Thickness measurement of two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential due to their thickness-dependent physical and optical properties. However, current thickness characterization techniques, e.g., Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), suffer from limitations such as slow scanning, tip-sample artifacts, and low throughput.To address this, an Artificial Intelligence-based pipeline was proposed for estimating the thickness of 2D materials from Optical Microscopy (OM) images, offering a significantly faster and more efficient alternative. OM captures colour contrast due to thin-film interference, explained by Fresnel's law. These colour cues, along with morphological features (area and perimeter), were extracted from regions of interest (ROIs) segmented using Otsu's thresholding. Several regression models, including Random Forest Regressor (RFR) and a shallow Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), were trained on augmented paired OM-AFM data. Both models performed well on representative 2D materials, e.g., In 2 Se 3 , under threshold-based segmentation, but only the MLP maintained strong accuracy with automated ROI detection using Cellpose, achieving excellent predictive performance (R 2 = 0.947, MSE = 34.580 nm 2 , MAE = 4.696 nm, RMSE = 5.881 nm). Statistical analysis validated the model's generalizability across segmentation methods. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) identified red and green intensities as key predictors, aligning with thin-film interference theory. Overall, this AI-based model provides a non-destructive, efficient alternative to AFM, allowing precise and continuous thickness estimation from small datasets with high robustness and generalizability.
二维（2D）材料的厚度测量是必不可少的，因为它们的厚度依赖的物理和光学性质。然而，目前的厚度表征技术，如原子力显微镜（AFM），存在扫描速度慢、尖端样品伪影和低通量等局限性。为了解决这个问题，提出了一种基于人工智能的管道，用于从光学显微镜（OM）图像中估计2D材料的厚度，提供了一种更快、更有效的替代方案。OM捕捉到由于薄膜干涉而产生的色彩对比，这可以用菲涅耳定律来解释。这些颜色线索以及形态特征（面积和周长）是从使用Otsu阈值分割的感兴趣区域（roi）中提取出来的。在增强的配对OM-AFM数据上训练了几种回归模型，包括随机森林回归器（RFR）和浅层多层感知器（MLP）。两种模型在基于阈值分割的代表性二维材料（如In 2 Se 3）上都表现良好，但只有MLP在使用Cellpose进行自动ROI检测时保持了较强的准确性，取得了优异的预测性能（r2 = 0.947, MSE = 34.580 nm 2, MAE = 4.696 nm, RMSE = 5.881 nm）。统计分析验证了该模型在不同分割方法中的通用性。Shapley加性解释（SHAP）将红色和绿色强度确定为关键预测因子，与薄膜干涉理论一致。总的来说，这种基于人工智能的模型提供了一种非破坏性的、高效的AFM替代方案，允许从具有高鲁棒性和通用性的小数据集进行精确和连续的厚度估计。
{"title":"High-Throughput Thickness Analysis of 2D Materials Enabled by Intelligent Image Segmentation","authors":"Jun Chen Ng, Farina Muhamad, Pauline Shan Qing Yeoh, Ziyi Han, Zanlin Qiu, Khin Wee Lai, Xiaoxu Zhao","doi":"10.1039/d5nr03320a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr03320a","url":null,"abstract":"Thickness measurement of two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential due to their thickness-dependent physical and optical properties. However, current thickness characterization techniques, e.g., Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), suffer from limitations such as slow scanning, tip-sample artifacts, and low throughput.To address this, an Artificial Intelligence-based pipeline was proposed for estimating the thickness of 2D materials from Optical Microscopy (OM) images, offering a significantly faster and more efficient alternative. OM captures colour contrast due to thin-film interference, explained by Fresnel's law. These colour cues, along with morphological features (area and perimeter), were extracted from regions of interest (ROIs) segmented using Otsu's thresholding. Several regression models, including Random Forest Regressor (RFR) and a shallow Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), were trained on augmented paired OM-AFM data. Both models performed well on representative 2D materials, e.g., In 2 Se 3 , under threshold-based segmentation, but only the MLP maintained strong accuracy with automated ROI detection using Cellpose, achieving excellent predictive performance (R 2 = 0.947, MSE = 34.580 nm 2 , MAE = 4.696 nm, RMSE = 5.881 nm). Statistical analysis validated the model's generalizability across segmentation methods. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) identified red and green intensities as key predictors, aligning with thin-film interference theory. Overall, this AI-based model provides a non-destructive, efficient alternative to AFM, allowing precise and continuous thickness estimation from small datasets with high robustness and generalizability.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"149 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145732848","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}
Rong Li, Yuhan Zhang, Jingyi Shang, Huailin Wang, Xutong Li, Yimeng Wang, Qi-Meng Zhang, Mingxiao Deng, Haizhu Sun
