SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202503964
Himanshi Bhambri, Sumedha Rana, Alisha Gogia, Sanjay K. Mandal
{"title":"Nitrogen‐Rich Mn‐Based Metal–Organic Frameworks for Small Molecule Adsorption and Activation through Polarization","authors":"Himanshi Bhambri, Sumedha Rana, Alisha Gogia, Sanjay K. Mandal","doi":"10.1002/smll.202503964","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202503964","url":null,"abstract":"To address the far‐reaching consequences of radioiodine contamination and CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> emissions, heteroatom engineering in materials has emerged as a promising strategy. In this study, three thermally and chemically stable Mn‐based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), 1–3, are synthesized using (i) a dicarboxylate ligand with an oxadiazole core, and (ii) nitrogen‐rich ligands with varying spacers between the bis(tridentate) ends. The incorporation of a heterocyclic core and nitrogen atoms enhances polarity, while Lewis acidity of Mn<jats:sup>2+</jats:sup> ion strengthens small molecule interactions. The strong iodine uptake, both in vapor (2.9–2.2 g g<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>) and aqueous phases (1.82–1.34 g g<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>), underscores their effectiveness in radioactive iodine remediation. Notably, these selectively capture iodide ions even in the presence of competing anions. The polar nature of 1–3 is also evidenced by CO₂ [isosteric heat of adsorption (<jats:italic>Q</jats:italic><jats:sub>st</jats:sub>): 30 kJ mol<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>] and H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O (uptake range: 7.77–11.48 mmol g<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>) sorption studies. Exploiting their Lewis acidity and polar sites, 1–3 efficiently catalyze a solvent‐free CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> fixation reaction with epoxide and aniline, yielding oxazolidinones with high conversions and turnover numbers. The configurational biased Monte Carlo (CBMC) simulations confirm interactions of 1–3 with ionic iodine and reactants of catalysis. These MOFs demonstrate excellent reusability, maintaining structural integrity without any metal leaching.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144533049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Permeable Triboelectric Fiber Mat with 35 V cm-2 Voltage Output for Wearable Wireless Sensing Electronics.","authors":"Youchao Qi,Jinxing Jiang,Fan Chen,Junhua Zhou,Jiaheng Liang,Jingjing Fu,Yongqiang Yang,Yichun Ding,Zijian Zheng,Qiyao Huang","doi":"10.1002/smll.202504556","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202504556","url":null,"abstract":"Textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators have emerged as a promising solution for self-powered wearable electronics, owing to their exceptional comfort derived from the inherent flexibility of textiles, coupled with their remarkable capability to efficiently harvest low-frequency energy from human motions. However, one primary challenge lies in how to enhance output and management efficiency without compromising comfort to meet the high-power consumption demands of electronics. Herein, a permeable triboelectric nanogenerator (pTENG) is reported with a voltage output exceeding 35 V cm- 2 while maintaining breathability. Such a high output of this pTENG is attributed to the enhanced dielectric constant, facilitated by the uniform distribution of liquid metal nanoparticles in the electrospun composite fiber mat. With a specially designed energy management module, the self-powering system based on pTENG can achieve 10 times faster charging speed than those regulated only by rectifiers. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a garment integrating a pTENG, an energy management module, a temperature sensor, and a wireless transmitter is developed to form a self-powered wireless temperature sensing system, which can sense and transmit temperature data to a relay terminal module. This integration reduces reliance on external power while enabling real-time wireless health monitoring, highlighting the great potential of body area networks in personalized healthcare.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"27 1","pages":"e2504556"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202506206
Shuyu Li,Wenyi Guo,Yixuan Li,Donghe Sun,Xingyu Yu,Zhaoyue Liu
