Advanced Materials Interfaces最新文献

Lipid Droplet Carriers

The article 2400600 by Constantinos V. Nikiforidis and co-workers describe the transportation of lipophilic cargoes from Lipid Droplets (LDs) to lipid bilayers using liposomes. LDs loaded with curcumin and Nile red showed selective transfer, with only curcumin moving to liposomes due to its amphiphilicity. Understanding the transport mechanisms from LDs to lipid bilayers will aid their use as natural lipid carriers.

Atomic Layer Deposition

Understanding complex growth mechanisms and interface effects is crucial for tuning the properties of ultrathin functional materials. In article 2400537, Jan Ingo Flege and co-workers have utilized classic surface techniques for in situ characterization of atomic-layer-deposited cerium oxide to unravel film-substrate interactions and determine, depending on the film thickness, the growth behavior and chemistry of this prototypical reducible oxide.

Mechano-Bactericidal Surfaces

Mechano-bactericidal strategies are regarded as the potential alternative for antibiotic treatment in peri-implant infections. In article 2400004, Yuzheng Wu, Pei Liu, and Paul K. Chu introduce the recent advances in mechano-bactericidal strategies of three commercial orthopedic materials, including titanium, magnesium, and polyether-ether-ketone. The uneven development among these materials is discussed, and the possible techniques are proposed to pave the way for clinical applications.

Wannier Wave Function Probe

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has been a widely adopted technique to investigate surface and shallow interface electron energy-momentum dispersion. The cover picture of article 2400427 by Charles H. Ahn and co-workers, proposes a new way of using ARPES to reconstruct the electron wave function on crystalline surfaces, via the dipole-transition matrix element effect and spectral sum rule.

The meniscus-guided coating (MGC) of a binary fluid mixture containing a solute and a volatile solvent that undergoes spinodal decomposition is investigated numerically. Motivation is the evaporation-driven deposition of material during the fabrication of organic thin film electronics. A transition in the phase-separation morphology from an array of droplet-shaped domains deposited periodically parallel to the slot opening to isotropically dispersed solute-rich droplets with increasing coating velocity is found. This transition originates from the competition between the injection of the solution into the film and diffusive transport that cannot keep up with replenishing the depletion of solute near the domains. The critical velocity of the transition is determined by the ratio of two length scales: i) the spinodal length, which implicitly depends on the evaporation rate and the properties of the solution, and ii) a depletion length proportional to the ratio of the diffusivity of the solute and the coating velocity. For coating below the critical velocity, the domain size and deposition wavelength are proportional to a solute depletion length. This competition in the mass transport is inherent in any kind of unidirectional deposition of demixing solutions and the findings should therefore apply to many coating techniques and forced demixing processes.

Compound Eye Lens

Dragonflies use their 360-degree wide-angle view to catch small prey and escape from natural enemies approaching from behind. This functionality is made possible by a three-dimensional compound eye, which consists of more than 30000 individual eyes. In article 2400480, Kenshin Takemura and co-workers develop a mold that could perfectly reproduce the compound eyes of dragonflies using a wide variety of materials.

The intractable prevalence of contact-mediated infections warrants the development of next-generation antimicrobial materials. Since bare metals like aluminum (Al) are prone to limitations such as microbial contamination and corrosion, it is imperative to develop a sustainable substrate using infinitely recyclable aluminum, with robust antimicrobial activity. This study reports broad-spectrum antibiofilm and antimicrobial activity of electro-chemically deposited reduced graphene oxide on aluminum (rGO-Al) substrates toward clinically important pathogens, Gram-negative E. coli, Gram-positive S. aureus, and fungus C. albicans. This further evaluates the knowledge gap by correlating the observed antimicrobial properties of rGO-Al materials to the possible mechanism(s). Next, measurements of water contact angle and 4-probe conductivity tests confirm the hydrophobic and conducting nature of the synthesized substrates respectively. In vitro, experimental results show that rGO-Al substrates can significantly inhibit the growth and viability of test organisms. While scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses confirm contact-mediated cell membrane damage, fluorescence microscopy reveals potent antibiofilm activity of test substrates. Alterations in membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production provide further evidence for the antimicrobial activity via microbial membrane disruption. Thus, a perspective mechanism is proposed, where the surface hydrophobicity of rGO-Al promotes a stable interaction with the microbes. Further, conductivity-driven-electron transfer induces ROS production leading to membrane damage. Current research will facilitate the development of high-performance aluminum-based nanomaterials that can replace bare Al in the industrial and biomedical sectors. The sustainable nature of rGO-Al substrates will enhance the longevity and functionality of underneath Al surface by inhibiting microbial colonization and concurrent outcomes.

Production scalability, efficiency, and stability challenges continue to impede the commercial viability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, a multifunctional passivation technique is introduced, designed to enhance the efficiency and stability of printable, air-processed PSCs with laminated carbon electrodes. This findings indicate that tin(II) phthalocyanine (SnPC) molecules act as an interfacial layer between the absorber and the hole-transporting layer (HTL), effectively passivating surface trap states and facilitating hole extraction. Optimal SnPC surface treatment reduces the trap density in the perovskite layer from 2.1 × 10¹⁵ to 1.5 × 10¹⁵ cm⁻³, increases carrier mobility (from 2.7 × 10⁻³ to 2.8 × 10⁻³ cm² Vs⁻¹), and extends carrier lifetime. SEM, AFM, EDS, and XPS analyses confirm the presence of SnPC on the perovskite layer surface and its influence on surface morphology. Devices treated with an optimal SnPC concentration exhibit significant efficiency improvements, from 6.4% to 8.5%, along with a threefold increase in photo-stability. Thus, SnPC may serve as a passivating buffer layer for the perovskite surface, offering protection against photo-degradation.

Czochralski Method

High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy image of a β-(Al_0.2Ga_0.8)₂O₃ crystal along the [010] projection grown by the Czochralski method. More details can be found in article 2400122 by Zbigniew Galazka and co-workers.

An extensive examination of the nanoscale, crystallographic growth dynamics of the system, which is impacted by the thermal energy given to the GaN, is carried out to derive a deeper understanding of the growth kinetics, morphology and microstructure evolution, chemical bonding, and optical properties of Ga─O─N films. Thermal annealing of GaN films is performed in the temperature range of 900–1200 °C. Crystal structure, phase formation, chemical composition, surface morphology, and microstructure evolution of Ga─O─N films are investigated as a function of temperature. Increasing temperature induces surface oxidation, which results in the formation of stable β-Ga₂O₃ phase in the GaN matrix, where the overall film composition evolves from nitride (GaN) to oxynitride (Ga─O─N). While GaN surfaces are smooth, planar, and featureless, oxidation induced granular-to-rod shaped morphology evolution is seen with increasing temperature to 1200 °C. The considerable texturing and stability of the nanocrystalline Ga─O─N on Si substrates can be attributed to the surface and interface driven modification because of thermal treatment. Corroborating with structure and chemical changes, Raman spectroscopic analyses also indicate that the chemical bonding evolution progresses from fully Ga─N bonds to Ga─O─N. While the GaN oxidation process starts with the formation of β-Ga₂O₃ at an annealing temperature of 1000 °C, higher annealing temperatures induce structural distortion with the potential formation of Ga─O─N bonds. The structure-phase-chemical composition correlation, which will be useful for nanocrystalline materials for selective optoelectronic applications, is established in Ga─O─N films made by thermal treatment of GaN.