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In vertebrates, many organs, such as the kidney and the mammary gland form ductal structures based on the folding of epithelial sheets. The development of these organs relies on coordinated sorting of different cell lineages in both time and space, through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. Tissues are composed of several cell types with distinct biomechanical properties, particularly at cell‐cell and cell‐substrate boundaries. One hypothesis is that adjacent epithelial layers work in a coordinated manner to shape the tissue. Using in vitro experiments on model epithelial cells, differential expression of atypical Protein Kinase C iota (aPKCi), a key junctional polarity protein, is shown to reinforce cell epithelialization and trigger sorting by tuning cell mechanical properties at the tissue level. In a broader perspective, it is shown that in a heterogeneous epithelial monolayer, in which cell sorting occurs, forces arising from epithelial cell growth under confinement by surrounding cells with different biomechanical properties are sufficient to promote collective cell extrusion and generate emerging 3D organization related to spheroids and buds. Overall, this research sheds light on the role of aPKCi and the biomechanical interplay between distinct epithelial cell lineages in shaping tissue organization, providing insights into the understanding of tissue and organ development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanostructures (AuNSs) were used to fabricate surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates. These AuNSs were produced using the solid-state dewetting method from thin films. The fragmentation process was studied at 300 °C, with durations of thermal treatment of 1, 3, 6, and 12 h. These SERS substrates were then employed to detect Rhodamine B (RhB) as the model analyte, simulating a contaminant in the water at a concentration of 5 ppm. The morphology of the AuNSs was examined using SEM, which revealed a spheroidal shape that began to coalesce at 12 h. The size of the AuNSs was estimated to range from 22 ± 7 to 24 ± 6 nm, depending on the annealing time. The localized surface plasmon resonance of the AuNSs was determined using absorption spectroscopy, showing a shift as the annealing time increased. The SERS signals of RhB adsorbed on the AuNS substrates were validated by performing a 10 × 10 point map scan over each sample surface (1, 3, 6, and 12 h), and a comparative analysis showed no significant differences in the positions of the bands; however, variations in intensity enhancement ranged from 5 to 123 times at 6 and 1 h, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In vertebrates, many organs, such as the kidney and the mammary gland form ductal structures based on the folding of epithelial sheets. The development of these organs relies on coordinated sorting of different cell lineages in both time and space, through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. Tissues are composed of several cell types with distinct biomechanical properties, particularly at cell‐cell and cell‐substrate boundaries. One hypothesis is that adjacent epithelial layers work in a coordinated manner to shape the tissue. Using in vitro experiments on model epithelial cells, differential expression of atypical Protein Kinase C iota (aPKCi), a key junctional polarity protein, is shown to reinforce cell epithelialization and trigger sorting by tuning cell mechanical properties at the tissue level. In a broader perspective, it is shown that in a heterogeneous epithelial monolayer, in which cell sorting occurs, forces arising from epithelial cell growth under confinement by surrounding cells with different biomechanical properties are sufficient to promote collective cell extrusion and generate emerging 3D organization related to spheroids and buds. Overall, this research sheds light on the role of aPKCi and the biomechanical interplay between distinct epithelial cell lineages in shaping tissue organization, providing insights into the understanding of tissue and organ development.

The morphology and crystal structure of Pt films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)at high temperatures Tg = 900 °C was studied for four different film thicknesses varying between 10 and 70 nm. During the subsequent growth of the capping layer, the thermal stability of the Pt was strongly influenced by the Pt film's thickness. Furthermore, these later affected the film morphology, the crystal structure and hillocks size, and distribution during subsequent growth at Tg = 900 °C for a long duration. The modifications in the morphology as well as in the structure of the Pt film without a capping layer, named also as the as-grown and encapsulated layers in the bilayer system, were examined by a combination of microscopic and scattering methods. The increase in the thickness of the deposited Pt film brought three competitive phenomena into occurrence, such as 3D–2D morphological transition, dewetting, and hillock formation. The degree of coverage, film continuity, and the crystal quality of the Pt film were significantly improved by increasing the deposition time. An optimum Pt film thickness of 70 nm was found to be suitable for obtaining a hillock-free Pt bottom electrode which also withstood the dewetting phenomena revealed during the subsequent growth of capping layers. This achievement is crucial for the deposition of functional bottom electrodes in ferroelectric and multiferroic heterostructure systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a novel method for fabricating perovskite solar modules using selective spin-coating on various Au/ITO patterned substrates. These patterns were engineered for two purposes: (1) to enhance selectivity of monolayers primarily self-assembling on the Au electrode, and (2) to enable seamless interconnection between cells through direct contact of the top electrode and the hydrophobic Au connection electrode. Utilizing SAMs-treated Au/ITO, we achieved sequential selective deposition of the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite layer on the hydrophilic amino-terminated ITO, while the hole transport layer (HTL) was deposited on the hydrophobic CH3-terminated Au connection electrodes. Importantly, our approach had a negligible impact on the series resistance of the solar cells, as evidenced by the measured specific contact resistivity of the multilayers. A significant outcome was the production of a six-cell series-connected solar module with a notable average PCE of 8.32%, providing a viable alternative to the conventional laser scribing technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, it is demonstrated that the solid‐state dewetting of patterned Fe(100) films can lead to the formation of epitaxial heterostructures of Fe3O4 and Fe. Fe3O4 layers can be grown conformally on multiple facets of dewetted Fe patterns, without buckle delamination, creating epitaxial interfaces. The dewetted line patterns show switching behaviors that are indicative of parallel and antiparallel coupling of Fe3O4 and Fe magnetization, when magnetic fields are applied along their long and short axes, respectively. By comparing this behavior with the results of micromagnetic simulations, it is suggested that the anisotropic switching behavior cannot be solely attributed to the shape anisotropy of the dewetted patterns; their interfacial atomic structures should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors influencing on in vitro evaluation of UV protecting ability of sunscreens were analyzed. It was found that any factors making the sunscreen layer spatially inhomogeneous, such as directional viscous fingering during the sunscreen application, dewetting of applied sunscreen layer, and the surface roughness of the standard PMMA plate, alter the UV transmittance. New application procedure and new type of flat hydrophilic plate were developed for inhibiting the generation of spatial inhomogeneity in applied sunscreen layer. The method created by the combination of these newly developed technologies succeeded in providing reliable and reproducible in vitro evaluation of UV protecting ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Integration and scalability have posed significant problems in the advancement of brain-inspired intelligent systems. Here, we report a self-formed Ag device fabricated through a chemical dewetting process using an Ag organic precursor, which offers easy processing, scalability, and flexibility to address the above issues to a certain extent. The conditions of spin coating, precursor dilution, and use of solvents were varied to obtain different dewetted structures (broadly classified as bimodal and nearly unimodal). A microscopic study is performed to obtain insight into the dewetting mechanism. The electrical behavior of selected bimodal and nearly unimodal devices is related to the statistical analysis of their microscopic structures. A capacitance model is proposed to relate the threshold voltage (Vth) obtained electrically to the various microscopic parameters. Synaptic functionalities such as short-term potentiation (STP) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were emulated in a representative nearly unimodal and bimodal device, with the bimodal device showing a better performance. One of the cognitive behaviors, associative learning, was emulated in a bimodal device. Scalability is demonstrated by fabricating more than 1000 devices, with 96% exhibiting switching behavior. A flexible device is also fabricated, demonstrating synaptic functionalities (STP and LTP).

