redox reactions. Moreover, we introduce the best practices in the design and assembly of various coupled solar battery devices, along with our literature contributions and progresses in solar-to-electrochemical energy storage efficiency (ηSES) over nearly the past decade. Finally, we conclude by highlighting the universality of our strategies as essential design principles, spanning from regulating long-lived charge separation states and photocoupled ion transfer processes in molecular materials to the construction of efficient coupled solar batteries. We offer perspectives on the synergy between photovoltage and redox potentials and the practical significance of 3D printing, providing key evaluation indicators for large-scale application. This Account provides molecular level insights for the construction of high-efficiency photoelectrochemical energy storage materials and guidance for practical solar-to-electrochemical energy storage applications.

High-yield porphyrin production through metabolic engineering and biocatalysis.

Porphyrins and their derivatives find extensive applications in medicine, food, energy and materials. In this study, we produced porphyrin compounds by combining Rhodobacter sphaeroides as an efficient cell factory with enzymatic catalysis. Genome-wide CRISPRi-based screening in R. sphaeroides identifies hemN as a target for improved coproporphyrin III (CPIII) production, and exploiting phosphorylation of PrrA further improves the production of bioactive CPIII to 16.5 g L-1 by fed-batch fermentation. Subsequent screening and engineering high-activity metal chelatases and coproheme decarboxylase results in the synthesis of various metalloporphyrins, including heme and the anti-tumor agent zincphyrin. After pilot-scale fermentation (200 L) and setting up the purification process for CPIII (purity >95%), we scaled up the production of heme and zincphyrin through enzymatic catalysis in a 5-L bioreactor, with CPIII achieving respective enzyme conversion rates of 63% and 98% and yielding 10.8 g L-1 and 21.3 g L-1, respectively. Our strategy offers a solution for high-yield bioproduction of heme and other valuable porphyrins with substantial industrial and medical applications.

Fast Pure Shift NMR Spectroscopy Using Attention-Assisted Deep Neural Network.

Pure shift NMR spectroscopy enables the robust probing on molecular structure and dynamics, benefiting from great resolution enhancements. Despite extensive application landscapes in various branches of chemistry, the long experimental times induced by the additional time dimension generally hinder its further developments and practical deployments, especially for multi-dimensional pure shift NMR. Herein, this study proposes and implements the fast, reliable, and robust reconstruction for accelerated pure shift NMR spectroscopy with lightweight attention-assisted deep neural network. This deep learning protocol allows one to regain high-resolution signals and suppress undersampling artifacts, as well as furnish high-fidelity signal intensities along with the accelerated pure shift acquisition, benefitting from the introduction of the attention mechanism to highlight the spectral feature and information of interest. Extensive results of simulated and experimental NMR data demonstrate that this attention-assisted deep learning protocol enables the effective recovery of weak signals that are almost drown in the serious undersampling artifacts, and the distinction and recognition of close chemical shifts even though using merely 5.4% data, highlighting its huge potentials on fast pure shift NMR spectroscopy. As a result, this study affords a promising paradigm for the AI-assisted NMR protocols toward broader applications in chemistry, biology, materials, and life sciences, and among others.

Constructing Single- or Dual-Layer Biomass Composite Energetic Material through Self-Assembly of Biomass Polyphenol Structural Materials.

High energy and high risk have always restricted the application of materials in the military and civilian fields. To achieve this goal, researchers have studied the structural characteristics and structure-activity relationship of biomass polyphenol material to obtain core-shell biomass polyphenol composite energetic materials through molecular and structural design. The interface structure has a significant impact on the safety performance and thermal stability of energetic materials. The unique advantages of natural biomass polyphenol chemistry (tannic acid and tea polyphenols) include the structural design and performance control of energetic materials. This paper provides a review of the preparation of core-shell biomass polyphenol energetic materials, which involve the use of polyphenols as the shell layer, surface modification layer, and intermediate layer to enhance intermolecular interactions. This approach aims to enhance the thermal stability and reduce the sensitivity. Furthermore, the paper offers suggestions for potential future research directions based on the findings.

