Interdisciplinary Materials最新文献

In recent years, wearable electrochemical biosensors have received increasing attention, benefiting from the growing demand for continuous monitoring for personalized medicine and point-of-care medical assistance. Incorporating electrochemical biosensing and corresponding power supply into everyday textiles could be a promising strategy for next-generation non-invasive and comfort interaction mode with healthcare. This review starts with the manufacturing and structural design of electrochemical biosensing textiles and discusses a series of wearable electrochemical biosensing textiles monitoring various biomarkers (e.g., pH, electrolytes, metabolite, and cytokines) at the molecular level. The fiber-shaped or textile-based solar cells and aqueous batteries as corresponding energy harvesting and storage devices are further introduced as a complete power supply for electrochemical biosensing textiles. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects relating to sensing textile systems from wearability, durability, washability, sample collection and analysis, and clinical validation.

The development of stable and efficient low-cost electrocatalysts is conducive to the industrialization of CO₂. The synergy effect between the heterogeneous interface of metal/oxide can promote the conversion of CO₂. In this work, Cu₂O/ZnO heterostructures with partially reduced metal/oxide heterointerfaces in Zn plates (CZZ) have been synthesized for CO₂ electroreduction in different cationic solutions (K⁺ and Cs⁺). Physical characterizations were used to demonstrate the heterojunction of Cu₂O/ZnO and the heterointerfaces of metal/oxide; electrochemical tests were used to illustrate the enhancement of the selectivity of CO₂ to CO in different cationic solutions. Faraday efficiency for CO with CZZ as catalyst reaches 70.9% in K⁺ solution (current density for CO −3.77 mA cm⁻² and stability 24 h), and the Faraday efficiency for CO is 55.2% in Cs⁺ solution (−2.47 mA cm⁻² and 21 h). In addition, in situ techniques are used to elucidate possible reaction mechanisms for the conversion of CO₂ to CO in K⁺ and Cs⁺ solutions.

Fullerene derivatives are highly attractive materials in solar cells, organic thermoelectrics, and other devices. However, the intrinsic low electron mobility and electrical conductivity restrict their potential device performance, such as perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we successfully enhanced the electric properties and morphology of phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) by n-doping it with a benzimidazoline derivative, 9-(1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl)-julolidine (JLBI-H) via a solution process. We found the n-doping can not only improve the conductivity and optimize the band alignment but also enable the PCBM to have a constantly strong charge extraction ability in a wide temperature from 173 to 373 K, which guarantees a stable photovoltaic performance of the corresponding PSCs under a wide range of operating temperatures. With the JLBI-H-doped PCBM, we improved the efficiency from 17.9% to 19.8%, along with enhanced stability of the nonencapsulated devices following the aging protocol of ISOS-D-1.

Lithium (Li) metal batteries are regarded as the “holy grail” of next-generation rechargeable batteries, but the poor redox reversibility of Li anode hinders its practical applications. While extensive studies have been carried out to design lithiophilic substrates for facile Li plating, their effects on Li stripping are often neglected. In this study, by homogeneously loading indium (In) single atoms on N-doped graphene via In-N bonds, the affinity between Li and hosting substrates is regulated. In situ observation of Li deposition/stripping processes shows that compared with the N-doped graphene substrate, the introduction of In effectively promotes its reversibility of Li redox, achieving a dendrite-free Li anode with much-improved coulombic efficiency. Interestingly, theoretical calculations demonstrate that In atoms have actually made the substrate less lithophilic via passivating the N sites to avoid the formation of irreversible Li–N bonding. Therefore, a “volcano curve” for reversible Li redox processes is proposed: the affinity of substrates toward Li should be optimized to a moderate value, where the balance for both Li plating and Li stripping processes could be reached. By demonstrating a crucial design principle for Li metal hosting substrates, our finding could trigger the rapid development of related research.

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO₃RR) holds promise for ecofriendly nitrate removal. However, the challenge of achieving high selectivity and efficiency in electrocatalyst systems still significantly hampers the mechanism understanding and the large-scale application. Tandem catalysts, comprising multiple catalytic components working synergistically, offer promising potential for improving the efficiency and selectivity of the NO₃RR. This review highlights recent progress in designing tandem catalysts for electrochemical NO₃RR, including the noble metal-related system, transition metal electrocatalysts, and pulsed electrocatalysis strategies. Specifically, the optimization of active sites, interface engineering, synergistic effects between catalyst components, various in situ technologies, and theory simulations are discussed in detail. Challenges and opportunities in the development of tandem catalysts for scaling up electrochemical NO₃RR are further discussed, such as stability, durability, and reaction mechanisms. By outlining possible solutions for future tandem catalyst design, this review aims to open avenues for efficient nitrate reduction and comprehensive insights into the mechanisms for energy sustainability and environmental safety.

