Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 27
Filter
Add more filters










Publication year range
1.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl ; : e202400144, 2024 Apr 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38624087

ABSTRACT

Li-rich antiperovskite (LiRAP) hydroxyhalides are emerging as attractive solid electrolyte (SEs) for all-solid-state Li metal batteries (ASSLMBs) due to their low melting point, low cost, and ease of scaling-up. The incorporation of rotational polyanions can reduce the activation energy and thus improve the Li ion conductivity of SEs. Herein, we propose a ternary rotational polyanion coupling strategy to fasten the Li ion conduction in tetrafluoroborate (BF4-) ion doped LiRAP Li2OHCl. Assisted by first-principles calculation, powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state magnetic resonance and electrochemical impedance spectra, it is confirmed that Li ion transport in BF4- ion doped Li2OHCl is strongly associated with the rotational coupling among OH-, BF4- and Li2-O-H octahedrons, which enhances the Li ion conductivity for more than 1.8 times with the activation energy lowering 0.03 eV. This work provides a new perspective to design high-performance superionic conductors with multi-polyanions.

2.
Front Public Health ; 12: 1295531, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38633228

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the present status of self-management behavior and glycemic control in individuals diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D), as well as to examine the impact of health quotient (HQ) and time management skills on both self-management behavior and glycemic control. Methods: Between October 2022 and March 2023, a purposive sampling method had been utilized to select 215 participants with type T2D. The survey concluded a general information questionnaire, an HQ scale, a diabetes time management questionnaire and a self-management behavior questionnaire. The health quotient(HQ)encompasses the individuals' knowledge, attitude toward health, and the ability to maintain their own well-being. The diabetes time management questionnaire was reverse-scored, with higher scores indicating an enhanced competence in time management. The path among variables was analyzed using structural equation modeling(SEM). Results: SEM showed that the direct effect of HQ on time management was -0.566 (p < 0.05), the direct effect of time management on the effect of self-management was -0.617 (p < 0.05), the direct effect of HQ on self-management was 0.156, and the indirect effect was 0.349 (p < 0.05); the relationship between health quotient and self-management was partially mediated by time management, with a mediating effect size of 68.8%. In addition, self-management had a direct effect on HbAlc, with a size of -0.394 (p < 0.05); The impacts of both HQ and time management on HbAlc were found to be mediated by self-management, with HQ demonstrating an indirect effect of -0.199 (p < 0.05) and time management showing an indirect effect of 0.244 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Health quotient and time management in patients with T2D serve as catalysts for self-management behavior. They affect HbAlc level indirectly through self-management practices. The suggestion is to prioritize the cultivation of rational time organization and management skills in T2D patients, as well as enhance their health quotient level. This can facilitate a more effective improvement in patients' self-management behaviors, ultimately achieving the objective of maintaining optimal glycemic control.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Self-Management , Humans , Self-Management/methods , Time Management , Glycemic Control , Blood Glucose
3.
Lancet ; 403(10421): 29, 2024 Jan 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38184335
4.
J Hypertens ; 42(1): 143-152, 2024 01 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37737865

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a special liver disease during pregnancy, characterized by abnormal bile acid metabolism. However, there is no consensus on how to group women with ICP based on the time of diagnosis worldwide. This study aimed to adopt a new grouping model of women with ICP, and the time from diagnosis to delivery was defined as the monitoring period. METHODS: This retrospective real-world data study was conducted across multiple centers and included 3172 women with ICP. The study first evaluated the significant difference in medication and nonmedication during different monitoring times. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model was then used to screen nine risk factors based on the predictors. The model's discrimination, clinical usefulness, and calibration were assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve, and calibration analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of preeclampsia risk in ICP patients without drug intervention increased with the extension of the monitoring period. However, the risk of preeclampsia decreased in ICP patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. A predictive nomogram and risk score model was developed based on nine risk factors. The area under the ROC curve of the nomogram was 0.765 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.724-0.807] and 0.812 (95% CI: 0.736-0.889) for the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that a longer ICP monitoring period could lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes in the absence of drug intervention, especially preeclampsia. A predictive nomogram and risk score model was developed to better manage ICP patients, maintain pregnancy to term delivery, and minimize the risk of severe adverse maternal and fetal outcomes.