Room-temperature phosphorescence from organic materials in aqueous media.

In recent years, organic materials with room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) features have gained significant attention due to their wide applications in the fields of bioimaging, light-harvesting materials, encryption technology, etc. Although several examples of organic RTP materials in the crystalline state and polymer-based systems have been reported in the last decade or so, achieving organic RTP in the solution phase, particularly in the aqueous phase has remained a challenging task. Herein in this review, we summarize the progress in this direction by highlighting design strategies based on supramolecular scaffolding and host-guest complexation and the applications of such aqueous organic RTP materials in bioimaging, sensing, etc.

Tailoring the Ni-O Microenvironment in Amorphous-Dominated Highly Active and Stable Zn/NiO for Hydrogen Sulfide Detection.

Amorphous metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) materials are endowed with great promise to modulate electronic structures for gas-sensing performance improvement. However, the elevated-temperature requirement of gas sensors severely impedes the application of amorphous materials due to their low thermal stability. Here, a cationic-assisted strategy to tailor the Ni-O microenvironment in an amorphous-dominated Zn/NiO heterogeneous structure with high thermal stability was developed. It was found that 6 mol % Zn incorporation into amorphous NiO can effectively preserve the amorphous-dominated NiO phase even at high temperature. After calcination, the amorphous oxide can only be converted to crystals partly thus leading to the formation of amorphous/crystalline compounds, and the content of the amorphous phase can be adjusted by changing the calcination temperature. This amorphous/crystalline configuration can induce more electron transfer from Ni to Zn species, leading to the formation of active Niδ+ (δ>2) centers. Ex situ XPS and in situ Raman spectroscopy studies proved that the generated Niδ+ species pronouncedly promote the electron transfer during the H2S adsorption process. The amorphous/crystalline-6 mol % Zn/NiO sensor exhibits exceptional hydrogen sulfide response (2 ppm, 3.23), outstanding repeatability (as long as 5 weeks), and low limit of detection (as low as 50 ppb), surpassing most reported nickel-based gas sensors such as the crystal nickel oxide prepared in this work. The response and detection limit of the latter is only (2 ppm, 1.89) and (0.05 ppm) respectively. Our work thus opens up more opportunities for fundamental understanding and modulating of highly active amorphous sensing materials.

High-Refractive-Index Cross-Linked Cyclic Olefin Polymers with Excellent Transparency via Thiol-Ene Click Reaction.

High-refractive-index polymers are important optical materials in optoelectronics. Conventional cyclic olefin polymers (COPs), possessing many excellent optical properties, are a class of highly promising optical materials; however, one of the greatest obstacles is their low refractive index of n = 1.52-1.54. Here, one efficient strategy of first incorporating high molar refraction groups, including carbazolyl and indolyl moieties, into unsaturated COPs via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and then introducing another high molar refraction sulfur atom by a subsequent thiol-ene click reaction is presented. The obtained cross-linked COPs bearing both an aromatic group and sulfur possess significantly higher refractive indices (n = 1.611-1.684 at 589 nm) and highly optical transparency (approximately 95%) in the range of vis-NIR. This provides a way toward potential applications of new-generation optical materials.

A review of etching methods and applications of two-dimensional MXenes.

MXenes have been attracting much attention since their introduction due to their amazing properties such as unique structure, good hydrophilicity, metal-grade electrical conductivity, rich surface chemistry, low ionic diffusion resistance, and excellent mechanical strength. It is noteworthy that different synthesis methods have a great influence on the structure and properties of MXenes. In recent years, some modification strategies of MXenes with unique insights have been developed with the increasing research. In summary, this paper reviews and summarizes the recent research progress of MXenes from the perspective of preparation processes (including hydrofluoric acid direct etching, fluoride/concentrated acid hybrid etching, fluoride melt etching, electrochemical etching, alkali-assisted etching and Lewis acid etching strategies), which can provide valuable guidance for the preparation and application of high-performance MXenes-based materials.&#xD.

