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Phosphides with high theoretical capacity are considered ideal anode materials for lithium‐ion capacitors (LICs), but poor electronic conductivity as well as unsatisfied cyclic stability limits the performance of the phosphides. Here a covalently bonded CoP@C heterostructure is reported, which consists of 5 nm CoP quantum dots (QDs) like pomegranate seeds pinned in carbon polyhedron through interfacial Co─P─C bonding. The ultrafine size of CoP QDs provides more reactive sites and a shorten electrons/ions diffusion path, boosting the specific capacity. The Co─P─C bond induces the energy band variation of CoP and increases the interfacial charge density, bringing about fast kinetics. Besides, the Co─P─C bond introduces a robust pining effect among CoP QDs and carbon polyhedra, greatly improving the structure stability of 5 nm CoP QDs. The CoP@C heterostructure electrode exhibits high capacity (nearly 1000 mAh g−1) and superior cycling stability. It is worth noting that a prototyped LIC full‐cell of YP80//CoP@C presents an impressive high energy density of 172 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 10.8 kW kg−1. Moreover, the LIC possesses an ultra‐long life, retaining 80% after 20,000 cycles. This study offers an effective design for phosphides achieving fast kinetics and superior structure stability through an interfacial bonding approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous Li monitoring is vital in ensuring the safety and treatment efficacy of probationers with psychotic disorders, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and mania. This study introduced a validated quantitative analysis method using ion chromatography (IC) to monitor Li+ concentration in urine. The methodology involved centrifuging the urine sample, diluting the supernatant with deionized water, and subsequent IC analysis using guard and analytical columns for precise Li+ concentration measurement. The method quantified Li+ within the range of 2–400 ng/mL, demonstrating its excellent linearity (r2 = 0.9983) with a weighting factor of 1/x. Precision levels below 12.8% were observed for both intraday and interday measurements with an accuracy of −5.9% to 15.2%. The detection limit was identified as 0.12 ng/mL. The method conformed to analytical standards in terms of selectivity, matrix effect, process efficiency, dilution integrity, and stability. Moreover, the method distinctly quantified Li+ while effectively eliminating interference from Na+, which had a similar retention time as Li+ with higher concentrations. Further, the developed method was successfully applied to analyze forensic urine samples of Li users, demonstrating its applicability for medication compliance monitoring using urine samples of mentally disordered probationers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese dioxide (MnO2) often suffers from a slow electron transport, and so improving the charge transport capability of MnO2 is imminent. In here, crossed MnO2 nanosheets grown on carbon cloth (CC) are fabricated firstly and subsequently coated with a layer of polypyrrole (PPy) to prepare CC/MnO2/PPy (CC/MP) electrode. At 1 A g−1, the prepared electrode is able to deliver a specific capacitance of 328 F g−1. The flexible asymmetric supercapacitor consists of CC/MP and CC/activated carbon (CC/AC) separately as positive and negative electrodes and PVA‐H2SO4 as gel electrolyte. The assembled device exhibits a specific capacitance of 123.96 F g−1 at 10 mV s−1, reaches a voltage window of 1.6 V, has a capacitance retention of 96.46% after 8000 cycles, and produces an energy density of 25.67 W h kg−1 at a power density of 401.79 W kg−1, as well as an energy density of 8.78 W h kg−1 at a power density of 3902.22 W kg−1. The two devices in series can illuminate 1.8 V red light‐emitting diode (LED) light. These excellent electrochemical properties are ascribed to the unique heterostructure of the electrode composite. The outcomes indicate that the prepared CC/MP electrode and the corresponding device have huge potential applications in next‐generation high‐performance supercapacitor devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.94Ba0.06TiO3 (BN6BT) lead‐free ceramics were prepared via cold‐sintering followed by annealing, and effects of grain size of precursor powders and annealing temperature on microstructure, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of the ceramics were studied. The precursor powders for cold sintering were obtained by mixing the powders with sub‐micrometer (average grain size, AGS = 0.26 μm) and nanometer (AGS = 73 nm) grains in various mass ratios (1:0, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4). The precursor powders were mixed with deionized water and cold sintered at 180°C for 1 h under 500 MPa. The cold‐sintered samples were then annealed at temperatures between 800 and 1000°C for 2 h. For the ratios of 1:2 and 1:4, the corresponding ceramics annealed at 950°C exhibit dielectric and ferroelectric properties similar to those of the BN6BT ceramics sintered at 1170°C via the solid‐state sintering method. The present BN6BT ceramics exhibit dense microstructure with finer grains with AGS = 280 nm, higher breakdown strength (BDS = 160 kV· cm−1) compared to the solid‐state sintered BN6BT ceramics with AGS = 1.6 μm and BDS = 75 kV· cm−1. The results demonstrate that the cold‐sintering followed by annealing is effective in preparing BN6BT ceramics with fine grains and excellent dielectric and ferroelectric properties at relatively low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural material with polymorphic structures that determine its water solubility and biodegradability, which can be altered by exposing it to heat. Here, a hybrid thermal lithography method combining scalable microscale laser‐based patterning with nanoscale patterning based on thermal scanning probe lithography is developed. The latter enables in addition grayscale patterns to be made. The resolution limit of the writing in silk fibroin is studied by using a nanoscale heat source from a scanned nanoprobe. The heat thereby induces local water solubility change in the film, which can subsequently be developed in deionized water. Nanopatterns and grayscale patterns down to 50 nm lateral resolution are successfully written in the silk fibroin that behaves like a positive tone resist. The resulting patterned silk fibroin is then applied as a mask for dry etching of SiO2 to form a hard mask for further nano‐processing. A very high selectivity of 42:1 between SiO2 and silk fibroin is obtained allowing for high‐aspect ratio structure to be fabricated. The fabricated nanostructures have very low line edge roughness of 5 ± 2 nm. The results demonstrate the potential of silk fibroin as a water‐soluble resist for hybrid thermal lithography and precise micro/nanofabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of mineralized materials through the nature‐mimicking dynamic biomineralization process has attracted great interest but remains a huge challenge till now. Here, a drug‐mineralized hydrogel (DMH) with spontaneous dynamic mineralization behaviors is reported, which highly mimics the dynamic mineralization process of natural tissues. The hydrogel is facilely fabricated via directly mixing sodium hyaluronate (HA) with alendronate sodium (ADA) and CaCl2 in deionized water. The resultant hydrogel possesses a white‐to‐semi‐transparent transition and a soft‐to‐hard transition during incubation at 37 °C. Mechanism studies reveal that the spontaneous dynamic change of the hydrogel is ascribed to the HA‐regulated dynamic mineralization of ADA/Ca2+ complexes, where amorphous ADA/Ca2+ complexes will gradually transform into mineral crystals with the prolongation of incubation time. Owing to the dynamic transformation process, the DMH shows excellent injectability and moldability at the initial stage. More importantly, the DMH exhibits a sustained release behavior of ADA in vitro, superior adhesiveness with bone, biodegradability, and good biocompatibility. As a result, the developed DMH demonstrates promising uses for accelerating bone repair in a rat cranial defect model. Overall, the research provides a general strategy to prepare drug‐mineralized