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Controlling triplet states is crucial to improve the efficiency and lifetime of organic room temperature phosphorescence (ORTP). Although the intrinsic factors from intramolecular radiative and non-radiative decay have been intensively investigated, the extrinsic factors that affect triplet exciton quenching are rarely reported. Diffusion to the defect sites inside the crystal or at the crystal surface may bring about quenching of triplet exciton. Here, the phosphorescence lifetime is found to have a negative correlation with the triplet exciton diffusion coefficient based on the density functional theory (DFT)/time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations on a series of ORTP materials. For systems with a weak charge transfer (CT) characteristic, close π–π stacking will lead to strong triplet coupling and fast triplet exciton diffusion in most cases, which is detrimental to the phosphorescence lifetime. Notably, for intramolcular donor–acceptor (D–A) type systems with a CT characteristic, intermolecular D–A stacking results in ultra-small triplet coupling, thus contributing to slow triplet diffusion and long phosphorescence lifetime. These findings shed some light on molecular design toward high-efficiency long persistent ORTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have garnered considerable attention for their significant potential across various applications such as bioimaging, sensing, and encryption. However, establishing a universally applicable method for achieving aqueous RTP remains a substantial challenge. Herein, we present a versatile supramolecular strategy to transition RTP from solid states to aqueous phases. By leveraging a cyclic peptide‐based supramolecular scaffold, we have developed a noncovalent approach to molecularly disperse diverse organic phosphors within its rigid hydrophobic microdomain in water, yielding a series of aqueous RTP materials. Moreover, high‐performance supramolecular phosphorescence resonance energy transfer (PRET) systems have been constructed. Through the facile co‐assembly of a fluorescent acceptor with the existing RTP system, these PRET systems exhibit high energy transfer efficiencies (>80 %), red‐shifted afterglow emission (520–790 nm), ultralarge Stokes shifts (up to 450 nm), and improved photoluminescence quantum yields (6.1–30.7 %). This study not only provides a general strategy for constructing aqueous RTP materials from existing phosphors, but also facilitates the creation of PRET systems featuring color‐tunable afterglow emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the metrological characterization of the emission from a germanium-vacancy center in diamond under a microfabricated solid immersion lens in a confocal laser-scanning microscope setup. Ge ions were implanted into a synthetic diamond at 3 MeV, and germanium-vacancy centers were then formed by subsequent annealing. Afterward, solid immersion lenses were fabricated in a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope. The photoluminescence was investigated at room temperature in terms of the spectral distribution, the excited state lifetime, the second-order correlation function, and the saturation behavior, proving simultaneous high single-photon purity and high brightness. Two methods were exploited to minimize the residual multi-photon probability: spectral filtering and temporal filtering. According to these results, we assume that Raman scattered photons and emission from neighboring color centers play an important role in the residual multi-photon emission probability. The system efficiency of the single-photon source was investigated and found to be in accordance with the value calculated from all sources of loss in the setup. The branching ratio of the germanium-vacancy center for the decay into the ground state and into metastable state was calculated. The results enable the usage of the single-photon source in future quantum radiometric experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) are challenging because levodopa (LD)-dependent therapies primarily rely on symptom observation and management. More sophisticated methods for LD tracking, namely, high-performance liquid chromatography, UV, and mass spectrometry, etc., are expensive and slow. As a potential alternative, wearable microneedle (MN)-based patches, coated with nanodendrites (NDs), offer promising, continuous, and minimally invasive LD monitoring. Laboratory-based platforms show high sensitivity and sub-micrometer detection, but a predictive design framework does not exist. Here, we report an analytical framework I = f (LD) for ND-on-MNs, quantifying the amperometric response I of an ND-on-MN platform in terms of geometric, catalytic sensor parameters, and environmental conditions. We find the counter-intuitive results that the environmental factors (e.g., low medium diffusivity and LD fluctuation), rather than the details of sensor geometry, dictate the sensitivity limits. A scaled response against platform parameters provides key insights: (a) A maximum enhancement factor for this platform is around 12%, emphasizing the importance of optimizing sensor parameters; (b) Design strategies focusing on high-density sensing sites and efficient LD-ND binding offer the most effective solutions for improved detection; and (c) Increasing geometric dimensions is not recommended due to potential patient discomfort. The model, validated against experimental data, highlights the limitations of ND-on-MN technology for LD tracking and suggests directions for optimizing MN-based devices for PD management, including enhancing selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescent (URTP) materials have attracted wide attention in anti‐counterfeiting, optoelectronic display, and bio‐imaging due to their special optical properties. However, room‐temperature blue phosphorescent materials are very scarce during applications because of the need to simultaneously populate and stabilize high‐energy excited states. In this work, a stepwise stiffening chromophore strategy is proposed to suppress non‐radiative jump by continuously reducing the internal spin of the chromophore, and successfully developing a series of blue phosphorescent materials. Phosphorescence lifetimes of more than 3 s are achieved, with the longest lifetime reaching 5.44 s and lasting more than 70 s in the naked eye. As far as is know, this is the best result that has been reported. By adjusting the chromophore conjugation, multicolor phosphorescences from cyan to green have been realized. In addition, these chromophores exhibit the same excellent optical properties in urea and polyvinyl alcohmance (PVA). Finally, these materials are successfully applied to luminescent displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature phosphorescence rarely occurs from pure organic molecules, especially in the solid‐state. A strategy for the design of highly emissive organic phosphors is still hard to predict, thus impeding the development of new functional materials with the desired optical properties. Herein, we analyze a family of alkyl and aryl‐substituted persulfurated benzenes, the latter representing a class of organic solid‐state triplet emitters able to show very high emission quantum yield at room temperature. In this work, we correlate structural parameters with the photophysical properties observed in different experimental conditions (diluted solution, crystalline and amorphous phase at RT and low temperature). Our results, corroborated by a detailed computational analysis, indicate a close relationship between the luminescence properties and i) the nature of the substituents on the persulfurated core, ii) the adopted conformations in the solid state, both in crystalline and amorphous phases. These factors contribute to characterize the lowest‐energy lying excited‐state, its deactivation pathways, the