ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces最新文献

Facing escalating water scarcity, solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) has emerged as a sustainable desalination paradigm. However, practical deployment is hindered by the trade-off between thermal localization, water transport, and salt resistance in conventional materials. Herein, we report a hollow-porous carbon nanofiber membrane loaded with CuS nanoparticles (CuS@HPCNFs) fabricated via coaxial electrospinning. The through-porous architecture reduces thermal conductivity, while the plasmonic CuS nanoparticles enable broadband absorption, achieving a surface temperature of 92.8 °C under 1 sun illumination. Consequently, CuS@HPCNFs delivers an evaporation rate of 2.39 kg·m^-2·h^-1 with a solar-to-vapor efficiency of 83.5%, calculated via energy balance accounting for conduction, convection, and radiation losses. The hydrated CuS surface disrupts the hydrogen-bond network of interfacial water, reducing the evaporation enthalpy to 1816 J·g^-1. The material exhibits stable performance in 15 wt % NaCl brine for 10 h and significantly reduces metal ion concentrations in seawater under outdoor conditions. This work provides a structural-functional coupling paradigm for developing scalable SDIE materials.

Irradiation induced structural changes of actinide oxide materials is a key consideration in their development and use as nuclear fuels. This study reported on the synthesis of ThO₂ and Th_1-xU_xO₂ (x = 0.15, 0.50) thin films, fabricated using electrospray-assisted solution combustion synthesis, and their responses to ion irradiation. Krypton ion irradiations, up to a fluence of 1 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm², were carried out to simulate radiation damage induced by fission products in a reactor environment. Structural and chemical changes induced by irradiation were analyzed using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). It was determined that the extent and nature of irradiation-induced damage are strongly correlated with the uranium content. ThO₂ films were most susceptible to radiation-induced damage, with significant cavity formation and delamination from the substrate at high fluence. Of the compositions studied, Th_0.85U_0.15O₂ films showed the highest stability, characterized by moderate grain growth and the absence of voids or severe defect structures. In contrast, Th_0.5U_0.5O₂ films accumulated extensive damage, including the formation of a nanocrystalline central region. EELS analysis indicated that oxygen displacement is the primary driver of structural degradation in Th_0.5U_0.5O₂ films. α-particle spectroscopy confirmed minimal actinide loss across all compositions, underscoring the mechanical robustness of the films. These findings provide insight into the irradiation-induced damage mechanisms in ThO₂ and Th_1-xU_xO₂ systems, supporting their development as potential materials for nuclear fuels and irradiation-tolerant thin film targets in nuclear physics measurements.

For next-generation augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) displays, which demand extremely high pixel density and resolution, monolithic 3D (M3D) integration of RGB micro-LED pixels is regarded as a promising approach for achieving higher pixels per inch (PPI) than conventional lateral pixel arrangements. To circumvent the highly complex processes involving multiple wafer-bonding and substrate-removal steps, we developed a hybrid wafer-bonding strategy that combines tunnel-junction-based blue-green micro-LED epitaxial layers with AlGaInP/GaInP red micro-LED epilayers. This hybrid architecture enables the fabrication of vertically integrated RGB pixels using only a single wafer-bonding step and removal of one substrate. The stacked devices exhibited record-high maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 5.8% for red, 15.7% for green, and 12.5% for blue at a pixel size of 30 × 30 μm², surpassing previously reported M3D-stacked RGB micro-LEDs. Full-color emission was confirmed by optical microscope imaging, and the devices demonstrated 95.7% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. These results highlight the potential of hybrid M3D integration as a scalable and efficient route toward ultrahigh-resolution, full-color micro-LED displays for future AR/VR systems.

Effective fracture of the C-F bond is the key prerequisite for achieving advanced degradation of fluorinated antibiotics. Herein, a newly designed Co₉S₈/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ heterojunction with a strong internal electric field is synthesized and employed for photocatalytic ofloxacin degradation. Interestingly, introduced carbon quantum dots (CQDs) act as efficient charge transfer mediators to overcome the interface barrier of the heterojunction, thereby magnifying the internal electric field effect with an intensity enhancement of approximately 2.8-fold. More importantly, the enhanced hydrophilicity endows the Co₉S₈/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ heterojunction with presentable H₂O adsorption capacity, and adsorbed H₂O is then dissociated into OH^- and H⁺. Notably, photogenerated electrons can couple with H⁺ to trigger the fracture of the C-F bond, while photoinduced holes can activate OH^- to generate OH^• for realizing advanced mineralization of ofloxacin. Briefly, the Co₉S₈/CQDs/ZnIn₂S₄ heterojunction can directly activate water to achieve the degradation of ofloxacin under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the intermediates generated during ofloxacin degradation and their toxicity are investigated in detail. Collectively, the current results can provide an important reference for further research on photocatalytic wastewater treatment.

