MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1557/s43580-025-01397-3
Adrian Jonas, Selma Erat, Nikolay Ryzhkov, Alexey Rulev, Katja Frenzel, Hongxin Wang, Glennise Faye C Mejica, Jan Goran T Tomacruz, Oscar Paredes, Dimosthenis Sokaras, Burkhard Beckhoff, Artur Braun
{"title":"Operando X-ray Raman Ni 2p spectra of LiNi<sub>x</sub>Mn<sub>y</sub>Co1-x-yO<sub>2</sub> lithium-ion battery electrodes.","authors":"Adrian Jonas, Selma Erat, Nikolay Ryzhkov, Alexey Rulev, Katja Frenzel, Hongxin Wang, Glennise Faye C Mejica, Jan Goran T Tomacruz, Oscar Paredes, Dimosthenis Sokaras, Burkhard Beckhoff, Artur Braun","doi":"10.1557/s43580-025-01397-3","DOIUrl":"10.1557/s43580-025-01397-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithium manganese nickel oxides are a prominent class of materials used for positively charged lithium-ion batteries. Three different archetype stoichiometries of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (NMC) were studied with bulk-sensitive X-ray Raman and surface-sensitive soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We have conducted complementary operando battery X-ray experiments on the NMC622 electrode over one full charge and discharge cycle in a specifically designed operando battery cell. The <i>ex situ</i> NEXAFS spectra of the Ni L-edges show distinct differences in their multiplet characteristics depending on the cathode composition. The obtained operando X-ray Raman spectra show changes in the branching ratio of the Ni 2p spectra and confirms that the state of charge of the battery correlates with changes in the bulk of the electrode.</p>","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12857916/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146106293","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":"Effects of nanoparticles on laser sintering of metal and ceramic powders.","authors":"Jovana Latinovic, Ka'Tra Winchester, Noble Agyeman-Bobie, Zie-Nia Rice, Stecy Chirinda, Haeyeon Yang","doi":"10.1557/s43580-025-01375-9","DOIUrl":"10.1557/s43580-025-01375-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Continuous wave (CW) laser was used to melt micrometer-sized powders mixed with nanoparticles (NPs) such as titanium NPs. Nanoliquids have been known as medium of excellent heat transfer so that commercial nanoliquids are available for more efficient cooling engines and drill bits for oil wells. Nanoliquids may form during the laser melting or sintering of powders that are mixed with NPs of higher melting point than that of powders. During the melting period, NPs may stay in solid phase while the powders become liquid. This powder-transformed to liquid may be viewed as a nanoliquid with solid-state NPs. We discuss the laser melting of powders such as SmCo<sub>5</sub> with titanium NPs including their hardness.</p><p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"10 16","pages":"1901-1904"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12672753/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145678297","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}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1557/s43580-025-01486-3
Damiano Duci, Raquel Amaral, David M S Silva, Francisco C Cotta, Felipe L Bacellar, Lee Bryant, Rupert G Perkins, Paulo R F Rocha
{"title":"Electrophysiological monitoring of nutrient stress in <i>Oscillatoria</i> sp. cohorts: Toward an early-warning tool for harmful algal blooms.","authors":"Damiano Duci, Raquel Amaral, David M S Silva, Francisco C Cotta, Felipe L Bacellar, Lee Bryant, Rupert G Perkins, Paulo R F Rocha","doi":"10.1557/s43580-025-01486-3","DOIUrl":"10.1557/s43580-025-01486-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a growing challenge for freshwater management, traditionally addressed through phosphorus (P) limitation strategies. However, increasing evidence highlights nitrogen (N) availability as a key driver of bloom initiation and persistence. Here, we report extracellular voltage recordings from Oscillatoria cohorts exposed to four days of N starvation followed by ammonium (NH₄⁺) repletion using 5 mg L<sup>-1</sup>. Under N deprivation, electrical signalling developed progressively with a median of 1-2 events min<sup>-1</sup> and amplitudes between 3-4 µV on day 1 and 2, following a marked increase in activity by days 3 and 4, with median spike rates of 5 events min<sup>-1</sup> and amplitudes up to 17 µV. Following NH<sub>4</sub> <sup>+</sup> repletion, signalling activity declined within 24 h, indicating rapid restoration of N balance. These results suggest that electrophysiological monitoring can serve as a real-time, non-invasive indicator of nutrient stress in Oscillatoria and provides a potential early warning tool for HAB onset and associated taste and odour (T&O) outbreaks in freshwater systems.</p><p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong></p><p><strong>Supplementary information: </strong>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1557/s43580-025-01486-3.</p>","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"10 23","pages":"2712-2718"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12756194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145900665","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}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-04-30DOI: 10.1557/s43580-025-01268-x