Carbon dots (CDs), as a novel kind of carbon-based nanomaterials, exhibit exceptional physical and chemical properties owing to their unique core-shell architecture. The carbon core, comprising hybridized sp2/sp3 carbon networks, delivers outstanding electrical conductivity, while the peripheral functional groups confer aqueous solubility, biocompatibility, and contribute to their luminescent behavior, etc. The versatile properties of CDs have enabled broad applications in luminescence, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and energy storage, etc. In the field of energy storage, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) and lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) represent two prominent technologies. Despite differences in materials and performance, both systems face critical challenges in commercialization, including dendrite growth, electrolyte instability, manufacturing complexities, and limited cycle life. This review traces the discovery of CDs, details their classification, and summarizes synthetic methodologies. It further highlights recent advances in luminescence, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, with a focused discussion on energy storage applications. Key emphasis is placed on CD-enabled modifications of electrodes and electrolytes for AZIBs and LMBs, addressing interfacial engineering and reaction kinetics. Finally, unresolved challenges are outlined and future research directions for CDs in next-generation energy storage systems are proposed.
{"title":"Recent Advances in Carbon Dots: From Multifunctionality to Energy Storage","authors":"Rong Li, Yuhan Zhang, Jingyi Shang, Huailin Wang, Xutong Li, Yimeng Wang, Qi-Meng Zhang, Mingxiao Deng, Haizhu Sun","doi":"10.1039/d5nr04313a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr04313a","url":null,"abstract":"Carbon dots (CDs), as a novel kind of carbon-based nanomaterials, exhibit exceptional physical and chemical properties owing to their unique core-shell architecture. The carbon core, comprising hybridized sp<small><sup>2</sup></small>/sp<small><sup>3</sup></small> carbon networks, delivers outstanding electrical conductivity, while the peripheral functional groups confer aqueous solubility, biocompatibility, and contribute to their luminescent behavior, etc. The versatile properties of CDs have enabled broad applications in luminescence, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and energy storage, etc. In the field of energy storage, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) and lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) represent two prominent technologies. Despite differences in materials and performance, both systems face critical challenges in commercialization, including dendrite growth, electrolyte instability, manufacturing complexities, and limited cycle life. This review traces the discovery of CDs, details their classification, and summarizes synthetic methodologies. It further highlights recent advances in luminescence, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, with a focused discussion on energy storage applications. Key emphasis is placed on CD-enabled modifications of electrodes and electrolytes for AZIBs and LMBs, addressing interfacial engineering and reaction kinetics. Finally, unresolved challenges are outlined and future research directions for CDs in next-generation energy storage systems are proposed.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"146 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718471","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}
The relentless pursuit of higher power density and miniaturization of modern electronics demand have exposed the limitations of conventional passive cooling systems. This study presents an innovative quasi-honeycomb architecture composed of vertically aligned and interconnected graphene nanosheet arrays (VIG) synthesized via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on copper substrates, achieving dual-mode heat dissipation through synergistic radiative and convective enhancement. The engineered graphene-copper hybrid interface demonstrates exceptional thermal performance, achieving an enhanced heat transfer coefficient of 35.6 W•m⁻²•K⁻¹ through synergistic optimization of infrared emissivity and specific surface area. Systematic evaluations reveal a 21.6% improvement in cooling efficiency compared to pristine copper substrates. Practical implementation as a conformal passive heat sink effectively suppresses temperature rise in high-power LED arrays (ΔT reduction: 28.1°C at 2.7 W) and lithium-ion battery modules (thermal mitigation: 7.0°C under 3C discharge). Notably, the ultrathin (<5 μm) and ultralight (≈0.073 mg•cm⁻²) structure enables spontaneous selfassembly on sub-100-μm metallic foils, providing geometrically adaptive heat dissipation for irregular surfaces. This work establishes a universal paradigm for developing conformal thermal management solutions compatible with geometrically complex surfaces in next-generation compact electronics.
