Search Results (369)

Spin-spray deposition is a low-temperature route for preparing crystalline ferrite films, but the actual liquid-film temperature has not been isolated from the nominal heater temperature. NiZn ferrite films were deposited at liquid-film temperatures of 87.6, 90.1, 92.7, and 95.0 °C. As the temperature increased, the (222) Lotgering factor f_L decreased from 0.32 to 0.01, the triangular morphology weakened, and the growth rate declined. M_s remained nearly constant at 429–442 kA m⁻¹, whereas μ′_max increased from 44 to 83 and f_r decreased from 465 to 260 MHz. The structural and magnetic trends are consistent with a shift from surface-confined (222)-oriented growth toward less-oriented growth and a corresponding permeability–frequency trade-off. Unlike our previous studies of substrate and oxidant effects, this work isolates the measured liquid-film temperature and establishes its quantitative relationship with texture and dynamic magnetic response. This parameter provides a practical means of selecting the operating window of spin-sprayed NiZn ferrite cores for integrated high-frequency inductors. Full article

Developing sustainable and scalable personal thermal management textiles that simultaneously provide radiative cooling, moisture comfort, and responsible end-of-life management remains challenging. Here, we report a sustainable, scalable, and recyclable bamboo dissolving pulp-derived cellulose/SiO₂ fiber (CSF), fabricated by a wet-spinning process involving the dissolution and regeneration of cellulose and nano-SiO₂. The resultant CSF exhibits a hierarchical interface-pore structure, which enhances solar scattering (up to 94.56% in 0.4–1.0 μm) by Mie scattering of nano-SiO₂ particles and multiple scattering at micro- and nanopore-induced air/cellulose/SiO₂ interfaces. By coupling high mid-infrared emissivity of 94.8% (8–13 μm), the CSF demonstrates average daytime sub-ambient cooling of 9.5 °C under hot and humid summer conditions. More importantly, the CSF presents a multiscale water-transport network that integrates molecular water capture (–OH groups), capillary infiltration (nanoscale interfaces between nano-SiO₂ and cellulose), and liquid spreading and evaporation (interconnected microchannels between fibers), which realizes larger liquid diffusion area and water-vapor transmission rate (7.55 cm² and 175.48 g m⁻² 24 h⁻¹), compared to commercial cotton and polyester. In addition, the CSF demonstrates desirable soil-biodegradation capability, while the feasibility of closed-loop reuse is demonstrated through a single recycling cycle, supporting environmentally friendly wearable cooling textiles. The wet-spinning strategy paves the way for the construction of sustainable, scalable and recyclable fiber for thermal- and moisture-comfort textiles. Full article

In this study, amorphous Cu₈₆P_7.5Sn_4.5Ni₂(wt.%) fillers were prepared using the melt spinning method with different rolling speeds. The wetting performance of these fillers on copper was assessed under different temperatures and holding times. The results indicated that the fillers obtained through the melt spinning technique exhibited lower melting temperatures than the as-cast filler. When processed at a rolling speed of 20 m/s, the amorphization of the filler was not sufficient. The higher rolling speed promoted the formation of the amorphous structure. The amorphous filler produced at 30 m/s exhibited the narrowest melting range and the lowest liquidus temperature (622 °C), which is approximately 100 °C lower than that of the as-cast filler (725 °C). Furthermore, the amorphous fillers also exhibited better wettability toward copper under the same conditions. Notably, the amorphous filler fabricated at 30 m/s demonstrated superior wettability at 750 °C for 90 s. Owing to the optimal wettability of the amorphized filler toward copper and the lower liquid temperature, the brazed copper joint achieved a shear strength of 223.2 MPa. The fracture of the four joints occurred in the base metal. In this study, we explored the brazing performance of amorphized Cu-based fillers, facilitating the solid bonding of copper at lower brazing temperatures. Full article

Attapulgite (ATP)-loaded wet-spun polyurethane (PU) fibers were produced to investigate the effect of ATP on the surface structure and liquid interaction behavior of PU fibers under static immersion. ATP incorporation changed the surface morphology of PU fibers from smooth and compact to rougher and more porous structures, as confirmed by SEM-EDS and BET analyses. ATP incorporation increased BET surface area from 2.236 to 17.144 m²/g and the total pore volume from 0.0050 to 0.0755 cm³/g. These structural changes promoted water uptake and methylene blue interaction by improving wetting-assisted liquid penetration and dye diffusion through accessible mesoporous pathways. ATP incorporation also improved the thermal and mechanical behavior of the fibers at appropriate loading levels. The onset degradation temperature increased from 252.35 °C for neat PU to 270.53 °C with 3 wt.% ATP loading. The highest tensile strength value of 10.026 MPa was achieved at 1 wt.% ATP loading. Pearson correlation and principal component analyses showed that methylene blue interaction was more closely associated with pore diameter and pore volume than with ATP content alone. The results also indicate that ATP incorporation is an effective strategy for tailoring the pore accessibility, liquid interaction, and structure-dependent performance of wet-spun PU composite fibers. Full article

