Choice Of Substrate Research Articles

The Coating Effect on Interconnect Materials After >10 Years of Furnace Exposures

One of the key components in the SOFC stack is the interconnect which requires versatile material properties for a proper functioning, e.g., high temperature corrosion stability, low ASR degradation and low chromium evaporation. At the same time, a high production capacity needs to be reached in order to fulfil the supply demand required for GW levels. The high production capacity is realized through Alleima AB’s production line with coil-coil physical vapor deposition of coated interconnects for SOFC and SOEC applications [1].More specifically, Sanergy HT 441 is the standard material intended to be used as an SOC interconnect. The substrate is a ferritic stainless steel (ASTM 441) which is coated with thin layers of Ce and Co (<1 µm). The material can be coated on both sides using the same coating or with a different coating. At elevated temperatures the Co coating forms a protective (CoMn)3O4 spinel layer which drastically reduces Cr evaporation while the Ce layer improves the corrosion resistance by reducing the chromia scale growth at the coating/substrate interface and thereby maintaining a low and stable ASR over time.Since long-term stability is a critical property for interconnects, Alleima has over the years gathered data from furnace samples and can thus present results where some samples have been exposed at elevated temperatures during >10 years. The main results include the effect of Ce thickness or choice of substrate on mass gain and subsequent chromia growth. Selected samples with coating elements different than Co have also been investigated. Samples have been further investigated using scanning electron microscopy for cross-sections, x-ray diffraction for characterization of phases and residual stresses as well as glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy for elemental analysis.

(Invited) Laser-Induced Graphene on Polymers: From Process Science to Applications

Nanocarbons like graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising for various applications including advanced electronic devices, novel energy systems, and next-generation healthcare diagnostics. This is owing to the excellent physical, chemical and electrochemical properties arising from the ordered atomic structure, the hierarchical nanoscale morphology, and tunable chemistry of nanocarbons. In particular, low-dimensional carbon electrodes for biosensors and neural interfaces have consistently been shown to have superior performance when compared to state-of-the-art metal electrodes. Nevertheless, major manufacturing challenges still hinder our ability to scalably produce graphene-based electrodes with tailored morphology and surface chemistry, especially on flexible substrates. While chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes enable the synthesis of high quality graphene and CNTs, the extreme environments of high temperatures and hydrocarbon-rich gaseous atmosphere in such reactors limit the choice of substrates to silicon, quartz, metals or other rigid temperature-resistant materials. On the other hand, many emerging flexible devices require the fabrication of such nanocarbon electrodes on the surface of polymer substrates. Unlike different transfer technique of CVD-grown nanocarbons, this talk will focus on a unique bottom-up approach for directly growing different types of graphenic nanocarbons on polymer films by laser irradiation. The speaker will show how this direct-write process, often referred to as laser-induced graphene (LIG), can be controlled to produce spatially-varying morphologies and chemical compositions of LIG electrodes, by leveraging gradients of laser fluence. Moreover, a method will be introduced to control the heteroatom doping of these LIG electrodes based on controlling the molecular structure of the polymer being lased. Finally, a demonstration of these functional LIG electrodes as electrochemical biosensors will be presented for the detection of the neurotransmitter dopamine with nanomolar sensitivity.

Sol-gel synthesis, characterization of ZnO thin films on different substrates, and bandgap calculation by the Tauc plot method

The sol-gel spin coating method was used for the preparation of the Zinc Oxide which was coated over polymer, transparent, and glass translucent substrates and characterized with the help of a UV-Vis Spectroscope. The wavelength bandgap of those samples was found to be 296nm, 310.5nm, and 330nm respectively. The actual band gap of ZnO is 388nm. Similarly, their optical bandgap energy calculated by the Tauc Plot method were 3.641eV, 3.385eV, and 3.495 eV respectively. The transparent polymer slide has the lowest wavelength bandgap and the translucent glass slide has the highest. Further, the bandgap’s value differs from its actual value to the difference in the absorption process due to the presence of the substrate. These results suggest that the choice of substrate can significantly impact the optical properties and performance of the zinc oxide thin film. This result can be applied in developing and optimizing zinc oxide thin films for various purposes, such as in solar cells, sensors, and optoelectronics. By carefully selecting the substrate, it may be possible to tailor the bandgap energy and other optical properties of the thin film to better suit the specific application.

