Partially knocking out NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d simultaneously in Nicotiana tabacum using CRISPR/CAS9 technology results in auxin-related developmental defects.

The eukaryotic AGC protein kinase subfamily (protein kinase A/ protein kinase G/ protein kinase C-family) is involved in regulating numerous biological processes across kingdoms, including growth and development, and apoptosis. PDK1(3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase in eukaryotes, which is both a member of AGC kinase and a major regulator of many other downstream AGC protein kinase family members. Although extensively investigated in model plant Arabidopsis, detailed reports for tobacco PDK1s have been limited. To better understand the functions of PDK1s in tobacco, CRISPR/CAS9 transgenic lines were generated in tetraploid N. tabacum, cv. Samsun (NN) with 5-7 of the 8 copies of 4 homologous PDK1 genes in tobacco genome (NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d homologs) simultaneously knocked out. Numerous developmental defects were observed in these NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d CRISPR/CAS9 lines, including cotyledon fusion leaf shrinkage, uneven distribution of leaf veins, convex veins, root growth retardation, and reduced fertility, all of which reminiscence of impaired polar auxin transport. The severity of these defects was correlated with the number of knocked out alleles of NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d. Consistent with the observation in Arabidopsis, it was found that the polar auxin transport, and not auxin biosynthesis, was significantly compromised in these knockout lines compared with the wild type tobacco plants. The fact that no homozygous plant with all 8 NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d alleles being knocked out suggested that knocking out 8 alleles of NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d could be lethal. In conclusion, our results indicated that NtPDK1s are versatile AGC kinases that participate in regulation of tobacco growth and development via modulating polar auxin transport. Our results also indicated that CRISPR/CAS9 technology is a powerful tool in resolving gene redundancy in polyploidy plants.

Factors and pathways of non-suicidal self-injury in children: insights from computational causal analysis.

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has become a significant public health issue, especially prevalent among adolescents. The complexity and multifactorial nature of NSSI necessitate a comprehensive understanding of its underlying causal factors. This research leverages the causal discovery methodology to explore these causal associations in children. Methods: An observational dataset was scrutinized using the causal discovery method, particularly employing the constraint-based approach. By integrating machine learning and causal inference techniques, the study aimed to determine direct causal relationships associated with NSSI. The robustness of the causal relationships was evaluated using three methods to construct and validate it: the PC (Peter and Clark) method, Fast Causal Inference (FCI) method, and the GAE (Graphical Autoencoder) method. Results: Analysis identified nine nodes with direct causal relationships to NSSI, including life satisfaction, depression, family dysfunction, sugary beverage consumption, PYD (positive youth development), internet addiction, COVID-19 related PTSD, academic anxiety, and sleep duration. Four principal causal pathways were identified, highlighting the roles of lockdown-induced lifestyle changes, screen time, positive adolescent development, and family dynamics in influencing NSSI risk. Conclusions: An in-depth analysis of the factors leading to Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI), highlighting the intricate connections among individual, family, and pandemic-related influences. The results, derived from computational causal analysis, underscore the critical need for targeted interventions that tackle these diverse causative factors.

Charge injection engineering at organic/inorganic heterointerfaces for high-efficiency and fast-response perovskite light-emitting diodes.

The development of advanced perovskite emitters has considerably improved the performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the further development of perovskite LEDs requires ideal device electrical properties, which strongly depend on its interfaces. In perovskite LEDs with conventional p-i-n structures, hole injection is generally less efficient than electron injection, causing charge imbalance. Furthermore, the popular hole injection structure of NiOx/poly(9-vinylcarbazole) suffers from several issues, such as weak interfacial adhesion, high interfacial trap density and mismatched energy levels. In this work, we insert a self-assembled monolayer of [2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid between the NiOx and poly(9-vinylcarbazole) layers to overcome these challenges at the organic/inorganic heterointerfaces by establishing a robust interface, passivating interfacial trap states and aligning the energy levels. We successfully demonstrate blue (emission at 493 nm) and green (emission at 515 nm) devices with external quantum efficiencies of 14.5% and 26.0%, respectively. More importantly, the self-assembled monolayer also gives rise to devices with much faster response speeds by reducing interfacial capacitance and resistance. Our results pave the way for developing more efficient and brighter perovskite LEDs with quick response, widening their potential application scope.

