TaSBr: A Cluster Mott Insulator with a Corrugated, Van der Waals Layered Structure.

The compound TaSBr was prepared by a comproportionation reaction of tantalum bromide with tantalum and elemental sulfur. The crystal structure, as refined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, is composed of clusters with TaS cores, arranged in corrugated van der Waals layers. Individual layers appear to be displaced relative to each other along one direction.

Mapping the Slow Stabilization of End States with Length along a Laterally Extended Graphene Nanoribbon.

With a lateral bisnaphtho-extended chemical structure, finite 7-13 carbon atom wide armchair graphene nanoribbons (7-13-aGNRs) were on-surface synthesized. For all lengths up to = 7 monomer units, low-temperature ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling spectroscopy and spatial d/d maps were recorded at each captured tunneling resonance. The degeneracy of the two central electronic end states (ESs) occurs in a slowly decaying regime with converging toward zero for = 6 long 7-13-aGNR (12 bonded anthracenes), while it is = 2 (4 bonded anthracenes) for seven carbon atoms wide armchair GNRs (7-aGNRs).

Fast Outer-Sphere Electron Transfer and High Specific Capacitance at Covalently Modified Carbon Electrodes.

Carbon electrodes typically display sluggish electron transfer kinetics due to the adsorption of adventitious molecules that effectively insulate the surface. Here, we describe a method for rendering graphitic carbon electrodes permanently hydrophilic by functionalization with 4-(diazonium)benzenesulfonic acid. In aqueous electrolytes, these hydrophilic carbon electrodes exhibit metal-like specific capacitance (∼40 μF/cm) as measured by cyclic voltammetry, suggesting a change in the double-layer structure at the carbon surface.

Anchoring Cs Ions on Carbon Vacancies for Selective CO Electroreduction to CO at High Current Densities in Membrane Electrode Assembly Electrolyzers.

Electrolyte cations have been demonstrated to effectively enhance the rate and selectivity of the electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR), yet their implementation in electrolyte-free membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer presents significant challenges. Herein, an anchored cation strategy that immobilizes Cs on carbon vacancies was designed and innovatively implemented in MEA electrolyzer, enabling highly efficient CO electroreduction over commercial silver catalyst. Our approach achieves a CO partial current density of approximately 500 mA cm in the MEA electrolyzer, three-fold enhancement compared to pure Ag.

Measurement setup for Nernst and Seebeck effect at high temperatures and magnetic fields tested on elemental bismuth and full-Heusler compounds.

In this work, a measurement setup to study the Seebeck and Nernst effect at high temperatures and high magnetic fields is introduced and discussed. The measurement system allows for simultaneous measurements of both thermoelectric effects up to 700 K and magnetic fields up to 12 T. Based on theoretical concepts, measurement equations are derived that counteract constant spurious offset voltages and, therefore, inhibit systematic errors in the measurement setup.

Thermoelectric properties of BiPbCuSeO oxyselenides.

In this work, BiPbCu SeO ( = 0, 0.02, 0.06, and 0.

Crystal Structure Regulation of CoSe Induced by Fe Dopant for Promoted Surface Reconstitution toward Energetic Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Most nonoxide catalysts based on transition metal elements will inevitably change their primitive phases under anodic oxidation conditions in alkaline media. Establishing a relationship between the bulk phase and surface evolution is imperative to reveal the intrinsic catalytic active sites. In this work, it is demonstrated that the introduction of Fe facilitates the phase transition of orthorhombic CoSe into its cubic counterpart and then accelerates the Co-Fe hydroxide layer generation on the surface during electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Photoinduced Puffing with Large Volume Expansion and Photomechanical Motions induced by Topochemical [4+4] Reactions in Molecular Crystal Solvates.

In this work, we report the first example of two crystal solvates of an anthracene-benzhydrazide based molecule (Ant) that display very distinct photo-responsive behaviour when 365 or 405 nm or visible light is illuminated. For the first time, the crystal hydrate that has water molecule in the lattice (hereafter named as Ant-HO) display fascinating puffing behavior with large volume expansion upto 50 % accompanied with surface modulation when illuminated with 405 nm light, a phenomenon very much similar to the rice or popcorn puffing by thermal treatment. Utilizing the properties of photoconverted Ant-HO crystals, we have demonstrated their application in photoinduced enhanced liquid absorption using various liquids/solutions.

Lateral Heterometal Junction Rectifier Fabricated by Sequential Transmetallation of Coordination Nanosheet.

Heterostructures of two-dimensional materials realise novel and enhanced physical phenomena, making them attractive research targets. Compared to inorganic materials, coordination nanosheets have virtually infinite combinations, leading to tunability of physical properties and are promising candidates for heterostructure fabrication. Although stacking of coordination materials into vertical heterostructures is widely reported, reports of lateral coordination material heterostructures are few.

Long and isolated graphene nanoribbons by on-surface polymerization on Au(111).

Low electronic gap graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are used for the fabrication of nanomaterial-based devices and, when isolated, for mono-molecular electronics experiences, for which a well-controlled length is crucial. Here, an on-surface chemistry protocol is monitored for producing long and well-isolated GNR molecular wires on an Au(111) surface. The two-step Ullmann coupling reaction is sequenced in temperature from 100 °C to 350 °C by steps of 50 °C, returning at room temperature between each step and remaining in ultrahigh vacuum conditions.

