Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karthika Krishna Kumar, Juliana Caspers, Felix Ginot, Matthias Krueger, Clemens Bechinger
Summary: In this study, the transient recoil dynamics of non-spherical particles in viscoelastic fluids were experimentally and theoretically investigated. In addition to translational recoil, a pronounced angular reorientation caused by the relaxation of the surrounding fluid was observed. The results demonstrate the complex behavior of asymmetric objects in viscoelastic fluids under external driving.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Marcel Huelsberg, Sabine H. L. Klapp
Summary: Strongly confined colloidal dispersions under shear can exhibit a variety of dynamical phenomena. In this study, we investigate the behavior of these systems under pure oscillatory shearing, and find that temporary depinning occurs for shear rate amplitudes above a frequency-dependent critical amplitude. We also observe a variety of dynamical structures above the critical amplitude, with their stability depending on the shear rate and frequency.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Giulia Fiorucci, Marjolein Dijkstra
Summary: The study investigates the out-of-equilibrium phase behavior of charged colloids under external oscillatory shear using non-equilibrium Brownian dynamics simulations. It reveals the formation of a twinned face-centered-cubic phase and a martensitic transition to a body-centered-cubic crystal in a specific range of maximum strain amplitude, along with the presence of a sliding layer phase and a string phase.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pengchong Wei, Pan Gao, Jialong Yang, Wei Pu
Summary: This research conducted nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations with different numbers of hexadecane molecules as lubricating oil to model the friction characteristics under dynamic speed and load conditions. The findings showed that the friction force is closely related to the interfaces where relative sliding occurs, and the number, velocity difference, and degree of solidification of these interfaces have significant influences. The variation of amplitude under dynamic load affects the density of the lubricating layer, while the variation of frequency affects the range of motion of the molecular layer, and both effects are crucial for friction.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pengchong Wei, Pan Gao, Jialong Yang, Wei Pu
Summary: It is crucial to understand the variation of the oil film and its accompanying friction properties under different dynamic operating conditions in order to comprehend the friction mechanism and control friction behavior. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the friction characteristics under boundary lubrication (BL) and elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) conditions. The findings suggest that the friction force is strongly influenced by the interfaces where relative sliding occurs, as well as the number, velocity difference, and solidification degree of these interfaces. The variation of amplitude and frequency under dynamic load has significant effects on the density and motion range of the lubricating layer, which ultimately affect friction.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
M. V. Saisavadas, Surajit Dhara, R. G. Joshi, B. V. R. Tata
Summary: We investigated the yielding behavior and large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) response of two types of PNIPAM microgel particles, one with core-shell structure and dangling polymer chains (CS-PNIPAM) and the other with only a homogeneous cross-linked core (HC-PNIPAM). In the glassy state, CS-PNIPAM particles exhibited two-step yielding, similar to soft-sphere colloidal glasses, while HC-PNIPAM particles showed single-step yielding, similar to hard-sphere colloidal glasses. Dangling polymer chains in CS-PNIPAM particles were found to be responsible for sub-diffusive behavior and two-step yielding behavior. LAOS measurements provided further insight into the role of dangling polymer chains in the yielding behavior.