hydrogels with spontaneous dynamic mineralization behaviors, which may find potential uses in various biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile‐based generators that can convert low‐grade energy from the human body or environment into sustainable electricity have generated immense scientific interest in self‐powered wearable applications. However, their low power density and environmental suitability have extremely restricted their portable applications in complex and mutable environments. Herein, an asymmetric sandwich structure between molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)‐carbonized silks (MCs) and MoS2/MXene–Cottons (MMCs) to construct efficient thermo–hydroelectric generators (THEGs) that synergistically harvest heat‐moisture energy to generate considerable electricity is rationally designed. Notably, the large surface area of MoS2/MXene van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWhs) enables efficient charge collection, and the vertical MoS2 nanosheet arrays supply abundant nanochannels for a highly efficient hydration effect, generating an output power density of 32.26 µW cm−2 after wetting with deionized water. Combined with the sensitive temperature recognition ability with a Seebeck coefficient of 23.5 µV K−1, the application possibilities of these prepared THEGs in the mutual conversion of fingertip temperature/language, and the monitoring of the human physiological state is foresee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores a novel reactive cold sintering method for improving the density of gadolinia‐doped ceria (GDC) ceramics while reducing the annealing temperature. Instead of using deionized water as an aid in conventional cold sintering, stoichiometrically mixed Ce(NO3)3·6H2O and Gd(NO3)3·6H2O precursors were added as additives during the CSP in this study. The effects of processing parameters such as sintering temperature and additive content on the relative density of the compacts were investigated using synthesized GDC and commercial GDC powders as raw materials. The results showed that with the aid of precursors, GDC ceramics were sintered up to 90% of their theoretical densities at 850°C and up to 94% at 950°C when the synthesized nanopowder GDC was used. Additionally, the sintering mechanism was investigated, and it was found that the GDC generated by the precursor reaction effectively filled the gaps between the original particles, promoting densification of the sample after cold‐pressing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent scenarios, plenty of research has been conducted on porous activated carbon derived from biowaste precursors. The well‐developed surface area and porous nature of biowaste‐derived activated carbon material make them good candidates for electrochemical devices to use as electrode material. In the present work, we have used waste peanut shells (W.P.) as a precursor material to derive large surface area activated carbon. Chemical activation is used to activate the activated carbon, for which ZnCl2 is used as an activating agent. The waste peanut shell‐derived activated carbon (WPAC) is studied via XRD, FESEM, and BET. Prepared carbon shows a large BET surface area of 1366 m2 g−1 and a well‐developed pore structure; the presence of pores is also confirmed by FESEM images. A solid‐state supercapacitor is also fabricated using waste peanut shell‐based activated carbon and ionic liquid‐based polymer electrolyte. The EDLC is further studied using electrochemical characterizations such as CV, EIS, and GCD. The EIS study found that the WPAC‐based EDLC cell shows a specific capacitance of 25 F/g at 10 mHz. A DSSC is also fabricated using the WPAC on the counter electrode, and it shows an efficiency of 0.96% with a fill factor of 27.79. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anodic electrodeposition was used to synthesize a composite electrode of nanostructured manganese dioxide/carbon fiber (CF) galvanostatically. Different characterization results of the nanostructured MnO2 were obtained by varying the H2SO4 concentration and the current density. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy were utilized to characterize the prepared composite electrodes. The best conditions were: 0.3 mA cm−2 current density and 0.64 M H2SO4 concentration. The electrosorption performance of the MnO2/CF electrode prepared under the best conditions was tested by way of its chromium(VI) ion adsorption from a simulated solution. The applied voltage, pH, and ionic strength affect the efficiency of Cr(VI) ion removal. The highest chromium removal efficiency was 99.98 %, achieved at pH 2, a cell voltage of 4.6 V, and a NaCl concentration of 1 g L−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the cardinal part of capacitive deionization apparatus, the performance of electrode directly determines the capacitive deionization's adsorption rate, adsorption capacity and selectivity. However, the adsorptivity and reusability of electrode material for special adsorbate need to be developed urgently for the application of capacitive deionization in wastewater purification. In this research, we successfully enhanced the Cu(II) adsorptivity of activated carbon fiber felt (ACFF) to 23 mg/g (4.47 times of ACFF0) by the sonication‐assisted chemical reactivation process with the solution of 20 wt % NaOH used as activator (ACFF‐N20). As ACFF‐N20 used as cathode, the Cu(II) electro‐adsorptivity of ACFF‐N20 under a current of 0.15 A is 84 mg/g for 130 mg/L Cu(II) standard working fluid. For the Cu(II) wastewater with a concentration of 50 mg/L, it can be purified to 0.14 mg/L by one step of capacitive deionization, which below the drinking standard of World Health Organization. By the technology of low‐temperature pickling regeneration, the regeneration rates of ACFF‐N20 are 102 %–106 % for five recycling times of Cu(II) electrosorption process. Based on fitting analysis of adsorption processes using different kinetic models, it was found that Langmuir model is more convergent than Freundlich model to the adsorption isotherms. Additionally, Bangham adsorption kinetic model and pseudo‐first order adsorption kinetic model have the best fitting correlation for the Cu(II) static adsorption and electrosorption of ACFFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic photoluminescent materials exhibiting room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have attracted widespread attention. However, most of them can emit phosphorescence only in the solid state, which strongly limits their applications. Herein, a type of phosphorescent hydrogel with excellent mechanical properties is prepared by immersing an as‐prepared poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel in a poly(sodium maleate) solution and then in a CaCl2 solution, followed by drying under stretching at 90 °C and finally soaking it in deionized water until equilibrium swelling to produce poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(calcium maleate)‐DS (PVA/PMACa‐DS) hydrogels. Such hydrogels exhibit excellent mechanical properties, showing tensile strengths up to 15 MPa, due to the presence of strong hydrogen bonding and especially ionic bonding. The PVA/PMACa‐DS hydrogels emit varied phosphorescence emission colors from blue to yellow‐green upon excitation with 312–400 nm light, with a maximum lifetime of 13.4 ms. Experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that ionic crosslinking between Ca2+ and nonconventional chromophores prevents the contact of the nonconventional chromophores with water molecules and hence restricts nonradiative decay, leading to RTP emission. This work provides a reliable strategy for designing RTP hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties based on nonaromatic polymers for emerging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane operations function well in turbulent conditions, requiring the use of a turbulence model. By increasing the velocity and generating eddies with membrane spacers, mass transport can be enhanced and permeability can be intensified while reducing concentration polarization. Spacers act as solid barriers for the bulk fluid and have been shown to facilitate mass transfer at channel thicknesses of 1 mm due to