Materials Advances最新文献

{"title":"Structure-property relationships in chalcones with extended π-conjugation: ICT perturbation and red fluorescence.","authors":"Brian Corbin, Paityn Houglan, Wei-Yuan Chen, Christopher J Ziegler, Yi Pang","doi":"10.1039/d5ma01288k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ma01288k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>4-Dimethylamino-2'-hydroxychalcone (DHC) derivatives are known to exhibit distinctive photophysical properties for various applications, including highly fluorescent crystals and molecular imaging. In a continuous effort to establish the structure-property correlation of this class of materials, a series of methoxy-substituted chalcone derivatives with extended π-conjugation have been synthesized to understand the effect of methoxy substituents on the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) along the backbone. These derivatives displayed low fluorescence in protic solvents (<i>e.g. ϕ</i> _fl ≈ 0.003-0.009 in H₂O), but high fluorescence in a polar aprotic solvent (<i>ϕ</i> _fl ≈ 0.2-0.35 in DMSO), with emission maxima up to 658 nm. Fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the major emissive species could be attributed to locally excited (LE) and ICT states, while their emissive composition was heavily dependent on the methoxy-substitution pattern. The proposed predominant ICT mechanism was confirmed by low temperature fluorescence spectroscopy and supported by TDDFT calculations. Single crystal X-ray crystallography provided structural evidence for the chalcone derives, showing that the methoxy substituents could induce different tortional angles between the aromatic A-ring and the electron donor-acceptor backbone. The degree of the torsional angles was consistent with the number of the methoxy substituents present on the A-ring. These chalcone crystals were also highly fluorescent, with red-shifted emission (up to 703 nm) and quantum yield as high as <i>Φ</i> _fl = 0.363. This study explores a new class of chalcones that exhibit high fluorescence in both solution and solid states, and emission in the desirable red region.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13080300/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147698765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An integrated DFT–FDTD design of plasmon-enhanced lead-free CsSnxGe1−xI3 perovskite LEDs","authors":"Shoumik Debnath, Sudipta Saha, Khondokar Zahin, Ying Yin Tsui and Md Zahurul Islam","doi":"10.1039/D6MA00110F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6MA00110F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >CsSn<small>_<em>x</em></small>Ge<small>_{1−<em>x</em>}</small>I<small>₃</small> as lead-free perovskites are promising for next generation NIR emitting perovskite light emitting diodes (PeLEDs) due to their tunable bandgaps and stability. However, they suffer from poor light extraction efficiency (LEE), and accurate composition-specific optical data for these materials remain scarce. This study presents a density functional theory (DFT) informed finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) framework to optimize light extraction <em>via</em> compositional tuning and plasmonic enhancement. First, DFT calculations were performed to obtain composition-specific complex refractive index and extinction coefficient values for <em>x</em> = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1. Results showed that the bandgap increased from 1.331 eV for CsSnI<small>₃</small> to 1.927 eV for CsGeI<small>₃</small> with increasing Ge content, while the refractive index ranged from 2.2 to 2.6 across compositions. These optical constants were then used as inputs for FDTD simulations of a PeLED structure with optimized Au/SiO<small>₂</small> core–shell nanorods for plasmonic enhancement. A 12.1-fold Purcell enhancement was achieved for CsSn<small>_0.25</small>Ge<small>_0.75</small>I<small>₃</small>, while LEE reached 25% for CsSn<small>_0.5</small>Ge<small>_0.5</small>I<small>₃</small>. A LEE enhancement of 36% was obtained for CsSnI<small>₃</small>, and spectral overlap between emitter and plasmon resonance reached 96% for Sn-rich compositions. Among the studied compositions, CsSn<small>_0.5</small>Ge<small>_0.5</small>I<small>₃</small> provides the best balance between emission enhancement, light extraction efficiency (25%), Purcell enhancement (5.3×), spectral matching (93%), and oxidation stability, while Ge-rich alloys exhibit stronger spontaneous emission rate enhancement. These results establish composition-aware design guidelines for lead-free perovskite emitters targeting flexible and wearable optoelectronic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4360-4377"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d6ma00110f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of copper oxide nanomaterials in solar desalination: a systematic review of integration strategies","authors":"A. S. Abdullah, Abanob Joseph, Wissam H. Alawee, Mohamed Elashmawy, Mohammed El Hadi Attia, Swellam W. Sharshir and Ahmed