Doping of colloidal quantum wells (CQWs) has emerged as an effective strategy for tailoring their optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. Incorporation of transition-metal and lanthanide ions can enhance photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), introduce a large Stokes-shifted emission, and tune optical properties across visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral regions. This review summarizes recent progress in the colloidal synthesis, photophysics, and applications of doped CQWs with a particular focus on Cu-, Ag-, Mn-, Hg-, and Yb-doped CQWs. Their distinct contributions to dopant-mediated emission, magneto-optical and spin-dependent phenomena, and long-wavelength optoelectronics are discussed. The review also examines the use of doped CQWs in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), multiexciton lasing, and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Key challenges include controlling dopant concentration and spatial distribution, identifying dopant sites and oxidation states, clarifying dopant-host interactions, and developing reproducible synthesis and device-integration strategies. Progress in these areas will determine how effectively doped CQWs can be translated into optoelectronic, photonic, and energy-conversion technologies.
Amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) transistors are promising back-end-of-line-compatible devices for monolithic three-dimensional logic and memory, but threshold-voltage control becomes challenging as both channel length and width are scaled to the nanoscale. Here, we investigate a-IGZO transistors with both dimensions reduced to 50 nm and show that threshold-voltage scaling is governed by the coupling between edge stoichiometry and percolation-limited transport. Ar- and Cl2-patterned devices exhibit distinct width-dependent threshold-voltage shifts, while length scaling produces an opposite trend. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy, technology computer-aided design simulations, and random telegraph noise measurements reveal that percolative transport amplifies or compensates the impact of edge stoichiometry depending on etch chemistry. These results provide a geometry-process-percolation framework for threshold-voltage engineering in nanoscale oxide electronics.
Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries are moving from validation to deployment, yet durable full-cell operation is now limited by the chemistry, structure, and mechanics of nanoscale electrode-electrolyte interphases rather than by bulk-material discovery. The solid (SEI) and cathode (CEI) electrolyte interphases in Na-ion cells cannot be read as scaled lithium analogs. They are nanoscale, mosaic, dynamically reorganizing layers shaped by a Na+ solvation sheath, electrical double layer, and chemo-mechanical environment that differ markedly from Li+ analogs. This article reframes Na-ion interphase design around three linked ideas: (i) the primary Na+ solvation sheath, not the bulk electrolyte-stability window, selects first-layer chemistry at the nanoscale, through adsorption, desolvation and absorption at the electrode surface; (ii) under lean electrolyte and practical negative-to-positive (N/P) ratios, both interphases co-evolve through cross-talk rather than as independent passivation layers; and (iii) credible mechanistic claims require an explicit evidence-tier hierarchy and minimum reporting set. We anchor the discussion in deployment-relevant markers, including a representative hard-carbon full-cell ICE near 91.4%, a reported optimal N/P of about 0.9 in a layered-oxide/hard-carbon pairing, and emerging 1.5 and 3.5 A h cylindrical Na-ion formats, and close with a co-design logic and benchmarking checklist for Na-ion full-cell interphase studies.
Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a widely used environmentally benign bulk chemical. Electrocatalytic synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2eORR) has emerged as a core green alternative to the traditional...
Hybrid electrolytes combining ionic liquids with nanoscale fillers offer a transformative route toward safe, high-performance energy storage; however, the lack of understanding of their charge transport over a broad range of temperature and pressure conditions limits their application. Herein, we address this issue by examining the structural, conducting, viscoelastic and thermodynamic properties of a model quasi-solid electrolyte composed of an ammonium ionic liquid and charged polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles over an extended temperature (173-393 K) and pressure (0.1-600 MPa) range. We demonstrate that the rigid POSS scaffold creates excess free volume, reduces compressibility and thermal expansion, and introduces reversible shear-thinning viscoelasticity while maintaining efficient ion conduction. Furthermore, our high-pressure experiments reveal that ion dynamics is mostly thermally activated in this nano-hybrid electrolyte and satisfies the density-scaling concept, enabling accurate prediction of ionic conductivity over 12 decades across a wide T-P landscape. This work establishes a fundamental and predictive framework for designing next-generation nano-hybrid electrolytes for operation in extreme environments.
