Flexible aqueous zinc‑manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2) batteries offer a promising route toward safe, sustainable, and low-cost energy storage for wearable electronics, but their rechargeability is often limited by irreversible cathode structures, unstable electrode-electrolyte interfaces, and sluggish ionic transport. Here, we present a systematic co-optimization of gel polymer electrolytes and cathode binders to address these challenges. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Poly acrylic acid (PAA) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) were used to synthesize three flexible gel polymer electrolytes, PVA-KOH, PVA -PAA, and PVA-PAA-KOH. The amorphous, microporous PVA-PAA electrolyte enabling efficient ion transport exhibited the highest ionic conductivity (155 mS/cm), with thickness of 0.23 mm, wide electrochemical stability window (~ 2 V), excellent swelling capacity, and mechanical robustness (tensile strength: 29.5 MPa). Parallel evaluation of cathode binder systems (Carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), PVA-PAA, Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)) revealed that CMC promotes homogeneous dispersion of γ-MnO2, preserves the Mn3+/Mn4+ redox balance, and minimizes irreversible complex accumulation, resulting superior electrode cohesion, roughness, and ion-electron percolation pathways. Electrochemical testing confirmed that the optimized PVA-PAA electrolyte coupled with CMC binder, among tested, better supports reversible kinetics by creating suitable interface, delivering high specific capacity (257 mAh/g at C/4), > 95% coulombic efficiency, and the lowest charge-transfer resistance with reduced polarization for limited cyclic testing. Our results highlight the critical role of electrolyte-binder interactions in governing electrochemical performance, paving the way for rational materials design strategies for sustainable, flexible, and high-rate Zn-MnO2 energy storage devices.

Exploring superhard materials is of great significance in materials research. Ternary B-C-N superhard compounds exhibit a superior thermal stability to diamond, with hardness surpassing cubic boron nitride. However, synthesizing cubic B-C-N compounds is challenging, and few studies have been reported on their high-temperature oxidation resistance, impeding their potential applications. In this study, cubic B-C-N compounds (c-BCN) were synthesized using the high-pressure high-temperature synthesis method at 10 GPa and 1530 °C, half the reported pressure and one-quarter lower than the reported temperature. The thermal stability of the obtained c-BCN compound was examined. The results indicated that the air oxidation temperature of c-BCN was as high as 1200 °C, suitable for high-speed cutting of hardened steels. This study provided a production method of cubic B-C-N superhard compounds and extended their potential applications to milling/machining.

The enhancement of thermoelectric (TE) material performances is crucial for the optimization of energy conversion efficiency of TE devices. The primary strategy for enhancing TE performances entails the maintenance of high carrier mobility while concurrently reducing thermal conductivity. In this study, p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 porous materials were fabricated via a high-pressure synthesis technique. The results demonstrated that antimony doping effectively increased the carrier concentration and grain size of the produced bulk materials. In addition, the introduced nanopore structures significantly reduced the thermal conductivity of the materials. The combination of antimony doping with porous structures has been demonstrated to result in significant enhancements in the figure-of-merit (zT) value of the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 alloys. The lattice thermal conductivity of the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 porous samples was reduced to 0.31 W m(-1) K-1 at 413 K. The peak zT value was enhanced to 0.98 at 373 K, which was 53% higher than that of the undoped dense sample (zT = 0.64). Sb doping contributed one-third, while porosity contributed two-thirds of zT enhancement during the dual-optimization strategy. This work highlighted the importance of the synergistic strategy of both carrier concentration modulation and porosification in achieving superior TE performances. The study presented a new dual-strategy for developing high-performance porous TE materials for applications.

This study reports porous copper with lamellar morphology produced with the freeze casting method, in which aqueous suspensions of cupric oxide particles (1 µm–2 µm) were frozen under controlled cooling rates, followed by ice sublimation, reduction to copper, and sintering. The effects of the cooling rate (0.008–0.08 °C·s−1), the particle loading (6.0 vol W m^-1·K^-1 –12.9 W m^-1·K^-1 , and average lamellar thickness and spacings less than 50 m . The highest through-plane effective thermal conductivity of 16.7 Wm-1·K-1 was obtained at 65.7

蜂窝碳结构是由石墨烯纳米片构成的蜂窝状三维纳米多孔结构,具有低密度和高比表面积和孔隙率,同时也呈现出了如机械性能、热学性质等诸多优异性能,也为该材料在纳米电子器件、光电器件、热管理、催化、机械材料强化等领域提供了广阔的应用前景.本文讨论了蜂窝碳的一些可能的晶体结构,总结了文献报道的热性能和机械性能,阐述了蜂窝碳在气体存储、水净化和热力学等方面的应用.最后对相应的三维石墨烯结构进行了一定程度的延伸,并对该结构以及蜂窝碳在制备、性能、应用等方面做出了适当的总结和展望.

