Tailoring MXene Thickness and Functionalization for Enhanced Room‑Temperature Trace NO_(2) Sensing

In this study,precise control over the thickness and termination of Ti3C2TX MXene flakes is achieved to enhance their electrical properties,environmental stability,and gas-sensing performance.Utilizing a hybrid method involving high-pressure processing,stirring,and immiscible solutions,sub-100 nm MXene flake thickness is achieved within the MXene film on the Si-wafer.Functionalization control is achieved by defunctionalizing MXene at 650℃ under vacuum and H2 gas in a CVD furnace,followed by refunctionalization with iodine and bromine vaporization from a bubbler attached to the CVD.Notably,the introduction of iodine,which has a larger atomic size,lower electronegativity,reduce shielding effect,and lower hydrophilicity(contact angle:99°),profoundly affecting MXene.It improves the surface area(36.2 cm^(2) g^(-1)),oxidation stability in aqueous/ambient environments(21 days/80 days),and film conductivity(749 S m^(-1)).Additionally,it significantly enhances the gas-sensing performance,including the sensitivity(0.1119Ωppm^(-1)),response(0.2% and 23%to 50 ppb and 200 ppm NO_(2)),and response/recovery times(90/100 s).The reduced shielding effect of the–I-terminals and the metallic characteristics of MXene enhance the selectivity of I-MXene toward NO2.This approach paves the way for the development of stable and high-performance gas-sensing two-dimensional materials with promising prospects for future studies.

Comparative study on the mRNA expression of Pinus massoniana infected by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Pine wilt disease(PWD)is a devastating disease affecting the growth of Pinus massoniana,often leading to withering and death.To reveal the changes involved during disease progression,we investigated the mRNA expression profile of P.massoniana infested by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.The infestation resulted in the downregulation of genes involved in interactions with pathogenic pathways such as disease resistance gene,CC-NBS-LRR resistancelike protein,and the gene encoding a putative nematode resistance protein.Increased infestation pressure(number of nematodes inoculated)caused a continuous decline in the gene expression of stem samples.An infestation of P.massoniana also resulted in a pathway enrichment of genes involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis,which in turn reduced the levels of total phenols and total flavonoids.A downregulation of auxin responsive family protein was observed in infested samples,which resulted in a suppression of plant growth.Thus,upon B.xylophilus infestation,a downregulation of genes associated with the recognition of pathogens,PWD resistance,and growth regulation was observed in P.massoniana,together with a decrease in the levels of phytoalexinlike secondary substances,all of which resulted in withering and ultimately death of P.massoniana.

Resistive-type sensors based on few-layer MXene and SnO_(2)hollow spheres heterojunctions:Facile synthesis,ethanol sensing performances

High-performance and low-cost gas sensors are highly desirable and involved in industrial production and environmental detection.The combination of highly conductive MXene and metal oxide materials is a promising strategy to further improve the sensing performances.In this study,the hollow SnO_(2)nanospheres and few-layer MXene are assembled rationally via facile electrostatic synthesis processes,then the SnO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)nanocomposites were obtained.Compared with that based on either pure SnO_(2)nanoparticles or hollow nanospheres of SnO_(2),the SnO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)composite-based sensor exhibits much better sensing performances such as higher response(36.979),faster response time(5 s),and much improved selectivity as well as stability(15 days)to 100ppm C2H5OH at low working temperature(200°C).The improved sensing performances are mainly attributed to the large specific surface area and significantly increased oxygen vacancy concentration,which provides a large number of active sites for gas adsorption and surface catalytic reaction.In addition,the heterostructure interfaces between SnO_(2)hollow spheres and MXene layers are beneficial to gas sensing behaviors due to the synergistic effect.

Rational construction and triethylamine sensing performance of foam shapedα-MoO_(3)@SnS_(2) nanosheets

Owing to their high surface area,stable structure and easy fabrication,composite nanomaterials with encapsulation structures have attracted considerable research interest as sensing materials to detect volatile organic compounds.Herein,a hydrothermal route is designed to prepare foam shapedα-MoO_(3)@SnS_(2)nanosheets that exhibit excellent sensing performance for triethylamine(TEA).The developed sensor,based onα-MoO_(3)@SnS_(2)nanosheets,displays a high response of 114.9 for 100 ppm TEA at a low working temperature of 175℃with sensitivity higher than many other reported sensors.In addition,the device shows a wide concentration detection range(from 500 ppb to 500 ppm),good stability after exposure to air for 80 days,and excellent selectivity.The superior sensing characteristics of the developed sensor are attributed to the high crystallinity ofα-MoO_(3)/SnS_(2),excessive and accessible active sites provided by the good permeability of porous SnS_(2)shells,and the excellent conductivity of the encapsulation heterojunction structure.Thus,the foam shapedα-MoO_(3)@SnS_(2)nanosheets presented herein have promising practical applications in TEA gas sensing devices.