eddy promotion. Spacers are used in a variety of membrane processes including nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and membrane distillation. Membrane spacers can also be used for other applications such as membrane electrolysis, fuel cells, capacitive deionization, and electrodialysis with bipolar membranes. This work systematically reviews and compares irregular geometries of spacers, including Gyroid, tCLP, multilayered, crimped, and tortuous spacers. The review consistently concludes that the spacer geometrical properties are the primary determinants of the streamline effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thioxanthone derivatives with additional amino groups (TX‐S‐NH3) are synthesized via a simple esterification reaction between TX‐S‐CH2‐COOH and 2‐methylaminoethanol hydrocarbons in a p‐toluene sulfonic acid medium. The TX‐S‐NH3 is characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT‐IR, HRMS, ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry, and fluorescence spectroscopy. TX‐S‐NH3 has strong absorption in water and ethanol, and the molar extinction coefficients at 395 nm are 2800 and 2780 mol−1L cm−1, respectively. TX‐S‐NH3 shows a low fluorescence quantum yield of 0.109 in deionized water. The maximum mobility of TX‐S‐NH3 in the photocuring product in ethanol is 12.5%. The double bond conversion of TMPTA cured by TX‐S‐NH3 is 60.7% without co‐initiator. TX‐S‐NH3 has excellent curing effects in UV‐curable ink with a light curing time of only 2.3 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition that texture is a "master soil property" points toward the need for actual quantification of particle size in organic soil material. Using a multi‐wave particle size analyzer, fibric and sapric soil samples were circulated in deionized water through a closed aqueous loop at 9.6 L min−1, and the following methodological parameters were investigated: pre‐treatment, circulation time, and refractive index. Our results show that pre‐treatment for organic soil samples is dependent upon the degree of decomposition; the intact and dispersed PSDs for fibrous samples were similiar, whereas the PSDs for sapric samples showed a shift from 500–2000 (intact) μm to 5–100 (dispersed) μm. Circulation time was investigated using mean particle diameter and specific surface area. We demonstrated that as circulation time increased, the mean particle diameter decreased and the specific surface area increased out to 30 min as mechanical dispersion and/or fragmentation of organic particles occurred. However, circulation time after 5 min is not significantly different in terms of mean particle diameter. To investigate refractive index, 12 optical models were created. When determined across all intact samples, uncertainty was low within individual bins, with a maximum value of 0.07 ± 0.04% v/v. For dispersed samples, uncertainty increased within the silt sized region and had a maximum value of 0.17 ± 0.07% v/v. This study demonstrates that the particle diameter of organic soil material can be measured by LD with comparable certainty as that of mineral soil material using the methodological approach used in this study. Core Ideas: Established baseline laser diffraction parameters to investigate the diameter of organic soil material.Uncertainty induced by particle refractive index (RI) assumptions is evaluated across the entire fine earth fraction for organic soil material.Linear relationships between particle RI assumptions and size class volumetric concentrations are established in organic soil material.Mean particle size diameter and specific surface area did not significantly differ after 5 min of circulation.Results indicate that the number of intact fibers and organic matter content influence the requirement for chemical dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron nitride (BN) coatings (thickness 20–40 μm) were prepared on graphite substrates by chemical vapor deposition, with precursors of BCl3 and NH3 (ratio of 1:4) and pressure of 500 ± 50 Pa. The influence of the deposition temperature (650°C–1250°C) on the wettability of BN coatings with deionized water was studied. The wetting angle rapidly increases at 1100°C–1250°C, and the wetting‐to‐nonwetting transition occurs. The crystal structure and surface morphology of the BN coatings were characterized by a stylus instrument, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Research shows that the contact angle or nonwettability increases with a higher degree of crystallinity and a lower surface roughness, which were both under the control of the deposition temperature since the pressure and gas flows were kept constant in this study. At a deposition temperature of 650°C–950°C, the increase in the degree of crystallinity dominates; at 950°C–1100°C, the increase in surface roughness takes over. At 1100°C–1250°C, the degree of crystallinity continues to increase, while the surface roughness decreases due to the advantage of nucleation and the breakage of large surface clusters into smaller clusters. This results in increases (650°C–950°C), then decreases (950°C–1100°C) and again fast increases (1100°C–1250°C) in the wetting angle between the BN coating and deionized water and finally in the wetting‐to‐nonwetting transition (1100°C–1250°C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical water‐splitting, sustained by renewable energy, is aimed at green H2 production. Efficient and sustainable electrocatalysts are required for a proper energy transition. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte can be pursued by using earth‐abundant elements‐based catalysts, such as Ni oxyhydroxides. A proper optimization of intrinsic properties and synthesis procedure is still needed. Herein, the synthesis of Ni/NiO nanoparticles (NPs) through a physical and green technique, pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL), is presented. Ablating a Ni target in deionized water, at different ablation times, leads to NP dispersions used for realization of OER electrode onto graphene paper. Ion‐beam analysis of catalysts amount and homogeneity of NP‐based electrode is performed for the electrode optimization in terms of electrochemical performances. An overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 of 306 mV is achieved for 40 μg cm−2 of catalyst, while lowering the catalyst amount to 8 μg cm−2, unprecedented turnover frequency of 0.20 s−1 and mass activity of ≈1.3 A mg−1 are reached. These data show that Ni/NiO NPs produced by PLAL are highly effective for OER in alkaline media and encourage the use of PLAL as a green and efficient technique for electrocatalyst production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is proposed as a thermodynamically effective desalination method for treating non‐potable water with a low‐salt concentrator to address the growing need for clean drinking water. MXenes, 2D transition metal carbides derived from Mn+1AXn (n = 1, 2, 3, or 4) bulk phases, are an intriguing class of crystalline materials with unique physicochemical properties. However, a significant challenge for their practical use is the degradation and phase transition experienced by MXene flakes when exposed to aqueous conditions. Several strategies for improving MXene stability are proposed, including combining it with porous materials such as carbon and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). In addition to ZIFs, antioxidants with amine functional groups are used to stabilize MXene. Additionally, amine‐functionalized MXenes exhibit improved resistance to oxidation caused by water, enabling them to maintain their dispersity in aqueous solutions at room temperature. The produced A‐ZIF@MXene electrode represents high desalination performance with the highest salt adsorption capacity up to 80.3 mg g−1 in 1000 mg L−1 The NaCl solution reserve more than 99% of its initial capacity in 50 cycles to the synergism of its surface amine groups, high hydrophilicity, and distinctive hierarchical porous structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water‐dispersible carbon nano‐test tubes (CNTTs) with an inner and outer diameter of about 25 and 35 nm, respectively, were prepared by the template technique and then their inner carbon surface was selectively