Enhancing electrical conductivity and structural stability of Si-based anodes is crucial to attaining efficient and stable capacity output, promoting their practical applications. Here, we developed a polymer-derived bifunctional coating of nano-Si, which simultaneously provides conductive networks and elastic encapsulation to facilitate electron/ion transport and accommodate Si volume expansion during repeated lithiation/delithiation. A covalent bonding SiOC coating was firstly build onto nano-Si by ball-milling micro-Si with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), then a cyclized-polyacrylonitrile (cPAN) coating was wrapped onto the above composite through low-temperature pyrolysis of PAN, forming polymer-derived anchoring coatings of nano-Si. The covalent SiOC anchoring layer serves as a bridge for fast electrical conduction and efficient stress buffer, and the cyclized-PAN conformal coating further improves electrical conductivity and mechanical resilience of the whole nanostructure. The as-prepared nanocomposite exhibits excellent electrical and mechanical properties, enabling outstanding electrochemical performance in Li-ion batteries. It exhibits a high initial capacity of 3477 mAh g-1 and retains 1660 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles at 1 A g-1. The graphite-Si/SiOC@cPAN//NCM811 full-cell exhibited a high initial capacity of 180.6 mAh g-1 and 89% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 1C. This work provides a facile and scalable way to fabricate high-performance Si-based anode materials for high-energy-density Li-ion batteries.
Magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) has many potential applications in cancer therapy due to its controllable heating, precise targeting, and biocompatibility; however, its underlying mechanisms of damaging cancer cells are still not fully understood. Herein, we employed magnetic nanoflowers (NFs) as a high-performance heating agent under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) to investigate the cytotoxic mechanisms of MHT on prostate cancer PC3 and melanoma DX3 cells. Cytotoxicity assays (CCK-8, trypan blue, and clonogenic assay) were conducted to confirm viability loss in both cell lines. Flow cytometry for reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, and apoptosis detection, combined with glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation assays, suggested that MHT can concurrently induce hallmarks of apoptosis and ferroptosis. Confocal microscopy visualised apoptotic progression, mitochondrial depolarisation, and lysosomal involvement. Western blotting (WB) further identified altered expression of key apoptotic markers (Caspase-3/7, Bax/Bcl-2) and ferroptosis regulators (FSP1, GPX4), confirming a mixed apoptotic-ferroptotic signal triggered by MHT. These mechanistic findings were also validated in 3D spheroid tumor models. Moreover, heat-generation studies in cells, test tubes, and chicken breast demonstrated NF's efficient and tunable thermal output. Additionally, heat mapping at the cellular level provided spatial-temporal profiles of intracellular temperature gradients, offering a novel framework for evaluating nanoscale thermal dissipation in MHT. Collectively, this work advances our understanding of the MHT mechanism and elucidates the therapeutic potential of NFs in inducing coordinated tumor cell death.
Understanding how structural modifications influence charge transport in DNA is central to biomolecular electronics. In this study, we investigate the effect of daunomycin intercalation on DNA stability and charge transport. We employ a combination of classical molecular dynamics simulations, electronic structure calculations, and charge transport within the Landauer-Büttiker framework. The intercalation significantly enhances DNA rigidity, with bis-daunomycin providing further stabilization due to the linker. The results show that the bis-daunomycin intercalation enhances conductance by nearly threefold, despite the presence of a non-conjugated linker. The conductance enhancement arises from the cooperative interplay of linker-induced structural stabilization and intercalator-derived electronic states, with structural stabilization providing the dominant differentiating factor. Additionally, intercalation introduces daunomycin-derived states near the LUMO region, leading to a reduction in the HOMO-LUMO gap from 4.22 eV to 2.23 eV. These findings highlight the importance of structural stabilization in tuning quantum transport properties and suggest the potential of bis-intercalators for DNA-based nanoelectronic applications.
This study achieved high-quality electrophysiological signal monitoring by resolving the trade-offs among conductivity, durability, and breathability through the integration of antioxidant Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets with a bacterial cellulose substrate.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are increasingly integrated into triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) as dielectric modifiers to enhance energy-harvesting performance in self-powered systems. However, conventional MOF synthesis often relies on energy-intensive processes and environmentally unsustainable solvents, raising concerns regarding scalability and long-term sustainability. To overcome these limitations, green MOFs have emerged as promising alternatives that address environmental and processing challenges without compromising functional performance. Due to increasing interest in green MOF-based triboelectric nanogenerators, many researchers are studying about synthesis strategies, structural properties, and dielectric performance. Recent studies have also investigated how green MOF architectures influence charge trapping, interfacial polarization and frictional electrical behavior. In this regard, this review explores green MOF materials for TENGs, emphasizing their dielectric design principles that influence device performance and efficiency and further outlining sustainable synthesis routes for their preparation. It also outlines the fundamental chemistry and structural characteristics of MOFs and the working mechanisms of TENGs. It then discusses sustainable synthesis strategies for green MOFs, including the use of renewable and bio-derived ligands, and emphasizes recent advances in integrating these materials into triboelectric systems. Furthermore, this review highlights emerging applications of green MOF-enabled TENG platforms in self-powered sensing systems, including wearable electronics and intelligent sensing technologies. Collectively, it is anticipated that this review will advance the understanding and development of green MOF materials for their effective integration into triboelectric energy harvesting systems.
