Nano-Micro Letters最新文献

• The underlying migration mechanism of Mg²⁺ in cathode materials and roles of defects in Mg²⁺ migration in cathode materials were studied.

• Applications of defect engineering to Mg²⁺ migration in cathode materials and the strategies for introducing various defects were summarized.

• New development directions of defect engineering in cathode materials for rechargeable magnesium battery were prospected

To address the limitations of contemporary lithium-ion batteries, particularly their low energy density and safety concerns, all-solid-state lithium batteries equipped with solid-state electrolytes have been identified as an up-and-coming alternative. Among the various SEs, organic–inorganic composite solid electrolytes (OICSEs) that combine the advantages of both polymer and inorganic materials demonstrate promising potential for large-scale applications. However, OICSEs still face many challenges in practical applications, such as low ionic conductivity and poor interfacial stability, which severely limit their applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent research advancements in OICSEs. Specifically, the influence of inorganic fillers on the main functional parameters of OICSEs, including ionic conductivity, Li⁺ transfer number, mechanical strength, electrochemical stability, electronic conductivity, and thermal stability are systematically discussed. The lithium-ion conduction mechanism of OICSE is thoroughly analyzed and concluded from the microscopic perspective. Besides, the classic inorganic filler types, including both inert and active fillers, are categorized with special emphasis on the relationship between inorganic filler structure design and the electrochemical performance of OICSEs. Finally, the advanced characterization techniques relevant to OICSEs are summarized, and the challenges and perspectives on the future development of OICSEs are also highlighted for constructing superior ASSLBs.

• The advantages of biomass materials for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are analyzed, the mechanism of EMI shielding is summarized, and the factors affecting EMI shielding are analyzed systematically.

• Various biomass materials (wood, bamboo, lignin, cellulose) were modified to obtain unique structures and improve EMI shielding performance.

• The problems encountered in the application of biomass materials for EMI shielding are summarized, and the potential development and application in the future are prospected.

Semiconductor photocatalysis holds great promise for renewable energy generation and environment remediation, but generally suffers from the serious drawbacks on light absorption, charge generation and transport, and structural stability that limit the performance. The core-shell semiconductor-graphene (CSSG) nanoarchitectures may address these issues due to their unique structures with exceptional physical and chemical properties. This review explores recent advances of the CSSG nanoarchitectures in the photocatalytic performance. It starts with the classification of the CSSG nanoarchitectures by the dimensionality. Then, the construction methods under internal and external driving forces were introduced and compared with each other. Afterward, the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic applications of these nanoarchitectures were discussed, with a focus on their role in photocatalysis. It ends with a summary and some perspectives on future development of the CSSG nanoarchitectures toward highly efficient photocatalysts with extensive application. By harnessing the synergistic capabilities of the CSSG architectures, we aim to address pressing environmental and energy challenges and drive scientific progress in these fields.

The new-generation electronic components require a balance between electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency and open structure factors such as ventilation and heat dissipation. In addition, realizing the tunable shielding of porous shields over a wide range of wavelengths is even more challenging. In this study, the well-prepared thermoplastic polyurethane/carbon nanotubes composites were used to fabricate the novel periodic porous flexible metamaterials using fused deposition modeling 3D printing. Particularly, the investigation focuses on optimization of pore geometry, size, dislocation configuration and material thickness, thus establishing a clear correlation between structural parameters and shielding property. Both experimental and simulation results have validated the superior shielding performance of hexagon derived honeycomb structure over other designs, and proposed the failure shielding size (D_f ≈λ/8 - λ/5) and critical inclined angle (θ_f ≈43° - 48°), which could be used as new benchmarks for tunable electromagnetic shielding. In addition, the proper regulation of the material thickness could remarkably enhance the maximum shielding capability (85 - 95 dB) and absorption coefficient A (over 0.83). The final innovative design of the porous shielding box also exhibits good shielding effectiveness across a broad frequency range (over 2.4 GHz), opening up novel pathways for individualized and diversified shielding solutions.

