Practical Application Of Such Materials Research Articles

Lead-Free Bismuth-Based Perovskite X-ray Detector with High Sensitivity and Low Detection Limit.

Bismuth-based halide perovskites have shown great potential for direct X-ray detection, attributable to their nontoxicity and advantages in detection sensitivity and spatial resolution. However, the practical application of such materials still faces the critical challenge of combining both high sensitivity and low detection limits. Here, we report a new type of zero-dimensional (0D) perovskite (HIS)BiI5 (1, where HIS2+ = histamine) with high sensitivity and a low detection limit. Structurally, the strong N-H···I hydrogen bonds between HIS2+ cations and inorganic frameworks enhance the rigidity of the structure and diminish the intermolecular distance between adjacent inorganic [Bi2I10]4- dimers. By virtue of such structural merits, single crystal 1 exhibits excellent physical properties perpendicular to both the (001) and (010) faces. Perpendicular to the (010) face, 1 exhibited a high electrical resistivity (2.31 × 1011 Ω cm) and a large carrier mobility-lifetime product (μτ) (2.81 × 10-4 cm2 V-1) under X-ray illumination. Benefiting from these superior physical properties, it demonstrates an excellent X-ray detection capability with a sensitivity of approximately 103 μC Gyair-1 cm-2 and a detection limit of 36 nGyair s-1 in both directions perpendicular to the (001) and (010) crystal faces. These results provide a promising candidate material for the development of new, lead-free, high-performance X-ray detectors.

Effect of (Al3+/Ta5+) co-doped on dielectric properties of CdCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

In this work, dense CdCu3(Al[Formula: see text]Ta[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] ceramics were prepared by a conventional solid phase method. The effect of Al[Formula: see text]/Ta[Formula: see text] dopants on the dielectric properties of CdCu3Ti4O[Formula: see text] ceramics was systematically investigated. Upon Al[Formula: see text]/Ta[Formula: see text] co-doping, the dielectric properties of CdCu3(Al[Formula: see text]Ta[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] were significantly enhanced. Particularly, the CdCu3(Al[Formula: see text]Ta[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] material displays a decent dielectric property, where dielectric constants ([Formula: see text]), loss tangent (tan [Formula: see text]) at a test frequency of 1[Formula: see text]kHz are able to satisfy the application temperature requirement of the Y6R capacitor. Surprisingly, the refined grains resulting from Al[Formula: see text]/Ta[Formula: see text] co-doping lead to heightened resistance at grain boundaries, which is closely associated with enhanced dielectric properties. Meanwhile, the giant dielectric property of the materials can be attributed to the effect of the internal barrier layer capacitance. The obtained results are expected to provide a new idea for obtaining high dielectric constant and low loss tangent in CdCTO-based materials and promote the practical application of such materials.

Aggregation Enhanced Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence through Spin‐Orbit Coupling Regulation

Integrating aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) into thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters holds great promise for the advancement of highly efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Despite recent advancements, a thorough comprehension of the underlying mechanisms remains imperative for the practical application of such materials. In this work, we introduce a novel approach aimed at modulating the TADF process by manipulating dynamic processes in excited states through aggregation effect. Our findings reveal that aggregation not only enhances both prompt and delayed fluorescence simultaneously but also imposes constraints on molecular reorientation. This constraint reinforces spin‐orbit coupling and reduces the energy gap between singlets and triplets. These insights deepen our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing the aggregation effect on TADF materials and provide valuable guidance for the design of high‐efficiency photoluminescent materials.

Aggregation Enhanced Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence through Spin-Orbit Coupling Regulation.