Controlling the thermoelectric properties of organo-metallic coordination polymers through backbone geometry.

Poly(nickel-benzene-1,2,4,5-tetrakis(thiolate)) (Ni-btt), an organometallic coordination polymer (OMCP) characterized by the coordination between benzene-1,2,4,5-tetrakis(thiolate) (btt) and Ni ions, has been recognized as a promising p-type thermoelectric material. In this study, we employed a constitutional isomer based on benzene-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(thiolate) (ibtt) to generate the corresponding isomeric polymer, poly(nickel-benzene-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(thiolate)) (Ni-ibtt). Comparative analysis of Ni-ibtt and Ni-btt reveals several common infrared (IR) and Raman features attributed to their similar square-planar nickel-sulfur (Ni-S) coordination.

Pyrofollis japonicus gen. nov. sp. nov., a novel member of the family Pyrodictiaceae isolated from the Iheya North hydrothermal field.

A novel hyperthermophilic, heterotrophic archaeon, strain YC29, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent in the Mid-Okinawa Trough, Japan. Cells of strain YC29 were non-motile, irregular cocci with diameters of 1.2-3.

Interface Engineering of CoFe-LDH Modified Ti: α-FeO Photoanode for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

Effectively regulating and promoting the charge separation and transfer of photoanodes is a key and challenging aspect of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. Herein, a Ti-doped hematite photoanode with a CoFe-LDH cocatalyst loaded on the surface was prepared through a series of processes, including hydrothermal treatment, annealing and electrodeposition. The prepared CoFe-LDH/Ti:α-FeO photoanode exhibited an outstanding photocurrent density of 3.

Topological insulator as an efficient catalyst for oxidative carbonylation of amines.

Topological materials have received much attention because of their robust topological surface states, which can be potentially applied in electronics and catalysis. Here, we show that the topological insulator bismuth selenide functions as an efficient catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of amines with carbon monoxide and dioxygen to synthesize urea derivatives. For example, the carbonylation of butylamine can be completed over bismuth selenide nanoparticle catalyst in 4 hours at 20°C with a yield of 99%, whereas most noble metal-based catalysts do not function at such a low temperature.

High thermoelectric performance in metallic NiAu alloys via interband scattering.

Thermoelectric materials seamlessly convert thermal into electrical energy, making them promising for power generation and cooling applications. Although historically the thermoelectric effect was first discovered in metals, state-of-the-art research focuses on semiconductors. Here, we discover unprecedented thermoelectric performance in metals and realize ultrahigh power factors up to 34 mW m K in binary NiAu alloys, more than twice larger than in any bulk material above room temperature, reaching ∼ 0.

One-Step Fabricated Sn Particle on S-Vacancies SnS to Accelerate Photoelectron Transfer for Sterling Photocatalytic CO Reduction in Pure Water Vapor Environment.

Promoting the proton-coupled electron transfer process in order to solve the sluggish carrier migration dynamics is an efficient way to accelerate the photocatalytic CO reduction (PCR) process. Herein, through the reduction of Sn by amino and sulfhydryl groups, Sn particles are lodged in S-vacancies SnS nanosheets. The high conductance of Sn particles expedites the collection and transport of photogenerated electrons, activating the surrounding surface of unsaturated sulfur (S ) and thus lowering the energy barrier for generation of *COOH.

Ambipolar to Unipolar Conversion in C/Ferrocene Nanosheet Field-Effect Transistors.

Organic cocrystals, which are assembled by noncovalent intermolecular interactions, have garnered intense interest due to their remarkable chemicophysical properties and practical applications. One notable feature, namely, the charge transfer (CT) interactions within the cocrystals, not only facilitates the formation of an ordered supramolecular network but also endows them with desirable semiconductor characteristics. Here, we present the intriguing ambipolar CT properties exhibited by nanosheets composed of single cocrystals of C/ferrocene (C/Fc).

Light-Induced Dynamic Restructuring of Cu Active Sites on TiO for Low-Temperature H Production from Methanol and Water.

The structure and configuration of reaction centers, which dominantly govern the catalytic behaviors, often undergo dynamic transformations under reaction conditions, yet little is known about how to exploit these features to favor the catalytic functions. Here, we demonstrate a facile light activation strategy over a TiO-supported Cu catalyst to regulate the dynamic restructuring of Cu active sites during low-temperature methanol steam reforming. Under illumination, the thermally deactivated Cu/TiO undergoes structural restoration from inoperative CuO to the originally active metallic Cu caused by photoexcited charge carriers from TiO, thereby leading to substantially enhanced activity and stability.

gen. nov., sp. nov., a mesophilic fermentative bacterium isolated from the Iheya North hydrothermal field, and proposal of fam. nov.

A novel mesophilic, obligately anaerobic, facultatively sulphur-reducing bacterium, designated strain IC12, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal field in the Mid-Okinawa Trough, Japan. The cells were Gram-negative, motile, short rods with a single polar flagellum. The ranges and optima of the growth temperature, NaCl concentration and pH of strain IC12 were 15-40 °C (optimum, 30-35 °C), 10-60 g l (optimum, 20-30 g l) and pH 4.