Trap-controllable near-ultraviolet elastico-mechanoluminescence of Ce3+ doped phyllosilicate with melilite-type structure

Mechanoluminescence (ML) materials have attracted much attention because of their mechano-optical conversion characteristics, which have shown broad application prospects in stress sensing and anti-counterfeiting technology in the past few decades. However, elastico-ML has not been demonstrated at the near-ultraviolet (NUV) range. In this study, a novel NUV elastico-ML material (Ca, Sr)8Mg3Al2Si7O28:Ce3+ (CSMASOC) with a melilite-type structure is successfully developed. The ML properties of CSMASOC were optimized by adjusting the doping concentration of Ce3+ and cation substitution, and the ML mechanism was also explored by analyzing the ML test under different irradiation conditions and thermoluminescence spectra. The results confirmed that the ML in CSMASOC was derived from 5d-4f transition of Ce3+, and CSMASOC belongs to trap-controllable ML material. In addition, NUV ML material CSMASOC is combined with several commercial phosphors, and constructed multi-color ML in the visible light range. The developed NUV ML materials and the constructed multi-color ML system in this work are critical for expanding the types of ML materials and promoting the practical application of ML materials.

Flexural-Mode Piezoelectric Resonators: Structure, Performance, and Emerging Applications in Physical Sensing Technology, Micropower Systems, and Biomedicine.

Piezoelectric material-based devices have garnered considerable attention from scientists and engineers due to their unique physical characteristics, resulting in numerous intriguing and practical applications. Among these, flexural-mode piezoelectric resonators (FMPRs) are progressively gaining prominence due to their compact, precise, and efficient performance in diverse applications. FMPRs, resonators that utilize one- or two-dimensional piezoelectric materials as their resonant structure, vibrate in a flexural mode. The resonant properties of the resonator directly influence its performance, making in-depth research into the resonant characteristics of FMPRs practically significant for optimizing their design and enhancing their performance. With the swift advancement of micro-nano electronic technology, the application range of FMPRs continues to broaden. These resonators, representing a domain of piezoelectric material application in micro-nanoelectromechanical systems, have found extensive use in the field of physical sensing and are starting to be used in micropower systems and biomedicine. This paper reviews the structure, working principle, resonance characteristics, applications, and future prospects of FMPRs.

Research on Mechanical Properties and Engineering Applications of Inorganic Cementitious Filling Materials in Coal Mine Abandoned Roadways

To solve the problems of brittleness, high cost, and the complicated construction process of traditional filling materials for filling abandoned roadways, various aspects of the physical and mechanical properties of the materials were studied using laboratory tests and were applied in coal mines. The research shows that the self-developed inorganic cementitious filling material has the advantages of being low cost, easy to cut and wash, and having good filling performance. A foaming agent is a direct factor in controlling the volume expansion of inorganic cementitious filling materials; the increase in the volume of slurry foaming with the addition of a foaming agent initially showed a large and then a small trend with a foaming agent dosage of 100 g. The increase in the volume of slurry foaming is the largest at 56.28%. The effect of the B material (calcium stearate+ J85 rapid-setting agent) on the foaming time and the number of foaming times of the slurry was significant. Foam stabilizers in the B material make the slurry particles uniformly distributed inside the slurry, while quick-setting agents control the initial and final setting time by affecting the slurry setting speed. The water/cement ratio directly affects the foaming times of the slurry but has little effect on the foaming time and setting speed. When the water/cement ratio is less than 1:2, the slurry foaming effect is poor, and the foaming volume remains unchanged. The strength of the material is significantly affected by the proportion of B material and the amount of blowing agent, and the compressive strength of materials with different compositions and ratios varies greatly. A whole set of systems of new inorganic gelatinized abandoned roadway filling materials was researched and applied in coal mines, achieving good results.

