Spatial and Bidirectional Work Function Modulation of Monolayer Graphene with Patterned Polymer "Fluorozwitterists".

Understanding the electronic properties resulting from soft-hard material interfacial contact has elevated the utility of functional polymers in advanced materials and nanoscale structures, such as in work function engineering of two-dimensional (2D) materials to produce new types of high-performance devices. In this paper, we describe the electronic impact of functional polymers, containing both zwitterionic and fluorocarbon components in their side chains, on the work function of monolayer graphene through the preparation of negative-tone photoresists, which we term "fluorozwitterists." The zwitterionic and fluorinated groups each represent dipole-containing moieties capable of producing distinct surface energies as thin films.

Using vulnerability assessment to characterize coastal protection benefits provided by estuarine habitats of a dynamic intracoastal waterway.

The existence of coastal ecosystems depends on their ability to gain sediment and keep pace with sea level rise. Similar to other coastal areas, Northeast Florida (United States) is experiencing rapid population growth, climate change, and shifting wetland communities. Rising seas and more severe storms, coupled with the intensification of human activities, can modify the biophysical environment, thereby increasing coastal exposure to storm-induced erosion and inundation.

Robust Antiferromagnetic FeRh Films on Mica.

FeRh shows an antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition above room temperature, which permits its use as an antiferromagnetic memory element. However, its antiferromagnetic order is sensitive to small variations in crystallinity and composition, challenging its integration into flexible devices. Here, we show that flexible FeRh films of high crystalline quality can be synthesized by using mica as a substrate, followed by a mechanical exfoliation of the mica.

Improved polarization and endurance in ferroelectric HfZrO films on SrTiO(110).

The metastable orthorhombic phase of HfZrO (HZO) can be stabilized in thin films on LaSrMnO (LSMO) buffered (001)-oriented SrTiO (STO) by intriguing epitaxy that results in (111)-HZO oriented growth and robust ferroelectric properties. Here, we show that the orthorhombic phase can also be epitaxially stabilized on LSMO/STO(110), presenting the same out-of-plane (111) orientation but a different distribution of the in-plane crystalline domains. The remanent polarization of HZO films with a thickness of less than 7 nm on LSMO/STO(110) is 33 μC cm, which corresponds to a 50% improvement over equivalent films on LSMO/STO(001).

Challenges and opportunities for sustaining coastal wetlands and oyster reefs in the southeastern United States.

Formed at the confluence of marine and fresh waters, estuaries experience both the seaside pressures of rising sea levels and increasing storm severity, and watershed and precipitation changes that are shifting the quality and quantity of freshwater and sediments delivered from upstream sources. Boating, shoreline hardening, harvesting pressure, and other signatures of human activity are also increasing as populations swell in coastal regions. Given this shifting landscape of pressures, the factors most threatening to estuary health and stability are often uncertain.