Article
Energy & Fuels
Christian Kameni Boumenou, Amala Elizabeth, Finn Babbe, Alice Debot, Harry Moeenig, Alex Redinger
Summary: The study investigated the buried MoSe2/CuInSe2 interface of stoichiometric absorbers in thin film solar cells, revealing differences in local density of states compared to the front-side properties. This sheds new light on the complex interface formation in CuInSe2-based thin film solar cells grown under Cu-rich conditions.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Iris Berg, Luca Schio, Justus Reitz, Elena Molteni, Linoy Lahav, Carolina Gutierrez Bolanos, Andrea Goldoni, Cesare Grazioli, Guido Fratesi, Max M. Hansmann, Luca Floreano, Elad Gross
Summary: In this study, the self-assembly of N-heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) on gold surface was investigated using experimental and computational methods. It was found that NHOs can self-assemble into dimers, trimers, and tetramers, forming stable monolayers. The study also revealed that NHOs can adsorb on gold surface in a flat-lying geometry through coordination with gold adatoms, and the surface interaction can be further increased by functionalizing the backbone with methyl groups, leading to enhanced thermal stability and impact on work-function values.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sicheon Seong, Hungu Kang, Seulki Han, Young Ji Son, Jiung Jang, Hyo Jae Yoon, Shoichi Maeda, Subin Song, Debabrata Palai, Tomohiro Hayashi, Jaegeun Noh
Summary: The formation and surface structure of pentafluorobenzeneselenolate (PFB-Se) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) were examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Results showed that the structural order of the SAMs was improved by vapor deposition compared to solution deposition. Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements exhibited a significant difference in the work function between pentafluorobenzenethiolate and PFB-Se SAMs due to their different domain and packing structures.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Po-Jen Hsu, Abebe Tedla, Michael Zharnikov, Yian Tai
Summary: The study tested a dual modification approach for OPV devices, optimizing electrical contacts and interfacial dipole, improving buffer layer morphology and reducing defect density. While -OCH3 terminated SAM showed better performance in single interface modification, -CF3 termination performed better in dual modification, indicating a complex synergetic mechanism. The dual modification resulted in significantly larger improvement in photovoltaic characteristics compared to the standard approach, demonstrating the advantages of the dual strategy.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuuki Adachi, Yasuhiro Sugawara, Yan Jun Li
Summary: Probing CO on a rutile TiO2(110) surface using atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy enables the resolution of the interatomic dipole moment and charge state of CO at atomic resolution. The results suggest that both charge state and on-surface dipole interaction play a significant role in the reaction of CO on rutile TiO2(110) surface.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Arul Varman Kesavan, Varun Adiga, G. K. Chandrasekar, Kumar M. Panidhara, Praveen C. Ramamurthy
Summary: The use of 4-nitro benzoic acid (NBA) as an ITO work function modifier in photovoltaic devices improves their performance by increasing light absorption, resulting in enhanced efficiency.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuan Li, Dandan Wang, Wuxian Peng, Li Jiang, Xiaojiang Yu, Damien Thompson, Christian A. Nijhuis
Summary: This paper describes large positive cooperative effects in the tunneling rates across molecular junctions of mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). By gradually diluting one type of molecule in the mixed SAM, it was found that the cooperative effect is only significant in the coherent tunneling regime. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis showed that these cooperative effects are caused by Fc-X van der Waals interactions, with varying strengths depending on the X group. These strong cooperative effects significantly alter the operation of a molecular diode, highlighting the importance of considering cooperative effects, driven by van der Waals interactions, in the rational design of electronic devices working at the tunneling regime.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Waleed Azzam, Abdu Subaihi, Michael Rohwerder, Michael Zharnikov, Asif Bashir