The exploitation of anionic redox chemistry in P2-type layered oxides presents a pivotal pathway for boosting the energy density of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, this process is intrinsically plagued by a fundamental trade-off: achieving high oxygen redox activity invariably triggers irreversible oxygen loss and severe structural degradation, including detrimental phase transitions and substantial volume variations. Here, we introduce a cationic-pair-mediated stabilization strategy via the cosubstitution of Li and Zn into the transition-metal layers of P2-Na_0.78Ni_0.11Li_0.12Zn_0.1Mn_0.67O₂ (NNLZMO). We demonstrate that the formed Na-O-Li and Na-O-Zn configurations are not merely coexistent but function as an integrated synergistic pair. This pair electronically activates highly reversible anionic redox via the formation of the stabilized nonbonding O 2p states, concurrently impose structural confinement that suppresses Na⁺/vacancy ordering and blocks the irreversible P2-O2 phase transition. Consequently, the NNLZMO cathode undergoes a minimal-strain P2-Z phase transition with a negligible volume change of only 1.59% and achieves a high reversible capacity (174.62 mAh g^-1 at 0.1C) and exceptional capacity retention (90.8% after 100 cycles at 1C) within a wide voltage window of 1.5-4.35 V. This work establishes the effective cationic-pair design principle for concurrently unlocking and stabilizing anionic redox in high-energy layered cathodes, paving the way for stable SIBS.

The emergence of smart materials that dynamically respond to different stimuli has grown as a result of advances in materials science and engineering. Stimuli-induced chromic hydrogels have recently been studied due to their vibrant colorations in response to various stimuli. The chromism caused by environmental stimuli, originating from structural or chemical changes within the hydrogel network, affects the optical characteristics. In the case of reversible and quick color change, such chromic hydrogels are applicable in different areas, such as contact lens devices, drug delivery, anticounterfeiting, and smart windows. After providing a fundamental overview of hydrogels, the review introduces stimuli-responsive hydrogels with a focus on chromic features. Pertinent research studies that highlight the mechanisms, materials, and performance of various types of chromic hydrogels, such as photochromic, thermochromic, solvatochromic, halochromic, magnetochromic, mechanochromic, and electrochromic systems, are reviewed in this study. The main goal of this thorough review is to offer insightful information about the functionality, design, and possible applications of chromic hydrogels in cutting-edge smart technologies.

The cycling stability of zinc metal anodes (ZMAs) is often hindered by issues including uncontrolled dendritic growth, nonuniform electric field distribution, and parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we report a zinc anode protected by a zinc-tin (ZnSn) alloy layer with a hexagonal porous structure, fabricated via a simple electrochemical etching process in sodium citrate electrolyte followed by an elemental substitution treatment in stannous chloride solution (denoted as SC@ZnSn). This modified anode exhibits an enhanced electrochemical activity and superior corrosion resistance. When paired in an asymmetric cell configuration, the SC@ZnSn anode delivers remarkable cycling stability, maintaining an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6% over 1800 cycles. Experimental investigations reveal that the hexagonal porous framework provides abundant Zn²⁺ adsorption sites and promotes uniform ion flux while the zincophilic ZnSn alloy surface effectively lowers the nucleation barrier. These synergistic effects jointly suppress dendrite growth and ensure excellent long-term reversibility. Furthermore, the SC@ZnSn||I₂ full cell demonstrates outstanding durability, achieving stable operation for over 4000 cycles at 1 A g^-1 while maintaining high capacity retention.

A comprehensive understanding and effective suppression of dark current in near-infrared organic photodiodes (NIR-OPDs) are crucial for enhancing their detectability, a topic that remains a persistent challenge in this field. Herein, the origins of dark current in NIR photodetectors from the perspective of carrier dynamics is elucidated. Building on this analysis, an interface engineering-based solution targeting undesirable carrier transport and collection is proposed: a wide-band gap, highly biocompatible anode interfacial layer (D149:CoO_x) with bidirectional carrier barriers. Its modestly deeper highest occupied molecular orbital blocks thermally activated holes, while the shallower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital impedes electron injection from external circuits, collectively suppressing the dark current of the NIR-OPD (active layer: PTB7-Th:TQ_PP2FIC). Compared to conventional PEDOT:PSS, D149:CoO_x achieves effective dark current suppression without compromising responsivity (0.17/0.23 A W^-1 @ PEDOT:PSS/D149:CoO_x-OPD), synergistically enabling a specific detectivity of 10¹² Jones at -1 V. Furthermore, featuring a lower dark current of ∼ 3 × 10^-9 A cm^-2 (20× lower than PEDOT:PSS at ∼ 6 × 10^-8 A cm^-2), the flexible D149:CoO_x NIR-OPD is capable of real-time human heart rate monitoring. This work establishes design principles for low-noise NIR devices while demonstrating significant prospects in wearable NIR optoelectronics.

Scalable manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics requires deposition routes that deliver phase-pure, defect-free films with high uniformity over large areas. Here, we demonstrate the scalable fabrication of smooth, conformal, and ribbing-free formamidinium lead iodide (FAPI) perovskite thin films via a slot-die coating process. The ambient air annealing treatment effectively suppresses nonradiative recombination pathways, as confirmed by comprehensive photophysical and electrical characterizations. This facile treatment enhances charge carrier separation, reduces interfacial recombination, and improves the open-circuit voltage, leading to superior device performance. The optimized and nonpassivated FAPI solar cells deliver a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.8% in small-area device. Furthermore, series-connected minimodules achieve PCEs of 19.1% and 14.8% for active areas of 8.4 cm² and 59.5 cm², respectively. The slot-die coated FAPI devices exhibit excellent operational stability, retaining over 80% of their initial efficiency after 450 h of continuous illumination under maximum power-point tracking. In addition, we evaluate the stability of unencapsulated FAPI minimodules under dark storage, revealing spatial variation in QFLS, bandgap, and voltage losses. These findings highlight the potential of slot-die coating as a scalable and industry-compatible route for producing stable, high-performance FAPI perovskite solar modules.