phosphorescence lifetime and quantum yield. These findings provide a useful roadmap for the development of highly performing purely organic solid‐state emitters based on the persulfurated benzene platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avoiding the tedious process of crystal cultivation and directly obtaining organic crystals with desirable phosphorescent performance is of great significance for studying their structure and properties. Herein, a set of benzophenone‐cored phosphors with bright green afterglow are obtained on a large scale through in‐situ generation via an end‐capping strategy to suppress non‐radiative triplet excitons and reinforce the intermolecular interactions. The ordered arrangement of phosphors with alkyl‐cyano groups as regulators is crucial for the enhancement of room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emission, which has been further verified by the attenuated lifetimes in isolated states through the formation of inclusion complexes upon binding with pillar[5]arenes. Moreover, the hierarchical interactions of phosphors, including hydrogen bonding, π‐π stacking interactions, and van der Waals forces, are quantified by crystal structures and theoretical calculation to deeply interpret the origins of RTP emission. With this study, we provide a potential strategy for the direct acquisition of crystalline organic phosphors and modulation of RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room-temperature magnetoelectric multiferroicity has been observed in c-axis oriented GaFeO3 thin films (space group P n a 2 1), grown on economic and technologically important (100)Si substrates by a pulsed laser deposition technique. Structural analysis and comprehensive mapping of the Ga:Fe ratio across a length scale range of 104 reveals coexistence of epitaxial and chemical strain. It induces formation of finer magnetic domains and large magnetoelectric coupling—a decrease in remanent polarization by ∼ 21 % under ∼ 50 kOe. Magnetic force microscopy reveals the presence of both finer (< 100 nm) and coarser (∼ 2 μ m) magnetic domains. Strong multiferroicity in epitaxial GaFeO3 thin films, grown on a (100)Si substrate, brighten the prospect of their integration with Si-based electronics and could pave the way for development of economic and more efficient electromechanical, electrooptic, or magnetoelectric sensor devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of rigid (AlO 6) and deformable (MoO 6 and TeO 3) groups leads to a robust birefringent crystal (Al 2 Te 2 MoO 10) for compact optical polarization components which could efficiently divide one incident light into two polarized beams. [Display omitted] There is a pressing demand for the development of novel birefringent crystals tailored for compact optical components, especially for crystals exhibiting large birefringence across a range of temperatures. This has commonly been achieved by introducing various deformable groups with high polarizability anisotropy. In this study, we combined both rigid and deformable groups to synthesise a new birefringent crystal, Al 2 Te 2 MoO 10 , which demonstrates an exceptional birefringence value of 0.29@550 nm at room temperature. Not only is this higher birefringence than that of commercial crystals, but Al 2 Te 2 MoO 10 exhibits excellent birefringence stability over a wide temperature range, from 123 to 503 K. In addition, the first-principles theory calculations and structural analyses suggest that although the rigid AlO 6 groups do not make much contribution to the prominent birefringence, they nonetheless played a role in maintaining the structural anisotropy at elevated temperatures. Based on these findings, this paper proposes a novel structural design strategy to complement conventional approaches for developing optimal birefringent crystals under various environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focusses on the significance of fluorescent, phosphorescent labelling and tracking of extracellular vesicles (EVs) for unravelling their biology, pathophysiology, and potential diagnostic and therapeutic uses. Various labeling strategies, such as lipid membrane, surface protein, luminal, nucleic acid, radionuclide, quantum dot labels, and metal complex-based stains, are evaluated for visualizing and characterizing EVs. Direct labelling with fluorescent lipophilic dyes is simple but generally lacks specificity, while surface protein labelling offers selectivity but may affect EV-cell interactions. Luminal and nucleic acid labelling strategies have their own advantages and challenges. Each labelling approach has strengths and weaknesses, which require a suitable probe and technique based on research goals, but new tetranuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes as phosphorescent probes have strong phosphorescence, selective staining, and stability. Future research should prioritize the design of novel fluorescent probes and labelling platforms that can significantly enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and specificity of EV labeling, while preserving their composition and functionality. It is crucial to reduce false positive signals and explore the potential of multimodal imaging techniques to gain comprehensive insights into EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ytterbium‐doped lanthanum titanate glasses were prepared by levitation melting for the detailed characterization of the Yb3+${\rm Yb}^{3+}$ spectroscopic properties in the rare‐earth titanate glass host. Low‐temperature fluorescence spectroscopy reveals distinct site‐selectivity in both static and lifetime fluorescence measurements suggesting an absence of clustering as well as significant variation of local ytterbium environments. Typical site‐selectivity behavior of a shrinking Stark manifold with lower excitation energy is observed. At 77 K, both the mean emission frequency and the fluorescence lifetime initially increase as the excitation energy decreases from about 11100 to 10750 cm−1${\rm cm}^{-1}$ and then slightly decrease at lower excitation energy. Temperature‐dependent lifetime measurements between 77 and 420 K show a decreasing lifetime with increasing temperature and are well described by a two‐level thermal activation model. The temperature‐dependent fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with a room temperature white light absorption measurement allow the determination of the Stark energy levels of Yb3+${\rm Yb}^{3+}$ in lanthanum titanate glass as well as the calculation of the laser cross‐sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, organic materials with room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) features have gained significant attention due to their wide applications in the fields of bioimaging, light‐harvesting materials, encryption technology, etc. Although several examples of organic RTP materials in the crystalline state and polymer‐based systems have been reported in the last decade or so, achieving organic RTP in the solution phase, particularly in the aqueous phase has remained a challenging task. Herein in this review, we summarize the progress in this direction by highlighting design strategies based on supramolecular scaffolding and host–guest complexation and the applications of such aqueous organic RTP materials in bioimaging, sensing, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All of palmistry is based on faith. Some people accept forecasts about the future and human traits, while others do not. Palmistry is the practise of claiming to be able to characterise someone and predict their future by analysing their palm. The Predictions made are based on colour of the palm, spacing between the fingers, the length of the fingers, the mounts, the position & length of the palm lines, and a number of other aspects of the palm. This system shows image processing programme that can be helpful in field of