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At least 397 records · Page 22

Understanding the Structure and Dynamics of Conjugated Polymers by Advancing Deuteration Chemistry and Neutron Scattering (Final Report)

The overarching goal of the proposed work was to set up a partnership between the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to develop novel approaches to measure the backbone rigidity of conjugated polymers (CPs) and understand the critical role of sidechains on the backbone conformation and the materials macroscopic property. The backbone rigidity greatly influences the electronic properties of CPs, which ultimately determines the functionality and performance of these materials. Improvements in the electronic properties of CPs would allow for enhanced charge transport in semiconductor devices, improved photovoltaic performance, recycling of waste heat in thermoelectrics, and discovery of new phenomena that will enable the next generation of energy technologies. Although significant progress has been made to optimize the optical and electronic properties of CPs, largely through Edisonian methodologies, it remains a challenge to experimentally characterize conjugated backbone conformation (chain rigidity, torsion, planarity, and short-range order) and relate these to the fundamental optical and electronic properties (electronic coupling, charge transport, etc.). This has left fundamental gaps in our knowledge of the most basic structure/property relationships within these systems, precluded the study of fundamental physical phenomena, and constrained the design and realization of new electronic and device functionalities. Thus, the major goal of this work is to use novel deuteration methodologies via systematic synthetic approaches, and neutron scattering techniques to comprehensively characterize the structural and dynamic properties of CPs in contrast-matching solvents. Our work would, for the first time, elucidate the relationship between backbone rigidity and macroscopic properties. They will also allow a rational formulation of design principles for next-generation CPs that are resilient to disorder through precise control of the delocalized electrons along the polymer backbone. Overall, this project will advance our understanding of the structure, dynamics, and fundamental physics of these materials, which is crucial for enabling the prediction, design, control, and manipulation of current and emerging material electronic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Supercapacitors Based on Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Graphene Aerogels with Periodic Macropores

Graphene is an atomically thin, two-dimensional (2D) carbon material that offers a unique combination of low density, exceptional mechanical properties, thermal stability, large surface area, and excellent electrical conductivity. Recent progress has resulted in macro-assemblies of graphene, such as bulk graphene aerogels for a variety of applications. However, these three-dimensional (3D) graphenes exhibit physicochemical property attenuation compared to their 2D building blocks because of one-fold composition and tortuous, stochastic porous networks. These limitations can be offset by developing a graphene composite material with an engineered porous architecture. In this work, we report the fabrication of 3D periodic graphene composite aerogel microlattices for supercapacitor applications, via a 3D printing technique known as direct-ink writing. The key factor in developing these novel aerogels is creating an extrudable graphene oxide-based composite ink and modifying the 3D printing method to accommodate aerogel processing. The 3D-printed graphene composite aerogel (3D-GCA) electrodes are lightweight, highly conductive, and exhibit excellent electrochemical properties. In particular, the supercapacitors using these 3D-GCA electrodes with thicknesses on the order of millimeters display exceptional capacitive retention (ca. 90% from 0.5 to 10 A·g –1 ) and power densities (>4 kW·kg –1 ) that equal or exceed those of reported devices made with electrodes 10–100 times thinner. This work provides an example of how 3D-printed materials, such as graphene aerogels, can significantly expand the design space for fabricating high-performance and fully integrable energy storage devices optimized for a broad range of applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Effect of Fiber Strength Stochastics and Local Fiber Volume Fraction on Multiscale Progressive Failure of Composites

Continuous fiber unidirectional polymer matrix composites (PMCs) can exhibit significant local variations in fiber volume fraction as a result of processing conditions that can lead to further local differences in material properties and failure behavior. In this work, the coupled effects of both local variations in fiber volume fraction and the empirically-based statistical distribution of fiber strengths on the predicted longitudinal modulus and local tensile strength of a unidirectional AS4 carbon fiber/ Hercules 3502 epoxy composite were investigated using the special purpose NASA Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC); local effective composite properties were obtained by homogenizing the material behavior over repeating units cells (RUCs). The predicted effective longitudinal modulus was relatively insensitive to small (~8%) variations in local fiber volume fraction. The composite tensile strength, however, was highly dependent on the local distribution in fiber strengths. The RUC-averaged constitutive response can be used to characterize lower length scale material behavior within a multiscale analysis framework that couples the NASA code FEAMAC and the ABAQUS finite element solver. Such an approach can be effectively used to analyze the progressive failure of PMC structures whose failure initiates at the RUC level. Consideration of the effect of local variations in constituent properties and morphologies on progressive failure of PMCs is a central aspect of the application of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) principles for composite materials.