El-Harairy","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01512J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01512J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Low freshwater productivity and the intermittent nature of operation remain the major limitations of conventional solar still (SS) desalination systems, restricting their large-scale and long-term applicability despite their simplicity and low environmental impact. This review comprehensively analyzes the role of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) as an effective multifunctional enhancement agent for overcoming these limitations. CuO NPs can be used as a nanofluid in the water basin and as a nanocoating on absorber surfaces to enhance the absorption of solar radiation and, consequently, increase evaporation rates and freshwater productivity. CuO NPs can also be employed as an additive for phase change materials (PCMs) to improve heat charging and discharging characteristics and to modify melting and solidification temperatures, thereby extending SS operation for several hours after sunset. The dual application of CuO NPs as a PCM additive and as an absorber surface coating provides up to 80.20% enhancement in freshwater productivity, achieves a thermal efficiency of 63.71%, and reduces the cost per liter of distilled water by up to 75% compared to conventional SSs. CuO NPs have been applied in both passive and active SS configurations, either individually or in hybrid arrangements. This review critically examines the effects of CuO nanofluid concentration, hybrid CuO-based nanofluids with other nanomaterials, and CuO nanocomposites, highlighting the superior performance of CuO NPs compared to alternative nanoparticles in terms of yield, thermal performance, and economic feasibility. In addition to experimental investigations, relevant theoretical and numerical modeling studies are integrated to provide design-oriented insights and optimization pathways for high-performance SSs.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4037-4060"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01512j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CsPbBr3 crystal growth via antisolvent vapor assisted method and their photoelectric properties","authors":"Maksym Pecherkin, Vasyl Mykhailovych, Matthias Gutmann, Gheorghe Lucian Păşcuţ, Petro Fochuk, Mariia Mykhailovych, Aurelian Rotaru, Yuriy Khalavka and Andriy Dmytruk","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01208B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01208B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Inorganic halide perovskites, particularly CsPbBr<small>₃</small>, have emerged in recent years as promising materials for optoelectronic applications due to their easily tunable bandgap, high charge carrier mobility, and radiation sensing capabilities. This study describes an efficient and straightforward method for growing high-quality CsPbBr<small>₃</small> single crystals using the antisolvent vapor-assisted method, using nitromethane as the antisolvent within a temperature range of 25–45 °C. The resulting crystal has an optical bandgap of about 2.28 eV. X-ray structural analysis confirms the orthorhombic phase. Optical and photoelectrical measurements reveal a clear photocurrent response under UV irradiation at 365 nm, marked by a evident increase in photocurrent density. In addition, the charge carrier mobility–lifetime product extracted from charge collection efficiency analysis reaches ∼0.8 × 10<small>⁻³</small> cm<small>²</small> V<small>⁻¹</small>, indicating efficient charge transport. Under visible-light illumination at 530 nm, the crystals demonstrate a responsivity of 6.24 × 10<small>⁻³</small> A W<small>⁻¹</small> and a specific detectivity of ∼1.3 × 10<small>¹⁰</small> Jones. Surface morphology assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms the high surface quality of the crystals. These findings highlight the potential of this modified growth method for producing CsPbBr<small>₃</small> single crystals suitable for next-generation photodetectors and other optoelectronic devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4341-4351"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01208b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ga back-graded CuInSe2 thin films for high-performance near-infrared photodetectors","authors":"Temujin Enkhbat, Jieun Park, Sang Hun Lee, Seong Ju Park and Jae Hyung Jang","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01453K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01453K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Copper indium selenide (CuInSe<small>₂</small>, CISe) thin films are promising materials for optoelectronic applications due to their tunable bandgap, high absorption coefficient, and excellent thermal stability. In this work, the performance of CISe-based photodetectors is enhanced through controlled gallium (Ga) back-side incorporation, forming a compositional grading profile within the absorber layer. The Ga-induced grading improves film crystallinity and grain growth while suppressing recombination losses, leading to enhanced junction quality and