An atomically controlled insulator-to-metal transition in iridate/manganite heterostructures.

All-insulator heterostructures with an emerging metallicity are at the forefront of material science, which typically contain at least one band insulator while it is not necessary to be. Here we show emergent phenomena in a series of all-correlated-insulator heterostructures that composed of insulating CaIrO and insulating LaSrMnO. We observed an intriguing insulator-to-metal transition, that depends delicately on the thickness of the iridate component.

Boron-doped diamond composites for durable oxygen evolution.

The urgent need to develop efficient, durable, and cost-effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for energy conversion and storage has prompted extensive research. Currently available commercial noble metal-based OER catalysts are expensive and exhibit limited long-term stability. In this study, boron-doped diamond composites (BDDCs) consisting of CoFe and CoFeC nanoparticles supported by boron-doped diamond (BDD) particles have been prepared.

Manipulation of Exchange Bias in Two-Dimensional van der Waals Ferromagnet Near Room Temperature.

As a host for exchange bias (EB), van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials have exhibited intriguing and distinct functionalities from conventional magnetic materials. The EB in most vdW systems is far below room temperature, which poses a challenge for practical applications. Here, by using Kerr microscopy, we demonstrate a record-high blocking temperature that approaches room temperature and a huge positive EB field that nears 2 kOe at 100 K in naturally oxidized two-dimensional (2D) vdW ferromagnetic FeGaTe nanoflakes.

Steady motion of 80-nm-size skyrmions in a 100-nm-wide track.

The current-driven movement of magnetic skyrmions along a nanostripe is essential for the advancement and functionality of a new category of spintronic devices resembling racetracks. Despite extensive research into skyrmion dynamics, experimental verification of current-induced motion of ultra-small skyrmions within an ultrathin nanostripe is still pending. Here, we unveil the motion of individual 80 nm-size skyrmions in an FeGe track with an ultrathin width of 100 nm.

Atomic scale disorder and reconstruction in bulk infinite-layer nickelates lacking superconductivity.

The recent discovery of superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelate films has sparked significant interest and expanded the realm of superconductors, in which the infinite-layer structure and proper chemical doping are both of the essence. Nonetheless, the reasons for the absence of superconductivity in bulk infinite-layer nickelates remain puzzling. Herein, we investigate atomic defects and electronic structures in bulk infinite-layer NdSrNiO using scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Approaching the Ideal Linearity in Epitaxial Crystalline-Type Memristor by Controlling Filament Growth.

Brain-inspired neuromorphic computing has attracted widespread attention owing to its ability to perform parallel and energy-efficient computation. However, the synaptic weight of amorphous/polycrystalline oxide based memristor usually exhibits large nonlinear behavior with high asymmetry, which aggravates the complexity of peripheral circuit system. Controllable growth of conductive filaments is highly demanded for achieving the highly linear conductance modulation.

A colorimetric and fluorescent probe of lignocellulose nanofiber composite modified with Rhodamine 6G derivative for reversible, selective and sensitive detection of metal ions in wastewater.

Heavy metal ions have extremely high toxicity. As the top of food chain, human beings certainly will accumulate them by ingesting food and participating other activities, which eventually result in the damage to our health. Therefore, it is very meaningful and necessary to design a simple, portable, stable and efficient material for heavy metal ions detection.

Layer-Number-Dependent Magnetism in the Co-Doped van der Waals Ferromagnet FeGaTe.

Recently, van der Waals (vdW) antiferromagnets have been proposed to be crucial for spintronics due to their favorable properties compared to ferromagnets, including robustness against magnetic perturbation and high frequencies of spin dynamics. High-performance and energy-efficient spin functionalities often depend on the current-driven manipulation and detection of spin states, highlighting the significance of two-dimensional metallic antiferromagnets, which have not been much explored due to the lack of suitable materials. Here, we report a new metallic vdW antiferromagnet obtained from the ferromagnet FeGaTe by cobalt (Co) doping.

Fabrication of carbon dots-embedded luminescent transparent wood with ultraviolet blocking and thermal insulating capacities towards smart window application.