Integrating aggregation-induced emission (AIE) into thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters holds great promise for the advancement of highly efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Despite recent advancements, a thorough comprehension of the underlying mechanisms remains imperative for the practical application of such materials. In this work, we introduce a novel approach aimed at modulating the TADF process by manipulating dynamic processes in excited states through aggregation effect. Our findings reveal that aggregation not only enhances both prompt and delayed fluorescence simultaneously but also imposes constraints on molecular reorientation. This constraint reinforces spin-orbit coupling and reduces the energy gap between singlets and triplets. These insights deepen our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing the aggregation effect on TADF materials and provide valuable guidance for the design of high-efficiency photoluminescent materials.

Theoretically designed epsilon-negative materials: Ni nanoparticles encapsulated CNTs and their magnetic driven properties

Epsilon-negative materials (ENMs), especially the materials with a weakly negative permittivity, hold significant value in various applications including electromagnetic absorption, solar energy harvesting, and sensing technologies. In this study, nickel (Ni) nanoparticles were synthesized and encapsulated within carbon nanotubes (Ni@CNTs). Subsequently, films composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Ni@CNTs were fabricated (PVA/Ni@CNTs), demonstrating favorable magnetic driven performance and a broadband weakly negative permittivity. The negative permittivity was about -1500 from 10 kHz to 1 MHz. The presence of π electrons in carbon materials enhanced carrier mobility, providing the obtained negative permittivity with the advantage of low dispersion. Additionally, a noticeable polarization phenomenon took place at the interface of the two phases (PVA and Ni@CNTs), significantly increasing the positive permittivity to neutralize the negative permittivity. Moreover, this work firstly introduces magnetic-driven soft ENMs, broadening practical applications of such materials to magnetic-driven soft actuators and robotics. Theoretical calculations offer explanations of the mechanism, providing a foundation for designing the next generation of ENMs.

SCSC Transformation and Post-Synthesis Modification of MOFs with Proton Conduction and Ratiometric Fluorescence-Sensing Properties.

The modification of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials to facilitate their practical applications is an extremely challenging and meaningful topic. In this work, two stepwise modification strategies for MOFs were conducted. First, we have demonstrated a single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformation from a microporous three-dimensional (3D) MOF to a two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymer (CP). The centrosymmetric [Cd(3-bpdb)(MeO-ip)]n (1) transforms into a chiral [Cd2(3-bpdb)(MeO-ip)2(CH3OH)2]n (2), which is triggered by the reaction time with methanol that acts as a structure-directing agent. The conversion relationship of 1 to 2 at different reaction times was studied in detail. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations clearly state that the irreversible formation of 2 is thermodynamically favorable. Intriguingly, 2 exhibits good proton conduction of 1.34 × 10-3 S cm-1 under 363 K and 98% relative humidity (RH) due to unique H-bond network characteristics. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few cases of 3D to 2D SCSC transformation stimulated by reaction time. The results have important implications for understanding the SCSC transformation mechanism and synthetic chemistry. On the other hand, the lanthanide3+-functionalized hybrids (Ln3+-MOF), Ln3+@1, were continuously prepared by incorporating luminescent Ln3+ ions into the structure of 1 through encapsulating post-synthesis modification (PSM). Tb3+@1 exhibits double emission in water and shows visual ratiometric fluorescence behavior for sensing glutamic acid (Glu), tryptophan (Trp), and Al3+, which is more reliable and accurate than single emission. Our work may not only provide new insights into the multiple modification of MOF materials but also promote the practical application of such materials.

Quantum coherence and mutual information of mixed spin-(1/2, 5/2) Ising-<i>XXZ</i> model on quasi-one-dimensional lattices

