Direct Observation of the Xenon Physisorption Process in Mesopores by Combining Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

The morphology and structural changes of confined matter are still far from being understood. This report deals with the development of a novel method based on the combination of anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to directly probe the evolution of the xenon adsorbate phase in mesoporous silicon during gas adsorption at 165 K. The interface area and size evolution of the confined xenon phase were determined via ASAXS demonstrating that filling and emptying the pores follow two distinct mechanisms.

Quantification of Nanoscale Density Fluctuations in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon.

The nanostructure of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si∶H) is studied by a combination of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with a spatial resolution of 0.8 nm. The a-Si∶H materials were deposited using a range of widely varied conditions and are representative for this class of materials.

Conditional repair by locally switching the thermal healing capability of dynamic covalent polymers with light.

Healable materials could play an important role in reducing the environmental footprint of our modern technological society through extending the life cycles of consumer products and constructions. However, as most healing processes are carried out by heat alone, the ability to heal damage generally kills the parent material's thermal and mechanical properties. Here we present a dynamic covalent polymer network whose thermal healing ability can be switched 'on' and 'off' on demand by light, thereby providing local control over repair while retaining the advantageous macroscopic properties of static polymer networks.

Graphene oxide/α-Bi(2)O(3) composites for visible-light photocatalysis, chemical catalysis, and solar energy conversion.

The growing challenges of environmental purification by solar photocatalysis, precious-metal-free catalysis, and photocurrent generation in photovoltaic cells receive the utmost global attention. Here we demonstrate a one-pot, green chemical synthesis of a new stable heterostructured, ecofriendly, multifunctional microcomposite that consists of α-Bi2 O3 microneedles intercalated with anchored graphene oxide (GO) microsheets (1.0 wt %) for the above-mentioned applications on a large economical scale.