Search Results (201)

The Mangyahedong gold deposit—recently discovered in the Qimantage segment of the East Kunlun orogenic belt—is a high-priority exploration target. Key unknowns include its mineralization age, the sources of sulfur and gold, and the tectonic–magmatic–hydrothermal controls on formation. These gaps have hindered genetic classification and stage-specific research. We addressed them through integrated petrography, TIMA mineral mapping, in situ LA-ICP-MS analysis of pyrite from three mineralization stages, and U-Pb dating of hydrothermal apatite spatially and temporally linked to the main sulfide-precipitation event. The stages are: (I) early sericite–quartz alteration; (II) main ore stage—carbonate–chlorite–sulfide + native gold; and (III) late calcite–pyrite veins. Pyrite zoning shows that early pyrite cores are enriched in As and Au. In contrast, the main-stage pyrite has As-poor cores, with As, Au, and Co progressively enriched toward the rims. This zoning pattern indicates evolving fluid redox conditions and metal complexation during ore deposition. A ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 406 ± 13 Ma from apatite in gold-bearing quartz–sulfide veins constrains gold deposition to the Late Silurian–Early Devonian transition. Age, texture, and geochemistry collectively support a regional metamorphic–deformational origin, consistent with the orogenic gold model. Isotopic and elemental data point to the Qimantage Group volcanic rocks as the dominant source of ore-forming elements—indicating strong potential for discovery along strike and at depth. Full article

Transition-metal sulfides are promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors but are often limited by poor conductivity, particle agglomeration, and insufficient active sites. Herein, Co-doped NiS₂ with tunable sulfur vacancies was directly grown on flexible carbon cloth via a facile one-step solvothermal method by systematically controlling sulfur source ratio, Ni:Co ratio, temperature, and reaction time. Structural analyses reveal that the optimized conditions of S:(Ni + Co) = 3:1, Ni:Co = 2:1, 160 °C, and 15 h promote the formation of phase-pure Co-doped NiS₂ hierarchical microspheres with enhanced crystallinity and abundant active sites from the synergistic interaction between Ni and Co. Consequently, the optimized electrode delivers an impressive capacitance of 1296 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹, along with excellent rate performance, retaining more than 88% of its capacitance after 1500 charge/discharge cycles at current densities ranging from 2 to 20 A g⁻¹. This work highlights the critical role of synthesis parameter engineering in regulating defect chemistry, structure, and electrochemical performance in advanced energy storage applications. Full article

Thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) remain a cornerstone of the global transition toward renewable energy, characterized by consistent reductions in manufacturing costs and steady gains in power conversion efficiency. In addition to electricity generation, TFSCs play an important role in advanced solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage systems, where their tunable optical absorption, low thermal mass, and flexibility enable integration with photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T) collectors, thermally driven cooling cycles, and hybrid thermal–electrical storage architectures. This paper provides a comprehensive review of prominent TFSC technologies, including copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe/CdS), amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with a focus on their material structures, performance specifications, and current efficiency benchmarks. Compared to state-of-the-art reviews, this article distinguishes itself by addressing next-generation innovations, cross-domain solar thermal–photovoltaic applications, and economic analysis. Specifically, the integration of machine learning and simulation-based material dynamics is examined to accelerate material discovery, process optimization, and the characterization of novel TFPV components relevant to coupled thermal–electrical energy systems. Furthermore, the study explores how additive manufacturing is transforming the industry through the development of high-efficiency electrodes, electrohydrodynamic atomization for thin-film deposition, and the fabrication of flexible solar arrays suitable for thermally integrated and building-scale energy systems, including space applications. By integrating advancements in module efficiency, scalable manufacturing approaches, and techno-economic analysis, this paper positions TFSCs as sustainable, resource-abundant technologies essential for next-generation solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage infrastructures. Full article