{"title":"Quasi-Honeycomb Graphene Architectures Enabling Geometry-Adaptive Thermal Regulation for High-Density Electronics","authors":"Qiang Zhao, Ying Wang, Xiang Zheng, Xianzhen Cai, Jingze Li, Xinhui Xia, Yongqi Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d5nr03864b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr03864b","url":null,"abstract":"The relentless pursuit of higher power density and miniaturization of modern electronics demand have exposed the limitations of conventional passive cooling systems. This study presents an innovative quasi-honeycomb architecture composed of vertically aligned and interconnected graphene nanosheet arrays (VIG) synthesized via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on copper substrates, achieving dual-mode heat dissipation through synergistic radiative and convective enhancement. The engineered graphene-copper hybrid interface demonstrates exceptional thermal performance, achieving an enhanced heat transfer coefficient of 35.6 W•m⁻²•K⁻¹ through synergistic optimization of infrared emissivity and specific surface area. Systematic evaluations reveal a 21.6% improvement in cooling efficiency compared to pristine copper substrates. Practical implementation as a conformal passive heat sink effectively suppresses temperature rise in high-power LED arrays (ΔT reduction: 28.1°C at 2.7 W) and lithium-ion battery modules (thermal mitigation: 7.0°C under 3C discharge). Notably, the ultrathin (<5 μm) and ultralight (≈0.073 mg•cm⁻²) structure enables spontaneous selfassembly on sub-100-μm metallic foils, providing geometrically adaptive heat dissipation for irregular surfaces. This work establishes a universal paradigm for developing conformal thermal management solutions compatible with geometrically complex surfaces in next-generation compact electronics.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718475","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}
The growing demand for energy-efficient computing in artificial intelligence requires novel memory technologies capable of storing and processing information. Memristors stand out in thanks to their ability to store information, mimic synaptic behavior and support in-memory computing architectures while requiring minimal active areas and energy consumptions. Here is presented a scalable and cost-effective approach to fabricate Ag/MoS2/Au memristors as resistive switching memory devices by combining roll-to-roll mechanical exfoliation of two-dimensional materials with inkjet printing. These devices exhibit reliable non-volatile switching behavior attributed to the formation and dissolution of metallic conductive filaments within the MoS2 layer, with high resistance ratios and robust retention times. A fully-connected neural networks is simulated using quantized weights mapped onto a virtual memristor crossbar array demonstrating that classification tasks can be performed with high accuracy even with limited bit-width precision, highlighting the potential of these devices for energy-efficient, high-throughput AI hardware.