The mixed spin-(1/2, 5/2) Ising-<i>XXZ</i> model on quasi-one-dimensional lattices can be used to study the properties of some materials (such as heterotrimetallic Fe-Mn-Cu coordination polymer), and the study on this model is beneficial to the practical applications of such materials in the field of quantum information. The quantum coherence and mutual information are calculated by the transfer matrix method, and the effects of Ising interaction, temperature and magnetic field on them are discussed. The results show that the quantum coherence decreases gradually with the increase of Ising interaction at extremely low temperatures, while there is one minimum value of mutual information in an isotropic system and there appear four minimum values in an anisotropic <inline-formula><tex-math id="M3">\begin{document}$\left( {\varDelta = 4} \right)$\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="13-20230381_M3.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="13-20230381_M3.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> system. Furthermore, quantum coherence and mutual information jump abruptly at quantum phase transition points where the first derivatives of them exhibit singular behaviors. The quantum coherence and mutual information at finite temperatures are also studied. As the temperature increases, they decrease monotonically in a weak magnetic field, but they first increase and then decrease in a higher magnetic field, which is caused by the competition between thermal fluctuation and magnetic field. Compared with quantum mutual information, quantum coherence exists over a wider range of magnetic field and temperature, which can be easily manipulated experimentally.

Antifouling superhydrophilic porous glass membrane based on sulfobetaine prepared by thiol−ene click chemistry for high-efficiency oil/water separation

Compared to superhydrophobic/superoleophilic membranes for high-efficiency oil/water separation, superhydrophilic membranes displaying underwater superoleophobic properties show improved antifouling performance. Nevertheless, superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic surfaces reported so far, in general, are susceptible to oil contamination. In addition, the tricky fabrication methods towards the superhydrophilic membranes also severely limit practical applications of such materials. Herein, we prepared novel superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic porous glass membranes with excellent oil fouling resistance via one-step in situ growth of silicone nanofilament network layers on the surface of sand particle-based sintered glass filters using vinyltrichlorosilane (VTCS) as a precursor, followed by grafting of a thiol-functionalized of sulfobetaine by thiol-ene click chemistry. The sulfobetaine-modified porous glass membranes showed excellent underwater superoleophobicity even for viscous crude oil. Besides, such surface-modified glass membranes exhibited high efficiency for the separation of various oil-water mixtures (>99.992%) and oil-in-water emulsions (>99.968%), even for those involved with viscous crude oil (99.982%). Owing to its superior antifouling properties, the sulfobetaine-modified glass membranes display excellent reusability for the separation of oil-water mixtures and oil-in-water emulsions. The outstanding advantages with characteristics of easy-to-fabricate, low-cost, excellent antifouling properties, and high separation performance enable the sulfobetaine-modified porous glass membranes with great potential for oily sewage treatment.

Synthesis of multicore-shell FeS2@C nanocapsules for stable potassium-ion batteries

Transition-metal sulfides are widely used as anodes for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their low cost and high theoretical capacity. The practical application of such materials, however, is still impeded by their inherent low conductivity and obvious volume change during cycling. Herein, a flexible etch-assisted sulfidation strategy is reported. According to the strategy, the multicore-shell (MCS) nanocapsule structure is constructed, and then mesoporous FeS2 nanoparticles are encapsulated in the hollow carbon shell with adjustable interior space. The product, MCS-FeS2@C-20, not only features optimized inner space, but also delivers a large reversible capacity (519 mAh g−1 at a current density of 50 mA g−1), good rate capability (107 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 5 A g−1) and excellent cycling stability (capacity retention rate of 84.2% over 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1), making it the promising anode material for PIBs. Notably, potassium-ion full cells (MCS-FeS2@C-20//K0.4CoO2) also show an improved potassium storage performance.

Coaxial Multiphase Flame for Continuous‐Flow Assembly of Ternary Nanocomposite Photocatalysts

