TiCT MXene Thin Films and Intercalated Species Characterized by IR-to-UV Broadband Ellipsometry.

MXenes are two-dimensional (2D) materials with versatile applications in optoelectronics, batteries, and catalysis. To unlock their full potential, it is crucial to characterize MXene interfaces and intercalated species in more detail than is currently possible with conventional optical spectroscopies. Here, we combine ultra-broadband ellipsometry and transmission spectroscopy from the mid-infrared (IR) to the deep-ultraviolet (UV) to probe quantitatively the composition, structure, transport, and optical properties of spray-coated TiCT MXene thin films with varying material properties.

Isotopic evidence of acetate turnover in Precambrian continental fracture fluids.

The deep continental crust represents a vast potential habitat for microbial life where its activity remains poorly constrained. Organic acids like acetate are common in these ecosystems, but their role in the subsurface carbon cycle - including the mechanism and rate of their turnover - is still unclear. Here, we develop an isotope-exchange 'clock' based on the abiotic equilibration of H-isotopes between acetate and water, which can be used to define the maximum in situ acetate residence time.

Effect of refreezing extender on stallion sperm quality and embryo production after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a valuable assisted reproduction technology in clinical practice, especially when semen availability is limited. Since the number of sperm required per ICSI cycle is much less than the number of sperm available in a standard straw of frozen semen, refreezing semen at lower sperm concentrations could yield multiple straws for ICSI use. However, there is little data on the effect of sperm refreezing on ICSI outcomes, especially on the effect of extender used for refreezing.

Cycling and persistence of iron-bound organic carbon in subseafloor sediments.

Reactive iron (Fe) serves as an important sink of organic carbon (OC) in marine surface sediments, which preserves approximately 20% of total OC (TOC) as reactive iron-bound OC (Fe-OC). However, the fate of Fe-OC in subseafloor sediments and its availability to microorganisms, remain undetermined. Here, we reconstructed continuous Fe-OC records in two sediment cores of the northern South China Sea encompassing the suboxic to methanic biogeochemical zones and reaching a maximum age of ~100 kyr.

Redox-Triggered Debonding of Mussel-Inspired Pressure Sensitive Adhesives: Improving Efficiency Through Functional Design.

Debondable pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) promise access to recyclability in microelectronics in the transition toward a circular economy. Two PSAs were synthesized from a tetravalent thiol star-polyester forming thiol-catechol-connectivities (TCC) with either the biorelated DiDopa-bisquinone (BY*Q) or the fossil-based bisquinone A (BQA). The PSAs enable debonding by oxidation of TCC-catechols to quinones.