Gold nanostructures (AuNSs) were used to fabricate surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates. These AuNSs were produced using the solid-state dewetting method from thin films. The fragmentation process was studied at 300 °C, with durations of thermal treatment of 1, 3, 6, and 12 h. These SERS substrates were then employed to detect Rhodamine B (RhB) as the model analyte, simulating a contaminant in the water at a concentration of 5 ppm. The morphology of the AuNSs was examined using SEM, which revealed a spheroidal shape that began to coalesce at 12 h. The size of the AuNSs was estimated to range from 22 ± 7 to 24 ± 6 nm, depending on the annealing time. The localized surface plasmon resonance of the AuNSs was determined using absorption spectroscopy, showing a shift as the annealing time increased. The SERS signals of RhB adsorbed on the AuNS substrates were validated by performing a 10 × 10 point map scan over each sample surface (1, 3, 6, and 12 h), and a comparative analysis showed no significant differences in the positions of the bands; however, variations in intensity enhancement ranged from 5 to 123 times at 6 and 1 h, respectively.

It is assumed that life originated on the Earth from vesicles made of fatty acids. These amphiphiles are the simplest chemicals, which can be present in the prebiotic soup, capable of self‐assembling into compartments mimicking modern cells. Production of fatty acid vesicles is widely studied, as their growing and division. However, how prebiotic chemicals require to further yield living cells encapsulated within protocells remains unclear. Here, one suggests a scenario based on recent studies, which shows that phospholipid vesicles can form from double emulsions affording facile encapsulation of cargos. In these works, water‐in‐oil‐in‐water droplets are produced by microfluidics, having dispersed lipids in the oil. Dewetting of the oil droplet leaves the internal aqueous droplet covered by a lipid bilayer, entrapping cargos. In this review, formation of fatty acid protocells is briefly reviewed, together with the procedure for preparing double emulsions and vesicles from double emulsion and finally, it is proposed that double emulsion droplets formed in the deep ocean where undersea volcano expulsed materials, with fatty acids (under their carboxylic form) and alkanols as the oily phase, entrapping hydrosoluble prebiotic chemicals in a double emulsion droplet core. Once formed, double emulsion droplets can move up to the surface, where an increase of pH, variation of pressure and/or temperature may have allowed dewetting of the oily droplet, leaving a fatty acid vesicular protocell with encapsulated prebiotic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further explore the quasi-static mechanical characteristics of composite solid propellants at low strain rates, an investigation was conducted on the mechanical behavior and damage mechanisms of a four-component hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant by means of experiments and numerical simulation. A uniaxial tensile test and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization experiment were carried out. A microstructural model, which accurately represents the mesoscopic structure, was developed via the integration of micro-CT scanning and image-processing techniques. The constructed microstructural model was utilized to conduct a numerical simulation of the mechanical behavior. The experimental results demonstrated that the maximum tensile strength increases with increasing strain rate, and the primary cause of propellant failure at low strain rates is the dewetting phenomenon occurring at the interface between the larger particles and the matrix. The maximum tensile strength is 0.48 MPa when the strain rate is 0.00119 s−1, and the maximum tensile strength is 0.37 MPa when the strain rate is 0.000119 s−1. The simulation results indicated a consistent trend in variation when comparing the simulation and experimental curves. This suggested that the established model exhibits a high level of reliability, and provides a promising approach for carrying out microstructural simulations of heterogeneous propellants in future. The mechanical behavior of the propellant can be effectively described by utilizing a mesoscopic finite element model that incorporates the superelastic constitutive model of the matrix and the bilinear cohesive model. This framework facilitates the representation of mesoscopic damage evolution, which consequently provides insights into the damage mechanism. Additionally, the utilization of such models assists in compensating for the limitations of damage evolution characterization experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration and scalability have posed significant problems in the advancement of brain-inspired intelligent systems. Here, we report a self-formed Ag device fabricated through a chemical dewetting process using an Ag organic precursor, which offers easy processing, scalability, and flexibility to address the above issues to a certain extent. The conditions of spin coating, precursor dilution, and use of solvents were varied to obtain different dewetted structures (broadly classified as bimodal and nearly unimodal). A microscopic study is performed to obtain insight into the dewetting mechanism. The electrical behavior of selected bimodal and nearly unimodal devices is related to the statistical analysis of their microscopic structures. A capacitance model is proposed to relate the threshold voltage (Vth) obtained electrically to the various microscopic parameters. Synaptic functionalities such as short-term potentiation (STP) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were emulated in a representative nearly unimodal and bimodal device, with the bimodal device showing a better performance. One of the cognitive behaviors, associative learning, was emulated in a bimodal device. Scalability is demonstrated by fabricating more than 1000 devices, with 