Subject(s)
Pre-Eclampsia , Pregnancy Complications , Pregnancy , Female , Humans , Pre-Eclampsia/diagnosis , Pre-Eclampsia/epidemiology , Pre-Eclampsia/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Nomograms , Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology , Risk Factors
5.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) ; 14: 1229494, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37810892

ABSTRACT

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has revolutionized diabetes management, but a comprehensive analysis of its clinical implementation is lacking. This study aims to explore CGM in diabetes practice over the past decade using bibliometric analysis. It will identify trends, research focal points, and provide a framework for future investigations. Materials and methods: The Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) was utilized to acquire literature pertaining to the employment of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in diabetes that was published between the years 2012 and 2022, and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the associated citation data. To achieve bibliometric visualization and analysis of the collated data, the bibliography package in the Rstudio(v.4.2.2), Citespace 6.2.R4, and VOS viewer were employed. Results: A total of 3024 eligible publications were extracted from 91 countries, with the United States being the leading country in terms of the number of issued articles. Furthermore, the annual publication rate has shown a gradual increase during the past decade. Among the various journals in this field, DIABETES TECHNOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS was identified as the most highly cited one. Keyword clustering analysis of the extracted publications indicates that the research hotspots in the past decade have primarily focused on "continuous glucose monitoring", "glycemic variability", "type 1 diabetes", "hypoglycemia", and "glycemic control". Moreover, the analysis of keyword emergence reveals that "Time In Range" and "Young Adult" represent the current research frontiers for the years 2012-2022. Conclusion: The concept of Time in Range (TIR) has garnered considerable attention as a significant area of inquiry and an emerging research trend in the clinical practice of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) for Diabetes Mellitus. Moreover, recent investigations have demonstrated a growing focus on young adults with type 1 diabetes as the research population of interest. In the foreseeable future, research endeavors will persist in the pursuit of improving glycemic management among young adults through the utilization of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology, while also delving into the examination of the Time in Range metric via supplementary clinical investigations.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 , Hypoglycemia , Humans , Young Adult , Bibliometrics , Blood Glucose , Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/therapy
6.
J Asian Nat Prod Res ; 25(10): 957-967, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36729489

ABSTRACT

19-Hydroxybrevianamide M (1) and 6 R-methoxybrevianamide V (2), two new alkaloids, were isolated from an extract of the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. JNU18HC0517J, together with six known analogues (3- 8). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, NMR calculations, and ECD calculations. 6 R-methoxybrevianamide V (2) was the first L-proline indole DKP alkaloid with substitution at C-6 on the proline ring. Furthermore, the cytotoxities and antimicrobial activities of these isolated compounds were also evaluated. Compound 8 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus 209 P with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 16 µg/ml.[Figure: see text].


Subject(s)
Alkaloids , Aspergillus , Molecular Structure , Aspergillus/chemistry , Alkaloids/chemistry , Fungi , Indole Alkaloids/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Microbial Sensitivity Tests
7.
Front Chem ; 9: 744417, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34869201

ABSTRACT

Lithium-rich antiperovskites (LiRAPs) hold great promise to be the choice of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) owing to their high ionic conductivity, low activation energy, and low cost. However, processing sheet-type solid-state Li metal batteries (SSLiB) with LiRAPs remains challenging due to the lack of robust techniques for battery processing. Herein, we propose a scalable slurry-based procedure to prepare a flexible composite electrolyte (CPE), in which LiRAP (e.g., Li2OHCl0.5Br0.5, LOCB) and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) serve as an active filler and as a polymer scaffold, respectively. The low-polar solvent helps to stabilize the LiRAP phase during slurry processing. It is found that the addition of LOCB into the NBR polymer enhances the Li ion conductivity for 2.3 times at 60°C and reduces the activation energy (max. 0.07 eV). The as-prepared LOCB/NBR CPE film exhibits an improved critical current of 0.4 mA cm-2 and can stably cycle for over 1000 h at 0.04 mA cm-2 under 60°C. In the SSLiB with the sheet-type configuration of LiFePO4(LFP)||LOCB/NBR CPE||Li, LFP exhibits a capacity of 137 mAh/g under 60 at 0.1°C. This work delivers an effective strategy for fabrication of LiRAP-based CPE film, advancing the LiRAP-family SSEs toward practical applications.