Carbon has been widely utilized as electrode in electrochemical energy storage, relying on the interaction between ions and electrode. The performance of a carbon electrode is determined by a variety of factors including the structural features of carbon material and the behavior of ions adsorbed on the carbon surface in the specific environment. As the fundamental unit of graphitic carbons, graphene has been employed as a model to understand the energy storage mechanism of carbon materials through various experimental and computational methods, ex-situ or in-situ. In this article, we provide a succinct overview of the state-of-the-art proceedings on the ion storage mechanism on graphene. Topics include the structure engineering of carbons, electric gating effect of ions, ion dynamics on the interface or in the confined space, and specifically lithium-ion storage/reaction on graphene. Our aim is to facilitate the understanding of electrochemistry on carbon electrodes.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) employed in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved groundbreaking progress in device efficiency and stability for both single-junction and tandem configurations, owing to their distinctive and versatile ability to manipulate chemical and physical interface properties. In this regard, we present a comprehensive review of recent research advancements concerning SAMs in inverted perovskite single-junction and tandem solar cells, where the prevailing challenges and future development prospects in the applications of SAMs are emphasized. We thoroughly examine the mechanistic roles of diverse SAMs in energy-level regulation, interface modification, defect passivation, and charge transportation. This is achieved by understanding how interfacial molecular interactions can be finely tuned to mitigate charge recombination losses in inverted PSCs. Through this comprehensive review, we aim to provide valuable insights and references for further investigation and utilization of SAMs in inverted perovskite single-junction and tandem solar cells.

In the realm of photovoltaics, organometallic hybridized perovskite solar cells (PSCs) stand out as promising contenders for achieving high-efficiency photoelectric conversion, owing to their remarkable performance attributes. Nevertheless, defects within the perovskite layer, especially at the perovskite grain boundaries and surface, have a substantial impact on both the overall photoelectric performance and long-term operational stability of PSCs. To mitigate this challenge, we propose a method for water-induced condensation polymerization of small molecules involving the incorporation of 1,3-phenylene diisocyanate (1,3-PDI) into the perovskite film using an antisolvent technique. Subsequent to this step, the introduction of water triggers the polymerization of [P(1,3-PDI)], thereby facilitating the in situ passivation of uncoordinated lead defects inherent in the perovskite film. This passivation process demonstrates a notable enhancement in both the efficiency and stability of PSCs. This approach has led to the attainment of a noteworthy power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.66% in inverted PSCs. Furthermore, based on the P(1,3-PDI) modification, these devices maintain 90.15% of their initial efficiency after 5000 h of storage under ambient conditions of 25°C and 50 ± 5% relative humidity. Additionally, even after maximum power point tracking for 1000 h, the PSCs modified with P(1,3-PDI) sustain 82.05% of the initial PCE. Small molecules can rationally manipulate water and turn harm into benefit, providing new directions and methods for improving the efficiency and stability of PSCs.

Biomineralization is the intricate process by which living organisms orchestrate the formation of organic–inorganic composites by regulating the nucleation, orientation, growth, and assembly of inorganic minerals. As our comprehension of biomineralization principles deepens, novel strategies for fabricating inorganic materials based on these principles have emerged. Researchers can also harness biomineralization strategies to tackle challenges in both materials' science and biomedical fields, demonstrating a thriving research field. This review begins by introducing the concept of biomineralization and subsequently shifts its focus to a recently discovered chemical concept: inorganic ionic oligomers and their cross-linking. As a novel approach for constructing inorganic materials, the inorganic ionic oligomer-based strategy finds applications in biomimetic regeneration and repair of hard tissues, such as teeth and bones. Aside from innovative methods for material fabrication, biomineralization has emerged as an alternative method for tackling biomedical challenges by integrating materials with biological organisms, facilitating advancements in biomedical fields. Emerging material-biological integrators play a critical role in areas like vaccine improvement, cancer therapy, universal blood transfusion, and arthritis treatment. This review highlights the profound impact of biomineralization in the development and design of high-performance materials that go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, potentially promoting breakthroughs in materials science, chemical biology, biomedical, and numerous other domains.

Due to their extensive microporous structure, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) find widespread application in constructing modification layers, functioning as ion sieves. However, the modification layers prepared by existing methods feature gaps between MOFs that are noticeably larger than the inherent MOF pore dimensions. Polysulfides and lithium ions unavoidably permeate through these gaps, hindering the full exploitation of the structural advantages. Herein, an ultrathin (20 nm) and crack-free MOF film is formed on the separator by atomic layer deposition for the first time. Based on the separator, the mechanism of different MOF layers has been verified by phase field simulation and in situ Raman spectroscopy. The results accurately prove that the MOF particle layer can relieve the shuttle of polysulfides, but it does not have the effect of homogenizing lithium ions. Only the ultrathin and crack-free MOF film with proper pore size can act as the ion sieve for both polysulfides and lithium ions. As a result, under the test condition of 2 mA cm⁻²–2 mAh cm⁻², the overpotential of the Li/Li symmetric battery is only 18 mV after 2500 h. The capacity retention rate of the lithium–sulfur battery is 95.6% after 500 cycles and 80% after 1000 cycles at 2 C.