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We investigate the photophysical properties of organic donor–acceptor dyad and triad molecular systems based on triphenylene and perylene diimide units linked by a non-conjugated flexible bridge in solution using complementary optical spectroscopy techniques. When these molecules are diluted in dichloromethane solution, energy transfer from the triphenylene to the perylene diimide excited moieties is evidenced by time-resolved fluorescence measurements resulting in a quenching of the emission from the triphenylene moieties. Simultaneously, another quenching process that affects the emission from both donor and acceptor units is observed. Solution ultrafast transient absorption measurements provide evidence of photo-induced charge transfer from either the donor or the acceptor depending upon the excitation. Overall, the analysis of the detailed time-resolved spectroscopic measurements carried out in the dyad and triad systems as well as in the triphenylene and perylene diimide units alone provides useful information both to better understand the relations between energy and charge transfer processes with molecular structures, and for the design of future functional dyad and triad architectures based on donor and acceptor moieties for organic optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to safe water is one of the most effective tools to reduce disease transmission. A BODIPY and N-halamine-decorated covalent organic framework has been constructed, which exhibited highly efficient PDT/chem synergistic bactericidal activity under visible light or natural sunlight irradiation. In addition, a BCOF-Cl@chitosan aerogel was fabricated and used as a model for a continuous flow-through purifier to realize scaled-up natural sunlight-mediated efficient disinfection of E. coli-contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have constructed a series of model metal phthalocyanines (MPc) for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), constructed a volcano relationship through density functional theory (DFT) and experiments, and obtained cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) at the apex. The volcano diagram is conducive to the screening of catalysts and has a guiding role in the design of catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the global photovoltaic (PV) market is dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell technology, and silicon heterojunction solar (SHJ) cells have been developed rapidly after the concept was proposed, which is one of the most promising technologies for the next generation of passivating contact solar cells, using a c-Si substrate and two hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films. SHJ solar cells not only have the advantages of high conversion efficiency and high open-circuit voltage, but also have a low temperature coefficient and free from potential induced degradation. For SHJ solar cells, the passivation contact effect of the c-Si interface is the core of the entire cell manufacturing process. To approach the single-junction Shockley–Queisser limit, it is necessary to passivate monocrystalline silicon well to reduce the efficiency loss caused by recombination. Recently, the successful development of silicon heterojunction technology has significantly increased the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of crystalline silicon solar cells to 27.30%. This review firstly summarizes the development history and current situation of high efficiency c-Si heterojunction solar cells, and the main physical mechanisms affecting the performance of SHJ are analyzed. Subsequently, an overview is provided on the selection and application of passivation contact layer materials, with particular emphasis on distinguishing between various types of passivation materials and their respective roles in facilitating selective carrier transportation. Then, other components of SHJ solar cells are reviewed, including the selection and application of transparent conductive electrode materials that can reduce or replace indium element use. The application of copper plating technology and laser transfer printing (LTP) technology in the industrial development of SHJ solar cell technology is discussed. Finally, the development status of SHJ-based tandem solar cells is discussed, and also the prospects, challenges, as well as potential solutions for industrial development of SHJ solar cells are outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability to control perpendicular magnetization switching without the need for an external magnetic field is essential in the development of ultralow-power spintronic devices. This study explores the nuanced control of magnetization free switching in Co/Pt/Co based multilayers, employing the interlayer Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) and spin–orbit torque. When a current pulse is applied orthogonal