Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xia-Li Liang, Jian-Qing Dai
Summary: BFMO thin films were successfully deposited on FTO/glass substrates via sol-gel technique, with Mn doping showing significant enhancement in properties compared to pure BFO samples. The Mn doping-induced changes in structure, grain size reduction, and oxygen vacancies were identified as underlying mechanisms for the improved performance of BFMO films, making them promising for ferroelectric photovoltaic device applications.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiaqi Ding, Ruiqi Guo, Jingcong Hu, Guoqiang Xi, Yue Lu, Jianjun Tian, Linxing Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of chemical regulation to improve the ferroelectric photovoltaic properties by reducing the bandgap and enhancing lattice distortion. Cobalt substitution is used to introduce chemical strain and enhance the tetragonality of the epitaxial films. The research reveals the potential application of chemical-strain-modulated epitaxial films in optoelectronics and information storage.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Dongfeng Zheng, Guo Tian, Yadong Wang, Wenda Yang, Luyong Zhang, Zoufei Chen, Zhen Fan, Deyang Chen, Zhipeng Hou, Xingsen Gao, Qiliang Li, Jun-Ming Liu
Summary: In this study, the controlled manipulation of conductive domain walls in epitaxial BiFeO3 thin films was demonstrated using piezoresponse force microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy. It was also found that nanoscale domains surrounded by highly conductive circular charged domain walls can be created and erased through the application of local field using a conductive probe.
JOURNAL OF MATERIOMICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuhang Ren, Hongbo Cheng, Jun Ouyang, Onur Kurt, Jianjun Wang, Qinghua Zhang, Yuyao Zhao, Lin Gu, Long-Qing Chen
Summary: A lead-free, simple composition of Ba(Zr,Ti)O-3 has been found to exhibit a pseudo-linear, ultra-slim polarization-electric field hysteresis loop, with a high energy efficiency of up to 90%. This is attributed to the presence of self-assembled, bimodal polymorphic nanodomains, which reduce the remnant polarization and delay polarization saturation. The strain engineering of these nanodomain structures provides a promising alternative to chemical compositional design for optimizing dielectric thin films.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Raphael Salazar, Sara Varotto, Celine Vergnaud, Vincent Garcia, Stephane Fusil, Julien Chaste, Thomas Maroutian, Alain Marty, Frederic Bonell, Debora Pierucci, Abdelkarim Ouerghi, Francois Bertran, Patrick Le Fevre, Matthieu Jamet, Manuel Bibes, Julien Rault
Summary: Multilayers based on quantum materials have the potential to revolutionize microelectronics and optoelectronics. However, heterostructures incorporating quantum materials from different families remain scarce. In this study, we demonstrate the large-scale integration of compounds from two highly multifunctional families, perovskite oxides and transition-metal dichalcogenides, opening up new possibilities for manipulating the properties of transition-metal dichalcogenides through proximity effects.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xia-Li Liang, Jian-Qing Dai, Guo-dong Zhang
Summary: High-quality modified BiFe1-2xMgxMnxO3 (BFMMO-x, x=0-5 mol%) films were prepared via the sol-gel method, and the influence of (Mg, Mn) doping on the properties of BFMMO films was investigated. The results showed that doping (Mg, Mn) effectively improved the structural stability, dielectric properties, and optical characteristics of BFMMO films.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoqin Ke, Zhengkai Hong, Qianqian Ma, Xin Wen, Zhiguo Wang, Sen Yang, Lixue Zhang, Dong Wang, Longlong Shu, Qian Deng, Shengping Shen, Xiaobing Ren, Yunzhi Wang
Summary: Flexoelectric materials, such as ferroelectrics, have the potential to be used in actuators and sensors due to their ability to generate polarization in response to a strain gradient. However, the flexoelectric coefficients of most dielectrics are too small for practical use. In this study, we demonstrate that by doping BaTiO3 with BaZrO3, the flexoelectric coefficient can be significantly enhanced through tuning the first-order paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition, providing a general design method for achieving high flexoelectric coefficients in a wide range of ferroelectric systems.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
M. C. Nagashree, S. D. Kulkarni, B. V. Rajendra, J. Seidel, M. S. Murari, P. Sharma