Understanding the transconductance (gm) at cryogenic temperature remains a major challenge in the physics-based modeling of nanoscale field-effect transistors. Although short-channel drain current (ID)-gate voltage characteristics can often be described accurately within transport-based formalisms, the corresponding gm commonly exhibits pronounced low-temperature anomalies that remain unexplained. Here, we investigate a 65 nm Si n-channel transistor measured from 250 K down to 12 K and show that a Landauer-consistent model provides an accurate quasi-ballistic transport baseline for the ID across the full temperature range, but fails to reproduce the shoulder-like gm feature that emerges at deep cryogenic temperature. We show that this residual discrepancy originates not from transport nonidealities but from quantum capacitance (Cq)-induced electrostatic renormalization of gate-induced charge modulation. By decomposing the gm into transport and charge-response contributions, and introducing a gate-control factor governed primarily by the Cq, we derive a compact framework in which the corrected gm consists of renormalized baseline and differential electrostatic terms. A two-crossover parameterization of Cq in the effective gate-overdrive domain enables simultaneous and self-consistent reproduction of both the ID and gm, including the cryogenic shoulder. These results identify anomalous cryogenic gm as a Cq-induced signature of rapidly varying gate-to-charge coupling in quasi-ballistic transistors.
Hydrogels with tissue-mimetic properties hold immense potential for biomedical engineering, yet they stumble in balancing their mechanical robustness with aqueous variability and inadvertently foster bacterial infections in vivo. Herein, we employed heterogenized carbon nanocrystals (CNH) as multifunctional nanofillers for designing biphasic hydrogel nanocomposites (HNCs) with hierarchically organized, nacre-inspired architectures. The HNC structures were synthesized through free-radical copolymerization with controlled modulation of nanofiller dispersion, interfacial coupling, and mesoscale morphology. At an ultra-low CNH loading (0.05 wt%), the uniform nanofiller dispersion establishes a percolated polymer-nanofiller interphase that restricts chain segmental mobility and promotes the formation of truncated cubic nanodomains, enabling homogeneous stress transfer and mechanical reinforcement. In contrast, increasing the CNH concentration to 0.3 wt% drives a transition toward anisotropic nanofiller aggregation, suppressing intercalation and inducing entropic buckling that yields hexagonally ordered nanocrystalline domains. These concentration-dependent structural transitions optimize interfacial interactions and nanofiller spacing, leading to synergistic enhancements in tensile strength, thermal stability, electrical conductivity, and the development of multiscale porous honeycomb networks. At elevated CNH loadings, the HNC exhibits improved mechanical robustness, electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, and pronounced antimicrobial activity against clinically isolated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Collectively, these results identify CNH-based hydrogels as a promising class of multifunctional biomaterials and highlight a nanostructure-mediated strategy for resistance-free bacterial inactivation.
Electrical control of magnetism is a cornerstone for next-generation low-energy spintronics, yet realizing voltage-driven topological phase transitions in centrosymmetric lattices remains a significant challenge. Here, we propose a bias-voltage manipulation strategy based on first-principles calculations, offering a direct and field-free approach to control topological spin textures. Taking monolayer NiI2 as an example, we reveal that an applied voltage effectively tunes the Kitaev easy-plane anisotropy and the Heisenberg exchange frustration. This electrical modulation drives a reversible phase transition between skyrmion and labyrinthine states. By combining tight-binding model analysis with Monte Carlo simulations, we elucidate the distinct roles of spin frustration and bond-dependent anisotropic interactions in stabilizing these topological defects. These findings provide a new way to manipulate the topological spin phases through a nonvolatile approach.
