Materials Chemistry and Physics最新文献

{"title":"Mechanical and thermal properties of 3D needled carbon fiber reinforced CaZr4(PO4)6 ceramics prepared by fast hot-pressing sintering","authors":"Ning An ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Liu ,&nbsp;Kai Jiang ,&nbsp;Fang Tian ,&nbsp;Ziyi Liu ,&nbsp;Zhenjia Bu ,&nbsp;Chenxi Pei ,&nbsp;Yang Wang ,&nbsp;Ruixiang Liu ,&nbsp;Changling Zhou ,&nbsp;Degang Zhao ,&nbsp;Futian Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132159","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132159","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>CaZr₄(PO₄)₆ (CZP) ceramics, owing to their unique low thermal expansion and low thermal conductivity, have shown great promise for high-temperature applications such as aerospace. However, their inherently low fracture toughness severely limits practical use. To simultaneously address the challenges of toughening while maintaining low thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion, this study employed slurry infiltration (SI) and fast hot-pressing (FHP) techniques at 1200 °C under 40 MPa for 10 min to fabricate three-dimensional needle-punched carbon fiber reinforced CZP composites (3D-C_f/CZP), using a carbon fiber preform with a bulk density of 0.27 g/cm³. Additionally, a pyrolytic carbon (PyC) interphase with a thickness of approximately 500 nm was introduced to produce 3D-C_f/PyC/CZP composites. The effects of carbon fibers and PyC coating on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal behavior of CZP ceramics were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated excellent chemical compatibility and stable coexistence between the carbon fibers and the CZP matrix. The incorporation of three-dimensional carbon fibers significantly enhanced the fracture toughness of CZP ceramics, increasing from 1.46 ± 0.12 to 4.14 ± 0.35 MPa m^1/2, and further to 6.83 ± 0.41 MPa m^1/2 with the introduction of a PyC interfacial coating. This improvement is primarily attributed to multiple toughening mechanisms, including crack deflection, fiber pull-out, and interfacial debonding. The C_f/CZP composite retained a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), exhibiting an average CTE of 0.95 × 10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹, and the thermal conductivity (0.60–0.70 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) was lower than that of the CZP matrix (0.85–0.95 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹). In contrast, the PyC coating increased the thermal conductivity of C_f/PyC/CZP composite (1.00–1.10 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹), but resulted in a further reduction in CTE to 0.71 × 10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹, indicating a certain trade-off between interfacial toughening and thermal transport properties. This study confirms that the combination of 3D-C_f reinforcement and PyC coating can synergistically enhance the fracture toughness of CZP ceramics while maintaining their low thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion characteristics. However, the increase in thermal conductivity induced by the PyC layer, the stability issues of the material in oxidizing environments, and the still-required improvement in flexural strength are critical challenges that must be addressed synergistically in practical applications. These challenges collectively provide clear guidance for subsequent research directions, including interface optimization, oxidation protection, and mechanical performance enhancement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132159"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing mechanical properties of WC-5Ni hardmetals via microwave sintering: Role of Mo, Si, Ti, and V additives in microstructure evolution and performance optimization","authors":"Ehsan Ghasali ,&nbsp;Saleem Raza ,&nbsp;Andrii Babenko ,&nbsp;Li Jie ,&nbsp;Touradj Ebadzadeh ,&nbsp;Yasin Orooji","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this research, four metallic additives (Mo, Si, Ti, and V) were incorporated into WC-5 wt%Ni hardmetals prepared via a rapid microwave sintering process. Five wt% of each additive was individually mixed with WC and Ni powders using a high-energy mixer mill to ensure a uniform distribution of the starting materials. After achieving homogeneity, bar-shaped green bodies were formed under a uniaxial pressure of 240 MPa. Microwave sintering was conducted at 1400, 1500, and 1600 °C without any holding time. XRD analysis revealed that WC was the dominant crystalline phase, while each system also exhibited reaction products such as carbides