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Colloidal solutions of gold nanorods and silver-coated gold nanorods were prepared. The seeded growth synthesis protocols were improved by adding a flocculation purification step. The resulting populations of pure gold nanorods and Au@Ag core–shell cuboids were characterized by very low dispersion in size and shape. UV–vis–near-infrared absorption measurements were performed on several batches of well-calibrated nano-objects, supported by calculations based on the discrete dipole approximation, allowed to highlight the impact of various morphological features on the optical response. In addition to the well-known effect of the nanorod aspect ratio on the shift of the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance mode, special attention was paid to changing either the rounding of the nanorod end-caps or that of the edges of the coating silver shell. Nanorods and cuboids were modeled as superellipsoids. This approach enabled us to model precisely their complex shapes using just a few simple parameters and analyze the evolution of their extinction spectra as a function of the rounding of their tips and edges. Such nano-objects are widely used for various applications in fields such as biomedical, biosensing, or surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, thus making it crucial to precisely assess the impact of each morphological feature for optimizing their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiphoton excitation pathways of plasmonic nanorod assemblies are described. By using dolmen structures formed from the directed assembly of three gold nanorods, plasmon-mediated three-photon excitation is resolved. These high-order multiphoton excitation channels were accessed by resonantly exciting a hybrid mode of the dolmen structure that was resonant with the 800-nm carrier wavelength of an ultrafast laser system. Rotation of the exciting field polarization to a non-resonant configuration did not generate third-order responses. Hence, the multiphoton excitation and resultant non-equilibrium electron distributions were generated by structure- and mode-selective excitation. Correlation between high-order and resonant plasmon excitation was achieved through sub-cycle time-resolved interferometric detection of incoherent nonlinear emission signals. The results illustrate the advantages of nonlinear optical interferometry and Fourier analysis for distinguishing plasmon-mediated processes from those that do not require plasmon excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc tungstate is a semiconductor known for its favorable photocatalytic, photoluminescence, and scintillation properties, coupled with its relatively low cost, reduced toxicity, and high stability in biological and catalytic environments. In particular, zinc tungstate evinces scintillation properties, namely the ability to emit visible light upon absorption of energetic radiation such as x rays, which has led to applications not only as radiation detectors but also for biomedical applications involving the delivery of optical light to deep tissue, such as photodynamic therapy and optogenetics. Here, we report on the synthesis of zinc tungstate nanorods generated via an optimized but facile method, which allows for synthetic control over the aspect ratio of the as-synthesized anisotropic motifs via rational variation of the solution pH. We investigate the effect of aspect ratio on their resulting photoluminescent and radioluminescent properties. We further demonstrate the potential of these zinc tungstate nanorods for biomedical applications, such as photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment, by analyzing their toxicological profile within cell lines and neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substituting slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is considered as one of the feasible strategies for achieving energy-saving hydrogen production. Herein, a uniform layer of NiMoO4 nanorods was grown on nickel foam by a hydrothermal method. Then, a series of Ni-MoOx/NF-X nanorod catalysts comprising Ni/NiO and MoOx (MoO2/MoO3) were prepared through regulating annealing atmosphere and reduction temperature. The optimized Ni-MoOx/NF-3 with a large accessible specific area can act as a bifunctional catalyst for electrocatalytic anodic UOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). At a current density of 100 mA cm−2, the introduction of urea can significantly reduce the overpotential of Ni-MoOx/NF-3 by 210 mV compared to OER. In addition, Ni-MoOx/NF-3 has a higher intrinsic activity than other catalysts. It only requires −0.21 and 1.38 V to reach 100 mA cm−2 in HER and UOR, respectively. Such an excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic function between Ni and MoOx. The presence of metallic Ni and reduced MoOx in pairs is beneficial for improving the electrical conductivity and modulating the electronic structure, resulting in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. When assembling Ni-MoOx/NF-3 into an overall urea–water splitting system, it can achieve energy-saving hydrogen production and effective removal of urea-rich wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding on the growth mechanism of complex gold nanostructures both experimentally and theoretically can guide their design and fabrication toward various applications. In this work, we report a cysteine-directed overgrowth of penta-twinned nanorod seeds into jagged gold bipyramids with discontinuous stepped {hhk} facets. By monitoring the growth process, we find that {hhk} facets with large k/h values (∼7) are formed first at two ends of the nanorods, followed by the protrusion of the middle section exposing {hhk} facets with smaller indices (k/h ∼ 2–3). Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the strong adsorption of cysteine molecules on {110} facets is likely responsible for the formation of stepped {hhk} facets, and the stronger adsorption of cysteine molecules on {hhk} facets with smaller k/h compared to that on {hhk} facets with larger k/h is a possible cause of the discontinuity of {hhk} facets at the middle of gold bipyramids. The obtained jagged gold bipyramids display large field enhancement under illumination due to their sharp nanostructures, demonstrating their application potentials in surface-enhanced spectroscopy and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of Au nanorods in tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) presents a significant increase in the enhancement factor, primarily due to the gap-mode effect. By aligning Au nanorods in parallel, we construct an Au nanorod lattice, referred to as the Au nanolattice, which further amplifies the advantages of TERS imaging due to the induced inter-nanorod surface plasmon resonance. A critical aspect in this research involves investigating the distribution of hotspots within the nanolattice during TERS measurements. Additionally, we demonstrate that the tip–lattice nanocavity is a predominant factor in determining both the intensity and spatial distribution of these hotspots. Employing the experimental and simulation results, we illustrate the enhancement effect of the tip–lattice cavity and elucidate the connection between the hotspot intensity and cavity size. This comprehensive approach contributes to our understanding of the nano-lattice's role in TERS and offers valuable insights for optimizing nanophotonic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glass transition (Tg) behavior and enthalpy recovery of polystyrene nanorods within an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template (supported nanorods) and after removal from AAO (unsupported nanorods) is studied using Flash differential scanning calorimetry. Tg is found to be depressed relative to the bulk by 20 ± 2 K for 20 nm-diameter unsupported polystyrene (PS) nanorods at the slowest cooling rate and by 9 ± 1 K for 55 nm-diameter rods. On the other hand, bulk-like behavior is observed in the case of unsupported 350 nm-diameter nanorods and for all supported rods in AAO. The size-dependent Tg behavior of the PS unsupported nanorods compares well with results for ultrathin films when scaled using the volume/surface ratio. Enthalpy recovery was also studied for the 20 and 350 nm unsupported nanorods with evolution toward equilibrium found to be linear with logarithmic time. The rate of enthalpy recovery for the 350 nm rods was similar to that for the bulk, whereas the rate of recovery was enhanced for the 20 nm rods for down-jump sizes larger than 17 K. A relaxation map summarizes the behavior of the nanorods relative to the bulk and relative