Low Bandgap 2D Perovskite Single Crystal with Anomalous-large Charges/ions Collection Ratio for Ultra-sensitive and Stable X-ray Detectors

The low-dimensional halide perovskites have attracted increasing attention due to their improved moisture stability, reduced defects, and suppressed ions migration in many optoelectronic devices such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes, X-ray detectors, and so on. However, they are still limited by their large band gap and short charge carriers’ diffusion length. Here, we demonstrate that the introduction of metal ions into organic interlayers of two-dimensional (2D) perovskite by cross-linking the copper paddle-wheel cluster-based lead bromide ([Cu(O₂C−(CH₂)₃−NH₃)₂]PbBr₄) perovskite single crystals with coordination bonds can not only significantly reduce the perovskite band gap to 0.96 eV to boost the X-ray induced charge carriers, but can also selectively improve the charge carriers’ transport along the out-of-plane direction and blocking the ions motion paths. The [Cu(O₂C−(CH₂)₃−NH₃)₂]PbBr₄ single-crystal device can reach a record charges/ions collection ratio of 1.69×10¹⁸±4.7 % μGy_air⁻¹ s, and exhibit a large sensitivity of 1.14×10⁵±7% μC Gy_air⁻¹ cm⁻² with the lowest detectable dose rate of 56 nGy_air s⁻¹ under 120 keV X-rays irradiation. In addition, [Cu(O₂C−(CH₂)₃−NH₃)₂]PbBr₄ single-crystal detector exposed to the air without any encapsulation shows excellent X-ray imaging capability with long-term operational stability without any attenuation of 120 days.     

Low Concentration Sulfolane-Based Electrolyte for High Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries

Electrolyte engineering is crucial for the commercialization of lithium metal batteries. Here, lithium metal is stabilized in the highly reactive sulfolane-based electrolyte under low concentration (0.25 M) for the first time. Inorganic-polymer hybrid solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with high ionic conductivity, low bonding with lithium and high flexibility enables dense chunky lithium deposition and high plating/stripping efficiency. Low concentration electrolyte (LCE) also enables excellent cycling stability of LiNi_0.5Co_0.2Mn_0.3O₂ (NCM523)/Li cells at 1 C (90.7 % retention after 500 cycles) and 0.3 C (83.3 % retention after 1000 cycles). With a low N/P ratio (≈2), the capacity retention for NCM523/Li cells can achieve 94.3 % after 100 cycles at 0.3 C. Exploring the LCE is of paramount significance because it provides more possibilities of the lithium salt selections, especially reviving some lithium salts that are excluded before due to their low solubility. More importantly, LCE has the significant advantage of commercialization due to its cost-effectiveness.     

N=8 Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons: Solution Synthesis and High Charge Carrier Mobility**

Structurally defined graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have emerged as promising candidates for nanoelectronic devices. Low band gap (<1 eV) GNRs are particularly important when considering the Schottky barrier in device performance. Here, we demonstrate the first solution synthesis of 8-AGNRs through a carefully designed arylated polynaphthalene precursor. The efficiency of the oxidative cyclodehydrogenation of the tailor-made polymer precursor into 8-AGNRs was validated by FT-IR, Raman, and UV/Vis-near-infrared (NIR) absorption spectroscopy, and further supported by the synthesis of naphtho[1,2,3,4-ghi]perylene derivatives ( 1 and 2 ) as subunits of 8-AGNR , with a width of 0.86 nm as suggested by the X-ray single crystal analysis. Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and solid-state NMR analyses provided further structural support for 8-AGNR . The resulting 8-AGNR exhibited a remarkable NIR absorption extending up to ∼2400 nm, corresponding to an optical band gap as low as ∼0.52 eV. Moreover, optical-pump TeraHertz-probe spectroscopy revealed charge-carrier mobility in the dc limit of ∼270 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the 8-AGNR .     