Feroxyhite (δ-FeOOH) nanomaterials were successfully synthesized through the atmospheric AC microplasma method at room temperature from ferrous sulfate aqueous solutions. Various syntheses conditions, including electric voltage, electric field strength, ferrous concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and reaction duration, were systematically investigated. The synthesized products were characterized through x-ray diffraction, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, infra-red spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The bandgap of the produced materials were strongly dependent of the ferrous concentration while the product ratio was dependent on all experimental conditions. The synthesis mechanism was thoroughly discussed. The synthesized nanomaterials were amorphous nanospheres, showing superparamagnetic properties at room temperature. The synthesized oxyhydroxide is a potential photovoltaic material besides its reported applications in photocatalysts and supercapacitors. The application of this synthesis technique could be extended to synthesize other oxy-hydroxide nanomaterials for renewable energy applications facilely, scalablely, cost-effectively, and environmentally.

Honeycombcarbonhas a honeycombthree-dimensionalnanoporousstructurecomprisingof graphenenanosheetsandhas low density, high specificsurfacearea, and high porosity. In addition,it demonstratesnumerousuniqueproperties,suchas anisotropicthermalconductivityand mechanicalproperties,gas and liquidability, and applicabilityas acompositematrix,and a waterdesalinationmembrane.Thus,its uniquestructuregiveshoneycombcarbongreatapplicationpotentialin manyscientificand engineeringfields.Meanwhile,its mechanicaland thermalpropertiesplay anindispensablerole in practicalengineeringapplications.In this review, we discussthe possiblecrystalstructuresof thehoneycombcarbon.Furthermore,its thermaland mechanicalpropertiesreportedin the literatureare summarizedin thisreview, and the applicationsof the honeycombcarbonfor gas storageand waterpurificationare explored.Finally, thecorrespondingthree-dimensionalgraphenestructureis extendedto somedegree,and the preparation,properties,andapplicationsof this structureand honeycombcarbonare summarizedand prospected

Improving the performance of thermoelectric (TE) materials and fabricating TE devices with higher conversion efficiency remains a significant challenge in materials research. The low figure of merit ( ZT ) value of n -type bismuth telluride has seriously hindered the development of TE devices based on bismuth telluride. Element doping and nanostructured defect introduction have commonly been employed to improve TE properties. Herein, we utilized high-pressure synthesis to fabricate n -type Bi 2 Se 0.3 Te 2.7 bulk nanomaterials and enhance their TE performance by adjusting the fabrication pressure and titanium doping concentration. Through this process, titanium effectively substituted bismuth to decrease carrier concentration and improve carrier mobility. As a result, the thermal conductivity was significantly decreased. By employing a fabrication pressure of 2.5 GPa and 10 at % Ti doping, a remarkable ZT value of 0.96 was achieved at 333 K, which was 2.8 times the undoped counterparts. These findings demonstrate a successful design methodology and fabrication process to generate ntype Bi 2 Te 3 with outstanding TE performance. This study provided valuable insights into the synthesis of highperformance TE materials and contributed to advancements in TE device technology.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a class of metal alloys consisting of four or more molar equal or near-equal elements. HEA nanomaterials have garnered significant interest due to their wide range of applications, such as electrocatalysis, welding, and brazing. Their unique multi-principle high-entropy effect allows for the tailoring of the alloy composition to facilitate specific electrochemical reactions. This study focuses on the synthesis of high-purity HEA nanoparticles using the method of femtosecond laser ablation synthesis in liquid. The use of ultrashort energy pulses in femtosecond lasers enables uniform ablation of materials at significantly lower power levels compared to longer pulse or continuous pulse lasers. We investigate how various femtosecond laser parameters affect the morphology, phase, and other characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles. An innovative aspect of our solution is its ability to rapidly generate multi-component nanoparticles with a high fidelity as the input multi-component target material at a significant yielding rate. Our research thus focuses on a novel synthesis of high-entropy alloying CuCoMn1.75NiFe0.25 nanoparticles. We explore the characterization and unique properties of the nanoparticles and consider their electrocatalytic applications, including high power density aluminum air batteries, as well as their efficacy in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Additionally, we report a unique nanowire fabrication phenomenon achieved through nanojoining. The findings from this study shed light on the potential of femtosecond laser ablation synthesis in liquid (FLASiL) as a promising technique for producing high-purity HEA nanoparticles.

