Deformation and Failure of Supported Five-Fold Twinned Silver Nanowires under Tensile, Compressive, and Cyclic Loading.

Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks have emerged as one of the most promising materials for flexible transparent conductive electrodes. These wires offer excellent electrical, optical, and mechanical properties and can be applied using low-cost printing techniques with the potential for upscaling. To elucidate the mechanical properties of nanowire networks for use in flexible electronics, it is essential to first characterize the behavior of individual wires adhered to the polymer surface under mechanical loading of the polymer.

Fine-Tuning Donor Material Deposition with Ultrasonic Aerosol Jet Printing to Balance Efficiency and Stability in Inverted Organic Photovoltaic Devices.

The response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken (BB) design of experiment (DoE) approach was performed, with the central point repeated four times to enhance statistical reliability, to systematically investigate the influence of ultrasonic aerosol jet printing (uAJP) parameters such as speed, flow, and power, while depositing the donor material deposition, on the acceptor/donor ratio and power conversion efficiency (PCE). Efforts were made to tune the D:A ratio to approximately 1:1.2, a composition widely used for the PM6:Y12 active layer system.

Morphological and Electronic Control of Interfacial Charge Transfer in 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Hybrids.

Interfacial charge-transfer (ICT) hybrids including transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and phthalocyanines were synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The amount of noncovalently immobilized phthalocyanines per liquid-phase exfoliated (LPE) TMD flake increased exponentially with decreasing flake thickness. Steady-state spectroscopy revealed strong ground-state electronic coupling, evidenced by the emergence of distinct ICT bands.

Reductive Treatment of Ga-Pt-Supported Catalytically Active Liquid Metal Solutions (SCALMS) for Propane Dehydrogenation.

A comprehensive investigation of the impact of hydrogen (H) pretreatments on Ga-Pt supported catalytic active liquid metal solution (SCALMS) for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is reported. Our approach bridges from model system investigations to real-world catalytic systems, which are tested in continuously operating PDH reactors. The microscopic and spectroscopic findings on model Ga-Pt systems suggest changes in the electronic structure and surface chemistry during SCALMS sample oxidation and H pretreatment, indicating potential modifications of the active sites involved in PDH.

Synthesis and Self-Assembly of a Discotic Oligo-Carboxylate Tetra-Porphyrin-Perylenebisimide Amphiphile.

We report the synthesis of an amphiphilic tetra-porphyrin perylenebisimide (PBI) conjugate via four-fold Suzuki cross-coupling at the PBI ortho-position. Oligo-carboxylate Newkome-type G1 dendrons attached at the porphyrin periphery serve as polar head groups. Theoretical modelling corroborated the assumed planar discotic geometry.

Correlative and Microscopy Investigation of Phase Transformation, Crystal Growth, and Degradation of Antimony Sulfide Thin Films.

Antimony sulfide (SbS), a compound of earth-abundant elements with a highly anisotropic, quasi-layered crystal structure, has triggered growing interest as a solar absorber in photovoltaics and as a phase-change material in memory devices. However, challenges remain in achieving high-quality thin films with controlled nucleation and growth for optimal performance. Here, we investigate the phase transformation, crystal structure and properties, as well as the growth and degradation of atomic layer-deposited SbS thin films using TEM and correlative analysis.

Cation Vacancies in Ti-Deficient TiO Nanosheets Enable Highly Stable Trapping of Pt Single Atoms for Persistent Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The stabilization of single-atom catalysts on semiconductor substrates is pivotal for advancing photocatalysis. TiO, a widely employed photocatalyst, typically stabilizes single atoms at oxygen vacancies-sites that are accessible but prone to agglomeration under illumination. Here, we demonstrate that cation vacancies in Ti-deficient TiO nanosheets provide highly stable anchoring sites for Pt single atoms, enabling persistent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Open the Pores: Particles with Fully Accessible Hierarchical Pore Networks by Controlling Phase Separation in Confinement.

Hierarchical porous materials combine large surface area with efficient mass transport, in particular when macropores directly connect mesopores. Polymerization-induced spinodal decomposition of poly(ethylene glycol) and tetraethyl orthosilicate can produce such macro-mesoporous material in bulk. However, the confinement of this spinodal decomposition process to emulsion droplets typically produces porous particles with a dense silica shell that blocks pore accessibility.

Separation of Indium Phosphide/Zinc Sulfide Core-Shell Quantum Dots from Shelling Byproducts through Multistep Agglomeration.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) possess unique electronic and optical properties, making them promising candidates for applications in light-emitting diodes, solar cells, bioimaging, and photocatalysis. Precise control over their size, shape, and chemical and electronic structure is crucial to ensure the desired functional properties and optimize device performance. However, challenges in QD synthesis and post-synthesis modification persist, especially in large-scale production.

Synthesis and Aggregation of Amphiphilic Porphyrin-Perylenebisimide Dyads.

We report the straightforward synthesis of a family of amphiphilic zinc-porphyrin-perylenebisimide (PBI) dyads containing sterically demanding substituents at the porphyrin meso-position, as well as at the PBI bay-position. The hydrophilic head group consists of oligo-carboxylic acid G2-Newkome dendrons attached to the porphyrin, whereas lipophilic pentyl-hexyl-swallowtails are connected to the PBI imide position. Using UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, their tetrahydrofuran (THF) initiated disaggregation was studied in aqueous media.

Human bone ultrastructure in 3D: Multimodal correlative study combining nanoscale X-ray computed tomography and quantitative polarized Raman spectroscopy.