to that for the 20 nm-thick ultrathin film. Interestingly, the fragility of the 20 nm-diameter nanorod and the 20 nm ultrathin film are identical within the error of measurements, and when plotted vs departure from Tg (i.e., T − Tg), the relaxation maps of the two samples are identical in spite of the fact that the Tg is depressed 8 K more in the nanorod sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconfigurable chiral plasmonic complexes are fabricated by planar assembly of multiple individual gold nanorod dimers using DNA origami templates. Additionally, each chiral center can be controlled to switch among achiral, left-handed, and right-handed states. We demonstrate that their overall circular dichroism is determined by the coupling of individual chiral centers and is heavily influenced by the precise number and arrangement of these centers. Our study offers a novel self-assembly method for constructing intricate and dynamic chiral plasmonics as well as investigating the interactions among several plasmonic chiral centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides and semiconductor metal oxides have shown great potential in photocatalysis. However, their stability and efficiency need to be further improved. In this paper, porous ZnO nanorods with high specific surface area were prepared from metal-organic framework ZIF-8 by a simple hydrothermal method. A MoS2/ZnO composite was constructed by loading MoS2 onto the surface of porous ZnO nanorods. Compared with ZnO materials prepared by other methods, MoS2/ZnO prepared in this paper exhibits superior photocatalytic performance. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the MoS2/ZnO composite can be attributed to the formation of heterojunctions and strong interaction between them, which greatly facilitate the separation of electrons and holes at the contact interface. In addition, due to the wide absorption region of the visible spectrum, MoS2 can greatly broaden the light absorption range of the material after the formation of the composite material, increase the utilization rate of visible light, and reduce the combination of electrons and holes. This study provides a new way to prepare cheap and efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciton transport in extended molecular systems and how to manipulate such transport in a complex environment are essential to many energy and optical-related applications. We investigate the mechanism of plasmon-coupled exciton transport by using the Pauli master equation approach, combined with kinetic rates derived from macroscopic quantum electrodynamics. Through our theoretical framework, we demonstrate that the presence of a silver nanorod induces significant frequency dependence in the ability of transporting exciton through a molecule chain, indicated by the exciton diffusion coefficient, due to the dispersive nature of the silver dielectric response. Compared with the same system in vacuum, great enhancement (up to a factor of 103) in the diffusion coefficient can be achieved by coupling the resonance energy transfer process to localized surface plasmon polariton modes of the nanorod. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that the diffusion coefficients with the nearest-neighbor coupling approximation are ∼10 times smaller than the results obtained beyond this approximation, emphasizing the significance of long-range coupling in exciton transport influenced by plasmonic nanostructures. This study not only paves the way for exploring practical approaches to study plasmon-coupled exciton transport but also provides crucial insights for the design of innovative plasmon-assisted photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal quantum confined semiconductor-metal heterostructures are promising candidates for solar energy conversion because their light absorbing semiconductor and catalytic components can be independently tuned and optimized. Although the light-to-hydrogen efficiencies of such systems have shown interesting dependences on the morphologies of the semiconductor and metal domains, the mechanisms of such dependences are poorly understood. Here, we use Pt tipped 0D CdS quantum dots (with ∼4.6 nm diameter) and 1D CdS nanorods (of ∼13.8, 27.8, 66.6, and 88.9 nm average rod lengths) as a model system to study the distance-dependence of charge separation and charge recombination times and their impacts on photo-driven H2 production. The H2 generation quantum efficiency increases from 0.2% ± 0.0% in quantum dots to 28.9% ± 0.4% at a rod length of 28 nm and shows negligible changes at longer rod lengths. The half-life time of electron transfer from CdS to Pt increases monotonically with rod length, from 0.7 ± 0.1 in quantum dots to 170.2 ± 29.5 ps in the longest rods, corresponding to a slight decrease in electron transfer quantum efficiency from 92% to 81%. The amplitude-weighted average lifetime of charge recombination of the electron in Pt with the hole in CdS increases from 4.7 ± 0.4 µs in quantum dots to 149 ± 34 µs in 28 nm nanorods, and the lifetime does not increase further in longer rods, resembling the trend in the observed H2 generation quantum efficiency. Our result suggests that the competition of the charge recombination process with the hole removal by the sacrificial electron donor plays a dominant role in the observed nanorod length dependent overall light driven H2 generation quantum efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel method is proposed for selective deposition of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and growth of ZnO Nanorods (NRs) on multi‐dimensional patterned polymer surfaces. The method involves microfabrication of functionalized 1D, 2D, and 3D polymer structures by two‐photon polymerization (TPP) followed by selective assembly of ZnO NPs acting as seeds before growing ZnO NRs by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at low temperature. The immobilization of the ZnO NPs seed layer is done by electrostatic interaction between the positively charged polymer surface functionalized by amine groups and the negatively charged ZnO NPs functionalized by citrate molecules. The influence of citrate molecules on the stability of the ZnO NPs dispersions and their immobilization on the polymer surface is demonstrated. Spatially controlled and selective growth of ZnO NRs is shown at low temperatures on multi‐dimensional structures up to 9 mm2 and having different shapes, including 1D polymer lines, 2D microplates, and 3D arrays of cones. The diameter of NRs and their orientation can be controlled through the size of ZnO NPs and the shape of the polymer structure respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Template residues during the preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres with hollow structures limit their biological applications to some extent. In this study, the nanosheet-assembled porous-wall hollow HA microspheres were successfully synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method. SEM and TEM observations revealed that the prepared hollow HA microspheres were about 3–7 μm in diameter and were composed of an interior cavity and a porous shell assembled by nanosheets (consisting of radial nanorods arranged side-by-side). A possible mechanism for the formation of the hollow HA microspheres was proposed based on the time-gradient experiments. Furthermore, the hollow HA microspheres exhibited excellent vancomycin loading capacity (101.3 mg/g) and pH-responsive release properties. This study provides new inspiration for the design and various applications of hollow materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, cobalt-doped hexagonal phase WO3 nanorods were prepared by a template-free hydrothermal method. The effects of varying the cobalt doping concentration on the microscopic morphology and electrochromic properties of hexagonal phase WO3 films were investigated. Films synthesized with the optimal cobalt element doping concentration demonstrate a notable improvement in their electrochromic properties compared to the pure hexagonal phase WO3 films. The film doped with 1.5% Co exhibited excellent cycling stability, retaining 98.55% of its original value after 500 cycles. The introduction of cobalt results in the formation of a nanorod structure with a high specific surface area within the film. This structure provides additional reaction sites for the electrochromic reaction process, thereby enhancing the optical modulation and coloration efficiency of WO3. The resulting films with excellent electrochromic properties provide a convenient and effective means for ion-doped modification of WO3-based electrochromic