Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Adrien Perrichon, Anton Devishvili, Kristina Komander, Gunnar K. Palsson, Alexei Vorobiev, Rasmus Laven, Maths Karlsson, Max Wolff
Summary: Signal enhancement in a quantum resonator is used to characterize a thin layer of vanadium hydride using neutron reflectometry. Pressure-concentration isotherms and expansion coefficients can be extracted from totally externally reflected neutrons, and off-specular and small angle scattering can be detected and quantified through consistent data analysis of the attenuation cross section. The experiments are effective direct beam measurements, combined with resonant signal enhancement, resulting in reduced counting times and overcoming challenges related to the low brilliance of neutron beams for grazing incidence scattering experiments. Resonant enhancement shows potential to increase any scattering, particularly for grazing incidence small angle neutron scattering and spectroscopy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Esther H. R. Tsai, Yu Xia, Masafumi Fukuto, Yueh-Lin Loo, Ruipeng Li
Summary: Grazing-incidence diffraction tomography (GID tomography) is a technique that quantitatively determines the dimension and orientation of crystalline domains in thin films without restrictions on beam coherence, substrate type, or film thickness, extending the capabilities of synchrotron beamlines using standard X-ray scattering experiment setups.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bryan D. Paulsen, Alexander Giovannitti, Ruiheng Wu, Joseph Strzalka, Qingteng Zhang, Jonathan Rivnay, Christopher J. Takacs
Summary: This study presents a new methodology for in situ/operando X-ray characterization of electroactive polymer thin films in electrochemical applications. The method effectively separates electrolyte scattering, improves sensitivity to structural changes, and has multimodal potential.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xianjue Chen, Karin Ching, Aditya Rawal, Douglas J. Lawes, Mohammad Tajik, William A. Donald, Chuan Zhao, Sun Hwa Lee, Rodney S. Ruoff
Summary: A novel intercalated film has been developed through ion exchange, showing excellent stability in water and organic solvents, and demonstrating significantly faster water vapor and liquid water permeation rates compared to graphene oxide membranes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mohamed Abdelaal, Mohamed Hazem Abdellatif, Moritz Riede, Ghada Bassioni
Summary: Organic solar cells, composed of carbon-based organic molecules, convert solar energy into electricity and their performance depends on the microstructure of the light-absorbing organic bulk heterojunction. By studying the effect of substrate heating and donor concentration, it was found that both factors influence the microstructure of the OSC films. Increasing the substrate temperature did not significantly alter the crystal size, while higher donor concentrations disrupted the formation of C-60 crystals in the heterojunction.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Julian A. Steele, Eduardo Solano, David Hardy, Damara Dayton, Dylan Ladd, Keith White, Peng Chen, Jingwei Hou, Haowei Huang, Rafikul Ali Saha, Lianzhou Wang, Feng Gao, Johan Hofkens, Maarten B. J. Roeffaers, Dmitry Chernyshov, Michael F. Toney
Summary: Recent reports have increasingly utilized synchrotron-based grazing incident wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) to study metal halide perovskite thin films, which has proven to be invaluable for understanding structure-property relationships that limit optoelectronic performance. The GIWAXS technique is compatible with in situ and operando setups, and a growing research community has successfully used it to study kinetic and dynamic features in halide perovskite materials. This article aims to accelerate the learning curve for new experimentalists by providing a comprehensive framework for effective GIWAXS experiments.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Han Xu, Jianhua Han, Si Chen, Ye Liu, Luis Huerta Hernandez, Jules Bertrandie, Maxime Babics, Shahidul Alam, Diego Rosas Villalva, Sri Harish Kumar Paleti, Julien Gorenflot, Christoph Herok, Nicolas Ramos, Joel Troughton, Anirudh Sharma, Todd B. Marder, Bernd Engels, Jaime Martin, Stefaan De Wolf, Frederic Laquai, Derya Baran
Summary: This study investigates the structure-outdoor-stability relationship of Y-NFAs and reveals that Y-NFAs with long internal side-chains and fluorinated end-groups can improve device stability. Moreover, the performance loss of Y-NFA-based OSCs under illumination is driven by increased trap-assisted recombination over time.