and intermetallic phases derived from the additives. SEM images of the polished sample surfaces showed a fine microstructure across all samples. Moreover, increasing the sintering temperature from 1400 to 1600 °C led to improved densification, as confirmed by calculated densities and mechanical property evaluations. The highest bending strength (876 ± 25 MPa), Vickers hardness (1728 ± 37 Hv) and Palmqvist fracture toughness (W_K) (8.6 ± 0.2 MN m^−3/2) were observed in the sample sintered at 1600 °C with the Ti additive, likely due to the formation of NiTi intermetallics and titanium carbide. In contrast, the sample sintered at 1400 °C with the Mo additive exhibited the lowest mechanical properties, probably because the formation of a Ni₃Mo₃C complex phase consumed the Ni binder.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132130"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146098819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis and characterization of BaO- incorporated bismuth-borate glass for gamma radiation shielding: structural, optical, and functional properties","authors":"Issam Saber ,&nbsp;Abdelali Talbi ,&nbsp;Soumya Ferraa ,&nbsp;Rachid Hsissou ,&nbsp;Mouhsine Galai ,&nbsp;Mustapha Belfaquir ,&nbsp;Abdelkarim Chaouiki ,&nbsp;Mohamed Salaheddine El youbi ,&nbsp;Jawza A. Almutairi ,&nbsp;Abeer A. AlObaid","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effect of barium oxide (BaO) incorporation on the structural, optical, thermal, and radiation shielding properties of bismuth-borate glasses. Various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, were employed to analyze the glasses. The radiation shielding properties, which are crucial for applications in photonics and radiation protection, were also thoroughly assessed. The physical analysis revealed that the addition of BaO resulted in an increase in the glass density (ρ), from 5.712 g/cm³ to 6.121 g/cm³, while the molar volume (V_m) decreased from 130.328 cm³/mol to 44.364 cm³/mol. XRD confirmed the amorphous nature of the samples. Thermal analysis demonstrated that as BaO content increased, both the glass transition temperature (T_g) and crystallization temperature (T_c) also rose. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed absorption bands corresponding to structural units such as [BO₄], [Bi–<em>O</em>–Bi], and [BiO₆], indicating a depolymerized glass network. Optical analysis showed that the bandgap energy for direct transitions decreased from 2.80 eV to 2.52 eV with increasing BaO content. This change aligns with the observed structural modifications, suggesting the formation of non-bridging oxygen atoms. Radiation shielding properties, evaluated using Phy-X simulations, indicated a significant enhancement in radiation shielding efficiency, particularly at low energies. For instance, at 0.284 MeV, the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) decreased from 0.430 cm²/g for the base glass to 0.259 cm²/g for the glass containing 0.8 mol of BaO. Additionally, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) dropped from 2.456 cm⁻¹ for Ba₀ to 1.586 cm⁻¹ for Ba_0.8. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses revealed that higher BaO concentrations led to greater surface heterogeneity and granular formations. These results suggest that BaO-incorporated bismuth-borate glasses exhibit improved structural, optical, and radiation shielding properties, making them promising candidates for photonic and radiation protection applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"353 ","pages":"Article 132147"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ir4–BSe and Rh4–BSe heterojunction systems as highly efficient sensor platforms for detection of NO2, SO2 and SOCl2 gas molecules: A first principles study","authors":"Ali Khelef ,&nbsp;Tatyana Orlova ,&nbsp;Pinank Patel ,&nbsp;Venkadeshwaran K ,&nbsp;Bilakshan Purohit ,&nbsp;Dhirendra Nath Thatoi ,&nbsp;Yashwant Singh Bisht ,&nbsp;V.S. Subrahmanyam ,&nbsp;Baydaa Abd ,&nbsp;Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To further expand the gas sensor systems, the Ir₄ and Rh₄ cluster functionalized BSe monolayers were investigated as effective systems for sensing target gases. Then, the adsorption of SO₂, NO₂ and SOCl₂ gases on the surface of cluster modified BSe monolayers were examined. The structural stability of the heterojunction systems composed of Ir₄ and Rh₄ clusters and BSe nanosheets was also confirmed by the formation energy calculation. The strong interaction between the Ir or Rh atoms and the Se atoms was illustrated based on the CDD analysis, which exhibits large electron density accumulation