Electron and positron pair emission by low energy positron impact on surfaces

The emission of electron pairs from surfaces has the power to reveal details about the electron–electron interaction in condensed matter. This process, stimulated by a primary electron or photon beam, has been studied both in experiment and theory over the last two decades. An additional pathway, namely positron–electron pair emission, holds the promise to provide additional information. It is based on the notion that the Pauli exclusion principle does not need to be considered for this process.We have commissioned a laboratory based positron source and performed a systematic study on a variety of solid surfaces. In a symmetric emission geometry we can explore the fact that positron and electron are distinguishable particles. Following fundamental symmetry arguments we have to expect that the available energy is shared unequally among positron and electron. Experimentally we observe such a behavior for all materials studied. We find an universal feature for all materials in the sense that on average the positron carries a larger fraction of the available energy. This is qualitatively accounted for by a simplified scattering model. Numerical results, which we obtained by a microscopic theory of positron–electron emission from surfaces, reveal however that there are also cases in which the electron carries more energy. Whether the positron or the electron is more energetic depends on details of the bound electron state and of the emission geometry. The coincidence intensity is strongly material dependent and there exists an almost monotonic relation between the singles and coincidence intensity. These results resemble the findings obtained in electron and photon stimulated electron pair emission. An additional reaction channel is the emission of an electron pair upon positron impact. We will discuss the energy distributions and the material dependence of the coincidence signal which shows similar features as those for positron–electron pairs.     

Changes in the physical properties of low bandgap polymer after interaction with ionic liquids

Over the past few years, polymers shown comprehensive utilization in optical devices, solar cells, sensors, and other such devices. However, the efficiency of these devices remains a problem. We have synthesized new thiophene based, lowband gap polymer, poly(2-heptadecyl-4-vinylthieno[3,4-d] [1,3] selenazole) (PHVTS) and investigated the interactions between the PHVTS and ionic liquids (ILs), in this study. We have used imidazolium- and ammonium-family ILs, and studied the interactions using various spectroscopic techniques such UV–visible, FTIR, and confocal Raman spectroscopies. Additionally, we studied surface morphology of the polymer-IL film. Spectroscopic studies show that both families of ILs can interact with the newly synthesized polymer poly(2-heptadecyl-4-vinylthieno[3,4-d] [1,3] selenazole). However, the imidazolium-family Ionic Liquid-polymer (IL-polymer) mixture films show higher conductivities than ammonium-family IL–polymer mixture films.     

高力学强度细菌纤维素气凝胶纤维的连续化制备

气凝胶纤维因其高外表面积和高柔韧性在能量管理系统中具有潜在应用而引起了广泛关注.但是,目前制备的气凝胶纤维力学强度较低,限制了其实际应用.为提高气凝胶纤维力学性能,在始终保持细菌纤维素(BC)纳米纤维处于湿态下,利用NaOH/尿素/硫脲复合溶剂直接低温溶解原生BC,获得透明的BC纺丝原液;通过湿法纺丝制备了BC水凝胶纤维,经过水洗和冷冻干燥后处理,制得BC气凝胶纤维.采用偏光显微镜(POM)、13C核磁共振(13C-NMR)和高级旋转流变仪研究BC在复合溶剂中的溶解过程与状态;利用全反射傅里叶变换红外吸收光谱(ATR-FTIR)、X射线衍射(XRD)和热失重(TG)研究BC溶解前后结构与性能变化;利用场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)、全自动比表面积和孔径分布分析仪、单丝强力仪对获得的BC气凝胶纤维结构与性能进行表征.结果表明,复合溶剂在?15℃条件下可以直接溶解原生湿态BC,最高溶解浓度为3 wt%;采用湿法纺丝制得高度多孔的连续BC气凝胶纤维,比表面积高达192 m^2/g且具有优异的力学性能,断裂强度和杨氏模量高达(9.36±1.68)MPa和(176±17.55)MPa,如0.4 mg BC气凝胶纤维可以支撑高于其本身质量5×10^4倍的重物.     

