Complementary Weaknesses: A Win-Win Approach for rGO/CdS to Improve the Energy Conversion Performance of Integrated Photorechargeable Li-S Batteries.

Integrating solar energy into rechargeable battery systems represents a significant advancement towards sustainable energy storage solutions. Herein, we propose a win-win solution to reduce the shuttle effect of polysulfide and improve the photocorrosion stability of CdS, thereby enhancing the energy conversion efficiency of rGO/CdS-based photorechargeable integrated lithium-sulfur batteries (PRLSBs). Experimental results show that CdS can effectively anchor polysulfide under sunlight irradiation for 20 minutes. Under a high current density (1 C), the discharge-specific capacity of the PRLSBs increased to 971.30 mAh g-1, which is 113.3 % enhancement compared to that of under dark condition (857.49 mAh g-1). Remarkably, without an electrical power supply, the PRLSBs can maintain a 21 hours discharge process following merely 1.5 hours of light irradiation, achieving a breakthrough solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of up to 5.04 %. Ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ Raman analysis corroborate the effectiveness of this complementary weakness approach in bolstering redox kinetics and curtailing polysulfide dissolution in PRLSBs. This work showcases a feasible strategy to develop PRLSBs with potential dual-functional metal sulfide photoelectrodes, which will be of great interest in future-oriented off-grid photocell systems.

Amorphous Ni-Co binary hydroxide with super-long cycle life and ultrahigh rate capability as asymmetric supercapacitors.

Ni-Co binary hydroxide (NixCo1-x(OH)2) with nanostructure is prepared by one-step electrochemical deposition process with de-ionized water as electrolyte. The molar ratio of Ni/Co for NixCo1-x(OH)2can be accurately controlled via changing the composition of the alloy target. A series of typical hydroxides are synthesized with Ni/Co molar ratios of 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:6, 6:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1. The electrochemical performances of NixCo1-x(OH)2exhibit remarkable improvement in rate capability and cycling stability compared to monometallic hydroxide. Electrochemical test results reveal that Ni4/5Co1/5(OH)2delivers the maximum specific capacitance of 2425 F g-1, while Ni0.5Co0.5(OH)2exhibits ultrahigh rate capability (a 14% capacity decrease after a 100-fold increase in scan rate and 7% capacity decrease after a 40-fold increase in current density) and super-long cycle life (no capacitance loss after 50 000 cycles). Especially, the Ni0.5Co0.5(OH)2//AC supercapacitor exhibits a super-long cycle life with a 2% capacitance loss after 100 000 cycles, which is quite better than that of crystalline devices.

Semantic consistency generative adversarial network for cross-modality domain adaptation in ultrasound thyroid nodule classification.

Deep convolutional networks have been widely used for various medical image processing tasks. However, the performance of existing learning-based networks is still limited due to the lack of large training datasets. When a general deep model is directly deployed to a new dataset with heterogeneous features, the effect of domain shifts is usually ignored, and performance degradation problems occur. In this work, by designing the semantic consistency generative adversarial network (SCGAN), we propose a new multimodal domain adaptation method for medical image diagnosis. SCGAN performs cross-domain collaborative alignment of ultrasound images and domain knowledge. Specifically, we utilize a self-attention mechanism for adversarial learning between dual domains to overcome visual differences across modal data and preserve the domain invariance of the extracted semantic features. In particular, we embed nested metric learning in the semantic information space, thus enhancing the semantic consistency of cross-modal features. Furthermore, the adversarial learning of our network is guided by a discrepancy loss for encouraging the learning of semantic-level content and a regularization term for enhancing network generalization. We evaluate our method on a thyroid ultrasound image dataset for benign and malignant diagnosis of nodules. The experimental results of a comprehensive study show that the accuracy of the SCGAN method for the classification of thyroid nodules reaches 94.30%, and the AUC reaches 97.02%. These results are significantly better than the state-of-the-art methods.

Ion-assisted construction of Sb/N-doped graphene as an anode for Li/Na ion batteries.