Fire behavior of pressure‐sensitive adhesive tapes and bonded materials

AbstractPressure‐sensitive adhesive tapes are used in several industrial applications such as construction, railway vehicles and the automotive sector, where the burning behavior is of crucial importance. Flame retarded adhesive tapes are developed and provided, however, often without considering the interaction of adhesive tapes and the bonded materials during burning nor the contribution of the tapes to fire protection goal of the bonded components in distinct fire tests. This publication delivers an empirical comprehensive knowledge how adhesive tapes and their flame retardancy effect the burning behavior of bonded materials. With a special focus on the interaction between the single components, one flame retarded tape and one tape without flame retardant are examined in scenarios of emerging and developing fires, along with their bonds with the common materials wood, zinc‐plated steel, mineral wool, polycarbonate, and polymethylmethacrylate. The flame retardant significantly improved the flame retardancy of the tape as a free‐standing object and yielded a V‐2 rating in UL 94 vertical test and raised the Oxygen Index by 5 vol.%. In bonds, or rather laminates, the investigations prove that the choice of carrier and substrates are the factors with the greatest impact on the fire properties and can change the peak of heat release rate and the maximum average rate of heat emission up to 25%. This research yielded a good empirical overall understanding of the fire behavior of adhesive tapes and bonded materials. Thus, it serves as a guide for tape manufacturers and applicants to develop tapes and bonds more substrate specific.

Room temperature magnetron sputtering and laser annealing of ultrathin amorphous sulfur-rich MoSx films

Room temperature magnetron sputtering of an ultra-thin transition-metal dichalcogenide amorphous precursor and subsequent laser annealing-induced phase transformations were investigated for the synthesis of polycrystalline 2H-MoS2 semiconducting thin films. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering of a MoS3.6 target was used to produce amorphous precursors with S to Mo ratios greater than 2:1 on thermally annealed SiO2 substrates, glass, indium tin oxide coated glass, and amorphous boron-oxy-nitride. The influence of working pressure on the MoS2 and MoS3 interatomic bonding arrangements in amorphous MoSx films was explored with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A 248 nm pulsed laser was used for annealing 1 cm2 sized areas of the amorphous precursor in an ambient atmosphere at fluences of 100–450 mJ for 1, 5, and 10 pulses to form a crystalline 2H-MoS2 phase. The role of laser fluence and substrate choice on phase transformation from the amorphous precursor to the 2H phase, as well as the competition between oxidation, elemental sulfur segregation, and ablation is discussed. Hall effect measurements confirmed p-type behavior of the produced semiconducting films and established mobility and charge carrier density characteristics of the laser-annealed films. The feasibility of scalable processing by combining sputtering from sulfur-rich targets and laser annealing for production of p-type 2H-MoS2 ultrathin films on various substrates is presented.

Organization of the stomy patient nutrition. Choice of food substrate

Feeding through an artificial fistula is used to organize the nutrition of patients with prolonged severe dysphagia. Gastrostomy is the most common operation to provide nutrition when oral intake is not possible. According to the information system of the St. Petersburg Territorial Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund, from 01.01.2015 to 10.20.2020, 2391 operations of imposing a nutritional fistula were paid. The choice of a food substrate for feeding an ostomy patient is difficult. Previously, pureed diets of mixed products were used; since 2000, in large hospitals, these diets have been replaced by branded enteral nutrition. The development of malnutrition, up to kwashiorkor and sarcopenia, has been noted in patients receiving an unbalanced pureed diet for a long time. The real properties of the blended diet do not allow it to be introduced into the gastrostomy without dilution with water. Blockage of gastrostomy tubes, due to the density of nutrition, is one of the frequent problems of such nutrition. On the contrary, branded enteral nutrition is fluid, well balanced in terms of the main food nutrients, vitamins and minerals, with a given energy value in small volumes of liquid. With long-term nutrition with commercial mixtures, intestinal dysbiosis develops with a loss of microbiota biodiversity. In the case of feeding a patient with a blended table, microbial biodiversity is preserved, a number of gastroenterological complaints and allergies or food intolerances to artificial nutrition ingredients are stopped. The choice of food substrate for the patient, its combination of wiped table and branded food is under study.

