Search Results (991)

The application of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) in asphalt binder modification is limited by its inherent chemical inertness and severe agglomeration. In this study, four surface-functionalization strategies, including (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) silanization, polydopamine (PDA) coating, tannic acid (TA)–APTES co-deposition, and PDA–APTES hybrid modification, were used to improve the dispersion and compatibility of MoS₂ nanosheets in styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt binders. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that surface functionalization introduced organic functional groups, reduced nanosheet restacking, and preserved the intrinsic 2H-MoS₂ crystal structure. Binder-level rheological tests and thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC) analysis showed that surface-functionalized MoS₂ improved the high-temperature deformation resistance, creep recovery, fatigue resistance, low-temperature relaxation capacity, and thermal stability of SBS-modified asphalt. Among the investigated binders, PDA–APTES-functionalized MoS₂/SBS-modified asphalt exhibited the most balanced performance. At 3.2 kPa, its recovery rate reached 79.5%, while its non-recoverable creep compliance decreased to 0.105 kPa⁻¹. Its fatigue life at 15% strain increased by 76.8% compared with SBS-modified asphalt, and its creep stiffness at −24 °C decreased to 222 MPa. Mechanistic interpretation suggests that the PDA–APTES hybrid layer may act as an organic–inorganic interfacial transition region, improving MoS₂ dispersion and compatibility with the SBS–asphalt phase and facilitating more effective integration of the nanosheets into the composite structure. These results indicate that PDA–APTES-functionalized MoS₂ nanosheets are promising interfacial modifiers for improving the rheological and thermal performance of SBS-modified asphalt binders. Full article

Inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), or p-i-n PSCs, have become increasingly attractive for high-performance perovskite photovoltaics owing to their low-temperature processability, reduced hysteresis, flexible-substrate compatibility and suitability for perovskite/silicon tandem architectures. The buried interface is central to charge extraction, energy-level alignment, perovskite crystallization and operational stability, and is therefore a key determinant of device performance. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are molecularly thin and offer negligible parasitic absorption, tunable interfacial energetics, low material loading and high structural designability, making them attractive alternatives to conventional organic Hole Transport Layers and effective hole-selective contacts in inverted PSCs. This review examines molecular design principles and interfacial engineering strategies for SAMs in inverted PSCs, focusing on the phosphonic acid carbazole (PACz) family, substituent and terminal-group engineering, and emerging conjugated backbones. We then summarize how SAMs regulate buried interfaces through energy-level alignment, defect passivation, crystallization control and stability enhancement. We further highlight emerging interface strategies, including co-assembled SAMs, amorphous SAMs, polymerized or crosslinked SAMs and molecular hybrid interfaces, and discuss how data-driven molecular screening may accelerate future SAM discovery. Finally, we discuss outstanding challenges in SAM formation, large-area uniformity, in situ and operando characterization, and data-driven molecular design, and provide perspectives on the use of SAMs in efficient, durable and scalable inverted PSCs. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) remains a major global pathogen and a significant public health concern due to its antibiotic resistance. This has spurred the search for new treatments, resulting in the discovery of two promising targets: FtsZ and FabI. Naturally occurring compounds berberine and lipophilic acids are known to bind these enzymes, respectively. This study aims to improve berberine’s binding affinity for FtsZ and enhance its interaction with FabI by designing hybrid compounds that could serve as dual inhibitors, targeting both active and allosteric sites. Forty-eight hybrids, derived from berberine and lipophilic acids with 10 to 22 carbons, were modeled. Molecular docking against five S. aureus enzyme crystal structures identified six compounds with geranic acid chains (1s, 1t, 1u, 2s, 2t, 2u) that showed the strongest binding. Among these, 2s, 2t, and 1t showed the greatest affinity for FtsZ, while 2u, 1u, and 1s targeted FabI, with binding energies around −8.2 to −10.5 kcal/mol. QSAR models estimated MICs within known inhibitor ranges, implying potential effectiveness. Hydrophobic and flexible features correlated with stronger interactions and activity. ADMET analysis indicated low toxicity for these hybrids. Modifying berberine with lipophilic acids appears to be a promising approach for developing plant-based dual inhibitors against S. aureus. Full article

