Tuning the electronic conductance of REH_(x)(RE=Nd,Ce,Pr)by structural deformation

Hydride ion(H-)conductors have drawn much attention due to their potential applications in hydrideion-based devices.Rare earth metal hydrides(REH_(x))have fast H-conduction which,unfortunately,is accompanied by detrimental electron conduction preventing their application as ion conductors.Here,REH_(x)(RE=Nd,Ce,and Pr)with varied grain sizes,rich grain boundaries,and defects have been prepared by ball milling and subsequent sintering.The electronic conductivity of the ball-milled REH_(x)samples can be reduced by 2-4 orders of magnitude compared with the non-ball-milled samples.The relationship of electron conduction and miscrostructures in REH_(x)is studied and discussed based on experimental data and previously-proposed classical and quantum theories.The H-conductivity of all REH_(x)is about 10^(-4)to 10^(-3)S cm^(-1)at room temperature,showing promise for the development of H-conductors and their applications in clean energy storage and conversion.

Peak structure in the interlayer conductance of Moirésuperlattices

We investigate the peak structure in the interlayer conductance of Moirésuperlattices using a tunneling theory wedeveloped previously.The theoretical results predict that,due to the resonance of two different partial waves,the doublepeakstructure can appear in the curve of the interlayer conductance versus twist angle.Furthermore,we study the influencesof the model parameters,i.e.,the chemical potential of electrodes,the thickness of Moirésuperlattice,and the strength ofinterface potential,on the peak structure of the interlayer conductance.In particular,the parameter dependence of the peakstructure is concluded via a phase diagram,and the physical meanings of the phase diagram is formulized.Finally,thepotential applications of the present work is discussed.

Low Level of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Is Associated with Human Sperm Autophagy and Vitality

Low sperm motility is one of the main causes of male infertility. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR, an anion channel protein) is related to the progressive motility of sperm. CFTR disruptor CFTRinh-172 or forskolin (FSK) in this study were used to treat human sperm separately, and the rates of sperm autophagy and progressive motility, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP concentration, and the expression levels of related factors were detected to explore their relationship. It was showed that sperms treated with CFTRinh-172 or FSK reduced the levels of cAMP, CFTR and PKA, but increased sperm autophagy rate, expression levels of AMPK and LC3B. However, reactive oxygen species content had no significant difference. It was indicated that low level of CFTR performed with cAMP and its downstream effectors such as PKA and AMPK to regulate mitochondrial structure and function, leading to increased autophagy rate and reduced vitality of sperm.

Variations in chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and photosynthesis in Setaria EMS mutants

Chlorophyll (Chl) content,especially Chl b content,and stomatal conductance (G_s) are the key factors affecting the net photosynthetic rate (P_n).Setaria italica,a diploid C_4 panicoid species with a simple genome and high transformation efficiency,has been widely accepted as a model in photosynthesis and drought-tolerance research.The current study characterized Chl content,G_s,and P_n of 48 Setaria mutants induced by ethyl methanesulfonate.A total of 24,34,and 35 mutants had significant variations in Chl content,G_s,and P_n,respectively.Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between increased G_s and increased P_n,and a weak correlation between decreased Chl b content and decreased P_n was also found.Remarkably,two mutants behaved with significantly decreased Chl b content but increased P_n compared to Yugu 1.Seven mutants behaved with significantly decreased G_s but did not decrease P_(n )compared to Yugu 1.The current study thus identified various genetic lines,further exploration of which would be beneficial to elucidate the relationship between Chl content,G_s,and P_n and the mechanism underlying why C_4 species are efficient at photosynthesis and water saving.

Highly Thermoconductive,Strong Graphene‑Based Composite Films by Eliminating Nanosheets Wrinkles

Graphene-based thermally conductive composites have been proposed as effective thermal management materials for cooling high-power electronic devices.However,when flexible graphene nanosheets are assembled into macroscopic thermally conductive composites,capillary forces induce shrinkage of graphene nanosheets to form wrinkles during solution-based spontaneous drying,which greatly reduces the thermal conductivity of the composites.Herein,graphene nanosheets/aramid nanofiber(GNS/ANF)composite films with high thermal conductivity were prepared by in-plane stretching of GNS/ANF composite hydrogel networks with hydrogen bonds andπ-πinteractions.The in-plane mechanical stretching eliminates graphene nanosheets wrinkles by suppressing inward shrinkage due to capillary forces during drying and achieves a high in-plane orientation of graphene nanosheets,thereby creating a fast in-plane heat transfer channel.The composite films(GNS/ANF-60 wt%)with eliminated graphene nanosheets wrinkles showed a significant increase in thermal conductivity(146 W m^(−1)K^(−1))and tensile strength(207 MPa).The combination of these excellent properties enables the GNS/ANF composite films to be effectively used for cooling flexible LED chips and smartphones,showing promising applications in the thermal management of high-power electronic devices.

