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Metal halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs) with unique physicochemical properties are promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronics, but they often suffer from stability issues that severely limit their potential for practical applications. In this work, we adopt an oleic acid/oleylamine-free approach to synthesize MAPbBr3 quantum dot (MQD) papers by incorporating MQDs into cellulose nanofiber frameworks. The abundant long-chain binding ligands containing sulfate terminal groups within the cellulose nanofiber remarkably stabilize the MQD structure, enabling the fabrication of self-power and flexible MQD paper photodetectors with a responsivity of ∼0.19 mA W−1, detectivity of 1.58 × 108 cm Hz1/2 W−1, and excellent bendability and reliability after 500 bending cycles. More importantly, these MQD/cellulose-based self-powered photodetectors demonstrate extraordinarily high environmental stability, maintaining more than 90% of the initial responsivity after 60 days. The simple disposability of the paper-based device is also illustrated by burning within one second, suggesting the ease of device elimination. Our work provides a unique approach to designing ultra-stable perovskite QD-based electronics with unprecedented functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel-based flexible electronics have received increasing attention owing to the requirement in a variety of applications. However, the design and development of underwater and self-adaptive high-temperature strain sensors remain a significant challenge because of the swelling and dehydration of hydrogels in aquatic environments and extreme climate conditions. Herein, a versatile gel with superior self-adhesiveness, long-lasting underwater stability, excellent high-temperature tolerance and long-term non-drying properties is successfully prepared, which can serve as a wearable sensor for precisely and reliably detecting diverse body movements and the direction of human movements in air and aquatic environments. Meanwhile, based on the Morse code expression, the as-fabricated gel sensor can also be utilized as a wearable communication device for delivering various messages to the receiver. Furthermore, a wireless sensor with high-temperature adaptability is constructed, which can transmit in real time the motion signals at high temperature to the specific APP of a smartphone at room temperature via wireless communication. This strategy provides a new perspective and great convenience for motion monitoring under harsh conditions. In particular, the as-prepared gel demonstrates an obvious transparency-shifting behavior in different polar solvents, thus inspiring us to engineer it as a novel water-writing paper for achieving repeatable "writing–erasing" applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphorous pesticides pose a significant threat to public health, making its detection critical. Herein, a new fluorescent metal–organic framework, Eu-NDC, was synthesized, which possessed a 3D supramolecular structure assembled through π⋯π interactions between the naphthalene rings in its adjacent coordination-bonded layers. Then, four different products of the Eu-NDC MOF (Eu-NDC-1/2/3/4) with different morphologies were further obtained by altering the ratio of the raw materials. Among them, the fluorescence properties and BET surface area of the micro-nanoscale Eu-NDC-3 were significantly enhanced, making it the most favorable for detection. Eu-NDC-3 as a turn-off fluorescence probe for methyl paraoxon (DMNP) exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity, anti-interference and durability. Thus, considering these features, an intelligent logic gate was designed, showing great promise for application in smart sensing. Furthermore, an Eu-NDC-3-loaded electrospun fibrous strip was fabricated as a portable and in situ platform for visual DMNP assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C. It includes reviews, new journal information, and a list of papers published in the issue. The topics covered in the papers range from nanomaterials for smartphone sensors to quantum dot light-emitting diodes. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences and is dedicated to sustainable chemistry and new solutions. [Extracted from the article]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C. It includes reviews, papers, and communications on various topics related to materials for optical, magnetic, and electronic devices. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry and aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences. The contents list provides a range of research articles on topics such as organic thin-film transistor sensors, quantum dots, conducting polymer films, perovskite light-emitting diodes, and more. [Extracted from the article]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C. It includes a range of papers and communications on topics such as solar cells, photodetectors, crystal growth, and fluorescence detection. The journal aims to connect the global chemistry community and invest its profits back into the field. The document provides a comprehensive overview of the articles published in the journal's latest issue. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It provides a list of articles and papers published in the journal in 2024, covering a wide range of topics related to materials for optical, magnetic, and electronic devices. The document includes titles, authors, and page numbers for each paper. Additionally, there are two corrections listed at the end of the document. [Extracted from the article]

The document is a contents list for the latest issue of the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, published by The Royal Society of Chemistry. It features articles and papers on various topics, including functional framework materials, organic field-effect transistors, and short peptide hydrogels. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences. Additionally, the document includes a journal article from The Royal Society of Chemistry in 2024, which investigates the stoichiometric deviation in a mixed cation, mixed halide lead perovskite thin film and its precursor solution. Another article discusses nanoristors made of molybdenum disulfide that are highly uniform, sub-500-millivolt, large-scale, and robust. This article provides detailed information on these topics and is a valuable resource for researchers in the field. [Extracted from the article]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C. It includes a range of papers and reviews on topics such as nanomaterial-based probes for iodide sensing, organic photodiodes, metal-organic frameworks, lithium-ion batteries, and perovskite solar cells. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences and is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry. The document also mentions approved training courses offered by the Royal Society of Chemistry for professional development. [Extracted from the article]

