Crystals, Volume 16, Issue 1

The strategic balance between strength and electrical conductivity in Al-Mg-Si alloys is a critical challenge that must be overcome to enable their widespread adoption as viable alternatives to copper conductors in power transmission systems. To addr...

One of the main challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry today is the low solubility of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which leads to low bioavailability, reduced therapeutic efficacy, and the need for higher drug doses. Eutectic solv...

Fast-response liquid crystal (LC) displays have attracted attention for use as gaming displays with high frame rate and field-sequential displays. This work presents an LC display mode with vertical alignment and horizontal electric field driving, wh...

Modulating boundary conditions offers a powerful approach to generate and control topological defects, which govern the structure and dynamics of liquid crystals. Here, we employ Langevin dynamics simulations to study defect structure formation in tw...

Based upon density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we present the basic electronic structure of CuPb₉(PO₄)₆O (Cu-doped lead apatite, aka LK-99), in two scenarios: (1) where the structure is constrained to the P3 symmetry and (2) where no symmet...

Hybrid systems consisting of metal–fullerene composites exhibit intriguing properties but often suffer from thermal instability. With proper control, such instability can be harnessed to enable the formation of sophisticated nanostructures with...

Ultrasonic-assisted laser-directed energy deposition (UA-DED) is a promising combined technology for manufacturing high-value thin-walled Inconel 718 components in aerospace. Nevertheless, the optimal ultrasonic frequency—a key parameter for ac...

This work investigates the effect of titanium content and the duration of mechanical alloying on the structural and phase state of powder mixtures in the Ni–Al–Ti system. The initial mixtures of Ni₆₈Al₂₅Ti₇, Ni₇₂Al₂₂Ti₆, Ni₇₀Al₂₁Ti₉, and...

A systematic density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) investigation of aluminum phosphide (Al_xP_x) nanoparticles with diverse dimensionalities and geometries is presented. Starting from a cubic-like Al₄P₄ building block, a serie...

Bent-shaped liquid crystal (LC) dimers, trimers, and oligomers are intriguing because of their unique liquid crystallinities, which have gained further impetus after the identification of the twist-bend nematic (N_TB) phase in these molecules. LC trim...

The discovery of cathode materials that simultaneously exhibit high oxygen-reduction activity, robust stability, and low cost is pivotal to moving solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) from the laboratory into commercial deployment. To address this challeng...

It is undeniable that rapid population increase coupled with growing resource constraints are making the demand for smart and sustainable solutions more urgent than ever to secure future resources for the transition to sustainable energy production....

Stone powder is an inevitable by-product generated during the processing of manufactured sand and gravel. Waste stone powder has been proven to affect concrete properties and has been applied in the transportation and hydropower fields. This study ai...

One-dimensional ZnO nanowires offer significant potential for optoelectronic applications, though their controlled synthesis remains challenging. This study optimized ZnO nanowire growth via carbothermal reduction vapor transport based on the vapor&n...

This study investigates pristine and doped ZnO thin films fabricated via the sol-gel technique, aiming to address efficiency challenges when used as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers in thin-film solar cells. ZnO was first doped with aluminum...

A new organic salt of thiabendazole with p-toluenesulfonic acid was successfully synthesized by mechanochemistry. Notably, the same crystalline form and morphology were obtained both through neat grinding and liquid-assisted grinding using 4-methylte...

Multilayer liquid crystal devices can offer enhanced optical functionalities for augmented reality and photonic applications, but fabrication remains severely limited by solvent incompatibility between photoalignment materials and underlying polymeri...

Optimizing heat treatment processes requires an understanding of the complex relationships between compositions, processing parameters, microstructures, and properties. Traditional experimental approaches are costly and time-consuming, whereas machin...

This study introduces a synergistic drop-casting, sonication, and thermal treatment (DSTT) method for fabricating multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-coated conductive cotton fabrics. The process produced uniform MWCNT networks with a minimum sheet...

To evaluate the influence of different surface conditioning protocols—sandblasting (SB), tribochemical silica coating (TBC), CO₂ laser irradiation, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD-Si coating for 49 min) on surface roughness...

Microwave sintering enabled the efficient fabrication of bulk Mn₃Cu_0.5Ge_0.5N_0.9C_0.1 NTE materials in 3–5 h, versus 2 to 8 days for conventional methods. The microwave approach demonstrated high efficiency and energy savings. By adjusting temper...

High-precision prediction of the crystal diameter during the growth of electronic-grade silicon single crystals is a critical step for the fabrication of high-quality single crystals. However, the process features high-temperature operation, strong n...

Layered compounds containing the T₂O plane (T = transition metal), which is the anti-type of the CuO₂ plane in cuprate superconductors, have been explored widely because of their diverse physical properties. Among them, KV₂Se₂O has attracted much att...

Zn_1−xFe_xO nanocomposites (NCs) with varying Fe concentrations (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) were effectively prepared using the hydrothermal approach, and their morphology, structural, optical, and magnetic properties were systematically anal...