Article
Polymer Science
Mingqiu Hu, Xindi Li, William T. Heller, Wim Bras, Javid Rzayev, Thomas P. Russell
Summary: In this study, grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering (GISANS) was used to investigate the depth-dependent orientation of self-assembled morphologies of block copolymers. The orientation of the microphase-separated structure differed at the polymer-air and polymer-substrate interfaces, as revealed by GISANS. The conversion of a hydrophobic-hydrophobic block copolymer to a hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymer significantly increased the segmental interaction parameter and caused microphase separation of the copolymers.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
James E. Ellis, Ki-Joong Kim, Patricia C. Cvetic, Paul R. Ohodnicki
Summary: LDHs are a type of cationic-layered solid that can be synthesized for various advanced functions, and in this work, an in-situ and patternable thin film synthesis of interconnected Zn-Cr LDH particles was successfully demonstrated at room temperature within minutes. The replacement of interlayer anion with perfluorooctanoate results in an increased interlayer sheet distance and the formation of a super-hydrophobic thin film capable of adsolubilizing and retaining organic guest molecules.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Yohei Nakanishi, Kiminori Uchida, Kazuki Mita, Kazutaka Kamitani, Ken Kojio, Atsushi Takahara
Summary: In this study, the crystal structures of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) thin films on graphite and silicon substrates were investigated using various experimental techniques. It was found that the substrate influenced the orientation and crystallinity of the crystals, with different growth modes observed for edge-on and flat-on orientations. Additionally, the relationship between the growth axes of the lamella and the surface-induced orientation along the normal direction of the substrates was successfully clarified for the first time using thin film systems.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ignacio Ugarte-Urra, Yi-Ming Wang
Summary: Images from the Solar Orbiter indicate the presence of widespread magnetic plasma jets at the roots of the solar wind.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Edgar Gutierrez-Fernandez, Alvaro Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Mari-Cruz Garcia-Gutierrez, Aurora Nogales, Esther Rebollar, Eduardo Solano, Tiberio A. Ezquerra
Summary: This article explores the potential of synchrotron Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS) in evaluating the extension of a Photoinduced Resist-free Imprinting (PRI) effect on fullerene derivative thin films. The results show that GISAXS can provide valuable information about the nature of nanostructures, with PRI effect leading to a more disordered structure compared to the original LIPSS. This study highlights GISAXS as a powerful tool for characterizing Resist-free Imprinting procedures in nanotechnology.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming-Shui Yao, Ken-ichi Otake, Susumu Kitagawa
Summary: This article summarizes the design strategies of conductive crystalline porous materials (cCPMs) thin films and highlights the synergistic interface based on cCPM thin films. The article is organized into three parts: the categories and design of cCPMs, the design and characterization of cCPM thin films and a proof-of-concept example of the synergistic interface, and the conclusion and outlook.
TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
A. Mukherjee, A. Momeni, A. R. Allouche, E. M. Staicu Casagrande, T. Minea, H. Khemliche
Summary: Grazing Incidence Fast Atom Diffraction (GIFAD) is a recent technique used for characterizing surface structures and real-time monitoring of thin film growth. It has typically been used in Ultra-High-Vacuum conditions, but our study shows that it can operate at pressures as high as 10-2 mbar, allowing for new research opportunities in various deposition methods.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christopher R. Greve, Meike Kuhn, Fabian Eller, Michael A. Buchhorn, Alexander Hexemer, Guillaume Freychet, Lutz Wiegart, Eva M. Herzig
Summary: X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) is a versatile tool for measuring dynamics in bulk samples on the nanometer to micrometer scale. This paper investigates the impact of reflection and refraction effects on the correlation analysis in grazing incidence (GI) scattering experiments. By measuring both grazing incidence transmission XPCS (GT-XPCS) and grazing incidence XPCS (GI-XPCS), the main contributions of the detected signal and the limitations for data interpretation are identified.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yizhou Zhong, Anil Koklu, Diego Rosas Villalva, Yongcao Zhang, Luis Huerta Hernandez, Maximilian Moser, Rawad K. Hallani, Iain McCulloch, Derya Baran, Sahika Inal