to the interlayer DMI's polarity, the system behaves as a random final magnetization orientation that depends on the initial state and the pulse width. However, when the current pulse is aligned with the interlayer DMI's polarity, it ensures a uniformly predictable final magnetization state, unaffected by whether the multilayer structure exhibits ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic coupling. The resolution of the final magnetization state is notably dictated by both the pulse width and damping factor of the Co layer, presenting avenues for device optimization. These findings offer valuable insights into the mechanisms behind field-free deterministic magnetization switching driven by interlayer DMI, suggesting promising pathways for the design of sophisticated magnetic storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The osteo-bioactive potential of biomaterials can be modulated by altering material properties such as chemical composition, surface topography, and geometry. The correlation between the physicochemical properties of biomaterials and their osteo-bioactivity is highly complex. As a material widely used in bone repair, the structure–activity/dose-effect relationship between titanium (Ti) surface features and osteo-bioactivity remains unclear. To quantitatively enhance the osteogenic activity of Ti, we employed femtosecond laser (FSL) technology to create Ti surfaces with gradient changes in bioactive (nucleation) sites. Based on the apatite deposition ability on the etched surfaces, the quantitative relationship between the osteo-bioactivity of Ti surfaces and their characteristic parameters was systematically explored. Concurrently, classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were utilized to investigate the aggregation behavior of calcium and phosphate ions on the Ti surfaces with different sites. The findings from mineralization experiments revealed that the type and density of bioactive sites could influence the deposition of apatite. It was further identified that TiO2 and Ti–OH are the crucial bioactive sites, with basic Ti–OH exhibiting superior efficacy as a bioactive site compared to its acidic counterpart. Moreover, the bioactive (nucleation) site densities should be maintained at a minimum of 2.33 ± 0.55 nm−2 for TiO2 and 2.50 ± 0.59 nm−2 for –OH, ensuring satisfactory osteo-bioactivity on the Ti surface. The results provide the atomic/molecular features of Ti surfaces that effectively foster apatite deposition and bioactivity, promoting the rapid progression of titanium-based bone repair materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful large-scale fabrication of perovskite solar modules at the square meter level represents a significant milestone in the industrialization process of perovskite photovoltaic technology. In the fabrication of perovskite solar modules, cost-effective solution-based methods are commonly employed for the preparation of the perovskite layer due to their ability to ensure film uniformity with a thickness of approximately 500 nm. However, achieving uniformly coated charge transport layers (CTLs) at square meter levels using solution methods remains a formidable challenge due to the ultrathin nature of the CTLs, which is a few tens of nanometers thick. The fulfillment of this requirement necessitates the exclusive utilization of vacuum deposition technology for CTL preparation. This review focuses on vacuum deposition methods, including magnetron sputtering, atomic layer deposition, electron-beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, chemical vapor deposition and pulsed laser deposition for the fabrication of CTLs in perovskite solar cells and modules. We highlight the advantages and drawbacks of various deposition techniques, while summarizing the CTLs that can be deposited via each method, encompassing thin film characteristics and optimization strategies. Finally, we conclude with some perspectives and challenges for future research on vacuum methods for CTLs in perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great deal of attention has been paid to vanadium-based materials as promising cathode candidates for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their excellent theoretical capacity. However, the strong interactions among Zn2+, H2O and vanadium-based cathodes easily trigger the irreversible dissolution and structure collapse of vanadium, especially at low current density. To address these problems, defect engineering of sulfur doping (point defect) and heterojunction formation (interface defect) is reported herein for designing a robust S-VO2/V6O13 (SVO) cathode via a one-step sulfurization. SVO could not only restrict the formation of inactive by-products originating from irreversible dissolution, but also boost the reaction reversibility and kinetics of Zn2+ and H+, simultaneously solving the major questions of capacity degradation. As a result, a series of