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This work proposes layered NiCo–MnO2 as the cathode for ZIBs. The ordered nanostructure and atomic engineering endow NiCo–MnO2 with uniform stress distributions and excellent electrochemical performance.

Using the r2SCAN-rVV10 functional, the structural and electrochemical properties of boridenes for their use as anode materials in rechargeable metal-ion batteries (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+) are evaluated.

International audience; Recently, the interest in spin pumping has escalated from ferromagnets into antiferromagnetic systems, potentially enabling fundamental physics and magnonic applications. Compensated ferrimagnets are considered alternative platforms for bridging ferroand antiferromagnets, but their spin pumping and the associated magnetic damping have been largely overlooked so far despite their seminal importance for magnonics. Herein, we report an unconventional spin pumping together with magnetic damping in an insulating compensated ferrimagnet Gd3Fe5O12. Remarkably, we unambiguously identified the divergence of the nonlocal effective magnetic damping induced by spin pumping close to the compensation temperature in Gd3Fe5O12/Cu/Pt heterostructures. Furthermore, the coherent and incoherent spin currents, generated by spin pumping and spin Seebeck effect respectively, undergo a distinct direction change with the variation of temperature. The physical mechanisms underlying these observations are self-consistently clarified by the ferrimagnetic counterpart of spin pumping and the handedness-related spin-wave spectra. Our findings broaden the conventional paradigm of the ferromagnetic spin pumping model and open new opportunities for exploring the ferrimagnetic magnonic devices.

Magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) represents the electroluminescence intensity change upon application of an external magnetic field. We show that the MEL field response in “magnetic” organic light-emitting diodes, where one electrode is ferromagnetic (FM), is a powerful technique for measuring the induced fringe field, BF, from the FM electrode in the organic layer. We found that the in-plane fringe field, BF∥, from 3 nm Co and Ni80Fe20 FM electrodes is proportional to the applied field, B∥. The fringe field of the 3 nm Ni80Fe20 film was also investigated for an applied out-of-plane magnetic field, B⊥. We found that the out-of-plane fringe field has two components: a component that is parallel or antiparallel to B⊥ and remains unchanged with the distance, d, from the FM electrode and the other component that is highly inhomogeneous, parallel to the surface, and steeply decreases with d. We show that the obtained BF is independent of the underlying mechanism for the MEL(B) response and thus may be c...

Three dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TIs) are an important class of materials with applications in electronics, spintronics and quantum computing. With the recent development of truly bulk insulating 3D TIs, it has become possible to realize surface dominated phenomena in electrical transport measurements e.g. the quantum Hall (QH) effect of massless Dirac fermions in topological surface states (TSS). However, to realize more advanced devices and phenomena, there is a need for a platform to tune the TSS or modify them e.g. gap them by proximity with magnetic insulators, in a clean manner. Here we introduce van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures in the form of topological insulator/insulator/graphite to effectively control chemical potential of the TSS. Two types of gate dielectrics, normal insulator hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and ferromagnetic insulator Cr

Utilizing the latest SCAN-rVV10 density functional, we thoroughly assess the electrochemical properties of 35 Mo-based ordered double transition metal MXenes, including clean Mo2MC2 (M = Sc, Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta) and surface functionalized structures Mo2MC2T2 (T = H, O, F and OH), for the potential use as anode materials in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The first principles molecular dynamics simulations in combination with the calculations of the site adsorption preferences for Li atoms on all investigated MXenes reveal that both Li-saturated adsorption structures and theoretical capacities of Mo-based MXenes are fundamentally influenced by the surface terminations. We find that the adsorption of Li atoms on either -OH or -F functionalized MXenes is chemically unstable. In particular, the F-groups prefer to form a separate fluoride layer with Li atoms, detaching from the Mo2MC2 substrates. The Li atoms could form a stable single adsorption layer on the -H, -O and intrinsic MXenes surface, exhibiting theoretical capacities in the range from 121 mA h g-1 to 195 mA h g-1. Besides -F and -OH terminations, the remaining Mo-based MXenes also possess superior flat open circuit voltage (OCV) profiles with the most reversible storage capacity below 1.0 V during the charging/discharging cycles. We further predict the low barrier heights of Li-ion diffusion, at a range of 0.03-0.06 eV for most Mo-based MXenes except -O and -H terminations, exceeding that of graphene or Ti3C2. Furthermore, combining the Vineyard transition state theory (TST) with the phonon spectra obtained from density functional perturbation theory (DFPT), the mean planar diffusion coefficient is calculated to be 2 × 10-8 m2 s-1 at 300 K for intrinsic Mo2MC2 monolayers. Although the overall specific capacity is fundamentally restricted with the relatively heavy molecular mass of MXenes, we conclude that Mo-based structures, especially the intrinsic Mo2MC2 (M = Sc, Ti, V) monolayers, might be promising anode materials from the aspect of fast charging/discharging application for LIBs.