96% exhibiting switching behavior. A flexible device is also fabricated, demonstrating synaptic functionalities (STP and LTP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growth mode of pentacene thin films deposited by high vacuum sublimation where the morphology versus thickness h "rings" back and forth between rough 3D films with pyramid islands and smooth 2D films with ziqqurat islands is discovered. The roughness σ versus h exhibits seamless coherent oscillations whose amplitude and wavelength increase as integer multiples of 1.5 ML thickness. The quantized oscillations are reconducted to dynamic wetting/dewetting transitions involving the upper layers of pentacene film. Importantly, the transconductance of organic field effect transistors, either in solid state or electrolyte‐gated, exhibits antiphase oscillations with one‐decade swing. Charge mobilities in the wetting regime reach 0.1 cm2 V−1 s−1, in line with high‐end values reported for thin‐film pentacene transistors. Controlling this growth mode enables the limitations of charge transport imposed by the roughening transition to be overcome, a universal feature of high vacuum growth to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation of the deformation and damage evolution process of composite modified double base (CMDB) propellant based on the microstructure is of great significance for improving its macro‐mechanical properties. The macro‐mechanical properties and damage evolution of CMDB propellant were studied experimentally and numerically in current work. To establish the correlation between microstructural evolution and the macro‐mechanical response of the propellant, a three‐dimensional microstructure model of the CMDB propellant was constructed utilizing the molecular dynamics particle filling approach. At the interface between RDX particles and the nitrocellulose‐nitroglycerine (NC‐NG) matrix, the conventional cohesive element was replaced by cohesive contact, and the parameters of the cohesive zone model (CZM) at the interface between the particles and the matrix were obtained by parameter inversion based on the Hooke‐Jeeves parameter optimization algorithm. The processes of damage initiation, propagation, convergence, and failure at the cohesive interface were simulated using the bilinear cohesive zone model (BCZM). The results revealed that the fracture strength of NC‐NG propellant with added RDX particles was significantly increased and the fracture elongation was reduced. The three‐dimensional microstructure model can accurately describe the microstructure of CMDB, and dewetting at the interface is the primary cause of propellant degradation when subjected to an external load, which compromises the mechanical properties of the propellant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved lattice spring model extended by viscoelastic part using the Maxwell model was applied to predict the mechanical properties of HTPB‐based solid propellants. The influence of both strain rate and temperature on the maximum elongation of HTPB‐based propellants was quantitatively analyzed by simulating the uniaxial tensile test, as well as the process of crack development during tensile loads. The results show that the maximum elongation of HTPB‐based propellant decreases as a power function along with the linear increase of strain rate. In contrast, the maximum stress increases as a power function. Increasing the temperature linearly, both the maximum stress and the maximum elongation decrease as a power function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology and crystal structure of Pt films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)at high temperatures Tg = 900 °C was studied for four different film thicknesses varying between 10 and 70 nm. During the subsequent growth of the capping layer, the thermal stability of the Pt was strongly influenced by the Pt film’s thickness. Furthermore, these later affected the film morphology, the crystal structure and hillocks size, and distribution during subsequent growth at Tg = 900 °C for a long duration. The modifications in the morphology as well as in the structure of the Pt film without a capping layer, named also as the as-grown and encapsulated layers in the bilayer system, were examined by a combination of microscopic and scattering methods. The increase in the thickness of the deposited Pt film brought three competitive phenomena into occurrence, such as 3D–2D morphological transition, dewetting, and hillock formation. The degree of coverage, film continuity, and the crystal quality of the Pt film were significantly improved by increasing the deposition time. An optimum Pt film thickness of 70 nm was found to be suitable for obtaining a hillock-free Pt bottom electrode which also withstood the dewetting phenomena revealed during the subsequent growth of capping layers. This achievement is crucial for the deposition of functional bottom electrodes in ferroelectric and multiferroic heterostructure systems.

Abstract A growth mode of pentacene thin films deposited by high vacuum sublimation where the morphology versus thickness h “rings” back and forth between rough 3D films with pyramid islands and smooth 2D films with ziqqurat islands is discovered. The roughness σ versus h exhibits seamless coherent oscillations whose amplitude and wavelength increase as integer multiples of 1.5 ML thickness. The quantized oscillations are reconducted to dynamic wetting/dewetting transitions involving the upper layers of pentacene film. Importantly, the transconductance of organic field effect transistors, either in solid state or electrolyte‐gated, exhibits antiphase oscillations with one‐decade swing. Charge mobilities in the wetting regime reach 0.1 cm2 V−1 s−1, in line with high‐end values reported for thin‐film pentacene transistors. Controlling this growth mode enables the limitations of charge transport imposed by the roughening transition to be overcome, a universal feature of high vacuum growth to date.