The Journal of Materials Chemistry C, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, contains a variety of research papers on topics such as metal-organic framework thin films, perovskite solar cells, energy harvesting devices, electroluminescence, and photocatalytic hydrogen production. The article titled "Hampel and E. M. M. Ibrahim" focuses on materials chemistry and presents the research conducted by Hampel and E. M. M. Ibrahim. The authors discuss their findings and the implications of their research in the field. This article may be useful for library patrons conducting research in materials chemistry. [Extracted from the article]

Fluorescent polymer nanoparticles have received considerable attention over the past few decades, because of their various responses to physical and/or chemical stimuli, showing great potential for their applications in chemosensing and anticounterfeiting. Nowadays, the fabrication and development of polymer chemosensors with multi-responsivity to multiple chemical targets are highly considered. In this study, (co)polymers with well-controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions were synthesized via reverse atom transfer radical polymerization. Fluorescent polymer nanoparticles with the ability to sense pH, CO2, acidic and basic vapors, and polarity were prepared by physical incorporation of fluorescein via a facile nanoprecipitation method. Morphological studies showed that these smart nanoparticles have a spherical shape with an average size of lower than 150 nm. UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses showed that the variation of pH, incorporation of CO2 into the aqueous medium, and variation of the polarity of polymers changed the intensity ratio of absorption and emission wavelengths. The fluorescent nanoparticles were printed on biocompatible cellulosic papers, which showed different fluorescence emissions at various pH values and also upon exposure to acidic/basic vapors. This confirms the high potential of these nanoparticles to be used as chemical sensors and also in the high-level anticounterfeiting field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel dual-dye-loaded tunable triple-emission colorimetric fluorescent BPEA&Rh6G@DUT-52 (B&R@D) probes was prepared using an in situ encapsulation method, in which the B&R@D6 probe achieved white fluorescence emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.32) and was used for the quenching and colorimetric detection of Fe3+ and Cr2O72− and the colorimetric detection of NO2− and IO3−. When analytes come into contact with the surface of B&R@D6, resonance energy transfer or electron transfer occurs, resulting in relative changes in the three emission peaks. Good linear relationships were established between the fluorescence intensities of the B&R@D6 probe and the concentrations of 0.025–0.5 mM (Fe3+) and 0.005–0.1 mM (Cr2O72−) with detection limits of 2.8 μM and 18.5 nM, respectively. B&R@D6 was further applied in the detection of Fe3+ and Cr2O72− in three actual water samples with recoveries ranging from 101.5% to 114.1% and 86.8% to 100.3%, respectively, showing the practical potential of this method. In addition, a B&R@D6 portable fluorescent test paper was constructed for the in situ dual-mode detection of Fe3+, Cr2O72−, NO2− and IO3−. This work demonstrates the detection capabilities of triple-emitting white fluorescent probes toward ions in terms of multi-target and multi-detection modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pyrimidine-functionalized tetrarylethylene derivatives, BTPT-2-PAo and TPT-2-PAo, were designed, synthesized and characterized. Both compounds exhibit distinct responses to various external stimuli including solvents, acids, light, and metal ions. Remarkable acidichromism and "turn-off" fluorescence are induced by protonation effects, while significant enhancement in photoluminescence resulted from photocyclization reactions. Additionally, the emission intensity of BTPT-2-PAo and TPT-2-PAo can be significantly attenuated upon interaction with Cr3+, Al3+, and Fe3+ accompanied by a color change from colorless to yellow. Job's plots confirmed the 1 : 1 stoichiometry of complex formation between them and Cr3+, Al3+, and Fe3+, respectively. Moreover, the limit of detection for these trivalent metal ions reached a magnitude of 10−7 mol L−1. Finally, we successfully demonstrated that BTPT-2-PAo and TPT-2-PAo can be utilized in test paper strips for rapid "naked-eye" detection of acid as well as M3+ (M: Cr, Al, and Fe). Therefore, the multi-response performance along with the ease of preparation endows BTPT-2-PAo and TPT-2-PAo with potential applications in fluorescence sensing of acid/metal ions and security ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising inorganic thermochromic material, VO2 can achieve modulation in the near-infrared band without affecting the visible light transmittance, and thus has been widely used in smart windows. However, VO2-based thermochromic smart windows still face challenges for real-world applications, such as high phase transition temperatures and poor optical properties. In this paper, a solar-driven and high-performance VO2-based thermochromic smart window composite film was prepared by combining Cu7S4, a photothermal material, with traditional VO2 film through simulation and experiment. Its visible light transmittance in low and high temperature environments is Tlum,l = 60.8% and Tlum,h = 55.9%, and the solar modulation ability is as high as ΔTsol = 12.3%. The composite film could be heated to 72 °C by infrared light irradiation and maintain excellent photothermal heating effects even after 100 cycles of heating and cooling. Due to its excellent photothermal and solar radiation regulation performances, the composite film can be widely used in smart windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of high voltage resistance and high-power density, traditional ceramic dielectrics have found extensive use in