Spin‐orbit torque (SOT) opens an efficient and versatile avenue for the electrical manipulation of magnetization in spintronic devices. The enhancement of SOT efficiency and reduction of power consumption are key points for the implementation of high‐performance SOT devices, which strongly rely on the spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) strength and magnetic properties of ferromagnetic/non‐magnetic heterostructures. Recently, van der Waals‐layered materials have shown appealing properties for use in efficient SOT applications. On the one hand, transition‐metal dichalcogenides, topological insulators, and graphene‐based heterostructures possess appreciable SOC strength. This feature can efficiently converse the charge current into spin current and result in large SOT. On the other hand, the newly discovered layered magnetic materials provide ultra‐thin and gate‐tunable ferromagnetic candidates for high‐performance SOT devices. In this review, the latest advancements of SOT research in various layered materials are summarized. First, a brief introduction of SOT is given. Second, SOT studies of various layered materials and heterostructures are summarized. Subsequently, progresses on SOT‐induced magnetization switching are presented. Finally, current challenges and prospects for future development are suggested., Van der Waals‐layered materials and heterostructures show appealing advantages in improving spin‐orbit torque (SOT) efficiency. The recent SOT researches in various 2D materials are outlined. The current challenges and the future directions are also discussed. Van der Waals‐layered materials and heterostructures are expected to provide unprecedented opportunities in the fields of spintronics.

A series of (metallo)porphyrin imine gels have been synthesized based on imine chemistry. The resulting aerogels have sponge-like porous networked structures consisting of interconnected nanoparticles with hierarchical porosity. The aerogels have high specific surface areas (up to 719 m2 g−1) and large pore volumes (up to 2.60 cm3 g−1). The effect of metal ions on the uptake of gases in these aerogels was investigated. The impregnation of various metal ions (Pd(II), Ni(II), Mn(III), Fe(III) and Sn(IV)) enhances the uptake capacity of various gases (e.g., CO2) despite their higher densities. Among the metal ions, Pd(II) is the best to increase the adsorption capacity and the isosteric heat of CO2 adsorption. The Pd-tapp–A4 aerogel exhibits CO2 volumetric uptake (1.62 mmol g−1, 7.13 wt% at 298 K, 1 bar) with a high isosteric heat of adsorption (40.0 kJ mol−1). The gels also show potential applications in catalysis because of their unique hierarchical porosity and the availability of metal centers. In combination with microfluidic technology, a catalytic gel capillary reactor has been assembled with the Pd-tapp–A4 gel supported on the inner surface of a functionalized capillary.

Spin waves, quantized as magnons, have low energy loss and magnetic damping, which are critical for devices based on spin-wave propagation needed for information processing devices. The organic-based magnet [V(TCNE)x ; TCNE = tetracyanoethylene; x ≈ 2] has shown an extremely low magnetic damping comparable to, for example, yttrium iron garnet (YIG). The excitation, detection, and utilization of coherent and non-coherent spin waves on various modes in V(TCNE)x is demonstrated and show that the angular momentum carried by microwave-excited coherent spin waves in a V(TCNE)x film can be transferred into an adjacent Pt layer via spin pumping and detected using the inverse spin Hall effect. The spin pumping efficiency can be tuned by choosing different excited spin wave modes in the V(TCNE)x film. In addition, it is shown that non-coherent spin waves in a V(TCNE)x film, excited thermally via the spin Seebeck effect, can also be used as spin pumping source that generates an electrical signal in Pt with a sign change in accordance with the magnetization switching of the V(TCNE)x . Combining coherent and non-coherent spin wave detection, the spin pumping efficiency can be thermally controlled, and new insight is gained for the spintronic applications of spin wave modes in organic-based magnets.