In this paper, inspired by the human‐giving goosebumps process, we demonstrated a rapid, versatile, and simple method to prepare anti‐UV microstructures polymer blend films with good morphology based on phase separation. Through the results of characterizations, it is proved that the microstructures are formed by polymer phase separation. Then the formation possibility of microstructures is proved by thermodynamic analysis. Moreover, the phase‐field model is used to simulate the formation of microstructures by the finite element method, which can illustrate the evolution process of the microstructures. Besides, the microstructures were prepared on different substrates through the simple phase separation method, which can verify the versatility of this method. In addition, the anti‐UV performance of the micro‐structure films was evaluated. This work proposed a simple and versatile route to prepare microstructures coating in different substrates, which exhibit well anti‐UV performance, and this work has the application potential for preventing material aging caused by UV radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the mechanical properties and influence mechanism of hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant under various confining pressures, the uniaxial tension tests with low to medium strain rate and various confining pressures were carried out. The coupling effects of strain rate and confining pressure on mechanical properties were presented. Meanwhile, the confining pressure influence mechanism was analyzed and revealed using the meso numerical simulation method and scanning electron microscopy images of fracture surfaces. The meso damage evolution processes under various confining pressures were presented. The results show that strain rate and confining pressure affect mechanical responses of HTPB propellant significantly. As confining pressure increases, the maximum tension strength and fracture strength increase. The maximum tension strain and failure strain vary slightly with confining pressure under low strain rate, while they increase significantly with confining pressure at medium strain rate. The fracture energy density increases with the increase of strain rate and confining pressure. Meanwhile, the value of saturation pressure depends on strain rate. The confining pressure influence mechanism is to suppress dewetting damage initiation and evolution. Besides, the failure mode of HTPB propellant under different confining pressures is still particles dewetting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disintegration of a continuous metallic thin film leads to the formation of isolated islands, which can be used for the preparation of plasmonic structures. The transformation mechanism is driven by a thermally accelerated diffusion that leads to the minimalization of surface free energy in the system. In this paper, we report the results of our study on the disintegration of gold thin film and the formation of nanoislands on silicon substrates, both pure and with native silicon dioxide film. To study the processes leading to the formation of gold nanostructures and to investigate the effect of the oxide layer on silicon diffusion, metallic film with a thickness of 3 nm was deposited by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique on both pure and oxidized silicon substrates. Transformation of the thin film was observed by low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), while the nanostructures formed were observed by atomic force microscope (AFM) method. Structural investigations were performed by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. Our experiments confirmed a strong correlation between the formation of nanoislands and the presence of native oxide on silicon substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the formation of nanoflowers after annealing of Au/Ni bilayers deposited on SiO2/Si substrates. The cores of the nanoflowers consist of segregated Ni silicide and Au parts and are surrounded by SiOx branches. The SiO2 decomposition is activated at 1050 °C in a reducing atmosphere, and it can be enhanced more by Au compared to Ni. SiO gas from the decomposition of SiO2 and the active oxidation of Si is the source of Si for the growth of the SiOx branches of the nanoflowers. The concentration of SiO gas around the decomposition cavities is inhomogeneously distributed. Closer to the cavity border, the concentration of the Si sources is higher, and SiOx branches grow faster. Hence, nanoflowers present shorter and shorter branches as they are getting away from the border. However, such inhomogeneous SiO gas concentration is weakened in the sample with the highest Au concentration due to the strong ability of Au to enhance SiO2 decomposition, and nanoflowers with less difference in their branches can be observed across the whole sample.

Highlights The split-ring topography is studied systematically from wettability, evaporation assembly to optoelectronic devices. An efficient dual-function laser etching scheme has been developed to fabricate the split-ring lyophilic pattern and the lateral electrode array simultaneously. A non-contact human-machine interface based on CsPbBr3 perovskite photodetector arrays has been successfully applied to wearable devices, automobile displays, robot remote control.

For many optics technologies, such as display screens, solar cells, laser systems, and eyeglasses, antireflective (AR) coatings are well integrated; these applications frequently benefit from the ability to function as broadband AR. Here, all‐glass metasurfaces are reported on, exhibiting a measured reflectance of 0.18% ± 0.23% per interface, averaged across wavelengths spanning from 350 nm (ultraviolet) to 2350 nm (mid‐infrared); to the best of knowledge, this is the first‐ever demonstration of an AR layer capable of this. Furthermore, acceptance angles up to 100° (angle of incidence = ±50°) results in %R < 0.6% per interface over the band 350–1300 nm for P‐polarization and S‐polarization, with wavelength averaged reflectance values 0.04% ± 0.05% and 0.11% ± 0.15%, respectively – another technological first. The process advancements presented here allow for reflectance suppression over a broad range of wavelengths, angles, and polarizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) employs direct droplet-electrode contact to generate electric fields across the dielectric layer to modulate droplet wetting. Because the charged surface state drives this process, it should be possible to accomplish a contactless modulation of droplet wetting by charge injection onto the dielectric surface where a droplet is situated. We present our technique, dielectric charge injection (DCI), to contactlessly modulate droplet wetting via corona discharge-based physics. We study the ability of droplets on nonwetting surfaces to transition to a wetting state under DCI, quantify contact angle (CA) in relation to applied voltage, and examine reversibility under regimes with and without charge injection. The observed phenomena are applied to enable droplet-surface material interchange. Using DCI, we induce wetting of a deionized water droplet on a non-wetting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface immersed in hexadecane, with tunable CA modulation based on applied voltage. Upon simple removal of the voltage and/or conductor, droplet fully recovers the initial non-wetting state. We combine these capabilities to enable droplet-surface material interchange of two modes: material deposition (droplet-to-surface) and material recovery (surface-to-droplet). DCI presents a unique strategy for contactless, reversible wetting state modulation that is simple yet powerful for applications such as integrating droplet microfluidics to mass spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of a standardised methodology for the application of coatings on heritage metals can lead to non-comparable results. A careful and meaningful study requires considering the different application variables involved, especially in the preparation of the