AbstractFor the low‐cost production of graphene (G)‐included composites, the growth of graphene on a transition metal in hydrocarbon flames is introduced, where the hydrocarbons are adsorbed on the metal surface, followed by catalytic decomposition, leading to continuous G formation. On the other hand, the flame synthesis of G is still a batch process, limiting the practical applications of such materials. Moreover, the hybridization of G for enhanced catalytic activities requires additional reaction and separation steps. Here, a coaxial multiphase flame is generated and combined with a rotating Cu–Ni foil and ultrasonic bath for the continuous‐flow assembly of ternary G composites with low‐cost and rapid implementation. The continuous flows to generate a multicomponent flame consist of MoS2 particle‐laden N2 gas (inner), titanium isopropoxide vapor‐laden CH4‐air (middle), and ethanol liquid (outer), while Cu–Ni foil plies between the flame and ultrasonic bath for the assembly and dispersion of MoS2–TiO2@G composites. The configuration of the composite can be modulated by replacing the MoS2 flow with a CdS flow to construct CdS–TiO2@G. From photocatalytic H2 production and CO2 reduction tests, the developed coaxial flame provides comparable performance with analogous architectures from the usual multistep methods despite the high‐throughput production.

Recent Advances in Mechanoluminescence of Doped Zinc Sulfides

AbstractMechanoluminescence (ML) is the light generation of a material under mechanical stimuli. For more than 400 years, many compounds including inorganic and organic materials present this phenomenon. The general mechanism for the ML emission is the stress‐induced electrification effect combined with the piezoelectric field that lead to trapping and detrapping of the charge carriers. However, an in‐depth investigation and research are required to understand and hypothesize the ML mechanisms and optimum design and synthesis methods for better ML properties. Among the most common materials possessing this phenomenon is the zinc sulfide (ZnS) compounds that show high luminescence intensity and reproducibility. Such properties make them best candidates to be used in potential applications such as light and display devices, stress sensors, and human health monitoring devices. Therefore, this minireview focuses on the recent development and progress in doped ZnS ML compounds, including mechanism, design and synthesis, and the practical applications of such materials.

Carbon Dots‐in‐EuAPO‐5 Zeolite: Triple‐Emission for Multilevel Luminescence Anti‐Counterfeiting

Multilevel luminescence materials have aroused wide attention for their advanced anti-counterfeiting abilities. However, various complicated stimuli factors involved in multilevel luminescence anti-counterfeiting (MlLA) limit the practical applications of such materials. Herein, carbon dots (CDs) are in situ introduced into Eu-substituted AlPO4 -5 zeolite (named CDs@EuAPO-5) via a solvent-free thermal crystallization method, which exhibits triple emissions including pink fluorescence mainly associated with Eu3+ in the zeolite framework, blue fluorescence and green room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) associated with CDs. CDs are uniformly embedded in the EuAPO-5 zeolite matrix. Such composite displays excellent photo-, thermo-, and solvent resistance, as well as long-term storage-stability. Moreover, the triple emissions of the composite only need two kinds of common excitation lights to trigger, without involving other complicated stimuli. A triple-level luminescence anti-counterfeiting (TlLA) label has been built, realizing facile, quick, and advanced luminescence anti-counterfeiting that is hard to copy.

Electronic, mechanical and thermodynamic properties of ZrC, HfC and their solid solutions studied by first-principles calculation

The electronic properties, dynamic stabilities and mechanical properties of ZrC, HfC, and their solid solutions were determined using first-principles calculations. The crystal structures and elastic moduli of ZrxHf1−xC compounds were investigated under different transition metal atom solutions, and linear changes were observed in cell volumes, bond lengths and elastic properties with increasing hafnium atom content. The obtained phonon spectra and elastic constants show that all the compounds are dynamically and mechanically stable because they satisfy the corresponding stability criteria. The solid solutions of ZrC and HfC did not affect their electronic and mechanical properties. They are still metals, and their mechanical properties are comparable to those of ZrC and HfC. Moreover, the corresponding properties can be adjusted to some extent by changing the solid-solution ratio of the transition metal atoms. This provides a considerable advantage and convenience for the practical application of such materials.