Unique mechanical properties of cortical bone are defined by the arrangement and ratio of its organic and inorganic constituents. This arrangement can be influenced by ageing and disease, urging the understanding of normal and deviant morphological patterns down to the nanoscale level, as much as the exploration of techniques able to grant that knowledge. Here, the ultrastructure and composition of seven samples taken from the femoral neck cortical bone of a single donor (52 y.

p-Type TiO Nanotubes: Quantum Confinement and Pt Single Atom Decoration Enable High Selectivity Photocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia.

We synthesize p-type TiO nanotubes that allow band-gap adjustment by quantum confinement. These tubes therefore enable reductive photocatalytic reactions that are not thermodynamically possible on classic titania photocatalysts. Here, we demonstrate the direct photocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia without any need of hole scavengers.

Ultrathin Ti-Deficient TiO Nanosheets with Pt Single Atoms Enable Efficient Photocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia.

Ti-deficient TiO nanosheets derived from lepidocrocite-type titanate delamination show a p-type conductivity with a band gap widened by the quantum confinement effect to 3.7 eV. This shift in the extended band positions─and thus in the electron transfer level─allows a direct photocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia without the use of any hole scavengers; this in contrast to classic TiO.

Breakdown of Magic Numbers in Spherical Confinement.

Magic numbers in finite particle systems correspond to specific system sizes that allow configurations with low free energy, often exhibiting closed surface shells to maximize the number of nearest neighbors. Since their discovery in atomic nuclei, magic numbers have been essential for understanding the number-structure-property relationships in finite clusters across different scales. However, as the system size increases, the significance of magic numbers diminishes, and the precise system size at which magic number phenomena disappear remains uncertain.

Single Atom Sites in Ga-Ni Supported Catalytically Active Liquid Metal Solutions (SCALMS) for Selective Ethylene Oligomerization.

Supported catalytically active liquid metal solutions (SCALMS) are materials composed of a liquid metal alloy deposited on a porous support. Due to the dynamic properties of the liquid metal alloy, these systems are suggested to form single atom sites, resulting in unique catalytic properties. Ga-Ni SCALMS were successfully applied to ethylene oligomerization, yielding catalysts that were stable up to 120 h time on stream.

Improving Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation via Polycitric Acid-based Carbon Nanodots.

Bottom-up syntheses of carbon nanodots (CND) using solvothermal treatment of citric acid are known to afford nanometer-sized, amorphous polycitric acid-based materials. The addition of suitable co-reactants in the form of in situ synthesized N-hetero-π-conjugated chromophores facilitates hereby the overall functionalization. Reports regarding the influence of CND on the properties of, for example, N-hetero-π-conjugated chromophores are scarce.

Loading of CAR-T cells with magnetic nanoparticles for controlled targeting suppresses inflammatory cytokine release and switches tumor cell death mechanism.

Therapies against hematological malignancies using chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)-T cells have shown great potential; however, therapeutic success in solid tumors has been constrained due to limited tumor trafficking and infiltration, as well as the scarcity of cancer-specific solid tumor antigens. Therefore, the enrichment of tumor-antigen specific CAR-T cells in the desired region is critical for improving therapy efficacy and reducing systemic on-target/off-tumor side effects. Here, we functionalized human CAR-T cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), making them magnetically controllable for site-directed targeting.

Continuous flow synthesis and simulation-supported investigation of tunable plasmonic gold patchy nanoparticles.

Plasmonic nanoparticles have intriguing optical properties which make them suitable candidates for sensing or theranostic applications. Anisotropic patchy particles, where metal is locally deposited on the surface of a core particle, exhibit plasmon resonances that can be specifically adjusted for these applications. However, many existing synthesis routes are complex, yield too little material, or provide particles with limited optical tunability.

Characterization of extended defects in 2D materials using aperture-based dark-field STEM in SEM.

Quantitative diffraction contrast analysis with defined diffraction vectors is a well-established method in TEM for studying defects in crystalline materials. A comparable transmission technique is however not available in the more widely used SEM platforms. In this work, we transfer the aperture-based dark-field imaging method from the TEM to the SEM, thus enabling quantitative diffraction contrast studies at lower voltages in SEM.

Pt Single Atoms Loaded on Thin-Layer TiO Electrodes: Electrochemical and Photocatalytic Features.

Recently, the use of Pt in the form of single atoms (SA) has attracted considerable attention to promote the cathodic hydrogen production reaction from water in electrochemical or photocatalytic settings. First, produce suitable electrodes by Pt SA deposition on Direct current (DC)-sputter deposited titania (TiO) layers on graphene-these electrodes allow to characterization of the electrochemical properties of Pt single atoms and their investigation in high-resolution HAADF-STEM. For Pt SAs loaded on TiO, electrochemical H evolution shows only a very small overpotential.

Improving reconstructions in nanotomography for homogeneous materials mathematical optimization.

Compressed sensing is an image reconstruction technique to achieve high-quality results from limited amount of data. In order to achieve this, it utilizes prior knowledge about the samples that shall be reconstructed. Focusing on image reconstruction in nanotomography, this work proposes enhancements by including additional problem-specific knowledge.

Photodeposition-Based Synthesis of TiO@IrO Core-Shell Catalyst for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis with Low Iridium Loading.

The widespread application of green hydrogen production technologies requires cost reduction of crucial elements. To achieve this, a viable pathway to reduce the iridium loading in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is explored. Herein, a scalable synthesis method based on a photodeposition process for a TiO@IrO core-shell catalyst with a reduced iridium content as low as 40 wt.

Catalyst Supraparticles: Tuning the Structure of Spray-Dried Pt/SiO Supraparticles via Salt-Based Colloidal Manipulation to Control their Catalytic Performance.

The structure of supraparticles (SPs) is a key parameter for achieving advanced functionalities arising from the combination of different nanoparticle (NP) types in one hierarchical entity. However, whenever a droplet-assisted forced assembly approach is used, e.g.