coupons. In this work, the effect that these application variables can have on the protective capacity of the coatings used has been studied. The influence of the thickness, number of layers and drying time (between layers and final) of Paraloid B-72, C80 microcrystalline wax and Incralac has been evaluated. Coatings have been applied on bare steel coupons, thickness measured with an induction probe, and subject to artificial ageing on UV light/water condensation cycles. The performance of the coatings has been studied by visual inspection and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Morphology of the layers has been characterised by optical microscopy and the composition of the corrosion products by Raman spectroscopy. Results show that the number of layers is not always proportional to the final thickness of the coating, and that drying time is a critical factor affecting the thickness and the protective properties of the coatings. After accelerated ageing, some coatings that had been left to dry for 14 days have a much better protective capacity than those that were left to dry for less time. Without taking into account these factors, performance measured can be wrong and comparison between materials misleading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensors are of great importance in biomedical applications, for the realization of portable diabetic testing kits and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Nanostructured materials show a number of advantages in the applications of analytical electrochemistry, compared to macroscopic electrodes, such as great sensitivity and little dependence on analyte diffusion close to the electrode–solution interface. Obtaining electrodes based on nanomaterials without using expensive lithographic techniques represents a great added value. In this paper, we modeled the chronoamperometric response towards glucose determination by four electrodes consisting of nanostructured gold onto graphene paper (GP). The nanostructures were obtained by electrochemical etch, thermal and laser processes of thin gold layer. We addressed experiments obtaining different size and shape of gold nanostructures. Electrodes have been characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. We modeled the current-time response at the potential corresponding to two-electrons oxidation process of glucose by the different nanostructured gold systems. The finest nanostructures of 10–200 nm were obtained by laser dewetting of 17 nm thin and 300 °C thermal dewetting of 8 nm thin gold layers, and they show that semi-infinite linear diffusion mechanism predominates over radial diffusion. Electrochemical etching and 17 nm thin gold layer dewetted at 400 °C consist of larger gold islands up to 1 μm. In the latter case, the current-time curves can be fitted by a two-phase exponential decay function that relies on the mixed second-order formation of adsorbed glucose intermediate followed by its first-order decay to gluconolactone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a novel method for fabricating perovskite solar modules using selective spin-coating on various Au/ITO patterned substrates. These patterns were engineered for two purposes: (1) to enhance selectivity of monolayers primarily self-assembling on the Au electrode, and (2) to enable seamless interconnection between cells through direct contact of the top electrode and the hydrophobic Au connection electrode. Utilizing SAMs-treated Au/ITO, we achieved sequential selective deposition of the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite layer on the hydrophilic amino-terminated ITO, while the hole transport layer (HTL) was deposited on the hydrophobic CH3-terminated Au connection electrodes. Importantly, our approach had a negligible impact on the series resistance of the solar cells, as evidenced by the measured specific contact resistivity of the multilayers. A significant outcome was the production of a six-cell series-connected solar module with a notable average PCE of 8.32%, providing a viable alternative to the conventional laser scribing technique.

The stability of thin liquid films on a surface depends on the excess free energy of the system involving various short‐range and long‐range interactions. When forced to wet an unfavorable surface, thin liquid films dewet into multiple small‐sized droplets via spinodal, homogeneous, or heterogeneous nucleation process. However, if the total excess free energy of the system can be manipulated using external stimuli, for example, electric field, temperature, or light, one can control the stability of thin liquid films on demand. Here the electric‐field induced reversible dewetting and rewetting of thin liquid films underneath aqueous drops on slippery surfaces is studied. Upon applying voltage, hundreds of nanometer thick stable liquid films dewet in a manner identical to the spinodal dewetting of few nanometer‐thick liquid films following the linear stability analysis. Upon removing the applied voltage, the dewetted droplets spread, coalesce with neighboring ones, and form a uniform film again, albeit taking significantly longer times. The characteristic features defined via spatial and temporal evolution of the dewetting and rewetting processes are present over multiple cycles suggesting the complete reversibility of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the thermal stability of Co/Au and Ni/Au Schottky contacts to Sn-doped ( 2 ¯ 01) β-Ga2O3 substrates. Current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements were conducted after sequential annealing treatments totaling > 400 h at 300°C and > 150 h at 500°C in vacuum. For both sets of contacts, the average Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) calculated from the I–V measurements displayed no significant changes and remained within a narrow range throughout the anneals at 300°C. The SBHs calculated from the C–V measurements also remained largely constant for 300°C anneals, except for a modest increase for both contacts for anneal times > 350 h. For 500°C anneals, the I–V characteristics for Ni/Au and Co/Au contacts displayed continual degradation in the electrical behavior after 12 h and 24 h, respectively. Characterizations using scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy of the samples annealed at 500°C revealed considerable changes in film morphology, interdiffusion, and phase segregation within the contacts. The results suggest the potential for Co/Au or Ni/Au Schottky contacts to be used in Ga2O3 devices at temperatures below, or possibly up to, 300°C, whereas higher temperatures will require modified metallization schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in high-performance flexible electronic devices have increased the demand for more diverse and complex nanofabrication methods; high-resolution, high-efficiency, and low-cost patterning strategies for next-generation devices are therefore required. In this study, we demonstrate the formation of dewetting-induced hierarchical patterns using two self-assembled materials: block copolymers (BCPs) and colloidal crystals. The combination of the two self-assembly methods successfully generates multiscale hierarchical patterns because the length scales of the periodic colloidal crystal structures are suitable for templating the BCP patterns. Various concentric ring patterns were observed on the templated BCP films, and a free energy model of the polymer chain was applied to explain the formation of these patterns relative to the template width. Frequently occurring spiral-defective features were also examined and found to be promoted by Y-junction defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Spinodal dewetting is one of the basic processes inducing a spontaneous withdrawal of a liquid from a substrate surface. In the accepted theory, thickness fluctuations generated by thermally activated capillary waves are amplified by the competing actions of surface tension and disjoining pressure. Ubiquitous sub-nanometric substrate roughness also produces thickness fluctuations