"Popping the Ion-Basket": Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance of Conjugated Polymers by Blending with Latently Dissociable Perovskite Quantum Dots.

A novel additive method to boost the Seebeck coefficient of doped conjugated polymers without a significant loss in electrical conductivity is demonstrated. Perovskite (CsPbBr) quantum dots (QDs) passivated by ligands with long alkyl chains are mixed with a conjugated polymer in a solution phase to form polymer-QD blend films. Solution sequential doping of the blend film with AuCl solution not only doped the conjugated polymer but also decomposed the QDs, resulting in a doped conjugated polymer film embedded with separated ions dissociated from the QDs.

Photothermally Cross-Linkable Polymeric Hole Transport Material Functionalized with Azide for High-Performance Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes.

Poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)--(4,4'-(-(4-butylphenyl)))] (TFB) is a widely used hole transport material (HTM) in quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). However, TFB-based solution-processed QLEDs face several challenges, including interlayer erosion, low hole mobility, shallow energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital, and current leakage, which compromise the device efficiency and stability. To overcome these challenges, bromine and azide-based photothermally cross-linkable TFB derivatives, i.

Semiconducting Electrides Derived from Sodalite: A First-Principles Study.

Electrides are ionic crystals, with electrons acting as anions occupying well-defined lattice sites. These exotic materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years for potential applications in catalysis, rechargeable batteries, and display technology. Among this class of materials, electride semiconductors can further expand the horizon of potential applications due to the presence of a band gap.

Inducers of Autophagy and Cell Death: Focus on Copper Metabolism.

Copper is an essential trace element in biological systems, playing a key role in various physiological functions, including redox reactions and energy metabolism. However, an imbalance in copper homeostasis can induce oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, ultimately leading to significant cytotoxicity and cell death. According to recent research, copper can bind to lipoylation sites on proteins involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, causing aggregation of lipoylated proteins, the loss of Fe-S cluster proteins, proteotoxic stress, and ultimately, cell death.