Although secondary batteries are common in many fields, new electrode materials with a reasonable structure are desired for high battery performance. Herein, Sb/N-doped graphene nanosheets (NGNS-Q) were constructed with the help of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane anions (TCNQ·-). TCNQ·- were used to anchor Sb3+ into the graphene layer by electrostatic interaction, which improves the distribution of Sb nanoparticles. Meanwhile, TCNQ·- act as a N source to form N-doped graphene, enhancing the electron conductivity of the composite. Benefiting from the stable structure and good conductivity, the Sb/NGNS-Q composite achieved good electrochemical battery performance for Li/Na ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs). At a current density of 0.1 A g-1, Sb/NGNS-Q exhibited a capacity of 615 mAh g-1 after cycling 200 times and 240 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles for LIBs and SIBs, respectively.

Constructing a LiPAA interface layer: a new strategy to suppress polysulfide migration and facilitate Li+ transport for high-performance flexible Li-S batteries.

Despite many recent attempts to restrict it, the dissolution and diffusion of polysulfides, leading to inferior cycling performance, is still the main bottleneck hindering commercialization of the Li-S battery. Herein, a new strategy of using lithium polyacrylate (LiPAA) to clad multiwalled carbon nanotube/sulfur (MWNT/S) composites as the interface layer for an MWNT/S/LiPAA cathode was proposed, not only to suppress polysulfide migration through physical encapsulation and chemical adsorption, but also to facilitate Li+ diffusion during the charge/discharge process. Attributed to these functions of LiPAA, MWNT/S/LiPAA exhibited a rate capability and cycling performance superior to those of MWNT/S and MWNT/S/PAA. Moreover, thanks to the introduction of LiPAA, the MWNT/S/LiPAA was endowed with robust mechanical properties, making it suitable for a flexible cathode in a flexible Li-S battery with stable output under deformation. This work could open up a promising way to suppress polysulfide migration for high-performance flexible Li-S batteries.

Nano-encapsulation of curcumin using soy protein hydrolysates - tannic acid complexes regulated by photocatalysis: a study on the storage stability and in vitro release.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of soy protein hydrolysates (SPH)-tannic acid (TA) complex nanoparticle obtained by photocatalysis (SPH-T (P)) to construct curcumin (Cur) delivery vehicles. Methods: The interaction behaviour of SPH-T (P) was investigated using Fourier transform infra-red, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimeter analyzes. Formation and stability of the complexes were characterised by particle size, morphology, zeta potential, and in vitro release. Results: Negatively charged Cur-loaded complex with small size (<100 nm), spherical cluster shape and uniform size distribution were formed through the driving force of electrostatic attraction, followed by hydrogen bonding. The presence of photocatalysis in the complexes significantly improved the storage stability and in vitro sustained release of curcumin by enhancing the hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic effects and π-π stacking interactions between SPH and TA. Conclusion: SPH-T (P) would be a useful and promising delivery vehicle for encapsulating, protecting, and delivering hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

Influence of phenolic acids on the storage and digestion stability of curcumin emulsions based on soy protein-pectin-phenolic acids ternary nano-complexes.

Aim: To design novel emulsifiers with the ability to improve the storage and digestion stability of curcumin emulsions, besides to investigate the influence of phenolic acids types on the emulsify ability of soy protein-pectin-phenolic acids complexes obtained by ultrasonication. Methods: The ternary complexes were characterised by particle size, morphology, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infra-red and fluorescence spectroscopy. Additionally, changes in droplet size, charge, and microstructure were monitored as quantitative stability index of curcumin emulsions. Results: Phenolic acid types significantly affected the formation of ternary complexes. Soy protein-pectin-ferulic acid complex (S-P-F) stabilised curcumin emulsion had the best emulsifying property, followed by soy protein-pectin- ellagic acid (S-P-E), and soy protein-pectin-tannic acid complexes (S-P-T). Moreover, S-P-F emulsion was found to retain efficiently cucumin within 30 days storage (77.35%) and simulated gastrointestinal tract (64.09%). Conclusion: Protein-polysaccharide-phenolic acids emulsions are effective oral delivery systems for hydrophobic bioactives.

