Realizing Highly Stable Quasi-2D Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Using Energy Cascades Generated by Biomolecule-Derived Plasmonic Nanostructures.

Blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs) lag behind green and red LEDs, which have made considerable strides in efficiency and stability. The main disadvantage is its unmodulated phase domains and low energy transfer efficiency, which impede the efficiency, optical purity, and operational stability of the devices. Herein, we show that using biomolecule-derived plasmonic nanostructures can significantly promote defect passivation, van der Waals gap reduction, and cascade energy transfer through synergistic small-molecule interactions and localized surface plasmonic contributions, thereby improving the electroluminescence (EL) properties and operational stability.

Investigating the Relationship Between the Emulsification Parameters and Physical-Chemical Properties of Poly(D,L-lactic acid) Particles for Dermal Fillers.

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) particles have been applied as dermal fillers for soft-tissue augmentation because they can induce foreign-body reactions, resulting in fibroblast proliferation and collagen formation. Although PLLA and PDLLA fillers are safe and biocompatible, clinical complications such as nodules and granulomas have been reported, possibly due to incomplete reconstitution. PDLLA particles were prepared via emulsification in this study, and three stirring speeds were investigated when adding PDLLA into carboxymethyl cellulose solution.

Oblique Deposited Ultra-Thin Silver Films on Polymer Gratings for Sensitive SERS Performance.

A small amount of silver was obliquely deposited onto a polymer subwavelength grating to form a metasurface that comprised silver split-tubes. An ultra-thin silver film with a monitor-controlled thickness of 20 nm at the corner of each ridge of the grating provided the most sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements. An excitation laser beam that was incident from the substrate provided similar or better SERS enhancement than did the general configuration with the laser beam incident directly on the surface of the nanostructure.

Improving Redox Activity of Colloidal Plasmonic-Magnetic Nanocrystals by Chemical State Modulation.

Controlling the redox ability is crucial for optimizing catalytic processes in clean energy, environmental protection, and CO reduction, as it directly influences the reaction efficiency and electron transfer rates, driving sustainable and effective outcomes. Here, we report the plasma-electrified synthesis of composition-controlled FeAu bimetallic nanoparticles, specifically engineered to enhance the redox catalytic performance through precise tuning of their chemical states. Utilizing atmospheric-pressure microplasmas, FeAu nanoparticles were synthesized under ambient conditions without the need for reducing agents or organic solvents, thereby providing a green and sustainable approach.

Fast, Highly Stable, and Low-Bandgap 2D Halide Perovskite Photodetectors Based on Short-Chained Fluorinated Piperidinium as a Spacer.

Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) two-dimensional (2D) halide perovskite (HP), with attractive structural and optoelectronic properties, has shown great potential in optoelectrical devices. However, the relatively wide bandgap () and stability, which cause inferior efficiency, prevent its feasibility from further applications. To tackle these issues, for the first time, a novel fluorine-containing piperidinium spacer, (3-HCFCFCHOCH-PPH), abbreviated as (4FH-PPH), has been designed for the stable and efficient = 1 2D HPs.

Hierarchically Promoted Light Harvesting and Management in Photothermal Solar Steam Generation.

Solar steam generation (SSG) presents a promising approach to addressing the global water crisis. Central to SSG is solar photothermal conversion that requires efficient light harvesting and management. Hierarchical structures with multi-scale light management are therefore crucial for SSG.

Breaking the Trade-Off Between Mobility and On-Off Ratio in Oxide Transistors.

Amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS) are pivotal for next-generation electronics due to their high electron mobility and excellent optical properties. However, InO, a key material in this family, encounters significant challenges in balancing high mobility and effective switching as its thickness is scaled down to nanometer dimensions. The high electron density in ultra-thin InO hinders its ability to turn off effectively, leading to a critical trade-off between mobility and the on-current (I)/off-current (I) ratio.

Synergistic effects of platelet-rich fibrin and photobiomodulation on bone regeneration in MC3T3-E1 Preosteoblasts.

Background: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and Photobiomodulation (PBM) are established methods for promoting bone healing. PRF enhances cell proliferation and migration due to its rich concentration of growth factors, while PBM stimulates tissue repair through mitochondrial activation. Despite their efficacies, no in-depth studies have explored the synergistic effects of combining PRF and PBM.

