Articles

The light-trapping layer increases the travel distance of the light within the photoanode. By adapting light-trapping layers at dye-sensitized solar cells, we increased light absorption in the photoanode with pot shape light-trapping layer. Also we introduced three-dimensional angled array to maximize the photoanode projection area. By using these concepts we achieved 8.5% efficiency at submodule with 5% efficiency cells.

A surface heterojunction is formed in the dandelion-like LTO, resulting in significant enhancement of the photocatalytic performance.

Achieving both high energy and high power densities in one hybrid energy-storage device is highly challenging, yet critically important for many applications. Here, the authors demonstrate that the inherent limitations of batteries and supercapacitors can be solved by developing a quaternary hybrid superstructure electrode using a high-energy biotemplate.

A series of FeO-CeO₂ nanocomposite catalysts (FeCe-x) were successfully fabricated by hydrogen reduction of hydroxide precursors at temperatures (x) between 200–600 °C. A FeCe-300 catalyst with a Fe:Ce ratio of 2-1 exhibited excellent performance for photothermal CO₂ hydrogenation to CO (CO selectivity = 99.87%, CO production rate 19.61 mmol h⁻¹ g_cat⁻¹, excellent stability). The FeO phase was effective in promoting the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS, CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O). Catalysts prepared at higher reduction temperatures contained both Fe⁰ and FeO, with the Fe⁰ catalyzing the Sabatier reaction (CO₂ + 4H₂ → CH₄ + 2H₂O) and thus lowering FeCe-x catalyst selectivity to CO.

To enhance supercurrent of iron-chalcogenide (FST) superconductor thin films, we induced nanostrain in FST thin films. The nanostrain was generated around nanoscale defects which were formed by the inserted a trace amount of oxide artificially inside FST matrix during the growth of FST thin film using sequential pulsed laser deposition. In particular, the critical current density (J_c) of the nanostrained FST thin films was significantly improved without dominant degradation of critical transition temperature.

Hybrid films with WO₃·H₂O nanoparticles-embedded chitosan on amorphous WO₃ films are newly designed for multi-functional devices with electrochromic energy storage performances.

The authors demonstrate that the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) and pure spin current relaxation in Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ (Py) are strong magnetization orientation dependent through longitudinal spin-Seebeck effect measurement in YIG/Cu/Py/Ir₂₅Mn₇₅ spin valve heterostructure. With the relative orientation of the magnetization of YIG and Py varying from perpendicular (⊥) to collinear (||), it has been found that the detected ISHE amplitude in 10 nm Py increases by 80%. Besides, the spin-diffusion length λ_sf varies from \(\lambda _{{\mathrm{sf}}}^ \bot\) = 1.0 ± 0.1 nm to \(\lambda _{{\mathrm{sf}}}^\parallel\) = 2.8 ± 0.5 nm and the effective spin Hall angle \(\theta _{{\mathrm{SH}}}^{{\mathrm{eff}}}\left( \bot \right)/\theta _{{\mathrm{SH}}}^{{\mathrm{eff}}}\left( \parallel \right) = 1.5\).

New self-healing zwitterionic polymer networks are prepared and the healing efficiency is quantified by 3D plotting, as well as volume calculation of the damaged surface after tactile profile scans. The results are complemented by comprehensive investigations of the mechanical, viscoelastic, and thermal properties in order to identify structure-property relationships.

Topologically electronic state receives great attention during the past decades, owing to their topologically protected metallic edge states. Topological phase transition between nontrivial and trivial states is thus intriguing for not only information storage but also for dissipationless information transport, which is usually driven by pressure or gate voltage. Triggering topological phase transition without physical contact fascinates the scientific community. Due to contrast band topology, the trivial and nontrivial topological materials possess different optical responses. Based on this, a novel non-contacting optical illumination scheme is predicted by first-principles calculations to drive topological phase transition in IV–VI semiconductors.

An electret can be created in a complex transition metal oxide LaMnO₃ by tip-induced electric fields with a considerable surface height change via solid-state electrochemical amorphization. The surface charge density of the formed electret area reaches ~400 nC cm⁻² and persists without significant charge reduction for more than a year. Our finding opens a new horizon for multifunctional transition metal oxides by providing an electric counterpart to permanent magnets.