Summary: In this study, self-assembled monolayers of 4-fluorobenzenemethanethiol on a gold surface were characterized using scanning tunneling microscopy. A highly ordered monolayer with a commensurate structure was observed, and individual spots corresponding to different components of the monolayer were successfully resolved. These results demonstrate the potential of STM for imaging densely packed molecular assemblies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Saunak Das, Giulia Nascimbeni, Rodrigo Ortiz de la Morena, Fumitaka Ishiwari, Yoshiaki Shoji, Takanori Fukushima, Manfred Buck, Egbert Zojer, Michael Zharnikov
Summary: The adsorption of 1,8,13-tricarboxytriptycene (Trip-CA) on Ag(111) was studied, revealing highly crystalline SAM structures. Different structures were observed depending on preparation conditions. The results demonstrate the potential of triptycenes as basic building blocks for generating well-defined layers with unusual structural motifs.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiqi Wu, Wenhao Zhang, Wenting Wang, Yuhang Chen
Summary: Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is an important instrument for characterizing magnetic materials at the nanoscale. Calibration of the magnetic tips using reference magnetic nanoparticles is necessary to eliminate errors caused by electrostatic interactions. In this study, the electrostatic force on Fe3O4 nanoparticles is evaluated in order to determine the magnetic moment and dipole radius of the MFM tip. The combination of MFM and Kelvin probe force microscopy, along with theoretical modeling, effectively eliminates the electrostatic contribution. Numerical simulations and experiments on nickel nanoparticles demonstrate the decoupling's effectiveness.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jinping Hu, Zhaofeng Liang, Kongchao Shen, Lei Xie, Huan Zhang, Chaoqin Huang, Yaobo Huang, Han Huang, Jianxin Tang, Zheng Jiang, Miao Yu, Fei Song
Summary: The study provides a comprehensive elucidation of surface Ullmann coupling of 2,7-dibromopyrene on Ag(111), revealing unique reaction paths, diverse assembled architectures, and a stepwise annealing process. It demonstrates that metal coordinated and halogen bonding motifs, as well as surface adatoms and dissociated Br atoms, play crucial roles in the coupling reactions. Additionally, it shows that weak intermolecular interactions in assembled nanostructures are immediately suppressed by strong covalent bonding during reactions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Priscilla F. Pieters, Antoine Laine, He Li, Yi-Hsien Lu, Yashpal Singh, Lin-Wang Wang, Yi Liu, Ting Xu, A. Paul Alivisatos, Miquel Salmeron
Summary: This study reveals the nanoscale origin and important characteristics of enhanced dielectric breakdown capabilities in gold nanoparticle/polymer nanocomposites. The improved breakdown strength is related to the interfacial charge retention capability at the nanoscale. At the meso- and macroscales, the concentration and distribution of nanoparticles play a crucial role in determining and enhancing the dielectric properties.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingyu Jung, Shashank Shekhar, Duckhyung Cho, Myungjae Yang, Jeehye Park, Seunghun Hong
Summary: In this study, we present a strategy to directly map and quantify the effects of dipole formation on electrical transports and noises in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of molecular wires. Our results show that the formation of stronger dipoles in fluorinated molecules leads to tunneling conduction and increased resistance value. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between the conductance and noise power spectral density in different regions of the fluorinated molecular patterns, which can be explained by enhanced barrier fluctuations produced by the dipoles. We also observe an anomalous frequency dependence of the noise power spectral density in the fluorinated molecules. Under high bias conditions, both hydrogenated and fluorinated molecules show a transition from tunneling to thermionic charge transports.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
B. Munirathinam, J. P. B. van Dam, A. Herrmann, W. D. van Driel, F. De Buyl, S. J. F. Erich, L. G. J. van der Ven, O. C. G. Adan, J. M. C. Mol
Summary: The study explores water diffusion, interfacial ion transport, and delamination behavior in a silicone-coated copper model system, mimicking a typical microelectronics packaging system. The results show the formation of strong hydrogen bonds between water molecules and the silicone network, which plays a crucial role in the system's stability. Additionally, ion transport processes at the silicone/copper interface in a humid atmosphere are investigated using scanning Kelvin probe studies, revealing the importance of exploring ion and water transport for detailed reliability assessment of polymer encapsulated LEDs and microelectronics.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hungu Kang, Sicheon Seong, Eisuke Ito, Takashi Isoshima, Masahiko Hara, Hyo Jae Yoon, Jaegeun Noh