electronic and pulsed power systems. Nevertheless, their subpar energy storage capabilities pose a challenge in meeting the demands of integrated and lightweight power electronic devices. This paper employs compositional design to incorporate a Bi(Zn0.5Hf0.5)O3 (BZH) relaxation component, aiming to enhance the electrical breakdown strength or effective dielectric constant, ultimately increasing the energy storage density. The 0.90(Ba0.8Sr0.2)TiO3–0.10Bi(Zn1/2Hf1/2)O3 ceramics processed by the conventional solid-phase reaction method demonstrate a significant recoverable energy density of 4.20 J cm−3, an exceptional energy storage efficiency of 95.5%, with a 450 kV cm−1 high breakdown strength and impressive charge/discharge performance. This investigation presents a novel framework for enhancing energy storage performance in other material systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of high-power and thermally frequency-stable laser diodes is always highly desirable and also a difficulty in the areas of laser diodes and their applications. One of the major factors causing a shift in lasing frequency is the temperature dependence of the band-gap of the active medium, which leads to the photon energy changing. In this paper, we propose a novel approach and mechanism to overcome the variation in band-gap with temperature. This is the utilization of a nanowire constraint on the well in a self-organized InGaAs nanowire-well-bound quantum system. By binding relatively heat-stable nanowires directly to the well in this system, the thermal change in the energy-band of the hybrid quantum system is effectively restricted. As a result, the band-gap variations are limited to <0.01 meV K−1 in a temperature range of 286–339 K for unpolarized emissions, and <0.02 meV K−1 in a temperature range of 288–313 K for transverse-electric polarized emissions. The mechanism of heat-stable band-gap formation in this hybrid quantum system is analyzed in detail. This achievement is of a great significance in some advanced fields, such as atomic clocks in quantum sensing systems and optical communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) with excellent properties have broad prospects in electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA). In this paper, a unidirectional freeze-casting method was utilized to design a double-layer MXene absorber with orthogonal microstructures. The perpendicular and parallel samples (associated with the unidirectional freeze-casting direction), perform their respective roles in the designed double-layer absorber. The perpendicular sample with various attenuation techniques is employed as an electromagnetic wave attenuation layer, while the parallel sample with good impedance matching conditions is utilized as an impedance matching layer. Consequently, the entire absorber exhibits favorable EMA characteristics. Upon incidence of electromagnetic waves onto the parallel terminus, it is observed that the sample measuring 4.6 mm in thickness exhibits a minimal reflection loss (RLmin) of −60.8 dB at a frequency of 6.63 GHz, with a parallel end thickness accounting for 25%. In addition, the sample with a thickness of 2.6 mm displays a noteworthy maximal effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) amounting to 9.4 GHz, given a parallel end thickness of 20%. A thorough analysis of the impedance matching conditions and electromagnetic wave attenuation mechanisms of each sample reveals that the double-layer MXene absorbers with orthogonal microstructures can significantly increase the viability of MXenes in EMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites are extensively utilized in photoluminescence and photoelectric detection, owing to their modifiable band gap, elevated quantum yield, high absorption coefficient, superior charge transport properties, versatile chemical synthesis, and cost-effective manufacturing. Among the perovskite variants, bismuth–halide perovskites have emerged as a promising lead–halide alternative, garnering increasing interest for crafting non-toxic perovskites in optoelectronic applications. Nonetheless, the rapid and straightforward production of high-quality single crystals remains a challenge. This paper introduces an enhanced antisolvent crystallization method for fabricating high-quality Cs3Bi2Br9 single crystals measuring 3 × 3 mm. These crystals exhibit a remarkably low half-peak width of the X-ray diffraction swing curve at just 0.048°, maintaining stability without phase decomposition for 180 days at room temperature under air exposure. The photodetector constructed involves an aluminum electrode deposited onto the crystal surface. Utilizing 375 nm ultraviolet light as the excitation source, the device demonstrates a swift electrical response (sensitivity: 8.41 × 102), achieving the rise and decay times of the Cs3Bi2Br9 single crystal detector of 96 and 80 milliseconds, respectively. This research holds significant promise for advancing perovskite crystal preparation and photodetection techniques, particularly in the realm of bismuth-based perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent vapor-driven soft actuators are promising devices for human-environment interaction and have gained considerable attention in recent years. To enhance the interaction with the solvents and deliver a fast response and superior sensitivity, polymer/MOF composites are promising candidates for the fabrication of solvent-driven actuators. This paper presents a multiple-solvent-driven intelligent MOF-polymer soft actuator, namely MIL-88B/PVDF asymmetric film, and compares it to analogs based on other MIL-88(Fe) series flexible MOFs. This comparison investigates the deformation-structure relationship and the solvent-driven mechanism. The deformation of the MIL-88(Fe)/PVDF composite films in response to various organic solvents has been studied, and the structure and composition of the MOF fillers and the composites were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. Furthermore, the MIL-88B/PVDF composite, which shows ability to respond to multiple solvents and a fast deformation response to several organic solvents through the solvent swelling/adsorption of the MOF skeleton and the appropriate flexibility and group affinity from the terephthalic acid ligand, was used to fabricate an inverted opal gradient actuator composed of MIL-88B, carbon black (CB) and PVDF, namely MIL-88B/CB/PVDF. The MIL-88B/CB/PVDF film not only realizes excellent dual-responsive deformation and discoloration to methanol vapor