Nanoscale Horizons最新文献

{"title":"Kagome electronic states in gradient-strained untwisted graphene bilayers†","authors":"Zeyu Liu, Xianghua Kong, Zewen Wu, Linwei Zhou, Jingsi Qiao, Cong Wang, Shu Ping Lau and Wei Ji","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00307E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00307E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Moiré superlattices in twisted homo-bilayers have revealed exotic electronic states, including unconventional superconductivity and correlated insulating phases. However, their fabrication process often introduces moiré disorders, hindering reproducibility and experimental control. Here, we propose an alternative approach using gradient strain to construct moiré superlattices in untwisted bilayer graphene (gs-BLG). Through force-field and first-principles calculations, we show that gs-BLG exhibits kagome-like interlayer-spacing distributions and strain-tunable kagome electronic bands. The competition between interlayer coupling and in-plane strain relaxation leads to distinct structural deformations, giving rise to three forms of diatomic kagome lattices: subtle, pronounced, and distorted. kagome electronic bands are identified near the Fermi level in their band structures. Modulating strain gradients enables tailoring bandwidths and signs of hopping parameters of these kagome bands, providing a versatile platform for studying exotic electronic phases. Our findings establish gradient strain as an alternative to twist engineering, opening an avenue for exploring emergent electronic phases in graphene-based systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 1956-1964"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641284","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":"Piezoelectric PVDF membranes for emulsion separation with constant flux and high efficiency†","authors":"Xin Zhong and Zhiguang Guo","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00298B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00298B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Emulsion separation, a focal and challenging aspect of oil–water separation processes, has long been a source of frustration for researchers due to the phenomenon of flux decline caused by concentration polarization and adhesion of oil droplets during the separation process. Attempts have been made to address membrane fouling issues through catalytic degradation and bubble flotation methods; however, the flux decline phenomenon persisted. In this work, during the fabrication process, intermolecular forces were utilized to polarize polyvinylidene difluoride molecular chains to increase the β-phase and endow them with piezoelectric properties. The prepared piezoelectric membrane, under the variable pressure environment created using a peristaltic pump, could maintain stable flux throughout the separation process without decline while maintaining high separation efficiency, as opposed to constant pressure filtration. It was found that the main mechanism of action was dielectrophoretic forces, and the feasibility was theoretically analyzed, showing promise for the extension to the separation of a greater variety of oil-in-water emulsions. Additionally, the piezoelectric catalytic effect could generate reactive oxygen species, which could further degrade organic pollutants to alleviate membrane surface contamination and blockage, further maintaining flux. This work provides new insights into the development of emulsion separation applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 2123-2133"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641285","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":"Conformation driven conductance modulation in single-stranded RNA (ssRNA)†","authors":"Arpan De, Arindam K. Das and M. P. Anantram","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00241A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00241A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The structural attributes of RNA, especially co-transcriptional folding, have enabled RNA origami to construct complex 3D architectures, serving as a platform to build RNA-based nanodevices. However, the potential of RNA in molecular electronics is largely unexplored, mainly due to its inherent conformational fluctuations. Although this variability poses challenges for a precise understanding of the conductance properties of RNA, it also offers opportunities for tuning RNA-based molecular devices by exploiting their dynamic nature. Accordingly, our objectives in this paper are twofold: (i) how do conformational fluctuations impact the charge transport properties of single stranded RNA (ssRNA), and (ii) how can these fluctuations be controlled? Toward that end, we first established a benchmark for ssRNA instability compared to double stranded RNA (dsRNA) based on molecular dynamics. Subsequently, we explore quantum transport across 123 distinct conformations, which show that the average conductance of ssRNA is 1.7 × 10<small>⁻³</small> G<small>₀</small>, but with a high standard deviation of around 5.2 × 10<small>⁻³</small><em>G</em><small>₀</small>. We demonstrate that the conductance of ssRNA is influenced primarily by backbone bending and nucleotide positioning. Specifically, while backbone bending tends to result in higher conductance at reduced end-to-end phosphorus distances, nucleotide positioning introduces significant stochasticity. To mitigate this variability, we also demonstrate that increasing the salt concentration can stabilize ssRNA, presenting a viable strategy for minimizing conductance fluctuations. Our findings reveal that if ssRNA conductance can be switched between folded and unfolded states, it can offer two distinct conductance modes. We anticipate the programmability of ssRNA folding and durability, coupled with its conductivity, can be leveraged for advancing molecular electronics.