High energy density in artificial heterostructures through relaxation time modulation

Electrostatic capacitors are foundational components of advanced electronics and high-power electrical systems owing to their ultrafast charging-discharging capability. Ferroelectric materials offer high maximum polarization, but high remnant polarization has hindered their effective deployment in energy storage applications. Previous methodologies have encountered problems because of the deteriorated crystallinity of the ferroelectric materials. We introduce an approach to control the relaxation time using two-dimensional (2D) materials while minimizing energy loss by using 2D/3D/2D heterostructures and preserving the crystallinity of ferroelectric 3D materials. Using this approach, we were able to achieve an energy density of 191.7 joules per cubic centimeter with an efficiency greater than 90%. This precise control over relaxation time holds promise for a wide array of applications and has the potential to accelerate the development of highly efficient energy storage systems.

Giant Modulation of Refractive Index from Picoscale Atomic Displacements

It is shown that structural disorder-in the form of anisotropic, picoscale atomic displacements-modulates the refractive index tensor and results in the giant optical anisotropy observed in BaTiS3, a quasi-1D hexagonal chalcogenide. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal the presence of antipolar displacements of Ti atoms within adjacent TiS6 chains along the c-axis, and threefold degenerate Ti displacements in the a-b plane. 47/49Ti solid-state NMR provides additional evidence for those Ti displacements in the form of a three-horned NMR lineshape resulting from a low symmetry local environment around Ti atoms. Scanning transmission electron microscopy is used to directly observe the globally disordered Ti a-b plane displacements and find them to be ordered locally over a few unit cells. First-principles calculations show that the Ti a-b plane displacements selectively reduce the refractive index along the ab-plane, while having minimal impact on the refractive index along the chain direction, thus resulting in a giant enhancement in the optical anisotropy. By showing a strong connection between structural disorder with picoscale displacements and the optical response in BaTiS3, this study opens a pathway for designing optical materials with high refractive index and functionalities such as large optical anisotropy and nonlinearity.

Colossal Optical Anisotropy from Atomic-Scale Modulations

Materials with large birefringence (Δn, where n is the refractive index) are sought after for polarization control (e.g., in wave plates, polarizing beam splitters, etc.), nonlinear optics, micromanipulation, and as a platform for unconventional light-matter coupling, such as hyperbolic phonon polaritons. Layered 2D materials can feature some of the largest optical anisotropy; however, their use in most optical systems is limited because their optical axis is out of the plane of the layers and the layers are weakly attached. This work demonstrates that a bulk crystal with subtle periodic modulations in its structure-Sr9/8 TiS3 -is transparent and positive-uniaxial, with extraordinary index ne = 4.5 and ordinary index no = 2.4 in the mid- to far-infrared. The excess Sr, compared to stoichiometric SrTiS3 , results in the formation of TiS6 trigonal-prismatic units that break the chains of face-sharing TiS6 octahedra in SrTiS3 into periodic blocks of five TiS6 octahedral units. The additional electrons introduced by the excess Sr form highly oriented electron clouds, which selectively boost the extraordinary index ne and result in record birefringence (Δn > 2.1 with low loss). The connection between subtle structural modulations and large changes in refractive index suggests new categories of anisotropic materials and also tunable optical materials with large refractive-index modulation.

Charge Density Wave Order and Electronic Phase Transitions in a Dilute d-Band Semiconductor

As one of the most fundamental physical phenomena, charge density wave (CDW) order predominantly occurs in metallic systems such as quasi-1D metals, doped cuprates, and transition metal dichalcogenides, where it is well understood in terms of Fermi surface nesting and electron-phonon coupling mechanisms. On the other hand, CDW phenomena in semiconducting systems, particularly at the low carrier concentration limit, are less common and feature intricate characteristics, which often necessitate the exploration of novel mechanisms, such as electron-hole coupling or Mott physics, to explain. In this study, an approach combining electrical transport, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and density-functional theory calculations is used to investigate CDW order and a series of hysteretic phase transitions in a dilute d-band semiconductor, BaTiS3 . These experimental and theoretical findings suggest that the observed CDW order and phase transitions in BaTiS3 may be attributed to both electron-phonon coupling and non-negligible electron-electron interactions in the system. This work highlights BaTiS3 as a unique platform to explore CDW physics and novel electronic phases in the dilute filling limit and opens new opportunities for developing novel electronic devices.