Freeze desalination (FD) is being reconsidered as a low-temperature desalination route because it separates water through ice formation rather than evaporation or membrane pressure. This review examines FD from the perspective of sustainable water–energy systems, with emphasis on applications where conventional desalination may face technical or energy limitations. Unlike general reviews focused mainly on freezing principles, this work connects crystallization mechanisms, experimental performance, energy integration, and scale-up barriers. The literature analyzed, consisting primarily of studies published between 2015 and 2026, was grouped into four areas: modeling and simulation, experimental and pilot-scale validation, technological integration, and energy–economic assessment. Recent progress has been reported in eutectic freeze crystallization, vacuum-assisted ice–brine separation, ice morphology control, LNG cold recovery, solar-assisted FD, and hybrid systems that combine desalination with cooling or energy recovery. Reported performance varies widely. Reported SEC varies by more than an order of magnitude: values near 3 kWh/m³ occur mainly under favorable integration or external-cold assumptions, whereas conventionally refrigerated laboratory and pilot systems can require substantially more energy. This difference shows that FD performance depends strongly on crystallizer design, feedwater composition, separation strategy, and cold-energy recovery. FD should not be viewed as a direct replacement for RO, MED, or MSF. Its strongest potential is in hypersaline brine treatment, LNG terminals, cold regions, off-grid systems, island communities, and decentralized water production coupled with renewable or waste-cold sources. Full article

In this study, we propose a novel optical sensor architecture based on two-dimensional photonic crystals for the early detection of cervical cancer (HeLa). The structure consists of a central hollow-disk micro-cavity designed to accommodate biosamples, surrounded by a periodic array of GaAs rods. The detection principle relies on variations in the biosample refractive index, inducing a spectral shift in the resonance. To overcome the limitations of conventional 2D-FDTD method parametric sweeps, an artificial intelligence framework was developed to optimize the geometric parameters of the proposed photonic crystal optical sensor. First, a Random Forest algorithm was employed to identify promising regions of the geometric design space. Next, a multilayer artificial neural network (ANN-MLP) was trained as a high-fidelity surrogate model ($R^2$ = 98.58%) and coupled with a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to determine the optimal structural configuration. The optimized sensor geometry subsequently achieved an average sensitivity of 5512.91 nm/RIU, a quality factor of 6139.15 and a detection limit of $5.64\times {10}^{-5}$ RIU, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed AI-assisted design strategy. The optimized design reduces classical performance trade-offs and exhibits high tolerance to nanometric fabrication deviations below ±20 nm. Full article

Because antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃) is abundant on Earth, non-toxic, and naturally has a low lattice thermal conductivity, it has garnered increasing interest as a possible thermoelectric material. One factor contributing to its anisotropic transport behavior is the orthorhombic structure in which Sb₂S₃ crystallizes, which is made up of one-dimensional (Sb₄S₄)_n ribbons. For thermoelectric energy conversion, its comparatively broad band gap (~1.5–1.7 eV) leads to a high Seebeck coefficient, usually in the 200–600 μV/K range. However, due to its inherently low carrier mobility, pristine Sb₂S₃ exhibits poor electrical conductivity, thereby restricting its power factor. Recent research indicates that composite engineering, nanostructuring, and doping (e.g., with elements such as Ln, As, Se, Ni, Zn, and Fe) can enhance the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) by increasing carrier concentration while suppressing phonon transport. ZT values in bulk Sb₂S₃ range from 0.1 to 0.2 to approximately 0.5 in optimized nanostructured or doped systems. Higher ZT values (>1) are expected to be possible with advanced band engineering and defect management. According to these results, Sb₂S₃ is a promising mid-temperature thermoelectric material that can be used for waste-heat recovery and possibly integrated into hybrid photovoltaic–thermoelectric systems. Full article