multiscale analysis↗

MicroRNA-630 inhibits breast cancer progression by directly targeting BMI1

Highlights: • MiR-630 initiates apoptosis, blocks cell cycle progression and suppresses cell proliferation in breast cancer cells. • BMI1, a member of polycomb group family, is identified as a novel direct target of miR-630. • BMI1 mediates miR-630-suppressed breast cancer progression including apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and proliferation inhibition. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in breast cancer cell biological processes, including proliferation and apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of their target genes. Herein, we reported that miR-630 overexpression initiates apoptosis, blocks cell cycle progression and suppresses cell proliferation in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, BMI1, a member of polycomb group family, was identified as a direct target of miR-630, and there was a negative correlation between the expression levels of BMI1 and miR-630 in human breast cancer samples. With a series of biology approaches, subsequently, we proved that BMI1 was a functional downstream target of miR-630 and mediated the property of miR-630-dependent inhibition of breast cancer progression. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence on the tumor-suppression function of miR-630 in breast cancer, and clarify BMI1 as a novel functional target gene of miR-630.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Steric and Electronic Influence of Excited-State Decay in Cu(I) MLCT Chromophores

For the past eleven years, a dedicated effort in our research group focused on fundamentally advancing the photophysical properties of cuprous bis-phenanthroline-based metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states. We rationalized that by gaining control over the numerous factors limiting the more widespread use of Cu I MLCT photosensitizers, they would be readily adopted in numerous light-activated applications given the earth-abundance of copper and the extensive library of 1,10-phenanthrolines developed over the last century. Significant progress has been achieved by recognizing valuable structure-property concepts developed by other researchers in tandem with detailed ultrafast and conventional time-scale investigations, in-silico-inspired molecular designs to predict spectroscopic properties, and applying novel synthetic methodologies. Ultimately, we achieved a plateau in exerting cooperative steric influence to control Cu I MLCT excited state decay. This led to combining sterics with π-conjugation and/or inductive electronic effects to further exert control over molecular photophysical properties. The lessons gleaned from our studies of homoleptic complexes were recently extended to heteroleptic bis(phenanthrolines) featuring enhanced visible light absorption properties and long-lived room-temperature photoluminescence. Furthermore, this Account navigates the reader through our intellectual journey of decision-making, molecular and experimental design, and data interpretation in parallel with appropriate background information related to the quantitative characterization of molecular photophysics using Cu I MLCT chromophores as prototypical examples.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Understanding the Twisted Structure of Amyloid Fibrils via Molecular Simulations

According to the article, accumulation and aggregation of amyloid are associated with the pathogenesis of many human diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, a quantitative understanding of the molecular mechanisms causing different aggregated structures and biomechanical properties of amyloid fibrils could shed some light into the progression of these diseases. In this work, we develop coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) models to simulate the dynamic self-assembly of two types of amyloids (amylin and amyloid β (Aβ)). We investigate the structural and mechanical properties of different types of aggregated amyloid fibrils. Our simulations demonstrate that amyloid fibrils could result from longitudinal growth of protofilament bundles, confirming one of the hypotheses on the fibril formation. In addition, we find that the persistence length of amylin fibrils increases concurrently with their pitch length, suggesting that the bending stiffness of amylin fibrils becomes larger when the amylin fibrils are less twisted. Similar results are observed for Aβ fibrils. These findings quantify the connection between the structural and the biomechanical properties of the fibrils. The CGMD models developed in this work can be potentially used to examine efficacy of anti-aggregation drugs, which could help in developing new treatments.

Chemistry↗

Surface and Interface Properties in Thin‐Film Solar Cells: Using Soft X‐rays and Electrons to Unravel the Electronic and Chemical Structure

Abstract Thin‐film solar cells have great potential to overtake the currently dominant silicon‐based solar cell technologies in a strongly growing market. Such thin‐film devices consist of a multilayer structure, for which charge‐carrier transport across interfaces plays a crucial role in minimizing the associated recombination losses and achieving high solar conversion efficiencies. Further development can strongly profit from a high‐level characterization that gives a local, electronic, and chemical picture of the interface properties, which allows for an insight‐driven optimization. Herein, the authors' recent progress of applying a “toolbox” of high‐level laboratory‐ and synchrotron‐based electron and soft X‐ray spectroscopies to characterize the chemical and electronic properties of such applied interfaces is provided. With this toolbox in hand, the activities are paired with those of experts in thin‐film solar cell preparation at the cutting edge of current developments to obtain a deeper understanding of the recent improvements in the field, e.g., by studying the influence of so‐called “post‐deposition treatments”, as well as characterizing the properties of interfaces with alternative buffer layer materials that give superior efficiencies on large, module‐sized areas.