The process of bonding to dentin is complex and dynamic, greatly impacting the longevity of dental restorations. The tooth/dental material interface is degraded by bacterial acids, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and hydrolysis. As a result, bonded dental restorations face reduced longevity due to adhesive interfacial breakdown, leading to leakage, tooth pain, recurrent caries, and costly restoration replacements. To address this issue, we synthesized and characterized a multifunctional magnetic platform, CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2, to provide several beneficial functions. The platform comprises Fe3O4 microparticles and chlorhexidine (CHX) encapsulated within mesoporous silica, which was silanized by an antibacterial quaternary ammonium silane (SiQuac). This platform simultaneously targets bacterial inhibition, stability of the hybrid layer, and enhanced filler infiltration by magnetic motion. Comprehensive experiments include X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, VSM, EDS, N2 adsorption-desorption (BET), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Then, CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2 was incorporated into an experimental adhesive resin for dental bonding restorations, followed by immediate and long-term antibacterial assessment, cytotoxicity evaluation, and mechanical and bonding performance. The results confirmed the multifunctional nature of CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2. This work outlined a roadmap for (1) designing and tuning an adhesive formulation containing the new platform CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2; (2) assessing microtensile bond strength to dentin using a clinically relevant model of simulated hydrostatic pulpal pressure; and (3) investigating the antibacterial outcome performance of the particles when embedded into the formulated adhesives over time. The results showed that at 4 wt % of CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2-doped adhesive under the guided magnetic field, the bond strength increased by 28%. CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2 enhanced dentin adhesion in the magnetic guide bonding process without altering adhesive properties or causing cytotoxicity. This finding presents a promising method for strengthening the tooth/dental material interface's stability and extending the bonded restorations' lifespan.

Recently, quantum biology and molecular quantum computation have attracted substantial attention. Quantum biology applies quantum mechanics to biological systems at the molecular scale. Molecular quantum computing explores the degrees of freedom of molecules that can be used to produce quantum coherence, such as charge, orbital, opto-spin (interplay between optical excitation and spin), vibration, and rotation, to process quantum information. Cognitive science focuses on understanding how learning processes are realized, particularly within the human brain. The most common topic among these three is the computational process, which can exploit different levels of representation, either classical or quantum. Here, we review progress in quantum biology, molecular quantum computing, and quantum theory in cognitive science. Based on our critical analysis and review, we highlight that molecular quantum computing could be an important bridging research area between quantum biology and a deeper understanding of neuronal cells in cognitive science. Thus, these three areas can be the core to understanding how the classical world emerges from the quantum world and human intelligence. To answer these questions, we may gain insight by studying the quantum processes that underlie biological systems, such as photosynthesis and enzyme catalysis. An unprecedented opportunity for molecular quantum computing is to perform functionalities similar to those of the human brain. In this manner, we could not only expand the boundaries for quantum computing but also gain a better understanding of cognitive processes.

Motivated by the drawbacks of solution phase processing, an all-dry resist formation process is presented that utilizes amorphous zinc-imidazolate (aZnMIm) films deposited by atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD), patterned with electron beam lithography (EBL), and developed by novel low temperature (120 °C) gas phase etching using 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone (hfacH) to achieve well-resolved 22 nm lines with a pitch of 30 nm. The effects of electron beam irradiation on the chemical structure and hfacH etch resistance of aZnMIm films are investigated, and it is found that electron irradiation degrades the 2-methylimidazolate ligands and transforms aZnMIm into a more dense material that is resistant to etching by hfacH and has a C:N:Zn ratio effectively identical to that of unmodified aZnMIm. These findings showcase the potential for aZnMIm films to function in a dry resist technology. Sensitivity, contrast, and critical dimensions of the patterns are determined to be 37 mC cm-2, 0.87, and 29 nm, respectively, for aZnMIm deposited on silicon substrates and patterned at 30 keV. This work introduces a new direction for solvent-free resist processing, offering the prospect of scalable, high-resolution patterning techniques for advanced semiconductor fabrication processes.

With the adoption of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) to decrease microelectronic device dimensions, recent photoresist research has focused on the development of next generation metal-organic resist materials. To enhance lithographic capabilities and mitigate common drawbacks seen from traditional solvent based processes like spin coating and solution phase development, interest has shifted towards solvent-free "dry" deposition and development. These dry techniques can obviate extra processing steps, significantly reduce the amount of solvent waste generated, and even allow for reduced defect density and higher resolution. The process described herein avoids the use of solvents, and ultimately many issues associated with solvents, by depositing metal-organic resists using atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) and developing them using a selective thermal dry etching process. The low temperature (e.g., 100-120°C) thermal development conditions used in this study are notable in the context of lithography processes, as the high temperatures required in other dry etching processes can be difficult to implement in nanofabrication processes. Our previous work has focused on using amorphous zinc-imidazolate (aZnMIm) films in an all-dry resist technology, achieving resolution down to 22nm. Here, we explore the role of temperature and time on dry development and examine pattern transfer into silicon substrates. Preliminary pattern transfer experiments suggest that an etch selectivity of at least 7:1 exists for electron-beam treated aZnMIm over silicon using a pseudo-Bosch plasma etch. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of dry development at lower temperatures and times and suggest potential for aZnMIm as a high-resolution resist for nextgeneration lithography.