palmistry to foretell a person's character or their destiny. The development of the Palmistry’s Predictions are based on edge detection & recognition. This designed system also uses morphological operations. The system adds a clever edge detection technique to the input photos to extract the primary lines from the image of a human palm and identify certain features in the image. The main line patterns used in palmistry are condensed into models that can be used to predict the future through palm reading. It compares specific aspects in photos to a palmistry knowledge base and displays predictions. ML has certainly enhanced the practice of palmistry, it is essential to note that it is not meant to replace human palm readers. Instead, it should be seen as a tool that can aid palm readers in making more accurate predictions. Human intuition and empathy cannot be replicated by machines, and these qualities are crucial in palmistry. Therefore, it is essential for palm readers to embrace ML and use it as a tool to enhance their skills, rather than see it as a threat to their profession. However, with the advancement of technology, palmistry has also evolved. One such technological tool that has been used in palmistry is the Canny edge detector. The use of canny edge detector in palmistry is an innovative and modern approach to an ancient practice. It offers a more accurate and efficient way of analyzing palm lines, which can be beneficial for both palmists and those seeking guidance through palmistry. It should be highlighted, though, that algorithm remains in its nascent stages of development and should not be solely relied upon for important decisions in life. As with any form of divination, palmistry using canny edge detector should be approached with an open mind and a healthy dose of skepticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical temperature sensor, especially the temperature sensor made based on fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technology, have numerous applications in temperature detection. However, most of these sensing materials are phosphors, which still face challenges in maintaining their chemical stability. In contrast, crystal materials exhibit superior thermal stability and fluorescence stability. The temperature sensing characteristics of Er: PbF 2 single crystal material were studied by the three modes temperature dependence curve. Excellent relative sensitivity and absolute sensitivity were obtained on FIR between two non-thermally coupled energy levels (non-TCEL: I(4F 9/2)/I(4S 3/2)) and two thermally coupled energy levels (TCEL: I(2H 11/2)/I(4S 3/2), and I(4S 3/2)/I(4S 3/2)) of Er3+ ions when excited by a 980 nm LD. Futhermore, with the increase of temperature, the luminescence emission color of the Er: PbF 2 single crystal varied from green to yellow-orange. These discoveries suggest that the Er: PbF 2 single crystal could serve as an excellent sensing medium for optical temperature sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of purely organic room temperature phosphors can often be obtained via introduction of heavy atoms into the organic scaffold. However, the task of controlling emission properties in room temperature phosphorescent (RTP) crystals via heavy atom substitution has met limited success. Herein, two classes of molecules (NIpBr1‐2 and NImBr1‐2) are designed by varying position (para and meta) as well as number of bromo substituents in 1,8‐naphthalimide to modulate intermolecular interactions and their phosphorescence properties. NIpBr2 features only halogen bonding. NIpBr, NImBr, and NImBr2 feature H‐aggregation in their crystalline packing wherein the efficiency of H‐aggregation increases as NIpBr < NImBr < NImBr2. NImBr2 also features halogen bonding in addition to H‐aggregation. Relative phosphorescence intensity, phosphorescence lifetime and quantum yield increase in the order NIpBr2 < NIpBr < NImBr < NImBr2, endorsing cruciality of bromine atom positioning and numbering in tuning the RTP performance. Amplification of phosphorescence in meta derivatives over the para congeners leads to tunable emission color of the crystals from blue to orange. These results outline a predictive structure‐property relationship wherein judicious choice of both position and number of bromine substitution can help in regulating emission behavior, providing a major step forward in expanding the fundamentals of organic RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP), exhibiting multiple stimuli‐responsive characteristics, has garnered considerable attention due to its potential applications in light‐emitting devices, sensors, and information safety. This work proposes the utilization of photochemical cascade processes (PCCPs) in molecular crystals to design a stepwise smart RTP switch. By harnessing the sequential dynamics of photo‐burst movement (induced by [2+2] photocycloaddition) and photochromism (induced by photogenerated radicals) in a bismuth (Bi)‐based metal‐organic halide (MOH), a continuous and photo‐responsive ultralong RTP can be achieved. Furthermore, utilizing the same Bi‐based MOH, diverse application demonstrations, such as multi‐mode anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption, can be easily implemented. This work thus not only serves as a proof‐of‐concept for the development of solid‐state PCCPs that integrate photosalient effect and photochromism with light‐chemical‐mechanical energy conversion, but also lays the groundwork for designing new Bi‐based MOHs with dynamically responsive ultralong RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of organic circularly polarized room temperature phosphorescence (CP‐RTP) materials with tunable emission colors has important value in the field of optoelectronic applications but remains a challenging issue. Herein, a CP‐RTP doped system with green, yellow, and red afterglow is constructed by introducing chiral groups into three phosphors naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene as guests respectively, using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as the host. The phosphorescence quantum yield of the doped system is 7.3%–13.6%, the phosphorescence lifetime is 341 ms–1017 ms, and the asymmetry factor is 0.001–0.0021. Further doping three guests simultaneously into the PVP resulted in the four‐component doped materials. Benefiting from the different excitation wavelengths of three guests, when the excitation wavelength changes from 300 to 365 nm, the afterglow of the four‐component doped materials changes from green to yellow and finally to red. Moreover, due to the different phosphorescence lifetimes of different guests, the afterglow can in turn change from red to green after excitation at 365 nm, demonstrating a time‐dependence phosphorescence emission property. This doped strategy provides an effective platform for constructing organic multicolor CP‐RTP materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to a legacy originating in the limited capability of early computers, the spectroscopic resolution used in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and other systems has largely been implemented using only powers of two for more than 50 years. In this study, we investigate debunking the spectroscopic lore of, e.g., using only 2, 4, 8, or 16 cm−1 resolution and determine the optimal resolution in terms of both (i) a desired signal-to-noise ratio and (ii) efficient use of acquisition time. The study is facilitated by the availability of solids and liquids reference spectral data recorded at 2.0 cm−1 resolution and is based on an examination in the 4000–400 cm−1 range of 61 liquids and 70 solids spectra, with a total analysis of 4237 peaks, each of which was also examined for being singlet/multiplet in nature. Of the 1765 liquid bands examined, only 27 had widths <5 cm−1. Of the 2472 solid bands examined, only 39 peaks have widths <5 cm−1. For both the liquid and