Importance of broken geometric symmetry of single-atom Pt sites for efficient electrocatalysis

Platinum single-atom catalysts hold promise as a new frontier in heterogeneous electrocatalysis. However, the exact chemical nature of active Pt sites is highly elusive, arousing many hypotheses to compensate for the significant discrepancies between experiments and theories. Here, we identify the stabilization of low-coordinated Pt^II species on carbon-based Pt single-atom catalysts, which have rarely been found as reaction intermediates of homogeneous Pt^II catalysts but have often been proposed as catalytic sites for Pt single-atom catalysts from theory. Advanced online spectroscopic studies reveal multiple identities of Pt^II moieties on the single-atom catalysts beyond ideally four-coordinated Pt^II-N₄. Notably, decreasing Pt content to 0.15 wt.% enables the differentiation of low-coordinated Pt^II species from the four-coordinated ones, demonstrating their critical role in the chlorine evolution reaction. This study may afford general guidelines for achieving a high electrocatalytic performance of carbon-based single-atom catalysts based on other d⁸ metal ions.

Amphi-Active Superoxide-Solvating Charge Redox Mediator for Highly Stable Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

A multifunctional electrolyte additive for lithium oxygen batteries (LOBs) was designed to have (1) a redox-active moiety to mediate decomposition of lithium peroxide (Li₂O₂ as the final discharge product) during charging and (2) a solvent moiety to solvate and stabilize lithium superoxide (LiO₂ as the intermediate discharge product) in electrolyte during discharging. 4-Acetamido-TEMPO (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) or AAT was employed as the additive working for both charge and discharge processes (amphi-active). The redox-active moiety was rooted in TEMPO, while the acetamido (AA) functional group inherited the high donor number (DN) of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Integrating two functional moieties (TEMPO and AA) into a single molecule resulted in the bifunctionality of AAT (1) facilitating Li₂O₂ decomposition by the TEMPO moiety and (2) encouraging the solvent mechanism of Li₂O₂ formation by the high-DN AA moiety. Significantly improved LOB performances were achieved by the superoxide-solvating charge redox mediator, which were not obtained by a simple cocktail of TEMPO and DMAc.

A single-ion conducting covalent organic framework for aqueous rechargeable Zn-ion batteries

Despite their potential as promising alternatives to current state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries, aqueous rechargeable Zn-ion batteries are still far away from practical applications. Here, we present a new class of single-ion conducting electrolytes based on a zinc sulfonated covalent organic framework (TpPa-SO₃Zn_0.5) to address this challenging issue. TpPa-SO₃Zn_0.5 is synthesised to exhibit single Zn²⁺ conduction behaviour via its delocalised sulfonates that are covalently tethered to directional pores and achieve structural robustness by its β-ketoenamine linkages. Driven by these structural and physicochemical features, TpPa-SO₃Zn_0.5 improves the redox reliability of the Zn metal anode and acts as an ionomeric buffer layer for stabilising the MnO₂ cathode. Such improvements in the TpPa-SO₃Zn_0.5–electrode interfaces, along with the ion transport phenomena, enable aqueous Zn–MnO₂ batteries to exhibit long-term cyclability, demonstrating the viability of COF-mediated electrolytes for Zn-ion batteries.

A zinc sulfonated covalent organic framework is presented as a new single-ion conducting electrolyte for aqueous rechargeable Zn-ion batteries.