Summary: Organic photodiodes (OPDs) have the potential to be used in flexible, lightweight, and miniaturized photodetectors for wearable applications. However, the current and light responsivity of OPDs are limited, and alternative methods are needed to enhance the signal response. In this study, a miniaturized organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is integrated with an OPD module to harness the potential of OPDs in acquiring physiological signals. The integrated photodetector (IPD) system uses the light intensity to regulate the OPD voltage output, which in turn modulates the OECT channel current. The high transconductance of the OECT enables efficient voltage-to-current conversion, improving the signal-to-noise ratio at the sensing site. The IPD achieves significantly higher photocurrent and responsivity compared to the standalone OPD, highlighting its potential as a wearable biosensor for detecting weak light-based signals from living systems.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xihu Wu, Shuai Chen, Maximilian Moser, Akshay Moudgil, Sophie Griggs, Adam Marks, Ting Li, Iain McCulloch, Wei Lin Leong
Summary: This study demonstrates a high-performance solid-state organic electrochemical transistor (SSOECT) with high transconductance, ultrafast speed, and operational stability. The SSOECTs can detect low-amplitude physiological signals in harsh environments with high signal-to-noise ratio.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Malgorzata Nguyen, Ulrike Kraft, Wen Liang Tan, Illia Dobryden, Katharina Broch, Weimin Zhang, Hio-Ieng Un, Dimitrios Simatos, Deepak Venkateshavaran, Iain McCulloch, Per M. Claesson, Christopher R. McNeill, Henning Sirringhaus
Summary: Conjugated polymer field-effect transistors show excellent mechanical properties, high charge-carrier mobilities, and compatibility with large-area, low-temperature processing, making them a promising technology for flexible electronics. However, their electrical stability is still a concern. This study presents a simple method of antisolvent treatment to improve the stability and performance of solution-processable indacenodithiophene-co-benzothiadiazole (IDT-BT) polymer transistors. The method increases the degree of crystallinity in the weakly crystalline polymer films, reducing electron trapping and charge traps. This highlights the importance of microstructure in weakly crystalline polymer films and offers a processing strategy for reliable flexible electronics.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiajun Song, Guanqi Tang, Jiupeng Cao, Hong Liu, Zeyu Zhao, Sophie Griggs, Anneng Yang, Naixiang Wang, Haiyang Cheng, Chun-Ki Liu, Iain McCulloch, Feng Yan
Summary: In this study, a high-performance flexible photodetector is realized by gating an organic electrochemical transistor with a perovskite solar cell. The device exhibits high gain, fast response time, and ultrahigh detectivity under a low working voltage, allowing it to track photoplethysmogram signals and peripheral oxygen saturation. This work offers a novel strategy for high-performance flexible photodetectors in low-power, user-friendly, and wearable optoelectronics.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuanbao Lin, Yadong Zhang, Artiom Magomedov, Eleftheria Gkogkosi, Junxiang Zhang, Xiaopeng Zheng, Abdulrahman El-Labban, Stephen Barlow, Vytautas Getautis, Ergang Wang, Leonidas Tsetseris, Seth R. Marder, Iain McCulloch, Thomas D. D. Anthopoulos
Summary: The incorporation of Br-2PACz/MoO3 in inverted OPVs enhances the performance of the cells and improves their operational stability.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Junxin Chen, Shengyu Cong, Lewen Wang, Yazhou Wang, Liuyuan Lan, Chaoyue Chen, Yecheng Zhou, Zhengke Li, Iain McCulloch, Wan Yue
Summary: This study presents a significant advancement in high-performance n-type semiconducting polymers by constructing a coplanar backbone through intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The resulting polymers exhibit enhanced performance in aqueous electrolyte, with higher electrochromic contrast and coloration efficiency, as well as improved electron mobility and mu C* values. The hydrogen bond functionalization strategy opens up new possibilities for achieving desirable performance metrics in aqueous-based electrochemical devices.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Furkan H. Isikgor, Shynggys Zhumagali, Luis V. T. Merino, Michele De Bastiani, Iain McCulloch, Stefaan De Wolf
Summary: Metal-oxide-based charge-transport layers are crucial for the development of perovskite solar cells, but the metal-oxide/perovskite interfaces often have defects that hinder charge transfer and cause non-radiative recombination. This review explores the challenges associated with these interfaces and proposes solutions using molecular engineering, such as self-assembled monolayers, to improve their performance and commercial viability.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Laura von Lueders, Rita Tilmann, Kangho Lee, Cian Bartlam, Tanja Stimpel-Lindner, Tarja K. Nevanen, Kristiina Iljin, Kathrin C. Knirsch, Andreas Hirsch, Georg S. Duesberg
Summary: We present a controllable and specific functionalisation approach for graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) in order to detect small physiologically active molecules. The key step involves the noncovalent functionalisation of graphene with perylene bisimide (PBI) molecules directly on the growth substrate. This method allows for the homogeneous self-assembly of PBI molecules on graphene, followed by the immobilization of antibodies. The functionalised GFET devices showed excellent performance in terms of atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical measurements compared to conventional functionalisation methods. Specific sensing of small molecules such as methamphetamine and cortisol was achieved by monitoring the electrical changes of the functionalised GFET devices. The sensors were able to detect methamphetamine down to a concentration of 300 ng ml(-1).