solid bands, a skewed distribution of peak widths was observed: For liquids, the mean peak width was 24.7 cm−1 but the median peak width was 13.7 cm−1, and, similarly, for solids, the mean peak width was 22.2 cm−1 but the median peak width was 11.2 cm−1. While recognizing other studies may differ in scope and limiting the analysis to only room temperature data, we have found that a resolution to resolve 95% of all bands is 5.7 cm−1 for liquids and 5.3 cm−1 for solids; such a resolution would capture the native linewidth (not accounting for instrumental broadening) for 95% of all the solids and liquid bands, respectively. After decades of measuring liquids and solids at 4, 8, or 16 cm−1 resolution, we suggest that, when accounting only for intrinsic linewidths, an optimized resolution of 6.0 cm−1 will capture 91% of all condensed-phase bands, i.e., broadening of only 9% of the narrowest of bands, but yielding a large gain in signal-to-noise with minimal loss of specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instability and clumping of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals in polar solutions have limited their practical use. In this paper, a convenient and effective surface modification strategy was applied to substitute the typical oleic acid (OA) with 3-bromopropionic acid (BPA) ligand for the one-step synthesis of CsPbBr 3 NCs in the absence of any inert gas atmosphere with water as the non-solvent. Thanks to the synergistic effect of BPA and OAm on the surface of CsPbBr 3 NCs, it has excellent dispersibility while exhibiting excellent stability in water. Even after being fully submerged in water for 168 h, the material can still emit a vibrant green light, and the emission peak position is stable at 520 nm. In contrast, the CsPbBr 3 NCs of the OA ligand were completely burst in water within minutes. This study opens the door for the direct synthesis and preservation of CsPbBr 3 NCs in the aqueous phase, which will be an important step in advancing their large-scale applications in extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tube manufacturers use different composition of gels and blood clot activator formulations in serum tube production. Our aim was to investigate the within-tube (repeatability) and between-tube variation, concordance between comparison results of BD and VacuSEL tubes. Blood samples were collected from control subjects (n = 20) and patients (n = 30) in accordance with the CLSI GP41-A6 and CLSI GP34-A guidelines. Twenty-three clinical chemistry parameters were analysed via Roche Cobas C702 Chemistry Analyzer on T0 (0 hour) and T24 (24 hour). Mean differences % were compared with Wilcoxon matched pair test. Clinical significance was evaluated based on desirable bias according to total allowable error (TEa). VacuSEL tubes demonstrated acceptable performance for the results of 20 parameters with regards to desirable bias % limits. Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) [mean difference % (%95 confidence intervals (CI) values of BD and VacuSEL tubes at T0 [6.41% (4.80–8.01%)]; sodium (Na) and total protein (TP) at T24 [-0.27% (-0.46 to −0.07%) and −1.39% (-1.87 to −0.91), respectively] were over the desirable bias limits (LD: 4.3%, Na: 0.23% and TP: 1.36%, respectively) but not exceeding total biological variation CV % [Na: 0.5 (0.0–1.0) % and TP: 2.6 (2.3–2.7) %). %95 confidence intervals (CI) of T0 LD values overlap with within-subject biological variation % (CI) limits (LD: 5.2 (4.9–5.4) %). The differences between two tubes were not medically significant and necessarily conclusive. VacuSEL serum tubes presented comparable performance with BD serum tubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid-thermal annealing (RTA) of InSb precursor films, deposited by sputtering using an Ar plasma at room temperature, has been investigated to achieve high carrier mobility on low-cost glass substrates. Although InSb films containing residual Ar (∼1%) were partially lost by evaporation during RTA, such evaporation during RTA is suppressed by reducing the residual Ar to ∼0.3%. The crystallinity of the films is significantly increased by RTA at temperatures above 400 °C. The electron mobilities of the films increase with increasing RTA temperature up to 490 °C, showing the maximum values (9000–10 000 cm2 V−1 s−1) at 490 °C, and then, the mobilities decrease at RTA temperatures above 490 °C. The mobilities of 9000–10 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 are obtained for films with a wide range of thickness (300–1000 nm) grown at 490 °C. Detailed analysis indicated that the high carrier mobilities are realized by preferentially (111)-oriented large crystal domains (diameter: >100 μm), obtained by the regrowth of randomly oriented small grains, together with a low barrier height (16 meV) at the sub-domain boundaries (twin boundaries) in the large domains. The RTA after the sputtering technique will facilitate high-performance InSb-based devices with low production costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorescence analyses have attracted broad attention due to their remarkable merits of the elimination of auto-fluorescence and scattering light. However, it remains a great challenge to develop novel materials with uniform size and morphology, stability, long lifetime, and aqueous-phase room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) characteristics. Herein, monodisperse and uniform RTP nanobeads were fabricated by an in situ covalent hybridization of carbon dots (CDs) and dendritic mesoporous silicon nanoparticles (DMSNs) via silane hydrolysis. The formation of Si–O–C and Si–C/N covalent bonds is beneficial for the fixation of vibrations and rotations of the luminescent centers. Specially, the nanopores of DMSNs provide a confined area that can isolate the triplet state of CDs from water and oxygen and thus ensure the occurrence of aqueous-phase RTP with an ultra-long lifetime of 1.195 s (seen by the naked eye up to 9 seconds). Through surface modifying folic acid (FA), CDs@DMSNs can serve as a probe to distinguish different cell lines that feature varying FA receptor expression levels. In addition, taking MCF-7 as the model, highly sensitive and quantitative detection (linear range: 103–106 cells per mL) has been achieved via an RTP probe. Furthermore, their potential applications in cellular and in vivo time-gated phosphorescence imaging have been proposed and demonstrated, respectively. This work would provide a new route to design CD-based RTP composites and promote their further applications in the medical and biological fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal carbon dots (C‐dots) are considered as promising heavy‐metal‐free materials to achieve room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) properties for promising applications, such as photoelectronic devices, information encryption, and bio‐imaging. However, most of the current obtained RTP C‐dots have a short lifetime with a relatively low quantum yield (QY). In this work, the C‐dots large‐scale synthesized via a vacuum heating approach have multiple RTP emissions (blue, green, and yellow), a long RTP lifetime of as high as 1.92 s, and a high QY of 34.4% by selecting different types of precursors, which is superior to most of reported RTP C‐dots. The multiple atoms doping and strong bonding between neighbored C‐dots promoted by vacuum heating contributes to the excellent RTP properties. As a proof‐of‐concept, the as‐obtained RTP C‐dots are used as optical ink for flexible security codes, exhibiting a bright shape with a lifetime of 1.37 s. This work offers an efficient approach for producing large‐scale high‐quality RTP C‐dots, which can be applied to anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present details of the construction of a wideband, cryogenic receiver and its successful commissioning on the Arecibo Observatory 12 m telescope. The cryogenic