Antiphase Boundaries as Faceted Metallic Wires in 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Antiphase boundaries (APBs) in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted wide interest as 1D metallic wires embedded in a semiconducting matrix, which could be exploited in fully 2D-integrated circuits. Here, the anisotropic morphologies of APBs (i.e., linear and saw-toothed APBs) in the nanoscale are investigated. The experimental and computational results show that despite their anisotropic nanoscale morphologies, all APBs adopt a predominantly chalcogen-oriented dense structure to maintain the energetically most stable atomic configuration. Moreover, the effect of the nanoscale morphology of an APB on electron transport from two-probe field effect transistor measurements is investigated. A saw-toothed APB has a considerably lower electron mobility than a linear APB, indicating that kinks between facets are the main factors of scattering. The observations contribute to the systematical understanding of the faceted APBs and its impact on electrical transport behavior and it could potentially extend the applications of 2D materials through defect engineering to achieve the desired properties.

Atomically dispersed Pt-N4 sites as efficient and selective electrocatalysts for the chlorine evolution reaction

Chlorine evolution reaction (CER) is a critical anode reaction in chlor-alkali electrolysis. Although precious metal-based mixed metal oxides (MMOs) have been widely used as CER catalysts, they suffer from the concomitant generation of oxygen during the CER. Herein, we demonstrate that atomically dispersed Pt−N₄ sites doped on a carbon nanotube (Pt₁/CNT) can catalyse the CER with excellent activity and selectivity. The Pt₁/CNT catalyst shows superior CER activity to a Pt nanoparticle-based catalyst and a commercial Ru/Ir-based MMO catalyst. Notably, Pt₁/CNT exhibits near 100% CER selectivity even in acidic media, with low Cl⁻ concentrations (0.1 M), as well as in neutral media, whereas the MMO catalyst shows substantially lower CER selectivity. In situ electrochemical X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals the direct adsorption of Cl⁻ on Pt−N₄ sites during the CER. Density functional theory calculations suggest the PtN₄C₁₂ site as the most plausible active site structure for the CER.

Chlorine evolution reaction (CER) is a key electrochemical reaction for chemical, pulp, and paper industries, and water treatments. Here, the authors report that an atomically dispersed Pt−N₄ site can catalyse CER with high activity and selectivity under a wide range of Cl^– concentrations and pH.

Antioxidative Lithium Reservoir Based on Interstitial Channels of Carbon Nanotube Bundles

Lithium (Li) metal has garnered considerable attention in next-generation battery anodes. However, its environmental vulnerability, along with the electrochemical instability and safety failures, poses a formidable challenge to commercial use. Here, we describe a new class of antioxidative Li reservoir based on interstitial channels of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundles. The Li preferentially confined in the interstitial channels exhibits unusual thermodynamic stability and exceptional capacity even after exposure to harsh environmental conditions, thereby enabling us to propose a new lithiation/delithiation mechanism in carbon nanotubes. To explore practical application of this approach, the Li confined in the SWCNT bundles is electrochemically extracted and subsequently plated on a copper foil. The resulting Li-plated copper foil shows reliable charge/discharge behavior comparable to those of pristine Li foils. Benefiting from the confinement effect of the interstitial channels, the SWCNT bundles hold great promise as an environmentally tolerant, high-capacity Li reservoir.

Biomimetic Superoxide Disproportionation Catalyst for Anti-Aging Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

Reactive oxygen species or superoxide (O₂^-), which damages or ages biological cells, is generated during metabolic pathways using oxygen as an electron acceptor in biological systems. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) protects cells from superoxide-triggered apoptosis by converting superoxide to oxygen and peroxide. Lithium-oxygen battery (LOB) cells have the same aging problems caused by superoxide-triggered side reactions. We transplanted the function of SOD of biological systems into LOB cells. Malonic acid-decorated fullerene (MA-C₆₀) was used as a superoxide disproportionation chemocatalyst mimicking the function of SOD. As expected, MA-C₆₀ as the superoxide scavenger improved capacity retention along charge/discharge cycles successfully. A LOB cell that failed to provide a meaningful capacity just after several cycles at high current (0.5 mA cm^-2) with 0.5 mAh cm^-2 cutoff survived up to 50 cycles after MA-C₆₀ was introduced to the electrolyte. Moreover, the SOD-mimetic catalyst increased capacity, e.g., more than a 6-fold increase at 0.2 mA cm^-2. The experimentally observed toroidal morphology of the final discharge product of oxygen reduction (Li₂O₂) and density functional theory calculation confirmed that the solution mechanism of Li₂O₂ formation, more beneficial than the surface mechanism from the capacity-gain standpoint, was preferred in the presence of MA-C₆₀.