To address contact-limited transport commonly encountered in two-dimensional semiconductors, this study fabricated few-layer two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) films on sapphire substrates via controllable oxide-to-sulfide conversion. Combined sputtering deposition of molybdenum trioxide and precise chemical-vapor sulfidation afforded high-quality, high-uniformity, and thickness-tunable MoS₂. The resulting films exhibit distinct differences in the frequencies of the Raman modes, consistent elemental ratios, and uniform interlayer spacing of ~0.65 nm. The MoS₂-based devices exhibit robust photodetection with microampere-scale photocurrents. Bilayer MoS₂ exhibited negative photoconductivity under ambient atmosphere, which is hypothesized to be linked to environment-induced surface doping and molecular adsorption rather than permanent structural traps. Contact engineering via mild thermal annealing of Ni electrodes significantly enhanced the photocurrent by improving effective interfacial carrier injection. These findings underscore the oxide sulfidation strategy as a scalable approach for engineering the layer-dependent behavior of transition metal dichalcogenides for optoelectronic applications. Full article

Transition metal sulfides are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, but their practical application is limited by severe volume variation and sluggish reaction kinetics during cycling. Inspired by the natural mineral assemblage of seafloor massive sulfides (SMS), FeS₂/CuFeS₂ composite anodes were prepared by a mechanochemical ball-milling method with mass ratios of 9:1 and 7:3 to reflect the major compositional characteristics of SMS. Among them, the 9:1 composite (F9C1) exhibited the best overall electrochemical performance, delivering a reversible capacity of 763.4 mAh g⁻¹ after 300 cycles at 1 C and retaining 46% of its baseline capacity at 5 C. Structural and electrochemical analyses suggested that the introduction of a small amount of CuFeS₂ likely promoted interfacial interactions between FeS₂ and CuFeS₂ phases, reduced charge-transfer resistance, and enhanced pseudocapacitive contribution, while preserving the capacity advantage of the FeS₂ host phase. These results demonstrate that mineral-inspired compositional design is an effective strategy for improving the lithium-storage performance of sulfide anodes and provides a feasible route for developing electrode materials inspired by naturally coexisting sulfide minerals. Full article

The lamprophyre dikes and multi-generational pyrite and arsenopyrite developed in the Jinshan gold deposit in the West Qinling metallogenic belt provide critical evidence for understanding the role of mantle-derived magmatism in gold mineralization processes. In this study, we conducted zircon U-Pb dating of lamprophyre to constrain the timing of magmatic activity and the mineralization age, and performed EMPA and LA-ICP-MS analyses on sulfides from the main metallogenic stage (Py II–III, Apy II–III) and lamprophyre-hosted pyrite (Py L) to constrain the formation conditions and metal sources of the Jinshan deposit. The results show that the mantle-derived magmatism represented by lamprophyre yields an age of 206 ± 2 Ma, which provides a lower-limit constraint on the timing of gold mineralization, corresponding to the subduction-to-extension transition period in the region. Stage II mineralization occurred at 270–320 °C with logƒS₂ of −9 to −5, dominantly as Au-HS complexes, indicating medium-temperature hydrothermal conditions with low sulfur fugacity, consistent with microscopic mineral assemblages and thermodynamic simulations. Systematic δ³⁴S variations reveal: stage II values (9.24–5‰) indicate granitic/Devonian sedimentary sources; Py L values (2.19–3.6‰) reflect mantle contributions; stage III signatures (−2.3–1.93‰) record late meteoric water mixing. Complementary δ⁵⁶Fe data show that Py II (0.2–0.3‰) and Py L (0.58–0.68‰) preserve magmatic fingerprints, while negative values of Py III (−2.29 to −0.71‰) document increasing sedimentary Fe incorporation. Combined with geochronology, S-Fe isotopes, and physicochemical constraints, we propose that the Jinshan gold deposit formed in a tectonic setting transitioning from compression to extension during the Late Indosinian (ca. 237–201 Ma). Mineralization was initiated by the partial melting of the metasomatized mantle, where hydrous magmas efficiently extracted Au and volatiles. These components ascended through transcrustal faults, with Au partitioning into exsolved fluids that precipitated gold through immiscibility and boiling in secondary structures. Full article