8.
Development ; 148(9)2021 05 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33914867

ABSTRACT

A key step in the activation of canonical Wnt signaling is the interaction between ß-catenin and Tcf/Lefs that forms the transcription activation complex and facilitates the expression of target genes. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A3 (EIF4A3) is an ATP-dependent DEAD box-family RNA helicase and acts as a core subunit of the exon junction complex (EJC) to control a series of RNA post-transcriptional processes. In this study, we uncover that EIF4A3 functions as a Wnt inhibitor by interfering with the formation of ß-catenin/Tcf transcription activation complex. As Wnt stimulation increases, accumulated ß-catenin displaces EIF4A3 from a transcriptional complex with Tcf/Lef, allowing the active complex to facilitate the expression of target genes. In zebrafish embryos, eif4a3 depletion inhibited the development of the dorsal organizer and pattern formation of the anterior neuroectoderm by increasing Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Conversely, overexpression of eif4a3 decreased Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and inhibited the formation of the dorsal organizer before gastrulation. Our results reveal previously unreported roles of EIF4A3 in the inhibition of Wnt signaling and the regulation of embryonic development in zebrafish.


Subject(s)
Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A/metabolism , Wnt Signaling Pathway/physiology , Zebrafish/embryology , Animals , Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental , Transcriptional Activation , Wnt Proteins/metabolism , Zebrafish Proteins/genetics , Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism , beta Catenin/genetics , beta Catenin/metabolism
9.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 12(42): 47848-47853, 2020 Oct 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32990424

ABSTRACT

The giant piezoresistance effect (PRE) of semiconductors as featured by a high gauge factor (GF) is recognized as the prerequisite for realizing optimal pressure sensors with desired high sensitivity. In this work, we report the discovery of giant PRE in SiC nanobelts with a record GF measured using an atomic force microscope. The transverse piezoresistance coefficient along the [111] direction reaches as high as -312.51 × 10-11 pa-1 with a corresponding GF up to -1875.1, which is twice more than the highest value ever reported on SiC nanomaterials. The first-principles calculations reveal that B doping turns the acceptor states in the bandgap into deeper impurity levels, which makes the major contribution to the observed giant piezoresistance behavior. Our result provides new insights on designing pressure sensors based on SiC nanomaterials.

10.
Cancer Cell Int ; 20: 351, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32742198

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a serious malignant tumor associated with aberrant circular RNAs (circRNAs) expression. In this study, we aim to investigate the role and the underlying mechanism of circ_0000190, a circRNA in gastric cancer. METHODS: Circ_0000190 expression in vivo was examined in gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissues by RT-PCR. Circ_0000190 expression in gastric cancer cell lines was detected by FISH and RT-PCR. The role of the circRNA in gastric cancer cells was assessed by the analysis of cell viability, apoptosis, proliferation, cell cycle and migration. The potential effector of circ_0000190 was predicted by computational screen and validated by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, Mice model of human gastric cancer was established to observe the underlying mechanisms of circ_0000190. RESULTS: Circ_0000190 was down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cells, with a major location in cytoplasm. Circ_0000190 inhibited gastric cancer cell viability, proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by regulating the expression of capase-3, p27 and cyclin D. In addition, the circRNA was validated as a sponge of miR-1252, which directly targeted PAK3. The effects of circ_0000190 on the cellular processes were blocked by miR-1252 mimics, which could be rescued after further overexpression of PAK3. CONCLUSIONS: Circ_0000190 suppresses gastric cancer progression potentially via inhibiting miR-1252/PAK3 pathway, employing circ_0000190 might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of gastric cancer.