A series of novel aerogels have been obtained based on imine chemistry. The aerogels were prepared by polycondensation of various bridging aldehydes and amines via a sol–gel process. The imine aerogels of tetrakis-(4-aminophenyl)methane (A1) consist of three-dimensional networks of interconnected nanometer-sized particles with hierarchically porous structures. The porosity of the areogels is tuneable by the choice of precursors, precursor concentration and reaction solvent. The aerogels exhibit BET surface areas up to 1021 m2 g−1 (A1-biformyl aerogel A1B1-0.030), as measured by N2 adsorption at 77 K. The A1B1-0.030 aerogel possesses a CO2 uptake of 1.5 mmol g−1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar with an isosteric heat of 38.1 kJ mol−1 and displays high CO2/N2 selectivity up to 70.9, which is derived from the ideal adsorbed solution theory. The A1B1-0.030 aerogel also shows a good capacity to uptake aromatic toluene molecules from an aqueous solution. Moreover, the hierarchically porous structure endows the A1B1-0.030 aerogel with good performance in enrichment of large molecules (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs and organochlorine pesticides OCPs) as the coating adsorbent in solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibres.

Magnonics concepts utilize spin-wave quanta (magnons) for information transmission, processing and storage. To convert information carried by magnons into an electric signal promises compatibility of magnonic devices with conventional electronic devices, that is, magnon spintronics 1 . Magnons in inorganic materials have been studied widely with respect to their generation2,3, transport4,5 and detection 6 . In contrast, resonant spin waves in the room-temperature organic-based ferrimagnet vanadium tetracyanoethylene (V(TCNE) x (x ≈ 2)), were detected only recently 7 . Herein we report room-temperature coherent magnon generation, transport and detection in films and devices based on V(TCNE) x using three different techniques, which include broadband ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), Brillouin light scattering (BLS) and spin pumping into a Pt adjacent layer. V(TCNE) x can be grown as neat films on a large variety of substrates, and it exhibits extremely low Gilbert damping comparable to that in yttrium iron garnet. Our studies establish an alternative use for organic-based magnets, which, because of their synthetic versatility, may substantially enrich the field of magnon spintronics. Generation, transport and detection of spin-wave quanta in vanadium tetracyanoethylene, an organic ferrimagnet with low Gilbert damping, are reported.

et al., The combination of lithography and ion implantation is demonstrated to be a suitable method to prepare lateral multilayers. A laterally, compositionally, and magnetically modulated microscale pattern consisting of alternating Co (1.6 µm wide) and Co-CoO (2.4 µm wide) lines has been obtained by oxygen ion implantation into a lithographically masked Au-sandwiched Co thin film. Magnetoresistance along the lines (i.e., current and applied magnetic field are parallel to the lines) reveals an effective positive giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior at room temperature. Conversely, anisotropic magnetoresistance and GMR contributions are distinguished at low temperature (i.e., 10 K) since the O-implanted areas become exchange coupled. This planar GMR is principally ascribed to the spatial modulation of coercivity in a spring-magnet-type configuration, which results in 180° Néel extrinsic domain walls at the Co/Co-CoO interfaces. The versatility, in terms of pattern size, morphology, and composition adjustment, of this method offers a unique route to fabricate planar systems for, among others, spintronic research and applications., This work was financed by the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), the Concerted Research ActionGOA/14/007, the 2014-SGR-1015 project of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme through the “Research Infrastructure” action of the “Capacities” Programme, NMI3-II Grant No. 283883. This work is based upon experiments (Proposal Nos. 5928 and 9384) performed at the MARIA instrument operated by JCNS at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Garching, Germany. The authors would like to thank IMEC for access to its lithography facilities as well as J. Moonens and J. Loo for technical support. ICN2 acknowledges support from the Severo Ochoa Program (MINECO, Grant SEV-2013-0295).

The hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) form a new class of semiconductors which show promising optoelectronic device applications. Remarkably, the optoelectronic properties of HOIP are tunable by changing the chemical components of their building blocks. Recently, the HOIP spintronic properties and their applications in spintronic devices have attracted substantial interest. Here the impact of the chemical component diversity in HOIPs on their spintronic properties is studied. Spin valve devices based on HOIPs with different organic cations and halogen atoms are fabricated. The spin diffusion length is obtained in the various HOIPs by measuring the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) response in spin valve devices with different perovskite interlayer thicknesses. In addition spin lifetime is also measured from the Hanle response. It is found that the spintronic properties of HOIPs are mainly determined by the halogen atoms, rather than the organic cations. The study provides a clear avenue for engineering spintronic devices based on HOIPs.

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the effects of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on the dielectric, mechanical, and electromechanical properties of a silicone elastomer. The silicone/TiO2 composite films exhibited, in comparison with pure silicone, a steadily improvement of dielectric constant and elastic modulus with the augment of TiO2 particles. A transverse planar strain of 18% with pre-strain of 5% at 50V/μm was obtained, which was 50% higher than the corresponding value generated with the pure silicone. The practical actuated strain was lower than the theoretical, and it was well explained.

The interplay between magnetocrystalline anisotropy and exchange bias is investigated in CoO/Co bilayer films, which are grown epitaxially on MgO (0 0 1), by magnetization reversal measurements based on the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect. While an asymmetric magnetization reversal survives after training for cooling field (CF) along the hard axis, the magnetization reversal becomes symmetric and is dominated in both branches of the hysteresis loop by domain wall motion before and after training for CF along the easy axis. When performing an in-plane hysteresis loop perpendicular to the CF, the hysteresis loop along the easy axis becomes asymmetric: magnetization rotation dominates in the ascending branch, while there is a larger contribution of domain wall motion in the descending branch. Furthermore, the azimuthal angular dependence of the AMR shows two minima after performing a perpendicular hysteresis loop, instead of only one minimum after training. Relying on the extended Fulcomer and Charap model, these effects can be related to an increased deviation of the average uncompensated antiferromagnetic magnetization from the CF direction. This model provides a consistent interpretation of training and asymmetry of the magnetization reversal for epitaxial films with pronounced magnetocrystalline anisotropy as well as for the previously investigated polycrystalline films.

A new polyester dielectric elastomer aiming at large actuated strains driven by low electric fields was synthesized from five monomers through melt polycondensation. The polyester dielectric elastomer displays not only high dielectric constant but also low glass transition temperature. The effect of crosslink density on the elastic modulus, dielectric properties, and actuated strain of this elastomer was investigated. The sample with the lowest crosslink density showed high actuated strain (11.9%) at low electric field strength (just 15.6 kV/mm) without any prestrain. Moreover, this elastomer presented good cell compatibility. This research might help to establish a new route for electroactive polymers.

We fabricated quasi-one-dimensional Co nanochain assemblies and two-dimensional Co nanodot assemblies on Pb/Si(111) substrates by step decoration. The morphology and magnetic properties of these two kinds of Co nanodot assemblies were investigated by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy and magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements. It was found that the steps cannot only improve the uniformity of the Co nanodots, but also increase the critical temperature T(c). Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the ferromagnetism mainly originates from the dipolar interactions and the critical temperature T(c) can be enhanced by introducing an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy via the step tuned dimensionality variation of the nanodot assemblies.

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the effects of acrylonitrile content, crosslink density and plasticization on the dielectric and electromechanical performances of hydrogenated nitrile–butadiene dielectric elastomer. It was found that by increasing the acrylonitrile content of hydrogenated nitrile–butadiene dielectric elastomer, the dielectric constant will be improved accompanied with a sharp decrease of electrical breakdown strength leading to a small actuated strain. At a fixed electric field, a high crosslink density increased the elastic modulus of dielectric elastomer, but it also enhanced the electrical breakdown strength leading to a high actuated strain. Adding a plasticizer into the dielectric elastomer decreased the dielectric constant and electrical breakdown strength slightly, but reduced the elastic modulus sharply, which was beneficial for obtaining a large strain at low electric field from the dielectric elastomer. The largest actuated strain of 22% at an electric field of 30 kV mm−1 without any prestrain was obtained. Moreover, the hydrogenated nitrile–butadiene dielectric actuator showed good history dependence. This proposed material has great potential to be an excellent dielectric elastomer.