among Ir–Se and Rh–Se bonds. The conductivity of BSe system was also enhanced after adsorption of Ir₄ and Rh₄ cluster, which is beneficial for better sensing purpose. The chemical adsorption of SO₂, NO₂ and SOCl₂ gases on the novel Ir₄–BSe heterojunction systems was examined by determining the geometric and electronic properties. Our findings offer useful guidance for the experimentalists to develop novel 2D Ir₄ cluster modified BSe systems for gas detection and capturing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132124"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cu-doping improves the cyclic stability of P2-type Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2","authors":"Mingxuan Zong ,&nbsp;Jiayu Song ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanjiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yueyang Liu ,&nbsp;Li Zhao ,&nbsp;Changsong Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>P2-type Na_0.67Ni_0.33Mn_0.67O₂ garners significant interest in the research community owing to its impressive electrochemical performance, including a high operating voltage of 3.8 V and a substantial cyclic specific capacity of 173 mAh g⁻¹. Despite its promising electrochemical properties, the operational viability of P2–Na_0.67Ni_0.33Mn_0.67O₂ cathodes is significantly constrained by voltage-activated crystalline reconfiguration between P2 and O2 polymorphs. To address this issue, this study prepares a series of Cu-doped cathode materials, Na_0.67Ni_0.33Mn_0.67-xCu_xO₂ (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10), using a co-precipitation method. X-Ray Diffraction shows that Cu-doping enlarges the unit cell, shortens TM-O but lengthens Na–O bonds. Other material phase characterization indicate that Cu is evenly doped in the material structure. The Na_0.67Ni_0.33Mn_0.61Cu_0.06O₂ material exhibits higher cyclic stability (while the undoped sample retains only 14.15 % capacity after 200 cycles at 100 mA g⁻¹, the modified material maintains 73.51 % of its initial capacity under identical conditions). Electrochemical characterization through charge-discharge cycling and Cyclic Voltammetry tests reveals that Cu doping stabilizes the structure by hindering the P2→O2 phase change. Meanwhile, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy tests indicate that Cu doping effectively improves the charge exchange kinetics of the material. In-situ XRD demonstrates that Cu substitution kinetically suppresses the voltage-induced polymorphic transformation during electrochemical cycling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"353 ","pages":"Article 132133"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tunable semiconducting organotin(IV) complexes as single-source precursors for controlled α-SnS nanostructure synthesis","authors":"Rajesh Pratap,&nbsp;Subrato Bhattacharya","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132154","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132154","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Four organotin(IV) complexes (<strong>1</strong>–<strong>4</strong>) were synthesized by reacting various organotin precursors with the sodium salt of S-thiobenzoylthioglycolate, allowing structural variation through different alkyl or aryl substituents and stoichiometric ratios. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed distinct architectures: complex 1 formed a one-dimensional polymeric chain; complexes <strong>2</strong> and <strong>3</strong> adopted ladder-like structures; and complex <strong>4</strong> exhibited a skew-trapezoidal bipyramidal geometry. Spectroscopic analyses (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, and IR) corroborated the crystallographic findings. Impedance spectroscopy was used to investigate the electrical properties of complexes <strong>1</strong>–<strong>3.</strong> The undoped complexes displayed very low conductivity due to the lack of mobile charge carriers, with complex <strong>3</strong> showing the highest among them. Upon iodine doping, conductivity increased significantly through charge carrier generation by oxidation, with complex <strong>1</strong> exhibiting the highest conductivity in the doped state, likely owing to its retained planar structure. AC conductivity analysis indicated a correlated hopping conduction mechanism. Furthermore, pyrolysis of the complexes under controlled conditions yielded tin sulfide nanomaterials; complexes <strong>2</strong>–<strong>4</strong> produced phase-pure α-SnS, whereas complex <strong>1</strong> afforded mixed tin sulfides. The resulting materials were characterized by PXRD, SEM, HRTEM, and complementary techniques. These findings establish clear structure–property correlations and highlight the potential of organotin(IV) complexes as tunable precursors for semiconducting SnS nanomaterials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132154"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of the pore structure and N-functional groups of COFs on CO2 adsorption: A simulation study","authors":"Zeyu Wang ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Wang ,&nbsp;Ying Liu ,&nbsp;Yunlan Sun ,&nbsp;Baozhong Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Direct air capture (DAC) adsorbents of CO₂ face the challenges of large adsorption capacity and high adsorption selectivity. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising for CO₂ capture due to high surface area, ordered porous structures, and tunable chemical modification. The CO₂ adsorption capacity of COFs in complex atmospheres was systematically investigated using three simulation methods. Firstly, the adsorption isotherms of CO₂ on COF-1, COF-5, and TpPa-1 were investigated by using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. Among them, COF-1 demonstrated the highest CO₂ capacity (2.97 mmol/g), followed by COF-5 (0.45 mmol/g) and TpPa-1 (0.37 mmol/g). Secondly, the diffusion rate of CO₂ in COFs was compared by Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. COF-1 had the highest diffusion coefficient of 8.3 × 10⁻⁵ cm²/s. This indicated that the adsorption performance and diffusion rate were primarily influenced by the pore structure. Thirdly, the CO₂ adsorption features of COF-1 modified with nitrogen-containing groups (-CN, –NH₂, –NH) were explored by the density functional theory (DFT) method. COF-1-CN had the highest adsorption capacity, which was 1.19 times larger than that of COF-1. Moreover, the adsorption selectivity of COF-1-CN for the CO₂/H₂O atmosphere increased by 20% at 101 kPa compared to COF-1. This was because nitrogen groups increased the polarity and electron density of the COF-1-CN, which further enhanced the interactions between CO₂ and optimized the pore structure. These findings highlight the role of porous structure and surface properties in designing advanced COF-based CO₂ adsorbents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"353 ","pages":"Article 132153"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation between heat treatment, microstructure, and mechanical properties of selective laser melted Co–Cr–Mo–W alloy","authors":"Alireza Derakhshi ,&nbsp;Farhad Emdadi Derabi ,&nbsp;Mostafa Aghazadeh Ghomi ,&nbsp;Md Saad Patel ,&nbsp;Faseeulla Khan Mohammad ,&nbsp;Akbar Heidarzadeh","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selective laser melting (SLM) facilitates the production of Co–Cr–Mo–W alloys with intricate geometries. However, the rapid solidification characteristic of the method results in microstructural heterogeneity that limits its mechanical and tribological reliability. This study systematically examines the impact of various post-processing heat treatments on phase evolution, carbide precipitation, and the performance of an SLM fabricated Co–Cr–Mo–W alloy. Solution treatment, single-stage aging, double-stage aging, and direct aging were utilized to alter solute redistribution and precipitate morphology. The as fabricated alloy, distinguished by a refined cellular microstructure with elements segregation displayed a strength of 1228 MPa with a ductility of 17.5 % and poor wear resistance. Heat treatment modified the equilibrium between γ and ε phases and facilitated the development of M₆C and M₂₃C₆ carbides, resulting in significant alterations in microstructure and wear performance. The direct aging at 980 °C resulted in a dense array of fine, well anchored precipitates that displayed a hardness of 557 HV and tensile strength of 1424 ± 28.48 MPa, while preserving acceptable ductility (7.9 ± 0.15 %), and concurrently achieved the lowest coefficient of friction of about 0.17. Conversely, multi-stage aging improved chemical homogeneity but produced relatively coarser precipitates, diminishing strengthening efficacy and facilitating particle pull out during wear. The findings establish a distinct structure-property correlation, indicating that heat treatment provides a streamlined and efficient method to enhance the mechanical integrity and surface durability of SLM Co–Cr–Mo–W alloys for diverse applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"353 ","pages":"Article 132139"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Star-shaped donor-acceptor arylsilanes as 3D ambipolar materials for optoelectronic and bioelectronic applications","authors":"Dmitry