11.
Cell Biol Int ; 44(9): 1890-1899, 2020 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32437063

ABSTRACT

Adjuvant chemotherapy in combination with surgery is expected to be a curative strategy for gastric cancer. However, drug resistance remains an obstacle in effective chemotherapy. Therefore, understanding the potential mechanisms of chemotherapy induced gastric cancer cell death is of great importance. We demonstrated that BIX-01294 (BIX) at low concentration could induce autophagic flux by converting LC3B-I to LC3B-II and directly activate autophagy associated cell death in gastric cancer cell lines at high concentration. BIX at low concentration could help obtain sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to chemotherapy with significantly reduced cell viability. Interestingly, BIX combined Cis (BIX + Cis) treated SGC-7901 cells display pyroptosis related cell death with large bubbles blown around the membrane, significantly decreased cell viability, elevated lactate dehydrogenase release and increased percentage of propidium iodide and Annexin-V double positive cells. Furthermore, the cleavage of gasdermin E (GSDME) and caspase-3 but not GSDMD was detected by immunoblotting and the knockout of GSDME switched pyroptosis into apoptosis in the BIX + Cis combined treated group. Furthermore, the deficiency of Beclin-1 to inhibit BIX induced autophagic flux completely blocked BIX + Cis combined treated induced cell pyroptosis related cell death. Additionally, BIX + Cis in vivo treatment could inhibit tumor growth, which could be reversed by the deficiency of Beclin-1 and be delayed by the deficiency of GSDME. In conclusion, our data was the first to reveal that BIX enhanced the anticancer chemotherapy effect by induced GSDME-mediated pyroptosis through the activation of autophagic flux in gastric cancer cells.


Subject(s)
Azepines/pharmacology , Pyroptosis/physiology , Quinazolines/pharmacology , Stomach Neoplasms/drug therapy , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Autophagy , Azepines/metabolism , Cell Death , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Survival , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism , Pyroptosis/drug effects , Quinazolines/metabolism , Stomach Neoplasms/metabolism
12.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 11(47): 44837-44843, 2019 Nov 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31680512

ABSTRACT

Charge transfer is of particular importance in manipulating the interface physics in transition-metal oxide heterostructures. In this work, we have fabricated epitaxial bilayers composed of polar 3d LaMnO3 and nonpolar 5d SrIrO3. Systematic magnetic measurements reveal an unexpectedly large exchange bias effect in the bilayer, together with a dramatic enhancement of the coercivity of LaMnO3. Based on first-principle calculations and X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, such a strong interfacial magnetic coupling is found closely associated with the polar nature of LaMnO3 and the strong spin-orbit interaction in SrIrO3, which collectively drive an asymmetric interfacial charge transfer and lead to the emergence of an interfacial reentrant spin/superspin glass state. Our study provides a new insight into the charge transfer in transition-metal oxide heterostructures and offers a novel means to tune the interfacial exchange coupling for a variety of device applications.

13.
J Phys Condens Matter ; 31(39): 395501, 2019 Oct 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31207586

ABSTRACT

Discovering highly in-plane anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors with multiple superior properties (good stability, widely tunable bandgap and high mobility) are of great interest for fundamental studies and for developments of novel (opto)electronic devices. By means of state-of-the-art first-principles calculations, herein we present a thorough investigation on the stability, electronic properties and promising applications of previously unexplored 2D semiconductors-gold-selenium (ß-AuSe) with strong in-plane anisotropy, whose layered bulk counterpart was synthesized fifty years ago. We show that they have stable structures, widely tunable bandgap varying from 1.66 eV in monolayer to 0.70 eV in five-layer, strong light absorption coefficient (~105 cm-1) within the whole visible light range, and high/ultrahigh carrier mobility (103-105 cm2 V -1 s -1). More importantly, they show highly in-pane anisotropic behaviors in absorption coefficients, photoconductance and carrier mobility. Especially, the anisotropic ratio of carrier mobility is much higher than the literature reported ones. The above findings show that the in-plane anisotropic 2D ß-AuSe are promising candidates for developing polarization-sensitive photodetectors, synaptic devices and micro digital inverters based on multiple superior properties and highly anisotropic behaviors. Besides, few-layer ß-AuSe systems can serve as channel materials in field-effect transistors with high mobility or be applied in solar cells with strong light absorption. Our findings demonstrate that few-layer 2D ß-AuSe have great potential for multifunctional applications and thus stimulate immediately experimental interests.

