Computationally Driven Discovery of T Center-like Quantum Defects in Silicon.

Quantum technologies would benefit from the development of high-performance quantum defects acting as single-photon emitters or spin-photon interfaces. Finding such a quantum defect in silicon is especially appealing in view of its favorable spin bath and high processability. While some color centers in silicon have been emerging in quantum applications, there remains a need to search for and develop new high-performance quantum emitters.

Pushing Radiative Cooling Technology to Real Applications.

Radiative cooling is achieved by controlling surface optical behavior toward solar and thermal radiation, offering promising solutions for mitigating global warming, promoting energy saving, and enhancing environmental protection. Despite significant efforts to develop optical surfaces in various forms, five primary challenges remain for practical applications: enhancing optical efficiency, maintaining appearance, managing overcooling, improving durability, and enabling scalable manufacturing. However, a comprehensive review bridging these gaps is currently lacking.

Machine Learning for Predicting Ultralow Thermal Conductivity and High in Complex Thermoelectric Materials.

Efficient and precise calculations of thermal transport properties and figures of merit, alongside a deep comprehension of thermal transport mechanisms, are essential for the practical utilization of advanced thermoelectric materials. In this study, we explore the microscopic processes governing thermal transport in the distinguished crystalline material TlSbTe by integrating a unified thermal transport theory with machine learning-assisted self-consistent phonon calculations. Leveraging machine learning potentials, we expedite the analysis of phonon energy shifts, higher-order scattering mechanisms, and thermal conductivity arising from various contributing factors, such as population and coherence channels.

Ultralow Glassy Thermal Conductivity and Controllable, Promising Thermoelectric Properties in Crystalline -CsCuS.

We thoroughly investigated the anharmonic lattice dynamics and microscopic mechanisms of the thermal and electronic transport characteristics in orthorhombic -CsCuS at the atomic level. Taking into account the phonon energy shifts and the wave-like tunneling phonon channel, we predict an ultralow κ of 0.42 w/mK at 300 K with an extremely weak temperature dependence following ∼.

A Highly Transparent Photo-Electro-Thermal Film with Broadband Selectivity for All-Day Anti-/De-Icing.

A photo- and electro-thermal film can convert sunlight and electricity into heat to solve icing problems. Combination of them provides an efficient strategy for all-day anti-/de-icing. However, only opaque surfaces have been reported, due to the mutual exclusiveness between photon absorption and transmission.

Experimental Evidence of Superdiffusive Thermal Transport in SiGe Thin Films.

Superdiffusive thermal transport represents a unique phenomenon in heat conduction, which is characterized by a size () dependence of thermal conductivity (κ) in the form of κ ∝ with a constant β between 0 and 1. Although superdiffusive thermal transport has been theoretically predicted for SiGe alloys, direct experimental evidence is still lacking. Here, we report on a systematic experimental study of the thickness-dependent thermal conductivity of SiGe thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

Novel insights into lattice thermal transport in nanocrystalline MgSb from first principles: the crucial role of higher-order phonon scattering.

Zintl phase MgSb, which has ultra-low thermal conductivity, is a promising anisotropic thermoelectric material. It is worth noting that the prediction and experiment value of lattice thermal conductivity () maintain a remarkable difference, troubling the development and application. Thus, we firstly included the four-phonon scattering processes effect and performed the Peierls-Boltzmann transport equation (PBTE) combined with the first-principles lattice dynamics to study the lattice thermal transport in MgSb.

Self-Protecting Aqueous Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Capacity degradation and destructive hazards are two major challenges for the operation of lithium-ion batteries at high temperatures. Although adding flame retardants or fire extinguishing agents can provide one-off self-protection in case of emergency overheating, it is desirable to directly regulate battery operation according to the temperature. Herein, smart self-protecting aqueous lithium-ion batteries are developed using thermos-responsive separators prepared through in situ polymerization on the hydrophilic separator.

A Solution-Processed Inorganic Emitter with High Spectral Selectivity for Efficient Subambient Radiative Cooling in Hot Humid Climates.

Daytime radiative cooling provides an eco-friendly solution to space cooling with zero energy consumption. Despite significant advances, most state-of-the-art radiative coolers show broadband infrared emission with low spectral selectivity, which limits their cooling temperatures, especially in hot humid regions. Here, an all-inorganic narrowband emitter comprising a solution-derived SiO N layer sandwiched between a reflective substrate and a self-assembly monolayer of SiO microspheres is reported.

Giant and bidirectionally tunable thermopower in nonaqueous ionogels enabled by selective ion doping.

Ionic thermoelectrics show great potential in thermal sensing owing to their ultrahigh thermopower, low cost, and ease in production. However, the lack of effective n-type ionic thermoelectric materials seriously hinders their applications. Here, we report giant and bidirectionally tunable thermopowers within an ultrawide range from −15 to +17 mV K in solid ionic liquid–based ionogels.