receiver works in the 2.5–14 GHz frequency range. We upgraded the current narrow band, room temperature receivers of the telescope with the new wideband receiver. The current receiver is built around a Quadruple‐Ridged Flared Horn (QRFH) developed by Akgiray et al. (2013, https://doi.org/10.1109/tap.2012.2229953). To mitigate strong radio frequency interference (RFI) below 2.7 GHz, we installed a highpass filter before the first stage low noise amplifier (LNA). The QRFH, highpass filter, noise coupler and LNA are located inside a cryostat and are cooled to 15 K. The measured receiver temperature is 25 K (median value) over 2.5–14 GHz. The system temperature measured at zenith is about 40 K near 3.1 and 8.6 GHz and the zenith antenna gains are 0.025 and 0.018 K/Jy at the two frequencies respectively. We recommend the following improvements to the telescope system: (a) Upgrade the highpass filter to achieve better RFI rejection near 2.5 GHz; (b) Improve aperture efficiency at 8.6 GHz; (c) Upgrade the intermediate frequency system to increase the upper frequency of operation from 12 to 14 GHz. Key Points: Successful commissioning of a wideband, cryogenic receiver for the 12 m telescope at the Arecibo ObservatoryAchieved system temperature of 40 K and gains of 0.025 K/Jy and 0.018 K/Jy at frequencies 3.1 and 8.6 GHz respectively [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the hydrogen producing step of the hybrid sulfur process, SO 2 -depolarized electrolysis (SDE) needs to be operated with anolyte of high H 2 SO 4 concentration, aiming at the high hydrogen production efficiency. However, the SDE cell is facing the challenge of rising impedance when anolyte H 2 SO 4 concentration is increased. In this study, the performance of liquid-fed SDE cells is improved by using a thinner PEM and three-dimensional anode, especially for the anolyte with high H 2 SO 4 concentration. The underlying mechanism of the SDE performance improvement is also discussed. The results show that effectively reducing the concentration polarization impedance is the key to improving the SDE performance. Significantly different from what is expected, PEM thickness reduction could not sharply decrease ohmic impedance. Instead, the application of thin PEMs can significantly reduce the concentration polarization impedance of the cathode reaction. As for the application of three-dimensional anode, it decreases anode concentration polarization dramatically. Finally, the combination of PEM thickness reduction and three-dimensional anode greatly improves the SDE performance of the electrolyzer. The influence of operating conditions on performance is studied for the optimized cell GF-212. When the anolyte H 2 SO 4 concentration set at 50 wt%, the current density could reach 560 mA/cm2 at 1.0 V cell voltage, 360 mL/min anolyte flow rate and 80 °C. • Thin PEM and three-dimensional anode are adopted to optimize SDE cells. • Reduction of concentration polarization is the key to improve SDE performance. • Thinner PEM decreases concentration polarization for SDE cathode reaction effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a new approach for in situ Rb–Sr dating that utilizes rapid line scans instead of static spot ablation, enabling the creation of two-dimensional 87Rb/86Sr and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio and Rb–Sr age maps. The data acquisition is conducted utilizing an ICP-MS/MS instrument with N2O as the reaction gas, coupled to a 193 nm excimer laser via a low-aerosol-dispersion interface. This configuration allows for high repetition rates (>100 Hz) and sensitivities, enabling data acquisition at a high scanning speed and small laser beam size (3–4 μm). Notably, this approach requires just about 1/30 of the sample volume typically utilized in conventional spot ablation mode, while achieving similar levels of precision and accuracy. Line scan ablation is tested and compared to spot ablation on age-homogeneous crystalline muscovite and biotite, for which reference Rb–Sr age data is acquired through ID-TIMS. Results show that a key requirement for accurate Rb–Sr ages based on line scan analyses is matrix correction using chemically matched crystalline mica. By presenting Rb–Sr age maps of three naturally deformed mica samples, we highlight the potential of Rb–Sr mapping for extracting age data from rocks that exhibit complex metamorphic-metasomatic histories and microscale dynamic recrystallization. Additionally, we show that quantitative elemental information (Al, Fe, Si, Li) can be collected alongside Rb–Sr isotope data. This advancement offers a distinctly more insightful assessment of isotope mobility in natural systems, the timing of element enrichment processes and enables, in high-Rb/Sr rock systems, precise and accurate isotopic dating of intricate geological processes at small scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-photon sources are important for integrated photonics and quantum technologies, and can be used in quantum key distribution, quantum computing, and sensing. Color centers in the solid state are a promising candidate for the development of the next generation of single-photon sources integrated in quantum photonics devices. They are point defects in a crystal lattice that absorb and emit light at given wavelengths and can emit single photons with high efficiency. The landscape of color centers has changed abruptly in recent years, with the identification of a wider set of color centers and the emergence of new solid-state platforms for room-temperature single-photon generation. This review discusses the emerging material platforms hosting single-photon-emitting color centers, with an emphasis on their potential for the development of integrated optical circuits for quantum photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution force measurements of molecules on surfaces, in non-contact atomic force microscopy, are often only performed at cryogenic temperatures, due to needing a highly stable system, and a passivated probe tip (typically via CO-functionalisation). Here we show a reliable protocol for acquiring three-dimensional force map data over both single organic molecules and assembled islands of molecules, at room temperature. Isolated cobalt phthalocyanine and islands of C60 are characterised with submolecular resolution, on a passivated silicon substrate (B:Si(111)- ( 3 × 3 ) R 3 0 ∘ ). Geometries of cobalt phthalocyanine are determined to a ~ 10 pm accuracy. For the C60, the protocol is sufficiently robust that areas spanning 10 nm × 10 nm are mapped, despite the difficulties of room temperature operation. These results provide a proof-of-concept for gathering high-resolution three-dimensional force maps of networks of complex, non-planar molecules on surfaces, in conditions more analogous to real-world application. High resolution force measurements of molecules on surfaces using non-contact atomic force microscopy are typically performed at cryogenic temperatures. Here, the authors outline a reliable protocol for acquiring three-dimensional force map data at room temperature, demonstrating such capabilities on isolated cobalt phthalocyanine molecules and islands of C60 molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane and highly vulnerable to climate change. In our study we aim to better understand the environmental controls on the strength and seasonal variation of methane flux components from hollows, typically the high-emitting wettest microtopographic features in a boreal bog. We measured methane fluxes from intact vegetation as well as on vegetation removal treatments and analyzed pore water methane concentrations and stable carbon isotopes of dissolved and emitted methane. Using these data, we quantified the rates of total methane emission, methane oxidation and plant-mediated methane transport for the summer and shoulder seasons of 2021 and 2022. Total methane emissions from