Weinhardt, Lothar↗

Preventing Electrolyte Decomposition on a Ca Metal Electrode Interface Using an Artificial Solid‐Electrolyte Interphase

Abstract Calcium ion batteries are gaining attention as alternatives to lithium‐ion technology because they offer comparable properties at reduced cost and improved safety. However, progress has been limited because of the inability to efficiently and reversibly plate and strip Ca metal anodes in organic electrolytes. Moreover, the inorganic components of the solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) that form via decomposition of the electrolyte often do not allow for the diffusion of Ca ions. In this work, an approach combining density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations is utilized to show that the use of a preformed artificial SEI layer of amorphous can potentially prevent electrolyte decomposition. First, Ca is shown to be able to intercalate into an amorphous layer (up to Ca 1.5 Al 2 O 3 ) and diffuse through on a reasonable time scale. Through calculation of the density of states, the system is found to remain insulating up to the equilibrium stoichiometry. Finally, AIMD simulations with a realistic organic electrolyte environment are used to show that this calcinated layer completely prevents the decomposition of solvent molecules. This approach can provide a route to efficient rechargeable Ca ion batteries, paving the way for cheap large‐scale energy storage.

Young, Joshua↗

siRNA high throughput screening identifies regulators of chloropicrin and hydrogen fluoride injury in human corneal epithelial cell models

Corneal injuries induced by various toxicants result in similar clinical presentations such as corneal opacity and neovascularization. Many studies suggest that several weeks post-exposure a convergence of the molecular mechanisms drives these progressive pathologies. However, chemical agents vary in toxicological properties, and early molecular responses are anticipated to be somewhat dissimilar for different toxicants. In this report we chose 3120 targets from the Dharmacon Human Druggable genome to screen for chloropicrin (CP) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) corneal injury as we hypothesized that targets identified in vitro may be effective as therapeutic targets in future studies. Human immortalized corneal epithelial cells (SV40-HCEC) were used for screening. Cell viability and IL-8 were analyzed to down-select hits into validation studies, where multiplex cytokine analysis and high content analysis were performed to understand toxicant effect and target function. Some endpoints were also evaluated in a second human immortalized corneal epithelial cell line, TCEpi. Over 20 targets entered validation studies for CP and HF; of these, only three targets were shared: NR3C1, RELA, and KMT5A. These findings suggest that early molecular responses to different toxicants may be somewhat distinctive and present dissimilar targets for possible early intervention.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Cryogenic temperature toughening and strengthening due to gradient phase structure

Cold embrittlement is one of the primary concerns challenging the usage of steels in infrastructures like pipelines and ocean platforms. This challenge is also compounded by the limited selection of materials for application in a cold and corrosive environment. Inspired by recent progresses in developing gradient structured materials with extraordinary properties, in this paper we report a class of stainless steels with gradient phase structures achieving a superb combination of strength (1753 MPa) and tensile ductility (>25%) at the cryogenic temperature of 77 K. A set of cylindrical steel samples acquire a graded mixture of hard martensitic and soft austenitic phases through pre-torsion, which results in an optimal stress partition in the material - the hard martensitic structures showing a positive density gradient from core to edge carry higher stress near the edge, while the soft austenitic phase showing a negative density gradient from core to edge serves to retain substantial tensile ductility. Finally, the phase-transformation at low temperature in gradient structures and the resulted work-hardening could be adopted to enhance the ductility and strength of widely used engineering materials for their applications in harsh environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Characterization of Complex Interactions at the Gas–Solid Interface with in Situ Spectroscopy: The Case of Nitrogen-Functionalized Carbon

Interactions at the gas-solid interface drive physicochemical processes in many energy and environmental applications; yet, the challenges associated with characterization and development of these dynamic interactions in complex systems limit progress in developing effective materials. Thus, structure-property-performance correlations greatly depend on the development of advanced techniques and analysis methods for the investigation of gas-solid interactions. In this work, adsorption behavior of O 2 and humidified O 2 on nitrogen-functionalized carbon (N-C) materials was investigated to provide a better understanding of the role of nitrogen species in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). N-C materials were produced by solvothermal synthesis and N-ion implantation, resulting in a set of materials with varied nitrogen amount and speciation in carbon matrices with different morphologies. Adsorption behavior of the N-C samples was characterized by in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) experiments. A novel analysis approach for the interpretation of AP-XPS data was developed, allowing both the determination of overall adsorption behavior of each N-C material and identification of which nitrogen species were responsible for adsorption. The complementary information provided by in situ DRIFTS and AP-XPS suggests that O 2 adsorption primarily takes place on either electron-rich nitrogen species like pyridine, hydrogenated nitrogen species, or graphitic nitrogen. Adsorption of O 2 and H 2 O occurs competitively on solvothermally prepared N-Cs, whereas adsorption of H 2 O and O 2 occurs at different sites on N-ion implanted N-Cs, highlighting the importance of tuning the composition of N-C materials to promote the most efficient ORR pathway.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Prospects of Nanoscience with Nanocrystals: 2025 Edition

