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.

Hole-Doped Nonvolatile and Electrically Controllable Magnetism in van der Waals Ferroelectric Heterostructures

Electrical control of magnetism in van der Waals semiconductors is a promising step towards development of two-dimensional spintronic devices with ultralow power consumption for processing and storing information.Here, we propose a design for two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures(vdWHs) that can host ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism simultaneously under hole doping. By contacting an In Se monolayer and forming an InSe/In_(2)Se_(3) vd WH, the switchable built-in electric field from the reversible out-of-plane polarization enables robust control of the band alignment. Furthermore, switching between the two ferroelectric states(P_↑ and P_↓)of hole-doped In_(2)Se_(3) with an external electric field can interchange the ON and OFF states of the nonvolatile magnetism. More interestingly, doping concentration and strain can effectively tune the magnetic moment and polarization energy. Therefore, this provides a platform for realizing multiferroics in ferroelectric heterostructures,showing great potential for use in nonvolatile memories and ferroelectric field-effect transistors.

Neutral and metallic vs.charged and semiconducting surface layer in acceptor doped CeO_(2)

The monomolecular surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) may become neutral and metallic or charged and semiconducting.This is revealed in the theoretical analysis of the oxygen pressure dependence of the surface defects concentration in acceptor doped ceria with two different dopant types and operated under different oxygen pressures.Recently published experimental data for highly reduced Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9-x(SDC)containing a fixed valence dopant Sm3+are very different from those published for Pr0.1Ce0.9O_(2)-x(PCO) with the variable valence dopant Pr4+/Pr3+being reduced under milder conditions.The theoretical analysis of these experimental results fits very well the experimental results of SDC and PCO.It leads to the following predictions:the highly reduced surface of SDC is metallic and neutral,the metallic surface electron density of state is gs=0.9×10^(38)J-1·m^(-2)(1.4×1015eV^(-1)·cm^(-2)),the electron effective mass is meff,s=3.3me,and the phase diagram of the reduced surface has theα(fcc)structure as in the bulk.In PCO a double layer is predicted to be formed between the surface and the bulk with the surface being negatively charged and semiconducting.The surface of PCO maintains high Pr^(3+) defect concentration as well as relative high oxygen vacancy concentration at oxygen pressures higher than in the bulk.The reasons for the difference between a metallic and semiconducting surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) are reviewed,as well as the key theoretical considerations applied in coping with this problem.For that we make use of the experimental data and theoretical analysis available for acceptor doped ceria.

Density functional theory study of B- and Si-doped carbons and their adsorption interactions with sulfur compounds

Understanding the adsorption interactions between carbon materials and sulfur compounds has far-reaching impacts,in addition to their well-known important role in energy storage and conversion,such as lithium-ion batteries.In this paper,properties of intrinsic B or Si single-atom doped,and B-Si codoped graphene(GR)and graphdiyne(GDY)were investigated by using density functional theory-based calculations,in which the optimal doping configurations were explored for potential applications in adsorbing sulfur compounds.Results showed that both B or Si single-atom doping and B-Si codoping could substantially enhance the electron transport properties of GR and GDY,improving their surface activity.Notably,B and Si atoms displayed synergistic effects for the codoped configurations,where B-Si codoped GR/GDY exhibited much better performance in the adsorption of sulfurcontaining chemicals than single-atom doped systems.In addition,results demonstrated that,after B-Si codoping,the adsorption energy and charge transfer amounts of GDY with sulfur compounds were much larger than those of GR,indicating that B-Si codoped GDY might be a favorable material for more effectively interacting with sulfur reagents.

Mg-doped,carbon-coated,and prelithiated SiO_(x) as anode materials with improved initial Coulombic efficiency for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon suboxide(SiO_(x),x≈1)is promising in serving as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity,but it has a low initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)due to the irreversible formation of lithium silicates during the first cycle.In this work,we modify SiO_(x) by solid-phase Mg doping reaction using low-cost Mg powder as a reducing agent.We show that Mg reduces SiO_(2) in SiO_(x) to Si and forms MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4).The MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) are mainly distributed on the surface of SiO_(x),which suppresses the irreversible lithium-ion loss and enhances the ICE of SiO_(x).However,the formation of MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) also sacrifices the capacity of SiO_(x).Therefore,by controlling the reaction process between Mg and SiO_(x),we can tune the phase composition,proportion,and morphology of the Mg-doped SiO_(x) and manipulate the performance.We obtain samples with a capacity of 1226 mAh g^(–1) and an ICE of 84.12%,which show significant improvement over carbon-coated SiO_(x) without Mg doping.By the synergistical modification of both Mg doping and prelithiation,the capacity of SiO_(x) is further increased to 1477 mAh g^(–1) with a minimal compromise in the ICE(83.77%).