Recoverable Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells for Next-Generation Portable Power Sources.

Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) with excellent recoverability show a wide range of potential applications in portable power sources. The recoverability of FPSCs requires outstanding bendability of each functional layer, including the flexible substrates, electrodes, perovskite light absorbers, and charge transport materials. This review highlights the recent progress and practical applications of high-recoverability FPSCs, and illustrates the routes toward improvement of the recoverability and environmental stability through the choice of flexible substrates and the preparation of high-quality perovskite films, as well as the optimization of charge-selective contacts. In addition, we explore the intrinsic properties of each functional layer from the physical perspective and analyze how to select suitable functional layers. Additionally, some effective strategies are summarized, including material modification engineering of selective contacts, additives and interface engineering of interlayers, which can release mechanical stress and increase the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) and recoverability of the FPSCs. The challenges of making high-performance FPSCs with long-term stability and high recoverability are discussed. Finally, future applications and perspectives for FPSCs are discussed, aiming to promote more extensive commercialization processes for lightweight and durable FPSCs.

Recoverable Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells for Next‐Generation Portable Power Sources

AbstractFlexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) with excellent recoverability show a wide range of potential applications in portable power sources. The recoverability of FPSCs requires outstanding bendability of each functional layer, including the flexible substrates, electrodes, perovskite light absorbers, and charge transport materials. This review highlights the recent progress and practical applications of high‐recoverability FPSCs, and illustrates the routes toward improvement of the recoverability and environmental stability through the choice of flexible substrates and the preparation of high‐quality perovskite films, as well as the optimization of charge‐selective contacts. In addition, we explore the intrinsic properties of each functional layer from the physical perspective and analyze how to select suitable functional layers. Additionally, some effective strategies are summarized, including material modification engineering of selective contacts, additives and interface engineering of interlayers, which can release mechanical stress and increase the power‐conversion efficiency (PCE) and recoverability of the FPSCs. The challenges of making high‐performance FPSCs with long‐term stability and high recoverability are discussed. Finally, future applications and perspectives for FPSCs are discussed, aiming to promote more extensive commercialization processes for lightweight and durable FPSCs.

A Novel-Structure LC Resonant Passive Wireless Sensor for NO2 Sensing

This work presents an LC resonant passive wireless gas sensor with a novel structure designed to mitigate the negative impact of substrate. The LC sensor antenna in the new structure, and the reader antenna, were designed and optimized utilizing HFSS software to improve the transfer efficiency. The superiority of the designed structure compared with general examples is highlighted and verified. The change in the substrate capacitance essentially makes no interference with the parameters of the LC sensor to be measured. The sensor for the new structure was prepared by combining etching and sputtering methods. The ZnO nanowires (NWs) were characterized to confirm their high purity and wurtzite crystal structure. The LC gas sensors demonstrated excellent wireless sensing performance, including a low detection limit of 0.5 ppm NO2, high response of 1.051 and outstanding stability at 180 °C. The newly developed sensor structure not only prevented interference from the substrate during gas sensing testing, but also expanded the choice of sensor substrates, playing a critical role in the development of sensors based on the LC resonance principle.

Emerging nonoxide dielectrics for next‐generation electronics

AbstractAs electronic devices continue to develop, there is a growing demand for materials capable of supporting new physical properties, such as flexibility, stretchability, low‐temperature processability, applicability to large areas or ultra‐thin films, and operation at extremely low voltages. Metal oxide dielectrics, such as silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and hafnium oxide, offer excellent dielectric properties, but their ability to meet these new properties and the choice of substrate is limited. Therefore, a new dielectric material capable of providing stable dielectric properties with new functionalities is required. In this review, we briefly introduce the physical principles of dielectric materials and the recent trends of nonoxide dielectrics which satisfy requirements of new functionalities. We discussed various nonoxide dielectric materials of organic, self‐assembled mono/multilayers, electrolytes, two‐dimensional (2D) materials, and metal halides. Finally, we conclude with an outlook and challenges on dielectric materials for next‐generation micro‐ and macro‐electronics.