with fast visible deformation within 1 s with a maximum crimp angle of up to 5581 (10 vol% concentration) and a wide color change range covering six viewing-angledependent high-saturation colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple) but also shows an approximate linear relationship between the maximum curl angle and the solvent concentration for three solvents (methanol, toluene and chloroform). In addition, several smart devices have also been fabricated, including methanol-driven bionic petals, a worm robot, an alertor and a LIG sensor. Therefore, such polymer/MOF soft actuators have great potential in bio-robots and this work provides a new design strategy for smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, spiropyran (SP)-like photoactive molecules were embedded in situ into cavities of lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), resulting in individually aligned molecules to generate dynamically photo-responsive materials (Ln-MOFs@SP). To realize the practical application of Ln-MOFs@SP, we developed a series of light-responsive smart materials, including a nanopaper (Ln-nanopaper@SP) and inks (Tb-PU-ink@SP and Tb-PEG-ink@SP). The ultrasensitive light-coloring effect of nanopapers allowed erasing under ultraviolet and white light, suggesting the potential use of these nanopapers for information storage. Based on the written and printable characteristics of ink, multi-channel, cross-disciplinary information encryption and decryption of invisible two-dimensional (2D) codes, fluorescent 2D codes, and fluorescent 3D codes were achieved by building multicolour modular 2D codes. In addition, the Tb-PU-ink@SP ink was printed on various complex surfaces, expanding the potential applications of this ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, for the newly proposed two-dimensional (2D) Janus MoAZ3H (A = Si, or Ge; Z = N, P, or As) monolayer (ML) materials, we theoretically explore the valleytronic and piezoelectric properties using first-principles calculations. The calculated results show that Janus MoAZ3H MLs have obvious valleytronic properties due to the broken inversion symmetry and strong spin–orbit coupling (SOC) effects, and the spin-valley coupling of MoAZ3H MLs can be enhanced from 173 to 283 meV by changing the A or Z element, comparable to the corresponding MoA2Z4 MLs. The non-zero Berry curvatures with opposite signs at the K and K′ points can induce the valley Hall effect. Furthermore, Janus MoAZ3H MLs exhibit obvious in-plane and out-of-plane piezoelectric responses, and their independent d11 and d31 piezoelectric coefficients range from 1.62 to 8.60 pm V−1 and from 0.058 to 0.325 pm V−1, respectively. This piezoelectricity is much stronger than those of the corresponding MoA2Z4 and MoSiGeN4 MLs, attributed to the unique Janus structure of the MoAZ3H MLs. More importantly, strain can tailor both the spin-valley coupling and piezoelectricity of the MoAZ3H MLs. Our findings not only enrich the excellent properties of the MoAZ3H MLs, but also indicate a direction for their application in valleytronics and energy conversion devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been much interest in inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) because of their extensive tunability over the visible range, high quantum yield (QY), and photoluminescence (PL). Inorganic perovskite was considered to be the photoactive material for photovoltaic cells because of its excellent photoelectric qualities. The next generation of high-performance solar cells was thought to benefit most from all-inorganic perovskite due to its long electron–hole diffusion length, high carrier mobility, and broad absorption spectrum. In this paper, femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing technology was used to accomplish spatially selective crystallization of CsPbBrxCl3−x (x = 0–3) NCs in precursor glass. By modifying the laser parameters, the size of the precipitated NCs could be regulated, and the photoluminescence of the NCs could be adjusted from blue to green. The optical properties and morphology of the NCs were analyzed by PL spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on fs laser-induced local crystallization, a linear array-based solar concentrator was processed in CsPbBrxCl3−x (x = 0–3) precursor glass and showed higher photoelectric conversion efficiency than that with the bulk glass sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-driven rotary actuators have undergone tremendous progress in recent years and show great potential for different applications ranging from sensors, soft robots to micro–nano intelligent systems. However, most photoactuators with rotary motions have a low rotational speed due to their low responsive speed and small driving force, which hinder both their fundamental and practical research. In this paper, we report a fast rotation of a soft actuator in response to light, which harnesses the synergistic interactions between two binary responsive components, i.e. water responsive agar and photothermally responsive polypyrrole, leading to a structural protrusion at the irradiation center that provides a jet-propulsion when the gas expands to the edge of the film. Interestingly, the motion behavior of the photoactuator film could be well controlled from the in-place rotation to horizontal motion as a result of the fast rotation with a speed as high as 5200 rpm. The current study indicates a fast rotation could be realized by the simple design and fabrication, which may not only stimulate the exploration of new motion behaviors for photothermal actuators but also open up new opportunities for their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry C. It includes a range of articles on topics such as nanoscale memristor devices, optimizing the performance of phase-change azobenzene, and industrial vat orange dyes for organic field effect transistors. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences and is dedicated to sustainable chemistry and new solutions. The document also includes information about the Royal Society of Chemistry and its charitable work. [Extracted from the article]