Appreciable Enhancement of Photocatalytic Performance for N-doped SrMoO_(4) via the Vapor-thermal Method

A series of nitrogen-doped SrMoO_(4) with different Sr/N mole ratio (R=0,0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20,0.40,and 0.60) were synthesized using urea as the N source via the vapor-thermal method.The photocatalytic degradation ability of all samples was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a target contaminant.The band gaps of N-doped samples are all higher than that of pristine ones,which is only 3.12 eV.BET specific surface area S_(BET) and pore volume are increased due to the N doping.And the greater increase of S_(BET),the faster the photodegradation speed of methylene blue on SrMoO_(4).More specifically,the degradation efficiency of MB is improved up to 87%in 100 min.

Controllable fabrication of FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles/S-doped bowl-shaped hollow carbon as efficient lithium storage anode

To address the low conductivity and easy agglomeration of transition metal sulfide nanoparticles,FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles embedded in S-doped hollow carbon(FeCoS_(4)@S-HC)composites were successfully fabricated through a combination of hydrothermal processes and sulfidation treatment.The unique bowlshaped FeCoS_(4)/S-HC composites exhibit excellent structural stability with a high specific surface area of 303.7 m^(2)·g^(-1) and a pore volume of 0.93 cm^(3)·g^(-1).When applied as anode material for lithium-ion batteries,the FeCoS_(4)@S-HC anode exhibits efficient lithium storage with high reversible specific capacity(970.2 mA·h·g^(-1) at 100 mA·g^(-1))and enhanced cycling stability(574 mA·h·g^(-1) at 0.2 A·g^(-1) after 350 cycles,a capacity retention of 84%).The excellent lithium storage is attributed to the fact that the bimetallic FeCoS_(4) nanoparticles with abundant active sites can accelerate the electrochemical reaction kinetics,and the bowl-shaped S-HC structure can provide a stable mechanical structure to suppress volume expansion.

Unveiling the pressure-driven metal–semiconductor–metal transition in the doped TiS_(2)

Conventional theories expect that materials under pressure exhibit expanded valence and conduction bands,leading to increased electrical conductivity.Here,we report the electrical properties of the doped 1T-TiS_(2) under high pressure by electrical resistance investigations,synchrotron x-ray diffraction,Raman scattering and theoretical calculations.Up to 70 GPa,an unusual metal-semiconductor-metal transition occurs.Our first-principles calculations suggest that the observed anti-Wilson transition from metal to semiconductor at 17 GPa is due to the electron localization induced by the intercalated Ti atoms.This electron localization is attributed to the strengthened coupling between the doped Ti atoms and S atoms,and the Anderson localization arising from the disordered intercalation.At pressures exceeding 30.5 GPa,the doped TiS_(2) undergoes a re-metallization transition initiated by a crystal structure phase transition.We assign the most probable space group as P2_12_12_1.Our findings suggest that materials probably will eventually undergo the Wilson transition when subjected to sufficient pressure.

Small but mighty:Empowering sodium/potassium-ion battery performance with S-doped SnO2 quantum dots embedded in N,S codoped carbon fiber network