Catalyst-Exsolving Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Exsolution is the process in which cations that make up the lattice of a mixed ionic/electronic conductor (MIEC) are reduced to metals and migrate to the surface of the host ceramic. These materials have become quite attractive for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) because they can facilitate oxygen and electron transport through their bulk and act as electrocatalysts on the surface of SOFC anodes. Also, because of the nature of the exsolution process, the highly dispersed nano-catalysts have strong particle-host interactions which have shown resistance to common SOFC failure mechanisms such as agglomeration and coking. However, the practical application of such materials has not been well studied since most research focuses on the electrolyte-supported cells, which offer a quick method for screening electrochemical activity but the large ohmic resistance makes this cell unrealistic for real energy conversion devices, especially at lower temperatures.Here, we use a scalable ceramic processing technique to fabricate a ceramic-anode-supported SOFC that exsolves nano-catalysts for low temperature operation (600°C). SrFe0.2Ni0.4Mo0.4O3- δ (SFNM) is used as the anode material due to its high conductivity and exsolution ability. By shifting the mechanically supporting layer from the electrolyte to this anode, we are able to drastically reduce the overall ohmic resistance of the cell. Additionally, we avoid extra processing steps for conventional catalyst deposition by taking advantage of the in-situ catalyst exsolution. During the exsolution process, we show that our cell performance increases over time, up to a peak power density of 300 mW/cm2 at 600°C with H2 fuel. Further, we discuss two major challenges facing exsolution-anode-supported SOFCs along the way and we show our efforts to identify and address the root causes of these problems.

Investigation of the bulging mechanism of C/SiC coating through in situ optical observation and numerical simulation

Carbon fibre-reinforced silicon carbide composites (C/SiC) are a type of high-temperature structural ceramics that can be widely applied in aerospace, hypersonic aircraft, and military fields. However, the practical application of such materials in some complex high-temperature environments is still limited owing to drawbacks such as the bulging problem. In this study, the bulging of a C/SiC coating in a high-temperature wind tunnel is investigated. The surface data of specimens in the high-temperature arc wind tunnel were obtained using optical visualisation equipment, and the entire process of the formation of coating bulges, and their evolution and fusion is illustrated. Then, a fully coupled thermal fluid-solid simulation model is established, and the influence of defects on the internal heat transfer of materials is analysed. Further, the thermal fluid-solid coupling simulation technology is also used to analyse the bulging process of the coating to understand the mechanism of chemical reactions in defects between the coating and substrate. This work can serve as a guide for the screening and improvement of the material coating process.

Use of 3D printing to create multifunctional cementitious composites: review, challenges and opportunities

Additive manufacturing has been a topic of interest in the construction industry for the past decade. 3D printing of concrete structures promises great improvements in construction efficiency, waste reduction, and shape optimization. Another field where additive manufacturing offers opportunities is on the material level of cementitious composites. Techniques developed in other fields can be used to create multifunctional cementitious composites beyond what is possible with conventional technologies. This letter reviews recent developments in the field. Different applications are discussed: creating reinforcement for cementitious composites, creating capsules and vascular networks, and cementitious composites with superior mechanical behavior. Challenges for further research and practical applications of such materials are also discussed.

Ultra-long-delay sustainable and short-term-friction stable mechanoluminescence in Mn2+-activated NaCa2GeO4F with centrosymmetric structure

Energy-storage mechanoluminescent (ML) materials have shown promising prospects in stress sensing, lighting and displays due to the outstanding structural integrity and luminescent reproducibility. However, such ML materials universally encounter limitations in achieving long-delay sustainability, cyclic-stimulation stability and centrosymmetric-lattice availability. Herein, we report a new ML material NaCa2GeO4F:Mn2+ with centrosymmetric structure, whose ML properties show ultra-long-delay sustainability (up to a delay of 144 h), short-term-friction stability and high image contrast. The experimental and theoretical investigations indicate that these unique ML characteristics arise from the formation of deep traps. These deep traps can stably store a certain proportion of electrons at ambient temperature for a long time, and provide electronic supplement to shallow traps released under mechanical friction. The excitation mechanism of captured electrons under mechanical stimuli is attributed to the local triboelectric field caused by triboelectricfication. We also demonstrate the availability of the developed ML material in mechanically triggered display and time-resolved security encryption. Our results may provide new insights for developing high-performance energy-storage ML materials and promoting practical applications of such materials.

