Materials Today Advances最新文献

The advent of techniques enabling three-dimensional (3D) analysis of objects, defects, and fields has been key to discoveries and paradigm shifts in molecular biology, astrophysics, medicine, quantum physics, etc. In materials science, the 3D nature of materials microstructures remains largely hidden; leading to a fragmented understanding of microstructure-property linkages. Current tools cannot characterize large volumes of 3D microstructures at fine resolution. To this end, this study introduces a graph-theory-based framework to automatically extract 3D microstructures and statistics of electron-backscatter diffraction datasets. Further, leveraging network science, the study introduces a new approach to classify and compare microstructures; the keystone to materials taxonomy. The significance of this tool is demonstrated by studying deformation twin structures in Titanium. The study reveals extraordinarily complex and tortuous twin networks never observed via traditional two-dimensional analysis. This changes our perception of the ability of metals to withstand severe microstructure changes without failing.

The advancement of flexible technology, such as wearable devices, foldable mobile, and automobiles, has entered a new era. Recently, MICAtronics using flexible muscovite carriers has been introduced as a novel area for flexible technology. The muscovite substrate addresses challenges such as thermal budget and chemical stability, offering outstanding environmental stability and an alternative approach to the prevalent polymer-based soft technology. However, the role of muscovite in these studies has been limited to serving as substrates. We expand the scope of muscovite applications by proposing a new form called “intercalated muscovite.” In this study, we insert transition metal ions, creating a novel layout of muscovite substrates. Subsequent heat treatment and controlled atmospheres can generate various forms of inserted species. These intercalated systems reveal new physical properties of muscovite substrates, offering a fresh avenue for MICAtronics.

ZnO nanosheets with nanograin distributions, high mesoporosity, and ultrathin thickness have garnered considerable attention owing to their intriguing properties, such as high surface-to-volume ratio and chemical reactivity. Although various methods for fabricating two-dimensional structures have been reported, the surfactant-assisted method is advantageous as it produces nanosheet structures at the water–air interface without affecting the crystal structure of the material. This study developed an innovative surfactant-assisted synthesis method to fabricate flower-like Zinc Oxide (f-ZnO) nanostructures. The synthesis, performed at a mild temperature of 70 °C, yields f-ZnO with high surface area-to-volume ratios and porous morphology. The f-ZnO demonstrates photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance due to increased interfacial contact with electrolytes and the formation of a wurtzite ZnO crystal structure. Additionally, f-ZnO exhibits sensitivity and selectivity as a hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas sensor. This facile synthesis method opens new avenues for developing functional oxide nanostructures for sensors, catalysts, and energy storage systems.

Zinc aluminogallate, $\text{Zn}{\left(\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{\mathrm{x}}\mathrm{G}{\mathrm{a}}_{1-\mathrm{x}}\right)}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ (ZAGO), a single-phase spinel structure, offers considerable potential for high-performance electronic devices due to its expansive compositional miscibility range between aluminum (Al) and gallium (Ga). Direct growth of high-quality ZAGO epilayers however remains problematic due to the high volatility of zinc (Zn). This work highlights a novel synthesis process for high-quality epitaxial quaternary ZAGO thin films on sapphire substrates, achieved through thermal annealing of a $\text{ZnG}{\mathrm{a}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ (ZGO) epilayer on sapphire in an ambient air setting. In-situ annealing x-ray diffraction measurements show that the incorporation of Al in the ZGO epilayer commenced at 850 °C. The Al content (x) in ZAGO epilayer gradually increased up to around 0.45 as the annealing temperature was raised to 1100 °C, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. X-ray rocking curve measurement revealed a small full width at half maximum value of 0.72 $°$, indicating the crystal quality preservation of the ZAGO epilayer with a high Al content. However, an epitaxial intermediate $\beta –{\left(\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{\mathrm{x}}\mathrm{G}{\mathrm{a}}_{1-\mathrm{x}}\right)}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$ layer ($\beta$ - AGO) was formed between the ZAGO and sapphire substrate.

Multiple outbreaks of fatal infectious diseases throughout history have intensified the need for early diagnostic methods to efficiently control their spread. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnosis is a sensitive, accurate, and effective method for detecting infections. However, conventional PCR-based diagnosis is slow and consumes large amounts of energy, primarily because of bulky, power-consuming thermal cyclers. Herein, we review recently published PCR-based diagnostic methods, in which plasmonic light-to-heat conversion-based thermal cyclers replace conventional ones. First, we explain the structures of recently developed rapid plasmonic-based thermal cyclers and review the various materials used. Next, we review the fabrication methods used in recent developments in rapid plasmonic thermal cyclers. Then, we discuss sustainable methods that have been and can be implemented to develop a rapid plasmonic thermal cycler. With this review, the requirements for developing a plasmonic-based sustainable PCR with high speed, accuracy, and sensitivity can be understood to contain future pandemics.

In the human brain, attention plays a crucial role in encoding information into memory. Therefore, focused attention during encoding enhances the likelihood of information being effectively encoded and stored in memory. This phenomenon is creatively replicated in our proposed synaptic devices, which regulate the forgetting curves by manipulating the gate voltage. Thus, the proposed transistor devices separate long-term memory from long-lasting memory. TiO₂-based synaptic transistors are used to replicate brain functions, from vision processing to memory retention. The photosensitive nature of TiO₂ enables the utilization of both photo- and electric stimuli. The electrical properties of the synaptic devices induced by photostimulation replicate the human-vision process, while those elicited by electric stimulation simulate memory-retention capabilities. By applying a shallow trap with a short lifetime, light stimulation can be utilized to mimic the effects of short-term memory. A deep trap with a long lifetime is employed in electrical memory to replicate the phenomena associated with persisting memory. A simulation of the MNIST recognition of an artificial neural network constructed with the measured synaptic characteristics exhibit an accuracy rate of 92.96%, which indicates that the proposed device can be successfully incorporated into neuromorphic devices.