carrier extraction. As a result, the optimized Ga-incorporated device exhibits a peak responsivity of 0.67 A W<small>⁻¹</small> and a specific detectivity (<em>D*</em>) exceeding 10<small>¹²</small> Jones under 1064 nm illumination. In addition, transient photoresponse measurements reveal a significant reduction in response time (<em>τ</em><small>_10–90%</small>) from 0.48 ms to 0.18 ms, indicating accelerated carrier transport dynamics. Compared with undoped CISe devices, the Ga-graded photodetectors demonstrate improved external quantum efficiency (EQE), reduced series resistance (<em>R</em><small>_s</small>), and suppressed leakage pathways. These results highlight the effectiveness of Ga back grading in simultaneously optimizing both steady-state sensitivity and temporal response, establishing Ga-graded CISe thin films as promising and cost-effective candidates for high-performance near-infrared (NIR) photodetection and integrated optoelectronic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4352-4359"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01453k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local chemical order suppresses grain boundary migration under irradiation in CrCoNi","authors":"Ian Geiger, Penghui Cao and Timothy J. Rupert","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01373A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01373A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Complex concentrated alloys with intrinsic chemical heterogeneity are promising candidates for nuclear applications, where local chemical order can strongly influence defect evolution under irradiation. Grain boundaries also contribute to radiation damage mitigation by serving as defect sinks, yet this interaction can alter interfacial structure, typically leading to destabilization and grain growth. This study investigates how chemical ordering influences grain boundary migration and stability during successive radiation events in CrCoNi. Using atomistic simulations, bicrystals were equilibrated to induce segregation-enhanced chemical order, followed by prolonged irradiation at 1100 K. The results show that grain boundaries in chemically-random CrCoNi begin to migrate after only a few collision cascades, whereas those in the chemically-ordered alloy remain immobile until the chemical order is sufficiently disrupted. Single-cascade simulations reveal key mechanistic differences, where cascades near chemically-ordered interfaces produce smaller damage volumes and reduced atomic displacement due to enhanced Frenkel pair combination within the cascade core. This limits both the residual defect population and the energetic driving force for interfacial rearrangement. Subsequent simulations of irradiated interfaces show that interstitial absorption induces a structural transition that modifies the segregation morphology at and near the grain boundary, demonstrating a dynamic coupling between ordering stability and defect evolution. These findings offer new insights into the role of local chemical order on defect-interface interactions under extreme conditions and highlight pathways for designing radiation-tolerant materials for next-generation nuclear systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4378-4392"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01373a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A CRISPR-Cas12a amplified RNase activity sensor powered by gold nanoparticle-barcode DNA multipliers.","authors":"Sathishkumar Munusamy, Rana Jahani, Jun Chen, Shuo Zhou, Juanhua Kong, Haiyan Zheng, Xiyun Guan","doi":"10.1039/d6ma00316h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ma00316h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ribonuclease A (RNase A) is a clinically relevant biomarker whose aberrant activity compromises RNA stability and interferes with RNA-based therapeutics, highlighting the need for rapid and ultrasensitive detection tools. In this work, we developed a CRISPR/Cas12a-assisted biosensing platform integrated with a substrate-bridged magnetic bead-gold nanoparticle assembly (SB-MAC) for highly sensitive and selective RNase A detection. By optimizing AuNP loading density, RNA substrate/barcode DNA molar ratio, and enzymatic incubation conditions, the prepared dual-functionalized SB-MAC architecture enabled efficient substrate/RNase A cleavage interaction and significant signal amplification, yielding a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 pg mL^-1 for RNase A. The sensor exhibited excellent specificity against structurally and functionally related biomolecules and demonstrated strong analytical performance when tested on serum and water samples, with recoveries obtained ranging from 104 to 110%. Owing to its modular substrate design and robust signal amplification, this DNA-assisted platform offers a versatile and clinically relevant tool for monitoring RNase A activity and can be readily adapted for detecting other nuclease-based biomarkers.