Heterochiral Doped Supramolecular Coordination Networks for High-Performance Optoelectronics

Chiral self-sorting has great potential for constructing new complex structures and determining chirality-dependent properties in multicomponent mixtures. However, it is still of great challenge to achieve high fidelity chiral self-discrimination. Besides, the researches on the coordination polymers or metal-organic frameworks for micro/nanooptoelectronics are still rare due to their low conductivity and difficulty in developing a rapid and simple scale-up synthetic method. Here, heterochiral supramolecular coordination networks (SCNs) were synthesized by the solvothermal reaction of naphthalene diimide enantiomers and cadmium iodide, using the chirality as a synthetic tuning parameter to control the morphologies. Intriguingly, heterochiral micro/nanocrystals exhibited photochromic and photodetecting properties. Furthermore, we also developed a simple and efficient doping method to enhance the conductivity and photoresponsivity of micro/nanocrystals using hydrazine. From experimental and theoretical studies, the mechanism was suggested as follows: the radicals in the singly occupied molecular orbital level of the ligands provide charge carriers that can undergo "through-space" transport between π-π stacked ligands and the electron transfer from adsorbed hydrazine to the SCNs results in reduction of energy gap, leading to increased conductivity. Our findings demonstrate a simple and powerful strategy for implementing coordination networks with redox ligands for micro/nanooptoelectronic applications.

In-situ local phase-transitioned MoSe2 in La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ heterostructure and stable overall water electrolysis over 1000 hours

Developing efficient bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting that are earth-abundant, cost-effective, and durable is of considerable importance from the practical perspective to mitigate the issues associated with precious metal-based catalysts. Herein, we introduce a heterostructure comprising perovskite oxides (La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO_3–δ) and molybdenum diselenide (MoSe₂) as an electrochemical catalyst for overall water electrolysis. Interestingly, formation of the heterostructure of La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO_3–δ and MoSe₂ induces a local phase transition in MoSe₂, 2 H to 1 T phase, and more electrophilic La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO_3–δ with partial oxidation of the Co cation owing to electron transfer from Co to Mo. Together with these synergistic effects, the electrochemical activities are significantly improved for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. In the overall water splitting operation, the heterostructure showed excellent stability at the high current density of 100 mA cm⁻² over 1,000 h, which is exceptionally better than the stability of the state-of-the-art platinum and iridium oxide couple.

While catalysts are necessary for H₂ and O₂ production from water, developing materials capable of evolving both under the same conditions has proven challenging. Here, authors prepare perovskite-oxide and molybdenum sulfide heterostructures as bifunctional water-splitting electrocatalysts.

Solvent-Free, Single Lithium-Ion Conducting Covalent Organic Frameworks

Porous crystalline materials such as covalent organic frameworks and metal-organic frameworks have garnered considerable attention as promising ion conducting media. However, most of them additionally incorporate lithium salts and/or solvents inside the pores of frameworks, thus failing to realize solid-state single lithium-ion conduction behavior. Herein, we demonstrate a lithium sulfonated covalent organic framework (denoted as TpPa-SO₃Li) as a new class of solvent-free, single lithium-ion conductors. Benefiting from well-designed directional ion channels, a high number density of lithium-ions, and covalently tethered anion groups, TpPa-SO₃Li exhibits an ionic conductivity of 2.7 × 10^-5 S cm^-1 with a lithium-ion transference number of 0.9 at room temperature and an activation energy of 0.18 eV without additionally incorporating lithium salts and organic solvents. Such unusual ion transport phenomena of TpPa-SO₃Li allow reversible and stable lithium plating/stripping on lithium metal electrodes, demonstrating its potential use for lithium metal electrodes.