Organic field effect transistors (OFETs) have been an innovate field of research in many ways, starting from the synthesis of organic molecular and polymeric semiconductors, to exploring various device architectures for diverse fabrication methods and finally to establishing practical applications such as bio-electronic sensors, ion pumps, bio-integrated circuits, etc. These achievements have been possible because of the special properties of organic semiconductors, one of them being the easy, versatile, low energy device fabrication, due to inherently lower processing temperatures of organic materials compared to their inorganic counterparts. In this paper, we introduce a group of industrial vat orange dyes in OFETs, i.e. vat orange 1, vat orange 3 and vat orange 9, and investigate their processability and material properties via cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, film forming characteristics by atomic force microscopy, and finally look into their charge transport in fabricated organic field effect transistors. These materials that have natural quinone moieties are highly appealing for future investigations in organic electronics applications including field effect transistors, solar cells and electrochemical energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state small-molecule fluorescent photoswitches are characterised by their unique luminescence properties in solid form, making them highly suitable for practical applications involving surfaces and interfaces. However, a common challenge is that most such photoswitches with thiophene units exhibit subdued fluorescence due to the heavy atom effect of sulfur. To overcome this, we present a molecular design strategy that significantly enhances the solid-state fluorescence efficiency of these photoswitches. Our approach involves the substitution of thiophene units with thiophene dioxide, thereby mitigating the heavy atom effect. We have synthesized four tetraphenylethene-based molecules containing thiophene units to demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy. Comparative analysis of their photochromic and fluorescence switching performances revealed that those containing thiophene dioxide units outperformed others in terms of photochromic properties and solid-state luminescence efficiency. Theoretical analysis suggests that this enhancement is due to the minimal involvement of the sulfur atom in the S0 to S1 transition in the photoswitchable molecule containing a thiophene dioxide unit, making its fluorescence properties largely unaffected by the heavy atom effect of sulfur. Furthermore, we found that the incorporation of 2,5-dimethylthiophene units improved the anti-fatigue performance, probably because the methyl groups hinder the oxidative dehydrogenation side reactions in the closed-ring isomer. The addition of a 2,5-dimethylthiophene dioxide unit not only improved the photochromic and fluorescence emission efficiency, but also significantly improved the anti-fatigue performance. As a result, these photoswitchable molecules exhibit outstanding dual-mode photoswitching capabilities and sustainable recyclability, positioning them as excellent photosensitive materials for photoprinting of digital, textual and patterned content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon microspheres have been widely applied in the microwave absorption (MA) field, but consecutively regulating the microstructure still remains a great challenge. In this paper, we developed a facile templated method to fabricate unique core–shell carbon@mesoporous carbon microspheres with an adjustable core and shell. By tuning the nucleation time of the carbon core, the morphology configuration can evolve from a hollow to a core–shell structure. As the nucleation time increases, the size of core carbon is gradually improved with a simultaneous reduction in the thickness of the mesoporous shell. It is confirmed that the morphology evolution of core–shell microspheres greatly affects the complex permittivity and MA performance. When the nucleation time is set as 8 h, microspheres with a moderate carbon core and mesoporous shell present efficient MA properties with a strong reflection loss intensity of −46.9 dB and wide absorption bandwidth of 7.28 GHz at a thickness of 2.4 mm. The relationship between the microstructure evolution and complex permittivity and the microwave dissipation mechanism are also investigated. This work may shed light on the microstructure regulation to optimize the dielectric ability and MA properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater flexible sensors are important for the exploration of and detection in underwater environments. In this paper, graphene and lignin-based polyurethane conductive foam (Gr-LPUF) composites were prepared by a one-step foaming process, the conductivity was improved by polymerizing a coating of polypyrrole (PPy) onto the porous foam surfaces, and then superhydrophobicity was achieved after dip-coating the porous material inside a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) solution in order to prepare a superhydrophobic, high sensitive, stable, environmentally friendly, and flexible underwater sensor material. This superhydrophobic, conductive foam sensor (SCFS) has a rapid response time (100 ms), excellent pressure sensitivity, and excellent reproducibility and reliability for over 2000 cycles. This SCFS can be used not only as a wearable underwater sensor to detect human movement but also to accurately detect tiny water wave vibrations; such as falling water droplets, the movements of fish in the water, etc. This work will present an approach to manufacturing environmentally friendly, flexible underwater sensors for innovative, and widespread applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, lung cancer is a severe health burden worldwide and the major challenge faced in this disease is that more than half of the patients are diagnosed in later stages. The measurement of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) levels, an important biomarker, could serve as a useful indicator for the early diagnosis of this disease. In this work, 1D coordination polymer Cd-CP2 was obtained and explored as a luminescence probe for detecting the urinary biomarker uric acid (UA) via a quenching effect. The presence of free carboxylic groups in the coordination polymer leads to the formation of Eu3+/Tb3+-functionalized samples, named Eu3+@Cd-CP2 and Tb3+@Cd-CP2, via post-synthesis modification (PSM). Both of these samples were able to sense NANA via a ratiometric effect with the enhancement of ligand-centered peaks and quenching of rare earth peaks. The luminescence probe has several appealing merits, including a high selectivity, excellent sensitivity, low detection limit (0.89 μM for Eu3+@Cd-CP2 and 0.19 μM for Tb3+@Cd-CP2), and fast response time (less than 2 min). Furthermore, these fluorescent materials