Agricultural Plant Residues as Potential Co-Substrates for Biogas Production

Plant biomass can be used in many directions for bioenergy production. Biogas can be produced from a most diverse group of substrates compared to liquid or solid biofuels. The choice of substrates and technologies is crucial because it will allow getting the expected results. Not without significance is also the price and availability of substrates. Therefore, waste and residues are increasingly being used. Accordingly, the aim of the review was to analyze the potential of biogas production from agricultural plant residues and the effectiveness of using this feedstock as a co-substrate in anaerobic digestion. In this article, selected agricultural plant residues are collected, and their advantages and disadvantages as substrates for biogas production are described. Moreover, the effective technology of biogas production by anaerobic digestion on an industrial scale and calculations to obtain biogas and methane efficiency of the substrates are also included. In addition, the summarized biogas efficiency of selected plant agricultural waste under mesophilic conditions studied by many researchers is shown. On the basis of the analyzed results of this research, it can be concluded that agricultural plant residues have great potential as co-substrates for biogas production. It is important to experimentally determine both the biogas and the methane efficiency of the substrate, representing a potential raw material for the production of gaseous biofuels. The use of artificial neural networks in the prediction of biogas emission is future-proof and should facilitate the management of biogas plants. The use of waste from the cultivation and processing of plant raw materials will not only help to manage this waste rationally, but also contribute to the increase in production of renewable energy sources. Accordingly, the circular economy in terms of the management of agricultural plant residues to produce biogas will have a multi-faceted, positive impact on the environment. On the basis of this review, it can be concluded that numerous agricultural plant residues can be used as potential co-substrates for biogas production.

Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758): Microbiological Screening of Feed for a Safe Food Choice.

As a result of the increasing focus on alternative protein sources which are ideally still sustainable, the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, has come into focus. To verify its suitability as a food source in relation to human health, an analysis of the microbiome of larvae of T. molitor is pertinent. Subsequently, the focus of this study was, on the one hand, to analyze the influence of the substrate on the microbial load of the larvae microbiome, and, on the other hand, to determine which processing methods ensure the risk-free consumption of mealworms. For this purpose, mealworms were grown on 10 different substrates derived from by-products of food production (malt residual pellets, corn germ meal, chestnut breakage and meal, wheat bran, bread remains, draff, nettle, hemp seed oil cake, oyster mushrooms with coffee grounds, pumpkin seed oil cake) and microbial loads were analyzed using different selective media. Further starvation/defecation and heating (850 W for 10 min) methods were used to investigate how the reduction of microorganisms is enabled by these methods. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between the microbial load of the substrate and the mealworm. Starvation and defecation led to a lower stock of microorganisms. Heating led to a significant microbial reduction in non-defecated mealworms. The group of defecated and heated mealworms showed no detectable microbial load. In conclusion, firstly, the choice of substrate showed no effect on the microbial load of larvae of Tenebrio molitor and secondly, heating and starvation allow risk-free consumption. This study makes an important contribution for evaluating the safety of mealworms as a sustainable protein source in human nutrition.

Fabrication of Quasi-Vertical GaN-On-SiC Trench MOSFETs

We demonstrate quasi-vertical GaN MOSFETs fabricated on SiC substrates. The GaN epitaxial layers were grown via MOCVD on 100 mm 4H-SiC wafers, with the device structure consisting of a 2.5 μm drift layer and a Mg doped p-GaN body. The fabricated transistors exhibit normally-off characteristics, with low off-state leakage behavior and an on/off ratio of over . The specific on-resistance was measured to be which compares favorably to devices fabricated on other foreign substrates. Our results demonstrate an alternative substrate for realizing vertical GaN devices, which potentially offers better material quality and thermal properties compared with other foreign substrate choices.