Preparation of Low-dielectric Permittivity Polyimide Resins with High Surface Activity from Chemically Bonded Hyperbranched Polysiloxane

Thermosetting resin matrix is the key component of advanced wave-transparent composites,where low dielectric constant,excellent processability,high thermal stability,as well as good bonding ability are required for resins.Herein,we prepared a series of phenylethynyl terminated polyimide(PI)resins by grafting amine-functionalized hyperbranched polysiloxane(HBPSi)to PI chains during the in situ polymerization.The effects of HBPSi on the processability of oligomers,molecular packing,thermal stability,dielectric property and bonding ability to reinforce Kevlar fibers of the cured PI/HBPSi composite resins have been examined in detail.The dielectric constants of the cured composite resins were greatly reduced from 3.29 to 2.19 without compromising its processability and thermal stability.Meanwhile,the 10 wt％HBPSi-containing PI resin demonstrated better bonding ability to reinforce fibers with the interfacial shear strength(IFSS)of 37.64 MPa,compared with that of neat PI-6 matrix(27.34 MPa),and better adhesion to metal with the lap shear strength of 10.48 MPa,50％higher than that of neat resin PI-6(6.98 MPa).These resultant PI/HBPSi composite resins exhibit excellent comprehensive properties,indicating their great potential as low-dielectric constant resin matrix in radar radome.     

Water revealed as molecular mirror when measuring low concentrations of sugar with near infrared light

Near infrared spectroscopy is an overtone spectroscopy regarded as a quick and non-destructive method that provides analytical solutions for components that represent approximately 1% or more of the total mass of the investigated composite samples. Aquaphotomics offers the possibility for disentanglement of information remaining hidden in the spectra when conventional data evaluation methods are used, since this concept utilizes changes of the water structure induced by the measured solute as specific molecular vibrations at water bands. Here, near infrared technique and aquaphotomics are applied for non-destructive identification and quantification of mono- and di-saccharide solutes at 100–0.02 mM concentration that is accepted as unachievable with near infrared spectroscopy. The results presented in this study support the aquaphotomics' water molecular mirror concept that explores spectral changes related to water molecular rearrangements caused by minute changes of the solutes in the aqueous systems. The method provides quick and accurate alternative for classical analytical measurements of saccharides even at millimolar concentration levels.     

Isopropanol dehydration via extractive distillation using low transition temperature mixtures as entrainers

Low transition temperature mixtures (LTTMs), also known as deep eutectic solvents, show properties that make them suitable as entrainers for extractive distillation. Two different low transition temperature mixtures were considered as potential entrainers for the extractive distillation of the azeotropic mixture (isopropanol + water). (Lactic acid + choline chloride) (2:1) and (glycolic acid + choline chloride) (3:1) were selected for this work. (Vapor + liquid) equilibrium measurements of the pseudo-binary systems (isopropanol + LTTM) and (water + LTTM) were measured at different concentrations of LTTM in a pressure range of 10 to 100 kPa. (Vapor + liquid) equilibrium data of the pseudo-ternary system (isopropanol + water + LTTM) were also measured at constant pressure (100 kPa) and constant LTTM molar fraction of 0.05 and 0.1. It was found that these LTTMs cannot break the azeotrope at those concentrations. However, the azeotrope was displaced to a much higher isopropanol concentration. The NRTL model was successfully applied to fit the experimental data.     

低温燃料电池的纳米电催化材料:综述(英文)

Low temperature fuel cells are an attractive technology for transportation and residential applica‐tions due to their quick start up and shut down capabilities. This review analyzed the current status of nanocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells and alkaline membrane fuel cells. The preparation process influences the performance of the nanocatalyst. Several synthesis methods are covered for noble and non‐noble metal catalysts on various catalyst supports including carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, nanowires, and graphenes. Ex situ and in situ characterization methods like scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fuel cell testing of the nanocatalysts on various supports for both proton exchange and alkaline membrane fuel cells are discussed. The accelerated durability estimate of the nanocat‐alysts, predicted by measuring changes in the electrochemically active surface area using a voltage cycling method, is considered one of the most reliable and valuable method for establishing durabil‐ity.