O. Balakirev ,&nbsp;Elena A. Kleymyuk ,&nbsp;Evgenia A. Svidchenko ,&nbsp;Nikolay M. Surin ,&nbsp;Sergey A. Pisarev ,&nbsp;Artem V. Bakirov ,&nbsp;Yulia A. Isaeva ,&nbsp;Michael D. Khitrov ,&nbsp;Artur L. Mannanov ,&nbsp;Svetlana M. Peregudova ,&nbsp;Anastasia A. Vetyugova ,&nbsp;Askold A. Trul ,&nbsp;Olga A. Maloshitskaya ,&nbsp;Sergei A. Ponomarenko ,&nbsp;Yuriy N. Luponosov","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Novel donor-acceptor arylsilane molecules, <strong>Si(PP-DCV)4</strong> and <strong>Si(PT-DCV)4</strong>, featuring three-dimensional star-shaped geometries, were synthesized and investigated in comparison to model compounds. These compounds, comprising a tetraphenylsilane core linked to terminal phenyldicyanovinyl groups through phenylene or thienyl π-spacers, exhibit a range of promising physicochemical properties, including high thermal stability (up to 490 °C), deep-lying HOMO energy levels (up to −6.4 eV), ambipolar charge carrier mobility, efficient light absorption, and high crystallinity. A comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation, in comparison to model compounds, revealed the nonordinal optical properties of these compounds, elucidating the nature of electronic transitions and fluorescence efficiency. Substitution of the phenylene spacer with a thiophene spacer led to significant changes, including a red shift in the absorption spectrum, an increased extinction coefficient, lower HOMO energy levels, enhanced crystallinity, and improved ambipolar charge carrier mobility in films. Additionally, the polar and amphiphilic nature of these donor-acceptor molecules enabled the formation of stable nanoparticles (50–110 nm) in aqueous solutions without surfactants. These findings highlight the potential of these materials for applications in optoelectronic and biological applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132152"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146190778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tailoring concentration of copper oxide materials to optimizing the morphological and electrochemical properties for symmetric supercapacitor devices","authors":"Pooja A. Desai ,&nbsp;Aishwarya A. Admuthe ,&nbsp;Dhanaji B. Malavekar ,&nbsp;Jin H. Kim ,&nbsp;Raghunath H. Patil","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2026.132138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing global demand for sustainable and efficient energy systems has intensified the need for high-performance energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. In this study, copper oxide (CuO) thin films were synthesized on stainless steel (SS) substrates using a hydrothermal approach followed by annealing at 300 °C. The influence of Cu-precursor molarity on the structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of the CuO thin films was systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of monoclinic CuO with a polycrystalline phase, favourable for electrochemical charge storage. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that precursor concentration strongly affects surface morphology, while the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) study indicated that the 0.15 M CuO thin film possesses a high surface area of 24 m²g^-1 with mesoporous characteristics. XPS analysis confirmed the formation of phase-pure CuO with Cu existing predominantly in the Cu²⁺ oxidation state (characteristic Cu 2p_3/2, Cu 2p_1/2 splitting of ∼19.8 eV and distinct satellite peaks), while the O 1s spectrum revealed lattice oxygen along with oxygen-vacancy-related and surface hydroxyl components, indicating defect-rich CuO thin films. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful formation of CuO, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) analysis verified the presence of Cu and O elements. Electrochemical testing in 1 M KOH electrolyte showed that the CuO thin film with 0.15 M precursor concentration exhibited an excellent specific capacitance (C_s) of 558 Fg^-1 at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and 299 Fg^-1 at a current density of 6 Ag^-1. The CuO//CuO symmetric supercapacitor device delivered a specific capacitance of 84 Fg^-1 at 5 mV/s within a potential window of 0–1.2 V and demonstrated 75.7 % capacitance retention after 2000 charge–discharge cycles. These results highlight that CuO thin films synthesized via the hydrothermal method are promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors and energy storage applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"354 ","pages":"Article 132138"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}