and may play a role analogous but even more efficient in seeding the process. Analytic calculations valid at the early linear stage of the process and simulations extending the study to its whole non-linear development have been performed to compare features and the relative relevance of the two seeding mechanisms. Calculations and simulations have shown that substrate roughness can replace capillary waves in seeding spinodal dewetting. A typically larger amplitude and a steady nature compared to the transitory one of capillary waves allow us to conclude that, contrary to the common view, substrate roughness is the prevailing seed of the spinodal instability. The consequence of our statement is that spinodal dewetting loses most of its stochastic nature and becomes, in principle, a process that can be tuned by engineering substrate roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical two-step sol-gel hydrothermal method enables the growth of nanoarrays on various substrates via a seed layer. The morphology of the nanoarrays is often tuned by changing the composition ratio of the seed solution. It is taken for granted that the number density and size of seeds will increase with the proportion of precursors. However, in this work, we found novel two-stage dependencies between the concentration of the precursor (ZnAC) and the geometric parameters (number density and diameter) of ZnO seed particles. The completely opposite dependencies illustrate the existence of two different mechanisms. Especially when the proportion of precursors is low ( ϕ Z n A C : ϕ P V A < 0.22 ), the seed number density and diameter decrease with the increasing precursor concentration. This counterintuitive phenomenon should be caused by the destabilization and dewetting process of the thin film layers during annealing. Based on this new mechanism, we demonstrate the tuning growth of the ZnO seed layer and the nanowire array by annealing time. The number density of the nanorod array can be changed by 10 times, and the diameter of the nanorods can be changed by more than 8 times. The new mechanism we proposed can not only help people deepen their understanding of the formation and evolution of the seed layer but also provide a new way for the controllable growth of nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript is dedicated to advancing the understanding of biomolecular film on solid target formation, with a particular emphasis on the intricacies of structure nonuniformities in amino acid and protein-based dehydrated films. Experimental and theoretical studying the structure of films at the quantitative level has been created and tested. By integrating advanced imaging and statistical analysis, we dissect the dynamics and intricacies of domain structures, including cellular and microcrystalline formations, that significantly influence dehydrated biomolecular film properties. The research process entails preparing amino acid and protein solutions, capturing high-resolution images during dehydration, and implementing advanced digital image processing techniques like Laplacian Pyramid Restoration and Gaussian Differential Scale-Invariance for enhanced image clarity. Analytical approach includes domain segmentation and texture analysis using Haralick features, enabling precise quantification of structural complexities in films formed under various dehydration conditions and protein concentrations. The suggested physical model describes the transition from equilibrium solutions through nonequilibrium processes to complex bubble vaporization, dehydration-induced Dewetting and domain differentiation, thus explained observed spiral formations within protein domains. This model provids a detailed mechanistic understanding of how environmental conditions and molecular dynamics drive the formation of domains, paving the way for developing films with tailored properties for diverse applications. These insights hold significant implications across various fields, including material science, nanotechnology, biomedical applications, environmental monitoring, electronics, and photonics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the impact of various annealing schemes on the formation and agglomeration mechanisms of ultrathin Ni(Pt)Si films is investigated. To this end, 11 ± 1 nm-thick Ni(Pt)Si films are grown on 300 mm Si(100) wafers using various traditional rapid thermal annealing procedures as well as laser annealing. The obtained silicide films are then subjected to additional annealing between 500 and 800 °C, to evaluate their stability at high temperature. The correlation between the as-grown Ni(Pt)Si film properties and their capability to withstand agglomeration is analyzed via a complementary approach of several techniques (Rs, ellipsometry, TEM-EDX, SEM, and EBSD). Texture comparison for ultrathin films give deeper insights into the role of the NiSi-(010) and NiSi-(013) orientations in the agglomeration phenomenon. Depending on the annealing schemes used during the silicide formation, there is a strong correlation between the initial microstructure of Ni(Pt)Si films and their subsequent degradation. Indeed, cross-analysis of these different key parameters indicates that the presence of small Ni(Pt)Si grains (40 nm) obtained after laser annealing, and a high ratio of Ni(Pt)Si grains oriented along the (013) direction appears to be more efficient in delaying the agglomeration to higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkylsilane-derived hybrid films exhibiting excellent dynamic dewetting behaviors toward various liquids are promising, since they are smooth, highly transparent, and a low environmental burden. However, the detailed mechanism of their unique dynamic dewetting behaviors and its relation to the surface segregation of alkylsilanes during the film formation have not yet been clearly identified. In this study, we prepared various hybrid films by varying the mixing ratios of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and n-dodecyltriethoxysilane (C12TES) and investigated the changes in the s-CH2/s-CH3 peak strength ratios of the resulting hybrid films under dry and wet conditions by sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. When the static/dynamic water contact angles significantly changed, it was clearly observed that the s-CH2/s-CH3 ratio of each hybrid film under dry and wet condition also changed markedly. With increasing TEOS concentration, the static contact angles became smaller, while the contact angle hysteresis tended to increase because of the increase in gauche defects at the air interface and hydrogen bonds. This finding suggests that the concentration and conformation of the alkyl chains derived from surface-segregated C12TES molecules play an important role in determining the final dewetting behaviors of the hybrid films to water.

Abstract The stability of thin liquid films on a surface depends on the excess free energy of the system involving various short‐range and long‐range interactions. When forced to wet an unfavorable surface, thin liquid films dewet into multiple small‐sized droplets via spinodal, homogeneous, or heterogeneous nucleation process. However, if the total excess free energy of the system can be manipulated using external stimuli, for example, electric field, temperature, or light, one can control the stability of thin liquid films on demand. Here the electric‐field induced reversible dewetting and rewetting of thin liquid films underneath aqueous drops on slippery surfaces is studied. Upon applying voltage, hundreds of nanometer thick stable liquid films dewet in a manner identical to the spinodal dewetting of few nanometer‐thick liquid films following the linear stability analysis. Upon removing the applied voltage, the dewetted droplets spread, coalesce with neighboring ones, and form a uniform film again, albeit taking significantly longer times. The characteristic features defined via spatial and temporal evolution of the dewetting and rewetting processes are present over multiple cycles suggesting the complete reversibility of the process.