Summary: By investigating the surface and interface structures, thermal desorption behaviors, and electronic properties of PFBT and TFBT self-assembled monolayers on Au(111) formed at different vapor deposition temperatures, it was found that the dipole directions in fluorinated aromatic thiol SAMs play a crucial role in determining the structural order and thermal desorption behaviors. Regardless of chemisorbed surface coverage, the extent of the work function change of SAM-modified Au substrates was shown to be lowest in the most highly-ordered PFBT and TFBT SAMs formed at 348 K and 323 K, respectively. This study highlights the significance of structural order of SAMs in causing the depolarization effect.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yepin Zhao, Pei Cheng, Hangbo Yang, Minhuan Wang, Dong Meng, Yuan Zhu, Ran Zheng, Tengfei Li, Anni Zhang, Shaun Tan, Tianyi Huang, Jiming Bian, Xiaowei Zhan, Paul S. Weiss, Yang Yang
Summary: The commercialization of semitransparent organic photovoltaics (OPVs) is hindered by the conflict between average visible transmittance and power conversion efficiency for greenhouse applications. By incorporating a dual-function p-type compatible interlayer, both the light transmittance and power conversion efficiency of semitransparent devices were improved.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kristopher K. Barr, Naihao Chiang, Andrea L. Bertozzi, Jerome Gilles, Stanley J. Osher, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: Scanning probe techniques have been enhanced by improving data acquisition and image processing algorithms, enabling more detailed analysis of surfaces and interfaces, including image segmentation by domains, detection of dipole direction, and hydrogen-bonding interactions. The computational algorithms used in these techniques are continually evolving, with the incorporation of machine learning to the next level of iteration. However, real-time adjustments during data recording are still a challenge for significantly enhancing microscopy and spectroscopic imaging methods.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Montazerian, Elham Davoodi, Alireza Hassani Najafabadi, Reihaneh Haghniaz, Avijit Baidya, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: By oxidative oligomerization of catecholic compounds, gelatin can be functionalized with caffeic acid (CA) oligomers to enhance its bioadhesive properties. Ex vivo adhesion tests on pig lungs showed a 33-fold improvement in adhesion strength compared to gelatin methacryloyl controls, with increased toughness and stretchability. Functionalization with CA oligomers also allows for rapid gel formation at room temperature, adjustable viscosity for injectability, and enhanced antioxidant effects.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Retraction
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaobin Xu, Shuang Hou, Natcha Wattanatorn, Fang Wang, Qing Yang, Chuanzhen Zhao, Xiao Yu, Hsian-Rong Tseng, Steven J. Jonas, Paul S. Weiss
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yifei Luo, Mohammad Reza Abidian, Jong-Hyun Ahn, Deji Akinwande, Anne M. Andrews, Markus Antonietti, Zhenan Bao, Magnus Berggren, Christopher A. Berkey, Christopher John Bettinger, Jun Chen, Peng Chen, Wenlong Cheng, Xu Cheng, Seon-Jin Choi, Alex Chortos, Canan Dagdeviren, Reinhold H. Dauskardt, Chong-an Di, Michael D. Dickey, Xiangfeng Duan, Antonio Facchetti, Zhiyong Fan, Yin Fang, Jianyou Feng, Xue Feng, Huajian Gao, Wei Gao, Xiwen Gong, Chuan Fei Guo, Xiaojun Guo, Martin C. Hartel, Zihan He, John S. Ho, Youfan Hu, Qiyao Huang, Yu Huang, Fengwei Huo, Muhammad M. Hussain, Ali Javey, Unyong Jeong, Chen Jiang, Xingyu Jiang, Jiheong Kang, Daniil Karnaushenko, Ali Khademhosseini, Dae-Hyeong Kim, Il-Doo Kim, Dmitry Kireev, Lingxuan Kong, Chengkuo Lee, Nae-Eung Lee, Pooi See Lee, Tae-Woo Lee, Fengyu Li, Jinxing Li, Cuiyuan Liang, Chwee Teck Lim, Yuanjing Lin, Darren J. Lipomi, Jia Liu, Kai Liu, Nan Liu, Ren Liu, Yuxin Liu, Yuxuan Liu, Zhiyuan Liu, Zhuangjian Liu, Xian Jun Loh, Nanshu Lu, Zhisheng Lv, Shlomo Magdassi, George G. Malliaras, Naoji Matsuhisa, Arokia Nathan, Simiao Niu, Jieming Pan, Changhyun Pang, Qibing Pei, Huisheng Peng, Dianpeng Qi, Huaying Ren, John A. Rogers, Aaron Rowe, Oliver G. Schmidt, Tsuyoshi Sekitani, Dae-Gyo Seo, Guozhen Shen, Xing