were explored as logic gates and test papers for potential application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous studies, it is imperative to establish a homogeneous refractive index (RI) surrounding environment to acquire a surface lattice resonance (SLR) characteristic peak for a plasmonic array. However, this requirement will limit the practical applicability of the SLR. This study successfully achieved the fabrication of cost-efficient, size-adjustable, and structure-transferable two-dimensional (2D) ordered gold (Au) near-spherical nanoparticle (NP) arrays with large NP size (>100 nm) through utilizing a colloidal crystal template and annealing process. In this method, the NP diameter can be adjusted by varying the thickness of the deposited Au film. Importantly, the fabricated 2D Au NP arrays with larger NP size supported an obvious and sharp SLR peak by exciting with normal incident light in an asymmetric air environment. These results indicated that if the arrays were well arranged and the NP size was large enough, index-matching was not necessary for the formation of far-field electromagnetic coupling of the plasmonic NPs. Furthermore, theoretical calculation demonstrated that the significant SLR signal in air environment was relevant to the NP size. Due to the obvious SLR peak in air, the 2D Au NP arrays were applied as a sensor to detect hemoglobin (Hb). It was found that the SLR peak was more sensitive than the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak, and its offset was obviously observed when the Hb concentration was as low as 10 μM. Moreover, the Au NP arrays also displayed good uniformity and stability. Besides rigid nanophotonic sensor, the prepared 2D Au NP arrays on a quartz substrate can be transferred to a flexible substrate to form a flexible free-standing optical sensor, providing a real-time tunable SLR mode. With the decrease of water content, the SLR peak continuously blue-shifted from 1058 nm to 605 nm, displaying high sensitivity. This paper not only provides a cost-effective and controllable approach to fabricate next-generation rigid and flexible nanophotonic devices, but also paves the way for practical application of SLR in sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized light (CPL) detection, as an emerging technology, holds significant potential for various applications including quantum communication, stereo optics, and drug synthesis. Notably, the unique response of chiral materials to CPL enables direct detection without relying on complex optical instrument systems. However, a major challenge lies in the intricate synthesis processes of most chiral materials, coupled with their limited ability to discriminate CPL. In our research, we present an alternative approach by employing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as chiral materials. CNCs are natural and environmentally friendly materials, unlike complex synthetic organic chiral materials or chiral perovskites. Our findings demonstrate that the CNC film, synthesized through evaporation-induced self-assembly of CNC suspension, exhibits selective transmission of right-handed CPL. Moreover, we developed a high-performance CPL detector based on a CNC-ZnO nanowire array. The detector exhibits exceptional characteristics, including a photosensitivity of 3.68, a responsivity of 0.58 A W−1, a specific detection rate of 1.29 × 1012 Jones and an external quantum efficiency of 69.42%. It also demonstrates a rapid response speed (1.53 s) and a high asymmetry factor of 0.36, surpassing the majority of similar studies in the field. Based on the above performance, we propose an optical communication method based on ASCII coding, which shows great potential for optical communication applications. Furthermore, our detector demonstrates effective detection capabilities for other phases of elliptically polarized light. We also propose a simple and efficient multi-layer structure employing a bottom–up manufacturing method with a high success rate and straightforward processes. The design concept put forward in this paper holds significant value for the integration, high performance, and environmental sustainability of CPL detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how the electronic conductivity of metal oxides used as electrode materials in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) evolves as a function of the degree of lithiation/delithiation is relevant to try to prolong the battery lifetime, which affects, among others, the sustainability of LIBs. We propose the use of ion-gated transistors (IGTs) employed as transistor channel material films of Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) and TiO2 interfaced to the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][TFSI]) including the salt LiTFSI, to study the evolution of the doping mechanism, charge carrier density and mobility with the advancement of lithiation/delithiation in the films. The process of lithiation/delithiation is controlled by the electrical bias applied at the gate electrode, made of carbon paper coated with high surface area activated carbon. The sweeping rate of the gate bias affects the kinetics of Li intercalation/deintercalation and, consequently, the electronic doping of the transistor channel. We discuss how different doping mechanisms, namely electrostatic, "purely" electrochemical, or electrochemical possibly associated with structural changes in the transistor channel are possible for the metal oxide films. We consider such a discussion relevant to contribute to the optimal use of the electrode materials in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a single O and S functionalized Zr2N model for surface levelling and at the same time a series of bifunctional models with different functional group ratios and distributions. The influence of these functional groups on the electrochemical and lithium storage properties of Zr2N materials has been systematically investigated in terms of lithium atom adsorption, migration and lithium storage capacity. Among them, the theoretical lithium storage capacities of Zr2NO2 and Zr2NS2 with a low migration barrier are more than 755.02 and 678.30 mA h g−1, respectively. The results show that the O and S-functionalized Zr2N materials are all metallic and capable of adsorbing a certain number of lithium atoms. By controlling the ratio and distribution of the O and S functional groups, the adsorption position and adsorption energy of the lithium atoms can be influenced to a certain extent. Especially, the