Advanced Materials Interfaces最新文献

Protein Functionalization

Modification of proteins is often required for their use as targeting agents. However, chemical over-modification can lead to the loss of their native structure and thus affect their functionality. Based on NHS ester chemistry, in this article 2400472 by Katharina Landfester and co-workers, a minimal protein modification strategy including detailed characterization is developed, keeping the secondary structure intact and allowing their further attachment to nanocarriers via click chemistry.

Surface Energy

In article 2400369, Rubén Pérez, Guilherme Vilhena, and co-workers identifies PBE+D3 as the optimal DFT method for thiol adsorption on Au(111). It introduces new Morse and Lennard-Jones parameters for the Au(111)-S interface, compatible with popular force fields and MD engines, offering deeper insights into the dynamics of this crucial Gold-Sulfur interface.

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) can be created on various materials, and they hold an exceptional potential for surface nanopatterning, enabling new industrial applications in medicine, biology, optics and other fields. However, LIPSS formation is typically restricted to a specific orientation and periodicity. In this work, a novel approach is demonstrated for full control of the LIPSS periodicity and orientation on metallic surfaces using a 1064 nm nanosecond laser. Analytical expressions and experimental verification are presented to show that by simultaneously manipulating three parameters of the laser beam, such as the polarization, angle of incidence, and direction of the laser scan along the surface, LIPSS can be formed with the desired geometrical configuration. This enhanced control opens vast possibilities for laser processing technologies as a flexible and highly competitive solution for advanced applications relying on surface modifications in the fields of anisotropic surface wettability, thermal and electrical conductivity, structured colors, diffraction gratings, and many others.

Capitalizing on the electrochemical conversion of water into hydrogen stands as a pivotal strategy in the global transition toward sustainable energy sources. This study investigates the influence of the A-site cation type within A₂FeNbO₆ double perovskites (where A = Ca, Sr, or Ba) on their bifunctional electrocatalytic activities. The electrocatalytic performance is scrutinized in relation to charge transfer resistance, oxygen vacancy concentration, and metal-oxygen covalency. Among the variants, Sr₂FeNbO₆ is distinguished as the optimal catalyst, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at overpotentials of 260 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 176 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thus matching the performance of leading metal oxide electrocatalysts. The study reveals pH-dependent kinetics for Sr₂FeNbO₆, indicative of a lattice oxygen evolution mechanism for OER. An electrolyzer employing Sr₂FeNbO₆ electrodes for both the anode and cathode delivers a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at an efficient cell voltage of 1.76 V for complete alkaline water splitting, while also demonstrating exceptional stability. These insights advance the understanding of material optimization for electrocatalysis and position Sr₂FeNbO₆ as a viable catalyst for the sustainable production of hydrogen.

This study proposes a synthesis strategy of high-quality graphene films on the copper foil at a temperature of 400 °C throughout the graphene growth process without employing high-temperature annealing. Through continuous CO₂ laser pretreatment of the copper foil, the surface smoothness improves, and the removal of copper particles and copper oxide results in fewer defects on the foil. Therefore, the nucleation density of graphene is reduced, leading to a more uniform and continuous graphene film and showing an outstanding quality of graphene with low defects and low resistivity compared with other groups. After laser treatment, the copper foil's resistivity decreases from 1.71 ×10⁻⁸ to 1.51 ×10⁻⁸ Ω·m. The graphene-coated on laser-treated foil experiences an even more substantial decrease in resistivity, from 1.34 ×10⁻⁸ to 1.18 ×10⁻⁸ Ω·m, marking a significant 11.94% reduction. Excitingly, the groundbreaking technique is taken to the next level by applying it to fine copper interconnects as narrow as 0.4 µm. The experiments confirm the successful cultivation of graphene on these miniature scales, showing the immense potential of the approach. The proposed approach aligns with the demands of contemporary CMOS backend-of-line processes, facilitating the seamless incorporation of graphene in advanced chip technologies.

