Statistical Piezotronic Effect in Nanocrystal Bulk by Anisotropic Geometry Control

Utilizing inner-crystal piezoelectric polarization charges to control carrier transport across a metal-semiconductor or semiconductor–semiconductor interface, piezotronic effect has great potential applications in smart micro/nano-electromechanical system (MEMS/NEMS), human-machine interfacing, and nanorobotics. However, current research on piezotronics has mainly focused on systems with only one or rather limited interfaces. Here, the statistical piezotronic effect is reported in ZnO bulk composited of nanoplatelets, of which the strain/stress-induced piezo-potential at the crystals’ interfaces can effectively gate the electrical transport of ZnO bulk. It is a statistical phenomenon of piezotronic modification of large numbers of interfaces, and the crystal orientation of inner ZnO nanoplatelets strongly influence the transport property of ZnO bulk. With optimum preferred orientation of ZnO nanoplatelets, the bulk exhibits an increased conductivity with decreasing stress at a high pressure range of 200–400 MPa, which has not been observed previously in bulk. A maximum sensitivity of 1.149 µS m⁻¹ MPa⁻¹ and a corresponding gauge factor of 467–589 have been achieved. As a statistical phenomenon of many piezotronic interfaces modulation, the proposed statistical piezotronic effect extends the connotation of piezotronics and promotes its practical applications in intelligent sensing.     

Determinants of the intention to use non-medical insertable digital devices: The case of Chile and Colombia

In the past, thinking of carrying electronic devices inside our bodies was only posed by non-real scenarios. The emergence of insertable devices has changed this. Since this technology is still in its initial development stages, few studies have investigated factors that influence its acceptance. This paper analyzes the predictors of the intention to use non-medical insertable devices in two Latin American contexts. We used partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine whether six constructs predicted intention to use insertable devices. A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students located in Colombia and Chile (n = 672). We also examined whether these predictors influenced intention differently for both of them. Four common constructs significantly and positively influenced both Chilean and Colombian respondents to use insertable devices (hedonic motivation, habit, performance expectancy, and social influence). Also, the habit has a complementary mediating effect on the relationship between social influence and behavioral intention. By contrast, effort expectations were a positive and significant predictor, but only among Chilean respondents. Findings suggest that when technologies are emerging, well-known predictors of intention (e.g., performance and effort expectations) are less influential than predictors related to self-efficacy (e.g., habit and hedonic motivation). The use of insertable devices has a significant impact on society. Thus, a better understanding of what motivates their use has implications for both academia and industry.     

A Complexing Agent to Enable a Wide-Temperature Range Bromine-Based Flow Battery for Stationary Energy Storage

Bromine-based flow batteries (Br-FBs) are considered one of the most promising energy storage systems due to their features of high energy density and low cost. However, they generally suffer from uncontrolled diffusion of corrosive bromine particularly at high temperatures. That is because the interaction between polybromide anions and the commonly used complexing agent (N–methyl–N–ethyl–pyrrolidinium bromide [MEP]) decreases with increasing temperatures, which causes serious self-discharge and capacity fade. Herein, a novel bromine complexing agent, 1–ethyl–2–methyl–pyridinium bromide (BCA), is introduced in Br-FBs to solve the above problems. It is proven that BCA can combine with polybromide anions very well even at a high temperature of 60 °C. Moreover, the BCA contributes to decreasing the electrochemical polarization of Br⁻/Br₂ couple, which in turn improves their power density. As a result, a zinc–bromine flow battery with BCA as the complexing agent can achieve a high energy efficiency of 84% at 40 mA cm⁻², even at high temperature of 60 °C and it can stably run for more than 400 cycles without obvious performance decay. This paper provides an effective complexing agent to enable a wide temperature range Br-FB.     

Current air quality analytics and monitoring: A review

This review summarizes the different tools and concepts that are commonly applied in air quality monitoring. The monitoring of atmosphere is extremely important as the air quality is an important problem for large communities. Main requirements for analytical devices used for monitoring include a long period of autonomic operation and portability. These instruments, however, are often characterized by poor analytical performance. Monitoring networks are the most common tools used for monitoring, so large-scale monitoring programmes are summarized here. Biomonitoring, as a cheap and convenient alternative to traditional sample collection, is becoming more and more popular, although its main drawback is the lack of standard procedures. Telemonitoring is another approach to air monitoring, which offers some interesting opportunities, such as ease of coverage of large or remote areas, constituting a complementary approach to traditional strategies; however, it requires huge costs.     