Evolution of Superconducting-Transition Temperature with Superfluid Density and Conductivity in Pressurized Cuprate Superconductors

What factors fundamentally determine the value of superconducting transition temperature Tc in high temperature superconductors has been the subject of intense debate.Following the establishment of an empirical law known as Homes'law,there is a growing consensus in the community that the Tc value of the cuprate superconductors is closely linked to the superfluid density(ρ_(s))of its ground state and the conductivity(σ)of its normal state.However,all the data supporting this empirical law(ρ_(s)=AσT_(c))have been obtained from the ambientpressure superconductors.In this study,we present the first high-pressure results about the connection of the quantities of ρ_(s) and σ with T_(c),through the studies on the Bi_(1.74)Pb_(0.38)Sr_(1.88)CuO_(6+δ)and Bi_(2)Sr_(2)CaCu_(2)O_(8+δ),in which the value of their high-pressure resistivity(ρ=1/σ)is achieved by adopting our newly established method,while the quantity ofρs is extracted using Homes'law.We highlight that the Tc values are strongly linked to the joint response factors of magnetic field and electric field,i.e.,ρ_(s) and σ,respectively,implying that the physics determining T_(c) is governed by the intrinsic electromagnetic fields of the system.

Prediction of the thermal conductivity of Mg–Al–La alloys by CALPHAD method

Mg-Al alloys have excellent strength and ductility but relatively low thermal conductivity due to Al addition.The accurate prediction of thermal conductivity is a prerequisite for designing Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity.Thus,databases for predicting temperature-and composition-dependent thermal conductivities must be established.In this study,Mg-Al-La alloys with different contents of Al2La,Al3La,and Al11La3phases and solid solubility of Al in the α-Mg phase were designed.The influence of the second phase(s) and Al solid solubility on thermal conductivity was investigated.Experimental results revealed a second phase transformation from Al_(2)La to Al_(3)La and further to Al_(11)La_(3)with the increasing Al content at a constant La amount.The degree of the negative effect of the second phase(s) on thermal diffusivity followed the sequence of Al2La>Al3La>Al_(11)La_(3).Compared with the second phase,an increase in the solid solubility of Al in α-Mg remarkably reduced the thermal conductivity.On the basis of the experimental data,a database of the reciprocal thermal diffusivity of the Mg-Al-La system was established by calculation of the phase diagram (CALPHAD)method.With a standard error of±1.2 W/(m·K),the predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental data.The established database can be used to design Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity and provide valuable guidance for expanding their application prospects.

Hall conductance of a non-Hermitian two-band system with k-dependent decay rates

Two-band model works well for Hall effect in topological insulators. It turns out to be non-Hermitian when the system is subjected to environments, and its topology characterized by Chern numbers has received extensive studies in the past decades. However, how a non-Hermitian system responses to an electric field and what is the connection of the response to the Chern number defined via the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian remains barely explored. In this paper, focusing on a k-dependent decay rate, we address this issue by studying the response of such a non-Hermitian Chern insulator to an external electric field. To this aim, we first derive an effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian to describe the system and give a specific form of k-dependent decay rate. Then we calculate the response of the non-Hermitian system to a constant electric field.We observe that the environment leads the Hall conductance to be a weighted integration of curvature of the ground band and hence the conductance is no longer quantized in general. And the environment induces a delay in the response of the system to the electric field. A discussion on the validity of the non-Hermitian model compared with the master equation description is also presented.

Flexible, Transparent and Conductive Metal Mesh Films with Ultra‑High FoM for Stretchable Heating and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Despite the growing demand for transparent conductive films in smart and wearable electronics for electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding,achieving a flexible EMI shielding film,while maintaining a high transmittance remains a significant challenge.Herein,a flexible,transparent,and conductive copper(Cu)metal mesh film for EMI shielding is fabricated by self-forming crackle template method and electroplating technique.The Cu mesh film shows an ultra-low sheet resistance(0.18Ω□^(-1)),high transmittance(85.8%@550 nm),and ultra-high figure of merit(>13,000).It also has satisfactory stretchability and mechanical stability,with a resistance increases of only 1.3%after 1,000 bending cycles.As a stretchable heater(ε>30%),the saturation temperature of the film can reach over 110°C within 60 s at 1.00 V applied voltage.Moreover,the metal mesh film exhibits outstanding average EMI shielding effectiveness of 40.4 dB in the X-band at the thickness of 2.5μm.As a demonstration,it is used as a transparent window for shielding the wireless communication electromagnetic waves.Therefore,the flexible and transparent conductive Cu mesh film proposed in this work provides a promising candidate for the next-generation EMI shielding applications.

