Microporous Interface Research Articles

Supercapacitively Liquid-Solid Dual-State Optoelectronics.

Photo-transduction of solid-state optoelectronics occurs in semiconductors or their interfaces. Considering the confined active area and interfacial capacitance of solid-state materials, solid-state optoelectronics faces inherent limitations in photo-transduction, especially for bionic vision, and the performance is lower than that of living systems. For example, a photoreceptor generates pA-level photocurrent when absorbing a single photon. Here, a liquid-solid dual-state phototransistor is demonstrated, in which photo-transduction and modulation take place at the microporous interface between semiconductors and water, mimicking principles of the photoreceptor. When operating in the water, an orderly stacked photo-harvesting covalent organic framework layer generates supercapacitively photogating modulation of the channel conductivity via a dual-state interface, achieving responsivity of 4.6×1010 AW-1 and detectivity of 1.62×1016 Jones at room temperature, several orders of magnitude higher than other photodetectors. Such bio-inspired dual-state optoelectronics enables high-contrast scotopic neuromorphic imaging with responsivity greater than photoreceptors, holding promise for constructing optoelectronic systems with performance beyond conventional solid-state optoelectronics.

Atomic overlayer of permeable microporous cuprous oxide on palladium promotes hydrogenation catalysis

The interfacial sites of metal-support interface have been considered to be limited to the atomic region of metal/support perimeter, despite their high importance in catalysis. By using single-crystal surface and nanocrystal as model catalysts, we now demonstrate that the overgrowth of atomic-thick Cu2O on metal readily creates a two-dimensional (2D) microporous interface with Pd to enhance the hydrogenation catalysis. With the hydrogenation confined within the 2D Cu2O/Pd interface, the catalyst exhibits outstanding activity and selectivity in the semi-hydrogenation of alkynes. Alloying Cu(0) with Pd under the overlayer is the major contributor to the enhanced activity due to the electronic modulation to weaken the H adsorption. Moreover, the boundary or defective sites on the Cu2O overlayer can be passivated by terminal alkynes, reinforcing the chemical stability of Cu2O and thus the catalytic stability toward hydrogenation. The deep understanding allows us to extend the interfacial sites far beyond the metal/support perimeter and provide new vectors for catalyst optimization through 2D interface interaction.

Development of a Portable and Modular Gas Generator: Application to Formaldehyde Analysis

This work aims at developing and validating under laboratory-controlled conditions a gas mixture generation device designed for easy on-site or laboratory calibration of analytical instruments dedicated to air monitoring, such as analysers or sensors. This portable device, which has been validated for formaldehyde, is compact and is based on the diffusion of liquid formaldehyde through a short microporous interface with an air stream to reach non-Henry equilibrium gas–liquid dynamics. The geometry of the temperature-controlled assembly has been optimised to allow easy change of the aqueous solution, keeping the microporous tube straight. The formaldehyde generator has been coupled to an on-line formaldehyde analyser to monitor the gas concentration generated as a function of the liquid formaldehyde concentration, the temperature, the air gas flow rate, and the microporous tube length. Our experimental results show that the generated gaseous formaldehyde concentration increase linearly between 10 and 1740 µg m−3 with that of the aqueous solution ranging between 0 and 200 mg L−1 for all the gas flow rates studied, namely 25, 50 and 100 mL min−1. The generated gas phase concentration also increases with increasing temperature according to Henry’s law and with increasing the gas–liquid contact time either by reducing the gas flow rate from 100 to 25 mL min−1 or increasing the microporous tube length from 3.5 to 14 cm. Finally, the performances of this modular formaldehyde generator are compared and discussed with those reported in the scientific literature or commercialised by manufacturers. The technique developed here is the only one allowing to operate with a low flow rate such as 25 to 100 mL min−1 while generating a wide range of concentrations (10–1000 µg m−3) with very good accuracy.

Friction and Wear Characteristics of Microporous Interface Filled with Mixed Lubricants of M50 Steel at Different Loads.

Improving the tribological performance of M50 steel under the conditions of wide load range is of great significance. In this study, the interfacial structure of surface micropores filled with Sn–Ag–Cu or Sn–Ag–Cu/whisker carbon nanotubes (whiskerCNT) of M50 material was prepared by laser additive manufacturing and high-temperature infiltration. From 2 to 22 N, the lubrication characteristics of Sn–Ag–Cu and whiskerCNT in surface micropores of M50 was investigated. Results indicate that Sn–Ag–Cu can precipitate to the worn surface and form a lubricating layer, which has a good lubricating effect. Moreover, the flow behavior of Sn–Ag–Cu on a worn surface can play the role of crack healing. At higher load, the strength of the lubricating film is enhanced by whiskerCNT, which renders the lubricating film not vulnerable to premature rupture.