We propose a lattice structure and space group symmetry, Pmmm (No. 47), for the QCD condensate ground state, whose Wyckoff positions are occupied by the four light quarks and antiquarks $u$, $d$, $\tilde{u}$, $\tilde{d}$. These serve as the fundamental building blocks of both the condensate lattice ground state and the baryonic and leptonic particle excitations embedded within it as topological defects of the nominal Wyckoff occupation, offering a more structured alternative to the QCD instanton liquid picture. Building on Bloch quark wave solutions of a tight-binding Hamiltonian defined on this lattice, we propose a generalization of Einstein’s Equivalence Principle: composite particles embedded in the lattice and propagating by tunnelling cannot distinguish acceleration by gravity, the strong, weak, or electromagnetic forces, or curvature of the lattice itself, arising from local variation in unit cell shape. We derive an eight-by-eight tight-binding Hamiltonian that decouples into two four-by-four blocks separating the quark and antiquark sectors. Electrons, positrons, protons, neutrons, deuterons, and α-particles are embedded in the lattice as defect-induced deviations from the nominal Wyckoff occupation, with their spin and helicity emerging structurally from this picture. We further propose that the lattice’s unit cells carry a small nonzero rest mass, whose collective gravitational effect across a galactic halo may account for the discrepancy between visible mass and rotation curves, identifying the Pmmm condensate as a dark matter candidate. Finally, we outline a mechanism near black hole horizons by which local melting of the condensate lattice followed by quark reactions that conserve the number and flavor of the quarks could yield a new route to baryon asymmetry. We propose a framework that goes several steps beyond the Standard Model by introducing a Pmmm space group unit cell for the QCD condensate ground state, built from the four light quarks and antiquarks $u$, $d$, $\tilde{u}$, $\tilde{d}$. We further propose that topological defects of the Pmmm condensate lattice are the geometric origin of particle excitations. Full article

This study investigates the enhancement of electrical conductivity in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) thin films through the incorporation of few-layer graphene (mG). Nanocomposite films were prepared by spin coating from liquid dispersions containing approximately 10 wt% mG. The resulting films exhibited high optical transmittance (~80%) and significantly reduced sheet resistance, reaching values as low as 1.8 kΩ/□. These improvements in electrical and optical performance are attributed to enhanced charge transport arising from π–π interactions between graphene and PEDOT:PSS, as well as conformational changes in the polymer chains. The PEDOT:PSS/mG composites were successfully applied both as conductive inks, forming conductive trails capable of powering a light-emitting diode (LED), and as hole transport layers in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Comprehensive optical and electrical characterization of the composite films and the corresponding OLED devices demonstrates the strong potential of PEDOT:PSS/mG nanocomposites for use in flexible and printed electronic applications. Full article

Functionalized wet-laid nonwovens were developed from recycled cotton fibres, including spinning process residues (SPRs) and cotton fabric scraps (CFSs), blended with refined bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp (BEKP), demonstrating the valorisation of textile waste into high-performance materials. A two-step surface functionalisation strategy was applied, combining spray deposition of a polyamide-amine wet-strength resin with padding using carnauba wax, polyurethane dispersion and their combination. SEM and ATR-FTIR analyses confirmed successful functionalization of the cellulosic nonwovens without affecting their structure. The surface modification induced a hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition, with SPR-based nonwovens showing higher contact angles (>130°), lower water uptake and slower liquid penetration. The applied functionalization strategies suppressed liquid strike-through (STT) across both nonwovens’ formulations. Mechanical performance was also enhanced. SPR-based nonwovens modified with the combined agents showed increases of 59% and 90% to 30/70% SPR/BEKP and 70/30% SPR/BEKP, respectively, while CFS-based nonwovens exhibited increases of 148% and 207% for the same formulations. Wet strength was noticeably improved, exceeding instrumental limits in SPR systems functionalized with polyurethane dispersion alone as well as with the combined agents. Therefore, this functionalization strategy effectively overcomes the intrinsic hydrophilicity and wet weakness of cellulosic nonwovens, enabling to be applied in packaging, household and other technical applications, while promoting the circular economy. Full article