Heat pumps are core equipment for efficient low-grade thermal energy utilization and low-carbon transformation of the energy structure, offering significant energy-saving potential in building heating and industrial waste heat recovery. This paper reviews the research progress and technical challenges of compression, absorption, and adsorption heat pumps as well as nanofluid-enhanced heat transfer technology and elastocaloric heat pump systems. Air source heat pumps can delay frosting through variable frequency, heat storage, and waste heat recovery. However, accurate prediction models for performance degradation under extreme cold conditions are lacking. Although ground source and water source heat pumps exhibit significant energy efficiency advantages, ground source systems may suffer from performance degradation due to underground thermal imbalance. The application of water source systems is strictly constrained by water resource conditions. Driven by low-grade waste heat, absorption heat pumps employing traditional working pairs suffer from crystallization, corrosion, or high rectification energy consumption. The COP of a single-effect cycle under 80~100 °C waste heat is only 1.2~1.9, while hybrid cycles can reach approximately 3.2 at 120~150 °C. Although adsorption heat pumps achieve significantly improved performance under continuous heat recovery cycles, the full-scale power density of novel adsorbents such as metal–organic frameworks is inferior to the power density of traditional silica gel. Moreover, under off-design conditions, the performance drops by 23~48% compared to theoretical values. Nanofluids can enhance heat transfer, but the long-term effects of particle agglomeration at high temperatures on pump power consumption and system compatibility remain to be systematically evaluated. Elastocaloric heat pump systems can achieve refrigerant-free cooling, but current prototypes still cannot compete with traditional vapor compression systems in long-cycle fatigue reliability and power density. Current heat pump technologies generally face challenges such as insufficient adaptability to extreme conditions, bottlenecks in working fluids and materials, and a lack of long-term validation. Future research must construct a multi-source coupling optimization system, address common problems in working fluids and materials, promote long-term validation and kilowatt-level prototype demonstrations, and drive the large-scale deployment and engineering application of heat pump technology toward high efficiency, intelligence, and high reliability. Full article

Textile fabrics have served as a second skin for millennia, yet their potential as active engineering systems is only beginning to be realized. Historically, most smart textiles have treated fabrics as passive substrates for sensors, conductors, or rigid motors. A paradigm shift is underway toward intrinsic actuation fabrics, where active polymers—including liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), twisted and coiled polymer actuators (TCPAs), and shape memory polymers (SMPs), as well as polymeric yarn/fabric matrices integrating shape memory alloys (SMAs), serve as functional engines to generate motion, force, or shape change. Despite rapid progress in functional materials development, a critical gap persists between fiber-level actuation mechanics and fabric-level system implementation. This review addresses that transition by establishing a four-tier hierarchical framework (Fiber, Yarn, Fabric, and System) to clarify how responsive building blocks are structurally integrated. We systematically analyze how traditional textile architectures—including woven, knitted, braided, and non-woven structures—mechanically amplify, redirect, or constrain the intrinsic stroke and force of active polymers and SMA-polymeric hybrids. By bridging recent advances in polymer materials science with textile structural mechanics, this review provides structural design strategies and highlights grand challenges in wearability, durability, and system integration for next-generation polymeric soft actuation fabrics. Full article

Edible oleogels have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional solid fats. They convert liquid oils into semi-solid structures while reducing saturated and trans fatty acid intake. Despite rapid growth in this field, their performance is not governed by a single factor but by coupled effects of oil composition, oleogelator properties, intermolecular interactions, and processing history. In recent years, substantial progress has been achieved in understanding the formation mechanisms, structural regulation strategies, and food applications of oleogels. This review systematically summarizes the key factors influencing oleogel formation and performance, including oil phase composition, gelator type and concentration, molecular interactions, and processing parameters. Emerging structural modulation approaches, such as multi-component oleogelators, hybrid biopolymer systems, and advanced processing technologies, are critically discussed with respect to their effects on crystallization behavior, network architecture, rheological properties, thermal stability, and oil-binding capacity. Particular emphasis is placed on the hierarchical structure–function relationships linking molecular assembly and network organization to macroscopic functionality, digestibility, and bioactive compound delivery. Recent applications of oleogels in bakery products, meat analogs, dairy alternatives, confectionery products, and frying systems are also reviewed. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities related to next-generation oleogelators, hierarchical structural regulation, intelligent responsive systems, and industrial-scale manufacturing are discussed. This review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the structural engineering of edible oleogels and offers insights into the rational design of healthier and more functional lipid-based food systems. Full article