Abstract Nanocrystals (NCs) of various compositions have made important contributions to science and technology, with their impact recognized by the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). Over four decades of research into NCs has led to numerous advancements in diverse fields, such as optoelectronics, catalysis, energy, medicine, and recently, quantum information and computing. The last 10 years since the predecessor perspective “Prospect of Nanoscience with Nanocrystals” was published in ACS Nano have seen NC research continuously evolve, yielding critical advances in fundamental understanding and practical applications. Mechanistic insights into NC formation have translated into precision control over NC size, shape, and composition. Emerging synthesis techniques have broadened the landscape of compounds obtainable in colloidal NC form. Sophistication in surface chemistry, jointly bolstered by theoretical models and experimental findings, has facilitated refined control over NC properties and represents a trusted gateway to enhanced NC stability and processability. The assembly of NCs into superlattices, along with two-dimensional (2D) photolithography and three-dimensional (3D) printing, has expanded their utility in creating materials with tailored properties. Applications of NCs are also flourishing, consolidating progress in fields targeted early on, such as optoelectronics and catalysis, and extending into areas ranging from quantum technology to phase-change memories. In this perspective, we review the extensive progress in research on NCs over the past decade and highlight key areas where future research may bring further breakthroughs.

Chemistry↗

Revealing Solvent-Assisted Li+ Transport in the Solid Electrolyte Interphase operando

The performance of energy-dense lithium metal batteries is critically influenced by the properties of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Yet, progress in understanding this layer has been limited by the lack of accurate operando characterization because the SEI evolves dynamically during cycling. Here, we apply dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (dEIS) to resolve the real-time evolution of the SEI on lithium metal in ether-based electrolytes with varying degrees of fluorination. We find that faster stabilization of the compact SEI resistance correlates with improved passivation and higher Coulombic efficiency. Unexpectedly, compact SEI resistance correlates directly with Li+ solvation energy, revealing that weaker Li+ solvation increases not only bulk but also interphase resistance. These findings challenge the conventional view of the SEI as a purely solid-phase conductor and instead support a solvent-assisted Li+ transport mechanism within the compact SEI. This framework emphasizes the need to balance SEI ionic conductivity with the Li+ solvation environment to maximize lithium metal battery performance.

Sacci, Robert [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000200735221)↗

Scalable fabrication and coating methods for perovskite solar cells and solar modules

Since the report in 2012 of a solid-state perovskite solar cell (PSC) with a power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.7% and a stability of 500 h, intensive efforts have been made to increase the certified PCE, reaching 25.2% in 2019. The PCE of PSCs now exceeds that of conventional thin-film solar-cell technologies, and the rate at which this increase has been achieved is unprecedented in the history of photovoltaics. Moreover, the development of moisture-stable and heat-stable materials has increased the stability of PSCs. Small-area devices (<1 cm2) are typically fabricated using a spin-coating method; however, this approach may not be suitable for the preparation of the large-area (>100 cm2) substrates required for commercialization. Thus, materials and methods need to be developed for coating large-area PSCs. In this Review, we discuss solution-based and vapour-phase coating methods for the fabrication of large-area perovskite films, examine the progress in performance and the parameters affecting the properties of large-area coatings, and provide an overview of the methodologies for achieving high-efficiency perovskite solar modules.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Black silicon: fabrication methods, properties and solar energy applications