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 2080-2093"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/nh/d5nh00241a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-performance optoelectronics enabled by solution-based sintering of perovskite nanocrystals†","authors":"Karthika Vijayan, Yu-Xiang Chen, Pradyumna Kumar Chand, Ting-Chun Huang, Ya-Ping Hsieh and Mario Hofmann","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00272A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00272A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Perovskite nanocrystals have emerged as promising constituents for optoelectronic applications due to their exceptional and tunable properties and their scalable synthesis. However, their integration into devices faces challenges such as defects, poor carrier transport, and ligand interference. We present a liquid-in-liquid impingement process that achieves the mechanical coalescence of lead–bromide perovskite nanocrystals into large, free-standing flakes under ambient conditions. This approach leverages localized shear forces generated during impingement to achieve nanocrystal sintering, ligand removal, and solvent exchange. Microscopic analysis reveals the formation of large surface-sintered domains that overcome previous issues of defectiveness and environmental stability. This process results in significant improvements of the sintered nanocrystal properties compared to random perovskite assemblies. We demonstrate a significant decrease in trap density leading to enhanced chemical stability, charge transport and radiative charge recombination. Enhancements in carrier mobility enable the fabrication of photodetectors with exceptional response speed and sensitivity, surpassing conventional methods. These findings highlight the potential of liquid impingement processing for advancing perovskite-based optoelectronics through scalable and efficient nanocrystal assembly.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 2104-2110"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144574508","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":"On the utility of complementary analytics for on-surface synthesis.","authors":"Markus Lackinger","doi":"10.1039/d5nh00288e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nh00288e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>On-surface synthesis (OSS) facilitates the coupling of larger molecules on solid surfaces into extended covalent nanostructures that are difficult or impossible to achieve by wet chemistry. Its primary analytical tool is scanning probe microscopy (SPM), which provides submolecular views of reactants, products and sometimes intermediates. However, relevant aspects such as subtle chemical changes and structural details remain inaccessible. In addition, direct monitoring of reaction progress in real time by SPM is challenging. This analytical gap is increasingly being filled by complementary analytics: mass spectrometry can be used not only to detect volatile by-products that are released during the reaction, but also to monitor intermediates and higher oligomers. Surface sensitive vibrational spectroscopy, either with electrons or photons, is advantageous for the identification of perceived reaction products, even in cases where the routine approach based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is not very promising. X-ray standing wave (XSW) analysis is a less common technique in OSS but well established in surface science, providing experimental access to adsorption heights with picometre accuracy. Its value for detailed comparison and validation of prevailing density functional theory (DFT) based structure calculations cannot be overstated. Recent examples also show the benefits of XSW for less regular structures, such as those often obtained in OSS. Finally, the assessment of reaction kinetics has considerable potential to provide fundamental insights into elementary processes and hidden reaction partners for the unique coupling of larger molecules on surfaces into extended structures. Real-time XPS has sufficient chemical and temporal resolution to monitor reaction kinetics for coupling on surfaces. Ideally, mechanistic insights can be gained by modelling. However, the typically applied linear temperature profiles have limitations that can be overcome by exploring new temperature profiles. Again, the accurate determination of kinetic reaction parameters, such as activation energies, is of paramount importance for benchmarking DFT calculations. Although spectroscopy is already applied for OSS its broader and more systematic implementation appears