COLLOID AND POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Lisha Luo, Zhibin Yan, Minqi Yang, Hongjie Yin, Haiyang Fu, Mingliang Jin, Huicheng Feng, Guofu Zhou, Lingling Shui
Summary: The effects of ionic surfactants on colloidal particle assembly process were studied, revealing that different aggregate structures form in different concentration ranges, and the interparticle separation distance within the aggregate can be regulated by increasing surfactant concentration.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maxime Liard, Didier Lootens, Pascal Hebraud
Summary: The aggregation behavior of attractive colloidal silica suspension was studied under oscillatory flow using rheological measurement. It was found that the competition between particle aggregation and aggregate breakup under external stress resulted in a non-monotonous evolution of the elastic modulus over time. Interestingly, the elasticity exhibited a maximum under certain conditions, rather than continuously increasing with time. The value of this maximum elastic modulus depended on the shear amplitude and ionic strength of the suspension. Scaling laws were proposed and discussed to describe the evolutions of the elastic modulus as a function of salinity and deformation amplitude.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL E
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kalil Bernardino, Mauro C. C. Ribeiro
Summary: Ionic liquids have unique physical properties due to strong ionic interactions, resulting in larger viscosities and densities compared to mixtures of neutral compounds. The direct effect of electrostatic interactions and liquid density on high viscosity has not been quantified, and the effects on shear thinning behavior have not been considered. This study used non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to investigate these questions and explore the relationship between non-newtonian behavior and intermolecular structure.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Runsong Mao, Xinjie Wang, Shibo Cai, Guang Zhang, Jiong Wang
Summary: This study investigates the nonlinear viscoelasticity of magnetorheological gel (MRG) using a quantitative analysis method called Fourier-transform rheology (FTR), and discusses the influences of magnetic field, strain amplitude, and frequency. The results reveal that MRG exhibits higher degree of nonlinearity in the high-frequency region under a relatively smaller magnetic field.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Minh Kim Nguyen, Le Gia Trung, Hoang Hung Nguyen, Nguyen Tien Tran
Summary: The study presents a convenient method for synthesizing hexagonal gibbsite nanoplatelets and demonstrates its potential in producing large-area membranes. The hexagonal gibbsite platelets can be shear-aligned in aqueous dispersion to form highly ordered, continuous films, showing promise for scalable-up production with high quality in various practical applications.
JOURNAL OF THE TAIWAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jinfeng Zhang, Xiaoteng Shen, Qinghe Zhang, Jerome P. -Y. Maa, Mingze Lin
Summary: In this study, numerical simulation was used to investigate the flocculation processes of different density colloidal particles under similar hydrodynamic conditions. The results show that the conflicting observations at low shear rates are mainly caused by particle gravity, which affects the particle residence time.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tanmay Vachaspati
Summary: We analyze the magnetic field of electroweak dumbbells. Untwisted dumbbells follow the usual dipole formula, with the magnetic field falling off as 1/r^3. However, twisted dumbbells have a novel twisted magnetic field, which only falls off as cos theta/r^2 in spherical coordinates. We discuss the relevance of twisted electroweak dumbbells in understanding the coherence of the magnetic field generated during the electroweak phase transition.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingyuan Zhang, Xiao Li, Yawei Liu, Jiangang Feng, Jinjin Zhao, Yue Geng, Hanfei Gao, Tie Wang, Wensheng Yang, Lei Jiang, Yuchen Wu
Summary: This paper reports a method of creating microstructure arrays of colloidal nanorods with controllable orientation and long-range order by locally controlling the free-volume entropy in nonequilibrium fluids. The unique fluid dynamics of the liquid bridge allows the nanorods to assemble in a 2D closest packing arrangement parallel to the three-phase contact line, achieving maximum reduction in Gibbs free energy. By manipulating the orientation of the liquid flow, microstructures with programmable geometry can be assembled, sustaining polarized photoluminescence and polarization-dependent photodetection. This confined assembly method opens up new possibilities for the assembly of nanomaterials with controllable orientation and long-range order as a platform for multifunctional integrated devices.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Panagiotis K. Triantafyllos, Vassiliki N. Georgiannou, Eleni-Maria Pavlopoulou, Yannis F. Dafalias