{"title":"Fast prototyping of memristors for ReRAMs and neuromorphic computing.","authors":"Gianluca Marraccini,Sebastiano Strangio,Elisabetta Dimaggio,Riccardo Sargeni,Francesco Pieri,Yigit Sozen,Andres Castellanos-Gomez,Gianluca Fiori","doi":"10.1039/d5nr02690c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr02690c","url":null,"abstract":"The growing demand for energy-efficient computing in artificial intelligence requires novel memory technologies capable of storing and processing information. Memristors stand out in thanks to their ability to store information, mimic synaptic behavior and support in-memory computing architectures while requiring minimal active areas and energy consumptions. Here is presented a scalable and cost-effective approach to fabricate Ag/MoS2/Au memristors as resistive switching memory devices by combining roll-to-roll mechanical exfoliation of two-dimensional materials with inkjet printing. These devices exhibit reliable non-volatile switching behavior attributed to the formation and dissolution of metallic conductive filaments within the MoS2 layer, with high resistance ratios and robust retention times. A fully-connected neural networks is simulated using quantized weights mapped onto a virtual memristor crossbar array demonstrating that classification tasks can be performed with high accuracy even with limited bit-width precision, highlighting the potential of these devices for energy-efficient, high-throughput AI hardware.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145711012","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}
Benliang Zhou, Siyan Zhang, Chengshou Jin, Yi Ren, Guanghui Zhou, XiaoYIng Zhou, Benhu Zhou, Kaike Yang
The Mexican-hat dispersion exhibits the special concentric contour Fermi surface, giving rise to novel features for scattering against the imperfections. Here, we study the mechanisms of point impurity and line defect scatterings in the material with Mexican-hat dispersion, respectively. By adopting the Green's function combined the T -matrix approximation, we calculate the local density of states (LDOS) in the momentum space (also called FT-LDOS) and real space near the point impurity. We find that the pattern of the FT-LDOS well reflects the shape of the Fermi surface. Notably, inside the Mexican-hat, three scattering processes occur with three characteristic wave vectors, i.e., the inter-scattering between the inner and outer Fermi surfaces, and the intrascattering on both Fermi surfaces, which leads to the LDOS in the real space exhibiting the beating feature. The LDOS for each scattering exhibits the asymptotic behavior with decay index x -1 similar to the parabolic dispersion, although the Mexican-hat dispersion owns the quartic form. By using the stationary phase approximation, we calculate the LDOS oscillation in the real space near the line defect. It is observed that two scatterings occur between two pairs of stationary phase points on the Fermi surfaces with two characteristic wave vectors, also leading to the beating feature for the LDOS. The LDOS for each scattering exhibit the asymptotic behavior with decay index x -1/2 also similar to the parabolic dispersion. Remarkably, the emergence of beating features for scattering against point impurity or line defect, are different from 2D electron gas and Dirac electron systems. Our results underscore a distinctive aspect of the Friedel oscillation in the Mexican-hat dispersion material, and reveal unique feature of the Fermi surfaces, which can be tested by the scanning tunneling microscope.
{"title":"Beating feature of Friedel oscillations induced by imperfections in Mexican-hat dispersion material","authors":"Benliang Zhou, Siyan Zhang, Chengshou Jin, Yi Ren, Guanghui Zhou, XiaoYIng Zhou, Benhu Zhou, Kaike Yang","doi":"10.1039/d5nr03848k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr03848k","url":null,"abstract":"The Mexican-hat dispersion exhibits the special concentric contour Fermi surface, giving rise to novel features for scattering against the imperfections. Here, we study the mechanisms of point impurity and line defect scatterings in the material with Mexican-hat dispersion, respectively. By adopting the Green's function combined the T -matrix approximation, we calculate the local density of states (LDOS) in the momentum space (also called FT-LDOS) and real space near the point impurity. We find that the pattern of the FT-LDOS well reflects the shape of the Fermi surface. Notably, inside the Mexican-hat, three scattering processes occur with three characteristic wave vectors, i.e., the inter-scattering between the inner and outer Fermi surfaces, and the intrascattering on both Fermi surfaces, which leads to the LDOS in the real space exhibiting the beating feature. The LDOS for each scattering exhibits the asymptotic behavior with decay index x -1 similar to the parabolic dispersion, although the Mexican-hat dispersion owns the quartic form. By using the stationary phase approximation, we calculate the LDOS oscillation in the real space near the line defect. It is observed that two scatterings occur between two pairs of stationary phase points on the Fermi surfaces with two characteristic wave vectors, also leading to the beating feature for the LDOS. The LDOS for each scattering exhibit the asymptotic behavior with decay index x -1/2 also similar to the parabolic dispersion. Remarkably, the emergence of beating features for scattering against point impurity or line defect, are different from 2D electron gas and Dirac electron systems. Our results underscore a distinctive aspect of the Friedel oscillation in the Mexican-hat dispersion material, and reveal unique feature of the Fermi surfaces, which can be tested by the scanning tunneling microscope.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718474","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}