Ever since the commencement of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain in the mid-18th century, the annual global energy consumption from various fossil fuels, encompassing wood, coal, natural gas, and petroleum, has demonstrated an exponential surge over the past four centuries [...]

A plasmonic effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is studied.In this investigation, the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells has been remarkably increased by infusion of synthesized silver nanoparticles into the TiO 2 photoanode.Rhodaminederivative RdS1 was synthesized by microwave-assisted condensation of hydrazide and 3-formylchromone.The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized with UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The interfacial charge transport phenomena of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) are determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the corresponding efficiencies are calculated using current-voltage (I-V) curve.The solar cell photoanode with silver nanoparticles infused with RdS1 in titanium dioxide had the highest solar-to-electric power efficiency at 0.17%.

Bismuth telluride is a widely used commercial thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performances near room temperature. Reducing thermal conductivity is one of the most effective ways to improve performances of thermoelectric materials. In this study, the thermal conductivity of the material was reduced by fabricating porous structures. Highly dense NaCl-(Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 composites were fabricated by a high-pressure technology. The NaCl phase was then removed from the composites by ultrasonic washing to produce porous structures. The produced (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 porous materials possessed excellent thermoelectric properties. The porosity and pore size of the (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 porous materials increased with the increasing NaCl content, decreasing the thermal conductivity significantly. An ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.21 Wm(-1) K-1 at 493 K was achieved when the porosity was 39%, almost the lowest lattice thermal conductivity reported for (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 bulk materials. The figure of merit ZT value was enhanced to 1.05 at 493 K when the porosity was 25%. Compared with the most compacted samples (ZT = 0.79 and porosity of 10%) prepared under the same conditions, the ZT value of the porous samples increased by 33%. This study indicated that porous thermoelectric materials can be prepared simply, quickly and efficiently by high-pressure/ultrasonication washing to improve thermoelectric performances, which has evident reference values for preparing other thermoelectric pore materials with enhancing behaviors.

The exploration of novel ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors is becoming a challenging and compelling research focus on semiconductor physics, materials, and device applications. Ternary B–C–N compounds have attracted much attention because their electronic structure and semiconductor properties are quite different depending on the chemical composition and atomic arrangement of boron, carbon, and nitrogen elements in the lattice. However, the lack of well-controlled high-quality B–C–N crystals has limited their potential as UWBG devices. In this study, B–C–N compounds are synthesized in bulks from graphite and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) using ball milling and high-pressure high temperature technique. The synthesized B–C–N compounds produced are highly crystallized layered-materials with intercalated graphene layers in C-doped h-BN layers. The doped carbon atoms occupy boron sites and nitrogen sites of the h-BN layers unbalanced, giving rise to the n-type conductivity of the B-C-N layered compounds. The measured optical bandgaps range from 3.4 to 6.0 eV, which can be regulated by the carbon content. Their electronic properties are also tunable. Our work is expected to initiate potential applications of the B–C–N material as UWBG semiconductors.

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) have been widely utilized in sensitive sensors, magnetic memory, and logic gates due to their tunneling magnetoresistance. Moreover, these MTJ devices have promising potential for renewable energy generation and storage. Compared with Si-based devices, MTJs are more tolerant to electromagnetic radiation. In this review, we summarize the functionalities of MgO-based MTJ devices under different electromagnetic irradiation environments, with a focus on gamma-ray radiation. We explore the effects of these radiation exposures on the MgO tunnel barriers, magnetic layers, and interfaces to understand the origin of their tolerance. This review enhances our knowledge of the radiation tolerance of MgO-based MTJs, improves the design of these MgO-based MTJ devices with better tolerances, and provides information to minimize the risks of irradiation under various irradiation environments. This review starts with an introduction to MTJs and irradiation backgrounds, followed by the fundamental properties of MTJ materials, such as the MgO barrier and magnetic layers. Then, we review and discuss the MTJ materials and devices’ radiation tolerances under different irradiation environments, including high-energy cosmic radiation, gamma-ray radiation, and lower-energy electromagnetic radiation (X-ray, UV–vis, infrared, microwave, and radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation). In conclusion, we summarize the radiation effects based on the published literature, which might benefit material design and protection.