Publications by authors named "Aihua Zhong"

MXenes have attracted tremendous attention in electromagnetic interference shielding, energy storage, and gas and humidity detections because of their ultralarge surface area and abundant functional groups. However, their poor stability against hydration and oxidation makes them challenging for long-term storage and applications. Herein, we proposed and demonstrated a TiCT MXene composite-based humidity sensor, of which the stability is pronouncedly enhanced by introducing an O adsorption competitor of extracted bentonite (EB).

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It is well known that metals and metal oxides with different crystal facets exhibit varying sensitivity in gas sensors, but this strategy is rarely used in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, we proved for the first time that Cu metal-organic with high energy crystal facets (Cu-MOF-74-300) shows a much higher sensitivity than the low energy crystal facets (Cu-MOF-74-110), with a up to 2 times response more than Cu-MOF-74-110 and ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) of 68 ppb to toluene vapors. In addition, this strategy was further demonstrated on MOF-14 and HKUST-1, which are also Cu-centered and exhibit clear recognition effects on benzene and xylene, respectively.

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Background: Reactivate the T cell immunity by PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade is widely used in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, while the post-translational modification of Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is commonly existed in various cancer cells, thus increases the complexity and difficulty in therapy development. Ginsenoside Rg3 is an active component of traditional Chinese herb Ginseng with multiple pharmacological effects including immune regulation. However, the effect on the glycosylation of PD-L1 is unknown.

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Assessing the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) is crucial for effective evaluation of the exposure risk associated with intake of Cd-contaminated rice. However, limited studies have investigated the influence of gut microbiota on these two significant factors. In this study, we utilized in vitro gastrointestinal simulators, specifically the RIVM-M (with human gut microbial communities) and the RIVM model (without gut microbial communities), to determine the bioaccessibility of Cd in rice.

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As a carcinogenic and highly neurotoxic hazardous gas, benzene vapor is particularly difficult to be distinguished in BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) atmosphere and be detected in low concentrations due to its chemical inertness. Herein, we develop a depth-related pore structure in Cu-TCPP-Cu to thermodynamically and kinetically enhance the adsorption of benzene vapor and realize the detection of ultralow-temperature benzene gas. We find that the in-plane π electronic nature and proper pore sizes in Cu-TCPP-Cu can selectively induce the adsorption and diffusion of BTEX.

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The upsurge of new materials that can be used for near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors operated without cooling is crucial. As a novel material with a small bandgap of ≈0.28 eV, the topological crystalline insulator SnTe has attracted considerable attention.

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Teleosts have a unique immune system because their head kidney (HK) and trunk kidney (TK) are sites for hematopoiesis. However, the immune functions of the HK and TKs require further elucidation in yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco). In the present study, imprints of the HK and TK were examined using the Wright's-Giemsa staining method.

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The design, fabrication, and demonstration of a planar two-dimensional-crossed reflective diffractive grating are proposed to construct a novel optical configuration, to the best of our knowledge, potentially applied for atom cooling and trapping in a magneto-optical trap. Based on the proposed single-beam single-exposure scheme by means of an orthogonal two-axis Lloyd's mirrors interferometer, we rapidly patterned a ∼1µ period grating capable of providing a uniform intensity of the diffracted beams. The key structural parameters of the grating including the array square hole's width and depth were determined, aiming at providing a high energy of the diffracted beams to perform the atom cooling and trapping.

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Although Vanadium dioxide (VO) has a potential application value for smart energy efficient windows because of its unique phase transition characteristic, there are still many obstacles that need to be overcome. One challenge is to reduce its high transition temperature ( = 68 °C) to near room temperature without causing its phase transition performance degradation. In this paper, a novel method was employed that covered a 3 nm ultra-thin heavy Cr-doped VO layer on the pure VO films.

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Structure shift of GaN nanowall network, nanocolumn, and compact film were successfully obtained on Si (111) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). As is expected, growth of the GaN nanocolumns was observed in N-rich condition on bare Si, and the growth shifted to compact film when the Ga flux was improved. Interestingly, if an aluminum (Al) pre-deposition for 40 s was carried out prior to the GaN growth, GaN grows in the form of the nanowall network.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study focuses on the growth of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films on sapphire substrates using a magnetron sputtering system, highlighting how substrate type and deposition temperature influence the films' preferred crystallographic orientations.
  • - Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the lattice mismatch between AZO and the substrate is crucial for determining the film's growth and orientation.
  • - The research identifies that thermoelectric properties of AZO films are enhanced by the shape and arrangement of crystal grains, with (112̄0) oriented films showing superior performance, particularly in the [0001] direction, achieving a power factor greater than
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GaN nanowall network was epitaxially grown on Si (111) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. GaN nanowalls overlap and interlace with one another, together with large numbers of holes, forming a continuous porous GaN nanowall network. The width of the GaN nanowall can be controlled, ranging from 30 to 200 nm by adjusting the N/Ga ratio.

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