Self-Assembled Modified Soy Protein/Dextran Nanogel Induced by Ultrasonication as a Delivery Vehicle for Riboflavin.

A simple and green approach was developed to produce a novel nanogel via self-assembly of modified soy protein and dextran, to efficiently deliver riboflavin. First, modified soy protein was prepared by heating denaturation at 60 °C for 30 min or Alcalase hydrolysis for 40 min. Second, modified soy protein was mixed with dextran and ultrasonicated for 70 min so as to assemble nanogels. The modified soy protein-dextran nanogels were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ζ-potential studies to confirm the formation of NGs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the NGs to be spherical with core-shell structures, in the range of 32-40 nm size. The nanogels were stable against various environmental conditions. Furthermore, the particle size of the nanogels hardly changed with the incorporation of riboflavin. The encapsulation efficiency of nanogels was found to be up to 65.9% at a riboflavin concentration of 250 µg/mL. The nanogels exhibited a faster release in simulated intestine fluid (SIF) compared with simulated gastric fluid (SGF). From the results obtained it can be concluded that modified soy protein-dextran nanogels can be considered a promising carrier for drugs and other bioactive molecule delivery purposes.

Glucose microenvironment sensitive degradation of arginine modified calcium sulfate reinforced poly(lactide-co-glycolide) composite scaffolds.

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and calcium sulfate composites are promising biodegradable biomaterials but are still challenging to use in people with high levels of blood glucose or diabetes. To date, the influence of glucose on their degradation has not yet been elucidated and thus calls for more research attention. Herein, a novel calcium sulfate whisker with L-arginine was used to effectively tune its crystal morphology and was employed as a reinforced phase to construct the PLGA-based composite scaffolds (ArgCSH/PLGA) with a sleeve porous structure. ArgCSH/PLGA showed excellent elastic modulus and strength in the compression and bending models. Moreover, an in vitro immersion test showed that ArgCSH/PLGA possessed degradation and redeposition behaviors sensitive to glucose concentration, and the adsorbed Arg played a crucial role in the degradation process. The subsequent cell functional evaluation showed that ArgCSH could effectively protect cells from damage caused by AGEs and promote osteogenic differentiation. The corresponding degradation products of ArgCSH/PLGA displayed the ability to regulate osteoblast bone differentiation and accelerate matrix mineralization. These findings provide new insights into the interaction between biomaterials and the physiological environment, which may be useful in expanding the targeted choice of efficient bone graft biodegradable materials for diabetic osteoporosis.

Multiscale Simulation of Laser-Based Direct Energy Deposition (DED-LB/M) Using Powder Feedstock for Surface Repair of Aluminum Alloy.

Laser-based direct energy deposition (DED-LB/M) has been a promising option for the surface repair of structural aluminum alloys due to the advantages it offers, including a small heat-affected zone, high forming accuracy, and adjustable deposition materials. However, the unequal powder particle size during powder-based DED-LB/M can cause unstable flow and an uneven material flow rate per unit of time, resulting in defects such as pores, uneven deposition layers, and cracks. This paper presents a multiscale, multiphysics numerical model to investigate the underlying mechanism during the powder-based DED-LB/M surface repair process. First, the worn surfaces of aluminum alloy components with different flaw shapes and sizes were characterized and modeled. The fluid flow of the molten pool during material deposition on the worn surfaces was then investigated using a model that coupled the mesoscale discrete element method (DEM) and the finite volume method (FVM). The effect of flaw size and powder supply quantity on the evolution of the molten pool temperature, morphology, and dynamics was evaluated. The rapid heat transfer and variation in thermal stress during the multilayer DED-LB/M process were further illustrated using a macroscale thermomechanical model. The maximum stress was observed and compared with the yield stress of the adopted material, and no relative sliding was observed between deposited layers and substrate components.