Fast-Curing of Liquid Crystal Thermosets Enabled by End-Groups Regulation and In Situ Monitoring by Triboelectric Spectroscopy.

The development of high-performance polymer is crucial for the fabrication of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) used in extreme conditions. Liquid crystal polyarylate thermosets (LCTs) demonstrate great potential as triboelectric material by virtue of exceptional comprehensive properties. However, there are only a few specific end-groups like phenylethynyl matching the LCT polycondensation temperature (above 300°C). Moreover, the excellent properties of LCTs rely on the crosslinked network formed with long curing time at high temperature, restricting their further application in triboelectric material. Herein, a fast-curing LCT is designed by terminating with 4-maleimidophenol possessing appropriate reactivity. The resultant LCT (MA-LC-MA) exhibits much lower polycondensation temperature (250-270°C) and curing temperature of 300°C within only 1min compared to typical LCTs (cured at 370°C for 1h). Furthermore, the cured MA-LC-MA retains a high glass transition temperature of 135°C, storage modulus of 6MPa even at 350°C, and great electrical output performance. Additionally, triboelectric measurement related to the dielectric properties that vary with crosslinked network is innovatively utilized as an analysis technique of curing progress. This work provides a new strategy to design high-performance TENGs and promotes the development of next generation thermosets in extreme conditions.

An MBene Modulating the Buried SnO2/Perovskite Interface in Perovskite Solar Cells

AbstractThe interface of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) plays an important role in transferring and collecting charges. Interface defects are important factors affecting the efficiency and stability of PSCs. Here, the buried interface between SnO2 and the perovskite layer is bridged by two‐dimensional (2D) MBene, which improves charge transfer. MBene can deposit additional electrons on the surface of SnO2, passivate its surface defects and facilitate the charge collection. Moreover, the dipole moment formed at the interface increases the electron transfer ability in the PSCs. MBene also regulates the growth of perovskite crystals, improves the quality of perovskite films, and reduces its grain boundary defects. As a result, PSCs based on FA0.2MA0.8PbI3 and (FAPbI3)0.95(MAPbBr3)0.05 get the enhanced efficiencies of 22.34 % and 24.32 % with negligible hysteresis. Furthermore, the optimized device exhibits better stability. This work opens up the application of MBene materials in PSCs, reveals a deeper understanding of the mechanism behind using 2D materials as an interface modification layer, and shows opportunities for using MBene as potential material in photoelectric devices.

Clusterization-triggered emission of polysaccharide-based microclusters induced by the co-assembly of chitosan nanofibers and dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose

Abstract The emerging nonaromatic and nonconjugated clusteroluminogens possess the potential to overcome the common drawbacks of aromatic π-conjugated luminophores such as aggregation-caused quenching, synthetic complexity, bio-toxicity, and environmental pollution. Because of the presence of heteroatoms and carbonyl functional groups, some natural polymers show potential as clusteroluminogens. In this study, co-assembled microclusters were fabricated using chitosan nanofibers cross-linked with dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose. Microclusters form stable structures under aqueous conditions owing to the formation of cross-links via imine bonds, ionic interactions, and hydrogen bonds between the polysaccharides. These multiple interactions and the heteroatomic nature of both chitosan nanofibers and dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose enable the realization of clusterization-triggered emission by through-space conjugation. Microclusters exhibit stable fluorescence behavior under aqueous conditions. A composite gel of microclusters and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA-MCs) was synthesized using the freeze–thaw method to develop clusterization-triggered emission hydrogel. The microclusters and PVA-MCs gels demonstrated the detection ability toward specific metal ions such as Cu2+ and Fe3+, by the quenching of the emission. This strategy for the creation of clusterization-triggered emission microclusters based on cross-linked polysaccharides widens the scope of the practical and sustainable application of water-containing fluorescent materials in the fields of sensing and biomedicines.

