Solid-state sodium metal batteries hold promise for next-generation energy storage but face interfacial challenges at the anode/solid electrolyte, including poor contact, polarization fluctuations, and dendrite formation. Herein, we demonstrate a ferroelectric interlayer strategy by coating Na3Zr2Si2PO12 solid electrolyte with Bi4Ti3O12 nanoplates rendering ferroelectric features to homogenize interfacial charge distribution and suppress dendrite-like Na propagation. Homogeneous Na+ flux distribution induced by the ferroelectric interlayer is confirmed by finite element analysis, and flat sodium plating around the Bi4Ti3O12 nanoplates is observed by focus-ion-beam scanning electron microscopy. Besides, distribution of relaxation time analysis on the electrochemical impedance reveals a small interfacial resistance of 6.5 Ω·cm2 for the symmetrical Na|Bi4Ti3O12-Na3Zr2Si2PO12|Na cells at 30 °C. Long-term Na plating/stripping cycles are achieved for 8,770 h at 0.2 mA/cm2, further indicating the excellence of the ferroelectric interlayer design. Additionally, full cells using Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes with an active mass loading around 15 mg/cm2 demonstrate a reversible capacity of 1.42 mAh/cm2 with 96.49% retention after the 90th cycle at a 1 C rate and 30 °C. This work provides fundamental insights into ferroelectric-electrochemical interactions and will promote the development of high-capacity solid-state sodium metal batteries working at ambient temperature.
Scintillators are central to radiation detection, yet their performance is fundamentally constrained by bulk crystal chemistry and fixed radiative pathways. This review examines how quantum effects and engineered light–matter interactions redefine scintillation beyond these classical limits. We survey recent advances in low-dimensional and nanostructured scintillators, where quantum confinement, excitonic effects, and multiexciton dynamics enable higher light yield, faster decay, and improved radiation hardness compared to conventional bulk materials. Special emphasis is given to engineered energy-transfer mechanisms and collective emission processes that substantially modify recombination dynamics at the nanoscale. Next, we discuss nanophotonic and nanoplasmonic approaches that manipulate the local density of optical states, highlighting Purcell-enhanced scintillation and pathways toward tunable coupling strength in cavity quantum electrodynamics regimes. Finally, we outline emerging applications enabled by light–matter-coupled scintillators, including photon-counting computed tomography, time-of-flight positron emission tomography, and nuclear batteries. Together, these developments establish a framework in which scintillation performance can be tailored through quantum design and optical mode engineering rather than host lattice chemistry alone.
Organic thermoelectric materials offer flexible, solution-processable energy harvesting for wearable electronics, yet their low power factors (PFs) impede practical applications. Here, a dual-phase interfacial engineering strategy is presented that decouples these channels by integrating organic small molecules (OSMs), thieno[2′,3′:4,5]thieno[3,2-b]thieno[2,3-d]thiophene (TTA) derivatives, with Ag+ (Ag) ionic bridges on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks. Hybridizing TTA and their derivatives with SWCNTs affords flexible thermoelectric composites. Subsequent silver fluoride (AgF) solution treatment further strengthens interfacial coupling between the OSMs and SWCNTs. By introducing Ag+ and in situ generated Ag nanoparticles, the Seebeck coefficient is markedly enhanced while maintaining high electrical conductivity, leading to remarkable improvement in composites’ PF value. The optimized 2I-TTA (30%)-AgF/SWCNT films achieve a room temperature PF of (995.37 ± 6.01) μW/(m∙K2), retain over 88.3% of their initial PF after 10,000 bending cycles, and sustain stable output under temperature gradients up to 160 °C. A thermoelectric generator made of the 2I-TTA (30%)-AgF/SWCNT composite and n-type SWCNTs generates a maximum power density output of 186.8 μW/g at ΔT = 50 K. This work establishes metal ion-mediated interfacial engineering as a novel paradigm for high-efficiency, durable, and wearable energy-harvesting technologies.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer a sustainable pathway for efficient energy conversion, but developing cathode materials that deliver high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and long-term stability under CO 2 -rich conditions remains a critical challenge. Herein, we design a series of Ba-deficient layered perovskites, PrBa 0.8− x Ca 0.2 Co 2 O 6− δ (PB0.8− x CC, x = 0, 0.05, 0.10), to achieve simultaneous enhancement in catalytic performance and CO 2 tolerance. Among them, PB0.75CC ( x = 0.05) exhibits markedly higher concentration of oxygen vacancies compared to the stoichiometric PB0.80CC, thereby promoting superior oxygen-ion transport. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that Ba deficiency lowers the oxygen vacancy formation energy in the Ba-O layers, facilitating the development of 3-dimensional oxygen-ion diffusion pathways and thereby accelerating ORR kinetics. When employed as a cathode in an oxygen-ion conducting SOFC, PB0.75CC shows excellent ORR performance, with a low polarization resistance ( R p ) of 0.022 Ω·cm 2 at 800 °C and a peak power density of 1.24 W/cm 2 at 800 °C. Moreover, DFT and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirm weakened CO 2 adsorption and suppressed BaCO 3 formation, effectively mitigating CO 2 poisoning and enhancing cathode CO 2 tolerance. This study demonstrates an efficient defect-engineering approach to tailor structure–property relationship in layered perovskites, offering new insights into the design of high-performance, CO 2 -tolerant cathodes for next-generation SOFCs.