{"title":"Modulating the Interlayer Spacing of Montmorillonite 2D Nanofluidic Membranes by Cation Intercalation for Osmotic Energy Conversion.","authors":"Shuyu Li,Wenyi Guo,Yixuan Li,Donghe Sun,Xingyu Yu,Zhaoyue Liu","doi":"10.1002/smll.202506206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202506206","url":null,"abstract":"2D nanofluidic membranes constructed from naturally abundant clay minerals show great potential for harvesting osmotic energy from salinity gradients between seawater and river water. However, their power generation performance is limited by the tradeoff between ion selectivity and ion flux. Herein, a montmorillonite (MMT) 2D nanofluidic membrane is developed by partially substituting interlayer Na⁺ with the organic cation Ru(bpy)3 2+, thereby achieving a nanoscale modulation of interlayer spacing while maintaining its high cation selectivity. The resultant intercalated membranes exhibit a surface-charge-governed ion transport property. Under a 50-fold salinity gradient formed by 0.5/0.01 m KCl, the 2D membrane with an optimized interlayer spacing exhibits a maximum power density of 5.30 W m-2, which is potentially boosted to be 10.05 W m-2 in a hypersaline solution (0.06/3 m) with the same gradient. This work provides an effective strategy to modulate the interlayer spacing of 2D nanofluidic membranes for enhanced osmotic energy conversion performance.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"104 1","pages":"e2506206"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144533443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring Xanthan Gum as a Plasticizer in Silk Fibroin/Gelatin Films: Toward Self-Assemblies, Robust, and Cytocompatible Structures.","authors":"Prasanna Kumar Byram,Krishna Chaitanya Sunka,Lopamudra Das,Gaurav Kulkarni,Dipanjana Ghosh,Lasya Vaddi,Manish Kaushal,Santanu Dhara,Nishant Chakravorty","doi":"10.1002/smll.202500782","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202500782","url":null,"abstract":"Protein-based films resemble the ECM matrix and facilitate tissue regeneration, which makes them suitable polymers for biomedical applications. However, they often lack flexibility, which reduces their utility. The addition of plasticizers reduces the molecular interactions responsible for brittleness of these biopolymers, thereby rendering them flexible. This study explores the use of xanthan gum (XG) as a plasticizer in silk fibroin (SF) and gelatin (G) films, presenting a novel approach to developing a flexible matrix. The gelation kinetic studies assess the evolution of storage modulus (G') as a function of time to determine the structural network formation. The addition of XG molecules improves the matrix's flexibility and elongation, as confirmed using tensile strength. Raman spectra confirm β-sheet formation, while X-ray diffraction shows structural changes. The cytocompatibility of developed films is assessed using the MTT assay, while cell adhesion and morphology are studied using SEM, and live/dead assay with L929 cells. Furthermore, ROS production is assessed using the DCFH assay. Immunocompatibility of the films is evaluated by analyzing TNF-α and IL-6 genes in RAW 264.7 cells. The hemolysis of developed films is assessed to evaluate their blood compatibility. The SF/G/XG films showed transparency, stability, and enhanced mechanical properties, making them suitable for biomedical applications.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"11 1","pages":"e2500782"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144533333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Scalable Fabrication and Integration Strategies for Metal Halide Perovskite Direct X-Ray Detectors.","authors":"Wen-Guang Li,Meifang Yang,Xu-Dong Wang,Bang Lan,Dai-Bin Kuang","doi":"10.1002/smll.202503619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202503619","url":null,"abstract":"Metal halide perovskites have emerged as promising materials in direct X-ray detection applications, due to their strong X-ray absorption ability, large carrier mobility-lifetime product, tunable band gaps, and low cost. In the past several years, X-ray detectors based on metal halide perovskite materials have exhibited exceptional detection performance, such as high sensitivity and low detection limits, and are attracting immense interest in academic and industrial fields. To meet the demands for low-dose, high-resolution, and fast-response X-ray imaging, the development of large-area, multi-pixel X-ray detector arrays is essential. Despite the rapid development of multi-pixel X-ray imaging technology based on perovskites, there is still room for improvement in imaging performance. This review introduces the principle, device architecture, and key performance parameters of direct X-ray imaging, with a focus on the issues of scalable fabrication of perovskites and their integration with pixelated electrode substrates for multi-pixel imaging. A series of scalable bottom-up and top-down fabrication methods for perovskite thick films and integration strategies is summarized. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent advances of perovskite-based direct-conversion X-ray detectors, and outline the challenges and their potential future directions in this field.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"5 1","pages":"e2503619"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202505741
Kai Li,Hong Li,Weibo Liu,Tong Zhou,Yu Huang,Shijie Liao,Gaoce Han,Yunhui Huang,Yifei Yu