spectroscopic and theoretical studies verified that SVO-2 possesses a stable crystal structure and manifests excellent Zn2+ and H+ storage performance at both low and high current densities. Specifically, a high capacity retention rate of 85.8% can be achieved with a specific capacity of 416 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. Even at 10 A g−1, the specific capacity reaches 252 mA h g−1 after 3000 cycles. This work highlights a practical strategy for designing long-term electrodes with great reliability for aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes of general formula [Re(CO)3(L1/L2)] (1/2) were fabricated and thoroughly characterized by diverse spectroscopic techniques. The crystal structures of the complexes were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which disclosed distorted octahedral geometry around the central metal. A theoretical calculations by DFT and TDDFT were carried out to support experimental observations. The DNA-binding ability of complexes with calf thymus DNA was investigated by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Viscosity studies suggested an intercalative mode of binding of the complexes with CT-DNA. BSA protein-binding studies revealed quenching of tryptophan and tyrosine residues in the presence of complexes, and the quenching mechanism was shown to be static. Changes in the microenvironmental and structural properties of BSA were scrutinised by circular dichroism, synchronous and 3D fluorescence studies. The in vitro toxicity of the complexes against a human-breast epithelial adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and human-breast epithelial cell line (used as normal cell line; MCF-10A) was explored using the MTT assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of scalable fabrication of anodes through ball milling, ensuring high electrochemical performance and robust cycling stability of anodes for sodium-ion batteries is paramount, but it presents a formidable hurdle. In pursuit of these goals, a distinctive hybrid composite distinguished by its intricate multiphase composition has been devised. This entails the integration of innovative NiSbS/NiSb/NiS nanomaterials onto exfoliated graphite nanosheets (Ni–Sb–S/GN) via a straightforward technique. Analyses indicate that the interplay between the graphite nanosheets and the hybrid Ni–Sb–S in conjunction with the discharge byproducts of Na2S substantially augment the stability and Na-ion diffusion kinetics of Ni–Sb–S/GN anodes. The novel Ni–Sb–S/GN exhibits markedly superior electrochemical performance in comparison to its Ni–Sb–S counterpart. Specifically, Ni–Sb–S/GN retains a reversible capacity of 238.7 mA h g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 300 cycles and 200 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles, corresponding to a high capacity retention rate of 83.8% compared to the 2nd cycle. This contribution presents a novel avenue for the exploitation of advanced multiphase anodes exhibiting superior capacity, rate capability, and cycling durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized a Cu–ZrCeO2 catalyst using spray pyrolysis, which exhibited high activity, stability, and reusability at high temperatures. The catalyst was applied to a high-temperature water–gas shift reaction under practical conditions using waste-derived synthesis gas. Various reducible supports, including CeO2, ZrO2, TiO2, ZrCeO2, and TiCeO2 were evaluated. Among these, the Cu–ZrCeO2 (SPCZC) catalyst exhibited the highest activity and stability, attributed to its abundant oxygen defects, high Cu dispersion, and significant oxygen storage capacity. The SPCZC catalyst achieved 76% CO conversion and 100% CO2 selectivity at 400 °C. It also maintained stable catalytic performance for 50 h, showing resistance to Cu sintering and preservation of the yolk–shell structure, indicating high reusability. A comprehensive deactivation study was conducted on the catalysts. Rapid Cu sintering was observed when CeO2 was used as the sole support, leading to the breakdown of the yolk–shell structure. Catalysts supported on ZrO2, TiO2, and TiCeO2 also experienced Cu sintering and carbon deposition, leading to deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have received increasing attention in large-scale energy storage systems because of their appealing features with respect to safety, cost, and scalability. Although vanadium oxides with different compositions demonstrate promising potential as cathodes for AZIBs, the narrow interlayer spacing, inferior electronic conductivity, and high dissolution in electrolyte seriously restrict their practical applications. Here we design an ingenious bimetallic-ion (Mg2+ and Al3+) co-intercalation strategy to boost the performance of AZIBs using V6O13·1.31H2O (VOH). The bimetallic-ion intercalation expands the interlayer spacing, increases electronic conductivity, and more importantly stabilizes the