To investigate the biosilicification capabilities of Bacillus mucilaginosus and Bacillus polymyxa, silicon concentrations in supernatants from quartz and calcium silicate cultures were monitored over a 12-day period using inductively coupled plasma o...

Both s-tetrazine and picric acid are widely known compounds in the realm of high-energy materials. We had previously taken an interest—mostly supramolecular, i.e., directed at the elucidation of lone pair–π interactions—in the cr...

This study aimed to examine the influence of sputtering temperature on the bonding structure and properties of non-hydrogenated chromium/nickel co-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films synthesized via direct current magnetron sputtering. The Cr/Ni do...

Ni-Mo alloy coating has shown exciting potential as a candidate to replace chromium coating. In this paper, Ni-Mo alloy coatings were successfully electrodeposited from a citrate/ammonia bath, and the effect of the bath pH values over a wide range (4...

Aluminothermic reduction is gaining renewed interest as an alternative processing route for the circular economy. A unique Na₂O-fluxed MnO₂ ore formulation with a small quantity of carbon reductant was applied to ensure rapid pre-reduction to MnO. Th...

In this study, the microstructural, mechanical, wear, and corrosion behavior of Ni-Al-Cr and Ni–Al–Cr/SiC composite coatings with different composition ratios, produced by electric arc melting on Inconel 600 substrates, was systematically...

The Sar-e-Sang lapis lazuli deposit has a mining history exceeding 5000 years, producing the world’s finest lapis lazuli. Recently, gem-quality forsterite has been discovered in the marble containing spinel, dolomite, and phlogopite at the peri...

Low work function (LWF) materials are essential for enabling efficient systems’ behavior in applications ranging from vacuum electronics to energy conversion devices and next-generation opto-electronic interfaces. Recent advances in theory, cha...

This study investigated the fabrication and characterization of polylactic acid (PLA)-based ceramic composite filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. Boron carbide (B₄C) and silicon carbide (SiC) were incorporated into PLA at vario...

The inevitable introduction of oxygen into Czochralski-method-grown single crystal silicon, facilitated by the use of quartz crucibles, can result in the failure of chips and devices. Both the size and position of the heater exert a significant influ...

In the original publication [...]

Two-dimensional (2D) powders constitute an important class of molecular thin films where a specific close-packed plane forms parallel to the substrate surface, while there is no preferred lateral ordering. Using results from classic lattice reduction...

Blue calcite mineral formations occurring within Paleozoic marbles of Central Anatolia have been investigated in terms of their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, as well as their potential for use as ornamental stones or decorative objec...

An attractive cryogenic near-zero thermal expansion (ZTE) behavior was achieved in the Mn₃Cu_0.5Ge_0.5N_0.78C_0.22 compound, spanning a broad temperature window of 120 K (5 K to 125 K) with an average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of α = 0...

The optical and vibrational responses of Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ (GGG) single crystals to 147 MeV Kr-ion irradiations were systematically investigated to clarify defect formation pathways and their influence on luminescence mechanisms. Absorption spectra measured...

This paper presents a high-fidelity numerical simulation of curvilinear fatigue crack growth (FCG) through a modified Compact Tension (CT) specimen made of Haynes 230 nickel-based superalloy. The specimen’s design, featuring three extra holes,...

Fulgides are a class of organic compounds that exhibit photochromic behavior in both the solid state and in solution. These compounds have attracted considerable research interest due to their wide range of potential applications, including photochro...

ABO₃ perovskite oxides are a versatile class of materials whose surfaces and interfaces play essential roles in sustainable energy technologies, including catalysis, solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells, thermoelectrics, and energy-relevant oxide...

X-ray crystallography remains the gold standard for high-resolution structural biology, yet obtaining diffraction-quality crystals continues to pose a major bottleneck due to inherently low success rates. This review advocates a paradigm shift from p...

The journal retracts the article titled “Chemical Characterization of Taif Rose (Rosa damascena Mill var [...]

The electrochemical water splitting process represents a promising and sustainable route for generating high-purity hydrogen with minimal environmental impact. The development of efficient and economically viable electrocatalysts is crucial for enhan...

In this study, the photocatalytic performance of natural clinoptilolite was enhanced through copper modification, achieved via ion exchange followed by KOH-induced precipitation, leading to materials with different copper speciation. Physicochemical...

Existing experiments have shown that in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, solute Cu, when substituting for Al atoms, can enter the interior of ${\eta }^{\prime }$ precipitate, changing its composition significantly, but the mechanical properties of the ${\eta }^{\prime }$ compo...

This work presents an atomistic investigation of the structural and mechanical properties of Li–Mg alloys with 5, 10, and 20 at.% Mg using Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics simulations, elastic constant calculations, and uniaxial tensile tests...

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers have emerged as promising materials for flexible piezoelectric sensors, yet their performance is fundamentally constrained by the limited formation and alignment of the electroactive β-phase. In this s...

Spinel-based glass-ceramics face challenges such as a narrow crystallization window for the target phase and the difficulty in suppressing the competitive Li_xAl_xSi_1−xO₂ crystals. This study proposes a method to regulate the phase formation in Z...