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Felix Hemauer, Valentin Schwaab, Eva Marie Freiberger, Natalie J. Waleska, Andreas Leng, Cornelius Weiss, Johann Steinhauer, Fabian Duell, Philipp Bachmann, Andreas Hirsch, Hans-Peter Steinrueck, Christian Papp
Summary: This study investigates the surface chemistry of a derivatized norbornadiene/quadricyclane molecule pair and explores their potential as energy storage solutions for renewable energy sources. It demonstrates the success of triggering the release of stored energy on Pt(111) and reveals the decomposition pathways of the two isomers on Ni(111).
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jovana Jaksic, Iris Solymosi, Andreas Hirsch, M. Eugenia Perez-Ojeda, Aleksandra Mitrovic, Veselin Maslak
Summary: This study presents the synthesis and characterization of four dumbbell-shaped fullerene molecules connected by isosorbide and isomannide moieties. The electrochemical behavior of these molecules and their ability to form complexes with [10]cycloparaphenylene ([10]CPP) were investigated. The results showed a high electron affinity for the fullerene dumbbells, indicating a strong interaction with carbon nanorings.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Juan S. Rocha-Ortiz, Joel Jose Montalvo-Acosta, Yakun He, Alberto Insuasty, Andreas Hirsch, Christoph J. Brabec, Alejandro Ortiz
Summary: Eight novel C60-BODIPY-Triarylamine electroactive triads were synthesized and characterized, and the effect of different linkers and functionalization on the electronic properties were studied. The compounds showed strong absorption of visible light and photo-induced electron transfer, confirmed by solvatochromic effects and redox potentials. The study also found that the pyrrolidine derivatives were more stable than isoxazoline analogs and alkoxy units improved thermal endurance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Daniel W. Polak, Iain Andrews, George Farrow, Andrew J. Musser, Alex Auty, Dimitri Chekulaev, Julia A. Weinstein, Martin Heeney, Jenny Clark
Summary: We synthesized a series of regioregular (3-dodecyl)thienylene-vinylene oligomers and investigated their spectroscopy. The results showed that these oligomers belong to the polyene family. The shortest oligomer emitted from a bright state, while longer oligomers and the polymer were non-emissive due to the absence of intensity-borrowing mechanism between bright and dark states. A polyene model with weak electronic correlations explained the spectral shapes and photoluminescence behavior.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Troy L. R. Bennett, Adam V. Marsh, James M. Turner, Felix Plasser, Martin Heeney, Florian Gloecklhofer
Summary: Conjugated macrocycles can exhibit concealed antiaromaticity, displaying properties observed in antiaromatic molecules due to their formal macrocyclic 4n pi-electron system. Paracyclophanetetraene (PCT) and its derivatives are prime examples, showing potential applications in battery electrode materials and electronic applications. Two dibrominated PCTs were synthesized and functionalized via Suzuki cross-coupling reactions, with optical, electrochemical, and theoretical studies revealing the tunability of PCT properties by aryl substituents.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS DESIGN & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi-Teng Huang, Davide Nodari, Francesco Furlan, Youcheng Zhang, Marin Rusu, Linjie Dai, Zahra Andaji-Garmaroudi, Daniel Darvill, Xiaoyu Guo, Martina Rimmele, Thomas Unold, Martin Heeney, Samuel D. Stranks, Henning Sirringhaus, Akshay Rao, Nicola Gasparini, Robert L. Z. Hoye
Summary: Solution-processed AgBiS2 photodetectors with high cut-off frequencies under both white light and NIR illumination have been developed. These photodetectors have potential applications in a wide range of fields including sensors, optical communications, and bioimaging.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bowen Ding, Manik Bhosale, Troy L. R. Bennett, Martin Heeney, Felix Plasser, Birgit Esser, Florian Gloecklhofer
Summary: This study reports the development of an unsubstituted derivative, SqTI-H, of locally aromatic alkyl-N-substituted squarephaneic tetraimide (SqTI) conjugated macrocycles. By removing sidechains, the solubility of SqTI-H is reduced, resulting in improved thermal stability and low solubility. The unsubstituted SqTI-H also exhibits reversible solid state electrochemical reduction to a globally aromatic dianion state. However, further optimization of electrode fabrication procedures is needed to overcome the solubility issues and improve the cycling performance.
FARADAY DISCUSSIONS
(2023)