Pd(II) coordination molecule modified g-C3N4 for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen production.

The photocatalytic H2 production activity of polymer carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is limited by the rapid recombination of photoelectron-hole pairs and slow surface reduction dynamic process. Here, a supramolecular complex (named R-TAP-Pd(II)) was fabricated via self-assembly of (R)-N-(1-phenylethyl)-4-(4-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)benzamide (R-TAP) with Pd(II) and used to modify g-C3N4. In the R-TAP-Pd(II)@g-C3N4 composite photocatalyst, the spin polarization of R-TAP-Pd(II) can promote charge transfer and inhibit photogenerated carrier recombination, as confirmed by spectral tests and photoelectrochemical performance tests. Electrochemical tests and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests proved that the Pd(II) ion in the R-TAP-Pd(II) molecule can serve as active sites to accelerate H2 production. The R-TAP-Pd(II)@g-C3N4 presented a photocatalytic H2 generation rate of 1085 µmol g-1 h-1 when exposed to visible light, which was a about 278-fold increase compared with g-C3N4. This work finds a new approach to boost the photocatalytic efficiency of g-C3N4 via supramolecular self-assembly.

Unveiling the Synergistic Role of Frustrated Lewis Pairs in Carbon-Encapsulated Ni/NiOx Photothermal Cocatalyst for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

The development of high-density and closely spaced frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) is crucial for enhancing catalyst activity and accelerating reaction rates. However, constructing efficient FLPs by breaking classical Lewis bonds poses a significant challenge. Here, this work has made a pivotal discovery regarding the Jahn-Teller effect during the formation of grain boundaries in carbon-encapsulated Ni/NiOx (Ni/NiOx@C). This effect facilitates the formation of high-density O (VO) and Ni (VNi) vacancy sites with different charge polarities, specifically FLP-VO-C basic sites and FLP-VNi-C acidic sites. The synergistic interaction between FLP-VO-C and FLP-VNi-C sites not only reduces energy barriers for water adsorption and splitting, but also induces a strong photothermal effect. This mutually reinforcing effect contributes to the exceptional performance of Ni/NiOx@C as a cocatalyst in photothermal-assisted photocatalytic hydrogen production. Notably, the Ni/NiOx@C/g-C3N4 (NOCC) composite photocatalyst exhibits remarkable hydrogen production activity with a rate of 10.7 mmol g-1 h-1, surpassing that of the Pt cocatalyst by 1.76 times. Moreover, the NOCC achieves an impressive apparent quantum yield of 40.78% at a wavelength of 380 nm. This work paves the way for designing novel defect-state multiphase cocatalysts with high-density and adjacent FLP sites, which hold promise for enhancing various catalytic reactions.

[Research on the quantitative analysis of D2 using Raman spectroscopy].

Raman spectroscopy was used for experimental research on D2 signal to noise ratio (SNR) under different conditions. The 32 mW Ar+ laser was injected into the Raman quartz glass cells to study the effect of grating, laser power, exposure time and the gas pressure on D2 Raman spectra SNR. D2 Raman spectral signal to noise ratio is proportional to the laser power, exposure time and gas pressure. The standard curve of the pressure and SNR for this experimental apparatus was obtained. Three sets of random samples were used to verify the formula SNR(J 2 --> 2) = 10.6 x 10(-4) p+1.271 34. When the deuterium pressure is 21 280 Pa, the relative error is 4.8%. When the pressure increases to 67 235 Pa, the relative error is down to 1.46%.

Five in One: Multi-Engine Highly Integrated Microrobot.