films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A novel electrocatalyst, Ni‐Co/β‐Mo2C@C, was rationally designed to enhance the efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in this work. Assembled with two‐dimensional Ni‐Co nanosheets onto Mo2C nanorods coated with a thin carbon shell, the catalyst demonstrates remarkable performance, including low overpotential (η10 = 57 mV) and reduced Tafel slope (63 mV·dec–1) in 0.5 mol·L–1 H2SO4 electrolyte. This innovative design strategy provides abundant active sites and efficient electron/ion transport pathways, effectively shortening reactant diffusion distances and enhancing electrocatalytic activity. Additionally, the carbon shell coating protects the catalyst from etching and agglomeration, ensuring its durability. This work presents a promising approach for engineering highly efficient metal carbide‐based HER catalysts through tailored composition and nanostructure design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) hold promise as the next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their ultra-high theoretical capacity and remarkable cost-efficiency. However, these batteries suffer from the serious shuttle effect, challenging their practical application. To address this challenge, we have developed a unique interlayer (HCON@CNWF) composed of hollow cerium oxide nanorods (CeO 2) anchored to carbonized non-woven viscose fabric (CNWF), utilizing a straightforward template method. The prepared interlayer features a three-dimensional (3D) conductive network that serves as a protective barrier and enhances electron/ion transport. Additionally, the CeO 2 component effectively chemisorbs and catalytically transforms lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), offering robust chemisorption and activation sites. Moreover, the unique porous structure of the HCON@CNWF not only physically adsorbs LiPSs but also provides ample space for sulfur's volume expansion, thus mitigating the shuttle effect and safeguarding the electrode against damage. These advantages collectively contribute to the battery's outstanding electrochemical performance, notably in retaining a reversible capacity of 80.82 % (792 ± 5.60 mAh g−1) of the initial value after 200 charge/discharge cycles at 0.5C. In addition, the battery with HCON@CNWF interlayer has excellent electrochemical performance at high sulfur loading (4 mg cm−2) and low liquid/sulfur ratio (7.5 µL mg−1). This study, thus, offers a novel approach to designing advanced interlayers that can enhance the performance of LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized surface plasmons produced by gold and silver nanostructures have been utilized to enhance the intensity of fluorophore molecules. The issue with using nanostructure plasmons for fluorescence enhancement is their short-range nature (5–50 nm from the nanostructures), which limits accessibility to a few molecules. In addition, fluorophore dipoles needed to be aligned with the plasmon electric fields to maximize the fluorescence enhancement. To address these issues, we used low-frequency electric fields (<5 MHz) and commercially available nanorod and nanosphere samples and studied their effectiveness in enhancing the fluorescence of fluorophore-labeled short single-stranded DNA molecules (22 bases). We demonstrated that DNA molecules and nanorod particles can effectively be manipulated around the charging frequency of DNA molecules (∼3 MHz). Nanorod particles enhanced the fluorescence emission rate by ∼50-fold. When the 3 MHz electric field was introduced, the emission rate increased to over 700-fold. We also found that the introduction of a 3 MHz electric field aided the enhancement of the intrinsic quantum yield fluorophore molecules, which resulted in over a 1000-fold fluorescence enhancement. This enhancement was due to the very high electric produced by polarized DNA dipoles at 3 MHz, which resulted in a torque on fluorophore dipoles and subsequently aligning the fluorophore dipole axis with the plasmon electric field. At a fundamental level, our results demonstrate the role of the low-frequency electric field in the fluorophore–plasmon coupling. These findings can directly be applied to many fluorescence detection systems, including the development of biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, self‐derivation and surface reconstruction strategies are innovatively introduced into the synthetic route of the metal complex‐derived catalysts. The in situ grown nanorod arrays of Ni‐based complex are prepared by a simple self‐derivation and rapid ligand chelation reaction. Furthermore, highly active heterogeneous electrocatalysts are developed by mild‐temperature calcination. Attributed to the maintained morphology and highly dispersed Ni/Ni(OH)2 heterojunction active sites, the as‐prepared electrode exhibits superior hydrogen evolution activity (38.4 mV–10 mA cm−2). In particular, the dynamic reconstruction during oxygen evolution through in situ Fourier transform infrared and in situ Raman spectroscopies are observed. The reconstructed Ni(OH)2/NiOOH by activation gives the electrode higher oxygen evolution performance (369 mV–200 mA cm−2). Further density functional theory mechanism studies disclose that Ni/Ni(OH)2 contributes to the adsorption of H* in hydrogen evolution and the activated Ni(OH)2/NiOOH optimizes the formation of intermediates in oxygen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol‐electrooxidation‐reaction (MOR) to value‐added formate is a promising alternative to water oxidation for cost‐efficient hydrogen production. It is generally proposed that the MOR kinetics on Ni‐based catalysts are highly limited by the transition rate of Ni(OH)2/NiOOH. Yet, how to define the catalyst following the direct pathway without Ni2+/Ni3+ transition remains challenging. Herein, a core@shell heterostructured NiMoPx@Ni5P4 catalyst is developed to selectively promote the MOR at a large current density (> 500 mA cm−2). A series of operando spectroscopic studies reveal negligible formation of NiOOH with 1.0 m methanol in a wide potential range, where MOR is predominant. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the Ni‐P site of NiMoPx@Ni5P4 favors the adsorption of *CH3OH over *OH while the heterostructure contributes to the significantly reduced energy barrier of *OCH3 →*OCH2, hence promoting the MOR along a direct pathway without the formation of NiOOH. Moreover, further study suggests that the catalyst also performs well toward cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). As a result, an electrode pair of NiMoPx@Ni5P4//NiMoPx@Ni5P4 is employed to enable concurrent MOR/HER electrolysis at 1.81 V to yield formate/H2 with FEs of ca. 90/100% and long‐term (100‐h) sustainability at 500 mA cm−2 under the industrial conditions (6.0 m KOH, 65 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A novel electrocatalyst, Ni‐Co/β‐Mo2C@C, was rationally designed to enhance the efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in this work. Assembled with two‐dimensional Ni‐Co nanosheets onto Mo2C nanorods coated with a thin carbon shell, the catalyst demonstrates remarkable performance, including low overpotential (η10 = 57 mV) and reduced Tafel slope (63 mV·dec–1) in 0.5 mol·L–1 H2SO4 electrolyte. This innovative design strategy provides abundant active sites and efficient electron/ion transport pathways, effectively shortening reactant diffusion distances and enhancing electrocatalytic activity. Additionally, the carbon shell coating protects the catalyst from etching and agglomeration, ensuring its durability. This work presents a promising approach for engineering highly efficient metal carbide‐based HER catalysts through tailored composition and nanostructure design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermally synthesized manganese dioxide (MnO2) has attracted significant attention in supercapacitor applications due to its exceptional electrochemical properties. This research systematically explores the influence of hydrothermal temperatures of 105 °C (M1), 120 °C (M2), and 150 °C (M3) on the structural and electrochemical characteristics of MnO2-based supercapacitors. From field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images, the average diameter of MnO2 nanorods is 139 ± 3 nm, 140 ± 5 nm, and 156 ± 3 nm for M1, M2, and M3. The crystalline quality of MnO2 increases by increasing the hydrothermal temperature (M3 sample). Shifting the Raman peak from 637 to 654 cm−1 is observed due to the enhancement in crystallinity and nanorod size in the M3 sample. Higher surface area for smaller nanorods (M1) is also confirmed by the BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) technique. At