This study investigates thermal transport across nanocrystalline diamond/AlGaN (aluminum gallium nitride) interfaces, crucial for enhancing thermal management in AlGaN-based electronic devices. Chemical vapor deposition growth of diamond directly on AlGaN resulted in a disordered interface with a high thermal boundary resistance (TBR) of 20.6 m²-KGW⁻¹. Sputtered carbide interlayers of boron carbide (B₄C), silicon carbide (SiC), and a mixture of boron carbide and silicon carbide (B₄C/SiC) are employed to reduce thermal boundary resistance in diamond/AlGaN interfaces. The carbide interlayers resulted in record-low thermal boundary resistance values of 3.4 and 3.7 m²-KGW⁻¹ for Al_0.65Ga_0.35N samples with B₄C and SiC interlayers, respectively. STEM imaging of the interface reveals interlayer thicknesses between 1.7 and 2.5 nm, with an amorphous structure. Additionally, Fast-Fourier Transform (FFT) characterization of sections of the STEM images displayed sharp crystalline fringes in the AlGaN layer, confirming it is properly protected from damage from hydrogen plasma during the diamond growth. In order to accurately measure the thermal boundary resistance we develop a hybrid technique, combining time-domain thermoreflectance and steady-state thermoreflectance fitting, offering superior sensitivity to buried thermal resistances. The findings underscore the efficacy of interlayer engineering in enhancing thermal transport and demonstrate the importance of innovative measurement techniques in accurately characterizing complex thermal interfaces. This study provides a foundation for future research in improving thermal properties of semiconductor devices through interface engineering and advanced measurement methodologies.

Design and proposal of high-efficiency anode materials are crucial for the development of batteries with enhanced power and energy density, a key factor in their commercialization. This study presents a comparative theoretical study to evaluate the potential of boron-doped biphenylene (B-BP) as an anode electrode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Current research investigates the impact of boron doping on the structural, electronic, and stability properties of pristine biphenylene. Computational calculations reveal strong interactions between charge carriers (Li and Na atoms) and the proposed anode with a charge transfer from Li/Na atom to the surface. According to kinetic studies, a low energy barrier for charge carrier diffusion has been obtained which makes it a promising candidate for fast-charge battery applications. Theoretical capacity calculations show that B-BP outperforms graphite as the commercial case of anode material, with calculated values of 560.67 mAh g⁻¹ for Li and 934.45 mAh g⁻¹ for Na storage.

Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most common method for treating salt and brackish water. As a membrane-driven process, a key challenge for RO systems is their susceptibility to scaling and biofouling. To address these issues, functional coatings utilizing metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are developed. In this study, silver, gold, and copper nanoparticles are applied onto thin-film composite (TFC) membranes using plasma-enhanced magnetron sputtering. The elemental composition, surface morphology, and hydrophilicity of the coatings are analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and contact angle measurements. The antimicrobial properties and the filtration efficiency of the coated membranes are assessed through application-specific experimental setups. Silver and copper nanoparticles exhibit superior antimicrobial properties, reducing microorganism adhesion by a factor of 10³ compared to uncoated membranes. Under appropriate coating conditions, no deterioration in filtration performance is observed. Enhancing the adhesion of MNPs is necessary for achieving sustained release of metal ions.

Sb₂Se₃ is an emerging semiconductor which has shown promise for low-cost photovoltaic applications. After successive record-efficiencies using a range of device structures, spiro-OMeTAD has emerged as the default hole transport material (HTM), however, the function of HTM layers remains poorly understood. Here, thin-film Sb₂Se₃ solar cells are fabricated with which three organic HTM layers - namely P3HT, PCDTBT, and spiro-OMeTAD are investigated. By comparing these against one another, and to a reference device, their role in the device stack are clarified. These organic HTM layers are found to serve a dual purpose, increasing both the average and peak efficiency by simultaneously blocking pinholes and improving the band alignment at the back contact, with marginal differences in performance between the different HTMs. This produced a champion device of 7.44% using P3HT, resulting from an improvement in all performance parameters. A more complex processing route, run-to-run variability, and lower overall device performance compared to the other organics challenge the assumption that spiro-OMeTAD is the optimal HTM for Sb₂Se₃ devices. A Schottky barrier at the Au-Sb₂Se₃ contact despite the deep work function of gold implies Fermi level pinning due to a defective interface, which each of the organic HTMs are equally capable of alleviating.