Unraveling the Fundamental Mechanism of Interface Conductive Network Influence on the Fast‑Charging Performance of SiO‑Based Anode for Lithium‑Ion Batteries

Progress in the fast charging of high-capacity silicon monoxide(SiO)-based anode is currently hindered by insufficient conductivity and notable volume expansion.The construction of an interface conductive network effectively addresses the aforementioned problems;however,the impact of its quality on lithium-ion transfer and structure durability is yet to be explored.Herein,the influence of an interface conductive network on ionic transport and mechanical stability under fast charging is explored for the first time.2D modeling simulation and Cryo-transmission electron microscopy precisely reveal the mitigation of interface polarization owing to a higher fraction of conductive inorganic species formation in bilayer solid electrolyte interphase is mainly responsible for a linear decrease in ionic diffusion energy barrier.Furthermore,atomic force microscopy and Raman shift exhibit substantial stress dissipation generated by a complete conductive network,which is critical to the linear reduction of electrode residual stress.This study provides insights into the rational design of optimized interface SiO-based anodes with reinforced fast-charging performance.

Deterioration of equivalent thermal conductivity of granite subjected to heating-cooling treatment

Understanding the thermal conductivity of granite is critical for many geological and deep engineering applications.The heated granite was subjected to air-,water-,and liquid nitrogen(LN2-)coolings in this context.The transient hot-wire technique was used to determine the equivalent thermal conductivity(ETC)of the granite before and after treatment.The deterioration mechanism of ETC is analyzed from the meso-perspective.Finally,the numerical model is used to quantitatively study the impact of cooling rate on the microcrack propagation and heat conduction characteristics of granite.The results show that the ETC of granite is not only related to the heating temperature,but also affected by the cooling rate.The ETC of granite decreases nonlinearly with increasing heating temperature.A faster cooling rate causes a greater decrease in ETC at the same heating temperature.The higher the heating temperature,the stronger the influence of cooling rate on ETC.The main explanation for the decrease in ETC of granite is the increase in porosity and microcrack density produced by the formation and propagation of pore structure and microcracks during heating and cooling.Further analysis displays that the damage of granite at the heating stage is induced by the difference in thermal expansion and elastic properties of mineral particles.At the cooling stage,the faster cooling rate causes a higher temperature gradient,which in turn produces greater thermal stress.As a result,it not only causes new cracks in the granite,but also aggravates the damage at the heating stage,which induces a further decrease in the heat conduction performance of granite,and this scenario is more obvious at higher temperatures.

Estimation of the anisotropy of hydraulic conductivity through 3D fracture networks using the directional geological entropy

With an extension of the geological entropy concept in porous media,the approach called directional entrogram is applied to link hydraulic behavior to the anisotropy of the 3D fracture networks.A metric called directional entropic scale is used to measure the anisotropy of spatial order in different directions.Compared with the traditional connectivity indexes based on the statistics of fracture geometry,the directional entropic scale is capable to quantify the anisotropy of connectivity and hydraulic conductivity in heterogeneous 3D fracture networks.According to the numerical analysis of directional entrogram and fluid flow in a number of the 3D fracture networks,the hydraulic conductivities and entropic scales in different directions both increase with spatial order(i.e.,trace length decreasing and spacing increasing)and are independent of the dip angle.As a result,the nonlinear correlation between the hydraulic conductivities and entropic scales from different directions can be unified as quadratic polynomial function,which can shed light on the anisotropic effect of spatial order and global entropy on the heterogeneous hydraulic behaviors.