Chromophore-Free Sealing and Repair of Soft Tissues Using Mid-Infrared Light-Activated Biosealants

Poor strength, infection, leakage, long procedure times, and inflammation limit the efficacy of common tissue sealing devices in surgeries and trauma. Light-activated sealing is attractive for tissue sealing and repair, and can be facilitated by the generation of local heat following absorption of nonionizing laser energy by chromophores. Here, the inherent ability of biomaterials is exploited to absorb nonionizing, mid-infrared (midIR) light in order to engender rapid photothermal sealing and repair of soft tissue wounds. In this approach, the biomaterial simultaneously acts as a photothermal convertor as well as a biosealant, which dispenses the need for exogeneous light-absorbing nanoparticles or dyes. Biomechanical recovery, mathematical modeling, histopathology analyses, tissue strain mapping using digital imaging correlation, and visualization of the biosealant-tissue interface using hyperspectral imaging indicate superior performance of midIR sealing in live mice compared to conventional sutures and glue. The midIR-biosealant approach demonstrates rapid sealing of soft tissues, improves cosmesis, lowers potential for scarring, obviates safety concerns because of the nonionizing light used, and allows adoption of a wide diversity of biomaterials. Taken together, the studies demonstrate a novel advance both in biomaterials for surgical sealing along with the use of nonionizing midIR light, with high potential for clinical translation.     

压电驱动器迟滞特性的Preisach模型研究

压电驱动器的迟滞特性是影响其位移输出精度的主要因素。该文采用改进的Preisach模型对压电驱动器的迟滞特性进行建模，并进行了相应的实验研究。实验结果表明该模型可以很好地预测压电驱动器在经过一定的控制电压序列以后的位移输出值．能够有效地降低迟滞特性对压电驱动器位移输出精度的影响。     

基于压电陶瓷动态信息的结构裂纹识别方法

利用压电陶瓷的动态特性和压电系统的动态信息,对铝梁的裂纹损伤进行了分析研究。随着梁裂纹尺寸的增加,压电陶瓷片的导钠幅值下降,且系统固有频率减小。利用导钠幅值的变化和系统的动态信息,可以对裂纹的位置和尺寸大小进行识别。实验证明该方法的有效性。     

从PZT体系看无铅压电陶瓷的可能应用

总结了主要以(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3和NaNbO3为基的无铅压电陶瓷的性能，以Pb(Ti，Zr)TiO3基二元系、三元系压电陶瓷的性能与应用为参考，分析了无铅压电陶瓷可能的器件应用。此外，还对拓宽无铅压电陶瓷应用需要改进的性能提出了建议。     

用于高频谐振器的PbTiO_3基压电陶瓷

传统的PZT压电陶瓷的相对介电常数较大,一般为1 000以上,用于高频谐振器不易与线路匹配;而PbTiO3基压电陶瓷的相对介电常数较小,一般仅为200左右,对于10 MHz以上频率的谐振器,用PbTiO3基压电陶瓷作为压电振子是最佳的选择。本文主要研究用于高频谐振器的MnO2和Nd2O3改性PbTiO3基压电陶瓷的性质。PbTiO3基压电陶瓷的性质的改善是与此种陶瓷的制备工艺,显微结构和电导机制紧密相关的。     

纳米级精度分光路双频干涉度量系统的设计

为完成快速、精确的外观轮廓度量,设计了一种新型纳米级精度分光路双频干涉度量系统。系统由低频差双频激光干涉度量模块和微探头及二维工作台两部分组成。微探针以轻敲式接近样品至几十纳米时,受原子力作用发生偏转,利用双频干涉模块度量其纵向偏转量,并对样品进行梳状式度量得到外观形貌。根据双频激光的实际光源,对原有双频干涉度量理论进行了改进提高。进行了系统组建和实验验证。结果表明:系统具有纳米级精度,可用于超精样品外观轮廓度量。