A superlattice interface and S-scheme heterojunction for ultrafast charge separation and transfer in photocatalytic H evolution.

The rapid recombination of photoinduced charge carriers in semiconductors fundamentally limits their application in photocatalysis. Herein, we report that a superlattice interface and S-scheme heterojunction based on MnCdS nanorods can significantly promote ultrafast charge separation and transfer. Specifically, the axially distributed zinc blende/wurtzite superlattice interfaces in MnCdS nanorods can redistribute photoinduced charge carriers more effectively when boosted by homogeneous internal electric fields and promotes bulk separation.

Dual-Coordination-Induced Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/LiGaLaZrO/Succinonitrile Composite Solid Electrolytes Toward Enhanced Rate Performance in All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

Pursuing high energy and power density in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) has been the focus of attention. However, due to their inferior ion transport, their rate performance is limited compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Herein, a dual-coordination mechanism is first proposed to construct a high-performance poly(vinylidene fluoride)/LiGaLaZrO/succinonitrile (PVDF/LLZO/SN) composite solid electrolyte.

Atomic Interface Engineering of Single-Atom Pt/TiO -Ti C for Boosting Photocatalytic CO Reduction.

Solar-driven CO conversion into valuable fuels is a promising strategy to alleviate the energy and environmental issues. However, inefficient charge separation and transfer greatly limits the photocatalytic CO reduction efficiency. Herein, single-atom Pt anchored on 3D hierarchical TiO -Ti C with atomic-scale interface engineering is successfully synthesized through an in situ transformation and photoreduction method.

Laser CVD Growth of Uniquely <010>-oriented β-Ga O Films on Quartz Substrate with Ultrafast Photoelectric Response.

The oriented growth of β-Ga O films has triggered extensive interest due to the remarkable and complex anisotropy found in the β-Ga O bulks. Remarkable properties, including stronger solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) absorption, better mobility, and higher thermal conductivity, are usually observed along <010> direction as compared to other low-index axes. So far, <010>-oriented β-Ga O film growth has been hindered by the lack of suitable substrates and higher surface energy of the (010) crystal plane.

Hydrodynamic simulation of hypervelocity generation by multidimensional graded impactors: Planarity enhancement study.

Hypervelocity impact in the universe can be generated by a three-stage gas gun. Achieving the desirable planarity of the flyer enlarges the experimentally effective area of the flyer under the hypervelocity condition. The multidimensional graded density impactor (MDGDI) enhances the planarity of the flyer.

Shear-Thickening Covalent Adaptive Networks for Bifunctional Impact-Protective and Post-Tunable Tactile Sensors.

Shear-thickening materials have been widely applied in fields related to smart impact protection due to their ability to absorb large amounts of energy during sudden shock. Shear-thickening materials with multifunctional properties are expanding their applications in wearable electronics, where tactile sensors require interconnected networks. However, current bifunctional shear-thickening cross-linked polymer materials depend on supramolecular networks or slightly dynamic covalently cross-linked networks, which usually exhibit lower energy-absorption density than the highly dynamic covalently cross-linked networks.

Triethanolamine-assisted synthesis of NiFe layered double hydroxide ultrathin nanosheets for efficient oxygen evolution reaction.

Water electrolysis is a promising technique for producing high-quality hydrogen, the application of which is impeded by the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process. In this study, ultrathin nickel-iron layered double hydroxide (NiFe LDH) nanosheets were successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal reaction with the assistance of triethanolamine (TEA). Morphological and structural characterizations revealed that the presence of TEA modified the morphology of NiFe LDH, facilitated the synthesis of high-purity NiFe LDH, improved the crystallinity of NiFe LDH and resulted in a slight decrease in specific surface area.

Structure Characterization and Impact Effect of Al-Cu Graded Materials Prepared by Tape Casting.

With the need of developing new materials, exploring new phenomenon, and discovering new mechanisms under extreme conditions, the response of materials to high-pressure compression attract more attention. However, the high-pressure state deviating from the Hugoniot line is difficult to realize by conventional experiments. Gas gun launching graded materials could reach the state.

A Review on Mechanical Models for Cellular Media: Investigation on Material Characterization and Numerical Simulation.