the scan rate of 10 mV/s, the specific capacitance obtained is 142 (M1), 135 (M2), and 131 (M3) F/g. By elucidating the intricate relationship between hydrothermal temperature and the resultant MnO2 properties, this study provides valuable insights for optimizing the synthesis conditions to enhance the performance of MnO2-based supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photocatalyst for the construction of tubular graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)/nickel oxide (NiO) heterojunction on carbon cloth (CC) is reported. Using ZnO nanorods as sacrificial template, tubular g-C3N4 nanosheets with thickness of 20 nm were grown on carbon cloth by thermal condensation. Then, NiO nanosheets were grown on g-C3N4 tubes by electrodeposition and calcination. In the light of visible light, the removal rates of rhodamine B (RhB) by g-C3N4/NiO/CC and g-C3N4/CC photocatalysts were 98% and 32%, respectively, within 60 min. The experiment was repeated five times, we found no significant decrease in photocatalyst activity. CC supported photocatalysts have broad application prospects in the degradation of organic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Vertical 1D GaN nanorod arrays/2D MoS2/PEDOT:PSS heterostructures in wafer scale have been fabricated for flexible photodetection firstly. Self-powered flexible photodetector at compressive strain reveals a significantly enhanced photoresponse with a responsivity of 2.47 A W−1 and response times of 40/45 µs, which are superior to the state-of-the-art flexible devices. This work not only provides a valuable strategy for the design and construction of tunable van der Waals heterostructures, but also opens a new opportunity for flexible sensors. van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures constructed by low-dimensional (0D, 1D, and 2D) materials are emerging as one of the most appealing systems in next-generation flexible photodetection. Currently, hand-stacked vdW-type photodetectors are not compatible with large-area-array fabrication and show unimpressive performance in self-powered mode. Herein, vertical 1D GaN nanorods arrays (NRAs)/2D MoS2/PEDOT:PSS in wafer scale have been proposed for self-powered flexible photodetectors arrays firstly. The as-integrated device without external bias under weak UV illumination exhibits a competitive responsivity of 1.47 A W−1 and a high detectivity of 1.2 × 1011 Jones, as well as a fast response speed of 54/71 µs, thanks to the strong light absorption of GaN NRAs and the efficient photogenerated carrier separation in type-II heterojunction. Notably, the strain-tunable photodetection performances of device have been demonstrated. Impressively, the device at − 0.78% strain and zero bias reveals a significantly enhanced photoresponse with a responsivity of 2.47 A W−1, a detectivity of 2.6 × 1011 Jones, and response times of 40/45 µs, which are superior to the state-of-the-art self-powered flexible photodetectors. This work presents a valuable avenue to prepare tunable vdWs heterostructures for self-powered flexible photodetection, which performs well in flexible sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports novel noble-metal-free photocatalytic composites containing CoP nanoparticles modified Mn-doped CdS (MCS) nanorods for producing H 2 by water splitting. MCS nanorods are prepared with various molar ratios of Cd to Mn via a solvothermal method. Compared to other MCS samples, the MCS-8:3 sample with exceptional crystallinity and shorter radial transfer paths displays the highest H 2 production rate, which is used for further modification. To mitigate the recombination of electrons and holes, CoP nanoparticles owning metallic properties are deposited onto the surface of MCS-8:3 as cocatalysts using a deposition–phosphorization method. The influence of the amounts of CoP on the morphology and H 2 production rates was investigated. The testing results indicate that MCS/CoP-7% exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic H 2 production rate of 40.5 mmol/g/h. This value is 4.7 times more than that of MCS-8:3, which is higher than most of the reported MCS-based catalysts. The optical and electrochemical experiments reveal that the established heterojunctions between MCS and CoP enable to improve the average charge lifetime, the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge. Furthermore, the band structures of the composites are also estimated. Combining with the XPS results and band structure, the enhanced photocatalytic performances can be attributed to the Schottky heterojunctions with the efficient electron-transfer pathway between MCS and CoP are proposed. [Display omitted] • The amounts of Mn in CdS lattice and CoP on its surface are optimized. • MCS/CoP-7% shows the high H 2 production rates of 40.5 mmol/g/h. • Schottky heterojunction is formed between MCS and CoP. • The high performance is due to low recombination rates and long carrier lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethyl acetate is a critical medical indicator for detecting certain types of cancer. However, at present, available sensitive materials often exhibit drawbacks, such as high operating temperatures and poor responses to low concentrations of ethyl acetate. In this study, a ZnO nanorod sensing material was prepared using high-temperature annealing and a hydrothermally synthesized metal-organic framework (MOF) as a template. Au nanodots (AuNDs) were subsequently modified on the ZnO nanorods using an in situ ion reduction, which provided a better dispersion of Au nanodots compared with that obtained using the common reductant method. A variety of characterization methods indicate that the highly dispersed AuNDs, which possess a high catalytic activity, were loaded onto the surface as active centers, leading to a significant augmentation in the adsorption of oxygen on the surface compared with the original ZnO material. Consequently, the AuND@ZnO material exhibited heightened responsiveness to ethyl acetate at a lower operating temperature. The Au@ZnO-based sensor has a response rate (Ra/Rg) of 41.8 to 20 ppm ethyl acetate gas at 140 °C, marking a 17.4-fold increase compared with that of the original material. Due to its low power consumption and high responsiveness, AuND@ZnO is a promising candidate for the detection of ethyl acetate gas in medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-doping of oxygen vacancy and Ti3+ by electrochemical reduction (ER) method has been proved to be an effective means to improve the PEC performance of TiO2. However, the effect of the surface structure on ER treatment remains ambiguous. In this work, three kinds of nanostructured rutile TiO2 (nanowire arrays (TNWs), etched nanowire arrays (E-TNWs) and nanorod arrays (TNRs)) were reduced electrochemically to explore the factors influencing the ER process of rutile TiO2. The experimental results show that alkaline environment (1 M NaOH) is more conducive to the occurrence of ER reaction. And the reduced three kinds of nanostructured TiO2 photoanodes show a significantly higher photocurrent density of about 1.46, 1.65 and 1.45 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. relative hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively, which are 15, 16 and 1.1 times that of pristine TiO2. The different degrees of photocurrent density enhancement can be ascribed to the different degrees of electrochemical reduction of TiO2 with different crystallinity and exposed crystal facets as well as specific surface area. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of electrochemical reduction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a general method is developed for the torsional vibration of non-circular-shaped nanorods with varying boundary conditions using second-order strain gradient theory. In most of the studies in the literature, the cross section of the rods is considered to be circular. The reason for this is that the use of warping function is inevitable when the cross section geometry is not circular. For circular cross sections after torsion, the warping is very small and is considered to be non-existent. For non-circular sections, cross section warping should be taken into account in mathematical calculations. The cross section geometry is different from circular in this study, and the boundary conditions are not rigid, contrary to most studies in the literature. In this paper, the second-order strain gradient theory and the most general solution method are discussed. In some specific cases, it is possible to transform the problem into many studies found in the literature. The correctness of the algorithm is tested by comparing the resulting solutions with closed solutions found in the literature. The influence of some variables on the torsional frequencies is illustrated by a series of graphical figures, and the superiority of the applied method is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell encapsulation can protect cells from the host immune system. It is well‐known that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can destroy cancer cells. In this study, we individually encapsulated CTLs in a cationic polyelectrolyte in combination with two types of nanomaterials: magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and gold nanorods (GNRs) conjugated to anti‐human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2 (HER2) antibodies referred to as CTLs/mMNPs/PAH/GNRs@HER2. When MCF‐7 breast cancer cells were co‐cultured with CTLs/mMNPs/PAH/GNRs@HER2 and subjected to a magnetic field and laser irradiation, the viability of MCF‐7 cells was significantly decreased to 42.98 ± 0.57% in comparison to MCF‐7 cells without any treatment or MCF‐7 cells co‐cultured with CTLs (51.52 ± 0.57%). This can be a novel strategy for cancer treatment using encapsulated CTLs in polyelectrolytes and dual nanomaterials in combination with magnetic exposure and laser irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-doping of oxygen vacancy and Ti3+ by electrochemical reduction (ER) method has been proved to be an effective means to improve the PEC performance of TiO2. However, the effect of the surface structure on ER treatment remains ambiguous. In this work, three kinds of nanostructured rutile TiO2 (nanowire arrays (TNWs), etched nanowire arrays (E-TNWs) and nanorod arrays (TNRs)) were reduced electrochemically to explore the factors influencing the ER process of rutile TiO2. The experimental results show that alkaline environment (1 M NaOH) is more conducive to the occurrence of ER reaction. And the reduced three kinds of nanostructured TiO2 photoanodes show a significantly higher photocurrent density of about 1.46, 1.65 and 1.45 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. relative hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively, which are 15, 16 and 1.1 times that of pristine TiO2. The different degrees of photocurrent density enhancement can be ascribed to the different degrees of electrochemical reduction of TiO2 with different crystallinity and exposed crystal facets as well as specific surface area. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of electrochemical reduction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of growth temperature and dopant concentration on the properties of Gd‐ and Ni‐doped zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs). ZnO seed layers were deposited on glass substrates using a sol–gel and dip‐coating approach. Gd‐ and Ni‐doped ZnO NRs were hydrothermally grown on the seed layers at different temperatures such as 75, 90, and 105°C for a constant growth time of 5 h. The crystal structure, optical, surface morphology views, and electrical properties of the NRs were extensively investigated by x‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–visible spectroscopy, and four probe experimental methods. The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn2+ ions by Gd3+ and Ni2+ within the ZnO main matrices. The reordering of hexagonal structures with varied electronegativity, ionic radius dimensions, and valence electron states of Gd and Ni dopants affected seriously the fundamental characteristic features of NRs. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well‐defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures. Higher dopant concentration led to an increase in NR diameter but a decrease in density depending on the increase in the space between the NRs. Additionally, the optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration. The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd‐ and Ni‐doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications. Research Highlights: The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn2+ ions by Gd3+ and Ni2+ within the ZnO main matrices.The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well‐defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures.The optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration.The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd‐ and Ni‐doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is regarded as a potential technique for converting solar energy. However, the fast charge recombination and slow water oxidation kinetics significantly have hindered its practical application. It is found that an elevation in operation temperature can activate the charge transport in the photoanodes. Here, a strategy was performed that carbon nanoparticles were employed to TiO2 nanorods, acting as electron reservoirs as well as photothermal materials. More specifically, a record photocurrent density of 1.62 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE has been achieved, accompanied by a high charge separation efficiency of 96% and a long-term durability for 8 h. The detailed experimental results reveal that under NIR light irradiation, the synergistic effect between electron storage and temperature rise leads to accelerated charge transport in the bulk and water oxidation kinetics on the surface. This research offers a new perspective on how to boost the PEC performance of photoelectrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), a synthetic plant regulator, has been banned due to its cumulative toxicity to humans. However, unqualified sampling remains common in the market. To address the poor sensitivity of 4-CPA antibodies reported previously, a highly sensitive monoclonal antibody specific to 4-CPA was produced by redesigning and synthesizing a novel hapten in this study. Additionally, a visual colorimetric immunosensor based on TMB2+ mediated etching of gold nanorods (Au NRs) was developed. The ∆λ of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak exhibited a linear dependence on the 4-CPA concentration in the range of 0.2–6.25 ng mL−1, with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.2 ng mL−1. Recovery tests (85.0% to 108%) and HPLC validation demonstrated the immunosensor's accuracy and precision. This visual colorimetric immunosensor illustrates significant potential for rapid detection of 4-CPA in biological environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective utilization of internal active sites in high‐mass loading electrode materials is essential for advancing practical energy storage. Herein, a novel electrochemical sacrificial alchemy for the first time to directly transform the solid Co‐Ni‐Zn carbonate hydroxide (CH) into its hollow structure with a strategic hierarchical architecture is introduced. In contrast to the complex and often cumbersome procedures of traditional methods, the approach is built on the simple electrochemically induced in situ etching and remodeling process. The experimental and theoretical analyses highlight the significant role of electric field force‐induced Zn sacrificial etching and hydroxide redeposition in creating internal cavities and regenerating external active sites, leading to the final hollow hierarchical structure with primary 1D hollow nanorod arrays and secondary reconstructed 2D nanoflakes, effectively exposing abundant energy storage sites. Benefiting from the synergistic effect, the resulting Co‐Ni‐Zn CH exhibited exceptional electrochemical performance. As proof of concept, a modular pouch‐type hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) composed of Co‐Ni‐Zn CH cathode achieved an ultrahigh energy density of 46.9 Wh kg−1. This device can efficiently power consumer electronics with a faster charging speed compared to commercial shared power banks. This research unveils a facile electrochemical approach for structuring electrode materials in energy storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited charge transfer and slow oxygen evolution (OER) kinetics significantly impede the practical realization of photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Here, pn-type-Fe 2 O 3 homojunction photoanode catalysts with P active sites are designed by doping phosphorus (P) into outer lattice of n-type Fe 2 O 3 nanorods (pn-P-Fe 2 O 3). The optimized pn-P-Fe 2 O 3 photoanode shows the maximum photocurrent density of 2.61 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V RHE , and the value is 6.4 times greater than that of pristine Fe 2 O 3. Experimental and theoretical results clearly show that the P–N homogeneous junctions constructed in Fe 2 O 3 through P-doping increase active sites for H 2 O adsorption and activation, reduce