Interdisciplinary Materials最新文献

Hierarchically porous structure is extremely favorable for many applications, including heterogeneous catalysis, chemical sensing, and energy conversion and storage. In these applications, controllable synthesis and assembly of transition metal oxide materials with tailored hierarchically porous structure and chemical microenvironments are highly desired but challenging. Herein, uniform mesoporous cerium oxide (mCeO₂) microspheres functionalized with Pt nanoparticles (NPs) were designed via efficient nanoemulsion approach and used to construct hierarchical macro-/mesoporous CeO₂/Pt film on micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) chips. The resultant functional chip-based devices have controllable porous structure and rich highly accessible active Pt–CeO₂ interfaces, and thus they exhibit outstanding performance as oxygen sensors with an unprecedented low limit of detection (LOD, 7.16 ppm), high sensitivity at a relatively low working temperature (250°C). Finite element analysis, density functional theory calculations, and in situ characterizations reveal that, such an excellent performance is mainly due to the favorable mass transfer and gas–solid interface interaction, the oxygen spillover effect enabled by the nanosized Pt, and the enhanced catalytic reaction causing the dramatic change of electronic resistance of the sensing layer in oxygen atmosphere. Finally, a smart gas sensing module capable of real-time precise detection of oxygen was fabricated, demonstrating the possibility for commercial application.

Refining the process in which two-dimensional (2D) perovskites passivate three-dimensional (3D) perovskites is vital for improving the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), yet is frequently overlooked. Herein, a novel sequential passivation process that initially employs phenethylamine iodide (PEAI) on the 3D perovskite surface, followed by treatment with 4-trifluoromethylphenylethylamine iodide (CF₃PEAI) is presented. A comprehensive comparison of the intrinsic molecular structures and their impact on the perovskites reveals that the small-sized, low-polarized PEA molecule induces minimal lattice strain and a negative shift of the vacuum energy level of perovskite surface, whereas the large-sized, high-polarized CF₃PEA molecule leads to larger lattice strain and a positive shift of the vacuum energy level. By leveraging the opposing properties of these molecules through our tailored sequential passivation strategy, optimal passivation effects and efficient interface charge transfer are obtained, outperforming the posttreatment with mixed ligands and greatly surpassing posttreatment with a single ligand. Consequently, a champion efficiency of 26.27% is achieved for the inverted PSCs, along with outstanding operational stability featuring a T₈₀ lifetime exceeding 1000 h under continuous light illumination at the maximum power point tracking.

α-MgAgSb is one of the few high-performance thermoelectric materials near room temperature, thanks to its inherently suppressed lattice thermal conductivity. However, conventional approaches to optimizing electrical properties often inadvertently degrade carrier mobility, adversely impacting thermoelectric performance at lower temperatures. In this study, we discovered in an experiment that Mg-Ag anti-site defects exist in the lattice and create staggered nanoscale anti-site zones in the matrix. This unique structure significantly scatters phonons while having a negligible influence on carrier transport due to the preservation of carrier transport channels. By fine-tuning the formation energy of Mg-Ag anti-sites through Zn doping, both carrier transport and phonon scattering were successfully bolstered. Consequently, a high figure of merit (zT) of ~0.45 at 200 K and an average zT of ~0.75 within the low-temperature range of 200–400 K can be achieved. Furthermore, a single-pair device constructed using the obtained α-MgAgSb and commercial Bi₂Te₃ legs exhibited a temperature difference of ~56 K at 325 K, showcasing promise for thermoelectric cooling applications. This demonstration underscores the efficiency of anti-site manipulation as a means to enhance the thermoelectric cooling performance of α-MgAgSb.

The hierarchical Bouligand structure, ubiquitous in organisms and endowing natural creatures with exceptional performance attributes, stands as a prime example of nature's evolutionary prowess. Following the example of nature, the construction of biomimetic Bouligand structures will significantly propel advancements and innovations within the domain of biomedical and healthcare applications. In this review, we summarize cutting-edge research progress of biomimetic Bouligand architectures. Firstly, the natural Bouligand structures in animals, plants, and humans are introduced. On this basis, the relationship between properties and Bouligand structure is briefly discussed, including toughening mechanism, optical characteristics, and biological properties. Subsequently, the review details the construction strategies of the biomimetic Bouligand architectures, covering a variety of methods such as self-assembly, biomimetic mineralization, shear brushing, electrostatic spinning, and 3D printing. Finally, the utilization of biomimetic Bouligand architectures in biomedical and healthcare fields, especially for bone regeneration, tooth repair, body protection, and biosensor transmission, is discussed in detail. Despite the significant theoretical advantages of Bouligand structure, its feasibility in biomedical and healthcare applications still remains in its infancy. We eagerly anticipate the future development of biomimetic Bouligand architectures with superior performance, tailored to clinical scenarios and health needs, thereby fulfilling the grand vision of “inspiration from nature and giving back to life.”