{"title":"Real-Time Monitoring of Strain Relaxation in Graphite Anode for Lithium-Ion Battery.","authors":"Kai Li,Hong Li,Weibo Liu,Tong Zhou,Yu Huang,Shijie Liao,Gaoce Han,Yunhui Huang,Yifei Yu","doi":"10.1002/smll.202505741","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202505741","url":null,"abstract":"With the push for high energy density, lithium-ion batteries face growing challenges from mechanical strain in graphite anodes, arising from volume fluctuations during Li⁺ insertion and extraction. Current diagnostic limitations have impeded the comprehensive elucidation of internal strain evolution and its coupling with underlying ion transport mechanisms. In this study, an embedded fiber-optic sensing strategy is implemented to achieve real-time, distributed quantification of strain dynamics within the graphite electrode. This approach enables direct tracking of spatially heterogeneous strain accumulation and reveals a strain relaxation phenomenon intimately correlated with Li⁺ diffusion behavior. The relaxation process becomes particularly significant at high states of charge (> 80%) and exhibits strong thermally activated kinetics. To mitigate localized strain concentrations, a pitch-derived carbon coating strategy is further developed, yielding a 2.8 nm-thick amorphous carbon layer on graphite surfaces. Strain mapping demonstrates that the modified graphite (Gr@P) exhibits ≈22% enhancement in relaxation kinetics and a ≈47% improvement in distribution uniformity. Consequently, the Gr@P anode delivers improved mechanical integrity and electrochemical durability, retaining 86.7% capacity after 500 cycles at 2C -substantially surpassing the pristine graphite (55.0%). This work establishes a practical real-time methodology for mechanochemical interrogation, offering a viable pathway for the rational design of high-performance anodes.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"19 1","pages":"e2505741"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144533332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Suppressing Phase Instability and Iodide Expulsion in Mixed-Halide Perovskites via Directed Hole Transfer and Defect Management.","authors":"Shivani Gupta,Harsh Patel,Pooja Aggarwal,Soumyadeep De,Vishal Govind Rao","doi":"10.1002/smll.202501579","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202501579","url":null,"abstract":"Bandgap tunability in mixed-halide perovskite CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 nanocrystals (NCs) makes them appealing for multijunction solar cells and tunable optoelectronics. However, light-induced halide migration and phase segregation, primarily driven by hole trapping and surface defects, limit their practical utility. Holes oxidize iodide ions, while defects facilitate their diffusion, leading to phase segregation and iodide expulsion. This work addresses these issues through a dual strategy: directional hole extraction and robust defect passivation. Hole-accepting moieties such as ferrocene carboxylic acid (FcA) and (dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocene (FcAm) act as guided sinks for photogenerated holes, preventing their interaction with iodide and thus suppressing iodide expulsion and enhancing photostability. Additionally, dual defect passivation using a zwitterionic mixture of oleic acid (OA) and oleylamine (OAm) reduces light-induced spectral shifts by mitigating defect-driven halide migration. A bromide-excess treatment employing thionyl bromide-modified CsPbBr3 NCs (CPBSOBr2), followed by FcAm integration, further enhances stability through hydrogen bonding between protonated FcAm and bromide ions, efficiently quenching holes and minimizing iodide loss. This study highlights the pivotal role of surface engineering in stabilizing mixed-halide perovskite NCs under prolonged light exposure. By providing fundamental insights into halide migration and phase segregation mitigation strategies, the design of photostable perovskite materials is advanced for high-performance photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"184 1","pages":"e2501579"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144533440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202503389
Liang Tian,Li Li,Zhaowen Ren,Wenhui Yuan