OER reaction energy barrier, and promote effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and water splitting kinetics. This not only makes the photoelectric water decomposition performance outstanding, but also produces excellent durability. This work provides a novel simple and environmentally friendly strategy for designing effective photoanodes for PEC water splitting. • The homojunction photoanode catalyst with P active sites is designed by P doping. • The photocurrent density of pn-P-Fe 2 O 3 is 6.4 times higher than pristine Fe 2 O 3. • P active sites and the P–N homojunction reduce the energy barrier of OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addressing the pH constraints encountered in real-world electrolyte environments, it is of great practical significance to establish a universal electrocatalyst capable of facilitating the hydrogen production reaction (HER) across all pH levels. Herein, non-precious metals NiCoMn were incorporated into a nickel foam skeleton and subjected to phosphorization treatment, yielding the NiCoMn-O-P@NF catalyst suitable for HER across the entire pH spectrum. Leveraging the synergistic effects of these three metals and phosphating regulation, the synthesized NiCoMn-O-P@NF demonstrates efficient HER catalytic performance in acidic (−0.05 V RHE at 10 mA cm−2), alkaline (−0.17 V RHE at 10 mA cm−2), and neutral (−0.25 V RHE at 10 mA cm−2) electrolytes, with exceptional stability. This study presents a cost-effective electrocatalyst with robust and enduring catalytic performance for HER over the full pH range, offering an environmentally friendly solution to the challenges of practical hydrogen generation. [Display omitted] • NiCoMn-O-P@NF features abundant nanoflowers decorated with dense nanorods. • The unique structure enables the catalyst with abundant active sites towards HER. • Trimetal doping and phosphorization further improve the HER performance. • NiCoMn-O-P@NF exhibits high HER activities across the full pH spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with low‐dimensional (1D–2D) structures hold significant promise for electronic and optoelectronic applications owing to their distinctive structural features and inherent properties. These characteristics render them of substantial interest across various scientific domains, particularly in applications related to energy storage, such as supercapacitors and lithium‐ion batteries. Due to their high surface‐to‐volume ratios and unique geometric properties, low‐dimensional materials have attracted considerable attention in developing advanced broadband photodetectors (PDs) with enhanced performance capabilities. In this study, for the first time, the study reports self‐powered broadband PDs based on vertical‐core‐shell niobium diselenide (NbSe2)‐ZnO nanorods (ZNRs), which are produced using a hydrothermal method. Remarkably, the NbSe2(3 ml) doped ZNRs‐based device exhibits outstanding responsivity of 0.62, 23.21, 5.35, 1.11, 0.30 AW−1, detectivity of 2.15 × 1010, 4.10 × 1011, 1.62 × 1011, 8.83 × 1010, 1.42 × 1011 Jones, and high sensitivity of 8.74 × 104%, 5.78 × 105%, 2.71 × 105%, 2.79 × 105%, 1.43 × 105% at wavelengths of 365, 456, 532, 632, and 850 nm, respectively, at zero bias. The NbSe2(3ml)‐ZNRs device showed a rapid response and fall times of 37 ms and 40 ms, enabled by NbSe2 superconductivity. The concept introduced in this study is strongly believed to possess significant potential and can be extensively applied in developing next‐generation integrated optoelectronic, clean energy technology, and photodetection devices based on 1D/2D nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A flow-bed water purification system with an asymmetric solar-thermal and catalytic membrane is designed for synergistic solar-thermal desalination of seawater/brine and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. The hydrogen bonding networks can be regulated by the abundant surface –OH groups and the in situ generated ions and radicals during the degradation process for promoting solar-driven steam generation. The de-solvation of solvated Na+ and subsequent nucleation/growth of NaCl are effectively inhibited by SO42−/HSO5− ions. Although solar steam generation strategy is efficient in desalinating seawater, it is still challenging to achieve continuous solar-thermal desalination of seawater and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Herein, dynamic regulations of hydrogen bonding networks and solvation structures are realized by designing an asymmetric bilayer membrane consisting of a bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube/Co2(OH)2CO3 nanorod top layer and a bacterial cellulose/Co2(OH)2CO3 nanorod (BCH) bottom layer. Crucially, the hydrogen bonding networks inside the membrane can be tuned by the rich surface –OH groups of the bacterial cellulose and Co2(OH)2CO3 as well as the ions and radicals in situ generated during the catalysis process. Moreover, both SO42− and HSO5− can regulate the solvation structure of Na+ and be adsorbed more preferentially on the evaporation surface than Cl−, thus hindering the de-solvation of the solvated Na+ and subsequent nucleation/growth of NaCl. Furthermore, the heat generated by the solar-thermal energy conversion can accelerate the reaction kinetics and enhance the catalytic degradation efficiency. This work provides a flow-bed water purification system with an asymmetric solar-thermal and catalytic membrane for synergistic solar thermal desalination of seawater/brine and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Images captured in inadequate illumination or uneven brightness conditions are prone to suffer from loss of detail and reduced contrast. Self‐powered BiOI/WO3 heterojunction PDs with bidirectionally regulated ultraviolet (UV) and visible dual‐band photoresponse characteristics can help to solve the problems. By varying the growth time of BiOI nanoflakes (NFs) on WO3 nanorod arrays (NRs), different stoichiometric ratios and crystal and band structures of BiOI are achieved. The I− ions migration inside the BiOI controlled by applying a pre‐bias voltage can induce the accumulation of polarized charges at the heterojunction interface, then alter the width of the depletion region as well as the height of the interface barrier, which in turn affects the dynamics of photo‐generated carriers. Upon applying a positive (negative) pre‐bias, the self‐powered photocurrent decreases (increases) in the UV band, whereas increases (decreases) in the visible band. Based on BiOI/WO3 heterojunction PDs, a machine vision imaging system is designed, which enhances image contrast and detail in strong and weak light conditions. This system facilitates rapid feature extraction and recognition, advancing the development of intelligent, real‐time digital machine vision systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even distribution of core–shell heterojunction on porous catalyst supports is promising to get the super‐catalysts, yet laborious preparation hinders the wide application. A novel strategy of urea enzymolysis‐induced ions replacement is proposed for one‐pot loading of Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75 core–shell heterojunction onto porous Al2O3 nanorod (named as Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75). The clever combination of urea enzymolysis and precipitation reactions that consume the ions generated in urea enzymolysis can switch the “on‐off” of urease, and thus allow the precise controlling of the concentration and existence time of the ions, as well as ions replacement. It is the urea enzymolysis‐induced ions replacing strategy that can generate the unique structure of Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75, and it is the distinctive structure that can get the selectivity of 96% benzaldehyde with 90% benzyl alcohol (BA) conversion in the photocatalytic oxidation of BA. The ions replacement, the growth of Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75, and the photocatalytic mechanism are investigated in detail. This work highlights a novel and convenient strategy for one‐pot loading core–shell heterojunction onto porous nanorod support, unveils a fresh biosynthesis of nanomaterials with elaborate structure, and thus paves the way for wide application of elaborate nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to augment the properties of interfibre interfaces through surface treatment with ZnO nanorods while simultaneously modifying the matrix with graphene nanoplatelets. The strategic approach of this research focused on synergizing these interventions to enhance the mesomechanical, and macromechanical properties, which are specifically