Effects of fishery complementary photovoltaic power plant on radiation, energy flux and driving forces under different synoptic conditions.

The underlying surface was the important media of air-lake interaction by transferring energy. The deployment of photovoltaic arrays on the lake has formed a new underlying surface type. But the new underlying surface is different from the natural lake. The impact of fishery complementary photovoltaic (FPV) power plants on the radiation, energy flux, and driving force is unclear. Therefore, the analysis of radiation, energy flux, and driving force by comparing the difference in the two sites under various synoptic conditions. The results indicated that the radiation components are not significantly different in the two sites under diverse synoptic conditions. The downward shortwave radiation (DSR) and net radiation ([Formula: see text]) were presented with one peak on a sunny day. The daily average DSR and Rn in the two sites were 279.1 W·m-2, 209.3 W·m-2, respectively. The daily average (cloudy day and rainy day) sensible heat flux in the two sites was 39.5 W·m-2 (FPV site), 19.2 W·m-2 (REF site), respectively. The latent heat flux was 53.2 W·m-2 and 75.2 W·m-2 on counterpart. The water body generally absorbs heat from the air (daily average ∆Q was 16.6 W·m-2) in the FPV site on a sunny day. The driving force of sensible heat flux in the FPV site was governed by the temperature of the FPV panel under sunny and cloudy conditions. The latent heat flux was determined by the product between wind speed and water-atmosphere temperature difference.

A novel electrochemical immunosensor that amplifies Poly(o-phenylenediamine) signal by pH-driven cascade reaction used for alpha-foetoprotein detection.

The present protocol develops an electrochemical immunosensor with poly(o-phenylene diamine) attached gold nanoparticles (PPD@Au NPs) as the immune platform, polydopamine-loaded cobalt ions (Co2+-PDA) as the immune probe, and K2S2O8 as the signal amplifying substance with pH-driven cascade reaction. The application of conventional immunosensors often leads to easy leakage of the current signal and increases the impedance due to assembly. However, this new immunosensor offers the following advantages: (1) The signal substance PPD is modified on the electrode surface, effectively reducing the signal loss and leakage of the immunosensor; (2) The pH response reduces the impedance of the immunosensor while destroying the Co2+-PDA secondary antibody label; (3) The pH response releases a small amount of Co2+, leading to SO4-· generation by K2S2O8 through a cascade reaction, further amplifying the PPD response current signal; (4) The pH response generates excess Co2+ and the by-product PDA fragments can consume the SO4-· generated by K2S2O8, so that the final response signal decreases with the increasing antigen concentration. The experimental results showed that the immunosensor exhibited good selectivity, long-term stability, and reproducibility for AFP detection in the range of 1 pg/mL-100 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.214 pg/mL. Interestingly, it is expected to be used for detecting AFP in actual blood samples.

Analysis on the temporal and spatial characteristics of the shallow soil temperature of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Shallow soil refers to the soil layer within the 50 cm depth. Shallow soil temperature (ST) directly or indirectly affects many processes in the soil, such as seed germination, plant growth, and water evaporation. Therefore, the study of shallow ST is of great significance in understanding the surface energy, water cycle, ecology and climate change. This work collected observational data from 141 meteorological stations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1981 to 2020 and ERA5 reanalysis data, used the "Moving Surface Spline Interpolation Algorithm Based on Green's Function" and "Fuzzy C-means algorithm", and analyzed the temporal and spatial change characteristics of ST at different levels. The results showed that 1) the temperature increase of 0-20 cm (the surface layer of the shallow soil) was roughly the same. The average annual ST was 9.15-9.57°, and the interdecadal variabilities were 0.49-0.53 K/10a. The average annual ST of 40 cm (the bottom layer) was 8.69°, and the interdecadal variability reached 0.98 K/10a. 2) Considering the 7 regions, the warming trend was obvious, and there were certain regional differences. The average annual ST in different regions ranged from 5.2 (northeastern Plateau) to 17.1 °C (western Sichuan Plateau), with a difference of nearly 12 K. The standard deviation ranged from 0.40 (western Sichuan Plateau) to 0.61 K (Qiangtang Plateau), with a difference of 0.21 K. 3) The errors of the obtained grid data were basically less than 3%, which were much smaller than the errors obtained from the ERA5 reanalysis data. This work is significant for understanding the characteristics of ST evolution and land‒atmosphere interactions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and provides important data support for improving the underlying surface boundary conditions of models.