oxidized to introduce carboxy groups. The adsorption behavior of DNA molecules on the oxidized CNTTs (Ox‐CNTTs) was examined in the presence of Ca2+ cations. Many DNA molecules are attracted to the inner space of Ox‐CNTTs based on the Ca2+‐mediated electrostatic interaction between DNA phosphate groups and carboxylate anions on the inner carbon surface. Moreover, the total net charge of the DNA adsorbed was found to be equal to the total charge of the carboxylate anions. This selective adsorption into the interior of Ox‐CNTTs can be explained from the fact that the electrostatic interaction onto the inner concave surface is much stronger than that on the outer convex surface. On the other hand, the desorption of DNA easily occurs whenever Ca2+ cations are removed by washing with deionized water. Thus, each of Ox‐CNTTs works well as a nano‐container for a large amount of DNA molecules, thereby resulting in the occurrence of DNA enrichment in the nanospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H2O2 is a significant chemical widely utilized in the environmental and industrial fields, with growing global demand. Without sacrificial agents, simultaneous photocatalyzed H2O2 synthesis through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and water oxidation reaction (WOR) dual channels from seawater is green and sustainable but still challenging. Herein, two novel thiophene‐containing covalent organic frameworks (TD‐COF and TT‐COF) were first constructed and served as catalysts for H2O2 synthesis via indirect 2e− ORR and direct 2e− WOR channels. The photocatalytic H2O2 production performance can be regulated by adjusting the N‐heterocycle modules (pyridine and triazine) in COFs. Notably, with no sacrificial agents, just using air and water as raw materials, TD‐COF exhibited high H2O2 production yields of 4060 μmol h−1 g−1 and 3364 μmol h−1 g−1 in deionized water and natural seawater, respectively. Further computational mechanism studies revealed that the thiophene was the primary photoreduction unit for ORR, while the benzene ring (linked to the thiophene by the imine bond) was the central photooxidation unit for WOR. The current work exploits thiophene‐containing COFs for overall photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis via ORR and WOR dual channels and provides fresh insight into creating innovative catalysts for photocatalyzing H2O2 synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrolytically degradable block copolymer nanoparticles are prepared via reverse sequence polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) in aqueous media. This efficient protocol involves the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N,N′‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAC) using a monofunctional or bifunctional trithiocarbonate‐capped poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) precursor. DMAC monomer is employed as a co‐solvent to solubilize the hydrophobic PCL chains. At an intermediate DMAC conversion of 20–60 %, the reaction mixture is diluted with water to 10–25 % w/w solids. The growing amphiphilic block copolymer chains undergo nucleation to form sterically‐stabilized PCL‐core nanoparticles with PDMAC coronas. 1H NMR studies confirm more than 99 % DMAC conversion while gel permeation chromatography (GPC) studies indicate well‐controlled RAFT polymerizations (Mw/Mn≤1.30). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) indicate spheres of 20–120 nm diameter. As expected, hydrolytic degradation occurs within days at 37 °C in either acidic or alkaline solution. Degradation is also observed in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.4) at 37 °C. However, no degradation is detected over a three‐month period when these nanoparticles are stored at 20 °C in deionized water (pH 6.7). Finally, PDMAC30‐PCL16‐PDMAC30 nanoparticles are briefly evaluated as a dispersant for an agrochemical formulation based on a broad‐spectrum fungicide (azoxystrobin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H2O2 is a significant chemical widely utilized in the environmental and industrial fields, with growing global demand. Without sacrificial agents, simultaneous photocatalyzed H2O2 synthesis through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and water oxidation reaction (WOR) dual channels from seawater is green and sustainable but still challenging. Herein, two novel thiophene‐containing covalent organic frameworks (TD‐COF and TT‐COF) were first constructed and served as catalysts for H2O2 synthesis via indirect 2e− ORR and direct 2e− WOR channels. The photocatalytic H2O2 production performance can be regulated by adjusting the N‐heterocycle modules (pyridine and triazine) in COFs. Notably, with no sacrificial agents, just using air and water as raw materials, TD‐COF exhibited high H2O2 production yields of 4060 μmol h−1 g−1 and 3364 μmol h−1 g−1 in deionized water and natural seawater, respectively. Further computational mechanism studies revealed that the thiophene was the primary photoreduction unit for ORR, while the benzene ring (linked to the thiophene by the imine bond) was the central photooxidation unit for WOR. The current work exploits thiophene‐containing COFs for overall photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis via ORR and WOR dual channels and provides fresh insight into creating innovative catalysts for photocatalyzing H2O2 synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrolytically degradable block copolymer nanoparticles are prepared via reverse sequence polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) in aqueous media. This efficient protocol involves the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N,N′‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAC) using a monofunctional or bifunctional trithiocarbonate‐capped poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) precursor. DMAC monomer is employed as a co‐solvent to solubilize the hydrophobic PCL chains. At an intermediate DMAC conversion of 20–60 %, the reaction mixture is diluted with water to 10–25 % w/w solids. The growing amphiphilic block copolymer chains undergo nucleation to form sterically‐stabilized PCL‐core nanoparticles with PDMAC coronas. 1H NMR studies confirm more than 99 % DMAC conversion while gel permeation chromatography (GPC) studies indicate well‐controlled RAFT polymerizations (Mw/Mn≤1.30). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) indicate spheres of 20–120 nm diameter. As expected, hydrolytic degradation occurs within days at 37 °C in either acidic or alkaline solution. Degradation is also observed in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.4) at 37 °C. However, no degradation is detected over a three‐month period when these nanoparticles are stored at 20 °C in deionized water (pH 6.7). Finally, PDMAC30‐PCL16‐PDMAC30 nanoparticles are briefly evaluated as a dispersant for an agrochemical formulation based on a broad‐spectrum fungicide (azoxystrobin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the electrocoagulation (EC) treatment was used to minimize and separate pollutants from textile industrial wastewater (TIWW), including high color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and total dissolved solids (TDS). To enhance the EC treatment efficiency, a novel strategy has been followed in the study that involves thin‐film coating on 316 stainless steel (SS) electrodes with banana peel‐derived activated carbon (BPAC) by dip coating, spin coating, or spray coating. Among the different types of coating, thickness and contact angle measurements have elucidated that the spray coating of BPAC on SS electrode is the best tool with minimum thickness and contact angle. In this study, a bare SS electrode was used as the anode and a thin‐film spray‐coated BPAC on the SS electrode was used as the cathode. Moreover, optimization plays a key role in EC treatment process, where operating conditions such as a current density of 10 mA/cm2, contact time of 15 min, and a pH of 7 were fixed. As a result, the findings indicate comparatively high color removal of 98%, COD removal of 91%, TOC removal of 89.6%, and TDS removal of 68% are achieved with ease. Accordingly, in comparison with plain SS electrodes or dip‐ or spin‐coated BPAC on SS