Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sangho Kim, Gwan Seung Jeong, Na Yeon Park, Jea-Young Choi
Summary: This study presents a process for fabricating and tapering a silicon nanopillar array on a large silicon wafer to enhance light harvesting for solar cell application. By combining spin-coating with reactive ion etching techniques, it was demonstrated that controlled tapering of silicon nanopillars could be achieved, offering effective omnidirectional and broadband antireflection effects for high-efficiency solar cell application.
Article
Energy & Fuels
GuoJiao Hou, Ivan Garcia, Ignacio Rey-Stolle
Summary: This work presents a novel design for antireflection coatings for multijunction solar cells, using high and low index materials to minimize reflection across a broad spectrum. The new design outperforms traditional double-layer coatings in certain solar cell structures.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Liangyi Hang, Weiguo Liu, Xu Zhang, Shun Zhou, Junqi Xu, Cheng Li
Summary: A simple-operation method for designing antireflection coatings (ARCs) based on tailored refractive index characteristics of thin-film materials was developed. High-transmittance, broadband ARCs with specific refractive indices and transmittances were designed and characterized. The sensitivity of the ARCs system to manufacturing errors was simulated. The results provide valuable insights for the preparation of optical films formed via PECVD.
Article
Optics
Jing Zhao, Xianfeng Wu, Di Cao, Mingchao Zhou, Zhijie Shen, Xiaopeng Zhao
Summary: This study presents a novel optical metamaterial that achieves negative refraction and inverse Doppler effect across most of the visible spectrum. The metamaterial is randomly assembled using a bottom-up approach and features narrowband, omnidirectional, and ultra low-loss characteristics.
PHOTONICS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Optics
Ulrike Schulz, Friedrich Rickelt, Anne Gaertner, Astrid Bingel
Summary: A major issue in optical systems is the polarization splitting caused by oblique light. Low-index nanostructured silica layers were created by overlaying silica on an initial organic structure and removing the organic components. These nanostructured layers can be customized to achieve low effective refractive indices as low as 1.05. They can also be stacked with homogeneous layers to produce broadband antireflective coatings with minimal polarization splitting. Thin interlayers separating the low-index structured layers were found to be particularly beneficial for optimizing polarization properties.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yineng Zhao, Ni Huo, Sheng Ye, Wyatt E. Tenhaeff
Summary: In this study, polymer optical thin films prepared by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) were used as stretchable and compliant antireflection coatings for flexible optics and optoelectronic devices. These polymer films showed superior mechanical performance and stability compared to conventional inorganic coatings.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Optics
Yu-Ting Yang, Qing-Yuan Cai, Ding-Quan Liu, Ling-Shan Gao, Hao-Tian Zhang, Lei Peng, Er-Tao Hu, Bao-Jian Liu, Hai-Han Luo, Rong-Jun Zhang, Yu-Xiang Zheng
Summary: Broader spectra, lower reflectivity, and higher reliability are the desired performance requirements for broadband antireflective (BBAR) films. In this study, a BBAR film structure consisting of a dense multilayer interference stack and a nano-grass-like alumina (NGLA) layer with a gradient low refractive index distribution was proposed. The film was deposited using atomic layer deposition, and the NGLA layer was formed via a hot water bath on an Al2O3 layer. The optimized BBAR film achieved an average transmittance of 99.2% in the wide wavelength range of 400-1100 nm, with low polarization sensitivity and improved reliability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Guo Jiao Hou, Elisa Garcia-Tabares, Ivan Garcia, Ignacio Rey-Stolle
Summary: Antireflection coatings are crucial for high-efficiency solar cells. A new design philosophy, called high-low refractive index stacks, has shown potential to minimize reflection losses in simulations. Experimental results demonstrate that the new design improves the short circuit current in typical materials with ambient glass.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jingran Zhang, Baozhu Li, Heran Song, Chen Zhao, Songfeng Liang, Zhurong Dong, Jie Yu
Summary: This study prepared two organic high refractive index (HRI) photopolymers by modifying epoxy acrylic acid with 4,4'-thiodibenzenethiol, which can be surface patterned by nanoimprinting to prepare anti-reflection coatings. The modified photopolymers exhibited high refractive index, high optical transmittance, and thermal stability after curing, making them potential materials for improving the power conversion efficiency of PV cells.
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Hua-Yang Chen, Zhen-Hui Qin, Sheng-Nan Liang, Xin Li, Si-Yuan Yu, Yan-Feng Chen
Summary: A gradient-index seismic metamaterial based on a surface acoustic PnC is proposed to provide omnidirectional protection against ultra-broadband seismic Rayleigh waves.
EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Optics
Hailan Wang, Chenying Yang, Yusi Wang, Wenjia Yuan, Tingting Zheng, Xiao Chen, Yujie Liu, Yueguang Zhang, Weidong Shen
Summary: This paper proposes a simple and convenient method for the preparation of a composite coating to improve the wide-angle and broadband antireflection effect in modern optical systems. The composite coating, which combines a nano-tapered AH structure and high-low index thin film stack, demonstrates excellent antireflection performance compared to common dielectric multilayer antireflection stack. The measured results show that the average reflectance values of the double-side coated glass are very low in the 400-1100nm band at various angles of incidence, while the average transmittance at normal incidence reaches up to 99.3%. The reproductivity and environmental reliability of the composite coatings are also evaluated.