Black silicon (BSi) represents a very active research area in renewable energy materials. The rise of BSi as a focus of study for its fundamental properties and potentially lucrative practical applications is shown by several recent results ranging from solar cells and light-emitting devices to antibacterial coatings and gas-sensors. Here in this article, the common BSi fabrication techniques are first reviewed, including electrochemical HF etching, stain etching, metal-assisted chemical etching, reactive ion etching, laser irradiation and the molten salt Fray-Farthing-Chen-Cambridge (FFC-Cambridge) process. The utilization of BSi as an anti-reflection coating in solar cells is then critically examined and appraised, based upon strategies towards higher efficiency renewable solar energy modules. Methods of incorporating BSi in advanced solar cell architectures and the production of ultra-thin and flexible BSi wafers are also surveyed. Particular attention is given to routes leading to passivated BSi surfaces, which are essential for improving the electrical properties of any devices incorporating BSi, with a special focus on atomic layer deposition of Al 2 O 3 . Finally, three potential research directions worth exploring for practical solar cell applications are highlighted, namely, encapsulation effects, the development of micro-nano dual-scale BSi, and the incorporation of BSi into thin solar cells. It is intended that this paper will serve as a useful introduction to this novel material and its properties, and provide a general overview of recent progress in research currently being undertaken for renewable energy applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Molecular understanding of heteronuclear active sites in heme–copper oxidases, nitric oxide reductases, and sulfite reductases through biomimetic modelling

Heme-copper oxidases (HCO), nitric oxide reductases (NOR), and sulfite reductases (SiR) catalyze the multi-electron and multi-proton reductions of O 2 , NO, and SO 3 2- , respectively. Each of these reactions is important to drive cellular energy production through respiratory metabolism and HCO, NOR, and SiR evolved to contain heteronuclear active sites containing heme/copper, heme/nonheme iron, and heme-[4Fe-4S] centers, respectively. The complexity of the structures and reactions of these native enzymes, along with their large sizes and/or membrane associations, make it challenging to fully understand the crucial structural features responsible for the catalytic properties of these active sites. Here, we summarize progress that has been made to better understand these heteronuclear metalloenzymes at the molecular level though study of the native enzymes along with insights gained from biomimetic models comprising either small molecules or proteins. Further understanding the reaction selectivity of these enzymes is discussed through comparisons of their similar heteronuclear active sites, and we offer outlook for further investigations and areas of ongoing study.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Development of “fragility” in relaxor ferroelectrics

Relaxor ferroelectrics (RFs), a special class of the disordered crystals or ceramics, exhibit a pronounced slowdown of their dynamics upon cooling as glass-forming liquids, called the “Super-Arrhenius (SA)” relaxation. Despite great progress in glass-forming liquids, the “fragility” property of the SA relaxation in RFs remains unclear so far. By measuring the temperature-dependent dielectric relaxation in the typical relaxor Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-x%PbTiO{sub 3} (PMN − x%PT) with 0 ≤ x ≤ 20.0, we in-depth study the “fragility” properties of the SA relaxation in PMN − x%PT. Such fascinating issues as the mechanism of the “fragility” at an atomic scale, the roles of the systematic configurational entropy change and interaction among relaxing units (RUs, including polar nanoregions and free dipoles) and the relation between “fragility” and ferroelectric order are investigated. Our results show that both the “fragility” of the temperature-dependent SA relaxation and ferroelectric order in the PMN − x%PT systems investigated arise thermodynamically from the configurational-entropy loss due to the attractive interaction among RUs, and develops as a power law, possibly diverging at the finite critical temperature T{sub c}. A reasonable physical scenario, based on our “configurational-entropy-loss” theory and Nowick's “stress-induced-ordering” theory, was proposed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

A new parameter-free soft-core potential for silica and its application to simulation of silica anomalies

A core-softening of the effective interaction between oxygen atoms in water and silica systems and its role in developing anomalous thermodynamic, transport, and structural properties have been extensively debated. For silica, the progress with addressing these issues has been hampered by a lack of effective interaction models with explicit core-softening. In this work, we present an extension of a two-body soft-core interatomic force field for silica recently reported by us [S. Izvekov and B. M. Rice, J. Chem. Phys. 136(13), 134508 (2012)] to include three-body forces. Similar to two-body interaction terms, the three-body terms are derived using parameter-free force-matching of the interactions from ab initio MD simulations of liquid silica. The derived shape of the O–Si–O three-body potential term affirms the existence of repulsion softening between oxygen atoms at short separations. The new model shows a good performance in simulating liquid, amorphous, and crystalline silica. By comparing the soft-core model and a similar model with the soft-core suppressed, we demonstrate that the topology reorganization within the local tetrahedral network and the O–O core-softening are two competitive mechanisms responsible for anomalous thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors observed in liquid and amorphous silica. The studied anomalies include the temperature of density maximum locus and anomalous diffusivity in liquid silica, and irreversible densification of amorphous silica. We show that the O–O core-softened interaction enhances the observed anomalies primarily through two mechanisms: facilitating the defect driven structural rearrangements of the silica tetrahedral network and modifying the tetrahedral ordering induced interactions toward multiple characteristic scales, the feature which underlies the thermodynamic anomalies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