electrodes, spray‐coated BPAC on SS electrodes in EC treatment outperforms in removing high color, TOC, COD, and TDS. Overall, the study highlights the potential of EC treatment integrated with adsorption procedures for TIWW treatment. Particularly, the use of thin‐film spray‐coated BPAC on SS electrodes in the EC treatment process led to an effective and sustainable tool for treating and reuse of TIWW. It is due to its low operation and maintenance cost and studied in a short interval of time. Finally, the ultimate goal was firmly achieved in pilot‐scale studies by the safe discharge into the environment or reuse of treated textile wastewater. Thus, it is a promising alternative with an environmentally friendly footprint that could be easily implemented in any textile industry premises. Practitioner Points: Heavy metals, oils, facts, suspended solids, and other pollutants can be removed from industrial effluent by using electrocoagulation.The process is both cost‐effective and energy‐efficient, and it is easily integrated with other water treatment technologies.According to the findings of this study, minimum current density should be applied to BPAC–SS‐coated electrodes by DC power supplies to treat textile industry effluents at low operating costs.When compared with a plain SS electrode, the spray‐coated BPAC on SS electrode provides better performance in effluent treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen the emergence of capacitive deionization (CDI) as a promising desalination technique for converting sea and wastewater into potable water, due to its energy efficiency and eco‐friendly nature. However, its low salt removal capacity and parasitic reactions have limited its effectiveness. As a result, the development of porous carbon nanomaterials as electrode materials have been explored, while taking into account of material characteristics such as morphology, wettability, high conductivity, chemical robustness, cyclic stability, specific surface area, and ease of production. To tackle the parasitic reaction issue, membrane capacitive deionization (mCDI) was proposed which utilizes ion‐exchange membranes coupled to the electrode. Fabrication techniques along with the experimental parameters used to evaluate the desalination performance of different materials are discussed in this review to provide an overview of improvements made for CDI and mCDI desalination purposes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen the emergence of capacitive deionization (CDI) as a promising desalination technique for converting sea and wastewater into potable water, due to its energy efficiency and eco‐friendly nature. However, its low salt removal capacity and parasitic reactions have limited its effectiveness. As a result, the development of porous carbon nanomaterials as electrode materials have been explored, while taking into account of material characteristics such as morphology, wettability, high conductivity, chemical robustness, cyclic stability, specific surface area, and ease of production. To tackle the parasitic reaction issue, membrane capacitive deionization (mCDI) was proposed which utilizes ion‐exchange membranes coupled to the electrode. Fabrication techniques along with the experimental parameters used to evaluate the desalination performance of different materials are discussed in this review to provide an overview of improvements made for CDI and mCDI desalination purposes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, the design of efficient electrocatalyst materials for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was mostly focused on tuning the adsorption properties of reaction intermediates. A recent breakthrough shows that the performance can be improved by manipulating water structure at the electrode‐electrolyte interface using atomically localized electric fields. The new approach was realized by using IrRu dizygotic single‐atom sites and led to a significantly accelerated water dissociation and an overall improved alkaline HER performance. Supported by extensive data from advanced modeling, characterization, and electrochemical measurements, the work delivers an intricate examination of the interaction between water molecules and the catalyst surface, thereby enriching our understanding of water dissociation kinetics and offering new insights to boost overall alkaline HER efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, the design of efficient electrocatalyst materials for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was mostly focused on tuning the adsorption properties of reaction intermediates. A recent breakthrough shows that the performance can be improved by manipulating water structure at the electrode‐electrolyte interface using atomically localized electric fields. The new approach was realized by using IrRu dizygotic single‐atom sites and led to a significantly accelerated water dissociation and an overall improved alkaline HER performance. Supported by extensive data from advanced modeling, characterization, and electrochemical measurements, the work delivers an intricate examination of the interaction between water molecules and the catalyst surface, thereby enriching our understanding of water dissociation kinetics and offering new insights to boost overall alkaline HER efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work scrutinizes the effectuation of seawater on morphological properties, pore structure, and compressive strength during the hydration process of fly ash blended cement at 3, 7, 28, 56, and 90 days to better understand the influence of salinity conditions of seawater on the microstructural modification and strength development of the hydration products as well as the total porosity. The chemical reaction's mechanism of mightily soluble salts, for example, Mg2SO4 and NaCl, with hydrated fly ash and blended cement (calcium‐bearing phases) was also confirmed. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy has been appointed to observe and characterize the energetics of variation in the formulation of portlandite (CH), calcium silicate hydrate, gypsum (Gy), ettringite (AFt), and calcium chloroaluminate (Friedel's salt [FS]) throughout the hydration process of fly ash blended cement with seawater in comparison with deionized water. X‐ray diffraction analysis exposed that the peak intensities of FS, portlandite, and some particular phases of the hydrated fly ash blended cement in seawater are higher and sharper than the comparable peaks in deionized water. Mercury intrusion porosimetry‐measurements have been appointed that the total porosity of artificial seawater (ASW) was decreased from 28.9% at 3 days to 19.4% at 56 days. In addition, the average, median, and critical pore diameter were decreased in ASW while compared to deionized water (DIW). The reaction products of this work were also characterized using scanning electron microscopy, EDS, compressive strength, and isothermal calorimeter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental protection associated with renewable energy is among the most critical challenges for translational ion‐capture based on capacitive storage of ions in electrical double layers at the interface of electrode and electrolyte. Electric double‐layer capacitance with charge induction and faradaic pseudo‐capacitance with charge transfer classifies the capacitance of the electrochemical interface. The electrochemical interface in most energy technologies involves porous and pseudocapacitive redox materials that offer varying degrees of electrolyte confinement. In this review, we discuss the factors affecting water desalination, such as the effect of nanopores for ion capture, the ion sieving effect, the effect of hydration energy, and hydration radius in the carbon sub‐nanometer pore. Moreover, the surface phenomena of electrodes, including carbon corrosion, and the potential of zero charge to control the oxidation of carbon electrodes are explained along with protection mechanisms. The various capacitive deionization (CDI) operations and the corresponding electrochemical cell technologies are briefly introduced, including the significance of double‐layer charging materials with faradaic intercalation, which suffer less from co‐ion expulsion. Finally, we