SnO_(2) has been extensively investigated as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)due to its high Na/K storage capacity,high abundance,and low toxicity.However,the sluggish reaction kinetics,low electronic conductivity,and large volume changes during charge and discharge hinder the practical applications of SnO_(2)-based electrodes for SIBs and PIBs.Engineering rational structures with fast charge/ion transfer and robust stability is important to overcoming these challenges.Herein,S-doped SnO_(2)(S-SnO_(2))quantum dots(QDs)(≈3 nm)encapsulated in an N,S codoped carbon fiber networks(S-SnO_(2)-CFN)are rationally fabricated using a sequential freeze-drying,calcination,and S-doping strategy.Experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal that the integration of S-SnO_(2) QDs with N,S codoped carbon fiber network remarkably decreases the adsorption energies of Na/K atoms in the interlayer of SnO_(2)-CFN,and the S doping can increase the conductivity of SnO_(2),thereby enhancing the ion transfer kinetics.The synergistic interaction between S-SnO_(2) QDs and N,S codoped carbon fiber network results in a composite with fast Na+/K+storage and extraordinary long-term cyclability.Specifically,the S-SnO_(2)-CFN delivers high rate capacities of 141.0 mAh g^(−1) at 20 A g^(−1) in SIBs and 102.8 mAh g^(−1) at 10 A g^(−1) in PIBs.Impressively,it delivers ultra-stable sodium storage up to 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^(−1) and potassium storage up to 5000 cycles at 2 A g^(−1).This study provides insights into constructing metal oxide-based carbon fiber network structures for high-performance electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices.

High-throughput calculation-based rational design of Fe-doped MoS_(2) nanosheets for electrocatalytic p H-universal overall water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting is crucial for H2generation via hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)but subject to the sluggish dynamics of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In this work,single Fe atomdoped MoS_(2)nanosheets(SFe-DMNs)were prepared based on the high-throughput density functional theory(DFT)calculation screening.Due to the synergistic effect between Fe atom and MoS_(2)and optimized intermediate binding energy,the SFe-DMNs could deliver outstanding activity for both HER and OER.When assembled into a two-electrode electrolytic cell,the SFe-DMNs could achieve the current density of 50 mA cm^(-2)at a low cell voltage of 1.55 V under neutral condition.These results not only confirmed the effectiveness of high-throughput screening,but also revealed the excellent activity and thus the potential applications in fuel cells of SFe-DMNs.

Cu,N codoped carbon nanosheets encapsulating ultrasmall Cu nanoparticles for enhancing selective 1,2-propanediol oxidation

In the selective oxidation of biomass-based 1,2-propanediol(PDO)with oxygen as the terminal oxidant,it is challenging to improve the lactic acid(LA)selectivity for nonnoble metal nanoparticles(NPs)due to their limited oxygen reduction rate and easy C-C cleavage.Given the high economic feasibility of nonnoble metals,i.e.,Cu,in this work,copper and nitrogen codoped porous carbon nanosheets encapsulating ultrafine Cu nanoparticles(Cu@Cu-N-C)were developed to realize highly selective of PDO oxidation to LA.The carbon-encapsulated ultrasmall Cu^(0)NPs in Cu@Cu-N-C have high PDO dehydrogenation activity while N-coordinated Cu(Cu-N)sites are responsible for the high oxygen reduction efficacy.Therefore,the performance of catalytic PDO conversion to LA is optimized by a proposed pathway of PDO→hydroxylacetone→lactaldehyde→LA.Specifically,the enhanced LA selectivity is 88.5%,and the PDO conversion is up to 75.1%in an O_(2)-pressurized reaction system(1.0 MPa O_(2)),superior to other Cu-based catalysts,while in a milder nonpressurized system(O_(2)flow rate of 100 mL min-1),a remarkable LA selectivity(94.2%)is obtained with 39.8%PDO conversion,2.2 times higher than that of supported Au nanoparticles(1%Au/C).Moreover,carbon encapsulation offers Cu@Cu-N-C with strong leaching resistance for better recycling.

Durable hierarchical phosphorus‐doped biphase MoS_(2)electrocatalysts with enhanced H^(*)adsorption

Phase engineering is an efficient strategy for enhancing the kinetics of electrocatalytic reactions.Herein,phase engineering was employed to prepare high‐performance phosphorous‐doped biphase(1T/2H)MoS_(2)(P‐BMS)nanoflakes for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).The doping of MoS_(2)with P atoms modifies its electronic structure and optimizes its electrocatalytic reaction kinetics,which significantly enhances its electrical conductivity and structural stability,which are verified by various characterization tools,including X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy,high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy,X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy,and extended X‐ray absorption fine structure.Moreover,the hierarchically formed flakes of P‐BMS provide numerous catalytic surface‐active sites,which remarkably enhance its HER activity.The optimized P‐BMS electrocatalysts exhibit low overpotentials(60 and 72 mV at 10 mA cm^(−2))in H_(2)SO_(4)(0.5 M)and KOH(1.0 M),respectively.The mechanism of improving the HER activity of the material was systematically studied using density functional theory calculations and various electrochemical characterization techniques.This study has shown that phase engineering is a promising strategy for enhancing the H*adsorption of metal sulfides.