Molecular Insights into the Effect of Nitrogen Bubbles on the Formation of Tetrahydrofuran Hydrates.

In this work, a molecular dynamics simulation was conducted to study the microscopic mechanism of how nitrogen bubbles affect the formation of THF hydrates at the molecular level. The results obtained reveal that the nitrogen bubble can promote the formation of THF hydrates. In the system with a nitrogen bubble, more THF-filled cages were generated, and the crystal structure was more orderly. The promotion of nitrogen bubbles on hydrate crystallization comes from the dissolution of nitrogen molecules. Some of dissolved nitrogen molecules can be enclosed in small hydrate cages near the nitrogen bubble, which can serve as stable sites for hydrate crystal growth, resulting in the fact that THF-filled cages connected with N2-filled cages are much more stable and have a long lifetime. The results in this work can help to understand the promotion effect of micro- and nano-air bubbles on the crystallization of THF hydrates.

Characterization of Bacillus velezensis E2 with abilities to degrade ochratoxin A and biocontrol against Aspergillus westerdijkiae fc-1.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), primarily produced by the fungi belonging to the species of Aspergillus and Penicillium, is one of the most common mycotoxins found in cereals and fruits. In addition to resulting in huge economic losses, OTA contamination also poses considerable threat to human and livestock health. Microbial degradation of mycotoxins has been considered with great potential in mycotoxins decontamination. In a previous study, Bacillus velezensis E2 was isolated by our laboratory and showed appreciable inhibitory effect on Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin production in rice grains. In this study, B. velezensis E2 was investigated for its ability to remove OTA and biocontrol against the ochratoxigenic Aspergillus westerdijkiae fc-1. The results revealed that B. velezensis E2 has considerable inhibitory effect on A. westerdijkiae fc-1 both on PDA medium and pear fruits, with inhibitory rate of 51.7% and 73.9%, respectively. In addition, its ability to remove OTA was evaluated in liquid medium and the results showed that more than 96.1% of OTA with an initial concentration of 2.5 µg/mL could be removed by B. velezensis E2 in 48 h. Further experiments revealed that enzymatic transformation and alkaline hydrolysis might be the main mechanisms related to OTA degradation by B. velezensis E2, with ring open ochratoxin α (OP-OTα) as a possible degradation product. Our study indicated that the B. velezensis E2 strain could be a potential bacterial candidate in biodegradation of OTA and biocontrol against A. westerdijkiae fc-1.

Elucidating the Role of Antisolvents on the Surface Chemistry and Optoelectronic Properties of CsPbBrxI3-x Perovskite Nanocrystals.

Colloidal lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP NCs) have emerged over the past decade as leading candidates for efficient next-generation optoelectronic devices, but their properties and performance critically depend on how they are purified. While antisolvents are widely used for purification, a detailed understanding of how the polarity of the antisolvent influences the surface chemistry and composition of the NCs is missing in the field. Here, we fill this knowledge gap by studying the surface chemistry of purified CsPbBrxI3-x NCs as the model system, which in itself is considered a promising candidate for pure-red light-emitting diodes and top-cells for tandem photovoltaics. Interestingly, we find that as the polarity of the antisolvent increases (from methyl acetate to acetone to butanol), there is a blueshift in the photoluminescence (PL) peak of the NCs along with a decrease in PL quantum yield (PLQY). Through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements, we find that these changes in PL properties arise from antisolvent-induced iodide removal, which leads to a change in halide composition and, thus, the bandgap. Using detailed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements along with density functional theory calculations, we propose that more polar antisolvents favor the detachment of the oleic acid and oleylamine ligands, which undergo amide condensation reactions, leading to the removal of iodide anions from the NC surface bound to these ligands. This work shows that careful selection of low-polarity antisolvents is a critical part of designing the synthesis of NCs to achieve high PLQYs with minimal defect-mediated phase segregation.

Physical analysis of the environmental impacts of fishery complementary photovoltaic power plant.