To expand functions of transparent wood (TW) including fluorescence, ultraviolet blocking, heat preservation and insulation, we adopted carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to prepare luminescent transparent wood. CQDs with yellow/red fluorescence (YCD/RCD) were prepared by chitosan and o-phenylenediamine. Afterwards, Balsa woods were pretreated to obtain wood frameworks (DW/LW), which were further combined with epoxy resin for achieving transparent woods (DW-TW/LW-TW).

Research Advances in Wood Composites in Applications of Industrial Wastewater Purification and Solar-Driven Seawater Desalination.

In recent years, the ecosystem has been seriously affected by sewage discharge and oil spill accidents. A series of issues (such as the continuous pollution of the ecological environment and the imminent exhaustion of freshwater resources) are becoming more and more unmanageable, resulting in a crisis of water quality and quantity. Therefore, studies on industrial wastewater purification and solar-driven seawater desalination based on wood composites have been widely considered as an important development direction.

Room-Temperature Zero-Field Skyrmions and Their Field-Driven Evolutions in Chiral Nanodisks.

Target skyrmion, characterized by a central skyrmion surrounded by a series of concentric cylinder domains known as skyrmions ( ≥ 2), holds promise as a novel storage state in next-generation memories. However, target skyrmions comprising one or more concentric cylindrical domains have not been observed in chiral magnets, particularly at room temperature. In this study, we experimentally achieved skyrmions ( = 2, 3, and 4) with diameters of ∼220, 320, and 410 nm, respectively, and room-temperature stability under zero magnetic field by tightly confining these topological spin textures in β-Mn-type CoZnMn nanodisks.

High field magnetic transport measurements of FeGe thin plates.

Magnetic skyrmions have garnered considerable attention due to their topological properties and potential applications in information storage. These unique structures can be found in chiral magnets, including well-known compounds like MnSi and FeGe with a B20-type crystal structure. In this study, we utilized Lorentz transmission electron microscopy to investigate the influence of magnetic skyrmions on the Hall effect in FeGe under low magnetic fields.

Comparative study of biomechanical effects between two types of 2 × 4 techniques employing a rocking-chair archwire: a three-dimensional finite element analysis.

Objectives: After bonding brackets to the first deciduous molar in a 2 × 4 technique, a three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) is used to demonstrate the biomechanical changes in an orthodontic system. This study aims to opt for the appropriate type of orthodontic technology by analyzing and comparing the mechanical systems produced by two types of 2 × 4 techniques employing rocking-chair archwires.

Materials And Methods: Herein, the maxilla and maxillary dentition are modeled by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 3D FEA.

Laboratory Experiments and Numerical Simulation on Dynamic Response of Island Reclamation Coral Sand under Aircraft Load.

The construction of island airports on coral reefs inevitably encounters the impact load of aircraft takeoff and landing. However, previous studies have not presented a detailed description of the dynamic response of the coral sand beneath the runways of island reclamation airports under aircraft load. In the current study, the coral sand of Mischief Reef Airport in the Nansha Islands, China, was selected as the background.

Magnetotransport property of oxygen-annealed FeTe thin films.

Fe-based superconductors are one of the current research focuses. FeTe is unique in the series of FeSeTe, since it is nonsuperconducting near the FeTe side in the phase diagram in contrast to the presence of superconductivity in other region. However, FeTe thin films become superconducting after oxygen annealing and the mechanism remains elusive.

Dynamic evolution mechanism of scanning moiré fringes.

Scanning moiré fringes (SMFs) in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) have a broad application prospect owing to the low-magnification imaging and hereto the low electron irritation damage, especially in defects localization, strain analysis etc. However, the dynamic evolution mechanism of SMFs is still not clear. In this paper, we carry out in-depth study of SMFs with ferroelectric material GeSe as an example.

Visualizing the Atomic Configuration of Carbonate Groups in a (Cu,C)Ba Ca Cu O Superconductor.