Cellular media materials are used for automobiles, aircrafts, energy-efficient buildings, transportation, and other fields due to their light weight, designability, and good impact resistance. To devise a buffer structure reasonably and avoid resource and economic loss, it is necessary to completely comprehend the constitutive relationship of the buffer structure. This paper introduces the progress on research of the mechanical properties characterization, constitutive equations, and numerical simulation of porous structures.

The mechanism for the enhanced piezoelectricity in multi-elements doped (K,Na)NbO ceramics.

(K,Na)NbO based ceramics are considered to be one of the most promising lead-free ferroelectrics replacing Pb(Zr,Ti)O. Despite extensive studies over the last two decades, the mechanism for the enhanced piezoelectricity in multi-elements doped (K,Na)NbO ceramics has not been fully understood. Here, we combine temperature-dependent synchrotron x-ray diffraction and property measurements, atomic-scale scanning transmission electron microscopy, and first-principle and phase-field calculations to establish the dopant-structure-property relationship for multi-elements doped (K,Na)NbO ceramics.

Understanding solute effect on grain boundary strength based on atomic size and electronic interaction.

Solute segregating to grain boundary can stabilize the microstructure of nanocrystalline materials, but a lot of solutes also cause embrittlement effect on interfacial strength. Therefore, uncovering the solute effect on grain boundary strength is very important for nanocrystalline alloys design. In this work, we have systematically studied the effects of various solutes on the strength of a Σ5 (310) grain boundary in Cu by first-principle calculations.

Study on rheological behavior of Micro/Nano-silicon Carbide Particles in Ethanol by Selecting Efficient Dispersants.

A colloidal stability study of a nonaqueous silicon carbide suspension is of great significance for preparing special silicon carbide ceramics by colloidal processing. In this paper, three different chemical dispersants, which are amphiphilic, acidophilic, and alkaliphilic, are selected to compare their ability to stabilize nonaqueous slurries of silicon carbide. The analysis of the flow index factor is first used to estimate the colloidal stability of the suspensions.

Peridynamics Model with Surface Correction Near Insulated Cracks for Transient Heat Conduction in Functionally Graded Materials.

A peridynamic (PD) model of functionally graded materials (FGMs) is presented to simulate transient heat conduction in the FGM plate with insulated cracks. The surface correction is considered in the model to reduce the surface effect near the domain boundary and insulated cracks. In order to verify the proposed model, a numerical example for the FGM plate is carried out.

Design and Synthesis of C-O Grain Boundary Strengthening of Al Composites.

This research presents an approach for C-O grain boundary strengthening of Al composites that used an in situ method to synthesize a C-O shell on Al powder particles in a vertical tube furnace. The C-O reinforced Al matrix composites (C-O/Al composites) were fabricated by a new powder metallurgy (PM) method associated with the hot pressing technique. The data indicates that AlC was distributed within the Al matrix and an O-Al solution was distributed in the grain boundaries in the strengthened structure.

Correlation Between the Structure and Compressive Property of PMMA Microcellular Foams Fabricated by Supercritical CO Foaming Method.

In this study, we fabricated poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microcellular foams featuring tunable cellular structures and porosity, through adjusting the supercritical CO foaming conditions. Experimental testing and finite element model (FEM) simulations were conducted to systematically elucidate the influence of the foaming parameters and structure on compressive properties of the foam. The correlation between the cellular structure and mechanical properties was acquired by separating the effects of the cell size and foam porosity.

In Situ Doping of Nitrogen in <110>-Oriented Bulk 3C-SiC by Halide Laser Chemical Vapour Deposition.

Doping of nitrogen is a promising approach to improve the electrical conductivity of 3C-SiC and allow its application in various fields. N-doped, <110>-oriented 3C-SiC bulks with different doping concentrations were prepared via halide laser chemical vapour deposition (HLCVD) using tetrachlorosilane (SiCl) and methane (CH) as precursors, along with nitrogen (N) as a dopant. We investigated the effect of the volume fraction of nitrogen () on the preferred orientation, microstructure, electrical conductivity (), deposition rate (), and optical transmittance.

Doped Lead Halide White Phosphors for Very High Efficiency and Ultra-High Color Rendering.