The adhesive lipo-hydrogel (A-LIP-PEG) fabricated by mixing PEG hydrogels and adhesive liposomes can be locally injected into the osteoporotic fracture and bone marrow cavity, where A-LIP-PEG can release adhesive liposomes based on the principle of electrostatic attraction to adhere to the bone injury area to promote bone reconstruction.

In this work, the quantum Griffiths singularity (QGS) of superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) is discovered in TiO thin films with insulating normal states. A magnetic field-tuned SIT with a diverging dynamic critical exponent, the direct evidence of QGS, is observed in TiO thin films with different thicknesses. The critical magnetic field H_c tends to saturate at low temperature, different from the upturn trend of H_c in superconductor-metal transition (SMT) systems. The results extend the QGS scenario from SMT systems to SIT systems, and provide decisive clues to conclude that the QGS is a common feature of crystalline superconducting thin films.

A dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) which can provide reconfigurable 3D shape morphing was reported in this work. The reconfigurable actuator was fabricated by integrating the DEA with the ethyl cellulose (EC) paper. The mechanical actuation from the DEA under electrical bias was “instructed” by the origami EC paper to achieve designed shape changes. The crease patterns in the EC paper can be reprogrammed on demand, delivering alternative shape changes in the reconfigurable actuator. The strategy developed in this paper provides a promising approach to create sophisticated 3D shapes from DEAs without the requirement of complicated and bulky device architectures.

The Mo₂N-CoO hollow heterostructures are designed synthesis by the nitridation of a hollow Co-Mo-O precursor from controllable reaction of ZIF-67 (Co source and template) with Na₂MoO₄ (Mo source and OH- source). The catalyst exhibits good HER performance with an overpotential of 65 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² benefited from the combined virtues of hollow structure and heterojunction. The adjudication of MOFs makes current route promising toward the design of the transition metal-based catalyst for catalytic application.

Organic molecular crystals (OMCs) are shown to be an ideal material for organic photosynaptic devices, which provide homophylic memory and transinformation functions of neurons by means of a unique photon-induced charge transfer effect. As a result, a proof-of-concept artificial image-perception system is demonstrated by integrating the OMC-based photosynapses on a flexible substrate.

An efficient and resource-free pre-enrichment method using epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenolic biomolecule, has been developed, which enables to isolate and detect exosomal miRNA in human blood plasma samples. The system comprises three steps: (1) EGCG-mediated exosome aggregation, (2) filter-based exosome isolation, and (3) molecular beacon-based detection of target exosomal miRNA. Using blood samples from cancer patients, including those with gastric cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, our EGCG-assisted miRNA diagnostic system can detect levels of target miRNAs (miR-21, -27a, and -375) in exosomes correlated well with those in an open-geodatabase. Our study highlights the use of a bio-adhesive-mediated preparation method in clinical samples, which can effectively achieve sample isolation and enrichment for exosome-based molecular diagnostics.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is widely used to analyze human movements, including athletic performance. Here, we develop a skin-contact patch consisting of kirigami-based stretchable wirings and conductive polymer nanosheet-based ultraconformable bioelectrodes that can detect sEMG signals from the palm muscle during baseball pitching. We observe differences in the activity of the palm muscle between different types of pitches—fastball and curveball. This sEMG measurement system will enable the analysis of motion in unexplored muscle areas, leading to a deeper understanding of muscular activity during performance in a wide range of sports and other movements.

The periodic domain pattern of BiFeO₃ enables the anisotropic superconductivity in YBa₂Cu₃O_7 − x. In this work, we introduce a design of periodic multiferroic domain patterns to create the anisotropic superconductivity. High T_C can be found when we measured the resistance parallel to the domain wall direction and the broader transition with lower T_C is found to be perpendicular to the domain walls. (a) and (b) the resistance versus temperature in YBa₂Cu₃O_7 − x/BiFeO₃ heterostructures with two different domain patterns 109° and 71°, respectively.

(a) Schematic illustration of volume (v) - Pressure (P) - Temperature (T) diagram of the metallic glass. The process of creating ultra-dense glassy state through the high-pressure heat treatment is described (A → B → C → D → E). (b) New type of ultra-dense anomalous metallic glass was confirmed to be created by density and electric resistivity measurements.

Highly correlated pair arrangement of mixed alkali ions for the origin of the mixed alkali effect.