Summary: This study investigates the effect of stabilisation using colloidal silica aqueous gel on the mechanical behavior of M31 sand. The results show significant changes in the sand's dilatancy and strength characteristics after stabilisation, as well as a relocation of the critical state line in the e-p' plane.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yuhang Zhao, Radwan M. Sarhan, Alberto Eljarrat, Zdravko Kochovski, Christoph Koch, Bernd Schmidt, Wouter Koopman, Yan Lu
Summary: Bimetallic nanostructures can generate a new type of photo-enhanced nanoreactors by utilizing photo-generated heat to accelerate catalytic reactions. The study demonstrates that the photothermal conversion of Au-Pd nanorods can be improved by coating with polydopamine or TiO2, resulting in increased reaction rates.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiaoyi Ning, Hongtao Yu, Shilin Mei, Yannik Schuetze, Sebastian Risse, Nikolay Kardjilov, Andre Hilger, Ingo Manke, Annika Bande, Victor G. Ruiz, Joachim Dzubiella, Hong Meng, Yan Lu
Summary: This study proves the concept of constructing binder- and carbon additive-free organosulfur cathode using thiol-containing conducting polymer PTBT. The PTBT-based cathode exhibits good reversible capacity and cycling performance, and eliminates the influence of additives, making it suitable for operando analysis as a model electrode.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yaolin Xu, Kang Dong, Yulin Jie, Philipp Adelhelm, Yawei Chen, Liang Xu, Peiping Yu, Junghwa Kim, Zdravko Kochovski, Zhilong Yu, Wanxia Li, James LeBeau, Yang Shao-Horn, Ruiguo Cao, Shuhong Jiao, Tao Cheng, Ingo Manke, Yan Lu
Summary: In recent years, research on Li metal anodes as an alternative to graphite anodes in Li-ion batteries has gained significant attention due to its potential in boosting the energy density of lithium batteries. However, the practical use of Li metal anodes has been hindered by issues of unstable Li deposition and poor cyclability. This article discusses recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of Li deposition/dissolution and solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) formation through advanced characterization techniques and simulation methods. The limitations and open questions in these processes are also addressed, along with perspectives on future research and potential methods for obtaining new insights.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. Abbasi, Y. Xu, R. Khezri, M. Etesami, C. Lin, S. Kheawhom, Y. Lu
Summary: Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are gaining popularity due to their high energy density, safety, and environmental friendliness. This review discusses recent advances and strategies for improving the performance of polymeric membrane/separator in ZABs.
MATERIALS TODAY SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dongjiu Xie, Yaolin Xu, Yonglei Wang, Xuefeng Pan, Eneli Hark, Zdravko Kochovski, Alberto Eljarrat, Johannes Muller, Christoph T. Koch, Jiayin Yuan, Yan Lu
Summary: This article introduces a method for synthesizing heteroatom-doped carbon materials using poly(ionic liquid) as precursors. Polydopamine coating and ion exchange were used to successfully apply imidazolium-based poly(ionic liquid) nanovesicles in morphology-maintaining carbonization, preparing carbon composite nanocapsules. The strategy was further extended to synthesize carbon composite nanocapsules functionalized with iron nitride nanoparticles. This well-crafted composite nanostructure effectively mitigated the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides in Li-S batteries, showing excellent electrochemical performance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Weronika Malicka, Rainer Haag, Matthias Ballauff
Summary: This study presents a thermodynamic investigation of the interaction between heparin and lysozyme in the presence of potassium glutamate (KGlu). The results show that increasing KGlu concentration decreases the binding free energy due to counterion release and changes in hydration. The characteristic temperature in the presence of KGlu is smaller than that in the presence of NaCl, and the change in specific heat becomes more negative with increasing salt concentration.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dusica Maysinger, Issan Zhang, Pei You Wu, Marten Kagelmacher, Haiming Daniel Luo, Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu, Jens Dernedde, Matthias Ballauf, Rainer Haag, Adeola Shobo, Gerhard Multhaup, R. Anne McKinney
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between polyglycerols with sulfate or sialic acid functional groups and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). The study aimed to determine if polyglycerols could prevent the loss of morphological plasticity in excitatory neurons in the hippocampus. The results suggest that dendritic and linear polyglycerols can interact with HMGB1 and prevent dendritic spine loss in excitatory neurons.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Uwe Freudenberg, Passant Atallah, Jens-Uwe Sommer, Carsten Werner, Matthias Ballauff