The art of biodegradable polymer design for the treatments against osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis arises from the incomplete treatment of the external wounds in the healing process, while bacterial infections persist within the bone marrow, leading to abscess formation. Osteomyelitis treatments generally involve three main aspects: rapid bactericidal action, sustained bacteriostasis, and induction of bone regeneration. However, current treatment methods, which often combine surgical debridement with long-term high-dose intravenous antibiotic administration or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) beads antibiotic therapy, suffer from significant drawbacks and limitations.

Teaching design students machine learning to enhance motivation for learning computational thinking skills.

The integration of computational thinking (CT) to enhance creativity in design students has often been underexplored in design education. While design thinking has traditionally been the cornerstone of university design pedagogy and remains essential, the increasing role of digital tools and artificial intelligence in modern design practices presents new opportunities for innovation. By introducing CT alongside design thinking, students can expand their creative toolkit and engage with emerging technologies more effectively.

Room-temperature synthesis of triple-cation green perovskite quantum dots for optoelectronic applications.

The development of multi-cation perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) is limited by the low availability of fitting A-site cations due to the unsuitable radii of a large gamut of amine cations. The impact of oversized or undersized cations on the perovskite structure is detrimental to the structural stabilization and electroluminescence efficiency of the PQDs. Researchers are actively seeking suitable-sized cations to mitigate perovskite defect formation and optimize charge carrier confinement within the PQDs.

Sulfur-doped graphitic CN decorated on cauliflower-like CaMoO: An efficient electrocatalyst for electrochemical detection of carcinogenic organic pollutant (metol).

Environmental monitoring of organic pollutants in water sources is crucial for protecting human health and ecosystem sustainability. Herein, we develop a highly active electrocatalyst composite consisting of cauliflower-like calcium molybdate (CaMoO) decorated with sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (S-CN) for the ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of organic pollutant metol. Various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were employed to analyze the structural and compositional characteristics of the S-CN/CaMoO composite.

Assessment of temperature dynamics and microbial community responses in aerobic membrane bioreactors from mesophilic to hyper-thermophilic conditions.

This study investigates the impact of temperature variations on the performance of an aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) as it transitions from mesophilic (30 °C) to hyper-thermophilic (65 °C) conditions. The microbial community structure was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess how temperature influences microbial diversity and composition. In mesophilic conditions, the system exhibited high alpha diversity with a Shannon index of 5.

An Assessment of the Catalytic and Adsorptive Performances of Cellulose Acetate-Based Composite Membranes for Oil/Water Emulsion Separation.

Cellulose acetate (CA) mixed-matrix membranes incorporating polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), bentonite (B or Ben), graphene oxide (GO), and titanium dioxide (TiO) were prepared by the phase inversion separation technique for oil/water separation. An investigation was performed where the mixed-matrix membrane was tested for the separation performance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface properties. An ultrafiltration experiment at the laboratory scale was used to test dead-end ultrafiltration models developed for the treatment performances of oily wastewater under dynamic full-scale operating conditions.

Bimetallic NiCo Nanoparticles Embedded in Organic Group Functionalized Mesoporous Silica for Efficient Hydrogen Production from Ammonia Borane Hydrolysis.

In this study, bimetallic NiCo nanoparticles (NPs) were encapsulated within the mesopores of carboxylic acid functionalized mesoporous silica (CMS) through the chemical reduction approach. Both NaBH and NHBH were used as reducing agents to reduce the metal ions simultaneously. The resulting composite was used as a catalyst for hydrolysis of ammonia borane (NHBH, AB) to produce H.

Carbon Dot Micelles Synthesized from Leek Seeds in Applications for Cobalt (II) Sensing, Metal Ion Removal, and Cancer Therapy.

Popular photoluminescent (PL) nanomaterials, such as carbon dots, have attracted substantial attention from scientists due to their photophysical properties, biocompatibility, low cost, and diverse applicability. Carbon dots have been used in sensors, cell imaging, and cancer therapy. Leek seeds with anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant functions serve as traditional Chinese medicine.

Prediction of risk for early or very early preterm births using high-resolution urinary metabolomic profiling.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a serious health problem. PTB complications is the main cause of death in infants under five years of age worldwide. The ability to accurately predict risk for PTB during early pregnancy would allow early monitoring and interventions to provide personalized care, and hence improve outcomes for the mother and infant.