A novel transition-metal-free alkyne–thiol click polymerization with 100% atom economy is reported. Using ^tBuOLi as a catalyst at 80 °C, the polymerization efficiently yields poly(vinyl sulfide)s (PVSs) with molecular weights up to 11,800 g/mol and yields up to 91%. These sulfur-rich polymers exhibit high thermal stability (T_d up to 293 °C) and high refractive indices (1.8375–1.6383) across the visible range. By integrating abundant sulfur coordination sites with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, the PVS aggregates serve as high-performance fluorescent chemosensors. The sensor enables exclusive, sensitive trace detection of Pd²⁺ and Au³⁺ with remarkable anti-interference capability and pH robustness (pH 1–7). Notably, an ultrafast response (1–2 min) for Pd²⁺ is achieved, with limits of detection (LOD) reaching 7.11 × 10⁻⁷ M for Pd²⁺ and 1.06 × 10⁻⁶ M for Au³⁺, and corresponding limits of quantification (LOQ) reaching 2.37 × 10⁻⁶ M and 3.53 × 10⁻⁶ M, respectively. This methodology offers a sustainable route to heteroatom-rich macromolecules for next-generation optical engineering and environmental monitoring. Full article

Recent studies have demonstrated the relative stability of undercoordinated hexanuclear cobalt sulfide nanoclusters (NCs) with different charge states. Considering that these small metal NCs have atomically precise structures and high reactivity due to the open shell of the transition metals, and provide selectivity toward ligand loss, they are a vital model for catalysis. In this paper, the electronic structures of these NCs are investigated. These NCs are then used as the reference state to analyze the catalytic properties with respect to hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO₂ reduction (CO₂R). Further, to understand the effect of heteroatom incorporation, the geometry and reactivity of ten different metal dopants are analyzed. This work shows that the type of metal incorporation greatly affects the electronic structure and formation energies for ligand binding and catalysis. Particularly, the d-orbital occupancy in the cobalt atoms remains largely unchanged, while the heteroatom greatly influences the reactivity of the undercoordinated NCs. Most notably, this work highlights that transition metals in [Co₅MS₈(PEt₃)₅]¹⁺ NCs would competitively prefer electrochemical adsorption of H over COOH, while the main group metals prefer COOH adsorption. Full article

Aiming at the problem of heavy metal release from ultra-low-grade waste rock caused by the coupling of natural weathering and acid-rain leaching, black shale gravel of the Cambrian Series in western Hunan was taken as the research object. Gradient mechanical crushing was used to simulate physical weathering, and sulfuric–nitric acid-type simulated acid rain was prepared for continuous leaching experiments. Combined with ICP-MS monitoring and SEM-EDS characterization, the effects of crushing intensity on the physicochemical properties of leaching system and heavy metal release kinetics were systematically analyzed. The results showed that the pH of the leaching system presented three evolutionary stages: acid-dominated, alkaline transition and buffer stabilization. Heavy metal release could be divided into three types according to their occurrence forms: the sulfide-phase-sensitive type (Cd, Zn), secondary stable type (Pb), and silicate lattice bound type (Cu, Ni, Cr). The promotion effect of crushing on interface reaction activity showed diminishing marginal effect, and the particle fractal dimension increased from 2.15 to 2.67. It was concluded that the core controlling factor of heavy metal release risk is the selective exposure degree of occurrence mineral phases by physical disturbance. A coupling framework of “physical weathering–mineral exposure–release response” was established, providing a scientific basis for the differentiated management and control of heavy metals in filling sites. Full article

The Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou (SYG) metallogenic belt hosts numerous carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposits, yet the genesis of lead-dominated deposits remains poorly understood. This study investigates the Wuyi Pb deposit, a representative lead-dominated deposit in the SYG belt, through an integrated approach including field geology, fluid inclusion microthermometry, and C-H-O-S-Pb isotope geochemistry. The ore bodies occur as stratoid and lenticular lenses within the dolomitic limestone of the Ordovician Dajing Formation, controlled by both lithology and the Wuyi composite fold structure. Mineralization is divided into two stages: (I) pyrite–sphalerite–dolomite–calcite, and (II) galena–calcite–quartz–anhydrite. Fluid inclusion studies reveal that the ore-forming fluids are of the NaCl-H₂O system, characterized by moderate-low temperatures (Stage II, average 201 °C) and moderate-low salinities (Stage II, average 5.35 wt% NaCl eq.). Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes (δD = −100.97 to −76.33‰; δ¹⁸O_fluid = 7.09 to 12.10‰) indicate that the ore-forming fluids were predominantly meteoric in origin. Carbon isotopes (δ¹³C = −4.45 to 0.75‰) suggest that carbon was derived mainly from dissolution of the host carbonate rocks. Sulfur isotopes show a significant shift from Stage I (δ³⁴S = −12.40 to −3.00‰) to Stage II (δ³⁴S = −8.20 to −0.10‰ for sulfides; 25.00–29.40‰ for sulfates), indicating a transition from bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) to thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) as the dominant sulfur reduction mechanism, with sulfur derived from Ordovician seawater sulfate. Lead isotopes (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.10–25.37, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.50–21.72, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.29–53.90; μ = 9.30–21.05) demonstrate that metals were sourced predominantly from the Proterozoic basement rocks (Kunyang and Huili groups). Integration of geological, geochemical, and isotopic evidence indicates that the Wuyi Pb deposit formed during the Indosinian post-collisional intracontinental orogeny (ca. 230–200 Ma), when topography-driven meteoric water circulation extracted metals from the Precambrian basement and sulfur from Ordovician strata. Metal precipitation under the reduced sulfur model is caused by decreases in temperature and pressure and the water–rock reaction. This study establishes the Wuyi deposit as an MVT Pb deposit and provides a genetic model for lead-dominated mineralization in the SYG belt. Full article

The production of green hydrogen via aqueous electrolysis of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) holds significant potential to address challenges related to sustainable energy generation and environmental protection. The electrocatalytic splitting of water polluted with highly toxic H₂S is attractive for industrial applications because the process: (i) is less power-consuming than direct thermal H₂S decomposition; (ii) achieves high Faradaic efficiencies for hydrogen production; and (iii) yields elemental sulfur as an added-value by-product. This review covers a brief discussion on sulfide-containing water sources and electrochemical methods for hydrogen production from H₂S, specifically Direct, Indirect, and Electrochemical Membrane Reactor (EMR) systems. To become commercially and economically attractive, these approaches require improvements in electrolysis efficiency through the development of low-cost electrode materials that are resistant to sulfur poisoning and corrosion, while possessing high catalytic activity, enhanced stability, and durability. Early research focused on carbon-based materials combined with noble metal oxides, transition metal compounds, and related materials. Since their practical performance is limited, investigations have shifted toward nanostructured electrocatalysts with unique crystal structures and designs, which show significantly improved efficiency for H₂S electrolysis. This review highlights the potential of H₂S electrolysis for hydrogen production, giving special attention to recent advancements in electrode materials. Full article

The development of high-performance electrode materials with controlled morphology remains a key challenge for advancing supercapacitor technologies. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-assisted hydrothermal synthesis was employed to engineer NiCo₂S₄ nanostructures with controlled morphology for enhanced supercapacitor performance. The influence of PEG concentration on nucleation behavior, structural evolution, and electrochemical characteristics was systematically investigated. The optimized NiCo₂S₄ electrode synthesized with 0.2% PEG (NiCoS-P2) exhibited a hierarchical flower-like nanosheet architecture with reduced agglomeration and improved electrochemically accessible surface area. As a result, the electrode delivered a high areal capacitance of 13.689 F/cm² (specific capacitance of 6845 F/g) at 5 mA/cm², along with excellent rate capability and superior cycling stability, retaining 84.16% capacitance after 12,000 cycles. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the charge storage process is predominantly diffusion-controlled with enhanced ion transport kinetics. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor device assembled using NiCoS-P2 as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode demonstrated a wide operating voltage of 1.5 V, delivering an areal capacitance of 0.409 F/cm² (specific capacitance of 204.5 F/g), an energy density of 0.128 mWh/cm², and a power density of 2.99 mW/cm². The device also exhibited excellent long-term stability with 85.3% capacitance retention after 7000 cycles. This work highlights the effectiveness of polymer-assisted structural engineering in optimizing transition metal sulfide electrodes for advanced energy storage applications.: Full article