areas with intact vegetation range from 13 to 2171 mgCH4 m-2 d-1 during shoulder seasons and summer months and are mainly controlled by the leaf area of aerenchymatous plants. Methane oxidation in the Sphagnum moss layer decreases total methane emissions by 82 ± 20 % while transport of methane through aerenchymatous plants increases methane emissions by 80 ± 22 %. Both methane oxidation and plant-mediated methane transport rates follow a seasonal cycle with lower but still significant rates during the shoulder seasons compared to the summer months. As a net effect, the presence of Sphagnum mosses and vascular plants reduces methane emissions from the study site. This balance, however, appears to be highly sensitive to climate change, i.e. increasing soil temperatures and changing leaf area and composition of the wetland vegetation. The provided insights can help to improve the representation of environmental controls on the methane cycle and its seasonal dynamics in process-based models to more accurately predict future methane emissions from boreal peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-Kasha's process in organic luminogens has attracted many attentions since its discovery. However, only limited examples of anti-Kasha's rule have been reported and anti-Kasha triplet energy transfer (ET) is even less-touched. Benefiting from anti-Kasha's rule, this work provided an efficient strategy to realize excitation wavelength dependent (Ex-De) afterglow in a host-guest system. The host has almost imperceptible RTP upon 365 nm excitation and guest is totally RTP inactive, while the doping host-guest system exhibits Ex-De afterglow with improved quantum yields. Anti-Kasha triplet ET process is realized from the higher excited triplet state T2 of host to the lowest excited singlet state S1 of the aggregated/unimolecular guest. ET efficiency in the doping system could be tuned by simply changing its processing methods to guide host and guest to adopt denser or looser intermolecular packing. The strategy of anti-Kasha triplet ET endows the host-guest doping system with multiple stimuli-responsive properties, including Ex-De afterglow, mechano-, and thermal-triggered afterglow behaviors. The corresponding applications of these properties are also realized in multiple information anti-counterfeiting and display. Anti-Kasha processes have potential in organic luminogens, but design of materials with these characteristics is challenging. Here, the authors report the development of a host-guest system with anti-Kasha behaviour and triplet energy transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid droplets (LDs) targeting probes are important for investigating the biological functions of LDs. The interplay between LDs and some other organelles can help to further understand the biological functions of these organelles. However, it is still a challenge to design functional probes that can specifically target LDs and are responsive to some other organelles. Herein, a multifunctional aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), namely the TPA-CN, was prepared by the simple aldimine condensation reaction for lipid droplet-specific imaging and tracing. TPA-CN can be sensitively responsive to the acid environment of lysosomes due to the pH-response detachable connector in TPA-CN. With the assistance of this characteristic, it can be concluded from the fluorescence imaging and co-localization analysis results that the internalization of TPA-CN and the targeting of LDs does not involve the lysosome and the lysosomal escape process. At last, the TPA-CN was successfully used for the high-sensitivity imaging of dynamic information of LDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemical sensor with high sensitivity for the detection of sodium nitrite was constructed based on the peroxidase-like activity of Au magnetic nanocomposites (Au@Fe3O4). The Au@Fe3O4 composite nanoparticles were green-synthesized via the reduction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from waste chestnut skins combined with the sonochemical method. The nanoparticles have both the recoverability of Fe3O4 and the advantage of being able to amplify electrical signals. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of green reduction and sonochemical synthesis provides a functional approach for the preparation of Au@Fe3O4 with significant peroxidase-like activities. The physicochemical properties were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The electrochemical properties of sodium nitrite were determined with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (i-t). The results revealed that Au@Fe3O4 acted as a peroxidase mimic to decompose hydrogen peroxide to produce free radicals, while ·OH was the primary free radical that promoted the oxidation of sodium nitrite. With the optimal detection system, the constructed electrochemical sensor had a high sensitivity for sodium nitrite detection. In addition, the current response had a good linear relationship with the sodium nitrite concentration in the range of 0.01–100 mmol/L. The regression equation of the working curve was y = 1.0752x + 4.4728 (R2 = 0.9949), and the LOD was 0.867 μmol/L (S/N = 3). Meanwhile, the constructed detection system was outstanding in terms of recovery and anti-interference and had a good detection stability of more than 96.59%. The sensor has been successfully applied to a variety of real samples. In view of this, the proposed novel electrochemical analysis method has great prospects for application in the fields of food quality and environmental testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here an unprecedentedly fast and reversible transformation between 1D and 2D MOFs/CPs induced through organic solvent vapours. The transformations occur at room temperature in just 15–20 min, accompanied by a significant change in the observed phosphorescence. These findings provide a new insight into the design of luminescent networks with stimuli-switchable dimensionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Organic luminogens with persistent room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have drawn tremendous attentions due to their promising potentials in optoelectronic devices, information storage, biological imaging, and anti‐counterfeiting. In this work, six triazatruxene‐based lumiogens with different peripheral substituents and configurations are synthesized and systematically studied. The results show that their fluorescence quantum yields in solid states range from 15.73% to 37.58%. Dispersing the luminogens as guest into the host (PPh3) could turn on the persistent RTP, where PPh3 acts as not only a rigid matrix to suppress the non‐radiative transitions of the guest, but also provides energy transfer channels to the guest. The maximum phosphorescence efficiency and the longest lifetime could reach 29.35% and 0.99 s in co‐crystal films of 6‐TAT‐CN/PPh3 and 5‐TAT‐H/PPh3, respectively. Moreover, these host‐guest co‐crystalline films exhibit great potentials in advanced dynamic data encryption and anti‐counterfeiting. This work deepens the insight for low cost, halogen‐free, and facile fabrication of all‐organic persistent RTP materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We utilize the dopant-matrix strategy and emulsion polymerization to obtain aqueous afterglow dispersions from a liquid precursor, which avoids the processing of solid materials, protects organic triplets and achieves long phosphorescence lifetime of 7.64 s. The aqueous afterglow dispersions display great potential for biomedical applications due to their ultralong-lived excited states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advancements in deep‐learning based synthetic computed tomography (sCT) image conversion methods have enabled the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐only based radiotherapy treatment planning (RTP) of the