MRS Communications最新文献

The effect of randomly distributed Ca dopants within the BaTiO₃ lattice was investigated using first principle calculations. We examined electronic properties to understand how different orbitals contribute to the conduction and valence bands in doped materials. Our findings indicate that the valence band is primarily composed of Ti-3d and O-2p orbital states, while the conduction band is influenced by the collective contributions of Ba-4d, Ti-3d, and Ca-3d orbital states. Additionally, our results demonstrate a reduction in the bandgap due to Ca doping, with the extent of variation depending on the substituted sites of the Ca atoms. Furthermore, we investigated modifications in optical properties such as absorption, conductivity, dielectric function, refractive index, extinction coefficient, loss function, and reflectivity in the energy range from 0 to 40 eV. The findings reveal the stability of these characteristics in the infrared and visible light regions, and they also depend on the site substitution of Ca cations within the BaTiO₃ lattice. We expected that our findings would deepen the understanding of the mechanism and site effect of Ca dopant on the properties of BaTiO₃ materials, thereby contributing to the development of lead-free ferroelectric materials with enhanced properties for multifunctional applications.

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Stereolithography (SLA) is a highly versatile additive manufacturing technique that utilizes various ink formulations to fabricate 3D-printed nanocomposite structures with desired properties. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising candidate due to its excellent mechanical and thermal stability, and compatibility with various polymeric matrices. In this work, varying ink formulations containing ZnO nanoparticles, along with employing appropriate post-printing curing parameters to fabricate SLA 3D-printed acrylate-based nanocomposites with improved mechanical and thermal properties, were reported. This study can significantly contribute to expanding its potential use in practical applications such as biomedical and structural applications.

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Artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) continue to see increasing interest in science and engineering every year. Polymer science is no different, though implementation of data-driven algorithms in this subfield has unique challenges barring widespread application of these techniques to the study of polymer systems. In this Prospective, we discuss several critical challenges to implementation of ML in polymer science, including polymer structure and representation, high-throughput techniques and limitations, and limited data availability. Promising studies targeting resolution of these issues are explored, and contemporary research demonstrating the potential of ML in polymer science despite existing obstacles are discussed. Finally, we present an outlook for ML in polymer science moving forward.

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The design of electrode architecture plays a crucial role in advancing the development of next generation energy storage devices, such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Nevertheless, existing literature lacks a comprehensive examination of the property tradeoffs stemming from different electrode architectures. This prospective seeks to bridge this gap by focusing on the diverse nanocomposite electrode architectures. Furthermore, the challenges related to designing well-defined electrode architectures for enhanced energy storage are discussed. Finally, this review addresses the interdisciplinary nature of this field by examining the integration of advanced characterization and fabrication techniques, and machine learning methodologies for electrode optimization.

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Designing electrodes with controlled architecture and leveraging emerging tools such as in situ characterization, additive manufacturing methods, and machine learning facilitates the advancement of energy storage systems.

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of the Co supported on CeO₂ nanorods (NR) catalyst to investigate catalytic performance towards efficient hydrogen production. The catalyst was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Temperature-programmed reduction measurements showed that the Co/CeO₂-NR active phase was reduced below 500°C. Adding Co to CeO₂-NR enhances the basicity of the raw CeO₂-NR and greatly improves the conversion to 70% for CO₂ and 55% for CH₄. In addition, density functional theory calculations using Halgren–Lipscomb indicate electron donation from Co to CeO₂-NR promotes feasible breaking of C–H bonds.

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been explored as promising drug delivery platforms and cell-free therapies for a range of diseases. Despite their therapeutic potential, challenges persist in achieving sustained EV delivery. Here, we integrate EVs into a supramolecular and injectable hydrogel-based drug delivery system based on dodecyl- or octadecyl-modified hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC-C12 or -C18) that form non-covalent crosslinks with liposomes. Hydrogel mechanics and EV-release kinetics were tunable by varying liposome concentrations. Using mesenchymal stem cell-derived EVs (MSC-EVs), we confirm effective, hydrogel-mediated sustained EV delivery and uptake and a ~ 20% greater anti-inflammatory response in pathogenic vascular smooth muscle cells than bolus EV-only treatment.

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Internet of Things (IoT) devices and small robots would benefit from higher-energy-density and disposable primary Al–air batteries, but corrosion and side reactions on the Al anode limit the widespread application of this chemistry. This paper studies how the physical and chemical characteristics of double-network hydrogel (DNH) electrolytes affect the anode oxidation, discharge morphology, and performance of Al–air batteries. The chemically crosslinked and physical–chemical crosslinked DNHs were made from biodegradable materials and showed enhanced corrosion inhibition compared to aqueous KOH solution, reducing the corrosion rate by 58% to 21 mmpy. An Al–air battery with a PVA-PAAM DNH extracted over 300 mAh cm⁻² from Al at 10 mA cm⁻².

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Quantum emissions, such as single photon emission (SPE) and superradiance (SR), are fundamental ingredients of quantum optical technology. The quest for efficient, controllable, and scalable quantum emitters is crucial for successfully implementing various quantum technologies, such as quantum computing, secure quantum communication and high-precision metrology. Recently, perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have emerged as highly efficient sources of quantum emission due to their excellent optical properties, including near 100% quantum yield, high optical absorbance, and tunable bandgaps covering the entire visible range. This Prospective introduces the principles of quantum emissions, including SPE and SR, and summarizes recent progress in exploring quantum emissions in PQDs. We focus on the prospects, advantages, and challenges associated with the quantum emissions from PQDs. This Prospective concludes with an outlook on PQDs in advancing future quantum technologies.

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Deformation twins in the ferrite matrix of an age-hardened duplex stainless steel have been observed using on-axis transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) in a scanning electron microscope. This provided details of the lattice misorientation and dislocation arrangement, including the dislocation-free zone at the twin tip. These observations provide evidence for the link between microcracking of the irregular twin/parent interface and relaxation of the residual strains that arise from twin growth, offering new insights into fracture mechanics in these materials.

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Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) outperform lithium-ion batteries in the aspect of energy density as they use lithium metal as the anode that has extremely high energy density and low potential. However, the development of LMBs is hampered by uncontrollable Li plating morphology and inferior Coulombic efficiency (CE) during cycling. In the past decade, electrolyte development has been recognized as one of the most effective strategies to tackle these two challenges. Much progress has been made through designing advanced electrolytes, especially ether-based electrolytes, in developing LMBs. Herein, we focus on summarizing the use of additives in ether-based electrolytes to enable high-performance LMBs. The impact of additives in electrolytes on lithium metal anode (LMA) protection, cathode protection, extreme temperature operation, and fast charging for LMBs are systematically discussed. The review reveals the significance of additive engineering in developing advanced electrolytes for high-energy–density LMBs.

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