Article
Optics
Jacob Scheuer, Dmitry Filonov, Tatyana Vosheva, Pavel Ginzburg
Summary: This paper proposes and demonstrates an approach for designing an optimal matching stack that can provide flat broadband transmission even in the presence of significant group velocity dispersion. Experimental verification was performed using a rectangular waveguide, and the method was shown to be effective.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ronald R. Willey, Olaf Stenzel
Summary: In the field of nanomaterials and meta-materials, thin films are used with thicknesses much thinner than previously used in optical thin film coatings. However, the island structure that occurs during film nucleation and growth poses a problem. The indices of refraction, n and k, also vary with thickness, making it difficult to model. This paper introduces a tool for designing optical thin films with varying indices of refraction.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Angus W. Ritchie, Harrison J. Cox, Hassan Gonabadi, Steve J. Bull, Jas Pal S. Badyal
Summary: ASPD is a single-step, low-temperature, and dry method for preparing high refractive index hybrid polymer or polymer-inorganic nanocomposite coatings. Thin films with high refractive index can be easily deposited onto various substrates by using ASPD.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mingfeng Zhang, Qiufen Liu, Shouqin Tian, Xuedong Zhou, Baoshun Liu, Xiujian Zhao, Gen Tang, Aimin Pang
Summary: This study developed a facile one-step annealing method under ammonia mixed atmosphere to prepare silica composite films with good mechanical properties for antireflection coatings. By increasing the chemical connection between particles, the mechanical property of the film was significantly improved, and the film thickness was reduced to increase solar transmittance.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Crystallography
Zhixuan Jia, Tejal Pawale, Guillermo Guerrero-Garcia, Sid Hashemi, Jose A. Martinez-Gonzalez, Xiao Li
Summary: By varying the surface anchoring strength, a thermodynamically stable lying helical structure with long-range order is achieved without any external support, allowing for control of the pitch size and morphology of the helical structure.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shaojie Shi, Huiying Wang, Lingyun Nie, Di Tan, Cong Zhou, Qian Zhang, Yi Li, Bo Du, Jianping Guo, Jin Huang, Di Wu, Xiaohong Zheng, Wei Guan, Junhan Shan, Lili Zhu, Rongzhi Chen, Longjian Xue, Linda L. Walling, Guangcun He
Summary: The resistance of rice plants to the brown planthopper is associated with the fortification of the sclerenchyma tissue, which prevents the insects from reaching the phloem for feeding. The discovery of the resistance gene Bph30 and its role in enhancing cellulose and hemicellulose synthesis sheds light on a novel mechanism for controlling planthoppers in rice. This fortified sclerenchyma-mediated resistance mechanism expands our understanding of plant-insect interactions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fandong Meng, Quan Liu, Zhekun Shi, Di Tan, Baisong Yang, Xin Wang, Kui Shi, Michael Kappl, Yifeng Lei, Sheng Liu, Longjian Xue
Summary: The study reveals that the major contribution to wet adhesion comes from direct solid-solid contact, while the effects of capillarity and viscosity of liquid are qualitatively decoupled by regulating the fluid components and temperature.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guicai Li, Tiantian Zheng, Linliang Wu, Qi Han, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue, Luzhong Zhang, Xiaosong Gu, Yumin Yang
Summary: This study constructed a bionic microenvironment-inspired scaffold integrated with anisotropic micro-nanocomposite topographies and IKVAV peptide, showing effective induction of orientation growth of Schwann cells and up-regulation of genes and proteins relevant to myelination. Three main signal pathways were proposed, revealing the synergistic effects of anisotropic micro-nanocomposite topographies and biological cues on neuroregeneration. This study provides an important strategy for developing functional artificial nerve implants.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Baisong Yang, Wenhui Chen, Renlong Xin, Xiaohong Zhou, Di Tan, Chuan Ding, You Wu, Liang Yin, Chuyang Chen, Shan Wang, Zhenglei Yu, Jonathan T. Pham, Sheng Liu, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: The porous structure in pomelo peel is found to be correlated with its deformation behavior under compression. The pomelo-inspired porous polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) cube designed based on this finding exhibits the highest energy absorption capability, providing guidance for the design of lightweight and high-energy-dissipating materials/devices.