brain. Purpose: This study evaluates the clinical feasibility of a commercial, deep‐learning based MRI‐only RTP method with respect to dose calculation and patient positioning verification performance in RTP of the brain. Methods: Clinical validation of dose calculation accuracy was performed by a retrospective evaluation for 25 glioma and 25 brain metastasis patients. Dosimetric and image quality of the studied MRI‐only RTP method was evaluated by a direct comparison of the sCT‐based and computed tomography (CT)‐based external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) images and treatment plans. Patient positioning verification accuracy of sCT images was evaluated retrospectively for 10 glioma and 10 brain metastasis patients based on clinical cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. Results: An average mean dose difference of Dmean = 0.1% for planning target volume (PTV) and 0.6% for normal tissue (NT) structures were obtained for glioma patients. Respective results for brain metastasis patients were Dmean = 0.5% for PTVs and Dmean=1.0% for NTs. Global three‐dimensional (3D) gamma pass rates using 2%/2 mm dose difference and distance‐to‐agreement (DTA) criterion were 98.0% for the glioma subgroup, and 95.2% for the brain metastasis subgroup using 1%/1 mm criterion. Mean distance differences of <1.0 mm were observed in all Cartesian directions between CT‐based and sCT‐based CBCT patient positioning in both subgroups. Conclusions: In terms of dose calculation and patient positioning accuracy, the studied MRI‐only method demonstrated its clinical feasibility for RTP of the brain. The results encourage the use of the studied method as part of a routine clinical workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the processes and spaces of choice of Natural Sciences textbooks, by teachers of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, who work in Secondary Education, via PNLD 2021, in the context of the implementation of the BNCC. The objective of the qualitative research was to characterize this process from the perspective of teachers who work in these disciplines. The framework that supported this study consisted of the theoretical production on Textbooks and Curriculum Policies in the area of Education and Science Education. A total of 102 teachers of the disciplines in the area participated. It was concluded that the spaces for teachers' choice in this process are limited by working conditions; by the teachers' non-participation in the formulation of policies and in the decisions about what knowledge is and is not in the school; the limitations in the presence and organization of knowledge in the LDs and the risk of impoverishment of the students' education, but the teachers' commitment to the students' education in the face of limitations is evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain the full spectrum information of the sample, improve the resolution and sensitivity, and save materials and reagents, an upgraded CCD-1 photoelectric direct reading emission spectrometer was adopted, and the mixture of potassium pyrosulfate, sodium fluoride, alumina, carbon and germanium dioxide was used as the spectrum buffer. When the ratio of the sample to the spectrum buffer was 1 : 1, it was evenly mixed and compacted in the lower electrode, and the problem of sampling was solved by opening a side hole in the lower electrode. At the same time, the selection of upper electrode specifications was investigated, the excitation current and exposure time were optimized, and an analytical method for the determination of trace silver, boron and tin in geochemical samples by solid sampling-CCD photoelectric direct reading emission spectrometry was established. The results showed that the excitation current wass 5 A for 3 s in the pre-combustion stage, and 14 A for 35 s in the excitation stage. The interference spectrum could be corrected accurately, the background was deducted automatically, and the baseline fluctuation of the sample was observed in real time. The calibration curve was drawn by using synthetic silicate reference materials for spectral analysis. The detection limits (3S) of silver, boron and tin in the six national first-class reference materials were 0. 01, 0. 55 and 0. 12 mg/kg respectively, and the relative standard deviations (w=12) were 2. 4%--8. 7%, 5. 8%--9. 4%, and 5. 2%--8. 7% respectively. The measured values were consistent with the standard values, and all the indexes of the method met the requirements of "Quality Management Standard for Laboratory Testing of Geology and Mineral Resources" (DZ/T 0130.4--2006). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the quest for essential energy solutions towards an ecological friendly future, the transformation of visible light/solar energy into mechanical motions in metal‐free luminescent crystals offers a sustainable choice of smart materials for lightweight actuating, and all‐organic electronic devices. Such green energy‐triggered photodynamic motions with room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emission in molecular crystals have not been reported yet. Here, we demonstrate three new stoichiometrically different Lewis acid‐base molecular organoboron crystals (PS1, PS2, and PS3), which exhibit rapid photosalient effects (ballistic splitting, moving, and jumping) under both ultraviolet (UV) and visible light associated with quantitative single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal (SCSC) [2+2] cycloaddition of preorganized olefins. Furthermore, these systems respond to sunlight and mobile (white) flashlight with a complete SCSC transformation in a relatively slow fashion. Remarkably, all PS1, PS2, and PS3 crystals display visible light‐promoted dynamic green RTP as their emission peaks promptly blue‐shift, due to instantaneous photomechanical effects. Time‐dependent structural mapping of intermediate photoproducts during fast SCSC [2+2] photoreaction, by X‐ray photodiffraction, reveals a rationale for the origin of these photodynamic motions associated with rapid topochemical transformations. The reported light‐driven behavior (mechanical motions, dynamic phosphorescence, and topochemical reactivity), is considered advantageous for the strategic design of stimuli‐responsive multi‐functional crystalline materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐lived polymeric room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have drawn more attention due to their convenient preparation process and equally efficient phosphorescence performance in recent years. As the polymer matrix is sensitive to air and humidity, some non‐covalent interactions in the matrix are easily decomposed in water or air, which means that it is difficult for this material to be stored stably for a long time in the atmospheric environment or under harsh conditions. In this work, polymer powder mBPipQ contains aromatic and piperidine rings that are designed and synthesized successfully. Then the polymer is uniformly dispersed into epoxy resin matrix to form long‐lived polymeric RTP material with efficient afterglow properties. The stiff backbone structure of mBPip and dense molecular arrangement of epoxy resin provide a rigid environment to stabilize triplet excitons, the RTP performance is greatly enhanced. The lifetime of mBPipQ in epoxy resin is 2 times higher than that of small molecule chromophore in that one. Interestingly, after soaking in strong acid or alkali solution for 10 days, the material can still emit stable and efficient long‐lived phosphorescence. It is thanks to the hard matrix after full curing, which can provide a protective layer to prevent external quenchers from interfering with phosphorescence emission. Utilizing the efficient phosphorescence emission and excellent abominable‐solvent resistance of this RTP material, multilevel information encryption has been successfully demonstrated. This work broadens