Leshan Usgodaarachchi, Eleftheria Zelou, Vikraman Haribaskar, Yuchen Yang, Eftychia Grana, Nicolas Battaglini, Samia Zrig, Eric Cloutet, Benoit Piro, Bérengère Lebental
In order to reduce environmental pollution and atmospheric CO2 concentration, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied in the solid phase for their ability to adsorb a wide variety of compounds. However, maximum adsorption capacities were found to be comparable to those obtained with more traditional filtration materials such as activated carbon. Conversely, the functionalization of CNTs in the liquid phase has been of great interest over the years, but with no focus on maximum adsorption capacities. The present work exploits UV-Vis spectroscopy to study the adsorption kinetics of three polyvinyl polymers, poly(1-methyl-3-vinylimidazolium iodide), poly(4-methyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium iodide), and poly((3,6-diacetyl)-9-vinyl carbazole), on single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) dispersed at low concentration in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. Exceptionally high adsorption capacities of up to 20 g of polymer per g of SWCNTs were obtained, over an order of magnitude higher than those obtained in solid phase adsorption studies. The equilibrium adsorption capacities were best modeled by Freundlich isotherms with exponents close to 1, suggesting a homogeneous adsorption process controlled by both polymer-SWCNT and polymer-polymer interactions. While many questions remain regarding the drivers of these extremely high adsorption capacities, the current results already open up a wide range of potential applications in CO2 sequestration, air purification and water remediation.
{"title":"Unprecedented polyvinyl polymer loading on SWCNTs in the liquid phase","authors":"Leshan Usgodaarachchi, Eleftheria Zelou, Vikraman Haribaskar, Yuchen Yang, Eftychia Grana, Nicolas Battaglini, Samia Zrig, Eric Cloutet, Benoit Piro, Bérengère Lebental","doi":"10.1039/d5nr03041b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr03041b","url":null,"abstract":"In order to reduce environmental pollution and atmospheric CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> concentration, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied in the solid phase for their ability to adsorb a wide variety of compounds. However, maximum adsorption capacities were found to be comparable to those obtained with more traditional filtration materials such as activated carbon. Conversely, the functionalization of CNTs in the liquid phase has been of great interest over the years, but with no focus on maximum adsorption capacities. The present work exploits UV-Vis spectroscopy to study the adsorption kinetics of three polyvinyl polymers, poly(1-methyl-3-vinylimidazolium iodide), poly(4-methyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium iodide), and poly((3,6-diacetyl)-9-vinyl carbazole), on single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) dispersed at low concentration in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. Exceptionally high adsorption capacities of up to 20 g of polymer per g of SWCNTs were obtained, over an order of magnitude higher than those obtained in solid phase adsorption studies. The equilibrium adsorption capacities were best modeled by Freundlich isotherms with exponents close to 1, suggesting a homogeneous adsorption process controlled by both polymer-SWCNT and polymer-polymer interactions. While many questions remain regarding the drivers of these extremely high adsorption capacities, the current results already open up a wide range of potential applications in CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> sequestration, air purification and water remediation.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718473","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}
The present research involves the fabrication of a nitrogen-deficient functionalized BN material with isolated Cu-OH groups tethered to it. The material demonstrates a visible range indirect band gap (1.52 eV) with its conduction band position commensurate to 2-electron nitrogen reduction to the N2H2 species. Overall, the nitrogen-deficient BN sheet with isolated Cu-OH entities exhibits enhanced visible light nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) activity compared to many single-atom photocatalysts. Parallel to this, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are conducted to elucidate the enhancement of interaction between nitrogen and the nitrogen-deficient BN due to nitrogen deficiency. Furthermore, it also points to photocatalytic charge transfer to N2 through the Cu anchored to the nitrogen-deficient BN framework. Overall, this work highlights the potential of nitrogen-deficient BN systems as templates for novel single transition metal atom photocatalysts and their promise for efficient and sustainable ammonia production under ambient conditions.