Photovoltaic (PV) power plants have shown rapid development in the renewable sector, but the research areas have mainly included land installations, and the study of fishery complementary photovoltaic (FPV) power plants has been comparatively less. Moreover, the mechanism of local microclimate changes caused by FPV panels has not been reported. This work revealed this mechanism using a physical model to illustrate the impact of FPV power plants in a lake on the environment. The results indicated that the lake becomes a heat sink after deploying the PV panel on water. The comprehensive albedo (0.082) decreased by 18.8% relative to the free water surface (0.101). The water energy change was dominated by the water-air vapor pressure deficit. In addition, the FPV panels had a heating effect on the ambient environment; however, the range of this effect was related to the water depth. The installation had an obvious heating effect on surface water.

Crystal face dependent wettability of α-quartz: Elucidation by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry techniques combined with molecular dynamics.

HYPOTHESIS: Quartz is one of the most common but important minerals, and its wettability plays a significant role in affecting various natural and industrial processes. Studies have revealed that different crystal faces of quartz are with different wettabilities, but its mechanism is still vague. EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATIONS: For specifying the mechanism of crystal face dependent wettability, the contact angles of three different liquids on the crystal faces of α-quartz are measured; the time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is employed to establish the crystal surface models; molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with the surface models are performed to understand the wetting behavior at molecular scale. FINDINGS: Based on the contact angle measurements, the wettabilities of different crystal faces of α-quartz are found different, which can be directly attributed to the concentration of hydroxyl group on crystal faces based on ToF-SIMS results. MD simulations yield consistent results with the contact angle order recognized from experiments, revealing that the surface hydroxyl group controls the wettability of α-quartz crystal faces. It is also recognized that the pristine surface atomic arrangement, especially the surface concentration of unsaturated bond (an intrinsic property of α-quartz), is the intrinsic cause of the difference in the concentration of hydroxyl group of the crystal surface.

Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with EQE Exceeding 28% through a Synergetic Dual-Additive Strategy for Defect Passivation and Nanostructure Regulation.

Quasi-2D perovskites have long been considered to have favorable "energy funnel/cascade" structures and excellent optical properties compared with their 3D counterparts. However, most quasi-2D perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) exhibit high external quantum efficiency (EQE) but unsatisfactory operating stability due to Auger recombination induced by high current density. Herein, a synergetic dual-additive strategy is adopted to prepare perovskite films with low defect density and high environmental stability by using 18-crown-6 and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (MPEG-MAA) as the additives. The dual additives containing COC bonds can not only effectively reduce the perovskite defects but also destroy the self-aggregation of organic ligands, inducing the formation of perovskite nanocrystals with quasi-core/shell structure. After thermal annealing, the MPEG-MAA with its CC bond can be polymerized to obtain a comb-like polymer, further protecting the passivated perovskite nanocrystals against water and oxygen. Finally, state-of-the-art green PeLEDs with a normal EQE of 25.2% and a maximum EQE of 28.1% are achieved, and the operating lifetime (T50 ) of the device in air environment is over ten times increased, providing a novel and effective strategy to make high efficiency and long operating lifetime PeLEDs.

Dual Roles of GSNOR1 in Cell Death and Immunity in Tetraploid Nicotiana tabacum.

S-nitrosoglutathione reductase 1 (GSNOR1) is the key enzyme that regulates cellular homeostasis of S-nitrosylation. Although extensively studied in Arabidopsis, the roles of GSNOR1 in tetraploid Nicotiana species have not been investigated previously. To study the function of NtGSNOR1, we knocked out two NtGSNOR1 genes simultaneously in Nicotiana tabacum using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/caspase 9 (Cas9) technology. To our surprise, spontaneous cell death occurred on the leaves of the CRISPR/Cas9 lines but not on those of the wild-type (WT) plants, suggesting that NtGSNOR1 negatively regulates cell death. The natural cell death on the CRISPR/Cas9 lines could be a result from interactions between overaccumulated nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This spontaneous cell death phenotype was not affected by knocking out two Enhanced disease susceptibility 1 genes (NtEDS11a/1b) and thus was independent of the salicylic acid (SA) pathway. Unexpectedly, we found that the NtGSNOR1a/1b knockout plants displayed a significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced resistance to paraquat-induced cell death compared to WT plants, suggesting that NtGSNOR1 functions as a positive regulator of the paraquat-induced cell death. The increased resistance to the paraquat-induced cell death of the NtGSNOR1a/1b knockout plants was correlated with the reduced level of H2O2 accumulation. Interestingly, whereas the N gene-mediated resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was significantly enhanced (p < 0.001), the resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) in the NtGSNOR1a/1b knockout lines. In summary, our results indicate that NtGSNOR1 functions as both positive and negative regulator of cell death under different conditions and displays distinct effects on resistance against viral and bacterial pathogens.