vanadium-oxygen bond in VOH, thus promoting ion/electron transport kinetics and restraining vanadium oxide dissolution. As expected, MgAl-VOH cathodes deliver ultrahigh specific capacities of 524.9 and 275.6 mA h g-1 at current densities of 0.1 and 5 A g-1, respectively, comparable to the highest value reported for vanadium oxides. The underlying zinc-ion storage mechanism is unambiguously clarified with the aid of density functional theory calculations and in situ structural characterization. This work opens up a new avenue for boosting the performance of AZIBs by designing bimetallic-ion co-intercalated cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional thermoelectric generators (TEGs) face scalability challenges due to high-temperature, long-duration curing processes and rare-earth/toxic chalcogenides such as bismuth telluride. Additive manufacturing has been investigated as a more time-, energy- and cost-efficient method that offers greater flexibility than traditional manufacturing techniques. Additionally, tetrahedrites are promising thermoelectric materials in high-temperature applications because they are non-toxic and earth-abundant. Herein, this work demonstrates the fabrication of scalable and sustainable Cu12Sb4S13 (CAS) based composite films and flexible TEG devices (f-TEGs) with 2D MXene nanosheets using a low-thermal budget additive manufacturing approach for room temperature applications. 2D MXene nanosheets introduced energy-barrier scattering and nanoscale features to effectively increase the room-temperature ZT to 0.22, 10% higher than bulk CAS, by decoupling electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity. CAS and 2D MXenes were found to be environmentally safe through a bacterial viability study. The process is used to create a 5-leg f-TEG device producing a power of 5.3 μW and a power density of 140 μW cm−2 at a ΔT of 25 K. Therefore, this work demonstrates that combining scalable and sustainable materials and methods is an effective strategy for high-performance room-temperature f-TEGs that could potentially harvest the low waste heat energy of the human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covering: 1962 to 2023 Drimane (hydro)quinones biosynthetically arise from the combination of drimane-type terpenoids with phenols or equivalents. Since the isolation of siccanin in 1962 (structure identified in 1967), over 200 natural drimane (hydro)quinones have been reported. They are widespread with remarkably diverse architectures and biological functions, which are achieved by varying either the drimane subunit, hydroquinone segment, or the fusion types of drimane and hydroquinone segment both of them. This type of natural products has drawn increasing attention in the discovery of novel pharmaceutical leads. Enormous efforts have been devoted to developing efficient and divergent synthesis approaches to facilitate the SAR study of drimane (hydro)quinones, aiming for more promising functional leads. This review is arranged mainly in terms of scaffold types of drimane (hydro)quinones and further categorized on the basis of biological functions. The mechanisms of action are also briefly discussed. Synthetic methods are categorized according to the strategies forging the Csp2–Csp3 linker between drimane segments and (hydro)quinone subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reversible protonic ceramic cells (R-PCCs) are increasingly recognized as highly effective energy conversion and storage devices at intermediate temperatures (400–600 °C) because of their remarkable ability to function reversibly in both fuel cell (FC) and electrolysis cell (EC) modes. To date, Sr and/or Co-based perovskite oxides have been intensively studied as promising air electrodes in R-PCCs. Nevertheless, these materials are impeded by the decline in power output under operating conditions caused by Sr segregation and the mismatch in the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) between the air electrodes and conventional electrolytes. Here, we propose an electrocatalytically active and thermomechanically durable Sr/Co-free PrNi0.5Fe0.5O3−δ (PNF) air electrode. The PNF air electrode is chemically compatible with the BaZr0.4Ce0.4Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ (BZCYYb4411) electrolyte and shows great chemical stability in H2O and CO2. The electrochemical properties of the PNF air electrode were evaluated by R-PCC single cells, which demonstrated a peak power density of 1.17 W cm−2 in FC mode and a current density of −1.78 A cm−2 at 1.3 V in EC mode at 600 °C. Furthermore, there was no observable decrease in stability after 200 h of electrolysis operation. By replacing Co with Fe in PrNi0.5Co0.5O3−δ (PNC), in particular, the suppressed mismatch in the TEC between the PNF and BZCYYb4411 results in enhanced thermal cycling stability by changing the temperature between 600 and 400 °C in EC mode. Overall, the findings strongly suggest that