{"title":"Visible light photocatalytic ammonia production on single Cu entities attached to nitrogen-deficient functionalized BN sheets","authors":"Gulnaz Perveen, Anshu Shrivastava, Uttam Kumar, Nivedita Singh, Harshini V Annadata, Biplab Ghosh, Mukul Gupta, Indrajit Sinha","doi":"10.1039/d5nr04179a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr04179a","url":null,"abstract":"The present research involves the fabrication of a nitrogen-deficient functionalized BN material with isolated Cu-OH groups tethered to it. The material demonstrates a visible range indirect band gap (1.52 eV) with its conduction band position commensurate to 2-electron nitrogen reduction to the N2H2 species. Overall, the nitrogen-deficient BN sheet with isolated Cu-OH entities exhibits enhanced visible light nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) activity compared to many single-atom photocatalysts. Parallel to this, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are conducted to elucidate the enhancement of interaction between nitrogen and the nitrogen-deficient BN due to nitrogen deficiency. Furthermore, it also points to photocatalytic charge transfer to N2 through the Cu anchored to the nitrogen-deficient BN framework. Overall, this work highlights the potential of nitrogen-deficient BN systems as templates for novel single transition metal atom photocatalysts and their promise for efficient and sustainable ammonia production under ambient conditions.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145732841","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}
Jieyu Huang, Xilin Li, Jingjing Jiang, Jinbo Wang, Sendong Zhou, Yongchun Liang, Yichen Liang, Xiaowei Chen, Hailan Chen, Haolun Wang, Han Qin, Sen Lin
Neuroscience and neural engineering face the critical challenge of accurately capturing and interpreting electrophysiological signals for understanding brain function and developing neural prosthetics. Here, we develop a trilayer coaxial heterogeneous structure flexible neuronal electrode, rSF-Au-PC, which addresses these challenges through its innovative design and superior performance. Developed via a multi-step, large-scale fabrication process, the rSF-Au-PC electrode features an adjustable diameter and low specific impedance (7.67 MΩ at 1 kHz), ensuring precise signal capture. It also boasts high charge storage capacity (51.16 mC cm-²), high charge injection capacity (19.11 mC cm-²), and high signal-to-noise ratio (14.48 dB after three weeks), which are essential for reliable electrophysiological signal recording. The electrode’s remarkable biocompatibility and robust electrochemical and mechanical stability make it suitable for long-term use, outperforming conventional tungsten wire electrodes in chronic in vivo applications. This advancement holds significant implications for neuroscience applications, particularly those requiring extended electrophysiological surveillance, and may pave the way for future innovations in neural prosthetics and diagnostic technologies.