Materials, photophysics and device engineering of perovskite light-emitting diodes.

Here we provide a comprehensive review of a newly developed lighting technology based on metal halide perovskites (i.e. perovskite light-emitting diodes) encompassing the research endeavours into materials, photophysics and device engineering. At the outset we survey the basic perovskite structures and their various dimensions (namely three-, two- and zero-dimensional perovskites), and demonstrate how the compositional engineering of these structures affects the perovskite light-emitting properties. Next, we turn to the physics underpinning photo- and electroluminescence in these materials through their connection to the fundamental excited states, energy/charge transport processes and radiative and non-radiative decay mechanisms. In the remainder of the review, we focus on the engineering of perovskite light-emitting diodes, including the history of their development as well as an extensive analysis of contemporary strategies for boosting device performance. Key concepts include balancing the electron/hole injection, suppression of parasitic carrier losses, improvement of the photoluminescence quantum yield and enhancement of the light extraction. Overall, this review reflects the current paradigm for perovskite lighting, and is intended to serve as a foundation to materials and device scientists newly working in this field.

Bioinspired Multifunctional Organic Transistors Based on Natural Chlorophyll/Organic Semiconductors.

Inspired by the photosynthesis process of natural plants, multifunctional transistors based on natural biomaterial chlorophyll and organic semiconductors (OSCs) are reported. Functions as photodetectors (PDs) and light-stimulated synaptic transistors (LSSTs) can be switched by gate voltage. As PDs, the devices exhibit ultrahigh photoresponsivity up to 2 × 106 A W-1 , detectivity of 6 × 1015 Jones, and Iphoto /Idark ratio of 2.7 × 106 , which make them among the best reported organic PDs. As LSSTs, important synaptic functions similar to biological synapses are demonstrated, together with a dynamic learning and forgetting process and image-processing function. Significantly, benefiting from the ultrahigh photosensitivity of chlorophyll, the lowest operating voltage and energy consumption of the LSSTs can be 10-5 V and 0.25 fJ, respectively. The devices also exhibit high flexibility and long-term air stability. This work provides a new guide for developing organic electronics based on natural biomaterials.

Very Short-Term Surface Solar Irradiance Forecasting Based On FengYun-4 Geostationary Satellite.

An algorithm to forecast very short-term (30-180 min) surface solar irradiance using visible and near infrared channels (AGRI) onboard the FengYun-4A (FY-4A) geostationary satellite was constructed and evaluated in this study. The forecasting products include global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and direct normal irradiance (DNI). The forecast results were validated using data from Chengde Meteorological Observatory for four typical months (October 2018, and January, April, and July 2019), representing the four seasons. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was employed to calculate the cloud motion vector (CMV) field from the satellite images. The forecast results were compared with the smart persistence (SP) model. A seasonal study showed that July and April forecasting is more difficult than during October and January. For GHI forecasting, the algorithm outperformed the SP model for all forecasting horizons and all seasons, with the best result being produced in October; the skill score was greater than 20%. For DNI, the algorithm outperformed the SP model in July and October, with skill scores of about 12% and 11%, respectively. Annual performances were evaluated; the results show that the normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) value of GHI for 30-180 min horizon ranged from 26.78% to 36.84%, the skill score reached a maximum of 20.44% at the 30-min horizon, and the skill scores were all above 0 for all time horizons. For DNI, the maximum skill score was 6.62% at the 180-min horizon. Overall, compared with the SP model, the proposed algorithm is more accurate and reliable for GHI forecasting and slightly better for DNI forecasting.

Graded 2D/3D Perovskite Heterostructure for Efficient and Operationally Stable MA-Free Perovskite Solar Cells.