Flexible and Robust Functionalized Boron Nitride/Poly(p‑Phenylene Benzobisoxazole)Nanocomposite Paper with High Thermal Conductivity and Outstanding Electrical Insulation

With the rapid development of 5G information technology,thermal conductivity/dissipation problems of highly integrated electronic devices and electrical equipment are becoming prominent.In this work,“high-temperature solid-phase&diazonium salt decomposition”method is carried out to prepare benzidine-functionalized boron nitride(m-BN).Subsequently,m-BN/poly(pphenylene benzobisoxazole)nanofiber(PNF)nanocomposite paper with nacremimetic layered structures is prepared via sol–gel film transformation approach.The obtained m-BN/PNF nanocomposite paper with 50 wt%m-BN presents excellent thermal conductivity,incredible electrical insulation,outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability,due to the construction of extensive hydrogen bonds andπ–πinteractions between m-BN and PNF,and stable nacre-mimetic layered structures.Itsλ∥andλ_(⊥)are 9.68 and 0.84 W m^(-1)K^(-1),and the volume resistivity and breakdown strength are as high as 2.3×10^(15)Ωcm and 324.2 kV mm^(-1),respectively.Besides,it also presents extremely high tensile strength of 193.6 MPa and thermal decomposition temperature of 640°C,showing a broad application prospect in high-end thermal management fields such as electronic devices and electrical equipment.

Development and characterization of 3D-printed electroconductive pHEMA-co-MAA NP-laden hydrogels for tissue engineering

Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)(pHEMA-co-MAA)based hydrogel loaded with newly synthesized conductive poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)(PEDOT)and polypyrrole(PPy)nanoparticles(NPs),and subsequently processed these hydrogels into tissue engineered constructs via three-dimensional(3D)printing.The presence of the NPs was critical as they altered the rheological properties during printing.However,all samples exhibited suitable shear thinning properties,allowing for the development of an optimized processing window for 3D printing.Samples were 3D printed into pre-determined disk-shaped configurations of 2 and 10 mm in height and diameter,respectively.We observed that the NPs disrupted the gel crosslinking efficiencies,leading to shorter degradation times and compressive mechanical properties ranging between 450 and 550 kPa.The conductivity of the printed hydrogels increased along with the NP concentration to(5.10±0.37)×10^(−7)S/cm.In vitro studies with cortical astrocyte cell cultures demonstrated that exposure to the pHEMA-co-MAA NP hydrogels yielded high cellular viability and proliferation rates.Finally,hydrogel antimicrobial studies with staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria revealed that the developed hydrogels affected bacterial growth.Taken together,these materials show promise for various TE strategies.

Saturation Estimation with Complex Electrical Conductivity for Hydrate-Bearing Clayey Sediments:An Experimental Study

Clays have considerable influence on the electrical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments.It is desirable to understand the electrical properties of hydrate-bearing clayey sediments and to build hydrate saturation(S_(h))models for reservoir evaluation and monitoring.The electrical properties of tetrahydrofuran-hydrate-bearing sediments with montmorillonite are characterized by complex conductivity at frequencies from 0.01 Hz to 1 kHz.The effects of clay and Sh on the complex conductivity were analyzed.A decrease and increase in electrical conductance result from the clay-swelling-induced blockage and ion migration in the electrical double layer(EDL),respectively.The quadrature conductivity increases with the clay content up to 10%because of the increased surface site density of counterions in EDL.Both the in-phase conductivity and quadrature conductivity decrease consistently with increasing Sh from 0.50 to 0.90.Three sets of models for Sh evaluation were developed.The model based on the Simandoux equation outperforms Archie’s formula,with a root-mean-square error(E_(RMS))of 1.8%and 3.9%,respectively,highlighting the clay effects on the in-phase conductivity.The fre-quency effect correlations based on in-phase and quadrature conductivities exhibit inferior performance(E_(RMS)=11.6%and 13.2%,re-spectively)due to the challenge of choosing an appropriate pair of frequencies and intrinsic uncertainties from two measurements.The second-order Cole-Cole formula can be used to fit the complex-conductivity spectra.One pair of inverted Cole-Cole parameters,i.e.,characteristic time and chargeability,is employed to predict S_(h) with an E_(RMS) of 5.05%and 9.05%,respectively.

Enhanced conductivity and weakened magnetism in Pb-doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4)

Group IV element Pb has been selected as the dopant to dope at the Sr site of Sr_(2)IrO_(4). It is exciting to find that the single-phase crystal structure could be maintained with a high Pb doping level of up to x=0.3 in Sr_(2-x)Pb_(x)IrO_(4). The mapping data obtained from energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses give solid evidence that the Pb ions are uniformly distributed in the Sr_(2)IrO_(4) matrix. The incorporation of Pb leads to a moderate depression of the canted antiferromagnetic ordering state. The electrical conductivity could be greatly enhanced when the Pb doping content is higher than x=0.2.The present results give a fresh material base to explore new physics in doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4) systems.