神经科学和神经工程面临着准确捕获和解释电生理信号以理解脑功能和开发神经假肢的关键挑战。在这里，我们开发了一种三层同轴非均质结构柔性神经元电极，rf - au - pc，通过其创新的设计和卓越的性能解决了这些挑战。rf - au - pc电极通过多步骤大规模制造工艺开发，具有可调直径和低比阻抗（1 kHz时7.67 MΩ），确保精确的信号捕获。它还具有高电荷存储容量（51.16 mC cm-²）、高电荷注入容量（19.11 mC cm-²）、高信噪比（3周后14.48 dB）等可靠记录电生理信号的必要条件。电极卓越的生物相容性和强大的电化学和机械稳定性使其适合长期使用，在慢性体内应用中优于传统的钨丝电极。这一进展对神经科学应用具有重要意义，特别是那些需要扩展电生理监测的应用，并可能为未来神经假肢和诊断技术的创新铺平道路。
{"title":"A flexible and biocompatible trilayer coaxial heterogeneous structure microfiber electrode for long-term electrophysiological recordings in freely moving mice","authors":"Jieyu Huang, Xilin Li, Jingjing Jiang, Jinbo Wang, Sendong Zhou, Yongchun Liang, Yichen Liang, Xiaowei Chen, Hailan Chen, Haolun Wang, Han Qin, Sen Lin","doi":"10.1039/d5nr02957k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr02957k","url":null,"abstract":"Neuroscience and neural engineering face the critical challenge of accurately capturing and interpreting electrophysiological signals for understanding brain function and developing neural prosthetics. Here, we develop a trilayer coaxial heterogeneous structure flexible neuronal electrode, rSF-Au-PC, which addresses these challenges through its innovative design and superior performance. Developed via a multi-step, large-scale fabrication process, the rSF-Au-PC electrode features an adjustable diameter and low specific impedance (7.67 MΩ at 1 kHz), ensuring precise signal capture. It also boasts high charge storage capacity (51.16 mC cm-²), high charge injection capacity (19.11 mC cm-²), and high signal-to-noise ratio (14.48 dB after three weeks), which are essential for reliable electrophysiological signal recording. The electrode’s remarkable biocompatibility and robust electrochemical and mechanical stability make it suitable for long-term use, outperforming conventional tungsten wire electrodes in chronic in vivo applications. This advancement holds significant implications for neuroscience applications, particularly those requiring extended electrophysiological surveillance, and may pave the way for future innovations in neural prosthetics and diagnostic technologies.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145704825","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}
Robert D Moore,N Scott Bobbitt,Ian S Winter,John F Curry,Lisa Levandosky,Sophia Renaud,Michael Chandross,Fadi Abdeljawad
Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a two-dimensional material widely used as a lubricant in many applications involving mechanical loading under a wide range of operating temperatures. Since many synthesis and processing techniques yield MoS2 in its polycrystalline form, establishing grain boundary (GB) structure-property relations is key to designing MoS2 microstructures with tailored properties. Here, we employ classical, reactive atomistic simulations to investigate the structure and mechanical behavior of a wide range of GBs in MoS2 as a function of temperature. Using a bicrystal MoS2 geometry, we characterize the atomic structure and calculate the energy of several low-angle GBs. Then, we simulate the tensile deformation behavior of MoS2 bicrystals at several temperatures. Our results reveal that at temperatures above 100 K, the deformation of MoS2 bicrystals is characterized by the nucleation of shear bands from GBs that grow, with subsequent loading, into the MoS2 crystals. At low temperatures, the tensile deformation is characterized by the nucleation and propagation of deformation fronts, resulting in altered bond angles and bond lengths. Quantitative analysis reveals a decrease in the ultimate tensile stress and ultimate failure strain of MoS2 bicrystals with the increase in temperature. Furthermore, our simulations of the mechanical behavior of metastable GBs reveal that the strength and ductility decrease with the increase in energy of these boundary structures. In broad terms, our work provides future avenues to employ GB engineering as a strategy to tailor the properties of MoS2 microstructures.
