Electron delocalization and charge mobility as a function of reduction in a metal-organic framework.

Conductive metal-organic frameworks are an emerging class of three-dimensional architectures with degrees of modularity, synthetic flexibility and structural predictability that are unprecedented in other porous materials. However, engendering long-range charge delocalization and establishing synthetic strategies that are broadly applicable to the diverse range of structures encountered for this class of materials remain challenging. Here, we report the synthesis of K Fe(BDP) (0 ≤ x ≤ 2; BDP = 1,4-benzenedipyrazolate), which exhibits full charge delocalization within the parent framework and charge mobilities comparable to technologically relevant polymers and ceramics.

The Effects of Cross-Linking in a Supramolecular Binder on Cycle Life in Silicon Microparticle Anodes.

Self-healing supramolecular binder was previously found to enhance the cycling stability of micron-sized silicon particles used as the active material in lithium-ion battery anodes. In this study, we systematically control the density of cross-linking junctions in a modified supramolecular polymer binder in order to better understand how viscoelastic materials properties affect cycling stability. We found that binders with relaxation times on the order of 0.

Simultaneous Thermoelectric Property Measurement and Incoherent Phonon Transport in Holey Silicon.

Block copolymer patterned holey silicon (HS) was successfully integrated into a microdevice for simultaneous measurements of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity of the same HS microribbon. These fully integrated HS microdevices provided excellent platforms for the systematic investigation of thermoelectric transport properties tailored by the dimensions of the periodic hole array, that is, neck and pitch size, and the doping concentrations. Specifically, thermoelectric transport properties of HS with a neck size in the range of 16-34 nm and a fixed pitch size of 60 nm were characterized, and a clear neck size dependency was shown in the doping range of 3.

Ultrahigh electrical conductivity in solution-sheared polymeric transparent films.

Unlabelled: With consumer electronics transitioning toward flexible products, there is a growing need for high-performance, mechanically robust, and inexpensive transparent conductors (TCs) for optoelectronic device integration. Herein, we report the scalable fabrication of highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (

Pedot: PSS) thin films via solution shearing. Specific control over deposition conditions allows for tunable phase separation and preferential PEDOT backbone alignment, resulting in record-high electrical conductivities of 4,600 ± 100 S/cm while maintaining high optical transparency.

Few-layer, large-area, 2D covalent organic framework semiconductor thin films.

In this work, we synthesize large-area thin films of a conjugated, imine-based, two-dimensional covalent organic framework at the solution/air interface. Thicknesses between ∼2-200 nm are achieved. Films can be transferred to any desired substrate by lifting from underneath, enabling their use as the semiconducting active layer in field-effect transistors.

25th anniversary article: semiconductor nanowires--synthesis, characterization, and applications.

Semiconductor nanowires (NWs) have been studied extensively for over two decades for their novel electronic, photonic, thermal, electrochemical and mechanical properties. This comprehensive review article summarizes major advances in the synthesis, characterization, and application of these materials in the past decade. Developments in the understanding of the fundamental principles of "bottom-up" growth mechanisms are presented, with an emphasis on rational control of the morphology, stoichiometry, and crystal structure of the materials.

Zigzag inversion domain boundaries in indium zinc oxide-based nanowires: structure and formation.

Existing models for the crystal structure of indium zinc oxide (IZO) and indium iron zinc oxide (IFZO) conflict with electron microscopy data. We propose a model based on imaging and spectroscopy of IZO and IFZO nanowires and verify it using density functional theory. The model features a {121 [symbol: see text]} "zigzag" layer, which is an inversion domain boundary containing 5-coordinate indium and/or iron atoms.

Large-scale synthesis of transition-metal-doped TiO2 nanowires with controllable overpotential.

Practical implementation of one-dimensional semiconductors into devices capable of exploiting their novel properties is often hindered by low product yields, poor material quality, high production cost, or overall lack of synthetic control. Here, we show that a molten-salt flux scheme can be used to synthesize large quantities of high-quality, single-crystalline TiO2 nanowires with controllable dimensions. Furthermore, in situ dopant incorporation of various transition metals allows for the tuning of optical, electrical, and catalytic properties.

Oriented assembly of polyhedral plasmonic nanoparticle clusters.

Shaped colloids can be used as nanoscale building blocks for the construction of composite, functional materials that are completely assembled from the bottom up. Assemblies of noble metal nanostructures have unique optical properties that depend on key structural features requiring precise control of both position and connectivity spanning nanometer to micrometer length scales. Identifying and optimizing structures that strongly couple to light is important for understanding the behavior of surface plasmons in small nanoparticle clusters, and can result in highly sensitive chemical and biochemical sensors using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Cleaved-coupled nanowire lasers.

The miniaturization of optoelectronic devices is essential for the continued success of photonic technologies. Nanowires have been identified as potential building blocks that mimic conventional photonic components such as interconnects, waveguides, and optical cavities at the nanoscale. Semiconductor nanowires with high optical gain offer promising solutions for lasers with small footprints and low power consumption.

Quantifying surface roughness effects on phonon transport in silicon nanowires.

Although it has been qualitatively demonstrated that surface roughness can reduce the thermal conductivity of crystalline Si nanowires (SiNWs), the underlying reasons remain unknown and warrant quantitative studies and analysis. In this work, vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) grown SiNWs were controllably roughened and then thoroughly characterized with transmission electron microscopy to obtain detailed surface profiles. Once the roughness information (root-mean-square, σ, correlation length, L, and power spectra) was extracted from the surface profile of a specific SiNW, the thermal conductivity of the same SiNW was measured.