the application scope of polymeric RTP materials in harsh environments and provides a new idea for achieving efficient RTP emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common sense that emission maxima of phosphorescence spectra (λP) are longer than those of fluorescence spectra (λF). Here we report a serendipitous finding of up-converted room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with λP < λF and phosphorescence lifetime > 0.1 s upon doping benzophenone-containing difluoroboron β-diketonate (BPBF2) into phenyl benzoate matrices. The up-converted RTP is originated from BPBF2's Tn (n ≥ 2) states which show typical 3n-π* characters from benzophenone moieties. Detailed studies reveal that, upon intersystem crossing from BPBF2's S1 states of charge transfer characters, the resultant T1 and Tn states build T1-to-Tn equilibrium. Because of their 3n-π* characters, the Tn states possess large phosphorescence rates that can strongly compete RTP(T1) to directly emit RTP(Tn) which violates Kasha's rule. The direct observation of up-converted RTP provides deep understanding of triplet excited state dynamics and opens an intriguing pathway to devise visible-light-excitable deep-blue afterglow emitters, as well as stimuli-responsive afterglow materials. The emission maximum of phosphorescence is normally larger than that of fluorescence. Here, authors report up-converted room-temperature phosphorescence materials that emit from higher-lying triplet states with 3n-π* characters and large phosphorescence decay rate constants, violating Kasha's rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presented the preparation and characterization of mesoporous AlPO4 and AlSiO4 by the sol-gel method with the help of isopropylamine as a template. Isopropylamine is a microporous template and it creates only 0–2 nm pores but in the present study, the same template creates mesoporosity in AlPO4 and AlSiO4. The synthesized material properties are characterized by XRD, IR, TGA, BET, TPD, SEM-EDX and HR-TEM. The results confirmed that the synthesized materials are crystalline, tetrahedral framework, thermal stability (800 °C), mesoporosity of AlPO4 (9 nm) and AlSiO4 (7 nm), the acidity of AlPO4 is 0.53 mmol/g and AlSiO4 is 1.16 mmol/g and it exhibits crystalline morphology. Catalytic activities are verified by biodiesel synthesis from waste cooking oil (WCO) as a low-cost feedstock by transesterification reaction. It was identified that the maximum selectivity of biodiesel over AlPO4 and AlSiO4 (89 and 96%) was achieved at room temperature. These catalysts are active at room temperature may be due to their porous nature. The results revealed that AlSiO4 is a more effective catalyst to synthesize biodiesel than AlPO4. These catalysts are environmentally friendly and reusable with the same efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TVP208 and DPP13 sensitized solid-state (SS) dye anchor counter electrode (DACE) based DSSCs were successfully fabricated. • Effect of DACE based DSSCs performance was studied systematically by comparing with the traditional SS-DSSCs. • DACE based DSSC have shown higher efficiency than traditional SS-DSSC, owing to their enhanced J sc and IPCE. • Possible electron transfers mechanism responsible for enhanced efficiency of DACE based DSSC were studied using the IPCE. • Electron transfer from counter to working electrode were confirmed using Bare TiO 2 and DACE electrode-composed devices. Constrained absorption nature of the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is one of the key limitations in attaining the optimum efficiency. In this report, we have adopted the newly developed DACE technique to achieve panchromatic absorption nature in solid state DSSC. Herein, TVP208 and DPP13 have been synthesized and explored for the dye anchor counter electrode (DACE) based DSSC, and the effect of DACE electrodes have been studied systematically by comparing with the traditional SS-DSSC devices. TVP208 and DPP13 dyes have shown complementary absorption nature, a prerequisite for obtaining panchromatic absorption in DACE. The SS-DSSC device with TVP208 sensitized working electrode and DPP13 based DACE electrode (SS-Device 2) has shown higher efficiency of 5.08 %. The improved efficiency of DACE based SS-DSSC devices than the traditional SS-DSSC devices could be attributed to the enhanced light harvesting property achieved by employing DACE electrode. The improved IPCE for the DACE based devices signify the contribution of DACE electrode in increasing the device efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boronate assemblies, derived from benzene-1,4-diboronic acid, showed room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in both the solid-state and dispersions, being quite sensitive to the preparation conditions. Our chemometrics-assisted quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) analysis between the nanostructure and RTP behavior of boronate assemblies led us not only to understand their RTP mechanism but also to predict the RTP properties of unknown assemblies from the PXRD patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel pH‐responsive phosphorescent probe based on cyclometalated iridium(III) complex is reported. To prevent oxygen quenching of phosphorescence and to improve the probe biocompatibility, the complex is covalently conjugated with a water‐soluble block‐copolymer that also increases its pH sensitivity. The resulting polymeric nanoprobe demonstrates a strong response of the phosphorescence lifetime onto pH variations in physiological range. Cellular experiments with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO‐K1) cells show the predominant internalization of the probe in acidified cell compartments, endosomes and lysosomes. The analysis of phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy data confirms applicability of the sensor for monitoring of intra‐ and extracellular pH in cell cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological nitrogen removal (BNR) as dinitrogen (N2) by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SNdN) could be accompanied by side pathways that emit N2O. A biofilm was developed that could be used for BNR in a stream with a high ammonium content, e.g., the liquid fraction from digestate. The BNR reactions through the depth of the biofilm were integrated into a scheme. The objective was to achieve the oxygen‐limited autotrophic nitrification‐denitrification process in a biofilm with minimum emissions of N2O with respect to those of N2 by SNdN. This was shown in a laboratory rotating biological contactor, in which ca. 53 % of the influent ammonium ions was removed by anaerobic ammonium oxidation. Furthermore, less than 3 % ammonia loss was attributed to side autotrophic denitrification as N2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to use a memory-free hydride generation atomic fluorometer to determine mercury content in feed. The joint developed atomic fluorescence spectrometer breaks through the problem of serious memory effect in determination of trace mercury by spectrometry, and established a method for determination of mercury in feed by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with water as carrier current without memory effect hydride. HNO3-H2O2 (1:1) was selected from the four mixed acids as the digestion system, and 2 mL 220 g/L sulfamic acid solution was selected to eliminate interference of nitrogen oxides. The established method had good linearity in concentration range of 0.2~1.0 µg/L, the correlation coefficient r=0.999 6, the detection limit (n=11) was 0.003 1 µg/L, the relative standard deviation (n=7) was 2.28%, and the recovery rate was between 93%~99%. The study indicates that the method has the advantages of high sensitivity, accuracy and efficiency, which can realize the rapid detection of mercury content in feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]