Summary: In this study, high-quality ferroic films of bismuth ferrite were synthesized on glass substrates using solution-based spray pyrolysis. The effects of annealing conditions on film quality and switchable polarization were investigated. The optimized films exhibited polycrystalline nanostructured grains with high X-ray diffraction intensity and a mixed valence state of Fe2+/3+. These films displayed a complex ferroelectric domain microstructure and demonstrated robust nanoscale polarization switching. The findings highlight the potential of spray pyrolysis for low-cost fabrication of high-quality ferroelectric thin films and its application in advanced electronic devices.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Baofeng Huang, Wensheng Lu
Summary: The study investigated the uniaxial compressive behavior of thin granite material and found that brittle columnar fracture was the typical damage mode. The stress-strain diagrams of specimens with different lengths exhibited nonlinear pre-peak geometrical shapes and varying post-peak behaviors. Compressive strength varied with specimen geometries, and strength modification formulas were found to be inapplicable to the tested specimens.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peng Wang, Xusheng Wang, Guorong Li, Yanxia Li, Xi Yao, Zhongbin Pan
Summary: This study proposes a strategy to enhance the energy storage density of ferroelectric thin films through interface engineering, and successfully achieves higher discharged energy density and efficiency. The optimized multilayer ferroelectric thin films have advantages such as fatigue-free and good stability, making them a promising dielectric material for practical energy storage applications.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuji Noguchi, Hiroki Matsuo
Summary: The superlattice consisting of Mn(5%)-doped BiFeO3 and BaTiO3 layers grown on SrTiO3 substrates shows different behaviors based on the number of unit cells in the layers. Superlattices with fewer than 5 unit cells behave as a unified ferroelectric, while those with more than 25 unit cells behave as a simple series connection of individual capacitors. Density functional theory calculations explain the spontaneous polarization behavior in these thin superlattices and suggest the potential for novel ferroelectrics with different crystal symmetries.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miaomiao Zhang, Laijun Liu, Rusen Yang, Ping Yu, Qi Zhang, Biaolin Peng
Summary: In this study, BFO-La codoped PZT epitaxial thin films were prepared by a sol-gel method on different substrates, and large positive EC effects were achieved over a wide temperature range. The thin film deposited on the (111) oriented substrate exhibited a stronger EC effect near room temperature, while the thin films deposited on the (100) and (110) oriented substrates exhibited stronger EC effects around the peak of the dielectric permittivity.
JOURNAL OF MATERIOMICS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Baofeng Huang, Yixian Xu, Guojun Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the compressive behavior and failure mode of thin sandstone and proposed a mathematical expression to describe the stress-strain relationship. The correlations between porosity, compressive strength, and elastic modulus were analyzed, and a new expression based on the length-diameter ratio was proposed to evaluate the size effect.
Article
Physics, Applied
Zhangyang Zhou, Zhipeng Gao, Zhengwei Xiong, Gaomin Liu, Ting Zheng, Yuanjie Shi, Mingzhu Xiao, Jiagang Wu, Leiming Fang, Tiexing Han, Hao Liang, Hongliang He
Summary: This study reports the electrical response of 0.9BiFeO(3)-0.1BaTiO(3) (BFO-BT) ferroelectric ceramics under shock-wave compression and achieves a record-high power density. The mechanism of shock-induced depolarization and the excellent performance of BFO-BT ceramics are analyzed through in situ high-pressure neutron diffraction.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yu Sun, Ki Hei Wong, Kin Wing Kwok
Summary: This study demonstrates precise control of optical band gap in flexible lead-free ferroelectric films through mechanical strain, showing potential for high-performance optical devices and providing a new perspective for the design and fabrication of novel ferroelectric optical devices.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiangmin Jiang, Zhenghui Pan, Jiaren Yuan, Jun Shan, Chenglong Chen, Shaopeng Li, Yaxin Chen, Quanchao Zhuang, Zhicheng Ju, Hui Dou, Xiaogang Zhang, John Wang, John Wang
Summary: By constructing a stable and robust g-C3N4 protective layer on the surface of zinc metal anodes, the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries can be improved, inhibiting dendrite growth and enhancing Coulombic efficiency and lifespan.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chiheng Dong, Meng Han, Wenwen Guo, Xianping Zhang, Cong Liu, He Huang, Chao Yao, Dongliang Wang, Huajun Liu, Yanwei Ma