A multi-engine highly integrated microrobot, which is a Janus hemispherical shell structure composed of Pt and α-Fe2 O3 , is successfully developed. The microrobot can be efficiently driven and flexibly regulated by five stimuli, including an optical field, an acoustic field, magnetic field, an electric field, and chemical fuel. In addition, no matter which way it is driven by, the direction can be effectively controlled through the magnetic field regulation. Furthermore, this microrobot can also utilize magnetic or acoustic fields to achieve excellent aggregation control and swarm movement. Finally, this study demonstrates that the microrobots' propulsion can be effectively synergistically enhanced through the simultaneous action of two driving mechanisms, which can greatly improve the performance of the motor in applications, such as pollutant degradation. This multi-engine, highly integrated microrobot not only can adapt to more complex environments and has a wider application range, better application prospects, but also provides important ideas for designing future advanced micro/nanorobots.

Modulating the surface potential of microspheres by phase transition in strontium doped barium titanate to restore the electric microenvironment for bone regeneration.

The endogenous electrical potential generated by native bone and periosteum plays a key role in maintaining bone mass and quality. Inspired by the electrical properties of bone, different negative surface potentials are built on microspheres to restore electric microenvironment for powerful bone regeneration, which was prepared by the combination of strontium-doped barium titanate (Sr-BTO) nanoparticles and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with high electrostatic voltage field (HEV). The surface potential was modulated through regulating the phase composition of nanoparticles in microspheres by the doping amount of strontium ion (Sr2+). As a result, the 0.1Sr-BTO/PLGA group shows the lowest surface potential and its relative permittivity is closer to natural bone. As expected, the 0.1Sr-BTO/PLGA microspheres performed cytocompatibility, osteogenic activity in vitro and enhance bone regeneration in vivo. Furthermore, the potential mechanism of Sr-BTO/PLGA microspheres to promote osteogenic differentiation was further explored. The lower surface potential generated on Sr-BTO/PLGA microspheres regulates cell membrane potential and leads to an increase in the intracellular calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration, which could activate the Calcineurin (CaN)/Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) signaling pathway to promote osteogenic differentiation. This study established an effective method to modulate the surface potential, which provides a prospective exploration for electrical stimulation therapy. The 0.1Sr-BTO/PLGA microsphere with lower surface potential and bone-matched dielectric constant is expected to have great potential in the field of bone regeneration.

In suit constructing S-scheme FeOOH/MgIn2S4 heterojunction with boosted interfacial charge separation and redox activity for efficiently eliminating antibiotic pollutant.

Photocatalytic elimination of antibiotic pollutant is an appealing avenue in response to the water contamination, but it still suffers from sluggish charge detachment, limited redox capacity as well as poor visible light utilization. Herein, a particular S-scheme FeOOH/MgIn2S4 heterojunction with wide visible light absorption was triumphantly constructed by in-situ growth of MgIn2S4 nanoparticles onto the surface of FeOOH nanorods, and employed as a high-efficiency visible light driven photocatalyst for removing tetracycline (TC). Conspicuously, the as-obtained FeOOH(15 wt%)/MgIn2S4 elucidated the optimal TC removal rate of 0.01258 min-1 after 100 min of visible light illumination, which was almost 33.1 and 6.6 times larger than those of neat FeOOH and MgIn2S4, separately. The exceptional degradation performance was principally put down to the establishment of S-scheme heterojunction between FeOOH and MgIn2S4, which could not merely accelerate the detachment of photogenerated carriers, but also retain the powerful reducing ability of photoinduced electrons for MgIn2S4 and high oxidizing capacity of photoexcited holes for FeOOH, strongly driving the generation of plentiful active species including holes, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Additionally, the possible degradation mechanism and pathways of TC were also speculated. This work offers a valuable perspective for constructing high-efficiency S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts for eradicating antibiotics.

Tannin-bridged magnetic responsive multifunctional hydrogel for enhanced wound healing by mechanical stimulation-induced early vascularization.