targeted at improving the performance of aircrew helmets. This study investigated the effectiveness of these enhancements in improving the mechanical performance of aircrew helmets. The synergy of integrating ZnO nanorods and doped GNPs into Kevlar fabric resulted in a 29% increase in impact energy absorption compared to that of the standard Kevlar composite. Furthermore, the composite samples underwent thorough analysis through techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The findings indicate that incorporating 1% graphene nanofillers into Kevlar during the fourth seed cycle of ZnO treatment yields favorable mechanical performance characteristics. SEM at 50 KX magnification provided detailed visualization of the ZnO nanorods grafted onto the fabric substrates, with subsequent evaluation of the morphological damage and fractography of the impacted composites. The findings of this research hold significance for advancing the understanding of composite material behavior under impact loads and contribute to ongoing efforts to enhance the durability and performance of structural composites in diverse applications. Highlights: Synergistic treatment with ZnO nanorods and graphene nanoplatelets boosted Kevlar composite properties for aircrew helmets.Adding 1% graphene during ZnO treatment increased impact energy absorption by 29%.Comprehensive analysis validated treatment efficacy, showing substantial mechanical improvements.The research advances composite understanding, paving the way for durable, high‐performance materials for applications like aircrew helmets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized delivery of inflammasome inhibitors in phagocytic macrophages could be promising for psoriasis treatment. The present work demonstrates the development of non-spherical lipid nanoparticles, mimicking pathogen-like shapes, consisting of an anti-inflammatory inflammasome inhibiting lipid (pyridoxine dipalmitate) as a trojan horse. The nanorods inhibit inflammasome by 3.8- and 4.5-fold compared with nanoellipses and nanospheres, respectively. Nanorods reduce apoptosis-associated speck-like protein and lysosomal rupture, restrain calcium influx, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Dual inflammasome inhibitor (NLRP3/AIM-2-IN-3) loaded nanorods cause synergistic inhibition by 21.5- and 59-folds compared with nanorods and free drug, respectively alongside caspase-1 inhibition. The NLRP3/AIM-2-IN-3 nanorod when transformed into a polymeric scaffold, simultaneously and effectively inhibits RNA levels of NLRP3, AIM2, caspase-1, chemokine ligand-2, gasdermin-D, interleukin-1β, toll-like receptor 7/ 8, and IL-17A by 6.4-, 1.6-, 2.0-, 13.0-, 4.2-, 24.4-, 4.3-, and 1.82-fold, respectively in psoriatic skin in comparison to Imiquimod positive control group in an in-vivo psoriasis-like mice model. Inflammasome inhibitors have potential in psoriasis treatment. Here, the authors report on a study into the shape effects of non-spherical anti-inflammatory lipid nanoparticles made from inflammasome inhibiting lipid and demonstrate application in reducing inflammasome formation in psoriasis in vivo models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐optical magnetization reversal provides a low‐power approach for investigating spin state manipulation in 2D magnets. However, the ambient observation of photomagnetic coupling presents significant challenges due to the low Curie temperatures exhibited by most 2D magnets. Herein, a mixed‐dimensional heterostructure comprising a surface‐oxidized Fe3GeTe2 nanosheet with enhanced magnetic properties and individual semiconducting ZnO nanorod is proposed to explore proximity photomagnetic modulation and spin‐enhanced photodetection behaviors. The surface curvature of ZnO nanorod induces pronounced strains for Fe3GeTe2 nanosheet, leading to its anomalous Raman polarization and spin ordering at room temperature. Strain‐activated itinerant spin electrons are immobilized on the O‐2p orbitals of adjacent ZnO, thereby facilitating the optical demagnetization process in Fe3GeTe2 without aid of magnetic field. First‐principles calculations together with in situ characterization experiments further confirm that the primary charge transfer channel involves coupling between Fe3+ and oxygen vacancy defects anchored at heterointerfaces. The rapid establishment of magnetization by illumination in ZnO nanorod contributes to spin‐tunneling‐enhanced photocurrent, device response dynamics, polarization detection and ultraviolet imaging capability. These findings offer valuable insights to optimize the optoelectronic properties of conventional semiconductors and advance complex dimensional spin‐optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibacterial activity of ZnO nanorods (NRs) has been tested for its ability to inhibit the cells of pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella sp. This study aims to increase the antibacterial activity through modification of Mg2+ doped ZnO morphology under sol-gel-hydrothermal synthesis conditions at pH 10. The mechanism of biosynthetic reactions was using enzymatic grooves of the cell phyllosphere isolate of gambir (Uncaria) leaves as a reducing compound and capping agent. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that ZnO and Mg doped ZnO products were wurtzite structures based on intensities 2θ = 31.78°, 34.43°, 36.27° correlated to hkl (100), (002), (101), respectively (ICSD standard −157724). Mg doped ZnO has the same intensity as the control and no impurity intensity was obtained. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed nanospheric morphological patterns, while nanorods have a more dominant size distribution in the range of 125–175 nm. Infrared (FT-IR) analysis at wave numbers 401–584 cm−1 showed a Zn-O stretch. Furthermore, powder ultraviolet (UV-DRS) analysis indicated optical properties based on the uptake on blue-shift regions with λmax ≤ 400 nm and had a change in the bandgap (Eg) of 3.37 eV after conversion using Tauc-plot. The results also showed that the greater the concentration of Mg+2 ions, the smaller the bandgap will be, i.e., of 3.13, eV, 3.10, eV, 3.11 eV, and 3.12 eV for 0, 1, 2, and 3%, respectively. On the antibacterial activity against bacteria Gram (+) Staphylococcus aureus and Gram (–) Salmonella typhi., the largest inhibitory zone was found on Gram (–) bacteria at 24 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach to the analysis of large deflection and post-buckling behavior of cantilever nanorods under different load conditions. The proposed approach utilizes a variational method, incorporating the Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity theory and the consistent couple stress theory to account for size-dependency effects. By accounting for the strain energy contributions of the bulk material, surface layer, and load conditions, this approach expresses the behavior of the nanorods in terms of their intrinsic coordinates. A finite element method was used to solve this numerical problem, generating a system of non-linear equations that were iteratively solved using the Newton–Raphson method. The results obtained from the finite element method were confirmed by those from the shooting method. Also, it highlights the effectiveness of the variational model in predicting the large deflection and post-buckling behavior of cantilever nanorods while considering both surface stress and couple stress effects. Furthermore, the study investigated the influence of surface stress and couple stress on the response of the nanorods to point and uniform loads. The results showed that incorporating both effects enhanced the stiffness of the nanorods compared to scenarios in which these effects were neglected. In addition, the couple stress effect was found to have a greater influence on the stiffening of nanorods for the same value of unitless parameters compared to surface stress effects. These findings offer valuable insights into the large deflection and post-buckling behavior of cantilever nanorods and highlight the importance of surface stress and couple stress effects. The model proposed in this study has potential applications in advanced technological device designs by providing a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical response of nanorods, allowing for more accurate predictions and enhanced device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carbon-encapsulated MnSe-FeSe nanowires have been fabricated. • Heterostructure accelerates the electron transfer and ion diffusion. • MnSe-FeSe@C exhibits excellent rate capability and prolonged cycling durability. The natural abundance of sodium has fostered the development of