{"title":"Structure and mechanical properties of grain boundaries in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2).","authors":"Robert D Moore,N Scott Bobbitt,Ian S Winter,John F Curry,Lisa Levandosky,Sophia Renaud,Michael Chandross,Fadi Abdeljawad","doi":"10.1039/d5nr03362d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr03362d","url":null,"abstract":"Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a two-dimensional material widely used as a lubricant in many applications involving mechanical loading under a wide range of operating temperatures. Since many synthesis and processing techniques yield MoS2 in its polycrystalline form, establishing grain boundary (GB) structure-property relations is key to designing MoS2 microstructures with tailored properties. Here, we employ classical, reactive atomistic simulations to investigate the structure and mechanical behavior of a wide range of GBs in MoS2 as a function of temperature. Using a bicrystal MoS2 geometry, we characterize the atomic structure and calculate the energy of several low-angle GBs. Then, we simulate the tensile deformation behavior of MoS2 bicrystals at several temperatures. Our results reveal that at temperatures above 100 K, the deformation of MoS2 bicrystals is characterized by the nucleation of shear bands from GBs that grow, with subsequent loading, into the MoS2 crystals. At low temperatures, the tensile deformation is characterized by the nucleation and propagation of deformation fronts, resulting in altered bond angles and bond lengths. Quantitative analysis reveals a decrease in the ultimate tensile stress and ultimate failure strain of MoS2 bicrystals with the increase in temperature. Furthermore, our simulations of the mechanical behavior of metastable GBs reveal that the strength and ductility decrease with the increase in energy of these boundary structures. In broad terms, our work provides future avenues to employ GB engineering as a strategy to tailor the properties of MoS2 microstructures.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"131 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145704431","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}
Ag₂S nanoparticles exhibit tremendous application potential in biomedical fields such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging. However, they have certain drawbacks, including relatively weak near-infrared (NIR) absorption capacity and rather limited photothermal conversion efficiency. In this study, we designed a NIR-II fluorescent probe that can be activated by tumor microenvironment (TME). Specifically, we first incorporated In3+ into Ag₂S nanoparticles, then allowed Cu2+ to complex with them, and finally encapsulated the resulting complexes with polyethylene glycol (PEG) (denoted as ACP). The incorporation of In3+ effectively mitigated the lattice defects of Ag₂S, significantly enhancing its NIR absorption capacity and thereby strengthening therapeutic effect of PTT. Under 808 nm photoexcitation, the reaction of ACP nanoparticles with H2O2 exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 67.8%. The introduction of Cu²⁺ can react with the excessive H₂O₂ in tumor cells to generate highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals (·OH), enabling efficient chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Moreover, this process also depleted glutathione (GSH) within tumor cells, further disrupting the antioxidant defense system of tumor cells and greatly enhancing therapeutic efficacy of CDT. This study offers a novel approach for utilizing responsive nanoparticles to enhance the dual synergistic in vitro effects of PTT/CDT.
{"title":"H2O2 Activated Ag2S:In-Cu Nanoprobe for In Vitro Synergistic Tumor treatment","authors":"Xiaoyan Zhang, Ruiqi Liu, Zhouyu Yu, Baisong Chang","doi":"10.1039/d5nr04196a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr04196a","url":null,"abstract":"Ag₂S nanoparticles exhibit tremendous application potential in biomedical fields such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging. However, they have certain drawbacks, including relatively weak near-infrared (NIR) absorption capacity and rather limited photothermal conversion efficiency. In this study, we designed a NIR-II fluorescent probe that can be activated by tumor microenvironment (TME). Specifically, we first incorporated In3+ into Ag₂S nanoparticles, then allowed Cu2+ to complex with them, and finally encapsulated the resulting complexes with polyethylene glycol (PEG) (denoted as ACP). The incorporation of In3+ effectively mitigated the lattice defects of Ag₂S, significantly enhancing its NIR absorption capacity and thereby strengthening therapeutic effect of PTT. Under 808 nm photoexcitation, the reaction of ACP nanoparticles with H2O2 exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 67.8%. The introduction of Cu²⁺ can react with the excessive H₂O₂ in tumor cells to generate highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals (·OH), enabling efficient chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Moreover, this process also depleted glutathione (GSH) within tumor cells, further disrupting the antioxidant defense system of tumor cells and greatly enhancing therapeutic efficacy of CDT. This study offers a novel approach for utilizing responsive nanoparticles to enhance the dual synergistic in vitro effects of PTT/CDT.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"112 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718476","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}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：