Rational Molecular Design for Balanced Locally Excited and Charge- Transfer Nature for Two-Photon Absorption Phenomenon and Highly Efficient TADF-Based OLEDs.

The pursuit of highly efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters with two-photon absorption (2PA) character is hampered by the concurrent achievement of a small singlet-triplet energy gap (ΔE) and high photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ). Here, by introducing a terephthalonitrile unit into a sterically crowded donor-π-donor structure, inducing a hybrid electronic excitation character, we designed unique TADF emitters possessing 2PA ability. This rational molecular design was achieved through a main π-conjugated donor-acceptor-donor backbone in line with locally excited feature renders a large oscillator strength and transition dipole moment, maintaining a high 2PA cross-section value.

Ventilation or aerosol extraction: comparing the efficacy of directional air purifiers, HEPA evacuators and negative-pressure environments.

Background: This study evaluated aerosol exposure during various respiratory activities (breathing, tachypnea, coughing, and oxygen therapy) in environments with directional air purifiers (DAPs), HEPA evacuators, and standard negative pressure (SNP) rooms to explore potential alternatives for addressing isolation room shortages.

Methods: Aerosol exposure was measured during various breathing conditions (normal, tachypnea, coughing, and recovery) with non-rebreather masks (NRMs) and nasal cannulas. The study analysed aerosol velocity and concentrations at the head, trunk and feet of a mannequin across settings including DAP, HEPA evacuator, SNP room, their combinations, and a reference group without intervention.

Hybrid-Protected Perovskite Quantum Dot Films with Ultra-High Efficiency and Stability for LED Backlighting.

All-inorganic lead halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have emerged as highly promising materials for photonic and optoelectronic devices, solar cells, and photocatalysts. However, PQDs encounter instability and color separation issues because of ion diffusion. Current strategies mainly address stability in green CsPbBr PQDs, with limited focus on the red-mixed halide PQDs because of their inferior stability compared with green PQDs.

Framing emission gain layers for perovskite light-emitting diodes using polycaprolactone-silver nanoparticles featuring Förster resonance energy transfer and Purcell effects.

In this study, a new emission gain layer for perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) is presented to improve their performance. The emission gain layer consisting of absorption-stable silver nanoparticles is prepared using the post-addition method of the polycaprolactone capping agent (PCL@AgNPs-P). This layer (PCL@AgNPs-P) effectively improves the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the low- (minor) and high- (major) phases in a quasi2D perovskite system, thereby increasing the major emission intensity and efficiency.

Fluid-specific detection of environmental pollutant moxifloxacin hydrochloride utilizing a rare-earth niobate decorated functionalized carbon nanofiber sensor platform.

The development of precise and efficient detection methods is essential for the real-time monitoring of antibiotics, especially in environmental and biological matrices. This study aims to address this challenge by introducing a novel electrochemical sensor for the targeted detection of moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MFN), a fourth-generation fluoroquinolone. The sensor is based on a holmium niobate (HNO) and functionalized carbon nanofiber (f-CNF) nanocomposite, synthesized via a hydrothermal approach and subsequently characterized for its structural and electrochemical properties.

Construction of calcium zirconate nanoparticles confined on graphitic carbon nitride: An electrochemical detection of diethofencarb in food samples.

A well-known fungicide designated diethofencarb (DFC) is used on crops to eradicate fungal infections and increase agricultural production. However, the National Food Safety Standard has established an overall maximum residual limit of 1 mg/kg for DFC, and excessive usage of this chemical has detrimental effects on the environment in real-time. In this work, an improved electrochemical sensor based on hydrothermally synthesized CaZrO is incorporated into a g-CN sheet and developed to quickly and accurately screen DFC, a well-known carbamate fungicide.

A ZnO-nanorod/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite functionalized bridge-like membrane type nanomechanical sensing device for ultrasensitive blood lead detection.

Lead (Pb) ion detection poses a critical problem, particularly in environmental monitoring, industrial operations, and public health, especially for young children and expecting women. Determining lead levels in blood early on is essential to minimizing the long-term consequences of lead exposure. Several sophisticated detection instruments, such as mass spectrometers which perform with high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, but require a lab-based setting, multi-step sample preparation, expensive payment and professional operation.