highly promising for the advancement of the fundamental understanding of OSS, hence eventually also for optimizing the reaction protocols and outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558544","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":"Advances in computational approaches for bridging theory and experiments in electrocatalyst design.","authors":"Yaqin Zhang, Yu Xiong, Yuhang Wang, Qianqian Wang, Jun Fan","doi":"10.1039/d5nh00216h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nh00216h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The activation of inert molecules such as CO₂, N₂, and O₂ is central to addressing global energy and environmental challenges <i>via</i> electrocatalysis. However, their intrinsic stability and the complex solid-liquid interfacial phenomena present formidable obstacles for catalyst design. Recent advances in computational approaches are beginning to bridge the longstanding gap between idealized theoretical models and experimental realities. In this review, we highlight the progress made in scaling relations and descriptor-based screening methods, which underpin the Sabatier principle and volcano plot frameworks, enabling rapid identification of promising catalytic materials. We further discuss the evolution of thermodynamic and kinetic models-including the computational hydrogen electrode model, constant electrode potential model, and <i>ab initio</i> thermodynamics-that allow for accurate predictions of reaction energetics and catalyst stability under realistic operating conditions. Moreover, the advent of constant potential simulations and explicit solvation models, bolstered by <i>ab initio</i> molecular dynamics and machine learning-accelerated molecular dynamics, has significantly advanced our understanding of the dynamic electrochemical interface. High-throughput computational workflows and data-driven machine learning techniques have further streamlined catalyst discovery by efficiently exploring large material spaces and complex reaction pathways. Together, these computational advances not only provide mechanistic insights into inert molecule activation but also offer a robust platform for guiding experimental efforts. The review concludes with a discussion of remaining challenges and future opportunities to further integrate computational and experimental methodologies for the rational design of next-generation electrocatalysts.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144537469","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":"Cu–phytic acid nanozyme-induced cuproptosis therapy for the inhibition of tumor growth†","authors":"Xiao-Wan Han, Xu Chen, Tian-Le Yang, Ying-Yi Luo, Rui-Xue Liang, San-Qi An and Xin-Li Liu","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00183H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00183H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Cuproptosis has recently received much attention in cancer treatment. However, copper ionophores do not show any obvious clinical efficacy. Although some Cu-based and copper ionophore-loaded nanomaterials have been applied to induce cuproptosis, it is difficult to achieve their clinical translation as they are limited by their complicated composition, harsh synthesis conditions, requirement of external stimuli, and potential biotoxicity. Phytic acid, a naturally occurring organic phosphorus carbohydrate, possesses a distinct antineoplastic effect on multiple types of cancer and high biocompatibility. Based on metal–phosphonate coordination, a novel Cu–phytic acid nanozyme (denoted as CP) with a pH/GSH dual response was fabricated by a “one-pot” method. CP with three enzyme-mimicking activities enhanced cuproptosis therapy through GSH depletion, reactive oxygen species augmentation, hypoxia relief and the attenuation of glycolysis. As a proof of concept, Elesclomol (a copper ionophore)-resistant A549 cells were used to investigate CP-induced cuproptosis for the inhibition of tumor growth <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 2111-2122"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144598855","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":"Spiking frequency adaptability and multi-weight synergy in artificial neuronal modules via bifunctional NbOx memristors†","authors":"Shuai-Ming Chen, Li-Chung Shih, Jing-Ci Gao, Song-Xian You, Kuan-Ting Chen, Pei-Lin Lin, Kai-Shin Hsu, Chi-Chien Chen, Wei-Lun Chen and Jen-Sue Chen","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00268K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00268K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >To address the limitations of current artificial neurons in neuromorphic hardware implementation, NbO<small>_<em>x</em></small>-based bifunctional memristors are fabricated to construct oscillatory units and advanced neuronal modules. NbO<small>_<em>x</em>-</small>based memristors operate as either threshold-switching memristors (TSMs) or dynamic memristors (DyMs), depending on whether electroforming is applied. TSMs are employed to build oscillatory units and further reconfigured into a weighted multi-terminal neuronal module, enabling real-time spatiotemporal summation of input spikes based on the leaky integrate-and-fire model. This module demonstrated the capability to perform spike summation and multi-weight synergy. Leveraging the gradual resistance change characteristic of DyMs, a sequential encoder is implemented, allowing the system to recognize and respond to the temporal order of spiking signals. Additionally, a DyM is integrated into the oscillatory unit to construct intensification and attenuation neurons, enabling short-term spiking frequency adaptation. The versatile spiking performance of our NbO<small>_<em>x</em></small> bifunctional memristor provides a strategic foundation for developing artificial neurons for next-generation bio-inspired spiking neural networks.