Highly Enantioselective Graphene-Based Chemical Sensors Prepared by Chiral Noncovalent Functionalization

As a basic characteristic of the natural environment and living matter, chirality has been used in various scientific and technological fields. Chiral discrimination is of particular interest owing to its importance in catalysis, organic synthesis, biomedicine, and pharmaceutics. However, it is still very challenging to effectively and selectively sense and separate different enantiomers. Here, enantio-differentiating chemosensor systems have been developed through spontaneous chiral functionalization of the surface of graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs). GFET sensors functionalized using noncovalent interactions between graphene and a newly synthesized chiral-functionalized pyrene material, Boc-l-Phe-Pyrene, exhibit highly enantioselective detection of natural acryclic monoterpenoid enantiomers, that is, ( R)-(+)- and ( S)-(-)-β-citronellol. On the basis of a computational study, the origin of enantio-differentiation is assigned to the discriminable charge transfer from ( R)-(+)- or ( S)-(-)-β-citronellol into graphene with a significant difference in binding strength depending on surface morphology. The chemosensor system developed herein has great potential to be applied in miniaturized and rapid enantioselective sensing with high sensitivity and selectivity.

Chiral self-sorted multifunctional supramolecular biocoordination polymers and their applications in sensors

Chiral supramolecules have great potential for use in chiral recognition, sensing, and catalysis. Particularly, chiral supramolecular biocoordination polymers (SBCPs) provide a versatile platform for characterizing biorelated processes such as chirality transcription. Here, we selectively synthesize homochiral and heterochiral SBCPs, composed of chiral naphthalene diimide ligands and Zn ions, from enantiomeric and mixed R-ligands and S-ligands, respectively. Notably, we find that the chiral self-sorted SBCPs exhibit multifunctional properties, including photochromic, photoluminescent, photoconductive, and chemiresistive characteristics, thus can be used for various sensors. Specifically, these materials can be used for detecting hazardous amine materials due to the electron transfer from the amine to the SBCP surface and for enantioselectively sensing a chiral species naproxen due to the different binding energies with regard to their chirality. These results provide guidelines for the synthesis of chiral SBCPs and demonstrate their versatility and feasibility for use in various sensors covering photoactive, chemiresistive, and chiral sensors.

Edge-Terminated MoS2 Nanoassembled Electrocatalyst via In Situ Hybridization with 3D Carbon Network

Transition metal dichalcogenides, especially MoS₂ , are considered as promising electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Since the physicochemical properties of MoS₂ and electrode morphology are highly sensitive factor for HER performance, designed synthesis is highly pursued. Here, an in situ method to prepare a 3D carbon/MoS₂ hybrid catalyst, motivated by the graphene ribbon synthesis process, is reported. By rational design strategies, the hybrid electrocatalysts with cross-connected porous structure are obtained, and they show a high HER activity even comparable to the state-of-the-art MoS₂ catalyst without appreciable activity loss in long-term operations. Based on various physicochemical techniques, it is demonstrated that the synthetic procedure can effectively guide the formation of active site and 3D structure with a distinctive feature; increased exposure of active sites by decreased domain size and intrinsically high activity through controlling the number of stacking layers. Moreover, the importance of structural properties of the MoS₂ -based catalysts is verified by controlled experiments, validating the effectiveness of the designed synthesis approach.

Preferential horizontal growth of tungsten sulfide on carbon and insight into active sulfur sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted considerable attention as active electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Since TMD catalysts are commonly supported on carbon to endow electrical conductivity, understanding the growth behaviour of TMDs on carbon surfaces is crucial, and yet remains to be explored. In this work, we investigated the growth behaviour of tungsten sulfide (WS_x) on carbon surfaces inside the confined nanopores. Experimental and computational studies revealed the preferential bonding between the basal planes of WS_x and carbon surfaces, as well as the subsequent horizontal growth of WS_x. As a result, subnanometer WS_x clusters were formed at a low WS_x loading, and grew into monolayer WS₂ nanoplates with increased WS_x loadings. In contrast, a TMD analogue, MoS₂, favors edge plane bonding with carbon surfaces and subsequent stacking of nanoplate layers, leading to multilayer MoS₂ nanoplates with increased MoS₂ loadings. A time-dependent growth of WS_x further corroborated the formation of WS₂ nanoplates at the expense of ultrasmall WS_x nanoclusters. Interestingly, the sample prepared with a short sulfidation time, which was mainly comprised of WS_x nanoclusters, showed higher HER activity compared to the sample prepared with a prolonged sulfidation time, which mostly contained WS₂ nanoplates. The higher HER activity of WS_x nanoclusters is attributed to the larger density of active bridging S₂^2- sites, compared to the WS₂ nanoplates. These findings may provide important insights into the growth behaviour of layered TMD materials at the nanoscale, as well as potential active species in WS_x for the HER.