the PNF has the ability to provide reliable and long-term operation for sufficient hydrogen production and electricity generation in R-PCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered redox metabolism is one of the hallmarks of tumor cells, which not only contributes to tumor proliferation, metastasis, and immune evasion, but also has great relevance to therapeutic resistance. Therefore, regulation of redox metabolism of tumor cells has been proposed as an attractive therapeutic strategy to inhibit tumor growth and reverse therapeutic resistance. In this respect, nanomedicines have exhibited significant therapeutic advantages as intensively reported in recent studies. In this review, we would like to summarize the latest advances in nanomaterial-assisted strategies for redox metabolic regulation therapy, with a focus on the regulation of redox metabolism-related metabolite levels, enzyme activity, and signaling pathways. In the end, future expectations and challenges of such emerging strategies have been discussed, hoping to enlighten and promote their further development for meeting the various demands of advanced cancer therapies. It is highly expected that these therapeutic strategies based on redox metabolism regulation will play a more important role in the field of nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing a bifunctional catalyst with excellent water splitting properties in both alkaline electrolyte and seawater remains a challenge. Metal phosphates are widely reported oxygen evolution reaction (OER) materials. However, their poor conductivity and low electrochemical properties still need to be improved. Since there are almost no corresponding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) or OER applications of copper phosphate, here we have applied copper foam (CF) as a conductive substrate, as well as a copper source to synthesize self-supporting Cu3(PO4)2/CF. Meanwhile, we introduced Ru3+ into the synthetic environment of Cu3(PO4)2 to optimize its electrochemical performance. Luckily, Ru3+ was evenly doped into Cu3(PO4)2 and the obtained Ru–Cu3(PO4)2/CF showed excellent electrochemical performance in both alkaline electrolyte and seawater. Specifically, it displayed enhanced OER properties over pure Cu3(PO4)2/CF and showed Pt/C-like HER activity during electrocatalytic testing. Corresponding computational theory data confirmed that the introduced Ru improved the inherent electrochemical activity of Ru–Cu3(PO4)2/CF and thereby accelerated its electrocatalytic water splitting properties. Thus, this work not only provides an efficient bifunctional catalyst in both alkaline electrolyte and seawater, but will also lay experimental/theoretical foundations for other metal phosphates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the content of inherent capping ligands in perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs) is a crucial strategy for enhancing the performance and stability of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). However, the highly dynamic adsorption–desorption state of capping ligands and their detachment from the surface of PeNCs often result in degraded optical properties and the emergence of surface defects. In this study, we investigated the use of benzylphosphonic acid (BPA), an aromatic conductive molecule, for passivation to replace the native capping ligands of FAPbBr3 NCs. Comprehensive characterization results validate that the original long insulative ligands were partially substituted with short conductive phosphine oxide functional groups, effectively passivating the nonradiative defects of FAPbBr3 while enhancing electron injection into perovskite emitting layers. Moreover, this proposed ligand-exchange strategy significantly improved the photoluminescence quantum yield of FAPbBr3 NCs. Consequently, we achieved a high-performance PeLED with an external quantum efficiency of 12.9% at 4660 cd m−2 using BPA-passivated FAPbBr3 NCs. These findings underscore the potential of post-passivated PeNCs via aromatic acid in fabricating high-performance optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacing platinum-based electrocatalysts with iron single-atom catalysts (Fe–N4–C) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains challenging due to the symmetric electronic structure of atomically dispersed Fe–N4 sites and sluggish kinetics. To address this issue, we introduce Cu–Nx sites and graphene-encapsulated core–shell Fe–Cu nanoalloy (FeCu@G) particles into the Fe–Nx site surroundings through the self-assembly and pyrolysis of a metal–organic framework (MOF). This strategy leverages synergistic interactions with the associated species to modify the uniform electronic structure of Fe single-atom sites, thereby enhancing oxygen-adsorption/desorption kinetics. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the incorporation of Cu–Nx sites and FeCu@G nanoalloy particles significantly alters the electronic structure of Fe–Nx sites, leading to improved ORR activity. Consequently, the optimized FeCu-DSAs@CNT, comprising dual single-atom sites (DSAs: Fe–Nx and Cu–Nx) and FeCu@G nanoalloy within MOF-derived nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exhibits a significantly improved half-wave potential (E1/2 = 0.91 V) and feasible ORR kinetics (Tafel slope = 48.15 mV dec−1), surpassing the Pt/C benchmark (E1/2 = 0.847 V and Tafel slope = 56.76 mV dec−1). Notably, FeCu-DSAs@CNT shows a 58 mV more positive E1/2 compared to monometallic Fe–SAs@CNT, attributed to synergistic interactions with Cu species. Moreover, it demonstrates excellent power density, specific capacity, and cycling stability in a lab-made zinc–air battery, outpacing the Pt/C-battery. This study addresses gaps in understanding Fe–Nx site interactions with associated species, providing valuable insights for the advancement of Fe–Nx–C electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous flow magnetophoresis represents a common technique for actively separating particles within a fluid. For separation systems design, accurately predicting particle behaviour helps to characterise system performance, typically measured by the separation efficiency (SE). While finite element method (FEM) simulations offer high accuracy, they demand extensive computational resources. Alternatively, results can be achieved more quickly with simplified numerical models that use analytical descriptions of fluid flow, magnetic fields, and particle movement. In this research, we model a millifluidic system that separates magnetic particles using magnetophoresis. Therefore, we (1) develop a simple numerical model that can simulate continuous flow magnetophoresis for rectangular channels in two and three dimensions, (2) introduce a novel and simple approach to calculate the SE, and (3) quantify the effects of model assumptions in flow profile and dimensions on SE. Our method for estimating SE considers particle flux variation across the channel's cross-section due to the flow profile. The results are compared to an FEM model developed in COMSOL. The obtained three-dimensional simulation model computes results in seconds, around 180 times faster than the FEM approach, while deviating less than 2% from the FEM results. A comparison of the different two-dimensional and three-dimensional models underscores the significant influence of the flow profile and the SE calculation method on the result. The two dimensional models generally overestimate the SE of up to 15% due to their lower peak flow velocity. However, using a constant flow velocity leads to good agreement for high SE due to the overlap of differences in flow profile and SE calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ)/ceria bi-layer electrolyte is a key component in recent solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers. An industrially viable route for its effective implementation involves reduced-temperature co-sintering; however, this is a multistep process, often requiring precise control due to the poor sinterability of conventional gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC). Here we demonstrate a bi-layer electrolyte in a single-step 1250 °C co-sintering with Sm0.2Ce0.8O2−δ (SDC) as a key solution, and verify the performance of the resultant bi-layer electrolyte in a Ni–YSZ fuel electrode supported cell. This approach, proven to be scalable, delivers a satisfactory cell performance, such as a fuel cell power density of ∼2.15 W cm−2 and a steam electrolysis current density of ∼2.95 A cm−2 at 800 °C. Even without adding the Fe2O3 aid to SDC, the YSZ/SDC electrolyte remains reasonably dense, free from resistive phases, and exhibits a higher interdiffusion conductivity than that of the benchmark YSZ/GDC. Furthermore, the strategic addition of Fe2O3 improves the shrinkage compatibility of YSZ and SDC, enhancing the integrity of the bi-layer structure. The optimal electrolytes show a remarkable stability across 300 h of typical fuel cell operation. These results suggest important strategic modifications in bi-layer electrolyte compositions and processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes programmable microfluidics, an advanced method for precise fluid control in microfluidic technology through microchannel design or liquid properties, referring to microvalves, micropumps, digital microfluidics, multiplexers, micromixers, slip-, and block-based configurations. Different microvalve types, including electrokinetic, hydraulic/pneumatic, pinch, phase-change and check valves, cater to diverse experimental needs. Programmable micropumps, such as passive and active micropumps, play a crucial role in achieving precise fluid control and automation. Due to their small size and high integration, microvalves and micropumps are widely used in medical devices and biological analysis. In addition, this review provides an in-depth exploration of the