A Variable Response Phosphine Sensing Matrix Based on Nanostructure Treated p and n-Type Porous Silicon Interfaces

We study the dynamic interplay as PH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> interacts at room temperature to contribute electrons to nanostructure modified p and n-type porous silicon (PS) interfaces. A nanopore coated microporous interface is treated to form TiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> , SnO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> , Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> O, and Au <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> O (x ≫ 1) nanostructured centers deposited in fractional coverage on the PS interface. Relative sensitivities of the surface sites are measured under 2-5 and 10 ppm PH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> exposure. The interaction with two p-type nanostructure decorated boron-doped interfaces demonstrates enhancement of sensitivity relative to undecorated PS. The results are explained using the inverse hard/soft acid/base (IHSAB) principle, combining the tenants of acid/base chemistry and semiconductor physics. Analyte coupling to the majority charge carriers of the extrinsic semiconductor determines the nature of directed electron transduction as it induces a change in conductance. As applied, the nanostructured metal oxides serve as gateways, forcing a dominant electron transduction (versus chemisorption) at the decorated extrinsic semiconductor interface. A study of gold clustered oxide depositions on p-type (1-3 Q-cm) PS demonstrates that an optimal fractional deposition can be attained and should not be exceeded to avoid crosstalk between the deposited nanoparticles. It appears that phosphine can be converted on interaction with phosphorous doped n-type PS. A reversal of the response signal observed with increased PH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> concentration, considered within the IHSAB model, suggests that the conductance might be associated with the formation of the electron withdrawing PH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> radical.

Nanostructure‐Directed Physisorption vs Chemisorption at Semiconductor Interfaces: The Inverse of the HSAB Concept

A concept, complementary to that of hard and soft acid-base interactions (HSAB-dominant chemisorption) and consistent with dominant physisorption to a semiconductor interface, is presented. We create a matrix of sensitivities and interactions with several basic gases. The concept, based on the reversible interaction of hard-acid surfaces with soft bases, hard-base surfaces with soft acids, or vice versa, corresponds 1) to the inverse of the HSAB concept and 2) to the selection of a combination of semiconductor interface and analyte materials, which can be used to direct a physisorbed vs chemisorbed interaction. The technology, implemented on nanopore coated porous silicon micropores, results in the coupling of acid-base chemistry with the depletion or enhancement of majority carriers in an extrinsic semiconductor. Using the inverse-HSAB (IHSAB) concept, significant and predictable changes in interface sensitivity for a variety of gases can be implemented. Nanostructured metal oxide particle depositions provide selectivity and complement a highly efficient electrical contact to a porous silicon nanopore covered microporous interface. The application of small quantities (much less than a monolayer) of nanostructured metals, metal oxides, and catalysts which focus the physisorbtive and chemisorbtive interactions of the interface, can be made to create a range of notably higher sensitivities for reversible physisorption. This is exemplified by an approach to reversible, sensitive, and selective interface responses. Nanostructured metal oxides developed from electroless gold (Au(x)O), tin (SnO(2)), copper (Cu(x)O), and nickel (NiO) depositions, nanoalumina, and nanotitania are used to demonstrate the IHSAB concept and provide for the detection of gases, including NH(3), PH(3), CO, NO, and H(2)S, in an array-based format to the sub-ppm level.

Development of Integrally Skinned Asymmetric Polyaniline Hollow Fibers for Membrane Applications

Fabricating integrally-skinned asymmetric hollow fiber membranes from concentrated polyaniline solutions is technically challenging due to the complex issues associated with rapid gelation of the polymer solution and controlling the phase inversion process to create porous structures. Different processing parameters, such as solution composition, coagulants, and spinning conditions were shown to dramatically affect the morphology of immersion-precipitated polyaniline hollow fiber membranes. This study revealed that it is possible to minimize macrovoid formation while controlling the thickness of the selective layer and the porosity of the support layer. Asymmetric polyaniline hollow fibers with morphologies that range from a highly permeable microporous interface to a dense selective layer have been successfully produced. The membrane properties can be tailored by doping the polyaniline hollow fiber with the desired dopant acid during the fiber-spinning process. Asymmetric integrally-skinned polyaniline hollow fiber membranes with an ultra-thin (<1 μm), defect-free selective layer have been produced on a continuous basis (150 m/h). Furthermore, the thickness of the dense layer can be systematically increased up to 30 μm for combined heat-mass transfer applications such as the dehumidification of air.