14.
Aging (Albany NY) ; 11(6): 1821-1831, 2019 03 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30923258

ABSTRACT

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently dysregulated in a variety of human cancers, including gastric carcinoma. To improve our understanding of the role of miRNAs in gastric carcinoma and potential identify novel biomarkers or therapeutic agents, we performed microarray analysis to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in gastric carcinoma, compared with paired non-cancerous gastric tissues. We identified significantly differentially expressed miRNAs in gastric carcinoma tissues, including miR-506. We validated the microarray results by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 26 specimens and confirmed significant downregulation of miR-506 in gastric carcinoma. Bioinformatics analysis predicted ZEB2 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2) as a potential target of miR-506. MiR-506 levels and ZEB2 levels were inversely correlated in gastric carcinoma, and low miR-506 levels in gastric carcinoma were associated with poor prognosis. Overexpression of miR-506 in gastric carcinoma cells significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion, while depletion of miR-506 in gastric carcinoma cells significantly increased cell migration and invasion. Transplantation of miR-506-overexpressing gastric carcinoma cells developed significantly smaller tumor, compared to the control. Thus, our results suggest that miR-506 may function as a tumor suppressor and targets and inhibits ZEB2 in gastric carcinoma.


Subject(s)
Genes, Tumor Suppressor , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Stomach Neoplasms/genetics , Animals , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Down-Regulation , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Nude , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2
15.
J Phys Condens Matter ; 30(47): 475702, 2018 Nov 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30378570

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors SnP3 are predicted, from first-principles calculations, to host moderate band gaps (0.72 eV for monolayer and 1.07 eV for bilayer), ultrahigh carrier mobility (∼104 cm2 V-1 s-1 for bilayer), strong absorption coefficients (∼105 cm-1) and good stability. Moreover, the band gap can be modulated from an indirect character into a direct one via strain engineering. For experimental accessibility, the calculated exfoliation energies of monolayer and bilayer SnP3 are smaller than those of the common arsenic-type honeycomb structures GeP3 and InP3. More importantly, a semiconductor-to-metal transition is discovered with the layer number N > 2. We demonstrate, in remarkable contrast to the previous understandings, that such phase transition is largely driven by the correlation between lone-pair electrons of interlayer Sn and P atoms. This mechanism is universal for analogues phase transitions in arsenic-type honeycomb structures (GeP3, InP3 and SnP3).

16.
J Phys Condens Matter ; 30(41): 415504, 2018 Oct 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30178760

ABSTRACT

Polar metals based on binary and ternary compounds have been demonstrated in literature. Here, we propose a design principle for ferroelectric-like elemental polar metals and relate it to real materials. The design principle is that, to be an elemental polar metal, atoms should occupy at least two inequivalent Wyckoff positions in a crystal with a polar space group, where inversion symmetry is spontaneously broken. According to this rule, we propose the first class of potential ferroelectric-like elemental polar metals in a distorted α-La-like structure with a polar space group P63 mc in which two inequivalent Wyckoff positions 2a (0, 0, z) and 2b (1/3, 2/3, z) are occupied by group-V elements (phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth). Analyses based on first-principles calculations indicate that the dynamically stable polar phase results from a lone pair driven polar distortion of the nonploar phase in P63/mmc symmetry where two inequivalent Wyckoff positions 2a (0, 0, 0) and 2c (1/3, 2/3, 1/4) are occupied. This ferroelectric-like transition involves a transition from a metallic state to a semimetallic state. These predicted polar phases are metastable with respect to their corresponding ground phases. Moreover, ionic bonding characters are found due to the inequivalence in Wyckoff positions between group-V atoms. Our work opens a route to single-element parity-breaking phases.

17.
Adv Mater ; 30(14): e1706771, 2018 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29479747

ABSTRACT

Germanium phosphide (GeP), a new member of the Group IV-Group V compounds, is introduced into the fast growing 2D family with experimental and theoretical demonstration of strong anisotropic physical properties. The indirect band gap of GeP can be drastically tuned from 1.68 eV for monolayer to 0.51 eV for bulk, with highly anisotropic dispersions of band structures. Thin GeP shows strong anisotropy of phonon vibrations. Moreover, photodetectors based on GeP flakes show highly anisotropic behavior with anisotropic factors of 1.52 and 1.83 for conductance and photoresponsivity, respectively. This work lays the foundation and ignites future research interests in Group IV-Group V compound 2D materials.