Carbonates (CO ) have always been known as impurities to degrade the superconductivity in cuprate high-Tc superconductors. Herein, the atomic arrangement of carbonates is directly visualized in (Cu,C)Ba Ca Cu O via integrated differential phase contrast (iDPC) combined with state-of-the-art scanning transmission electron microscopy. The carbon atoms replace Cu atoms in the charge-reservoir layers, contributing to the formation of carbonates through strong orbital hybridization with the surrounding oxygen atoms.

Research progress on the role and mechanism of miR-671 in bone metabolism and bone-related diseases.

Bone metabolism consists of bone formation and resorption and maintains a dynamic balance . When bone homeostasis is broken, it can manifest as osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteosarcoma (OS), etc. MiR-671, an important class of non-coding nucleotide sequences , is regulated by lncRNA and regulates bone metabolism balance by regulating downstream target proteins and activating various signaling pathways.

Optimizing experimental parameters of integrated differential phase contrast (iDPC) for atomic resolution imaging.

Integrated differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC-STEM) technique has been well developed for studying atomic structures at sub-Å resolution with the capability of simultaneously imaging heavy and light atoms even at an extremely low electron dose. As a direct phase contrast imaging technique, atomic resolution iDPC-STEM is sensitive to the imaging conditions. Although great achievements have been made both in aspect of theory and experiments, the influence of experimental parameters on the contrast of atomic resolution iDPC-STEM images has not been systematically investigated.

Polarity Modulation Induced High Electrostrain Performance with Near-Zero Hysteresis in a (SrBi)TiO-Based System.

High-precision piezo actuators necessitate dielectrics with high electrostrain performance with low hysteresis. Polarity-modulated (SrBi)TiO-based ceramics exhibit extraordinarily discrete multiphase coexistence regions: (i) the relaxor phase coexistence (RPC) region with local weakly polar tetragonal () and pseudocubic (Pc) short-range polar nanodomains and (ii) the ferroelectric phase coexistence (FPC) region with long-range domains and Pc nanodomains. The RPC composition features a specially high and pure electrostrain performance with near-zero hysteresis ( ∼ 0.

Transformation from Magnetic Soliton to Skyrmion in a Monoaxial Chiral Magnet.

Topological spin textures are of great interest for both fundamental physics and applications in spintronics. The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction underpins the formation of single-twisted magnetic solitons or multi-twisted magnetic skyrmions in magnetic materials with different crystallographic symmetries. However, topological transitions between these two kinds of topological objects have not been verified experimentally.

Phase and Band Structure Engineering via Linear Additive in NBT-ST for Excellent Energy Storage Performance with Superior Thermal Stability.

Lead-free relaxor ferroelectric ceramics with ultrahigh energy-storage performance are vital for pulsed power systems. We herein propose a strategy of phase and band structure engineering for high-performance energy storage. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy, (1 - )(0.

Highly complex magnetic behavior resulting from hierarchical phase separation in AlCo(Cr)FeNi high-entropy alloys.

Magnetic high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a new category of high-performance magnetic materials, with multicomponent concentrated compositions and complex multi-phase structures. Although there have been numerous reports of their interesting magnetic properties, there is very limited understanding about the interplay between their hierarchical multi-phase structures and the resulting magnetic behavior. We reveal for the first time the influence of a hierarchically decomposed B2 + A2 structure in an AlCoCrFeNi HEA on the formation of magnetic vortex states within individual A2 (disordered BCC) precipitates, which are distributed in an ordered B2 matrix that is weakly ferromagnetic.

Electrical manipulation of skyrmions in a chiral magnet.

Writing, erasing and computing are three fundamental operations required by any working electronic device. Magnetic skyrmions could be essential bits in promising in emerging topological spintronic devices. In particular, skyrmions in chiral magnets have outstanding properties like compact texture, uniform size, and high mobility.

Fast determination of sample thickness through scanning moiré fringes in scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Sample thickness is an important parameter in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging for interpreting image contrast and understanding the relationship between properties and microstructure. In this study, we introduce a method for sample thickness determination in scanning TEM (STEM) mode based on scanning moiré fringes (SMFs). Focal-series SMF imaging is used and sample thickness can be determined in situ at a medium magnification range, with beam damage and contamination avoided to a large extent.