Almost all highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of greater than 22% currently contain the thermally unstable methylammonium (MA) molecule. MA-free perovskites are an intrinsically more stable optoelectronic material for use in solar cells but compromise the performance of PVSCs with relatively large energy loss. Here, the open-circuit voltage (Voc ) deficit is circumvented by the incorporation of ß-guanidinopropionic acid (ß-GUA) molecules into an MA-free bulk perovskite, which facilitates the formation of quasi-2D structure with face-on orientation. The 2D/3D hybrid perovskites embed at the grain boundaries of the 3D bulk perovskites and are distributed through half the thickness of the film, which effectively passivates defects and minimizes energy loss of the PVSCs through reduced charge recombination rates and enhanced charge extraction efficiencies. A PCE of 22.2% (certified efficiency of 21.5%) is achieved and the operational stability of the MA-free PVSCs is improved.

Modulation of recombination zone position for quasi-two-dimensional blue perovskite light-emitting diodes with efficiency exceeding 5.

In recent years, substantial progress has been made in developing perovskite light-emitting diodes with near-infrared, red and green emissions and over 20% external quantum efficiency. However, the development of perovskite light-emitting diodes with blue emission remains a great challenge, which retards further development of full-color displays and white-light illumination based on perovskite emissive materials. Here, firstly, through composition and dimensional engineering, we prepare quasi-two-dimensional perovskite thin films with improved blue emission, taking advantages of reduced trap density and enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield. Secondly, we find a vertically non-uniform distribution of perovskite crystals in the PEDOT:PSS/perovskite hybrid film. Through modulating the position of the recombination zone, we activate the majority of quasi-two-dimensional perovskite crystals, and thus demonstrate the most efficient blue perovskite light-emitting diode to date with emission peak at 480 nm, record luminance of 3780 cd m-2 and record external quantum efficiency of 5.7%.

Polymer-Assisted In Situ Growth of All-Inorganic Perovskite Nanocrystal Film for Efficient and Stable Pure-Red Light-Emitting Devices.

In the past few years, substantial progress has been made in perovskite light-emitting devices. Both pure green and infrared thin-film perovskite light-emitting devices with external quantum efficiency over 20% have been successfully achieved. However, pure-red and blue thin-film perovskite light-emitting diodes still suffer from inferior efficiency. Therefore, the development of efficient and stable thin-film perovskite light-emitting diodes with pure-red and blue emissions is urgently needed for possible applications as a new display technology and solid-state lighting. Here, we demonstrate an efficient light-emitting diode with pure-red emission based on polymer-assisted in situ growth of high-quality all-inorganic CsPbBr0.6I2.4 perovskite nanocrystal films with homogenous distribution of nanocrystals with size 20-30 nm. With this method, we can dramatically reduce the formation temperature of CsPbBr0.6I2.4 and stabilize its perovskite phase. Eventually, we successfully demonstrate a pure-red-emission perovskite light-emitting diode with a high external quantum efficiency of 6.55% and luminance of 338 cd/m2. Furthermore, the device obtains an ultralow turn-on voltage of 1.5 V and a half-lifetime of over 0.5 h at a high initial luminance of 300 cd/m2.

Stable Sn/Pb-Based Perovskite Solar Cells with a Coherent 2D/3D Interface.

Low-band-gap metal halide perovskite semiconductor based on mixed Sn/Pb is a key component to realize high-efficiency tandem perovskite solar cells. However, the mixed perovskites are unstable in air due to the oxidation of Sn2+. To overcome the stability problem, we introduced N-(3-aminopropyl)-2-pyrrolidinone into the CH3NH3Sn0.5Pb0.5IxCl3-x thin film. The carbonyl group on the molecule interacts with Sn2+/Pb2+ by Lewis acid coordination, forming vertically oriented 2D layered perovskite. The 2D phase is seamlessly connected to the bulk perovskite crystal, with a lattice coherently extending across the two phases. Based on this 2D/3D hybrid structure, we assembled low-band-gap Sn-based perovskite solar cells with power conversion efficiency greater than 12%. The best device was among the most stable Sn-based organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells to date, keeping 90% of its initial performance at ambient condition without encapsulation, and more than 70% under continuous illumination in an N2-filled glovebox for over 1 month.