Effect of Extended Aging and Oxidation on Linear Poly(propylenimine)-Mesoporous Silica Composites for CO2 Capture from Simulated Air and Flue Gas Streams.

Physical aging or degradation of amine-containing polymers and supported amine adsorbents is a critical issue that could limit the practical application of such materials for CO2 capture. However, to date, there is a scarcity of studies that evaluate the long-term stability of amine-based sorbents without the exclusive use of accelerated aging tests. Here, we demonstrate that extended aging (∼2 years) of linear poly(propylenimine) (LPPI) confined in mesoporous silica (SBA-15) supports does not drastically impact the CO2 adsorption performance under simulated flue gas (10% CO2) and direct air capture (DAC, 400 ppm CO2) conditions, although the behavior of the aged sorbents and polymers in the two CO2 concentration regimes differs. The sorbents made with aged LPPI have modestly decreased CO2 uptake performance (≲20% lower) compared to the fresh polymers, with overall good CO2 cycling performance. The data indicate that only slow degradation occurs under the deployed ambient storage conditions. Even after extended aging, the LPPI-based sorbents preserved their ability to display stable temperature-swing cycling performance. In parallel, the impact of blending LPPI polymers of different number-average molecular weights, Mn, is evaluated, seeking to understand its impact on adsorbent performance. The results demonstrate that the blends of two Mn aged LPPI give similar CO2 adsorption performance to adsorbents made from a single-Mn LPPI, suggesting that molecular weight will not negatively impact adsorbent performance in the studied Mn range. After an accelerated oxidation experiment, the aged LPPI sorbents retained a larger portion of the samples' original performance when cycling under simulated flue gas conditions than under DAC conditions. However, in each case, the oxidized sorbents could be cycled repeatedly with consistent uptake performance. Overall, these first of their kind extended aging tests suggest that LPPI-based amine adsorbents offer promise for long-term, stable use in carbon capture applications.

Preparation of SnS2/TiO2 by a thermo-solvent ultrasonic method and its high photo-catalytic performance for decontamination under visible light

Abstract Numerous attempts have been made to develop visible-light-driven SnS2 photo-catalysts for decontamination; however, the practical application of such materials has always been limited by the rapid recombination of electrons and holes under sunlight irradiation. In this study, SnS2/TiO2 with petal-like SnS2 nanosheets grown on TiO2 spheres was successfully prepared by a simple one-step low-temperature thermo-solvent ultrasonic method. This SnS2/TiO2 could effectively utilize photon energy in sunlight and simultaneously maintain a high electron transfer rate. The SnS2/TiO2 composites showed the highest photo-catalytic activity and good stability towards decontamination (taking methyl orange as the model contaminant) compared with S2- and Sn4+ doped anatase TiO2 as well as pure TiO2 under simulated sunlight irradiation. Even if sunlight was used for irradiation (sunshine at 10 am on September 17, Beijing time, which was a cloudy day, and the temperature was 27 °C), the SnS2/TiO2 sample could still effectively degrade methyl orange (MO). In this decontamination process, MO was first reduced by the electron and then subjected to oxidation by the h+-generated ·OH. Alternatively, MO could be directly oxidized by ·OH. Apart from MO, SnS2/TiO2 composites could also be applied to effectively remove other contaminants, such as methyl blue (MB) and phenol. In summary, the prepared SnS2/TiO2 is a promising photo-catalyst for practical applications in decontamination.

Photoswitchable Photon Upconversion from Turn-on Mode Fluorescent Diarylethenes

Photon upconversion (UC) is one kind of anti-Stokes shift process, which generally requires a combination of two or more low-energy photons to produce one high-energy photon. However, another inter...