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for hypoxanthine detection in aquatic products based on the enzyme mimics and fluorescence of cobalt-doped carbon nitride

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for hypoxanthine(Hx)detection was established based on the mimic enzyme and fluorescence characteristics of cobalt-doped graphite-phase carbon nitride(Co doped g-C_(3)N_(4)).In addition to emitting strong fluorescence,the peroxidase activity of Co doped g-C_(3)N_(4)can catalyze the reaction of O-phenylenediamine and H_(2)O_(2)to produce diallyl phthalate which can emit yellow fluorescence at 570 nm.Through the decomposition of Hx by xanthine oxidase,Hx can be indirectly detected by the generating hydrogen peroxide based on the measurement of fluorescent ratio I(F_(570)/F_(370)).The linear range was 1.7-272.2 mg/kg(R^(2)=0.997),and the detection limit was 1.52 mg/kg(3σ/K,n=9).The established method was applied to Hx detection in bass,grass carp,and shrimp,and the data were verified by HPLC.The result shows that the established probe is sensitive,accurate,and reliable,and can be used for Hx detection in aquatic products.

Co-doped BaFe_(2)As_(2) Josephson junction fabricated with a focused helium ion beam

Josephson junction plays a key role not only in studying the basic physics of unconventional iron-based superconductors but also in realizing practical application of thin-film based devices,therefore the preparation of high-quality iron pnictide Josephson junctions is of great importance.In this work,we have successfully fabricated Josephson junctions from Co-doped BaFe_(2)As_(2)thin films using a direct junction fabrication technique which utilizes high energy focused helium ion beam(FHIB).The electrical transport properties were investigated for junctions fabricated with various He^(+)irradiation doses.The junctions show sharp superconducting transition around 24 K with a narrow transition width of 2.5 K,and a dose correlated foot-structure resistance which corresponds to the effective tuning of junction properties by He^(+)irradiation.Significant J_c suppression by more than two orders of magnitude can be achieved by increasing the He^(+)irradiation dose,which is advantageous for the realization of low noise ion pnictide thin film devices.Clear Shapiro steps are observed under 10 GHz microwave irradiation.The above results demonstrate the successful fabrication of high quality and controllable Co-doped BaFe_(2)As_(2)Josephson junction with high reproducibility using the FHIB technique,laying the foundation for future investigating the mechanism of iron-based superconductors,and also the further implementation in various superconducting electronic devices.

Structure,electronic,and nonlinear optical properties of superalkaline M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)doped cyclo[18]carbon

Cyclo[18]carbon has received considerable attention thanks to its novel geometric configuration and special electronic structure.Superalkalis have low ionization energy.Doping a superalkali in cyclo[18]carbon is an effective method to improve the optical properties of the system because considerable electron transfer occurs.In this paper,the geometry,bonding properties,electronic structure,absorption spectrum,and nonlinear optical(NLO)properties of superalkaline M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)-doped cyclo[18]carbon were studied by using density functional theory.M_(3)O and the C_(18) rings are not coplanar.The C_(18) ring still exhibits alternating long and short bonds.The charge transfer between M_(3)O and C_(18) forms stable[M_(3)O]+[C_(18)]-ionic complexes.C_(18)M_(3)O(M=Li,Na)shows striking optical nonlinearity,i.e.,their first-and second-order hyperpolarizability(βvec andγ||)increase considerably atλ=1907 nm and 1460 nm.