Highlights: The split-ring topography is studied systematically from wettability, evaporation assembly to optoelectronic devices. An efficient dual-function laser etching scheme has been developed to fabricate the split-ring lyophilic pattern and the lateral electrode array simultaneously. A non-contact human-machine interface based on CsPbBr3 perovskite photodetector arrays has been successfully applied to wearable devices, automobile displays, robot remote control. Photodetectors with long detection distances and fast response are important media in constructing a non-contact human–machine interface for the Masterly Internet of Things (MIT). All-inorganic perovskites have excellent optoelectronic performance with high moisture and oxygen resistance, making them one of the promising candidates for high-performance photodetectors, but a simple, low-cost and reliable fabrication technology is urgently needed. Here, a dual-function laser etching method is developed to complete both the lyophilic split-ring structure and electrode patterning. This novel split-ring structure can capture the perovskite precursor droplet efficiently and achieve the uniform and compact deposition of CsPbBr3 films. Furthermore, our devices based on laterally conducting split-ring structured photodetectors possess outstanding performance, including the maximum responsivity of 1.44 × 105 mA W−1, a response time of 150 μs in 1.5 kHz and one-unit area < 4 × 10–2 mm2. Based on these split-ring photodetector arrays, we realized three-dimensional gesture detection with up to 100 mm distance detection and up to 600 mm s−1 speed detection, for low-cost, integrative, and non-contact human–machine interfaces. Finally, we applied this MIT to wearable and flexible digital gesture recognition watch panel, safe and comfortable central controller integrated on the car screen, and remote control of the robot, demonstrating the broad potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we demonstrate the high-temperature growth of GaN on ScAlMgO4 substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy when a thin Al film is deposited ex situ on the ScAlMgO4 surface, prior to GaN growth. Mirror-like high-quality GaN epitaxial layers were obtained when N2 was used as carrier gas during the reactor temperature ramp-up preceding GaN growth, leading to a higher GaN quality compared to direct growth on ScAlMgO4 using a trimethylaluminium preflow. This opens a pathway for high-temperature GaN growth on ScAlMgO4 when an Al precursor line is not present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial tension‐driven formation of intricate microparticle geometries from complex emulsions is presented in this work. Emulsion‐templating is a reliable platform for the generation of a diverse set of microparticles. Here, water‐in‐styrene‐in‐water complex emulsions undergo reproducible metamorphosis, i.e., from liquid state emulsions to solid structured microparticles are employed. In contrast to the traditional usage of glass‐based microfluidics, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) swelling behavior is employed to generate complex emulsions with multiple inner cores. In the presence of block copolymer surfactant, these emulsions undergo gravity‐driven dewetting of styrene, to transform into membranous structures with compartments. Further polymerization of styrene skeletal remains resulted in microparticles with interesting geometries and intact membranes. Mechanical and confocal microscopic studies prove the absence of polystyrene within these membranes. Using osmotic pressure, membrane rupture and release of encapsulated gold nanoparticles from such polymerized emulsions leading up to applications in cargo delivery and membrane transport are promoted. Even after membrane rupture, the structured microparticles have shown interesting light‐scattering behavior for applications in structural coloring and biosensing. Thereby, proving PDMS‐based swelling as a potential methodology for reproducible production of complex emulsions with a potential to be transformed into membranous emulsions or solid microparticles with intricate structures and multiple applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu nanoparticles were produced by using solid-state dewetting (dry) of a 1.3 nm Cu layer or laser ablation of a Cu solid target (wet) in acetone and methanol. The morphology and chemical composition of the nanoparticles were investigated as a function of the synthesis methods and their key parameters of the annealing temperature (200–500 °C) and the liquid environment during the ablation. Cu nanoparticles were then embedded in transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films as aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) or zirconium-doped indium oxide (IZrO); the TCObott/Cu nanoparticle/TCOtop structures were synthesized with all combinations of AZO and IZrO as the top and bottom layers. The goal was to achieve a plasmonic and conductive structure for photovoltaic applications via a comparison of the involved methods and all fabricated structures. In particular, solid-state dewetting produced faceted or spherical (depending on the annealing temperature) nanoparticles with an average size below 150 nm while laser ablation produced spherical nanoparticles below 250 nm. Dry and wet plasmonic conductive structures as a function of the TCOs employed and the temperature of annealing could reach a sheet resistance of 86 Ω/sq. The energy band-gap Egap, absorbance, transmittance, and reflectance of the plasmonic conductive structures were investigated in the UV–vis–NIR range. They showed a dependence on the sequence of the top and bottom TCO, with best transmittances of 89.4% for the dry plasmonic conductive structure and 84.7% for the wet plasmonic conductive structure. The latter showed a higher diffused transmittance of between 10–20% in the visible range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular transport processes in printed polymer droplets hold enormous importance for understanding wetting phenomena and designing systems in applications such as encoding, electronics, photonics, and sensing. This paper studies thickness-dependent dewetting modes that are activated by thermal annealing and driven by interfacial interactions within microscopically confined polymeric features. The printing of poly(2-vinylpyridine) is performed in a regime where coffee-ring effects lead to strong thinning of the central region of the deposit. Thermal annealing leads to two different modes of dewetting that depend on the thickness of the central region. Mode I refers to the formation of randomly positioned small features surrounded by large hemispherical ones located along the periphery of the printed features and occurs when the central regions are thin. Observed at large central thicknesses, Mode II mediates significant molecular transport from edges toward the center of the printed droplet with thermal annealing and forms a hemispherical feature from the initial ring-like deposit. The selective adsorption of red, green, and blue emitting quantum dots over the poly(2-vinylpyridine) results in photoluminescent patterns. The selective assembly of photoluminescent quantum dots over patterned surfaces leads to deterministic and stochastic features beneficial to creating security labels for anti-counterfeiting applications., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Abstract Interfacial tension‐driven formation of intricate microparticle geometries from complex emulsions is presented in this work. Emulsion‐templating is a reliable platform for the generation of a diverse set of microparticles. Here, water‐in‐styrene‐in‐water complex emulsions undergo reproducible metamorphosis, i.e., from liquid state emulsions to solid structured microparticles are employed. In contrast to the traditional usage of glass‐based microfluidics, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) swelling behavior is employed to generate complex emulsions with multiple inner cores. In the presence of block copolymer surfactant, these emulsions undergo gravity‐driven dewetting of styrene, to transform into membranous structures with compartments. Further polymerization of styrene skeletal remains resulted in microparticles with interesting geometries and intact membranes. Mechanical and confocal microscopic studies prove the absence of polystyrene within these membranes. Using osmotic pressure, membrane rupture and release of encapsulated gold nanoparticles from such polymerized emulsions leading up to applications in cargo delivery and membrane transport are promoted. Even after membrane rupture, the structured microparticles have shown interesting light‐scattering behavior for applications in structural coloring and biosensing. Thereby, proving PDMS‐based swelling as a potential methodology for reproducible production of complex emulsions with a potential to be transformed into membranous emulsions or solid microparticles with intricate structures and multiple applications.