Polysulfide-Breathing/Dual-Conductive, Heterolayered Battery Separator Membranes Based on 0D/1D Mingled Nanomaterial Composite Mats

Facile/sustainable utilization of sulfur active materials is an ultimate challenge in high-performance lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Here, as a membrane-driven approach to address this issue, we demonstrate a new class of polysulfide-breathing (capable of reversibly adsorbing and desorbing polysulfides)/dual (electron and ion) conductive, heterolayered battery separator membranes (denoted as "MEC-AA separators") based on 0D (nanoparticles)/1D (nanofibers) composite mats. The MEC-AA separator is fabricated through an in-series, concurrent electrospraying/electrospinning process. The top layer of the MEC-AA separator comprises close-packed mesoporous MCM-41 nanoparticles spatially besieged by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) wrapped poly(ether imide) (PEI) nanofibers. The MCM-41 in the top layer shows reversible adsorption/desorption of polysulfides, and the MWNT-wrapped PEI nanofibers act as a dual-conductive upper current collector. Preferential deposition of the MWNTs along the PEI nanofibers and dispersion state of the separator components are elucidated theoretically using computational methods. The support layer, which consists of densely packed Al₂O₃ nanoparticles and polyacrylonitrile nanofibers, serves as a mechanically/thermally stable and polysulfide-capturing porous membrane. The unique structure and multifunctionality of the MEC-AA separator allow for substantial improvements in redox reaction kinetics and cycling performance of Li-S cells far beyond those achievable with conventional polyolefin separators. The heterolayered nanomat-based membrane strategy opens a new route toward electrochemically active/permselective advanced battery separators.

COF-Net on CNT-Net as a Molecularly Designed, Hierarchical Porous Chemical Trap for Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

The hierarchical porous structure has garnered considerable attention as a multiscale engineering strategy to bring unforeseen synergistic effects in a vast variety of functional materials. Here, we demonstrate a "microporous covalent organic framework (COF) net on mesoporous carbon nanotube (CNT) net" hybrid architecture as a new class of molecularly designed, hierarchical porous chemical trap for lithium polysulfides (Li2Sx) in Li-S batteries. As a proof of concept for the hybrid architecture, self-standing COF-net on CNT-net interlayers (called "NN interlayers") are fabricated through CNT-templated in situ COF synthesis and then inserted between sulfur cathodes and separators. Two COFs with different micropore sizes (COF-1 (0.7 nm) and COF-5 (2.7 nm)) are chosen as model systems. The effects of the pore size and (boron-mediated) chemical affinity of microporous COF nets on Li2Sx adsorption phenomena are theoretically investigated through density functional theory calculations. Benefiting from the chemical/structural uniqueness, the NN interlayers effectively capture Li2Sx without impairing their ion/electron conduction. Notably, the COF-1 NN interlayer, driven by the well-designed microporous structure, allows for the selective deposition/dissolution (i.e., facile solid-liquid conversion) of electrically inert Li2S. As a consequence, the COF-1 NN interlayer provides a significant improvement in the electrochemical performance of Li-S cells (capacity retention after 300 cycles (at charge/discharge rate = 2.0 C/2.0 C) = 84% versus 15% for a control cell with no interlayer) that lies far beyond those accessible with conventional Li-S technologies.

