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Currently, analyzing pharmaceuticals and biomarkers is crucial for ensuring medication safety and protecting life and health, and there is an urgent need to develop new and efficient analytical techniques in view of the limitations of traditional analytical methods. Molecularly imprinted ratiometric fluorescent (MI-RFL) sensors have received increasing attention in the field of analytical detection due to their high selectivity, sensitivity and anti-interference ability, short response time, and visualization. This review summarizes the recent advances of MI-RFL sensors in the field of pharmaceuticals and biomarkers detection. Firstly, the fluorescence sources and working mechanisms of MI-RFL sensors are briefly introduced. On this basis, new techniques and strategies for preparing molecularly imprinted polymers, such as dummy template imprinting, nanoimprinting, multi-template imprinting, and stimulus-responsive imprinting strategies, are presented. Then, dual- and triple-emission types of fluorescent sensors are introduced. Subsequently, specific applications of MI-RFL sensors in pharmaceutical analysis and biomarkers detection are highlighted. In addition, innovative applications of MI-RFL sensors in point-of-care testing are discussed in-depth. Finally, the challenges of MI-RFL sensors for analysis of pharmaceuticals and biomarkers are proposed, and the research outlook and development trends of MI-RFL sensors are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining the copper-based catalysts that are responsible for the catalytic behaviour of oil-paper insulation systems and implementing effective regulation are of great significance. Accelerated ageing experiments were conducted to reveal variations in copper scales and deterioration in insulation properties. As ageing progressed, TEM images demonstrated that copper species were adsorbed and aggregated on the fibre surface in the form of nanoparticles (NPs). The scale of NPs exhibited a continuous increase, from 27.06 nm to 94.19 nm. Cu(I) and Cu(II) species were identified as the active sites for inducing intense free radical reactions, which significantly reduced the activation energy, making the insulating oil more susceptible to oxidation. The role of the antioxidant di-tert-butyl-p-cresol (DBPC) in extending the insulation life was regulated by determining the optimal addition time based on variations in the interfacial tension. After the second addition of DBPC, the ageing rates of the dissipation factor, acidity, micro-water and breakdown voltage in the Cu+DBPC group decreased by 28.8%, 43.2%, 52.9% and 46.7%, respectively, compared to the Cu group. This finding not only demonstrates the crucial role of DBPC in preventing the copper-based catalyst-induced oxidation of insulating oil, but also furnishes a vital foundation for enhancing the long-term stability of transformer insulation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) in non-centrosymmetric materials has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its potential to surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit. Although these materials are strictly constrained by symmetry, progress has been made in artificially reducing symmetry to stimulate BPVE in wider systems. However, the complexity of these techniques has hindered their practical implementation. In this study, we demonstrate a large intrinsic photocurrent response in centrosymmetric topological insulator Ag2Te, attributed to the surface photogalvanic effect (SPGE), which is induced by symmetry reduction of the surface. Through diverse spatially-resolved measurements on specially designed devices, we directly observe that SPGE in Ag2Te arises from the difference between two opposite photocurrent flows generated from the top and bottom surfaces. Acting as an efficient SPGE material, Ag2Te demonstrates robust performance across a wide spectral range from visible to mid-infrared, making it promising for applications in solar cells and mid-infrared detectors. More importantly, SPGE generated on low-symmetric surfaces can potentially be found in various systems, thereby inspiring a broader range of choices for photovoltaic materials. The bulk photovoltaic effect holds promise for various optoelectronic applications, but it is usually restricted to non-centrosymmetric materials operating in the visible range. Here, the authors report a surface photogalvanic effect spanning from visible to midinfrared wavelengths in a centrosymmetric topological insulator, Ag2Te. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice on the surface of wind turbine blades may result in power production losses and unsafe operations. An effective technological solution to the ice issue is coating de-icing. This study first constructed SiO2 aerogel/CNTs (carbon nanotube) coating with photothermal de-icing by incorporating photothermal nanoparticles into the created nanoporous structure. The coating structure examined by SEM and EDS analysis demonstrates that CNT particles can be well captured by the three-dimensional nanostructure of SiO2 aerogel and form a stable symbiotic skeleton. After that, we examined how the quantity of CNT doping affected the coating's surface morphology and photothermal properties. The findings demonstrated that the C-6 coating made from 0.6% CNTs performed best. Utilizing the photothermal effect of CNTs, it exhibited a steady rate of temperature increase and reached the target temperature of 153.4°C in 561 s upon near-infrared light (808 nm) irradiation. According to the results of experiments testing the photothermal performance, mechanical/chemical stability, and applicability of the coating, the coating has the advantages of being lightweight, provides quick de-icing, high stability, and simple production. This study not only increases the viability of using coating de-icing technology on wind turbine blades but also offers creative solutions to scientific investigation in the area of coating de-icing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary system piezoelectric ceramics 0.7PbZrxTi1−xO3-0.3Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (abbreviated as 0.7PZTx-0.3PZN) were prepared by a traditional solid-phase process. With the increase in Zr content, the electrical properties of the ceramics were significantly improved, and this result could be attributed to the change in the ceramic phase structure. The relationship between the change in Zr content and the ceramic phase structure and properties was investigated in detail by component modulation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses showed that the phase structure of the ceramics undergoes a transition from the coexistence of tetragonal (T) and rhombohedral (R) phases to the predominance of rhombohedral (R) phases as the Zr content x increases. The phase structure of the ceramics at x = 0.49 is closer to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), with about 32% of the T-phase and 68% of the R-phase, and possesses good electrical properties: d33 = 483 pC/N, kp = 0.69, εr = 2171.7, tanδ = 0.016, Tc = 292.5°C, Pr = 35.9 μC/cm2, Ec = 7.7 kV/mm. Constructing the MPB of 0.7PZT-0.3PZN piezoelectric ceramics by varying the Zr content can be effective in improving the electrical properties and understanding more broadly how the change in Zr/Ti composition affects the piezoelectric behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]