revisit the effects of various nanoarchitectures and the construction of capacitive deionization electrodes for clean water technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent extraction as environmental benign separation technique can be modeled in physical detail by population balance of the droplet size distribution. However, much information on the droplet generation and coalescence is necessary for representative results. In this contribution, we present a comparison of AI‐evaluated experimental and simulated data on the behavior of a stirred solvent extraction column with an inner diameter of 32 mm. Lab experiments were performed using the standard test system with n‐butyl acetate, acetone, and deionized water. A digital camera is placed in front of the middle section as well as the head of the column. Droplet size evaluation is performed using a retrained neural net (Mask R‐CNN). The stirred DN32 extraction column is modeled and simulated using a 1D CFD population balance software. The simulation allows for behavior analysis, trends comparison, and validation of the hydrodynamics and mass transfer performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the novel pH‐sensitive s‐IPN consist of sodium alginate integrated with poly(HEMA‐co‐MA) hydrogel matrix are prepared by using two‐step methodology. In the first step, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)/maleic acid (MA) copolymeric hydrogels are prepared by gamma radiation polymerization. Then, poly(HEMA‐co‐MA) hydrogel was immersed in sodium alginate solution (SA) and finally gamma radiation polymerization was carried out. The swelling, pH‐sensivity and diffusion properties of the prepared s‐IPN gels in deionized water and in dye solutions were investigated. Methylene Blue (MB) was used as a model dye. MB adsorption capacities of the hydrogels were found to be 0.26, 0.40 and 13.77 mg MB/g dry gel in PHEMA, P(HEMA‐co‐MA) and s‐IPN SA/P(HEMA‐co‐MA) hydrogels, respectively. MB release data was fitted to various kinetic models to study the dye release behavior. The MB release from all the prepared hydrogels fitted the Korsmeyer‐Peppas model. Swelling, diffusion and MB adsorption properties of the new s‐IPN hydrogel were improved with the inclusion of SA and MA in the gel structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bubbles, widely distributed in nature and industry, have been extensively explored as important energy carriers. Despite notable progress, how to harvest the energy inherent in small bubbles remains a significant challenge. Herein, a bubble driven triboelectric nanogenerator (BD‐TENG) that can scavenge energy directly and efficiently from bubbles is explored. The BD‐TENG can generate sustained voltages of up to −120 V when small air bubbles rise in a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube filled with deionized water. Furthermore, the effects of the tube diameter, electrode length, and bubble volume based on the harvest activity are also investigated. As a proof of concept, it is demonstrated that the BD‐TENG can be utilized to illuminate four blue LEDs. Notably, the conclusion of this research work demonstrates an innovative roadmap for bubble energy harvesting in liquid media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesives with strong and stable underwater adhesion performance play a critical role in industrial and biomedical fields. However, achieving strong underwater adhesion, especially in flowing aqueous and blood environments, remains challenging. In this work, a novel solvent‐exchange‐triggered adhesive of catechol‐functionalized polyethylenimine ethoxylated is presented. The authors show that the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution of the catechol‐functionalized polymer can be directly applied to various substrates and exhibits robust dry/underwater adhesion performance induced through in situ liquid‐to‐solid phase transition triggered by water‐DMSO solvent exchange. The adhesive can even strongly bond low‐surface‐energy substrates (e.g., > 86 kPa for polytetrafluoroethylene) in diverse environments, including deionized water, air, phosphate‐buffered saline solution, seawater, and aqueous conditions with different pH values. Moreover, the adhesive exhibits strong adhesion to biological tissues and can be used as a hemostatic sealant to prevent bleeding from arteries and severe trauma to the viscera. The adhesives developed in this study with strong dry/underwater adhesion performance and excellent hemostatic capabilities display enormous application prospects in the biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many living tissues, such as muscle, become mechanically stronger with growth. Yet, synthetic hydrogels usually exhibit an opposite size‐mechanical property relation, that is, swelling‐weakening behavior. Herein, a series of swollen yet strengthened polyampholyte (PA) hydrogels are developed via a simple metal‐ion solution soaking strategy. In this strategy, a dynamic PA hydrogel (with ionic bonds) is dialyzed in ZrOCl2 solutions (Step‐I) and deionized water (Step‐II) successively to obtain equilibrated hydrogels. Due to the specific Zr4+ ions and PA network structure, Step‐I takes several months with sample size and mechanical performance increasing continuously, while Step‐II only needs several days. Through this strategy, the resultant hydrogel networks are reorganized and eventually constructed by ionic and metalligand bonds, enabling the swelling yet strengthening behavior. A systematic study confirms that dialysis time in Step‐I and corresponding ZrOCl2 concentration can significantly affect the multiphase microstructures of the hydrogels, resulting in different mechanical enhancements. The optimized hydrogel possesses 39.2 MPa of Young's modulus and 3.7 MPa of tensile strength, which are 302 and 5.5 times these of the original PA gel, respectively. Despite distinct swelling, these hydrogels still mechanically surpass many existing high‐performance hydrogels. This study opens a novel pathway for fabricating swollen yet strengthened hydrogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of TiO2/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by hydrolysis and used in the transesterification of diphenyl carbonate (DPC) and 1,4‐butanediol (BDO) to produce polycarbonate diol (PCDL). The physical properties of TiO2/SiO2 solid acid catalysts were characterized, and the relationship between their structural features and catalytic transesterification reaction was analyzed. The effects of various reaction conditions such as hydrolysis procedure, transesterification temperature, catalyst amount, and the mole ratio of the starting materials on the catalytic synthesis of PCDL were investigated. The maximum catalytic activity was based on the TiO2 : SiO2=3 : 1 with hydrolysis procedure of adding the Ti/Si mixture (A) to deionized water and anhydrous ethanol (B). The as‐synthesized TiO2/SiO2‐A‐to‐B catalyst exhibits rough surface with the average pore size of 6.75 nm, and the total acid amount of 1.07 mmol/g. The PCDL yield of transesterification reached 89.8 %, and the number average molecular weight reached 9074 g/mol under the optimal reaction conditions, and the molecular weight of the PCDL product could be adjusted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), thanks to their adjustable porous structure and abundant build‐in functional motifs, have been recently regarded as promising electrode materials for a variety of batteries. There still remain grand opportunities to further utilizing their merits for developing advanced COFs‐based batteries. In this paper, we propose a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery by coupling pyrene‐4,5,9,10‐tetraone based COF cathode with anthraquinone based COF anode. In such a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery, the cathodic COF favorably works in acid with a relatively positive potential, while the anodic COF preferably runs in alkali with a relatively negative potential. It thus can deliver a decently high discharge capacity of 92.97 mAh g−1 with a wide voltage window of 2.0 V, and exhibit high energy density of 74.2 Wh kg−1 along with a considerable cyclic stability over 300 cycles. The development of the