18.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 10(3): 3142-3151, 2018 Jan 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29286642

ABSTRACT

Iron fluoride with high operating voltage and theoretical energy density has been proposed as a high-performance cathode material for Li-ion batteries. However, the inertness of pristine bulk FeF3 results in poor Li kinetics and cycling life. Developing nanosheet-based electrode materials is a feasible strategy to solve these problems. Herein, on the basis of first-principles calculations, first the stability of FeF3 (012) nanosheet with different atomic terminations under different environmental conditions was systematically studied, then the Li-ion adsorption and diffusion kinetics were thoroughly probed, and finally the voltages for different Li concentrations were given. We found that F-terminated nanosheet is energetically favorable in a wide range of chemical potential, which provide a vehicle for lithium ion diffusion. Our Li-ion adsorption and diffusion kinetics study revealed that (1) the formation of Li dimer is the most preferred, (2) the Li diffusion energy barrier of Li dimer is lower than isolated Li atom (0.17 eV for Li dimer vs 0.22 eV for Li atom), and (3) the diffusion coefficient of Li is 1.06 × 10-6 cm2·s-1, which is orders of magnitude greater than that of Li diffusion in bulk FeF3 (10-13-10-11 cm2·s-1). Thus, FeF3 nanosheet can act as an ultrahigh-rate cathode material for Li-ion batteries. More importantly, the calculated voltage and specific capacity of Li on the FeF3 (012) nanosheet demonstrate that it has a much more stable voltage profile than bulk FeF3 for a wide range of Li concentration. So, few layers FeF3 nanosheet provides the desired long-life energy density in Li-ion batteries. These above findings in the current study shed new light on the design of ultrahigh-rate and long-life FeF3 cathode material for Li-ion batteries.

19.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 19(38): 26151-26157, 2017 Oct 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28930321

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently attracted tremendous interest for fundamental studies and applications. High contact resistances between the metal electrodes and the 2D TMDCs, usually composed of a tunneling barrier (TB) and a Schottky barrier (SB), are the key bottleneck to the realization of high performance devices based on such systems. Here, from van der Waals density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that strain can provide a feasible means to reduce the contact resistances between, for example, 2D semiconductor MoS2 and metal surfaces, in both strong and weak coupling regimes. Both the SB and TB are lowered significantly with the increasing tensile strain in both the coupling regimes. Especially, the SB can reduce to zero in all configurations considered, with tensile strain increasing to ∼4% or above. The mechanism of SB reduction under tensile strain is attributed to the increase of the MoS2 affinity energy since the monolayer MoS2 conduction band minimum (CBm) is derived from anti-bonding states. Thus, the SB in other semiconducting TMDCs with an anti-bonding CBm (for n-type contact) could also be reduced to zero by tensile strain. Our discoveries thus shed a new and general light on minimizing the contact resistance of semiconducting TMDCs-metal based contacts and this can also prove applicable to other 2D semiconductors, e.g. phosphorene.

20.
ACS Nano ; 11(10): 10264-10272, 2017 10 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28901748

ABSTRACT

An interesting in-plane anisotropic layered dimetal chalcogenide Ta2NiS5 is introduced, and the optical and electrical properties with respect to its in-plane anisotropy are systematically studied. The Raman vibration modes have been identified by Raman spectra measurements combined with calculations of phonon-related properties. Importantly, the Ta2NiS5 flakes exhibit strong anisotropic Raman response under the angle-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy measurements. We found that Raman intensities of the Ag mode not only depend on rotation angle but are also related to the sample thickness. In contrast, the infrared absorption with light polarized along the a axis direction is always larger than that in the c axis direction regardless of thickness under the polarization-resolved infrared spectroscopy measurements. Remarkably, the first-principles calculations combined with angle-resolved conductance measurements indicate strong anisotropic conductivity of Ta2NiS5. Our results not only prove Ta2NiS5 is a promising in-plane anisotropic 2D material but also provide an interesting platform for future functionalized electronic devices.

SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL
...