Hydrophobic porous membrane is the key to the desalination performance of membrane distillation (MD). However, traditional MD membranes suffer from poor hydrophobicity of pore surfaces, leading to pore wetting and causing the loss of desalination stability. In this study, we present an ultrathin polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite membrane with robust anti-wetting properties and high permeability for stable MD desalination. The improved anti-wetting properties are achieved by enhancing the hydrophobicity of membrane pore surfaces via introducing hydrophobic silica nanoparticles to build nanostructures on the pore surfaces. The hydrophobic nanostructured pore surfaces induce the formation of the nano-Cassie state upon contact with water, thereby enhancing the specific liquid entry pressure of water (LEP_w) with 788% compared to commercial PVDF membranes. The resulted porous structure and 10 μm membrane thickness (i.e., 20 times thinner than commercial PVDF membranes) enable the stable desalination flux of 20.30 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ and high salt rejection of > 99.9% with 60°C seawater. Our ultrathin nanocomposite membranes provide a promising solution for long-term MD seawater desalination.

Although outstanding power conversion efficiency has been achieved in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), poor stability and lead (Pb) toxicity are still the key challenges limiting the commercial application of PSCs. Herein, we adopted both chemical encapsulation and physical encapsulation to address these problems. Via strong chemical interaction between dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and perovskite, the chemical encapsulation strategy results in higher perovskite film quality with reduced trap density, and the device efficiency enhances from 22.07% to 24.36%. Physical encapsulation polymer with high film robustness and self-healing properties could effectively isolate external risks and restore protection after physical damage. Furthermore, both chemical and physical encapsulation materials could trap Pb ions leaking from the perovskite materials by forming coordination interactions. We simulated realistic scenarios in which PSCs encapsulated by different methods suffered water immersion and mechanical damage, and quantitatively measured Pb leakage rates under different conditions. Higher device stability and greater Pb leakage reduction were achieved, confirming the excellent encapsulation effect of the synergy of chemical and physical encapsulation. This study provides an effective strategy to realize safe and environmentally friendly PSCs to promote their commercialization.

Inside Front Cover: The review of doi:10.1002/idm2.12245 provides a comprehensive summary and discussion of the emerging research frontier Engineered Living Energy Materials (ELEMs). These materials represent a novel paradigm that integrates biological and artificial systems to enable sustainable energy conversion. By identifying key technical hurdles, this review provides a roadmap for future directions.

Outside Front Cover: The article of doi:10.1002/idm2.12249 explores how machine learning–driven activity prediction, energy barrier optimization, and data-guided materials design accelerate the discovery of a new generation of electrocatalysts, and discusses their applications in water electrolysis, fuel cells, and carbon dioxide reduction, thereby advancing innovation in sustainable energy solutions.

Inside Back Cover: This image of doi:10.1002/idm2.12250 vividly illustrates the role of Mg-based materials in the field of gas separation and purification. In the figure, NeZha, a hero in Chinese traditional myth representing magnesium, is combating exhaust gas from factories including CO₂, SO₂ and NO_x, etc., which is represented by a dark dragon. The weapons are designed according to the molecular structure of Mg-based materials such as MgH₂, Mg-MOF-74, MgO and Mg(OH)₂, which are discussed in the article. The figure encapsulates the article's core focus on utilizing Mg-based compounds to develop cost-effective and efficient gas separation technologies for environment protection and clean energy.

Outside Back Cover: The cover image of doi:10.1002/idm2.12243 illustrates the diverse applications of fiber-shaped supercapacitors (FSCs), including their integration into wearable power fabrics for modular energy storage, coupling with specific devices, forming composite fibers, and combining with energy-harvesting fibers to develop integrated fabrics with both energy-harvesting and energy-storage functions.