Monolayer-precision synthesis of molybdenum sulfide nanoparticles and their nanoscale size effects in the hydrogen evolution reaction

Metal sulfide-based nanostructured materials have emerged as promising catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and significant progress has been achieved in enhancing their activity and durability for the HER. The understanding of nanoscale size-dependent catalytic activities can suggest critical information regarding catalytic reactivity, providing the scientific basis for the design of advanced catalysts. However, nanoscale size effects in metal sulfide-based HER catalysts have not yet been established fully, due to the synthetic difficulty in precisely size-controlled metal sulfide nanoparticles. Here we report the preparation of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) nanoparticles with monolayer precision from one to four layers with the nearly constant basal plane size of 5 nm, and their size-dependent catalytic activity in the HER. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we identified the most favorable single-, double-, and triple-layer MoS2 model structures for the HER, and calculated elementary step energetics of the HER over these three model structures. Combining HER activity measurements and the DFT calculation results, we establish that the turnover frequency of MoS2 nanoparticles in the HER increases in a quasi-linear manner with decreased layer numbers. Cobalt-promoted MoS2 nanoparticles also exhibited similar HER activity trend. We attribute the higher HER activity of smaller metal sulfide nanoparticles to the higher degree of oxidation, higher Mo-S coordination number, formation of the 1T phase, and lower activation energy required to overcome transition state. This insight into the nanoscale size-dependent HER activity trend will facilitate the design of advanced HER catalysts as well as other hydrotreating catalysts.

Highly sensitive and selective liquid-phase sensors based on a solvent-resistant organic-transistor platform

Liquid-phase sensing of various organic solvents is performed for the first time, using a solvent-resistant organic-transistor platform. Sensors composed of a cross-linked poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)-azide co-polymer and a calixarene derivative exhibit highly sensitive and selective sensing behavior, owing to the selective binding effects of the liquid analytes with the calixarene-functionalized P3HT-azide, extending the range of their use in practical applications.

Improvement of transmittance by fabricating broadband subwavelength anti-reflection structures for polycarbonate

We report on how to increase transmittance of a 0.2 mm thick polycarbonate (PC) film by periodic subwavelength anti-reflection structures in the visible spectral range. Subwavelength anti-reflection structures like moth-eyes are fabricated into the polycarbonate substrate itself by thermal nano-imprinting lithography (TH-NIL), which uses silicon stamps that have periodic structures such as gratings (lines and spaces) and pillared dots, and are fabricated by laser interference lithography (LIL) and transformer coupled plasma etching. To increase transmittance of a polycarbonate film, we control the periods and shapes of patterns, the number of patterned surfaces, and the overlapping direction of patterns that are fabricated into its surfaces. As a result of this, we show that average transmittance improves as the pattern period gets shorter and as both surfaces of the film are patterned. We also show that the spectrum range gets larger as the pattern period gets shorter and is determined by the longer pattern period in the case of designing a film to have different pattern period on its surfaces. The maximum average transmittance of a polycarbonate film increases up to approximately 6% compared to a bare sample in the 470-800 nm spectral range.

Stabilization effect of zeolite on DHFR mRNA in a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis system

The effects of zeolites and monocations on the protein synthesis in a cell-free system derived from wheat germ were investigated. M type of synthetic zeolite markedly enhanced the translation efficiency. Whereas this kind of stimulatory effect of zeolite in an Escherichia coli cell-free system resulted from a change in the salt compositions of the reaction solution with the addition of zeolite, the enhancement of protein synthesis in a wheat germ cell-free system was not due to the ion exchange reaction of zeolites. From the results of mRNA stability analysis, it was found that zeolite could stabilize the mRNA in a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis system. The stabilization of mRNA by the simple addition of zeolites is useful for the enhancement of protein synthesis in a wheat germ cell-free system, since conventional methods to improve mRNA stability, such as the addition of nuclease inhibitor, have not been effective for a wheat germ cell-free system.

Expression and stability of recombinant RQ-mRNAs in cell-free translation systems

Expression of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) mRNAs in cell-free Escherichia coli translation systems is greatly enhanced as a result of their insertion into RQ135 RNA, a naturally occurring satellite of phage Q beta. The enhancement is due to protection of the recombinant mRNAs against endogenous ribonucleases and to an increased initial rate of translation in the case of the RQ-CAT mRNA.