{"title":"Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile Cathodes With Rapid Redox Kinetics for High-Capacity and Long-Cycle-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.","authors":"Liang Tian,Li Li,Zhaowen Ren,Wenhui Yuan","doi":"10.1002/smll.202503389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202503389","url":null,"abstract":"The quasi-solid-state reaction process in sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the polysulfide shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, the practical implementation of SPAN cathodes in ether-based electrolytes remains challenging due to solvation-induced structural rearrangement stemming from sluggish redox kinetics. Herein, a hierarchically structured composite (denoted as HSPAN) is developed through pyrolytic transformation of polystyrene (PS) templates coupled with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) network integration. This engineered architecture establishes dual electron-ion transport channels, which synergistically enhance sulfur redox kinetics, suppress short-chain sulfur dissolution, and enable stable charge/discharge cycling in ether electrolytes. The optimized HSPAN cathode delivers a specific discharge capacity of 1145 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 C rate with a sulfur content of 50%, maintaining 82% capacity retention over 800 cycles. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the sulfurization treatment significantly narrows the HOMO-LUMO energy gap by modulating the electronic structure of polyacrylonitrile, thereby enhancing the conductivity and redox activity of the material, providing a theoretical basis for designing high-performance lithium-sulfur battery cathodes. This work provides fundamental insights into the solvation dynamics of sulfurized polymers and demonstrates a viable pathway toward practical high-energy-density Li-S batteries through rational electrode engineering.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"12 1","pages":"e2503389"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202504732
Xinming Du,Yijia Lei,Zhe Wang
{"title":"Ordered Dynamic Networks Proton Exchange Membrane for Humidity-Resilient High-Performance Fuel Cells.","authors":"Xinming Du,Yijia Lei,Zhe Wang","doi":"10.1002/smll.202504732","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202504732","url":null,"abstract":"Maintaining proton conductivity of sulfonated proton exchange membranes (PEMs) under low humidity remains a critical challenge for fuel cell applications. This study presents an innovative interfacial engineering strategy through the integration of perfluorosulfonic acid nanofibers (PFSANF) with hydroxyl-functionalized Tröger's base polymer containing tertiary amine groups (HTB), constructing an ordered dynamic network membrane. The system achieves multi-level performance optimization via synergistic 3D hydrogen-bond networks and acid-base interactions: 1) Nanofiber create high-speed proton transport networks; 2) Hydroxyl and tertiary amine groups cooperatively enhance water retention while creating additional proton-hopping sites. The resulting ordered dynamic architecture demonstrates remarkable humidity-adaptive proton conduction, achieving a proton conductivity of 123 mS cm-1 - 1.9 times higher than commercial Nafion NC at 90 °C and 30% relative humidity (RH). The optimized membrane demonstrates outstanding peak power density of 1.2 W cm- 2 in H2/O2 fuel cells. This innovative interfacial engineering approach establishes a new paradigm for developing humidity-resilient proton exchange membranes through synergistic molecular design and ordered nanostructure.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"199 1","pages":"e2504732"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SmallPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1002/smll.202504888
Yuehao Gu,Wenhao Liang,Hong Wang,Tao Chen
{"title":"Hydrothermal Deposition and Further Simulative Optimization of Device Achieving Efficiency Close 19% for AgSbS2 Solar Cell.","authors":"Yuehao Gu,Wenhao Liang,Hong Wang,Tao Chen","doi":"10.1002/smll.202504888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202504888","url":null,"abstract":"As an emerging light-absorbing material, AgSbS2 attracts attention due to its excellent water and oxygen stability, environmental benign elemental composition, and high absorption coefficient. However, the reported highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of AgSbS2 solar cell is only 2.25% due to the lack of suitable AgSbS2 thin film preparation strategy and systematic materials investigation toward improving the physical properties. Here a hydrothermal deposition method is developed for the fabrication of AgSbS2 films, which show large grain size and compact surface morphology. Planar heterojunction device structure is applied with improved electrical contact and carrier transport between the electron layer/light absorbing layer, which generates a PCE of 3.39%, representing the highest efficiency of this material. To explore the performance optimization direction of AgSbS2 photovoltaic devices, the device is numerically simulated. Finally, it is found that the PCE of AgSbS2 solar cells can reach 18.99% in theory, and the improvement of crystallinity and interface recombination state are the key methods to elevate its efficiency, which provides reference for the preparation of high-quality AgSbS2 film and further improvement of PCE.","PeriodicalId":228,"journal":{"name":"Small","volume":"50 1","pages":"e2504888"},"PeriodicalIF":13.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144547953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}