JOURNAL OF BIONIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Wenhui Chen, Xiaolong Zhang, Di Tan, Peng Xu, Baisong Yang, Kui Shi, Bo Zhu, Quan Liu, Yifeng Lei, Sheng Liu, Longjian Xue
Summary: A cost-effective postprocessing method based on annealing in nonsolvent vapor at room temperature is developed to improve the mechanical properties of 3D-printed poly-ether-ether-ketone (3D-PEEK) structures. The improved mechanical properties include strength, ductility, and fracture energy, which are attributed to enhanced interfacial bonding, increased crystallinity, decreased pinhole defects, and stress relaxation. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of nonsolvent vapor annealing in improving the mechanical properties of 3D-PEEK and suggests potential applications in various fields.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Peng Xu, Yurong Zhang, Lijun Li, Zhen Lin, Bo Zhu, Wenhui Chen, Gang Li, Hongtao Liu, Kangjian Xiao, Yunhe Xiong, Sixing Yang, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: This review provides an overview of the research progress on the adhesion behaviors of droplets on surfaces. It covers the construction of bioinspired superhydrophobic surfaces with different adhesion states, the fundamental theories of droplet adhesion, techniques to characterize droplet adhesion, wetting behaviors and the switching between different adhesion states, applications of bioinspired surfaces, and future research challenges and applications.
BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Baisong Yang, Wenhui Chen, Xiaohong Zhou, Fandong Meng, Chuyang Chen, Quan Liu, Qian Li, Xin Wang, Peng Xu, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: In this study, a hydrogel sensor with enhanced mechanical properties, high defect-resistance, and high sensitivity is developed by anchoring silver nanowires in a composite hydrogel. The sensor exhibits high stability and sensitivity, and a sustainable strategy for utilizing food residues is proposed.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Junxian Pei, Yutian Liao, Qian Li, Kui Shi, Jia Fu, Xuejiao Hu, Zhi Huang, Longjian Xue, Xu Xiao, Kang Liu
Summary: The study demonstrates that coating a layer of graphene on structured hydrophobic surfaces can achieve stable Cassie-state wetting, preventing wetting failure caused by trapped water in structure gaps. Graphene maintains the transparency of wettability and keeps moisture away from the gaps. The results provide an effective strategy to prevent Cassie-wetting failure and promote its further application in more complex conditions.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu Xie, Junfeng Zou, Gang Li, Hongtao Liu, Ye Wang, Yifeng Lei, Kang Liu, Longjian Xue, Sheng Liu
Summary: The design of porous structure in wearable sensors is crucial for detecting mechanical signals. This study presents a newly established freeze printing technique to fabricate round wire with long-range orientated micropores (RW-LOM), which is then transformed into a wearable sensor by incorporating carbon nanotubes and polydimethylsiloxane. The resulting sensor exhibits high sensitivity, stability, and a wide range of detectable mechanical signals, including compression, stretching, twisting, and bending. This work not only provides a wearable sensor with high stability and sensitivity, but also introduces a technique for constructing porous wires that could have applications in intelligent industry and healthcare.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haiyang Liu, Yan Wang, Zhekun Shi, Di Tan, Xichen Yang, Lingheng Xiong, Gang Li, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: A fast self-assembly method of photonic crystals with tunable structural colors is introduced. By infiltrating composite hydrogels into the gaps of silica nanoparticles, a structural color hydrogel that can quickly respond to different stimuli is obtained. With the addition of carbon nanotubes, the composite PC hydrogel can also output an electronic signal together with optical color changes.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zhekun Shi, Di Tan, Zhuo Wang, Kangjian Xiao, Bo Zhu, Fandong Meng, Quan Liu, Xin Wang, Longjian Xue
Summary: Inspired by the gripping and rolling motions of gecko toes, researchers have developed a strong and switchable adhesive called PROST. It has robust adhesion on both flat and curved surfaces and can switch adhesion rapidly through solvent stimulation. This study provides a new strategy for designing controllable adhesion on curved substrates.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xichen Yang, Wenhui Chen, Haiyang Liu, Baisong Yang, Yu Xie, Ye Wang, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: This study demonstrates the programmable shape memory of 3D-printed poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), driven by both ultraviolet light and natural sunlight. The recovery ratio reaches 97.6% and can be regulated by various factors. The coating of a thin layer of gold enhances the shape recovery. This work opens up possibilities for the use of PEEK as a smart material in aerospace and intelligent industry.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Zhaoyang Guo, Haiyang Liu, Zhekun Shi, Lulu Lin, Yinping Li, Miao Wang, Guoqing Pan, Yifeng Lei, Longjian Xue
Summary: In this study, a glucose-responsive insulin-releasing hydrogel microneedle dressing was developed for diabetic wound healing. The microneedle dressing exhibited mechanical stability, biocompatibility, glucose-responsive insulin release, and improved blood glucose control, making it effective for diabetic wound management and potentially useful for other chronic skin injuries.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Yujie Zhang, Mingxin Wu, Di Tan, Quan Liu, Re Xia, Min Chen, Yuangang Liu, Longjian Xue, Yifeng Lei
Summary: The study developed a dissolving and glucose-responsive insulin-releasing microneedle patch system for minimally invasive and glucose-responsive insulin delivery for type 1 diabetes therapy. The system effectively regulated blood glucose levels in mice for 1-2 days and alleviated diabetic symptoms in type 1 diabetic mice.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2021)