sodium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. However, the low capacity of the anodes hinders their future application. Herein, carbon-encapsulated MnSe-FeSe nanorods (MnSe-FeSe@C) have been fabricated by the in-situ transformation from polydopamine-coated MnO(OH)-Fe 2 O 3. The heterostructure constructed by MnSe and FeSe nanocrystals induces the formation of built-in electric fields, accelerating electron transfer and ion diffusion, thereby improving reaction kinetics. In addition, carbon enclosure can buffer the volumetric stress and enhance the electrical conductivity. These aspects cooperatively endow the anode with superior cycling stability and distinguished rate performance. Specifically, the discharge capacity of MnSe-FeSe@C reaches 414.3 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and 388.8 mA h g−1 even at a high current density of 5.0 A g−1. In addition, it still retains a high reversible capacity of 449.2 mA h g−1 after 700 long cycles at 1.0 A g−1. Further, the ab initio calculation has been employed to authenticate the existence of the built-in electric field by Bader charge, indicating that 0.24 electrons in MnSe were transferred to FeSe. The in-situ XRD has been used to evaluate the phase transition during the charging/discharging process, revealing the sodium ion storage mechanism. The construction of heterostructure material paves a new way to design performance-enhanced anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in flexible photonics has been motivated by the development of artificial smart skins. In particular, coupling of photonics and mechanics can offer opportunities to realize ultrasensitive strain sensor, however, low‐cost fabrication of flexible sensing device with desired photonic functionality remains a challenge. Hereby, the study reports an ultrasensitive strain‐gauge sensor based on the poly(ethylenenaphthalate (PEN))/monocrystal Au/MgF2/CsPbBr3 nanorod/Al2O3/polyacrylonitrile (in short P/mAu/M/CPB@Al2O3@PAN), which are sensitive to nanoscale structure alterations of PEN substrate via the stress response of the single‐mode laser based on the piezoelectric‐effect. Wherein a low‐threshold single‐mode lasing (Pth ≈ 170 nJ cm−2) is achieved through coating Al2O3 on the CsPbBr3 nanorod, producing the higher quality factor (Q ≈ 1637) to guarantee a much higher sensitivity in sensing application. Reversible spectral regulating of ≈3 nm in single‐mode‐lasing wavelength, with a subnanometre scale resolution <0.4 nm and the wavelength sensitivity (Sλ) as high as 160 nm RIU−1, is validated in response to applied strain ranging from −1.31% to 1.31%. This work not only represents essential progress in construction of ultrasensitive and cost‐effective flexible photonic sensor, but also lays the foundation for the potential application in smart photonic skins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counterfeit goods are pervasive, being found in products as diverse as textiles and optical media to pharmaceuticals and sensitive electronics. Here, an anti‐counterfeit platform is reported in which plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) are used to create unique image tags that can be authenticated quickly and reliably. Specifically, plasmonic NPs are assembled into periodic arrays of NP clusters by template‐assisted self‐assembly (TASA), where the light scattering responses from the arrays are analyzed by dark‐field optical microscopy. Tag design proved modular as plasmonic NPs with different optical responses can be selected and paired with Templates with different features (e.g., well size, well shape, and number and arrangement of wells in an array), giving access to a variety of color responses and unique images. These images can be differentiated from one another and authenticated by image analysis. Authentication methods based on shallow and deep neural networks are compared, where deep neural networks authenticated TASA tags with higher accuracy. Given the ease of tag fabrication and rapid image analysis, these platforms are ideal for on‐the‐fly tagging and supply‐chain authentication of critical goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, our research was focused on the synthesis and characterizing of novel mixed metal–metal organic frameworks (MM-MOFs) incorporating porphyrin ligands. Furthermore, we investigated their performance in photodegrading 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,5-DHN) into 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthalenedione (Juglone). Integrating metalloporphyrin-based ligands into bimetallic MOFs represents a pioneering advancement in this field. Photocatalytic reactions were conducted using various stoichiometric ratios of Co and Zn as metal nodes, along with meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP-H2) and Mn(III) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin chloride (Mn-TCPP) as linkers. Results revealed that Co as a node led to the formation of nanorod metal–organic frameworks (MOF) structures, while Zn enhanced photocatalytic activity. Significantly, a photodegradation yield of 72% was achieved with a 1:3 molar ratio of Co to Zn in Zn75%/Co25 (TCPP-Mn), demonstrating a synergistic interplay between Co to Zn nodes and Mn-porphyrin linkers. Characterization was performed using structural and microscopic methods. Additionally, various parameters were optimized to elucidate the photocatalytic mechanism, revealing the promising potential of MM-MOFs for efficient photodegradation of 1,5-DHN and beyond. It is noteworthy that the integration of metalloporphyrin-based structures into MM-MOFs for photodegradation processes is relatively uncommon, underscoring the novelty and potential significance of incorporating porphyrin-based ligands in mixed metal MOFs for photodegradation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanorods (AuNRs), as an important type of gold nanomaterials, have attracted much attention in the nano field. Compared with gold nanoparticls, AuNRs have broader application potential due to their tunable localized surface plasmon resonance properties and anisotropic shapes. Yet, conventional synthesis methods using surfactants have limited the use of AuNRs in a variety of fields such as biomedical applications, plasma‐enhanced fluorescence, optics and optoelectronic devices. To solve this problem and improve the stability and biocompatibility of AuNRs, researchers in recent years have used surface modification and functionalization to modify AuNRs, among which the introduction of organic ligands to prepare organic/gold hybrid nanorods has become an effective strategy. Organic materials have better toughness and easy processing, and by introducing organic ligands into the surface of AuNRs, the molecular‐level composite of organic and inorganic materials can be realized, thus obtaining hybrid nanorods with excellent properties. This paper reviews the research progress of hybrid nanocomposites, and introducing the synthesis methods of AuNRs and the development of surface ligand modification, then summarises the applications of a wide variety of ligands. Also, the advantages and disadvantages of different ligands and their roles in further self‐assembly processes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of photocatalytic CO2 conversion is significant for the production of fuels and chemicals, while simultaneously mitigating CO2 emissions and addressing environmental concerns. Despite the current drawbacks of single metal-based photocatalysts, such as lower performance, uncontrollable selectivity, and instability, this study focuses on the synthesis of Ag3VO4 nanorods using the sol–gel method. The goal is to create a highly effective catalyst for visible light-responsive CO2 conversion. The successful synthesis of Ag3VO4 nanorods with a nanorod structure, functional under visible light, resulted in the highest yields of CH4 and dimethyl ether (DME) at 271 and 69 µmole/g-cat, respectively. The optimized Ag3VO4 nanorods demonstrated performance improvements, with CH4 and DME production 6.4 times and 4.5 times higher than when using V2O5 samples. This suggests that Ag3VO4 nanorods facilitate electron transfer to CO2, offer short pathways for electron transfer, and create empty spaces within the nanorods as electron reservoirs, enhancing the photoactivity. The prolonged stability of Ag3VO4 in the CO2 conversion system confirms that the nanorod structure provides controllable selectivity and stability. Therefore, the fabrication of nanorod structures holds promise in advancing high-performance photocatalysts in the field of photocatalytic CO2 conversion to solar fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]