applications of digital microfluidics, multiplexed microfluidics, and mixer-based microfluidics in the manipulation of liquid movement, mixing, and splitting. These methodologies leverage the physical properties of liquids, such as capillary forces and dielectric forces, to achieve precise control over fluid dynamics. SlipChip technology, which branches into rotational SlipChip and translational SlipChip, controls fluid through sliding motion of the microchannel. On the other hand, innovative designs in microfluidic systems pursue better modularity, reconfigurability and ease of assembly. Different assembly strategies, from one-dimensional assembly blocks and two-dimensional Lego®-style blocks to three-dimensional reconfigurable modules, aim to enhance flexibility and accessibility. These technologies enhance user-friendliness and accessibility by offering integrated control systems, making them potentially usable outside of specialized technical labs. Microfluidic programmable strategies for channels and flow hold promising applications in biomedical research, chemical analysis and drug screening, providing theoretical and practical guidance for broader utilization in scientific research and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five hydrated halogenides of divalent europium, EuCl2·2H2O (tagged as Cl2), EuCl2·6H2O (Cl6), EuBr2·H2O (Br1), EuBr2·6H2O (Br6) and EuI2·6H2O (I6), were studied herein. The crystals are all isomorphous with analogous compounds of Sr. In Cl2, the metal cation is surrounded by 4 Cl− anions and 4 water molecules; in Br1, it is surrounded by 7 Br− anions and 2 water molecules; and in Cl6, Br6 and I6, it is surrounded by 9 water molecules, with infinite [Eu(H2O)6] 2∞+∞ chains being formed. Spectroscopic properties of Cl2, Br1, Br6 and I6 were studied. Cl2 and Br1 are bright luminophores, whereas Br6 and I6 are weak emitters at room temperature. In the latter two compounds, long-wave emissions at about 550 nm were observed and theoretical calculations indicated that this was due to 6,7s → 4f transitions. Additionally, 4f → 4f transitions were observed in the excitation spectra of Br6 and I6 recorded at 77 K. Experimental charge density analysis was performed for Cl6, and the results show that Eu–O bonds in the [Eu(H2O)6] 2∞+∞ polymeric aqua cation are more ionic than those in [Gd(H2O)9]3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning ionic defects, i.e., protons and oxygen vacancies, in perovskite nickelates can lead to the discovery of new physical properties that cannot be achieved through alternative strategies. However, the existing chemical method used for tuning ionic defects, such as topotactical chemical treatment using metal hydrides, often degrades the crystal quality due to the harsh chemical environment used. To tackle this challenge, we developed a thermochemical dehydration method to induce phase transition from protonated HxNdNiO3 (H-NNO) to oxygen-deficient NdNiO3−δ (NNO-δ) at a low temperature of 300 °C. We systematically investigated the change in physical properties during the dehydration process, including the crystal structure, electrical conductivity and Ni valence state. Importantly, through fine-tuning of the dehydration reaction, we further designed a gradient of oxygen vacancy concentration into a single thin film to establish a quantitative correlation between the oxygen vacancy concentration and the lattice constant, Ni valence state, oxygen content, transport property, and optical properties of NNO-δ. Our work offers a new pathway for converting protonic defects to oxygen vacancies and understanding the effect of ionic defects on physical properties in nickelate perovskite oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic mixing has significant applications in various fields, including materials synthesis and biochemical analysis. In this study, we propose a universal strategy to enhance mixing efficiency in microfluidic chips. This strategy initially divides the liquid into branches, which then converge in an interdigitated manner at the beginning of the mixing segment. This branch-convergence structure reduces the flow width of each liquid, thereby decreasing the diffusion distances required for mixing. Under the conditions of this study, the mixing efficiency could be improved by approximately 10 times. Importantly, this enhancement strategy only requires changing the structure of the liquid inflow channel without changing the structure of the mixing segment. Thus, this strategy has broad applicability, any mixing section with different principles and structures can be connected downstream of the branch-convergence structure. In addition, we applied this universal mixing enhancement strategy to the continuous synthesis of lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles, resulting in a higher uniformity of synthesized nanoparticles compared to unenhanced devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]