Spontaneous decoration of ionic compounds at perovskite interfaces to achieve 23.38% efficiency with 85% fill factor in NiO_X-based perovskite solar cells

Inorganic hole transport materials, particularly NiO_X, have shown considerable promise in boosting the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells. However, a major barrier to commercialization of NiO_X-based perovskite solar cells with positive-intrinsic-negative architectures is their direct contact with the absorbing layer, which can lead to losses of photovoltage and fill factor. Furthermore, highly positive under-coordinated Ni cations degrade the perovskite at the interface. Here, we address these issues with the use of an ionic compound(QAPyBF_(4)) as an additive to passivate defects throughout the perovskite layer and improve carrier conduction and interactions with under-coordinated Ni cations. Specifically,the highly electronegative inorganic anion [BF_(4)]~- interacts with the NiO_x/perovskite interface to passivate under-coordinated cations(Ni^(≥3+)). Accordingly, the decorated cells achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.38% and a fill factor of 85.5% without a complex surface treatment or NiO_X doping.

Bi-doped carbon quantum dots functionalized liposomes with fluorescence visualization imaging for tumor diagnosis and treatment

Liposomes are one of the significant classes of antitumor nanomaterials and the most successful nanomedicine drugs in clinical translation. However, it is difficult to accurately reveal liposome delivery modes and drug release rates at different p H values to assess the biodistribution and drug delivery pathways in vivo. Here, we established a strategy to integrate Bi-doped carbon quantum dots(CQDs)with liposomes to produce fluorescence visualization and therapeutic effects, namely lipo/Bi-doped CQDs.Lipo/Bi-doped CQDs show good water solubility and physicochemical properties, which can be used for in vitro labeling of colon cancer(CT26) cells and in vivo imaging localization tracking tumors for monitoring. Simultaneously, thanks to the excellent p H sensitivity and ion doping characteristic of Bi-doped CQDs, lipo/Bi-doped CQDs can be used to reveal the drug release rate of liposomes at different p H values and exhibit potential effects in vivo antitumor therapy.

β-Cyclodextrin derived full-spectrum fluorescent carbon dots: The formation process investigation and biological applications

Carbon dots(CDs), a new building unit, have been revolutionizing the fields of biomedicine, bioimaging, and optoelectronics with their excellent physical, chemical, and biological properties. However, the difficulty of preparing excitation-dependent full-spectrum fluorescent CDs has seriously hindered their further research in fluorescence emission mechanisms and biomedicine. Here, we report full-spectrum fluorescent CDs that exhibit controlled emission changes from purple(380 nm) to red(613 nm) at room temperature by changing the excitation wavelength, and the excitation dependence was closely related to the regulation of sp2 and sp3 hybrid carbon structures by β-cyclodextrin-related groups. In addition,by regulating the content of β-cyclodextrin, the optimal quantum yields of full-spectrum fluorescent CDs were 8.97%, 8.35%, 7.90%, 9.69% and 17.4% at the excitation wavelengths of 340, 350, 390, 410 and 540 nm,respectively. Due to their excellent biocompatibility and color tunability, full-spectrum fluorescent CDs emitted bright and steady purple, blue, green, yellow, and red fluorescence in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, we optimized the imaging conditions of CDs and mitochondrial-specific dyes;and realized the mitochondrialtargeted co-localization imaging of purple, blue and green fluorescence. After that, we also explored the effect of full-spectrum fluorescent CDs in vivo fluorescence imaging through the intratumorally, subcutaneously, and caudal vein, and found that full-spectrum fluorescent CDs had good fluorescence imaging ability in vivo.

Highly fluorescence Ta_(4)C_(3) MXene quantum dots as fluorescent nanoprobe for heavy ion detection and stress monitoring of fluorescent hydrogels

Compared with other transition metal Mxene derived quantum dots(MQD_(S)),Ta-based Mxene quantum dots have good functionality,but Ta-based Mxene quantum dots and their applications have not been studied so far.In this paper,we report for the first time the synthesis of high fluorescence quantum yield(QY) N-doped Ta_(4)C_(3) quantum dots(N-MQDs) using Ta_(4)C_(3) quantum dots in acid reflux damaged Ta_(4)C_(3) nanosheets as precursors and ethylenediamine as nitrogen source.The prepared N-MQDs have excellent blue photoluminescence(PL) properties,particle size is only 2.60 nm,QY is up to 23.4%,and good stability.In addition,it has been reported that N-MQDs can be used as fluorescent probe for detection of Fe;and remote force sensing analysis In liquid ion sensing,N-MQDS shows a unique selective quenching of Fe;with a detection limit as low as 2 μmol/L,and has great potential as a fast and super-sensitive fluorescent probe for the detection of heavy ion.More importantly,in solid mechanics sensing,the introduction of N-MQDs into self-healing hydrogels can be developed into a fluorescent hydrogel that can be used for accurate remote force measurement and applied in the field of mechanical sensing analysis.Therefore,Ta-based N-MQDs show excellent potential in the field of fluorescence sensing,which provides a door for multi-dimensional sensing of new materials in the future.

Recent progress of quantum dots for energy storage applications

The environmental problems of global warming and fossil fuel depletion are increasingly severe,and the demand for energy conversion and storage is increasing.Ecological issues such as global warming and fossil fuel depletion are increasingly stringent,increasing energy conversion and storage needs.The rapid development of clean energy,such as solar energy,wind energy and hydrogen energy,is expected to be the key to solve the energy problem.Several excellent literature works have highlighted quantum dots in supercapacitors,lithium-sulfur batteries,and photocatalytic hydrogen production.Here,we outline the latest achievements of quantum dots and their composites materials in those energy storage applications.Moreover,we rationally analyze the shortcomings of quantum dots in energy storage and conversion,and predict the future development trend,challenges,and opportunities of quantum dots research.