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 2068-2079"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558545","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":"Advancements in separator materials for aqueous zinc batteries","authors":"Qingshun Nian, Xinru Yang, Hu Hong, Peng Chen, Yuwei Zhao, Haiming Lv and Chunyi Zhi","doi":"10.1039/D5NH00172B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NH00172B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Aqueous zinc (Zn) batteries (AZBs) are becoming promising candidates for grid-scale energy storage because of their inherent safety, cost-effectiveness, and high theoretical capacity. However, their widespread application is hindered by critical challenges, including Zn dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), corrosion, and cathode material dissolution. The separator plays a crucial role in regulating ion transport, suppressing side reactions, and promoting uniform Zn deposition. While recent advancements in separator design have introduced various modification strategies to enhance electrochemical performance, a systematic classification based on the modification location remains lacking. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in AZB separators, categorized by modification position—anode side, cathode side, and full-separator modifications. Key modification strategies, including ion-selective layers, interfacial engineering, and composite functional membranes, are discussed in detail, with an emphasis on their effects on Zn<small>²⁺</small> flux regulation, dendrite suppression, and long-term cycling stability. Additionally, emerging separator materials such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and inorganic–organic hybrid separators are highlighted for their potential in optimizing battery performance. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms governing separator modifications, this review provides theoretical insights and design principles for the development of next-generation AZB separators. Finally, we discuss future research directions, focusing on separator thinness, enhanced ion selectivity, interface stability, corrosion resistance, and scalable manufacturing to accelerate the commercialization of high-performance AZBs.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 1932-1955"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144574507","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 reflection on ‘A new strategy for developing superior electrode materials for advanced batteries: using a positive cycling trend to compensate the negative one to achieve ultralong cycling stability’","authors":"Hong Han Choo, Dan-Yang Wang and Qingyu Yan","doi":"10.1039/D5NH90033F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5NH90033F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The development of durable, high-capacity electrode materials remains a critical challenge in battery research. At the time of our study (2015–2016), conventional anodes often exhibited a trade-off between high initial capacity and poor cycling stability. Our <em>Nanoscale Horizons</em> article in 2016 (D.-H. Liu, H.-Y. Lü, X.-L. Wu, J. Wang, X. Yan, J.-P. Zhang, H. Geng, Y. Zhang and Q. Yan, <em>Nanoscale Horiz.</em>, 2016, <strong>1</strong>(6), 496–501, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6NH00150E) discovered that manganese oxide (MnO), when embedded in a conductive matrix, unexpectedly demonstrated capacity enhancement with repeated cycling. By integrating this with volume-expanding silicon into a hierarchical core–shell Si@MnO structure, encased in reduced graphene oxide, we achieved long-term cycling stability with good capacities and high current densities. This breakthrough introduced a new paradigm in composite electrode design. Our work not only led to extensive citations across sodium- and zinc-ion battery systems but also influenced further studies on materials like FeS–ZnS, VO<small>_<em>x</em></small>, and SnPS<small>₃</small>. Reflecting on this journey, we recognize that modern <em>in situ</em>/<em>operando</em> techniques and AI-guided material screening could have further accelerated optimization. Today, as multivalent and beyond-Li battery technologies advance, the foundational ideas of dynamic capacity pairing and structural synergy continue to inform next-generation electrode innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":93,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Horizons","volume":" 9","pages":" 1797-1801"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887904","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}