van der Waals (vdW) forces in two-dimensional materials allow for versatile control over interlayer coupling, enabling the exploration of novel emergent quantum states and device functionalities. Here, using microreflectance spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell, we demonstrate dynamic pressure tuning of layer-hybridized excitons in dual-gated trilayer WSe2 devices up to 6.6 GPa. Pressure-controlled interlayer coupling manifests as enhanced energy-level anticrossings and oscillator strength redistribution between the intralayer and interlayer excitons. We observe an 11% reduction in the interlayer exciton dipole moment, while the coupling strength triples (from ∼10 to >30 meV), following a near-linear scaling of 3.5 ± 0.2 meV/GPa. Spectral density simulations resolve four distinct components of hybridized excitons, i.e., intralayer ground/excited and interlayer ground/excited states, with their relative weights transitioning from one component dominant to strongly mixed at higher pressures. Our findings highlight the potential for controlling excitonic properties and engineering optoelectronic devices through interlayer compression.

Epitaxial chromium dioxide (CrO2) film was grown on sapphire Al2O3 by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The interfacial structure of the epitaxial CrO2 was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the spatial distribution of the chromium valence in the film was qualitatively analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). An uneven transition layer with a diffraction pattern consistent with that of Cr2O3 but with an anomalously large oxygen concentration (Cr/O approximate to 0.2-0.3) was found between the CrO2 film and the substrate.

Vertical graphene (VG) is a remarkable electrode material for supercapacitors due to its large specific area, open channel structures, and numerous exposed edges with high electrochemical activity. However, flexible super -capacitors with high rate performance based on VG have yet to be investigated. Here, we report flexible supercapacitors based on VG, carbon fabric (CF) current collector, and H2SO4 gel polymer electrolyte. VG/CF presents an exceptional electrochemical performance in H2SO4 compared with other aqueous and liquid ion electrolytes. The flexible VG/CF supercapacitor demonstrates a 73% capacitance retention after increasing the charge-discharge rate by 200 times from 0.1 mA cm-2 to 20 mA cm-2. This high rate performance facilitates a high power density of 13.2 mW cm-2 with an energy density of 86.6 mu Wh cm-2. Furthermore, the electro-chemical performances remain mostly unchanged after long-term charge-discharge cycles and mechanical bending. Our results demonstrate a flexible VG/CF supercapacitor with outstanding rate performance and sta-bility for innovative high power energy and electronic devices.

Epitaxial chromium dioxide (CrO2) film was grown on the sapphire Al2O3 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The interfacial structure of epitaxial CrO2 was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the spatial distribution of chromium valence in the film was qualitatively analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). An inhomogeneous oxygen-rich Cr2O3 transition layer was clarified at the interface between CrO2 and the substrate.

Graphene-based photodetectors have received widespread attention because of the superior characteristics. However, most of previous research focused on improving the performance of the detector. Herein, an angle-sensitive photodetector, which fabricated via vertically standing layered graphene (VSG) grown on n-type silicon substrate, is demonstrated. Due to the vertical structure of the VSG, the current change rate can reach up to 188.6% when the incident angle is 55 degree, which demonstrates promising applications for omnidirectional detection.

Graphene is an excellent thermoacoustic material due to its small heat capacity per unit area. However, there is obvious thermal leakage from the substrate which lower the sound emission efficiency. Here, in order to improve the efficiency, vertical graphene has been used as thermoacoustic device. In this paper, the high-quality vertical graphene was prepared by the MPCVD method, and the height of the vertical graphene was about 3.4 μm. Then a thermoacoustic device was fabricated based on vertical graphene. Compared to graphene, the unique structure of vertical graphene makes the device less area to substrate with less thermal leakage and can produce a higher sound pressure level (SPL) per unit area under the same height, the SPL value can reach as high as 60 dB at a measure distance of 0.3 cm with input power of 1.2W. This sound device based on vertical graphene is potential to be used in a wide range of applications.

The nontrivial topological origin and pseudospinorial character of electron wavefunctions make edge states possess unusual electronic properties. Twenty years ago, the tight-binding model calculation predicted that zigzag termination of 2D sheets of carbon atoms have peculiar edge states, which show potential application in spintronics and modern information technologies. Although scanning probe microscopy is employed to capture this phenomenon, the experimental demonstration of its optical response remains challenging. Here, the propagating graphene plasmon provides an edge-selective polaritonic probe to directly detect and control the electronic edge state at ambient condition. Compared with armchair, the edge-band structure in the bandgap gives rise to additional optical absorption and strongly absorbed rim at zigzag edge. Furthermore, the optical conductivity is reconstructed and the anisotropic plasmon damping in graphene systems is revealed. The reported approach paves the way for detecting edge-specific phenomena in other van der Waals materials and topological insulators.