Summary: Iron-based superconducting wires fabricated by the powder-in-tube method with a stainless steel/ AgSn/Ag composite architecture and a scalable groove rolling process exhibit high-performance and dense superconducting filaments. The achieved critical current density is the highest reported in iron-based multifilament wires. Detailed analysis reveals the deformation mechanism of Ba0.6K0.4Fe2As2 grains and its influence on supercurrent transport properties, suggesting that higher critical current density can be achieved by improving grain texture. This method provides a simple and cost-effective approach to densify practical superconducting wires and can be scaled up to long wire productions.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Qibin Zeng, Celine Sim, Anna Marie Yong, Hui Kim Hui, Yunjie Chen, Lei Zhang, Chee Kiang Ivan Tan, Huajun Liu, Kaiyang Zeng
Summary: During the past decade, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) based surface strain detection techniques, referred to as Surface Strain Force Microscopy (SSFM), have been extensively used in the characterization of functional materials, structures, and devices. The development of SSFM has enabled the study of nanoscale physical properties by detecting local field-induced surface strain using a sharp tip. The introduction of multi-frequency SPM technology has further improved the performance and capabilities of SSFM, leading to the emerging of multi-frequency SSFM (MF-SSFM). MF-SSFM is expected to play an increasingly important role in future nanoscale characterization of physical properties.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Soren S. Sorensen, Xiangting Ren, Tao Du, Ayoub Traverson, Shibo Xi, Lars R. Jensen, Mathieu Bauchy, Satoshi Horike, John Wang, Morten M. Smedskjaer
Summary: This work demonstrates that water can depolymerize polyhedra with labile metal-ligand bonds in a cobalt-based coordination network, resulting in nonstoichiometric glasses. The addition of water molecules promotes the breakage of network bonds and coordination number changes, thereby lowering melting and glass transition temperatures. These structural changes alter the physical and chemical properties of the glass, similar to the concept of modifiers in oxides. This approach can be extended to other transition metal-based coordination networks, enabling diversification of hybrid glass chemistry.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xin Song, Baiquan Song, Jialu Huo, Huajun Liu, Muhammad Faheem Adil, Qiue Jia, Wenyu Wu, Abudukadier Kuerban, Yan Wang, Wengong Huang
Summary: Boron deficiency affects sugar beet production, and the use of nutrient-efficient varieties is an important solution. This study aimed to determine the effects of B deficiency on leaf phenotype and photosynthetic functions in B-efficient and B-inefficient sugar beet cultivars. The results showed that B-efficient cultivar had better adaptability to morphological changes and photosynthetic functions under B deficiency, providing theoretical basis for the selection of efficient sugar beet cultivars.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lei Jiang, Mengrui Lu, Piaoyun Yang, Yijing Fan, Hao Huang, Juan Xiong, Zhao Wang, Haoshuang Gu, John Wang
Summary: In this study, a pressure sensor matrix capable of two-dimensional pressure mapping was developed by using patterned piezoelectric (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) nanorod arrays. The KNN nanorods exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility, elasticity, and piezoelectric performance, enabling a high sensitivity of up to 0.20 V N-1 and a detection limit as low as 20 g. The spatially separated micro sensor matrix allowed for accurate self-powered pressure mapping and precise analysis of mechanical stimulations.
SCIENCE CHINA-MATERIALS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Physics, Applied
Qibin Zeng, Celine Sim, Anna Marie Yong, Hui Kim Hui, Yunjie Chen, Lei Zhang, Chee Kiang Ivan Tan, Huajun Liu, Kaiyang Zeng
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Saeid M. Elkatlawy, Abdelhamid A. Sakr, John Wang, Abdelnaby M. Elshahawy
Summary: In this study, an effective strategy was designed to combine transition metal sulfides with nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide hydrogels, improving the overall supercapattery properties.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS AND MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hayden A. Evans, Dan Zhao, Pieremanuele Canepa, Anthony K. Cheetham, Dinesh Mullangi, Taner Yildirim, Yuxiang Wang, Zeyu Deng, Zhaoqiang Zhang, Thuc T. Mai, Fengxia Wei, John Wang, Angela R. Hight Walker, Craig M. Brown