Adam J Fisher, Clare L Thorpe, Latham T Haigh, Sarah E Pepper, Ruth Edge
{"title":"<i>In situ</i> dissolution of the international simple glass (ISG-1 & ISG-2) and UK high-level-waste glass in extreme γ-radiation environments.","authors":"Adam J Fisher, Clare L Thorpe, Latham T Haigh, Sarah E Pepper, Ruth Edge","doi":"10.1557/s43580-025-01268-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-025-01268-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>In situ</i> γ-irradiated dissolution of the International Simple Glass (ISG) 1 & 2 and a UK high-level waste glass (post-operational-clean-out (POCO)) was investigated following a modified Product Consistency Test-B protocol for 158 d at 40 °C in ultra-high-quality water. Tests were conducted under atmospheric conditions and received a total dose of 21.6 MGy delivered at a rate of 0.137 MGy d<sup>-1</sup>. The normalised mass loss of B, Na, Ca and Mg were slightly higher in γ-irradiated tests when compared to non-irradiated tests whilst the normalised mass loss of Si was comparable or slightly lower. Boron-normalised mass losses of 0.87 ± 0.31, 0.60 ± 0.04 and 0.68 ± 0.07 g m<sup>-2</sup> were calculated for γ-irradiated ISG-1, ISG-2 and POCO, respectively, whilst normalised mass losses in non-irradiated controls were 0.62 ± 0.01, 0.57 ± 0.01 and 0.41 ± 0.06 g m<sup>-2</sup>. The difference was tentatively attributed to acidification during irradiation.</p><p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong><i>In situ</i> γ-irradiation tests on HLW reference glasses.</p>","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"10 15","pages":"1787-1792"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12647269/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145636246","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}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2025-09-15DOI: 10.1557/s43580-025-01388-4
Bibi Shehrbano, Colin Boxall, Joshua Turner, Richard Wilbraham
{"title":"Towards an understanding of the behaviour of ruthenium during vitrification of highly active waste: A study of the volatilisation of RuO<sub>2</sub>.","authors":"Bibi Shehrbano, Colin Boxall, Joshua Turner, Richard Wilbraham","doi":"10.1557/s43580-025-01388-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-025-01388-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recycling nuclear fuel to recover materials such as uranium and plutonium involves high temperature processes to treat the resulting highly active (HA) waste. This waste contains ruthenium, an important fission product due to its tendency to form volatile compounds and the presence of the radioactive isotope <sup>106</sup>Ru. These properties, combined with the elevated temperatures during HA waste treatment, necessitate a deeper understanding of ruthenium volatilisation mechanisms. Key ruthenium species present or potentially formed in HA waste include nitro and nitrosyl complexes, and ruthenium dioxide (RuO<sub>2</sub>). This study focuses on the behaviour of RuO<sub>2</sub> at high temperatures, due to its relevance to the vitrification process used to immobilise HA waste. Preliminary thermogravimetric analysis of commercially available RuO<sub>2</sub> revealed a dehydration process under N<sub>2</sub>, O<sub>2</sub>, air atmospheres, and volatilisation under oxidising conditions. Post-heating analyses using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction identified a concurrent, thermally induced recrystallisation process, most prominent under non-oxidising conditions.</p><p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"10 15","pages":"1793-1800"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12647294/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145636258","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}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2024-01-05DOI: 10.1557/s43580-023-00755-3
Shinya Ogane, K. Moriguchi
{"title":"Pair potential description on phase stability variations in close-packed polytypism","authors":"Shinya Ogane, K. Moriguchi","doi":"10.1557/s43580-023-00755-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00755-3","url":null,"abstract":"We report an extensive analysis on phase stability variations in close-packed (CP) polytypes, including hexagonal CP (hcp or 2H), face-centered cubic (fcc or 3C), and double hexagonal CP (dhcp or 4H) arrangements. This analysis involves the systematic development of interatomic pair potentials and the derivation of computational phase diagrams in the feature space of corresponding potential profiles. We focus on the following key components of interaction model: the reach distance of atomic interactions and perturbative long-range interactions reminiscent of Friedel oscillations which often lead to long-range interaction decay in crystalline materials. The computational experiments reveal that the perturbative interactions reflecting atomic local structures in CP polytypes, essentially diversify the polytypism in the phase diagrams. Using the pure La system with the 4H ground state, we also provide detailed procedures for creating practical pair potentials that approximately reproduce the energetics and physical properties deduced through the first-principles calculations.\u0000 Graphical abstract","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"8 37","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139381334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2024-01-05DOI: 10.1557/s43580-023-00757-1
