Pressure enabled organic reactions via confinement between layers of 2D materials.

Confinement of reactants within nanoscale spaces of low-dimensional materials has been shown to provide reorientation of strained reactants or stabilization of unstable reactants for synthesis of molecules and tuning of chemical reactivity. While few studies have reported chemistry within zero-dimensional pores and one-dimensional nanotubes, organic reactions in confined spaces between two-dimensional materials have yet to be explored. Here, we demonstrate that reactants confined between atomically thin sheets of graphene or hexagonal boron nitride experience pressures as high as 7 gigapascal, which allows the propagation of solvent-free organic reactions that ordinarily do not occur under standard conditions.

Triggering Reversible Intercalation-Conversion Combined Chemistry for High-Energy-Density Lithium Battery Cathodes.

Combining intercalation and conversion reactions maximizes the utilization of redox-active elements in electrodes, providing a means for overcoming the current capacity ceiling. However, integrating both mechanisms within a single electrode material presents significant challenges owing to their contrasting structural requirements. Intercalation requires a well-defined host structure for efficient lithium-ion diffusion, whereas conversion reactions entail structural reorganization, which can undermine intercalation capabilities.

Confinement of excited states in two-dimensional, in-plane, quantum heterostructures.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising candidates for optoelectronic application and quantum information processes due to their inherent out-of-plane 2D confinement. In addition, they offer the possibility of achieving low-dimensional in-plane exciton confinement, similar to zero-dimensional quantum dots, with intriguing optical and electronic properties via strain or composition engineering. However, realizing such laterally confined 2D monolayers and systematically controlling size-dependent optical properties remain significant challenges.

Indoor-Light-Activated Blue TiO-Molecule-WO Visible Photocatalyst for Antibacterial Performance against .

Currently used visible light catalysts either operate with high-power light sources or require prolonged periods of time for catalytic reactions. This presents a limitation regarding facile application in indoor environments and spaces frequented by the public. Furthermore, this gives rise to elevated power consumption.

Atomistic Probing of Defect-Engineered 2H-MoTe Monolayers.

Point defects dictate various physical, chemical, and optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, and therefore, a rudimentary understanding of the formation and spatial distribution of point defects is a key to advancement in 2D material-based nanotechnology. In this work, we performed the demonstration to directly probe the point defects in 2H-MoTe monolayers that are tactically exposed to (i) 200 °C-vacuum-annealing and (ii) 532 nm-laser-illumination; and accordingly, we utilize a deep learning algorithm to classify and quantify the generated point defects. We discovered that tellurium-related defects are mainly generated in both 2H-MoTe samples; but interestingly, 200 °C-vacuum-annealing and 532 nm-laser-illumination modulate a strong n-type and strong p-type 2H-MoTe respectively.

Holey penta-hexagonal graphene: a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries.

Carbon allotropes are widely used as anode materials in Li batteries, with graphite being commercially successful. However, the limited capacity and cycling stability of graphite impede further advancement and hinder the development of electric vehicles. Herein, through density functional theory (DFT) computations and molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, we proposed holey penta-hexagonal graphene (HPhG) as a potential anode material, achieved through active site designing.

Observing growth and interfacial dynamics of nanocrystalline ice in thin amorphous ice films.

Ice crystals at low temperatures exhibit structural polymorphs including hexagonal ice, cubic ice, or a hetero-crystalline mixture of the two phases. Despite the significant implications of structure-dependent roles of ice, mechanisms behind the growths of each polymorph have been difficult to access quantitatively. Using in-situ cryo-electron microscopy and computational ice-dynamics simulations, we directly observe crystalline ice growth in an amorphous ice film of nanoscale thickness, which exhibits three-dimensional ice nucleation and subsequent two-dimensional ice growth.

Translating the Optimized Durability of Co-Based Anode Catalyst into Sustainable Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis.

Development of robust electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) underpins the efficient production of green hydrogen via anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE). This study elucidates the factors contributing to the degradation of cobalt-based (Co-based) OER catalysts synthesized via electrodeposition, thus establishing strategic approaches to enhance their longevity. Systematic variations in the electroplating process and subsequent heat treatment reveal a delicate balance between catalytic activity and durability, substantiated by comprehensive electrochemical assessments and material analyses.

Full automation of point defect detection in transition metal dichalcogenides through a dual mode deep learning algorithm.

Point defects often appear in two-dimensional (2D) materials and are mostly correlated with physical phenomena. The direct visualisation of point defects, followed by statistical inspection, is the most promising way to harness structure-modulated 2D materials. Here, we introduce a deep learning-based platform to identify the point defects in 2H-MoTe: synergy of unit cell detection and defect classification.

Construction of N-Rich Aminal-Linked Porous Organic Polymers for Outstanding Precombustion CO Capture and H Purification: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

A large number of scientific investigations are needed for developing a sustainable solid sorbent material for precombustion CO capture in the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) that is accountable for the industrial coproduction of hydrogen and electricity. Keeping in mind the industrially relevant conditions (high pressure, high temperature, and humidity) as well as good CO/H selectivity, we explored a series of sorbent materials. An all-rounder player in this game is the porous organic polymers (POPs) that are thermally and chemically stable, easily scalable, and precisely tunable.