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex mixtures and structure elucidation is generally impeded by the intrinsic complexity of the NMR spectra and the extensive signal overlap. The conventional approach to characterizing individual metabolites from complex crude extracts of natural products relies on multistep separation workflows employing diverse liquid chromatographic approaches and/or hyphenated techniques, which combine online integration of NMR with separation methods and other forms of spectroscopy. In recent decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to NMR applications in crude extracts without previous separation and isolation of the individual analytes. We present herein a critical overview of several NMR applications using chemical shift ranges of common organic functional groups, which can provide significant resolution advantages under specific experimental conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on: (i) characteristic chemical shift regions of strongly deshielded phenol OH groups, aldehyde CHO groups, hydroperoxide C-O-O-H groups and olefinic protons in conjugated double bonds; (ii) the advantages of using ¹³C chemical shift ranges through 2D ¹H-¹³C HSQC and HMBC experiments of strongly deshielded phenol OH groups, aldehyde CHO groups, hydroperoxide groups, conjugated double bonds, and deshielded aliphatic CH groups; (iii) selective 1D NMR-spin chromatography techniques (1D TOCSY, 1D NOE); (iv) multiple suppression of strong resonances for minor analyte identification and (v) band-selective excitation techniques for minor analyte identification and quantification. The complementary contributions of statistical heterospectroscopy and computational chemical shift prediction are also considered, together with a brief assessment of the NMR experimental parameters and performance characteristics. Full article

Tellurene has a wide bandwidth and low propagation loss at near-infrared wavelengths due to its nonlinear absorption coefficient. Therefore, we prepared tellurene–polyvinyl alcohol (Te-PVA) film as a saturable absorber in an Er-doped fiber laser by liquid phase exfoliation and spin-coating. The modulation depth was 5.25% and the saturation intensity was 17.02 MW/cm. The nonlinear optical properties of the film and its application in high-stability mode-locked operation were studied. A mode-locked pulse with a fundamental frequency of 8.48 MHz and a central wavelength of 1560.10 nm was obtained, with a signal-to-noise ratio which was greater than 75 dB. A traditional soliton mode-locked operation with a pulse width of 1.41 ps was achieved. In addition, eighth- and 19^th-harmonic mode-locked operations were obtained by adjusting the pump power and polarization controller. Our results show that Te-PVA film functioned as a saturable absorber which enabled harmonic mode-locking with an SNR of 75 dB in an Er-doped fiber laser. It is thus an excellent ultra-fast photonics material. Full article

Polymeric fibers represent a vital class of functional materials due to their versatile properties, such as wide availability, low cost, recyclability, biodegradability, and excellent mechanical and chemical stability. Polymer fibers can be fabricated at both micro- and nanoscale dimensions using a variety of processing techniques. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the principal methods employed for polymer fiber preparation, including electrospinning, melt and solution blowing, dry and wet spinning, template synthesis, phase separation, and self-assembly. The technical principles, as well as the advantages and limitations, of each technique are systematically discussed. The review also explores polymeric fibers as smart materials for actuation applications. Particular focus is given to stimulus-responsive fiber systems such as shape memory fibers, hydrogel fibers, liquid crystal fibers, and electroactive polymers. Overall, this review establishes a coherent framework linking polymer fiber fabrication strategies with structure–property–function relationships, offering practical guidance for material selection and accelerating the development of next-generation smart polymer fibers for advanced actuation and multifunctional applications. Full article

Rhodium is a high-value strategic platinum-group metal extensively applied in automotive exhaust purification, fine chemicals, glass production and high-temperature materials. Restricted by uneven primary resource distribution and volatile market prices, recovering rhodium from secondary resources has become increasingly critical. Solvent extraction is regarded as a promising technology for continuous and selective separation of rhodium, yet direct extraction of Rh(III) from chloride media faces severe industrial limitations. These bottlenecks are mainly attributed to diversified chloro-aqua complexes, kinetic inertness of low-spin Rh(III), strong hydration capacity and polynuclear species generation, while solution aging and inconsistent thermodynamic-experimental results further complicate extraction behaviors. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in rhodium solvent extraction from chloride media, correlating aqueous speciation regulation, activation chemistry, extractant molecular structure and extraction-stripping mechanisms. Special emphasis is placed on SnCl₂-, ascorbic acid-, trichloroacetic acid- and malonate-assisted activation systems, as well as amine-, phosphorus-, sulfur-based, synergistic, ionic-liquid and deep-eutectic-solvent extractants. Key factors affecting extraction efficiency, distribution ratio, selectivity and stripping performance are clarified, and current challenges are outlined. Future research should focus on quantitative speciation analysis, in situ mechanistic characterization, targeted extractant design, and integrated evaluation of extraction, stripping, recyclability, cost and real-feed adaptability, so as to provide theoretical support for efficient and clean rhodium recovery. Full article