Developing lead-free organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides with strong light-harvesting capabilities and superior stability, while precisely tuning their crystalline phases and electronic structures, remains a key challenge in optoelectronics. Herein, we report a neutral iodine-induced structural transition from a 1D chain-like (C₆H₁₁NH₃)₂SbI₅ architecture to a 0D dimeric (C₆H₁₁NH₃)₃[Sb₂I₉]·I₂ supramolecular host-guest complex. This transformation is achieved via a controlled solution-cooling crystallization process, yielding high-quality bulk single crystals. Crystallographic analysis reveals that N–H···I hydrogen-bonding networks stabilize the organic cations, while halogen bonding interactions anchor the I₂ guests within the lattice cavities of the [Sb₂I₉]³⁻ dimeric host. Experimental characterizations, including XRD, TGA, and XPS, confirm the high phase purity and thermal stability of the (C₆H₁₁NH₃)₃[Sb₂I₉]·I₂ hybrid and determine its electronic band structure. To further elucidate the underlying mechanisms, theoretical calculations were performed, revealing that strong sp-orbital hybridization yields a high absorption coefficient. The associated dimensional transition narrows the direct optical bandgap to 1.46 eV, approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit and demonstrating strong potential for visible-light harvesting. This work elucidates the role of supramolecular host-guest interactions in modulating the lattice evolution of lead-free antimony-based materials, presenting halogen guest engineering as an effective approach for optoelectronic material design. Full article

This paper introduces a hybrid building-integrated photovoltaic façade that brings together a 240 Wp mono PERC photovoltaic (PV) module and an electrically switchable Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal glazing unit within a single layered component. The main novelty of the proposed system is that the PV module and the smart glass layer are not treated as independent façade elements; instead, they are integrated to create a direct optical and functional interaction within the same building envelope component. The design enables controlled interaction between solar radiation, the PV cells, and the interior environment. By adjusting the optical state of the glazing, the façade can influence the amount of light entering the building while also affecting the irradiance received by the PV cells. In this way, the proposed façade provides two adaptive operating modes: a transparent mode that supports daylight transmission and indoor visual comfort, and a non-transparent mode that enhances effective irradiance on the PV cells through diffuse reflection. Experimental investigations carried out under real outdoor conditions, together with finite element thermal modeling, are used to evaluate electrical output and temperature behavior. Unlike conventional BIPV or smart glass applications, the proposed structure simultaneously addresses electricity generation, daylight regulation, and thermal management in a single multifunctional façade system. The results indicate that the integrated configuration yields nearly 4% higher energy production compared to a reference PV module, and that electrical output increases by about 5% when the glazing is in its non-transparent state. These findings highlight the potential of the proposed system to enhance both on-site electricity generation and indoor environmental performance in sustainable building applications. Full article

Organic memristors are attractive building blocks for neuromorphic computing owing to their intrinsic synaptic functionalities and solution-processability. However, their operational instability remains a major challenge, primarily arising from poorly controlled semiconductor crystallization and stochastic conductive filament formation. Here, we report a high-performance solution-processed organic memristor based on a TIPS-pentacene/PMMA/CdSe-ZnS quantum-dot hybrid system, in which a dual-engineering strategy is employed to simultaneously regulate film crystallization and filament dynamics. Specifically, the PMMA matrix templates the molecular ordering of TIPS-pentacene to improve film uniformity and crystallinity, while CdSe/ZnS quantum dots locally modulate the electric field to direct and confine conductive filament formation. As a result, the device exhibits ultralow and highly uniform switching voltages (0.473 V for set and −0.430 V for reset), suppressed device-to-device variation, long retention exceeding 10⁴ s, and endurance over 1200 switching cycles. In addition, the memristor supports multilevel data storage and successfully emulates key synaptic functions, including long-term potentiation/depression, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity. This work provides a materials-level strategy for achieving reliable and low-power organic memristors, offering a viable route toward high-density nonvolatile memory and neuromorphic computing hardware. Full article