Wound healing is a complex process. Wound-repair materials require multiple functionalities, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, angiogenesis, pro-proliferation, and remodeling. To achieve rapid tissue regeneration, magnetic field-assisted therapy has become a promising means. In this study, a homogeneous magnetic responsive nanocomposite hydrogel with enhanced mechanical properties was obtained through a tannin (TA)-assisted bridge between magneto-deformable cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CFO NPs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. In the presence of an external static magnetic field (SMF), the TA bridge could efficiently transmit magnetically actuated deformation to the PVA, which originated from the CFO NPs, generating a larger topographic change on the surface. The change of topography provided a mechanical cue to increase cell adhesion and proliferation. Moreover, due to the synergistic effects of TA modification and CFO NPs, the obtained magnetic responsive hydrogel exhibited considerable antibacterial activity. Furthermore, the results of in vivo study confirmed the anti-inflammatory properties of the TA-CFO/PVA hydrogel. More importantly, the TA-CFO/PVA hydrogel accelerated wound healing under a SMF, which contributed to the early vascularization induced by mechanical stimuli generated from the TA-CFO/PVA nanocomposite hydrogel. As a proof-of-concept, we provided an optimizing strategy for magneto-controlled skin tissue regeneration, which may have important guiding significance for the clinical application of magnetic field-assisted therapy.

Superior Radiation Resistance of ZrO2-Modified W Composites.

The microstructure and mechanical properties of pure W, sintered and swaged W-1.5ZrO2 composites after 1.5 × 1015 Au+/cm2 radiation at room temperature were characterized to investigate the impact of the ZrO2 phase on the irradiation resistance mechanism of tungsten materials. It can be concluded that the ZrO2 phase near the surface consists of two irradiation damage layers, including an amorphous layer and polycrystallization regions after radiation. With the addition of the ZrO2 phase, the total density and average size of dislocation loops, obviously, decrease, attributed to the reason that many more glissile 1/2<111> loops migrate to annihilate preferentially at precipitate interfaces with a higher sink strength of 7.8 × 1014 m−2. The swaged W-1.5ZrO2 alloys have a high enough density of precipitate interfaces and grain boundaries to absorb large numbers of irradiated dislocations. This leads to the smallest irradiation hardening change in hardness of 4.52 Gpa, which is far superior to pure W materials. This work has a collection of experiments and conclusions that are of crucial importance to the materials and nuclear communities.

Self-assembly of electrospun polymer nanofibers: a general phenomenon generating honeycomb-patterned nanofibrous structures.

A general phenomenon that electrospun polymer nanofibers self-assemble into honeycomb-patterned nanofibrous structures (HNFSs) is reported. We used electrospinning to produce charged polymer nanofibers, which were kept in liquid state (wet) on landing on the substrates by appropriately controlling the electrospinning conditions. Driven by the competitive actions of surface tension and electrostatic repulsion, these charged wet nanofibers self-assemble into the HNFSs. Fabrication of the well-defined three-dimensional HNFSs was successfully demonstrated for three different polymers, that is, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene oxide. The pore diameter of the obtained honeycomb structures spans a wide range from micrometers to over 200 µm with depths as large as over 150 µm. The pore walls are composed of uniaxially aligned polymer nanofibers.

Effect of Copper Doping on Electronic Structure and Optical Absorption of Cd33Se33 Quantum Dots.

The photophysical properties of Cu-doped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) can be affected by the oxidation state of Cu impurity, but disagreement still exists on the Cu oxidation state (+1 or +2) in these QDs, which is debated and poorly understood for many years. In this work, by using density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) screened hybrid functional, we clearly demonstrate that the incorporation of Cu dopants into the surface of the magic sized Cd33Se33 QD leads to non-magnetic Cu 3d orbitals distribution and Cu+1 oxidation state, while doping Cu atoms in the core region of QDs can lead to both Cu+1 and Cu+2 oxidation states, depending on the local environment of Cu atoms in the QDs. In addition, it is found that the optical absorption of the Cu-doped Cd33Se33 QD in the visible region is mainly affected by Cu concentration, while the absorption in the infrared regime is closely related to the oxidation state of Cu. The present results enable us to use the doping of Cu impurity in CdSe QDs to achieve special photophysical properties for their applications in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. The methods used here to resolve the electronic and optical properties of Cu-doped CdSe QDs can be extended to other II-VI semiconductor QDs incorporating transition-metal ions with variable valence.