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13093252/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147775588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"AI enabled lead-free halide perovskite memristor crossbar arrays for energy efficient in-memory computing","authors":"Hyojung Kim","doi":"10.1039/D5MA00844A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA00844A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The rapid growth of edge computing is progressively requiring memories that provide rapid access, low energy consumption, and smooth integration with adaptable thin-film electronics. Halide perovskites meet these requirements because ion migration in their soft lattice enables field-tunable conductance. Importantly, this mechanism operates without conventional charge storage. The focus of research has thus transitioned to benign, lead-free compositions that inhibit parasitic ion drift, extend data retention, and enhance moisture tolerance. This review examines the latest developments in halide perovskite crossbar arrays. Uniform polycrystalline layers created <em>via</em> solution or vacuum methods demonstrate wide resistance ranges, remarkably low leakage, and consistent multilevel conductance throughout prolonged cycling. Selector-integrated cells effectively reduce sneak paths, ensuring signal integrity throughout closely linked planar meshes and vertically arranged networks. Additionally, their inherent rectifying properties allow for completely passive nodes ideally suited for analog inference. The density, switching speed, and adaptive behavior already achieved confirm that lead-free halide perovskite memristors represent a promising platform for energy-efficient data storage and on-device intelligence.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 3923-3934"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma00844a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Auxetic polypropylene foams as high mechanical performance materials","authors":"Xiao Yuan Chen and Denis Rodrigue","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01329A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01329A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study focuses on converting polypropylene (PP) foams into auxetic metamaterials using vacuum and mechanical compression (VMC). The PP foams (initial density of 45 kg m<small>⁻³</small>) underwent treatments involving heat, vacuum and mechanical pressure to create a re-entrant cellular structure essential to generate a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR). The resulting foams exhibit significantly enhanced stiffness, making them suitable for applications in sports and military protection. The effect of vacuum and mechanical compression are optimized to achieve the best auxetic properties. The treated foams are characterized for density, porosity, open cell content (OCC), cell morphology, Poisson's ratio (<em>ν</em>) and mechanical properties. The optimized auxetic foams have high density (100–133 kg m<small>⁻³</small>) and show NPR under both tensile (−0.23) and compressive (−0.08) deformation. More importantly, the toughness is improved by up to 438% compared to the original foam with a 200% increase of the elastic limit. Furthermore, the compression stress is improved by 416% at 50% compressive strain. Finally, thermo-mechanical data show that auxetic PP foams have improved properties as temperature increases.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4171-4180"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01329a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Piezoelectrically-enhanced 230 nm far-UV second harmonic generation in a polarity-inversion-free AlN/AlGaN strained-layer superlattice channel waveguide","authors":"Shahzeb Malik, Ryo Momosaki, Hiroto Honda, Kanako Shojiki, Hideto Miyake, Masahiro Uemukai, Tomoyuki Tanikawa and Ryuji Katayama","doi":"10.1039/D5MA01423A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MA01423A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Far-ultraviolet (UV) light has a wide range of global applications, including virus inactivation, bacterial disinfection, human body sterilization, communication, and sensing. Nitride semiconductors, such as AlN and AlGaN, are particularly advantageous for wavelength conversion applications because of their large energy bandgap of approximately 6 eV, which provides excellent transparency in the far-ultraviolet spectrum. In this study, we employed a transverse-quasi-matching approach to design and fabricate an AlN/AlGaN strained-layer superlattice (SLS) channel waveguide. The wavelength spectra and power dependency of the SH intensity confirm the first successful demonstration of far-UV light emission from a polarity-inversion-free SLS structure <em>via</em> the enhancement of the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility by piezoelectric polarization under ultrashort pulse stimulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18242,"journal":{"name":"Materials Advances","volume":" 8","pages":" 4208-4216"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ma/d5ma01423a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147752312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}