Near-UV-pumped white-light-emitting diodes with ultra-high color rendering and decreased blue-light emission is highly desirable. However, discovering a single-phase white light emitter with such characteristics remains challenging. Herein, we demonstrate that Mn doping as low as 0.

Residual Strain-Mediated Multiferroic Properties of BaCaZrTiO/LaCaMnO Epitaxial Heterostructures.

In this study, artificial multiferroic BaCaZrTiO/LaCaMnO(BCZT/LCMO) epitaxial heterostructures were deposited on Nb-doped SrTiO substrates using pulsed laser deposition. The epitaxial growth of the heterostructures on the substrate was demonstrated by XRD, RSM, and TEM analyses, which displayed decreasing residual strain with increasing BCZT layer thickness. The electrical, magnetic, and magnetoelectric properties of the epitaxial heterostructures were investigated in detail, and they were sensitive to the varying BCZT layer thickness in terms of residual strain.

Investigation of the Constitutive Model of W/PMMA Composite Microcellular Foams.

Investigating the constitutive relationship of a material can provide better understanding of the mechanical properties of a material and has an irreplaceable effect on optimizing the performance of a material. This paper investigated a constitutive model for tungsten/polymethyl-methacrylate (W/PMMA) composite microcellular foams prepared by using melt mixing and supercritical carbon dioxide foaming. The stress-strain relationships of these foams with different W contents were measured under static compression.

Development of a three-stage gas gun launcher for ultrahigh-pressure Hugoniot measurements.

A three-stage gas gun, composed of a two-stage gas gun and the add-on part, has been developed to launch high-Z (tantalum, for example) flyer plates up to 10 km/s for ultrahigh-pressure Hugoniot measurements. Great care has been taken to optimize the add-on part in which a specially designed graded density impactor is employed to quasi-isentropically accelerate the high-Z flyer plate for maximizing its impact velocity. The shock wave in the target generated by the flyer plate is characterized with the flatness of the shock-front better than 1 ns in the concerned area and the uncertainty of the shock-wave velocity less than 2%, thus satisfying the requirements for high-precision Hugoniot measurements.

Microstructure and Oxidation Behavior of Metal V Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering.

Direct-current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) was applied to prepare vanadium (V) films on Si substrate. The influence of substrate temperature () and target⁻substrate distance () on phase structure and surface morphology of V films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the crystallinity of the V films increases with increasing and decreasing .

Structural Controlling of Highly-Oriented Polycrystal 3C-SiC Bulks via Halide CVD.

Highly-oriented polycrystal 3C-SiC bulks were ultra-fast fabricated via halide chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using tetrachlorosilane (SiCl₄) and methane (CH₄) as precursors. The effects of deposition temperature () and total pressure () on the orientation and surficial morphology were investigated. The results showed that the growth orientation of 3C-SiC columnar grains was strongly influenced by T.

Morphology controlling of 〈111〉-3C-SiC films by HMDS flow rate in LCVD.

Morphology of 〈111〉-oriented 3C-SiC films was transformed from mosaic to whisker to cauliflower-like with the increased flow rate () of hexametyldisilane (HMDS) in the process of laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD). The SiC whiskers were naturally sharp hexagonal pyramids with average height of 250 nm and an aspect ratio in the range of 5 to 10, with a density of 1.3 × 10 mm.

Structural study of epitaxial NdBaCuO films by laser chemical vapor deposition.

Epitaxial NdBaCuO films were prepared on (100) LaAlO single crystal substrates by laser chemical vapor deposition (laser CVD). The effect of deposition temperature on preferred orientation, crystallinity, microstructure, deposition rate of films was investigated. The preferred orientation of the NdBCO films changed from , -axis to -axis, then back to , -axis, as the deposition temperature was increased from 993 to 1093 K.

Morphology and mechanical behavior of diamond films fabricated by IH-MPCVD.

Morphology of diamond films has been controlled intermediate frequency induction heated microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (IH-MPCVD), which was transformed with various substrate temperatures ( = 923-1123 K) and CH/H ratios ( = 0.5-2 vol%). The coupling effects of and on the structure of diamond films have been studied.