The origin of life is commonly discussed within two competing conceptual frameworks: the metabolism-first and information-first hypotheses. While each emphasizes a different defining property of early life, modern biochemistry reveals a fundamental interdependence between metabolic processes and genetic information transfer, leading to a persistent chicken-and-egg problem. In this study, we investigate a prebiotically plausible reaction system that enables the concurrent formation of molecular precursors associated with both frameworks. Under simulated Hadean hydrothermal conditions, acetylene, ammonia, cyanide, and carbon monoxide were reacted in aqueous solution in the presence of transition metal sulfides. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry combined with stable isotope labeling, we demonstrate the simultaneous formation of the nucleobase uracil and the amino acids alanine and aspartic acid. Isotopic incorporation patterns allow reconstruction of the underlying reaction pathways and confirm the contribution of all starting materials to product formation. While amino acids are produced continuously over the observed period in significantly higher yields than uracil, uracil formation exhibits a pronounced time-dependent maximum after three days. Variations in pH, reaction time, and metal sulfide catalysts modulate product yields but do not prevent the parallel emergence of both molecular classes. These findings support a scenario in which proto-metabolic chemistry and molecular precursors of genetic information could have arisen simultaneously within a shared geochemical setting. The results provide experimental support for a coupled origin of metabolism and transcriptional building blocks, offering a potential resolution to the dichotomy between metabolism-first and information-first models of early life. Full article

Catalytic materials are central to the advancement of hydrogen generation technologies, playing a pivotal role in enabling sustainable, carbon-neutral energy systems. Hydrogen can be produced via electrochemical water splitting, thermochemical reforming, or photocatalysis—each imposing unique performance requirements on catalysts in terms of activity, selectivity, stability, and efficiency. While traditional noble metals (e.g., platinum, ruthenium, iridium) provide benchmark catalytic activity, their widespread use is hindered by scarcity, high cost, and limited long-term durability. Consequently, researchers have increasingly focused on earth-abundant alternatives such as transition metals (Ni, Co, Fe, Mo), alloys, metal oxides, carbides, sulfides, nitrides, and carbon-based systems. Among these, two-dimensional materials, particularly the MXene family, have attracted significant attention due to their metallic conductivity, layered structure, and tunable surface chemistry. These features enable rapid charge transfer and abundant active sites, making MXenes and related nanostructured catalysts promising for both the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) and Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) across a wide range of electrochemical conditions. Parallel efforts have integrated novel semiconductors, plasmonic nanomaterials, and hybrid heterostructures to improve the efficiency of solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion. This paper reviews the main types of catalytic materials used in hydrogen production, explains their design strategies and structure–performance relationships, and discusses key engineering challenges such as integrating renewable energy sources, scaling up manufacturing, and ensuring long-term durability in real-world systems. Future research goals are also highlighted, including the development of affordable non-noble catalysts, enhancing catalyst stability through surface and defect engineering, and coupling hydrogen production with circular economy principles, all of which are essential to making hydrogen generation more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective as the world transitions to clean and sustainable energy. Full article

Heterointerface engineering, especially the construction of heterointerfaces based on two highly active components, is an effective strategy to enhance the sodium storage capacity and accelerate the reaction kinetics of transition metal chalcogenide anodes. Herein, a series of SA-CoFe-S composites composed of two highly active metal sulfides, Co₃S₄ and Fe₇S₈, were fabricated through in situ chelation effects coupled with a one-step sulfurization strategy. The optimized SA-CoFe(1:4)-S is composed of fine nanoparticles encapsulated by uniformly distributed S-doped carbon. This unique carbon confinement effect and nano-sized active particles can alleviate volume expansion, shorten the ion diffusion distance, and accelerate electron transfer. In addition, the strong electric-field effect and rich heterointerfaces generated by the heterostructure provide more active sites for sodium storage and accelerate the sodium storage kinetics. The relevant theoretical calculation outcomes further confirm that the heterointerfaces formed between Co₃S₄ and Fe₇S₈ can enhance the adsorption energy toward sodium ions and boost the electrical conductivity of the composite material. As an anode material for sodium-ion batteries, the initial discharge/charge capacities were 723/1010 mAh·g⁻¹, exhibited at 1 A·g⁻¹, and the coulombic efficiency (CE) corresponding to this current density was measured to be 71.6%. Even after 800 cycles, the reversible discharge specific capacity of the electrode can still reach 806 mAh·g⁻¹ at 1 A·g⁻¹. Additionally, at an elevated current density of 3 A·g⁻¹, the electrode sustains stable cycling over 500 cycles, with its discharge capacity kept at 258 mAh·g⁻¹ after the long-term cycling test. Full article