Fermi Surface Nesting with Heavy Quasiparticles in the Locally Noncentrosymmetric Superconductor CeRh_(2)As_(2)

The locally noncentrosymmetric heavy fermion superconductor CeRh_(2)As_(2) has attracted considerable interests due to its rich superconducting phases,accompanied by possible quadrupole density wave and pronounced antiferromagnetic excitations.To understand the underlying physics,here we report measurements from highresolution angle-resolved photoemission.Our results reveal fine splittings of the conduction bands related to the locally noncentrosymmetric structure,as well as a quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surface(FS)with strong 4f contributions.The FS shows signs of nesting with an in-plane vector q_(1)=(π/α,π/α),which is facilitated by the heavy bands nearˉ𝑋arising from the characteristic conduction-X hybridization.The FS nesting provides a natural explanation for the observed antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations at(π/α,π/α),which might be the driving force for its unconventional superconductivity.Our experimental results can be reasonably explained by density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory calculations,which can capture the strong correlation effects.Our study not only provides spectroscopic signature of the key factors underlying the field-induced superconducting transition,but also uncovers the critical role of FS nesting and lattice Kondo effect in the underlying magnetic fluctuations.

A Modification of LiMn2O4 by Ionic Conductive Agent and Electronic Conductive Agent Coating

Carbon was used as electronic conductive agent, and metasilicic acid lithium (Li2SiO3) as ionic conductive agent, the two factors were investigated cooperatively. We evaluated their effect by using spherical spinel LiMn2O4 which prepared ourselves as cathode material. Then Li2SiO3/carbon surface coating on LiMn2O4 (LMO/C/LSO) which Li2SiO3 inside and carbon/Li2SiO3 coated LiMn2O4 (LMO/LSO/C) were prepared, All of materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical test;spherical LiMn2O4 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM);and coated materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). While uncoated spinel LiMn2O4 maintained 72% of capacity in 60 cycles by the rate of 0.2C, and LMO/LSO/C showed the best electrochemical performance, 89% of the initial capacity remained after 75 cycles at 0.2C. Furthermore, the rate performance of LMO/LSO/C also improved obviously, about 30 mAh·g-1 of capacity attained at the rate of 5C, higher than LMO/C/LSO and bare LiMn2O4.

Effect of sintering temperature and holding time on structure and properties of Li_(1.5)Ga_(0.5)Ti_(1.5)(PO_4)_(3)electrolyte with fast ionic conductivity

Li_(1.5)Ga_(0.5)Ti_(1.5)PO_(4))_(3)(LGTP)is recognized as a promising solid electrolyte material for lithium ions.In this work,LGTP solid electrolyte materials were prepared under different process conditions to explore the effects of sintering temperature and holding time on relative density,phase composition,microstructure,bulk conductivity,and total conductivity.In the impedance test under frequency of 1-10^(6) Hz,the bulk conductivity of the samples increased with increasing sintering temperature,and the total conductivity first increased and then decreased.SEM results showed that the average grain size in the ceramics was controlled by the sintering temperature,which increased from(0.54±0.01)μm to(1.21±0.01)μm when the temperature changed from 750 to 950°C.The relative density of the ceramics increased and then decreased with increasing temperature as the porosity increased.The holding time had little effect on the grain size growth or sample density,but an extended holding time resulted in crack generation that served to reduce the conductivity of the solid electrolyte.

Local thermal conductivity of inhomogeneous nano-fluidic films:A density functional theory perspective

Combining the mean field Pozhar-Gubbins(PG)theory and the weighted density approximation,a novel method for local thermal conductivity of inhomogeneous fluids is proposed.The correlation effect that is beyond the mean field treatment is taken into account by the simulation-based empirical correlations.The application of this method to confined argon in slit pore shows that its prediction agrees well with the simulation results,and that it performs better than the original PG theory as well as the local averaged density model(LADM).In its further application to the nano-fluidic films,the influences of fluid parameters and pore parameters on the thermal conductivity are calculated and investigated.It is found that both the local thermal conductivity and the overall thermal conductivity can be significantly modulated by these parameters.Specifically,in the supercritical states,the thermal conductivity of the confined fluid shows positive correlation to the bulk density as well as the temperature.However,when the bulk density is small,the thermal conductivity exhibits a decrease-increase transition as the temperature is increased.This is also the case in which the temperature is low.In fact,the decrease-increase transition in both the small-bulk-density and low-temperature cases arises from the capillary condensation in the pore.Furthermore,smaller pore width and/or stronger adsorption potential can raise the critical temperature for condensation,and then are beneficial to the enhancement of the thermal conductivity.These modulation behaviors of the local thermal conductivity lead immediately to the significant difference of the overall thermal conductivity in different phase regions.