aim of improving the lithium storage performance of the material can be achieved in this way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimension (2D) material-based photodetectors usually indicate excellent properties such as ultrafast and broadband response, but the atomic thickness of 2D materials usually leads to low absorption coefficient. Pure 2D material-based photodetectors also suffer from serious drawbacks such as short carrier lifetime, low optical absorption coefficient, and weak built-in field. Organic materials present excellent properties such as flexibility, high absorption coefficient, low cost and large area, which are very suitable for enhancing the detector performance of 2D materials. In this paper, the development of 2D material photodetectors by combining 2D materials with organic thin films since their proposal to date is reviewed. The 2D/organic photodetectors are classified into three categories (graphene-based, MoS2-based and others), and their development history and research status are comprehensively summarized and reviewed. Organic thin films are categorized into small molecule organic thin films, organic polymer thin films, complex organic thin films, and bilayer organic thin films, and the device performance of each type of material and the mechanism behind the high performance are discussed in detail. Finally, the future development of 2D/organic photodetectors is envisaged. The aim of this paper is to provide new research ideas and directions for 2D/organic heterojunction photodetectors with ultra-high performance and promote the application of these combined photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the theoretical investigation and experimental realization of a new spin-gapless semiconductor (SGSs) compound CoFeMnSn belonging to the family of quaternary Heusler alloys. Through the use of several ground-state energy calculations, the most stable structure has been identified. Calculations of the spin-polarized band structure in the optimized structure's reveals the SGS nature of the compound. The compound form in an ordered crystal structure and exhibit a high ferromagnetic transition temperature (TC = 560 K), making the material excellent for room temperature applications. Adherence of saturation magnetization to the Slater–Pauling rule, together with the nearly temperature-independent resistivity, conductivity, and carrier concentration of the compound in the temperature regime 5–300 K along with the low value of anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) further confirms the SGS nature. Theoretical calculations also reveal the robustness of the SGS state due to lattice contraction and one can obtain a high value of intrinsic AHC using hole doping. Combined SGS and topological properties of the compound make CoFeMnSn suitable for spintronics and magneto-electronics devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoidal compounds own unique properties that make them a promising platform for optoelectronic applications. This has resulted in the development of a plethora of small and one-dimensional (1D) polymers. Surprisingly, there are currently no two-dimensional (2D) analogues available. In this paper, we report the synthesis of a 2D quinoidal-conjugated microporous polymer (Q1) derived from p-azaquinodimethane via Knoevenagel condensation of N,N-diacetyl-piperazine-2,5-dione and tris(4-formylphenyl)amine followed by O-alkylation. The presence of quinoidal p-azaquinodimethane in Q1 improves the π-delocalization within the framework, resulting in a deep red colour, low energy absorption (red edge ∼650 nm) and a bandgap of 1.9 eV. The polymer also enables halochromism to tune the optical bandgap to 1 eV. The p-doped (using iodine vapours) polymer (Q1+˙) exhibits high electrical conductivity up to 0.08 s m−1. Most critically, Q1+˙ maintains its stability for six days (and beyond) and exhibits stable electrical conductivity, overcoming the low intrinsic stability of such doped materials. This is due to the formation of stable delocalized mixed-valence species assisted by pyrazine formation. This report will spur the development of more quinoidal CMPs and pave the way for overcoming the inherent limitation of poor intra-sheet electron delocalization in 2D polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single photon sources (SPSs) are key components in various developing applications, such as quantum cryptography, optical quantum computation, and quantum sensing. Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as an attractive material for SPSs due to their solution-based processing, narrow and tunable photoluminescence (PL) wavelength, high quantum yield (QY), and integration with different substrates. In this paper, we will review the current state of research on using CQDs for SPSs, including the various methods for improving the optical properties of CQDs, the diverse types of CQDs that have been used as SPSs, and the nanophotonic approaches used to improve the single photon properties of CQDs. Additionally, we will discuss the challenges and future directions for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistimuli-responsive materials are highly desirable due to their convenient controllability and potential applications in smart window, sensor and bionic manufacturing. Herein, we designed and synthesized a guest molecule 1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride (FOV·Cl2), whose ketone–enol tautomerism (FOV2+ ↔ FHV+) in aqueous solution is governed by pH values. The solid-state inclusion complex formed β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and FOV2+ (in the ketone form) demonstrated multiple chromic behaviors under the external stimuli of light, heat and vapors of ammonia and some organic amines, which were characterized by UV-vis and ESR spectroscopy. For comparison, the chromic behavior of the solid-state inclusion complex of β-CD with FHV+ (in the enol form) was also investigated. In addition, we found that the fluorescence emission of the inclusion complex FOV2+@β-CD can be reversibly modulated by the photochromic process. The chromic and fluorescent properties of the FOV2+@β-CD endow it with practical utility in inkless printing, ammonia sensing and multiple anti-counterfeiting. This work focused on demonstrating the multistimuli-responsive chromic behaviors of the inclusion complexes and exploring their promising applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-molecule photoswitches can be transformed into dual-mode