Sheng, Qiongfeng Shi, Takao Someya, Yanlin Song, Eleni Stavrinidou, Meng Su, Xuemei Sun, Kuniharu Takei, Xiao-Ming Tao, Benjamin C. K. Tee, Aaron Voon-Yew Thean, Tran Quang Trung, Changjin Wan, Huiliang Wang, Joseph Wang, Ming Wang, Sihong Wang, Ting Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Paul S. Weiss, Hanqi Wen, Sheng Xu, Tailin Xu, Hongping Yan, Xuzhou Yan, Hui Yang, Le Yang, Shuaijian Yang, Lan Yin, Cunjiang Yu, Guihua Yu, Jing Yu, Shu-Hong Yu, Xinge Yu, Evgeny Zamburg, Haixia Zhang, Xiangyu Zhang, Xiaosheng Zhang, Xueji Zhang, Yihui Zhang, Yu Zhang, Siyuan Zhao, Xuanhe Zhao, Yuanjin Zheng, Yu-Qing Zheng, Zijian Zheng, Tao Zhou, Bowen Zhu, Ming Zhu, Rong Zhu, Yangzhi Zhu, Yong Zhu, Guijin Zou, Xiaodong Chen
Summary: Humans are increasingly relying on flexible sensors to address challenges and improve quality of life in the digital and big data era. However, the market adoption of flexible sensors is still limited despite advancements in research. In this paper, we identify the bottlenecks hindering the maturation of flexible sensors and propose potential solutions to expedite their deployment and commercialization.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gail A. Vinnacombe-Willson, Ylli Conti, Andrei Stefancu, Paul S. Weiss, Emiliano Cortes, Leonardo Scarabelli
Summary: Plasmonic gold nanoparticles have been increasingly used in solid-state systems for their applications in fabricating novel sensors, heterogeneous catalysts, metamaterials, and thermoplasmonic substrates. This review discusses a powerful synthetic methodology called bottom-up in situ substrate growth, which allows morphologically controlled nanostructures to be formed on supporting materials through wet-chemical synthesis. The review provides an overview of the properties of plasmonic nanostructures, recent advances in the understanding of in situ geometrical and spatial control, and the applications of plasmonic hybrid materials prepared by in situ growth. However, the mechanistic understanding of these methodologies remains incomplete and offers opportunities and challenges for future research.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hossein Montazerian, Alireza Hassani Najafabadi, Elham Davoodi, Rasoul Seyedmahmoud, Reihaneh Haghniaz, Avijit Baidya, Wei Gao, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: Mussel-inspired catechol-functionalization of degradable natural biomaterials is proposed as a potential approach to achieve bioadhesion for sutureless wound closure. This approach involves a simple oxidative polymerization step before conjugation of catechol-carrying molecules to amplify catechol function in bioadhesion. The modified gelatin with poly(l-DOPA) moieties shows improved wound control and enhanced cohesion, surpassing commercial sealants, and also possesses photothermal responsiveness and antibacterial activity, making it an effective biomaterial design strategy for wound closure applications.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Gail A. Vinnacombe-Willson, Joy K. Lee, Naihao Chiang, Leonardo Scarabelli, Shouzheng Yue, Ruth Foley, Isaura Frost, Paul S. Weiss, Steven J. Jonas
Summary: We developed a unique seed-mediated in situ synthetic method to directly form gold nanostars on the walls of microfluidic reactors. By growing dense plasmonic substrate coatings in microfluidic channels with different geometries, we investigated the effects of flow rate and profile on reagent consumption, product morphology, and density. Our findings demonstrate the possibility of creating shape gradients or incorporating multiple morphologies in the same microreactor, which is challenging with traditional self-assembly. These plasmonic-microfluidic platforms have significant implications for various applications such as cell culture/sorting, catalysis, sensing, and drug/gene delivery.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Montazerian, Shameek Mitra, Alireza Hassani Najafabadi, Rasoul Seyedmahmoud, Yuting Zheng, Mehmet Remzi Dokmeci, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: Inspired by mussel adhesion, catechol functionalization has been widely used to impart adhesion to biomaterials. However, the bioadhesion capacity of catechol motifs in hydrogels that crosslink through free-radical-based systems is debated. This study reevaluates the bioadhesion efficacy of catechol functionalized gelatin biomolecules in methacryloyl-modified photo-cross-linkable biomaterials, and investigates the effects of catechol content on adhesion strength and hydrogel integrity. The cytotoxic and immunostimulatory effects of catechol groups are also evaluated for clinical applications.