Significant challenges are posed by the limitations of gas sensing mechanisms for trace-level detection of ammonia (NH₃). In this study, we propose to exploit single-atom catalytic activation and targeted adsorption properties to achieve highly sensitive and selective NH₃ gas detection. Specifically, Ni single-atom active sites based on N, C coordination (Ni-N-C) were interfacially confined on the surface of two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets (Ni-N-C/Ti₃C₂T_x), and a fully flexible gas sensor (MNPE-Ni-N-C/Ti₃C₂T_x) was integrated. The sensor demonstrates a remarkable response value to 5 ppm NH₃ (27.3%), excellent selectivity for NH₃, and a low theoretical detection limit of 12.1 ppb. Simulation analysis by density functional calculation reveals that the Ni single-atom center with N, C coordination exhibits specific targeted adsorption properties for NH₃. Additionally, its catalytic activation effect effectively reduces the Gibbs free energy of the sensing elemental reaction, while its electronic structure promotes the spill-over effect of reactive oxygen species at the gas-solid interface. The sensor has a dual-channel sensing mechanism of both chemical and electronic sensitization, which facilitates efficient electron transfer to the 2D MXene conductive network, resulting in the formation of the NH₃ gas molecule sensing signal. Furthermore, the passivation of MXene edge defects by a conjugated hydrogen bond network enhances the long-term stability of MXene-based electrodes under high humidity conditions. This work achieves highly sensitive room-temperature NH₃ gas detection based on the catalytic mechanism of Ni single-atom active center with N, C coordination, which provides a novel gas sensing mechanism for room-temperature trace gas detection research.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in light-material interactions (LMIs), focusing on lasers and flash lights for energy conversion and storage applications. We discuss intricate LMI parameters such as light sources, interaction time, and fluence to elucidate their importance in material processing. In addition, this study covers various light-induced photothermal and photochemical processes ranging from melting, crystallization, and ablation to doping and synthesis, which are essential for developing energy materials and devices. Finally, we present extensive energy conversion and storage applications demonstrated by LMI technologies, including energy harvesters, sensors, capacitors, and batteries. Despite the several challenges associated with LMIs, such as complex mechanisms, and high-degrees of freedom, we believe that substantial contributions and potential for the commercialization of future energy systems can be achieved by advancing optical technologies through comprehensive academic research and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Electrocatalytic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation reaction (HMFOR) provides a promising strategy to convert biomass derivative to high-value-added chemicals. Herein, a cascade strategy is proposed to construct Pd-NiCo₂O₄ electrocatalyst by Pd loading on Ni-doped Co₃O₄ and for highly active and stable synergistic HMF oxidation. An elevated current density of 800 mA cm^-2 can be achieved at 1.5 V, and both Faradaic efficiency and yield of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid remained close to 100% over 10 consecutive electrolysis. Experimental and theoretical results unveil that the introduction of Pd atoms can modulate the local electronic structure of Ni/Co, which not only balances the competitive adsorption of HMF and OH^- species, but also promote the active Ni³⁺ species formation, inducing high indirect oxidation activity. We have also discovered that Ni incorporation facilitates the Co²⁺ pre-oxidation and electrophilic OH* generation to contribute direct oxidation process. This work provides a new approach to design advanced electrocatalyst for biomass upgrading.

Early non-invasive diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) is critical. However, it is challenging to achieve accurate CHD diagnosis via detecting breath. In this work, heterostructured complexes of black phosphorus (BP) and two-dimensional carbide and nitride (MXene) with high gas sensitivity and photo responsiveness were formulated using a self-assembly strategy. A light-activated virtual sensor array (LAVSA) based on BP/Ti₃C₂T_x was prepared under photomodulation and further assembled into an instant gas sensing platform (IGSP). In addition, a machine learning (ML) algorithm was introduced to help the IGSP detect and recognize the signals of breath samples to diagnose CHD. Due to the synergistic effect of BP and Ti₃C₂T_x as well as photo excitation, the synthesized heterostructured complexes exhibited higher performance than pristine Ti₃C₂T_x, with a response value 26% higher than that of pristine Ti₃C₂T_x. In addition, with the help of a pattern recognition algorithm, LAVSA successfully detected and identified 15 odor molecules affiliated with alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, and acids. Meanwhile, with the assistance of ML, the IGSP achieved 69.2% accuracy in detecting the breath odor of 45 volunteers from healthy people and CHD patients. In conclusion, an immediate, low-cost, and accurate prototype was designed and fabricated for the noninvasive diagnosis of CHD, which provided a generalized solution for diagnosing other diseases and other more complex application scenarios.