proof‐of‐concept all‐COFs battery may drive forward the improvement of newly cost‐effective and performance‐reliable energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), thanks to their adjustable porous structure and abundant build‐in functional motifs, have been recently regarded as promising electrode materials for a variety of batteries. There still remain grand opportunities to further utilizing their merits for developing advanced COFs‐based batteries. In this paper, we propose a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery by coupling pyrene‐4,5,9,10‐tetraone based COF cathode with anthraquinone based COF anode. In such a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery, the cathodic COF favorably works in acid with a relatively positive potential, while the anodic COF preferably runs in alkali with a relatively negative potential. It thus can deliver a decently high discharge capacity of 92.97 mAh g−1 with a wide voltage window of 2.0 V, and exhibit high energy density of 74.2 Wh kg−1 along with a considerable cyclic stability over 300 cycles. The development of the proof‐of‐concept all‐COFs battery may drive forward the improvement of newly cost‐effective and performance‐reliable energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous Zn‐VOx batteries are attracting attention in large scale energy storage applications. Yet, the sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics and ambiguous structure–property relationship are always challenging to fulfil the great potential of the batteries. Here we electrodeposit vanadium oxide nanobelts (VO‐E) with highly disordered structure. The electrode achieves high capacities (e.g. ≈5 mAh cm−2, 516 mAh g−1), good rate and cycling performances. Detailed structure analysis indicates VO‐E is composed of integrated amorphous‐crystalline nanoscale domains, forming an efficient heterointerface network in the bulk electrode, which accounts for the good electrochemical properties. Theoretical calculations indicate that the amorphous‐crystalline heterostructure exhibits the favorable cation adsorption and lower ion diffusion energy barriers compared to the amorphous and crystalline counterparts, thus accelerating charge carrier mobility and electrochemical activity of the electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous Zn‐VOx batteries are attracting attention in large scale energy storage applications. Yet, the sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics and ambiguous structure–property relationship are always challenging to fulfil the great potential of the batteries. Here we electrodeposit vanadium oxide nanobelts (VO‐E) with highly disordered structure. The electrode achieves high capacities (e.g. ≈5 mAh cm−2, 516 mAh g−1), good rate and cycling performances. Detailed structure analysis indicates VO‐E is composed of integrated amorphous‐crystalline nanoscale domains, forming an efficient heterointerface network in the bulk electrode, which accounts for the good electrochemical properties. Theoretical calculations indicate that the amorphous‐crystalline heterostructure exhibits the favorable cation adsorption and lower ion diffusion energy barriers compared to the amorphous and crystalline counterparts, thus accelerating charge carrier mobility and electrochemical activity of the electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative analysis of the tribological behavior of commercially available sintered silicon carbide (SiC) and three different types of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics have been carried out using the ball‐on‐disk method in dry and lubrication (deionized [DI] water and ethanol) environment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to understand the morphology and chemical composition of the tribo‐surfaces. Sintered SiC (Hexoloy‐SA) had the highest friction coefficient during dry sliding with an average of ∼0.34. Deionized water showed a minor improvement in friction (∼0.27) while ethanol reduced the friction greatly to ∼0.18 compared to dry sliding. During dry sliding, the presence of an abrasive third body was responsible for the high wear rates (WRs) in these compositions. Hexoloy‐SA showed a lower WR during ethanol and DI water lubrication due to the formation of stable tribofilms as well as higher hardness which resisted the formation of third bodies. In comparison, Si3N4 samples showed a lower WR in DI water and ethanol. The samples also showed composition‐dependent behavior which indicates that grain structure and grain boundary chemistry are playing a vital role in the tribological process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production through an alkaline electrolyzer as well as a techno‐economic and enviro‐economic analysis are presented. The proposal of this innovative study is to generate hydrogen gas energy from an alkaline electrolyzer energy system. The prototype of this alkaline electrolyzer was developed by application of hydrogen production through alkaline electrolyzer optimization. This novel chemical mixture is made up from the combination of ammonia, ethyl alcohol, urea, and deionized or distilled water. The result proved to be a model study by emphasizing the annual profit of the alkaline electrolyzer of a simple payback period of the prototype system. A prototype of alkaline electrolyzer is designed and developed to produce oxyhydrogen gas through water electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multipores engineering composed of micro/mesopores is an effective strategy to improve potassium storage performance via providing enormous adsorption sites and shortened ions diffusion distance. However, a detailed exploration of the role played by macropores in potassium storage is still lacking and has been barely reported until now. Herein, a superstructure carbon hexahedron (DGN‐900) is synthesized using poly tannic acid (PTA) as precursor. Due to the spatially confined two‐step local contraction of PTA along different directions and dimensions during pyrolysis, defective nanosheets with macropores are formed, while realizing a balance between defects content and graphitization degree by regulating temperature. The presence of macropores is conducive to accelerating electrolyte ions rapid infiltration within electrode, and its pore volume can accommodate electrode structure fluctuation upon cycling, while the most suitable ratio of defects to graphitic provides rich ions adsorption sites and sufficient electrons transfer channels, simultaneously. These advantages enable a prominent electrochemical performance in DGN‐900 electrode, including high rate (202.9 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1) and long cycling stability over 2000 cycles. This unique fabrication strategy, that is, defects engineering coupled with macropores structure, makes fast and durable potassium storage possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐assembly of nanocrystals into controlled structures while uncompromising their properties is one of the key steps in optoelectronic device fabrication. Herein, zigzag CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals are demonstrated with a precise number of components with nanocube morphology, these can be successfully obtained through a dipole‐induced self‐assembly process. The addition of a trace amount of deionized water facilitates the transfer from CsPbBr3 nanocubes to intermediates of CsPb2Br5 and Cs3In2Br9, which then fastly release reaction monomers leading to further homogenous nucleation of CsPbBr3 nanocubes, followed by the formation of zigzag CsPbBr3 nanocrystals through a dipole‐induced self‐assembly process. Dipole moment along <110> axis is found to be the driving force for the assembly of nanocubes into zigzag nanocrystals. The zigzag CsPbBr3 nanocrystals exhibit desirable optical properties comparable to their nanocube counterparts and offer advantages for amplified spontaneous emission and lasing applications with low pump thresholds of 3.1 and 6.02 µJ cm−2, respectively. This study not only develops a strategy for producing highly controlled zigzag perovskite nanocrystals and provides insights on the dipole‐induced self‐assembly mechanisms, but also opens an avenue for their application in lasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing faradaic electrode with superior desalination performance is important for expanding the applications of capacitive deionization (CDI). Herein, a simple one‐step alkalized treatment for in situ synthesis of 1D TiO2 nanowires on the surface of 2D Ti3C2 nanosheets, forming a Ti3C2‐MXene partially derived hierarchical 1D/2D TiO2/Ti3C2 heterostructure as the cathode electrode is reported. Cross‐linked TiO2 nanowires on the surface help avoid layer stacking while acting as the protective layer against contact of internal Ti3C2 with dissolved oxygen in water. The inner Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets cross over the TiO2 nanowires can provide abundant active adsorption sites and short ion/electron diffusion pathways.. Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that Ti3C2 can consecutively inject electrons into TiO2, indicating the high electrochemical activity of the TiO2/Ti3C2. Benefiting from the 1D/2D hierarchical structure and synergistic effect of TiO2 and Ti3C2, TiO2/Ti3C2 heterostructure presents a favorable hybrid CDI performance, with a superior desalination capacity (75.62 mg g−1), fast salt adsorption rate (1.3 mg g−1 min−1), and satisfactory cycling stability, which is better than that of most published MXene‐based electrodes. This study provides a feasible partial derivative strategy for construction of a hierarchical 1D/2D heterostructure to overcome the restrictions of 2D MXene nanosheets in CDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐assembly of nanocrystals into controlled structures while uncompromising their properties is one of the key steps in optoelectronic device fabrication. Herein, zigzag CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals are demonstrated with a precise number of components with nanocube morphology, these can be successfully obtained through a dipole‐induced self‐assembly process. The addition of a trace amount of deionized water facilitates the transfer from CsPbBr3 nanocubes to intermediates of CsPb2Br5 and Cs3In2Br9, which then fastly release reaction monomers leading to further homogenous nucleation of CsPbBr3 nanocubes, followed by the formation of zigzag CsPbBr3 nanocrystals through a dipole‐induced self‐assembly process. Dipole moment along <110> axis is found to be the driving force for the assembly of nanocubes into zigzag nanocrystals. The zigzag CsPbBr3 nanocrystals exhibit desirable optical properties comparable to their nanocube counterparts and offer advantages for amplified spontaneous emission and lasing applications with low pump thresholds of 3.1 and 6.02 µJ cm−2, respectively. This study not only develops a strategy for producing highly controlled zigzag perovskite nanocrystals and provides insights on the dipole‐induced self‐assembly mechanisms, but also opens an avenue for their application in lasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study systematically investigates a capacitive sensor applied with phenol blue (PhB)‐based sensing medium for detection of L‐lactic acid (LA), as a health monitoring indicator. PhB is a substance with solvatochromic effect, inducing the change in capacitance by exposure to polar molecules. However, the capacitive LA sensor with a flat‐structured PhB/polyvinylchloride (PVC) composite‐sensing medium is observed to have a problem in that sensing capacitance variation saturate quickly with increasing the LA solution concentration. This main cause can be analyzed that the interaction of proton from LA molecule with the lone pair electrons of the PhB molecule acts as a major factor on the sensing characteristics rather than the solvatochromic behavior of PhB molecule. Therefore, a strategy is adopted to introduce a porous structure to the PhB/PVC composite‐sensing medium to maximize the interaction of PhB with protons, which is implemented through solvent and non‐solvent exchange methods. Consequently, the sensitivity and linearity of the porous‐structured LA sensor are 2.99 pF mm−1 and 0.966 over LA concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 mm, respectively, which is a significant improvement over that of the flat‐structured one. Notably, the sensing performance remained unchanged even after a month of storage under normal ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In toxicological analysis, the analytical validation method is important to assess the exact risk of contaminants of emerging concern in the environment. Syringe filters are mainly used to remove impurities from sample solutions. However, the loss of analyte to the syringe filter could be considerable, causing an underestimate of the analyte concentrations. The current study develops and validates simultaneous liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis using a direct filtration method to detect four groups of contaminants of emerging concern. The adsorption of the analyte onto three different matrices and six types of syringe filters is reported. The lowest adsorption of analytes was observed in methanol (16.72%), followed by deionized water (48.19%) and filtered surface lake water (48.94%). Irrespective of the type of the matrices, the lowest average adsorption by the syringe filter was observed in the 0.45 μm polypropylene membrane (15.15%), followed by the 0.20 μm polypropylene membrane (16.10%), the 0.20 μm regenerated cellulose (16.15%), the 0.20 μm polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (47.38%), the 0.45 μm nylon membrane (64.87%) and the 0.20 μm nylon membrane (71.30%). In conclusion, the recommended syringe filter membranes for contaminants of emerging concern analysis are polypropylene membranes and regenerated cellulose, regardless of the matrix used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pinhole‐free silicon oxide (SiOx) layer grown using dissolved ozone in deionized water (DI‐O3) is demonstrated. An ultrathin SiOx layer of thickness 1.53 nm ± 1.5% is grown on silicon wafer using 7 ppm DI‐O3. A four‐step methodology, including 25 wt% aq. tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution at 80 °C, is employed to magnify the pinhole signatures in the underlying silicon and visualized with dark‐field optical microscopy (DFOM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The DFOM images show spots on the surface of wafer that originate from airborne particles, contamination, etc. SEM images reveal the absence of etch pits in silicon even after etching of SiOx/silicon in TMAH for 300 s. The minority carrier lifetime and interface states density in AlOx‐capped SiOx/Si structure are ≥2 ms at carrier density of 1 × 1015 cm−3 and less than 2 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and application of metal–organic skeleton materials (MOFs) have attracted much attention in recent years due to their special structures and properties. In order to expand the application field of MOFs materials, this paper designed experiments to explore the application prospect of MOFs materials in the field of rubber. In this study, zinc acetate dihydrate was used as the central metal ion source, terephthalic acid as organic ligand and deionized water as solvent. MOF‐Zn was prepared by hydrothermal method and ZnO nanoparticles were grown on the surface of MOF‐Zn in situ to obtain MOF‐Zn@ZnO. At the same time, the composite material is filled into the SBR by mechanical blending method. The experimental results show that ZnO nanoparticles adsorb on the MOF‐Zn surface and have strong interfacial interaction with MOF‐Zn. Moreover, MOF‐Zn@ZnO was uniformly dispersed in the rubber matrix, which improved the cross‐linking effect of the composite material and promoted the vulcanization of rubber. Compared with ZnOC/SBR composites, the modulus and tensile strength of MOF‐Zn@ZnO/SBR composites at 100%, 200%, and 300% elongation are increased by 33.6%, 38.2%, 30.8%, and 16.8%, respectively. The excellent performance of MOF‐Zn@ZnO/SBR composite is due to the inhibition of agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles by MOF‐Zn, which can be used as an effective vulcanization activator in rubber. This study provides a simple synthesis route for the preparation of ZnO nanofillers for high performance SBR composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]