Highly sensitive technique for detection of adulterants in centella herbal samples using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)

The trace level detection of adulterants in food, nutritional supplements and medicinal herbs is highly challenging in the field of food processing and herbal industries. In addition, laborious sample processing procedures and well trained personnel are required to analyse the samples using conventional analytical equipments. In this study, a highly sensitive technique with minimal sampling processes and human intervention is proposed for the trace amount detection of pesticidal residues in centella powder. Herein, graphene oxide gold (GO-Au) nanocomposite coated parafilm is developed as substrate by simple dropcasting technique to facilitate dual surface enhanced Raman signal. The dual SERS enhancement involving chemical enhancement from graphene and electromagnetic signal enhancement from gold nanoparticles is utilized for detection of chlorpyrifos in the ppm level concentration. The flexible polymeric surfaces could be the better choice for SERS substrates due to their inherent properties such as flexibility, transparency, roughness and hydrophobicity. Among the various types of flexible substrates explored, GO-Au nanocomposites coated parafilm substrates showed better Raman signal enhancement. Parafilm coated with GO-Au nanocomposites is successful in achieving detection limits down to 0.1 ppm of chlorpyrifos in centella herbal powder sample. Thus, the fabricated parafilm based GO-Au SERS substrates could be used as a screening tool at quality control of herbal product manufacturing sectors for trace level detection of adulterants in herbal samples from their unique chemical and structural information.

Food-related substrate preference in juveniles seastar Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis (Müller & Troschel,1842) in captivity.

There are only a few studies that describe the larval development of Echinaster or aspects on culture systems for the genus. For starfishes, the choice of suitable substrates has received special attention since it could influence the acid-base balance of the water, movement capacity and predation rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ideal food-related substrate for the rearing of juvenile Echinaster brasiliensis. A batch of fertilized eggs released in spontaneous spawning was collected and kept in a plankton-kreisel until metamorphosis. Data on preference of food-related substrate was recorded for 10 weeks from day 58 post-release. From release to 132 days old, arm length increased from 0.81 mm to 1.31 ± 0.03 mm. Considering the sudden increase in arm length (AL), it was estimated that feeding started around 40 days of age. Regarding food-related substrate preferences, biofilm grown on "rocks" showed a significant difference among other treatments, adding up to 50% of preference (p < .05). For sponge and biofilm from bio media, there was no statistical difference for the whole period. In this study, sponges showed to be the least preferred food-related substrate for post-settlement juveniles. Considering that Echinaster and other starfish are commonly maintained on a diet of collected or cultured sponges, difficulties in sourcing a ready supply throughout the year represent limitations to their sole use within commercial or laboratory-scale production. In this sense, the use of biofilm from biological media for the feeding of juvenile starfish is not yet reported in the literature and showed to be an easy and promising option.

Direct-Patterning ZnO Deposition by Atomic-Layer Additive Manufacturing Using a Safe and Economical Precursor.

Area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) is a bottom-up nanofabrication method delivering single atoms from a molecular precursor. AS-ALD enables self-aligned fabrication and outperforms lithography in terms of cost, resistance, and equipment prerequisites, but it requires pre-patterned substrates and is limited by insufficient selectivity and finite choice of substrates. These challenges are circumvented by direct patterning with atomic-layer additive manufacturing (ALAM) - a transfer of 3D-printing principles to atomic-layer manufacturing where a precursor supply nozzle enables direct patterning instead of blanket coating. The reduced precursor vapor consumption in ALAM as compared with ALD calls for the use of less volatile precursors by replacing diethylzinc used traditionally in ALD with bis(dimethylaminopropyl)zinc, Zn(DMP)2 . The behavior of this novel ZnO ALAM process follows that of the corresponding ALD in terms of deposit quality and growth characteristics. The temperature window for self-limiting growth of stoichiometric, crystalline material is 200-250°C. The growth rates are 0.9Å per cycle in ALD (determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry) and 1.1Å per pass in ALAM (imaging ellipsometry). The preferential crystal orientation increases with temperature, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic and XPS show that only intermediate temperatures deliver stoichiometric ZnO. A functional thin-film transistor is created from an ALAM-deposited ZnO line and characterized.

Substrate colour guides turquoise killifish's (Nothobranchius furzeri) choice of preferred spawning habitat.

Turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is a promising new model species used in biomedical and ecological laboratory experiments, and should be kept under optimal conditions to ensure fish welfare and the quality of science. While the popularity of this model species is rapidly increasing, we need to improve our understanding of how the species interacts with its environment in order to optimise its husbandry. Specifically, turquoise killifish are substrate spawners that bury their eggs in the sediment which can be accommodated under captive conditions, but it is not yet known whether or not turquoise killifish have a preference for a specific sediment colour. Here, we performed a laboratory experiment in which fish could choose between white, orange, and black sand for spawning, colours of which are relevant in both laboratory and field conditions. We assessed their preference in the context of single breeding pairs, as well as in a social group setting. Additionally, we also assessed preference of individuals for a white vs. black background in a non-mating context. Single breeding pairs deposited over 3.5× more eggs in black compared to orange or white sand. Similarly, fish in social groups deposited over 3.5× more eggs in black compared to orange sand, which in turn was over 2× times higher than that in white sand. Fish showed a slight preference for the black compared to the white zone in a non-mating context but this did not correlate with substrate choice during the spawning tests. The results suggest that turquoise killifish select their preferred spawning location based on the colour of the substrate. These findings contribute to our understanding of the species' biology and can help to guide good welfare and scientific practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Oxidation-resistant all-perovskite tandem solar cells in substrate configuration

The commonly-used superstrate configuration (depositing front subcell first and then depositing back subcell) in all-perovskite tandem solar cells is disadvantageous for long-term stability due to oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskite assembled last and easily exposable to air. Here we reverse the processing order and demonstrate all-perovskite tandems in a substrate configuration (depositing back subcell first and then depositing front subcell) to bury oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskite deep in the device stack. By using guanidinium tetrafluoroborate additive in wide-bandgap perovskite subcell, we achieve an efficiency of 25.3% for the substrate-configured all-perovskite tandem cells. The unencapsulated devices exhibit no performance degradation after storage in dry air for 1000 hours. The substrate configuration also widens the choice of flexible substrates: we achieve 24.1% and 20.3% efficient flexible all-perovskite tandem solar cells on copper-coated polyethylene naphthalene and copper metal foil, respectively. Substrate configuration offers a promising route to unleash the commercial potential of all-perovskite tandem solar cells.

Photoinduced Electron Transfer from a 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (Phosphate) Analogue to Oxidized Flavin in an Ene-Reductase Flavoenzyme.

Recent reports have described the use of ene-reductase flavoenzymes to catalyze non-natural photochemical reactions. These studies have focused on using reduced flavoenzyme, yet oxidized flavins have superior light harvesting properties. In a binary complex of the oxidized ene-reductase pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase with the nonreactive nicotinamide coenzyme analogs 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro NAD(P)H, visible photoexcitation of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) leads to one-electron transfer from the NAD(P)H4 to FMN, generating a NAD(P)H4 cation radical and anionic FMN semiquinone. This electron transfer occurs in ∼1 ps and appears to kinetically outcompete reductive quenching from aromatic residues in the active site. Time-resolved infrared measurements show that relaxation processes appear to be largely localized on the FMN and the charge-separated state is short-lived, with relaxation, presumably via back electron transfer, occurring over ∼3-30 ps. While this demonstrates the potential for non-natural photoactivity, useful photocatalysis will likely require longer-lived excited states, which may be accessible by enzyme engineering and/or a judicious choice of substrate.

Hericium ophelieae sp. nov., a novel species of Hericium (Basidiomycota: Russulales, Hericiaceae) from the Southern Afrotemperate forests of South Africa

ABSTRACT A novel species of Hericium was recently collected in the Afrotemperate forests (Knysna – Amatole region) of Southern Africa. The novel species shares many similar, dentate features common to other species in Hericium, and its basidiome first appears stark white and yellows with age. However, the substrate choice and gloeocystidia and basidiospore sizes of the specimens collected were distinct from other Hericium species. This was confirmed by sequencing the ITS and 28S genetic markers, respectively. The novel species is described as Hericium ophelieae sp. nov. and appears unique as it grows on hardwoods indigenous to Southern Africa. The species has larger basidiospores and wider gloeocystidia compared to its closest relative. H. ophelieae sp. nov. is the first endemic species of the medicinal mushroom genus Hericium to be described from Southern Africa, and the second to be described from Africa, after its closest relative, H. bembedjaense, which was isolated in Cameroon. Although this is the first Hericium to be described from the Southern African region, there are likely others to be discovered, and this study highlights the need for further research into the fungal diversity of Afrotemperate environments.