In this work, using the simulator VPLanet, we analyze the spin evolution of some selected exoplanets due to the tidal interaction with their host star. For a rocky planet, two spin “conditions” are possible, the “trapped” rotation and the “fast” rotation, referring to the cases of achieved and non-achieved tidal trapping, respectively. We focus on planets whose spin condition is not obvious, because no study is needed for planets which are undoubtedly fast rotators or undoubtedly trapped rotators; moreover, we consider only exoplanets that are interesting from an astrobiological perspective. The current spin conditions of the considered planets are hypothesized, taking into account the age of the host star. Inferences regarding planetary climate and habitability—which is defined by the possibility of stably sustaining the liquid water on the surface—are also discussed. Results of this work show that Kepler-62f, Kepler-1126c, and Kepler-1544b are expected to be fast rotators regardless of the orbital eccentricity; the spin condition of Kepler-186f, Kepler-62e, and Kepler-442b cannot be determined without constraints on the eccentricity, which are currently unavailable; Kepler-440b is expected to be tidally trapped. Full article

This study resolves the apparent breakdown of the Korringa relation in disordered liquid metals by investigating Ga-based alloys (EGaIn and Galinstan). By integrating temperature-dependent Knight shifts (K) with longitudinal (T₁) and transverse (T₂) relaxation measurements, we demonstrate that deviations from classical behavior arise from neglecting transverse spin dephasing induced by structural and electronic disorder. While solid-state alloys follow the conventional Korringa law, the liquid phase exhibits significant discrepancies between T₁ and T₂ due to enhanced electron scattering and fluctuating hyperfine fields. By explicitly incorporating T₂ into a modified framework, the proportionality between the Knight shift and nuclear relaxation is quantitatively restored. This establishes transverse relaxation as a critical parameter for describing nuclear spin dynamics in complex liquid metals, reinforcing NMR as a powerful local probe for optimizing next-generation liquid metal technologies. Full article

Programmable quantum simulators based on Rydberg atom arrays provide a versatile platform for data-driven quantum simulation of strongly correlated systems, combinatorial optimization problems, and artificial quantum materials. In this review, we present a unified perspective on how materials-inspired effective Hamiltonians can be engineered and probed in Rydberg arrays, highlighting representative phenomena such as quantum phase transitions, frustrated spin-liquid–like states, symmetry-protected topological phases, and nonequilibrium dynamics. We further discuss recent progress in machine learning-based approaches, including phase identification from experimental snapshots, neural network quantum states, Hamiltonian learning, and quantum reservoir computing. A central theme is the emergence of closed-loop classical–quantum hybrid workflows, in which quantum simulation, measurement, and classical inference are integrated through iterative feedback. These developments position Rydberg atom arrays not only as programmable simulators but also as data-driven platforms for the scalable exploration, characterization, and design of complex quantum materials. Full article

Perylene bisimide derivatives are typical n-type semiconductors as well as redox-active materials. However, it has been difficult to produce thin films by solution processes because of their low solubilities in organic solvents. Perylene bisimide derivatives bearing oligosiloxane moieties exhibit columnar phases over wide temperature ranges, including room temperature and high solubilities in organic solvents. The columnar phases are stabilized by nanosegregation between crystal-like one-dimensional π-stacks and liquid-like mantle consisting of oligosiloxane moieties. The electron mobility at room temperature exceeded 0.1 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹ in the ordered columnar phases of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing four disiloxane chains. Uniaxially aligned thin films of the perylene bisimide derivatives bearing oligosiloxane moieties could be produced by a spin-coating method. The spin-coated films of the perylene bisimide derivatives bearing cyclotetrasiloxane rings could be insolubilized via in situ ring-opening polymerization by the exposure of the thin films to trifluoromethanesulfonic acid vapors. Uniaxially aligned thin films of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing an ethylene oxide chain as well as cyclotetrasiloxane rings could be doped in an aqueous solution of sodium dithionate, resulting in an anisotropic electrical conductivity. Polymerized thin films of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing a crown ether ring exhibited electrochromism in electrolyte solutions. These compounds formed 1:1 complexes with lithium triflate, exhibiting columnar phases at room temperature. The nanostructures of the complexes were stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between cationic crown-metal units and triflate anions. Full article