Since the discovery of graphene, mechanical exfoliation technology has become one of the important methods of preparing high-quality two-dimensional (2D) materials. This technology shows some unique advantages in the study of the intrinsic properties of 2D materials. However, traditional mechanical exfoliation method also has some obvious deficiencies, such as low yield ratio and small size of the resulting single- or few-layer flakes, which hinders the research progress in the field of 2D materials. In recent years, we made a series of breakthroughs in mechanical exfoliation technology, and independently developed a new type of mechanical exfoliation method with universality. The core of this new method is to enhance the van der Waals interaction between the layered material and the substrate by changing multiple parameters in the exfoliation process, thereby increasing the yield ratio and area of the monolayer. Taking graphene for example, we can now increase the size of graphene from micron to millimeter, increase over 100000 times in area, and yield ratio more than 95%, in the meantime graphene still maintains very high quality. This new mechanical exfoliation method shows great universality, and high-quality monolayer flake with a size of millimeters or more has been obtained in dozens of layered material systems including MoS2, WSe2, MoTe2, and Bi2212. More importantly, some special structures can be fabricated by optimizing exfoliation parameters, such as bubble and wrinkle structures, which paves the way for the study of these special material systems. Many scientific problems are still worth exploring in the mechanical exfoliation technology, and the breakthrough of this technology will greatly promote the research progress in the field of 2D materials.

High-quality continuous uniform monolayer graphene was grown on polycrystalline PtRh20 alloy foils by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The morphology of graphene was investigated by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Analysis results confirm that high quality single-layer graphene was fabricated on PtRh20 foil at 1050 °C using a lower flux of methane under low pressure. Graphene films were transferred onto the SiO2/Si substrate by the bubbling transfer method. The mobility of a test field effect transistor made of the graphene grown on PtRh20 was measured and reckoned at room temperature, showing that the carrier mobility was about 4000 cm2 V−1 s−1. The results indicate that desired quality of single-layer graphene grown on PtRh20 foils can be obtained by tuning reaction conditions.

Using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a template and high temperature sol-gel chemistry, we have prepared LaFeO3 nanoparticles (NPs). The 15 nm LaFeO3 NPs have a bandgap of 1.86 eV and the LaFeO3-rGO can function as an efficient catalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) or Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation with the electron transfer from the dye to hole dominating the oxidation process. The reported synthesis offers a general approach to perovskite-type NPs for efficient photocatalytic applications.

Large-area boron nanowire (BNW) films were fabricated on the Si(111) substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The average diameter of the BNWs is about 20 nm, with lengths of 5–10 μm. Then, graphene-capped boron nanowires (GC-BNWs) were obtained by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). Characterization by scanning electron microscopy indicates that few-layer graphene covers the surface of the boron nanowires. Field emission measurements of the BNWs and GC-BNW films show that the GC-BNW films have a lower turn-on electric field than the BNW films.

BACKGROUND Monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancy with gastroschisis cames a poor prognosis. Live birth and well development of both twins are extremely rare. CASE The authors report a rare case of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twin. Both twins were followed up nine months after intrapartum fetal operation, and both are in good health until now. CONCLUSION This report expands successful management of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twins. Early diagnosis, intensive prenatal care, and multidisciplinary consultation are recommended in management of discordant gastroschisis in MCDA twin.

Mechanical exfoliation has been a key enabler of the exploration of the properties of two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, by providing routine access to high-quality material. The original exfoliation method, which remained largely unchanged during the past decade, provides relatively small flakes with moderate yield. Here, we report a modified approach for exfoliating thin monolayer and few-layer flakes from layered crystals. Our method introduces two process steps that enhance and homogenize the adhesion force between the outermost sheet in contact with a substrate: Prior to exfoliation, ambient adsorbates are effectively removed from the substrate by oxygen plasma cleaning, and an additional heat treatment maximizes the uniform contact area at the interface between the source crystal and the substrate. For graphene exfoliation, these simple process steps increased the yield and the area of the transferred flakes by more than 50 times compared to the established exfoliation methods. Raman and AFM characterization shows that the graphene flakes are of similar high quality as those obtained in previous reports. Graphene field-effect devices were fabricated and measured with back-gating and solution top-gating, yielding mobilities of ∼4000 and 12,000 cm(2)/(V s), respectively, and thus demonstrating excellent electrical properties. Experiments with other layered crystals, e.g., a bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSCCO) superconductor, show enhancements in exfoliation yield and flake area similar to those for graphene, suggesting that our modified exfoliation method provides an effective way for producing large area, high-quality flakes of a wide range of 2D materials.

Superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic properties of chemically-modified graphene have been achieved in larger-area vertically aligned few-layer graphene nanosheets (FLGs), prepared on Si (111) substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). Furthermore, in order to enhance wettability, silicon wafers with microstructures were fabricated, on which graphene nanosheets were grown and modified by a chemical method to form hydrophilic and hydrophobic structures. A superhydrophilic graphene surface (contact angle 0°) and a superhydrophobic graphene surface (contact angle 152.0°) were obtained. The results indicate that the microstructured silicon enhances the hydrophilic and hydrophobic wettabilities significantly.

Platinum nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable morphologies were synthesized in aqueous solution utilizing a new type of additive and capping agent. This strategy suggests for the first time that an oxysalt can serve as a shape modifier, and can control the morphologies of NPs more precisely because of its moderate adsorption on them. The employment of disodium succinate reveals the possibility that small molecules can serve as a capping agent, thereby avoiding the problems caused by larger reagents such as polyvinylpyrrolidone. Furthermore, the selectivity of the as-synthesized tetrahedra is as high as 80%, and the sizes can be tuned from 3 to 13nm with a narrow size distribution. This paper proposes that the mechanism underlying the growth of NPs involves competition between absorption and desorption of the additive and between absorption of different reagents. Cyclic voltammetry and oxygen reduction reaction results reveal the typical nature of the Pt NPs, indicating the success of utilizing C4H4Na2O4 and Na2SO4.

Large-scale, uniform, vertically standing graphene with atomically thin edges are controllably synthesized on copper foil using a microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition system. A growth mechanism for this system is proposed. This film shows excellent field-emission properties, with low turn-on field of 1.3 V μm(-1) , low threshold field of 3.0 V μm(-1) and a large field-enhancement factor more than 10 000.

To explore new series of high-Tc superconductors, Cu-based ternary pnictides of SrCu2Pn2 (Pn=P, As, Sb) with La doping were synthesized at 1073K from the stoichiometric reaction of the elements. The electrical and magnetic properties as well as the electronic structure were systematically investigated. Absence of superconductive transition was observed over the temperature range from room temperature down to 2K, and these materials show p-type metal-like conductivity and Pauli paramagnetic behavior. The near EF bands mainly originate from Cu 3d and Pn np states and the value of total densities of states (DOS) becomes higher as Pn goes from P to Sb. The results provides us with considerable information for a better understanding of the transport properties in pnictides.

Background: Muscle from heterozygous and homozygous T4826I-RYR1 MH-susceptible mice is investigated for biochemical and cellular abnormalities. Results: T4826I-RYR1 gene dose determines severity of [Ca2+]rest, mitochondrial, EC coupling, and Ca2+ channel impairments. Conclusion: T4826I-RYR1 channel dysfunction is regulated in vivo but imparts susceptibility to environmental triggers. Significance: T4826I-RYR1 is sufficient to confer MHS strongly dependent on gene dose. Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility (MHS) is primarily conferred by mutations within ryanodine receptor type 1 (RYR1). Here we address how the MHS mutation T4826I within the S4-S5 linker influences excitation-contraction coupling and resting myoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]rest) in flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and vastus lateralis prepared from heterozygous (Het) and homozygous (Hom) T4826I-RYR1 knock-in mice (Yuen, B. T., Boncompagni, S., Feng, W., Yang, T., Lopez, J. R., Matthaei, K. I., Goth, S. R., Protasi, F., Franzini-Armstrong, C., Allen, P. D., and Pessah, I. N. (2011) FASEB J. doi:22131268). FDB responses to electrical stimuli and acute halothane (0.1%, v/v) exposure showed a rank order of Hom ≫ Het ≫ WT. Release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ entry contributed to halothane-triggered increases in [Ca2+]rest in Hom FDBs and elicited pronounced Ca2+ oscillations in ∼30% of FDBs tested. Genotype contributed significantly elevated [Ca2+]rest (Hom > Het > WT) measured in vivo using ion-selective microelectrodes. Het and Hom oxygen consumption rates measured in intact myotubes using the Seahorse Bioscience (Billerica, MA) flux analyzer and mitochondrial content measured with MitoTracker were lower than WT, whereas total cellular calpain activity was higher than WT. Muscle membranes did not differ in RYR1 expression nor in Ser2844 phosphorylation among the genotypes. Single channel analysis showed highly divergent gating behavior with Hom and WT favoring open and closed states, respectively, whereas Het exhibited heterogeneous gating behaviors. [3H]Ryanodine binding analysis revealed a gene dose influence on binding density and regulation by Ca2+, Mg2+, and temperature. Pronounced abnormalities inherent in T4826I-RYR1 channels confer MHS and promote basal disturbances of excitation-contraction coupling, [Ca2+]rest, and oxygen consumption rates. Considering that both Het and Hom T4826I-RYR1 mice are viable, the remarkable isolated single channel dysfunction mediated through this mutation in S4-S5 cytoplasmic linker must be highly regulated in vivo.