Application of a novel ball-milled tourmaline-biochar composite materials for remediation of groundwater and bottom mud polluted with heavy metals

A novel composited material of ball-milled tourmaline-biochar (BM-TB) developed have a good adsorption capacity for heavy metal in the wider pH ranges of the aqueous solution. The adsorption capacity of BM-TB for Cd2+ was 142.6 mg/g when the solution pH was 4.0, and when pH was higher than 4.0. When the BM-TB was used to adsorb As, Cd, Cu and Pb from the groundwater, the adsorption percentage obtained 17.4 %, 93.6 %, 64.1 % and 95.9 %, respectively. When the BM-TB was used to remediate the bottom mud, BM-TB can the can significantly reduce the bioavailability of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn and As and inhibit their enrichment into plant. Additionally, the novel material was remediated the bottom mud, it can amend the bottom mud and enhance the content of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total nitrogen and rapidly available potassium, and significantly reduce the content of dissolved carbon (DC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). In addition, the increase of CO2 emission flux was not significant, and gradually decreased with the increase of culture days. The present study provided not only a novel material, but also technology protocol for treatment of acidic wastewater and heavy metals contaminated groundwater and bottom mud.

Investigating the Corrosion Resistance of Different SiC Crystal Types: From Energy Sectors to Advanced Applications.

Silicon carbide, as a third-generation semiconductor material, plays a pivotal role in various advanced technological applications. Its exceptional stability under extreme conditions has garnered a significant amount of attention. These superior characteristics make silicon carbide an ideal candidate material for high-frequency, high-power electronic devices and applications in harsh environments. In particular, corrosion resistance in natural or artificially acidic and alkaline environments limits the practical application of many other materials. In fields such as chemical engineering, energy conversion, and environmental engineering, materials often face severe chemical erosion, necessitating materials with excellent chemical stability as foundational materials, carriers, or reaction media. Silicon carbide exhibits outstanding performance under these conditions, demonstrating significant resistance to corrosive substances such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and alkaline substances such as potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. Despite the well-known chemical stability of silicon carbide, the stability conditions of its different types (such as 3C-, 4H-, and 6H-SiC polycrystals) in acidic and alkaline environments, as well as the specific corrosion mechanisms and differences, warrant further investigation. This Review not only delves deeply into the detailed studies related to this topic but also highlights the current applications of different silicon carbide polycrystals in chemical reaction systems, energy conversion equipment, and recycling processes. Through a comprehensive analysis, this Review aims to bridge research gaps, offering a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages between different polymorphs. It provides material scientists, engineers, and developers with a thorough understanding of silicon carbide's behavior in various chemical environments. This work will propel the research and development of silicon carbide materials under extreme conditions, especially in areas where chemical stability is crucial for device performance and durability. It lays a solid foundation for ultra-high-power, high-integration, high-reliability module architectures, supercomputing chips, and highly safe long-life batteries.

An MBene Modulating the Buried SnO2/Perovskite Interface in Perovskite Solar Cells.

The interface of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) plays an important role in transferring and collecting charges. Interface defects are important factors affecting the efficiency and stability of PSCs. Here, the buried interface between SnO2 and the perovskite layer is bridged by two-dimensional (2D) MBene, which improves charge transfer. MBene can deposit additional electrons on the surface of SnO2, passivate its surface defects and facilitate the charge collection. Moreover, the dipole moment formed at the interface increases the electron transfer ability in the PSCs. MBene also regulates the growth of perovskite crystals, improves the quality of perovskite films, and reduces its grain boundary defects. As a result, PSCs based on FA0.2MA0.8PbI3 and (FAPbI3)0.95(MAPbBr3)0.05 get the enhanced efficiencies of 22.34 % and 24.32 % with negligible hysteresis. Furthermore, the optimized device exhibits better stability. This work opens up the application of MBene materials in PSCs, reveals a deeper understanding of the mechanism behind using 2D materials as an interface modification layer, and shows opportunities for using MBene as potential material in photoelectric devices.