Summary: A model is proposed to explain the interaction between biological signaling proteins and highly charged polymer networks. The model takes into account the immobilization of counterions on highly charged chains and the Donnan equilibrium between the network and the aqueous solution. The model accurately compares with experimental data on biohybrid polymer networks interacting with signaling proteins.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiaohui Xu, Radwan M. Sarhan, Shilin Mei, Zdravko Kochovski, Wouter Koopman, Rodney D. Priestley, Yan Lu
Summary: In this study, a photothermal-responsive yolk-shell nanoreactor with tunable location of metal nanoparticles (NPs) was developed. The catalytic performance of these nanoreactors can be controlled by both light irradiation and conventional heating. The location of the catalysts had a significant impact on the reduction kinetics of the nanoreactors, with catalysts in the shell exhibiting higher catalytic activity compared to those in the core under conventional heating. When subjected to light irradiation, nanoreactors with catalysts loaded in the core demonstrated improved catalytic performance compared to direct heating, while nanoreactors with catalysts in the shell exhibited relatively similar activity. The enhancement in catalytic activity was attributed to the spatial distribution of the catalysts and the localized heating within the polydopamine cores of the nanoreactors.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenlei Xu, Yaolin Xu, Veronika Grzimek, Andrea Martin, Thorsten Schultz, Patricia A. Russo, Yan Lu, Norbert Koch, Nicola Pinna
Summary: This study synthesized TiNb2O7 materials with different morphologies and investigated their electrochemical performance as electrode materials in Li-ion batteries. The 2D morphology showed superior rate capability and cycling stability compared to the 1D and 3D materials. Operando X-ray diffraction measurements revealed the structural evolution and Li-ion diffusion kinetics during charge and discharge processes, while carbon coating further enhanced the rate capability and cycling stability.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Siavash Qodratipour, Henry Halim, Martin Rothe, Guenter Kewes, Yan Lu, Oliver Benson
Summary: This article demonstrates the coupling of noble metal and magnetic nanoparticles to a silver nanowire acting as an SPPs waveguide using a hybrid self-assembly approach to investigate the external control of SPPs propagation. The importance of utilizing the confinement of SPPs and spin-momentum locking phenomena for novel functionality in nanodevices is highlighted.
PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lubao Liang, Lintong Gao, Zhongyun Ma, Qi Cao, Bo Jing, Xianyou Wang, Yan Lu, Wenxi Wang
Summary: A nanofiber interlayer composed of cobalt wrapped with few-layer phosphorus-doped graphite (CoPG) was designed and used to suppress the shuttle effect and accelerate the conversion kinetics of polysulfides. The CoPG interlayer significantly prolonged the longevity of the Li-S batteries and maintained high capacity retention.
MATERIALS TODAY ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fuyao Liu, Ping Feng, Meng Yuan, Gongxun Zhai, Mugaanire Tendo Innocent, Hengxue Xiang, Qilin Wu, Yan Lu, Meifang Zhu
Summary: A flexible carbon nanotube (CNT) film with high conductivity and strong mechanical properties was fabricate...
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xuefeng Pan, Rongying Liu, Zhilong Yu, Benedikt Haas, Zdravko Kochovski, Sijia Cao, Radwan M. Sarhan, Guosong Chen, Yan Lu
Summary: This research presents a facile and green approach for the synthesis of metal/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites using a versatile glycopeptide (GP) as a stabilizer for CNTs and a reducing agent for noble metal ions. The formed GP-CNTs exhibit excellent plasticity, enabling the availability of various forms of CNT species. The metal nanoparticles can be immobilized on the CNT surface at room temperature without additional reducing agents. The Pd/CNT composite shows promising catalytic activity for the degradation of organic pollutants, enhanced by the photothermal conversion capability of CNTs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yulin Jie, Yaolin Xu, Yawei Chen, Miao Xie, Yue Liu, Fanyang Huang, Zdravko Kochovski, Zhanwu Lei, Lei Zheng, Pengduo Song, Chuansheng Hu, Zeming Qi, Xinpeng Li, Shiyang Wang, Yanbin Shen, Liwei Chen, Yezi You, Xiaodi Ren, William A. Goddard, Ruiguo Cao, Yan Lu, Tao Cheng, Kang Xu, Shuhong Jiao
Summary: This study reveals the details of the formation and evolution mechanism of the SEI that affects the stable cycling of the lithium electrode. By using a polymerization inhibitor and a specific initiator, the formation of a polymeric-inorganic composite SEI on the lithium electrode is successfully achieved, demonstrating excellent mechanical properties and self-healing ability.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2022)