Antibacterial PLA/Mg composite with enhanced mechanical and biological performance for biodegradable orthopedic implants.

Biodegradability, bone-healing rate, and prevention of bacterial infection are critical factors for orthopedic implants. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a good candidate biodegradable material; however, it has insufficient mechanical strength and bioactivity for orthopedic implants. Magnesium (Mg), has good bioactivity, biodegradability, and sufficient mechanical properties, similar to that of bone.

3D-Printed Functional Hydrogel by DNA-Induced Biomineralization for Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing.

Chronic wounds in diabetic patients are challenging because their prolonged inflammation makes healing difficult, thus burdening patients, society, and health care systems. Customized dressing materials are needed to effectively treat such wounds that vary in shape and depth. The continuous development of 3D-printing technology along with artificial intelligence has increased the precision, versatility, and compatibility of various materials, thus providing the considerable potential to meet the abovementioned needs.

Binding of USP4 to cortactin enhances cell migration in HCT116 human colon cancer cells.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) is highly overexpressed in colon cancer and acts as a potent protooncogenic protein by deubiquitinating β-catenin. However, its prominent roles in tumor formation and migration in cancer cells are not fully understood by its deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) activity on β-catenin. Thus, we investigated an additional role of USP4 in cancer.

Template-directed 2D nanopatterning of = 1/2 molecular spins.

Molecular spins are emerging platforms for quantum information processing. By chemically tuning their molecular structure, it is possible to prepare a robust environment for electron spins and drive the assembly of a large number of qubits in atomically precise spin-architectures. The main challenges in the integration of molecular qubits into solid-state devices are (i) minimizing the interaction with the supporting substrate to suppress quantum decoherence and (ii) controlling the spatial distribution of the spins at the nanometer scale to tailor the coupling among qubits.

Effect of Water Vapor on Oxidation Processes of the Cu(111) Surface and Sublayer.

Copper-based catalysts have different catalytic properties depending on the oxidation states of Cu. We report operando observations of the Cu(111) oxidation processes using near-ambient pressure scanning tunneling microscopy (NAP-STM) and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS). The Cu(111) surface was chemically inactive to water vapor, but only physisorption of water molecules was observed by NAP-STM.

Dual action of a tyrosinase-mesoporous silica nanoparticle complex for synergistic tissue adhesion.

Bridging biological tissues for immediate adhesion and long-term sustainability was accomplished using a combination of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and tyrosinase. Tyrosinase-loaded MSNs provided rapid physical adsorption, while tyrosinase within MSNs induced enzymatic chemical bond gluing of tissues. This synergistic strategy has robust potential in tissue adhesives for clinical settings.

A novel DDR1 inhibitor enhances the anticancer activity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich carcinoma, which promotes chemoresistance by inhibiting drug diffusion into the tumor. Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) increases tumor progression and drug resistance by binding to collagen, a major component of tumor ECM. Therefore, DDR1 inhibition may be helpful in cancer therapeutics by increasing drug delivery efficiency and improving drug sensitivity.

Coalescence dynamics of platinum group metal nanoparticles revealed by liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy.

Coalescence, one of the major pathways observed in the growth of nanoparticles, affects the structural diversity of the synthesized nanoparticles in terms of sizes, shapes, and grain boundaries. As coalescence events occur transiently during the growth of nanoparticles and are associated with the interaction between nanoparticles, mechanistic understanding is challenging. The ideal platform to study coalescence events may require real-time tracking of nanoparticle growth trajectories with quantitative analysis for coalescence events.

Facile preparation of aqueous-soluble fluorescent polyethylene glycol functionalized carbon dots from palm waste by one-pot hydrothermal carbonization for colon cancer nanotheranostics.

Carbon dots (CDs) are categorized as an emerging class of zero-dimension nanomaterials having high biocompatibility, photoluminescence, tunable surface, and hydrophilic property. CDs, therefore, are currently of interest for bio-imaging and nano-medicine applications. In this work, polyethylene glycol functionalized CDs (CD-PEG) were prepared from oil palm empty fruit bunch by a one-pot hydrothermal technique.

Discovery of a novel NUAK1 inhibitor against pancreatic cancer.

The novel (nua) kinase family 1 (NUAK1) is an AMPK-related kinase and its expression is associated with tumor malignancy and poor prognosis in several types of cancer, suggesting its potential as a target for cancer therapy. Therefore, the development of NUAK1-targeting inhibitors could improve therapeutic outcomes in cancer. We synthesized KI-301670, a novel NUAK1 inhibitor, and assessed its anticancer effects and mechanism of action in pancreatic cancer.

Progressive and Stable Synaptic Plasticity with Femtojoule Energy Consumption by the Interface Engineering of a Metal/Ferroelectric/Semiconductor.

In the era of "big data," the cognitive system of the human brain is being mimicked through hardware implementation of highly accurate neuromorphic computing by progressive weight update in synaptic electronics. Low-energy synaptic operation requires both low reading current and short operation time to be applicable to large-scale neuromorphic computing systems. In this study, an energy-efficient synaptic device is implemented comprising a Ni/Pb(Zr Ti )O (PZT)/0.