Highly Porous ZnO/CNT Hybrid Microclusters for Superior UV Photodetection.

The formation of nanoscale junctions among nanoparticles in self-assembled nanostructures is crucial for improving both interfacial conductivity and structural integrity. However, the inherent reliance on weak van der Waals forces to hold nanoparticles together poses challenges in developing commercially viable devices due to their inefficient carrier transport characteristics. This study presents the successful integration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into highly porous nanomicrocluster arrays of ZnO, resulting in the formation of cohesive and crack-free highly porous ZnO/CNT heterojunction films.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? A Qualitative Exploration of Stigma and Other Factors Influencing Opioid Agonist Treatment Journeys.

(1) The harm-reduction benefits of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are well-established; however, the UK government's emphasis on "recovery" may be contributing to a high proportion of people leaving treatment and low retention rates. We wanted to develop a rich and nuanced understanding of the factors that might influence the treatment journeys of people who use OAT. (2) We explored factors at each level of the socioecological system and considered the ways these interact to influence treatment journeys in OAT.

Molecular dynamic simulation on temperature evolution of SiC under directional microwave radiation.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is widely used as the substrate for high power electronic devices as well as susceptors for microwave (MW) heating. The dynamics of microwave interaction with SiC is not fully understood, especially at the material boundaries. In this paper, we used the molecular dynamics simulation method to study the temperature evolution during the microwave absorption of SiC under various amplitudes and frequencies of the microwave electric field.

Nanostructured Gas Sensors: From Air Quality and Environmental Monitoring to Healthcare and Medical Applications.

In the last decades, nanomaterials have emerged as multifunctional building blocks for the development of next generation sensing technologies for a wide range of industrial sectors including the food industry, environment monitoring, public security, and agricultural production. The use of advanced nanosensing technologies, particularly nanostructured metal-oxide gas sensors, is a promising technique for monitoring low concentrations of gases in complex gas mixtures. However, their poor conductivity and lack of selectivity at room temperature are key barriers to their practical implementation in real world applications.

Efficient light harvesting in hybrid quantum dot-interdigitated back contact solar cells via resonant energy transfer and luminescent downshifting.

In this paper, we propose a hybrid quantum dot (QD)/solar cell configuration to improve performance of interdigitated back contact (IBC) silicon solar cells, resulting in 39.5% relative boost in the short-circuit current (J) through efficient utilisation of resonant energy transfer (RET) and luminescent downshifting (LDS). A uniform layer of CdSeS/ZnS quantum dots is deposited onto the AlO surface passivation layer of the IBC solar cell.

Co-design of harm reduction materials for people who inject drugs to implement research findings.

Background: Equipment used by people who inject drugs (PWID) either has a needle which is fixed to the syringe or can be detached and replaced. Detachable low dead space syringes (LDSS) have been developed, with less space between the needle and plunger (referred to as dead space) than traditional detachable equipment. This equipment can help protect PWID from harm of infection as less blood is transferred if equipment is shared.

Reflectance properties of silicon moth-eyes in response to variations in angle of incidence, polarisation and azimuth orientation.

We report a study of the optical properties of silicon moth-eye structures using a custom-made fully automated broadband spectroscopic reflectometry system (goniometer). This measurement system is able to measure specular reflectance as a function of wavelength, polar incidence angle and azimuth orientation angle, from normal to near-parallel polar incidence angle. The system uses a linear polarized broadband super-continuum laser light source.

Suppression of backscattered diffraction from sub-wavelength 'moth-eye' arrays.

The eyes and wings of some species of moth are covered with arrays of nanoscale features that dramatically reduce reflection of light. There have been multiple examples where this approach has been adapted for use in antireflection and antiglare technologies with the fabrication of artificial moth-eye surfaces. In this work, the suppression of iridescence caused by the diffraction of light from such artificial regular moth-eye arrays at high angles of incidence is achieved with the use of a new tiled domain design, inspired by the arrangement of features on natural moth-eye surfaces.

Imaging the bulk nanoscale morphology of organic solar cell blends using helium ion microscopy.

We use helium ion microscopy (HeIM) to image the nanostructure of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl-C(61)-butric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) blend thin-films. Specifically, we study a blend thin-film subject to a thermal anneal at 140 °C and use a plasma-etching technique to gain access to the bulk of the blend thin-films. We observe a domain structure within the bulk of the film that is not apparent at the film-surface and tentatively identify a network of slightly elongated PCBM domains having a spatial periodicity of (20 ± 4) nm a length of (12 ± 8) nm.

Helium ion microscopy of Lepidoptera scales.

In this report, helium ion microscopy (HIM) is used to study the micro and nanostructures responsible for structural color in the wings of two species of Lepidotera from the Papilionidae family: Papilio ulysses (Blue Mountain Butterfly) and Parides sesostris (Emerald-patched Cattleheart). Electronic charging of uncoated scales from the wings of these butterflies, due to the incident ion beam, is successfully neutralized, leading to images displaying a large depth-of-field and a high level of surface detail, which would normally be obscured by traditional coating methods used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The images are compared with those from variable pressure SEM, demonstrating the superiority of HIM at high magnifications.