solid-state photoswitches that can be suitable for surface/interface-involved applications by rational structural modification of conventional photochromic molecules. Current solid-state photoswitches are either prone to photochemical side reactions that make them poor in fatigue resistance or it is difficult for them to achieve multicolor photochromism and fluorescence switching. Herein, we first designed and synthesized three AIE-active tetraarylethene-based photoswitches containing two photoactive thiophene units, and by comparing their anti-fatigue and photoswitching properties, we found that the tetraarylethene containing one 2,5-dimethylthiophene photoactive unit has comparable fatigue resistance and photoswitching performance to those containing two photoactive 2,5-dimethylthiophene units, and both of them are much better than that containing two photoactive thiophene units without methyl groups in terms of their fatigue resistance. This design strategy of asymmetric tetraarylethene photoswitches not only solves the problem of poor fatigue resistance of previous tetraarylethenes, but also provides a convenient and feasible route to realize multicolor photoswitches by changing the conjugated structure of the photoactive units. Based on this strategy, we further designed and synthesized three more tetraarylethene-based photoswitches with different conjugated structures. These three photoswitches can realize multiwavelength-controlled multicolor photochromism in solution, and they also have fluorescence switching properties in thin films. These properties allow them to be used in recyclable multiwavelength-controlled colorful photoprinting. This study not only provides the design strategy of asymmetric diarylethene-based photoswitches, but also allows the convenient realization of multiwavelength-controlled multicolor photoswitches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, bismuth-based semiconductors have become a research hotspot in the new semiconductor field due to their unique optical and electronic properties. In addition, due to the simple fabrication process and controllable shape and size of these materials, they are widely used in the fields of optoelectronic devices, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, biomedicine, etc. However, the current review papers on bismuth-based semiconductors mainly focus on the field of photocatalysis, while the applications of other fields are rarely reported, and the comprehensive summary of optical and electronic properties and applications of bismuth-based semiconductors are also lacking. Therefore, in this review, a variety of typical bismuth-based semiconductor materials are introduced in detail, including their lattice structures, optical and electronic properties and modification studies. In addition, the relationship between the bulk composition and photoelectric properties is analyzed, which will promote the future research on how to systematically control the photoelectric properties of bismuth-based materials. Secondly, the preparation methods of different bismuth-based semiconductor materials and applications in the field of optoelectronics are evaluated. Finally, the challenges faced by bismuth-based semiconductor materials in academic studies and industrial applications are pointed out, and the future work is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with two dimensions (2D) exhibit remarkable electronic and optoelectronic properties that have made them a highly promising platform for the development of photodetectors (PDs). Highly efficient PDs can be made possible by the remarkable properties of 2D materials, including their large charge carrier mobility, high transparency, and tunable electronic structure. The photodetection mechanism in 2D TMD-based PDs is covered in detail in this article, with an emphasis on the important characteristics that set them apart from PDs based on other integrated materials. A variety of 2D TMD-based PD configurations are examined in this review, such as TMD–quantum dot (QD) configurations, TMD–graphene (Gr) hybrids, TMD–MXene composites, TMD–perovskite heterostructures, and single TMDs. The special qualities and benefits of each configuration are examined in great detail. This paper highlights the remarkable performance capabilities of 2D TMD-based PDs and provides a thorough review of recent developments in this field. Using state-of-the-art techniques, these include an ultrafast photo response, ultrabroad detectivity, and ultrahigh photoresponsivity. The article concludes by discussing the current issues facing the field of PDs and outlining the prospects for ground-breaking discoveries in this quickly developing field of study. The outlook highlights the potential for 2D TMD-based PDs going forward and offers promising avenues for additional development and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous photonic crystals (APCs) can display noniridescent structural colors because of their short-range ordered arrangement of monodisperse nanospheres. However, the APCs suffer from low color saturation and poor mechanical stability, which restricts their widespread applications. In this work, monodisperse brown polysulfide (PSF) nanospheres with tunable sizes were used as building blocks and cross-linkable polyacrylate (CLPA) nanoparticles were employed as nanoadhesives for the construction of vivid amorphous photonic crystal (APC) patterns with high mechanical stability. Due to the high refractive index (RI) and light-absorbing characteristics of PSF building blocks, the multiple incoherent light scattering inside APCs was greatly suppressed, resulting in noniridescent structural colors with high color saturation. Besides, the embedding of CLPA nanoparticles within the interspaces of PSF building blocks facilitated tight bonding between neighboring PSF particles or particles and substrates, effectively enhancing the mechanical stability of the APCs. The effects of PSF nanosphere size or CLPA nanoparticle content were investigated in detail in order to achieve the best structural color quality or mechanical stability of APCs, and the optimized APC samples displayed vivid colorful colors and rendered excellent resistance towards mechanical scratches. We believe that the infiltration-assisted (IFAST) colloidal assembly of brown high-RI particles together with nanoadhesives opens an avenue towards rational design and scalable manufacturing of full-spectrum APC patterns with high color quality for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]