ACS MATERIALS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Montazerian, Rohan R. R. Sampath, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini, Paul S. S. Weiss
Summary: Bioadhesives derived from naturally occurring biological materials have great potential in wound closure and wound healing. These adhesives are more effective and less invasive than conventional methods. Polyphenolic compounds, such as gelatin, play a crucial role in the design and performance of these bioadhesives.
ACCOUNTS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Isaura M. Frost, Alexandra M. Mendoza, Tzu-Ting Chiou, Philseok Kim, Joanna Aizenberg, Donald B. Kohn, Satiro N. De Oliveira, Paul S. Weiss, Steven J. Jonas
Summary: A cost-effective, non-cytotoxic, and efficient intracellular delivery technology using materials readily available in most research labs has been developed. The system allows for the delivery of various substances into cells, making it accessible for researchers and clinicians in resource-limited areas. The technology has been successfully used to deliver fluorescently labeled dextran, expression plasmids, and RNPs into different cell types with high efficiency and viability.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tianhan Liu, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: This Perspective discusses the inconsistent definitions, calculations, and analysis methods of spin polarization in chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS). It proposes a practical and meaningful figure of merit through quantitative analysis of magnetoresistance in CISS transport studies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Patrick McClanahan, Luca Golinelli, Tuan Anh Le, Liesbet Temmerman
Summary: Entomopathogenic nematodes, including Steinernema spp., have become important biological alternatives to chemical pesticides. In this study, we developed a Mask R-CNN-based tracker to segment and track nematodes on textured backgrounds suitable for nictation. We also established a machine learning pipeline to score nictation behavior. Our system allows for large-scale studies of nictation and potentially other nematode behaviors.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jun Shen, Weihao Yuan, Maryam Badv, Alireza Moshaverinia, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: To enhance the properties of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) for biomedical applications, we developed an approach using electrospinning and potassium permanganate chemical modification to create PCL membranes with tunable degradation rates, mechanical properties, and biofunctional features. After a 48-hour treatment, the membrane degraded by losing 25% of its mass over 12 weeks while maintaining its mechanical strength and exhibiting superior biofunctional features. This approach shows significant potential for a range of biomedical applications.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Montazerian, Elham Davoodi, Avijit Baidya, Maryam Badv, Reihaneh Haghniaz, Arash Dalili, Abbas S. Milani, Mina Hoorfar, Nasim Annabi, Ali Khademhosseini, Paul S. Weiss
Summary: This review provides a biomacromolecular design roadmap for the development of tough adhesive surgical sealants. The intrinsic toughness and elasticity of polymers are achieved through the introduction of strong and dynamic inter- and intramolecular interactions, either through polymer chain design or the use of crosslink regulating additives. Efforts have also been made to promote underwater adhesion through covalent/noncovalent bonds and micro/macro-interlock mechanisms. The measurement and reporting requirements for fair comparisons of different materials and their properties are discussed.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2022)