Ultra-low thermal conductivity induced by significant anharmonic phonon scattering in two-dimensional graphitic metal (Sb and Bi) carbides.

Two-dimensional (2D) thermoelectric (TE) materials have attracted much attention in recent years. One major factor that limits the TE performance of 2D materials is their relatively high thermal conductivity. Searching for 2D materials with low thermal conductivity is therefore one of the central goals in theoretical and computational studies of 2D TE materials.

Unusual Transport Properties of CNT-Nickelocene-Based Circuits: Role of Structural Symmetry.

At the nano- or molecular scale, electron transport is often governed by quantum effects, for which the symmetry of the system could become a key factor. In this work, by state-of-the-art first-principles modeling and simulation, we show that the structural symmetry plays a unique role in properties of electronic circuits made of CNT (5,5) electrodes and nickelocene (NiCp) molecules, resulting in unusual transport phenomena beyond the classical circuit theories. For a single NiCp molecule sandwiched between two CNT (5,5) electrodes, we find that the symmetry change caused by the rotation of one CNT electrode greatly affects the conductance of the device, which may have important implications for understanding the performances of CNT-based quantum devices.

The Application of a Moldable Skin Barrier in the Self-Care of Elderly Ostomy Patients.

The quality of ostomy directly affects the stoma patient's quality of life. This study investigated the application of a moldable skin barrier in the self-care of elderly stoma patients after colostomy for colorectal cancer. A total of 104 elderly stoma patients (65-79 years) who underwent colostomy because of colorectal cancer were randomly divided into an experimental group (56 cases) receiving a moldable skin barrier and a control group (48 cases) receiving a conventional skin barrier.