Water electrolysis is a pivotal technology for renewable hydrogen production. Iron (Fe), due to its abundant reserves, low cost, versatile valence states, tunable coordination structures, and co-friendliness under alkaline conditions, is a key alternative to precious metals as a catalytic center. Although extensive studies have demonstrated that Fe sites can significantly boost the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of non-precious metal catalysts, there is still no profound understanding of the intrinsic role of Fe sites in the OER process. This paper systematically reviews the core function of Fe sites in nanocatalysts during water electrolysis, including their electronic and spin structures, catalytic behaviors and fundamental reaction mechanisms. It addresses how electronic structure, valence evolution and coordination environment regulate intermediate adsorption, desorption barriers and reaction pathways, and summarizes typical strategies for introducing Fe sites and optimizing catalytic activity and stability. Moreover, the advanced characterization for identifying active-site evolution is also highlighted. Finally, the challenges facing Fe sites in catalysis and the corresponding solutions are analyzed and an outlook on the rational design and large-scale application of non-precious metal catalysts via Fe introduction is presented.
In the field of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, bioactive compounds play vital roles as fortifying ingredients and drug components. As these products are naturally acquired from plant resources, their stability and functionality have to be preserved essentially. Of late, these bioactive components have been effectively preserved as capsules through the process of nanoencapsulation, which has been reported to successfully maintain their shelf life and structures and prolong their functional ability. Here, the authors had attempted to elaborate reported studies on the materials used in the fabrication of nanocapsules (NCs), several modes of nanoencapsulation, the analytical methods to assess the characteristics of NCs, and the natural product bioactives that are encapsulated, and their utilisation in various pharmacological applications. This article significantly discussed how these NCs are remarkable in targeted drug delivery and sustained drug release. The present review throws a limelight on the challenges that were faced during their production and commercialisation. In addition, current strategies to overcome the disadvantages in the process were also emphasised. Overall, this review article will substantially serve as a comprehensive resource to understand nanoencapsulation and implement it with state-of-the-art technologies to enhance the nutritive, mechanical, and functional properties of the bioactive compounds for consumption and biomedical applications.
Heat exchange between metal nanoparticles and their surrounding liquid plays a central role in thermoplasmonics, photonics, and nanoscale sensing. Yet it remains difficult to predict how particle shape influences interfacial thermal resistance. Here we introduce a geometry-driven scaling theory supported by experiments that identifies shape as the primary determinant of interfacial resistance and demonstrates that this resistance scales linearly with the number of nanoscale heat sources within a given fluid volume. Using a reduced single-time-constant description of thermal relaxation, time-domain measurements yield volume-normalised interfacial resistances independent of the surrounding fluid pathway. When expressed through appropriate geometric normalisation, these resistances fall onto a master scaling trend across nano stars, spheres, and rods. The resulting scaling law, Rint,vol (ANP/VNP)/RK0 plotted against the geometry factor D/L + α (hspike/rtip) unifies the structures of these different shapes by linking their interfacial thermal behaviour to a single dimensionless geometry factor. This formulation shows that geometry sets the governing law for interfacial heat transport at the nanoscale, offering a compact design principle for engineering heat flow in a wide range of nanostructured systems.
The increasing amount of synthetic dye pollutants in industrial wastewater poses significant environmental and health concerns, creating an urgent need for efficient and sustainable remediation strategies. Herein, we report the fabrication of bimetallic Cu-Ni oxide-doped porous carbon nanofibers (Cu:Ni:PCFs) via block copolymer templating, electrospinning, and controlled pyrolysis. The hierarchical structures combined with uniformly dispersed copper and nickel oxide nanoparticles within the carbon matrix provided abundant active sites, enhanced surface charge modulation, and conferred multifunctional adsorption capabilities. The Cu:Ni:PCF adsorbent demonstrated excellent uptake of anionic MO and cationic MB, reaching Langmuir maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 362 mg g-1 for MO and 323 mg g-1 for MB, showing enhanced localized single-point capacities under optimized pH environments. Rapid adsorption kinetics were observed, reaching equilibrium within 15 min. The kinetics data were best described by a pseudo-second-order model, indicating a strong adsorption interaction. The equilibrium data fit the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting monolayer coverage on uniform adsorption sites. Notably, the adsorbent maintained its structural integrity and demonstrated high recyclability, retaining more than 90% of its initial adsorption capacity after five consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles. These findings underscore the potential of Cu:Ni:PCFs as a durable and efficient material for removing various dye contaminants from wastewater, representing a promising strategy for practical environmental remediation.
We developed a non-invasive imaging method to track CAR-T cells using internalized nanobubble ultrasound contrast agents.