Plasmonic polycrystals composed of loosely packed plasmonic nanoparticles formed microscale plasmonic grains with random orientations may exhibit interesting optical properties. Their fabrication includes placing nanoparticles in order to form plasmonic grains and forming the random orientation of the plasmonic grains. The seemingly mutually exclusive nanoparticle ordering and random grain orientation processes challenge existing technologies. Here a self‐assembled bowl‐in‐bowl template‐confined dewetting process to prepare plasmonic polycrystals is developed. The size and composition of the plasmonic nanoparticles can be conveniently designed before experiments, which are inaccessible to conventional fabrication methods. Complex plasmonic coupling between the Au nanoparticles and the plasmonic grains within the plasmonic polycrystals is observed. The microbowls further endow plasmonic nanostructures with more interesting optical properties arising from multiple scattering processes within the concave bowl surfaces. The broadband response of the plasmonic polycrystals makes them active under 532, 633, and 785 nm laser excitation for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing applications. Finite‐difference time‐domain simulations are performed to explain the optical properties of the plasmonic polycrystals and the SERS enhancement. The simple template‐confined dewetting process provides a powerful approach to design plasmonic polycrystals with application potentials in plasmonic, sensing, and photonic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of high-quality continuous film of graphene on less than 1 μ m-thick Cu film is proven to be a challenging task due to the solid-state dewetting of Cu during the high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. In this paper, we introduce the use of nanostructured black Si (b-Si) as a template for Cu evaporation to mitigate the dewetting of Cu thin film. Using a cold-wall CVD system at a process temperature of 825 ∘ C, even Cu thickness, t Cu = 6 0 0 nm on polished SiO2/Si substrate is poor for maintaining Cu as a continuous film. If the polished SiO2/Si is replaced with SiO2/b-Si, the minimum t Cu = 4 0 0 nm is sufficient. According to the Cu trapping mechanism, moving Cu particle is trapped in the nanostructured trenches of SiO2/b-Si during annealing and CVD growth processes. Continuous monolayer graphene with a grain size of ∼ 1 μ m without defect is obtained on Cu/SiO2/b-Si substrate. The improved adhesion of Cu to the SiO2/b-Si enables dry-transfer of graphene by mechanical peeling using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film. Our solution is promising for obtaining flat graphene and a recyclable Cu/SiO2/b-Si substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instabilities of thin wetting films show different dewetting dynamics when supported by different solid substrates. Unstable thin films on the homogeneous substrate are studied numerically and experimentally. This study extended to slipping films and density varying films analysing the variation in time of rupture and power-law exponents. However, none of the films are reported to produce smaller length scale patterns. One possible way to produce a smaller length scale pattern is by the heterogeneous substrate. A recent study confirms that thickness-dependent viscosity films on a homogeneous substrate produce smaller length scales due to the formation of a secondary set of satellite holes. Nevertheless, these films exhibit low power-law exponents compared to constant viscosity films and slipping films. Thin liquid films supported by a solid coated substrate, where film subjected to purely Lifshitz Van der Waals force describes the morphological phase separation and it reveals that the mechanism is different from classical nucleation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate laser-induced dewetting of Au films to form nanoparticles with a controlled distribution and to alter these properties spatially with laser parameters for applications of large aperture meta-optics. By performing laser line scans under various parameter space conditions (power, speed, and beam size), we observe that laser power is an effective knob for adjusting the dewetting process while scan speed is not. Temperature numerical calculations show that the scan speeds used in this parameter space do not introduce a large temperature variation but the laser power does. By correlating calculated temperatures and associated experimental dewetting results, we confirm that local temperature is the driving factor in the laser-induced dewetting process. Furthermore, based on in situ thermal emission imaging, the thermal response time is estimated as ∼2 ms and a self-terminating characteristic of the laser-induced dewetting process is observed. This self-terminating effect results in an insignificant change in subsequent laser scans, contributing to the robustness of this process for large area dewetting patterning by beam rastering. Based on these findings, we successfully demonstrate an inch round globe-shaped pattern consisting of Au nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a facile method of modulating the lengthscales of self-organized dewetting of polystyrene thin films by varying the extent of silane grafting on the substrate. The self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) were grafted on glass substrates by exposing them to different doses of OTS vapors in a controlled, low pressure environment. Measurement of water contact angles on the modified glass surfaces showed that the contact angles could be continuously increased from 40° to 70° by increasing the time of exposure to the OTS vapors from a few minutes to several hours. Polystyrene (PS) thin films were spin coated on the modified glass substrates and water-solvent mixture induced dewetting of the PS thin films was carried out, where the dewetting kinetics depended on the spreadability of water on the surface. We observed a reduction in the length scales of the dewetting, i.e. the wavelength of instability (λ) and droplet size (d), by increasing the extent of OTS exposure. The λ for a 50 nm thick PS film decreased from 12 to 4 µm while the droplet diameter (d) also decreased, from 2.5 to 1.6 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-sized lipid vesicles (CLVs) have shown great promise for therapeutic and artificial cell applications, but their fragility and short shelf life has hindered widespread adoption and commercial viability. We present a method to circumvent the storage limitations of CLVs such as giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and single-compartment multisomes (SCMs) by storing them in a double emulsion precursor form. The double emulsions can be stored for at least 8 months and readily converted into either GUVs or SCMs at any time. In this study, we investigate the interfacial parameters responsible for this morphological change, and we also demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CLVs by utilizing them to present a transmembrane protein, neuroligin-2, to pancreatic β-cells, forming cell-cell synapses that stimulate insulin secretion and cellular growth.