The growing demand for efficient, stable, and environmentally friendly materials for next-generation optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications has attracted significant interest in double perovskite compounds. First-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to systematically investigate the structural, mechanical, electronic, and optical properties of Ba₂MReO₆ (M = Li, Na, K, and Rb) double perovskites. Structural optimization confirms that all compounds crystallize in the cubic Fm3̅m symmetry. The thermodynamic and geometric stability of the series is checked with negative formation energies and tolerance factor analyses (t, μ, τ). Mechanical analysis confirms that all compounds are mechanically stable; Ba₂LiReO₆ is the stiffest, while Ba₂RbReO₆ shows moderate stiffness with the highest ductility. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations at room temperature confirm the dynamical stability of all compounds, with negligible fluctuations in total energy under thermal conditions. The calculated band structures using both GGA-PBE and HSE06 hybrid functionals reveal that all compounds possess indirect band gaps, with HSE06 values of 2.236 eV for Ba₂LiReO₆, 2.133 eV for Ba₂NaReO₆, 2.116 eV for Ba₂KReO₆, and 1.395 eV for Ba₂RbReO₆. Optical measurements indicate that it is highly polarizable by dielectric polarizability, has high absorption coefficients (approximately 10⁶ cm⁻¹), and has large optical conductivity in the UV, with large inter-band interactions between 2 and 4 eV. The suitable band gap and favorable optical characteristics suggest that Ba₂RbReO₆ is the most promising candidate for photovoltaic and solar-cell applications. Full article

Topological photonic crystals provide an important platform for robust light transport and light-field manipulation. To meet the demands for developing multifunctional and densely integrated photonic circuits, it is necessary to flexibly control light flow with multi-degrees of freedom while maintaining strong topological protection. In this work, we investigate multifunctional topological photonic crystals based on hybrid topological domain walls, which support valley-polarized chiral edge states (VCES). Based on hybrid domain walls, we design two types of compact topological photonic devices. By exploiting direction-selective coupling between valley edge states (VES) and VCES, we construct nonreciprocal coupled waveguides with a nonreciprocal transmission ratio of 10 dB and output-port isolation ratio of more than 30 dB. Moreover, through different configurations of the direction of external magnetic field, we construct a multi-channel selective routing device that enables the configurable transport of valley-polarized electromagnetic waves among multiple channels. Hybrid topological waveguides provide a foundation for designing novel photonic devices, offering the potential for realizing multifunctional integrated topological photonic networks in both classical and quantum regimes. Full article

Single-crystal diamond (SCD) is an ideal substrate material for semiconductor devices due to its extremely wide bandgap and exceptionally high thermal conductivity. However, diamond’s extreme hardness and chemical inertness pose challenges for the fabrication of ultra-smooth surfaces. Traditional polishing processes are not only inefficient but also prone to introducing subsurface defects, which severely degrade device performance. To address the above issues, this study proposes a hybrid polishing process combining reactive ion etching (RIE) surface modification with chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which enables low-loss atomic-level processing of SCD. The study found that RIE treatment induces lattice disorder on the diamond surface, forming a sp²-hybridized amorphous carbon-modified layer. Compared to the sp³ structure of native diamond, this modified layer has lower hardness and is easier to remove. We conducted the verification of the optimized process using high-quality single-crystalline diamond (SCD) samples with an initial surface roughness Ra of 0.68 nm. Under the optimized RIE parameters (substrate bias power: 200 W, etching time: 600 s, gas flow ratio of Ar:O₂:CF₄ = 40:50:10), the surface roughness Ra was reduced to as low as 0.35 nm after 2 h of CMP treatment. Furthermore, systematic characterization of the SCD’s as-received surface, RIE-modified surface, and CMP-treated surface was performed using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), elucidating the “etching modification–mechanical removal” polishing mechanism. Full article