Tsugumi Seki, Ryota Oasa, Taiji Chida, Y. Niibori
{"title":"Sorption behavior of cesium ions to Mg-containing calcium silicate hydrate in a co-precipitation process","authors":"Tsugumi Seki, Ryota Oasa, Taiji Chida, Y. Niibori","doi":"10.1557/s43580-023-00757-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00757-1","url":null,"abstract":"The sorption behavior of Cs to Mg-containing calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) was examined to consider C–S–H formation under the water-saturated conditions around a radioactive waste repository. The amount of Cs sorption was slightly lower for Mg-containing C–S–H than for C–S–H, because Mg leads to a decrease in sorption sites by facilitating the polymerization of silicate chains. However, the apparent sorption distribution coefficient Kd of Cs on C–S–H with a Ca/Si molar ratio of 0.8 and Mg contents up to 20% was estimated to be 3.4–6.1 mL/g. Furthermore, the amount of Cs sorption was not decreased by the presence of Ba. The apparent Kd obtained in this study was about 10 times higher than that conventionally estimated for host rocks in the plutonic repository, indicating that C–S–H retains the effect of Cs immobilization even when it contains Mg.\u0000 Graphical abstract","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"1 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139381188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2024-01-05DOI: 10.1557/s43580-023-00744-6
S. Zongo, Tongonmanegde Leonard Ouedraogo, S. Z. Kam, Moussa Sougoti, T. Daho, B. Ngom, Malik Maaza, J. Koulidiati, Antoine Béré
{"title":"Saffron extract-mediated synthesis of Cu(OH)2 nanocomposite: Structural and photocatalytic activity investigation","authors":"S. Zongo, Tongonmanegde Leonard Ouedraogo, S. Z. Kam, Moussa Sougoti, T. Daho, B. Ngom, Malik Maaza, J. Koulidiati, Antoine Béré","doi":"10.1557/s43580-023-00744-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00744-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139381392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2024-01-04DOI: 10.1557/s43580-023-00754-4
Emmanuel Rosa Delgado, José O. Sotero Esteva
{"title":"Detection of wells in images of deformed 96-wells plates","authors":"Emmanuel Rosa Delgado, José O. Sotero Esteva","doi":"10.1557/s43580-023-00754-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00754-4","url":null,"abstract":"Applications that use smartphone cameras for visual colorimetric analysis are often developed in combination with components that serve as sample holders, fluidic chambers, or active membranes. Using smartphones as handheld visual colorimetric analysis devices and sample managers with novel flexible materials raises challenges not present when using rigid materials and better-controlled settings. For instance, accurately finding where analytes are is crucial to a correct analysis. This work has used deformed 96-wells plates as a model of devices that may be used in the field in combination with smartphone applications as colorimetric devices. An algorithm based on the application of the Hough transform followed by an interpolation is developed and tested with plate images that have been deformed in a controlled fashion. The procedure accurately detects the wells in all images of the test sets. Graphical abstract","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"34 20","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139385402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MRS AdvancesPub Date : 2024-01-04DOI: 10.1557/s43580-023-00758-0
P. Preeda, R. Ganapathi Raman, P. Sakthivel, Arun Thirumurugan, Suresh Sagadevan
{"title":"A facile growth, optical behavior of organic nonlinear optical crystal: 4-bromo-2-methylbenzonitrile","authors":"P. Preeda, R. Ganapathi Raman, P. Sakthivel, Arun Thirumurugan, Suresh Sagadevan","doi":"10.1557/s43580-023-00758-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00758-0","url":null,"abstract":"4-bromo-2-methylbenzonitrile single organic nonlinear optical crystal was prepared at room temperature by the slow evaporation method. The grown crystal’s crystalline nature was verified, and the unit cell characteristics are provided as a = 4.08 Å, b = 6.61 Å, c = 28.93 Å, α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°. The functional groups of the crystal were identified using the FTIR and FT-Raman spectra. UV–Vis optical studies show UV cutoff wavelength at 221.6 nm, and the bandgap of the grown crystal was estimated at 4.87 eV using the Taucs’ plot. Photoluminescence spectra exhibited violet and red emissions. A high dielectric constant was received at a low frequency. The TG/DTA curve shows that the grown crystal was stable up to 125.59 °C. The Kurtz-Perry powder technique was applied to confirm the Second Harmonic Generation’s nature. By using the agar diffusion method, the antibacterial property of the grown 4B2MBN crystal was determined. Graphical abstract","PeriodicalId":19015,"journal":{"name":"MRS Advances","volume":"23 7","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139386381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}