Summary: The process of separating oxygen from air to create oxygen-enriched gas streams is important in both industrial and medical fields. However, existing technologies for this process are energy-intensive and require infrastructure. This study demonstrates that a metal-organic framework, Al(HCOO)3 (ALF), can effectively adsorb oxygen at near-ice temperatures, with good time-dependent selectivity. ALF exhibits a high oxygen adsorption capacity of approximately 1.7 mmol/g at 190K and atmospheric pressure, and approximately 0.3 mmol/g at salt-ice temperatures of 250K. ALF shows potential as a low-cost option for oxygen separation applications.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhaoqiang Zhang, Zeyu Deng, Hayden A. Evans, Dinesh Mullangi, Chengjun Kang, Shing Bo Peh, Yuxiang Wang, Craig M. Brown, John Wang, Pieremanuele Canepa, Anthony K. Cheetham, Dan Zhao
Summary: The exclusive capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from hydrocarbon mixtures is crucial in the petrochemical industry. A new study introduces a ultramicroporous material, ALF, which can selectively capture CO2 from hydrocarbon mixtures with high capacity and efficiency. The material's unique pore chemistry allows for molecular recognition of CO2 by hydrogen bonding, while rejecting other hydrocarbons.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhiwei Chen, Wenjie Li, Zhen Fan, Shuai Dong, Yihong Chen, Minghui Qin, Min Zeng, Xubing Lu, Guofu Zhou, Xingsen Gao, Jun-Ming Liu
Summary: This article presents an experimental demonstration of an all-ferroelectric reservoir computing system, where the reservoir and readout network are implemented with volatile and nonvolatile ferroelectric diodes respectively. The system shows high accuracies and low power consumptions in various temporal tasks.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hongfei Cheng, Jun Zhou, Huiqing Xie, Songlin Zhang, Jintao Zhang, Shengnan Sun, Ping Luo, Ming Lin, Shijie Wang, Zhenghui Pan, John Wang, Xian Jun Loh, Zhaolin Liu
Summary: Direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) are a promising energy source in the future low-carbon economy, but the lack of efficient electrocatalysts for anodic formic acid oxidation (FAO) hinders their scale-up and commercialization. The FAO performance of palladium hydrides (PdHx) has been found to be superior to pristine Pd, and this study explores the controlled synthesis and electrocatalytic behaviors of PdHx-based nanomaterials. The hydrogen intercalation-induced crystallization of PdNiP alloy nanoparticles is reported, and the obtained PdNiP-H nanoparticles exhibit excellent FAO performance, demonstrating their potential for DFAFC applications.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Guo Tian, Xin Yi, Zhiqing Song, Wenda Yang, Jianbiao Xian, Jun Jin, Shuai Ning, Zhipeng Hou, Deyang Chen, Zhen Fan, Minghui Qin, Guofu Zhou, Jiyan Dai, Xingsen Gao, Jun-Ming Liu
Summary: Highly ordered quad-domain ferroelectric polarization configurations were achieved in BiFeO3 nanoisland arrays by using substrate patterning to create nucleation sites. The quad-domain can be reversibly switched between the center divergent state with highly conductive domain walls and the center convergent state with insulating domain walls, resulting in a large resistance change. This templated growth strategy enables the controllable fabrication of exotic topological domains and sheds light on their applications for configurable electronic devices.
APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lu Mao, Xiaoyu Hao, Yu Zhang, Siew Yee Wong, Jiating He, Suxi Wang, Ximeng Liu, Xiaolei Huang, John Wang, Xu Li
Summary: In this study, hierarchical NiFe hydroxide-Cu arrays are prepared as the electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) through solution etch and sequential electrolysis. The electrochemically reduced Cu nanoarrays serve as a conductive core, providing superior conductivity for electron transfer, while the unique hierarchical 3D structure offers a large active surface area, a short ion diffusion path, and open channels for efficient gas release. The resulting NiFe hydroxide-Cu arrays on copper foam exhibit outstanding catalytic performance with current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm(-2) achieved at 245 and 300 mV, respectively, in a 1 M KOH solution. Additionally, a small Tafel slope of 51 mV dec(-1) and excellent electrochemical durability of up to 100 h are demonstrated.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xianyang Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Siwuxie He, Bowen Jiang, Yong Wang, Yonghua Cheng, Jian Peng, Francis Verpoort, John Wang, Zongkui Kou
Summary: Biosensors featuring single molecule detection offer great opportunities in various fields, but face challenges due to the lack of activity, precision molecule selectivity, and understanding of the operating mechanism. Single-atom catalysts (SACs), particularly those that mimic the natural metalloenzyme structure, provide practical-use feasibilities for single molecule detections with high molecular selectivity and easy fabrication. This review discusses the history, advantages, and applications of SACs in molecule-scale biosensors, emphasizing their sensing modes and coordination-modulated signal amplifications.