Thermodynamic equilibrium theory-guided design and synthesis of Mg-doped LiFe_(0.4)Mn_(0.6)PO_(4)/C cathode for lithium-ion batteries

Mn-rich LiFe_(1-x)Mn_(x)PO_(4)(x>0.5),which combines the high operation voltage of LiMnPO_(4)with excellent rate performa nce of LiFePO4,is hindered by its sluggish kinetic properties.Herein,thermodynamic equilibrium analysis of Mn^(2+)-Fe^(2+)-Mg^(2+)-C_(2)O_(4)^(2-)-H_(2)O system is used to guide the design and preparation of insitu Mg-doped(Fe_(0.4)Mn_(0.6))_(1-x)Mg_(x)C_(2)O_(4)intermediate,which is then employed as an innovative precursor to synthesize high-performance Mg-doped LiFe_(0.4)Mn_(0.6)PO_(4).It indicates that the metal ions with a high precipitation efficiency and the stoichiometric precursors with uniform element distribution can be achieved under the optimized thermodynamic conditions.Meanwhile,accelerated Li+diffusivity and reduced charge transfer resistance originating from Mg doping are verified by various kinetic characterizations.Benefiting from the contributions of inherited homogeneous element distribution,small particle size,uniform carbon layer coating,enhanced Li+migration ability and structural stability induced by Mg doping,the Li(Fe_(0.4)Mn_(0.6))_(0.97)Mg_(0.03)PO_(4)/C exhibits splendid electrochemical performance.

First-Principles Investigation of Charge Transfer Mechanism of B-Doped 3C-SiC Semiconductor Material

This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% impurity concentration. Our comprehensive analysis encompasses structural properties, electronic band structures, and charge density distributions. The optimized lattice constant and band gap energy of 3C-SiC were found to be 4.373 Å and 1.36 eV respectively, which is in agreement with previous research (Bui, 2012;Muchiri et al., 2018). Our results show that B doping narrows the band gap, enhances electrical conductivity, and influences charge transfer interactions. The charge density analysis reveals substantial interactions between B dopants and surrounding carbon atoms. This work not only enhances our understanding of the material’s electronic properties, but also highlights the importance of charge density analysis for characterizing charge transfer mechanisms and their implications in the 3C-SiC semiconductors.

Annealing Temperature-Dependent Luminescence Color Coordination in Eu-Doped AlN Thin Films

AlN was used as a host material and doped with Eu grown on Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with low substrate temperature. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed the orientation and the composition of the thin film. The surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). While raising the annealing temperatures from 300˚C to 900˚C, the emission was observed from AlN: Eu under excitation of 260 nm excitation. The photoluminescence (PL) was integrated over the visible light wavelength shifted from the blue to the red zone in the CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinates. The luminescence color coordination of AlN: Eu depending on the annealing temperatures guides the further study of Eu-doped nitrides manufacturing on white light emitting diode (LED) and full color LED devices.

Anchoring nitrogen-doped Co_(2)P nanoflakes on NiCo_(2)O_(4)nanorod arrays over nickel foam as high-performance 3D electrode for alkaline hydrogen evolution

Effective and robust electrocatalysts are mainly based on innovative materials and unique structures.Herein,we designed a flakelike cobalt phosphide-based catalyst supporting on NiCo_(2)O_(4)nanorods array,which in-situ grew on the nickel foam(NF)current collector,referring as NCo_(2)P/NiCo_(2)O_(4)/NF electrode.By optimizing the microstructure and electronic structure through 3D hierarchy fabrication and nitrogen doping,the catalyst features with abundant electrochemical surface area,favorable surface wettability,excellent electron transport,as well as tailored d band center.Consequently,the as-prepared N-Co_(2)P/NiCo_(2)O_(4)/NF electrode exhibits an impressive HER activity with a low overpotentials of58 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2),a Tafel slop of 75 mV dec^(-1),as well as superior durability in alkaline medium.This work may provide a new pathway to effectively improve the hydrogen evolution performance of transition metal phosphides and to develop promising electrodes for practical electrocatalysis.

Fe^(2+)、Cu^(2+)诱导工艺对柞木表板颜色变化规律的影响

木材中的木质素、抽提物等物质具有能与金属盐溶液产生颜色反应的特性。利用这一特性以硫酸亚铁、硫酸铜溶液作为诱导剂,通过正交试验得到色差最大时的工艺参数,探究金属Fe^(2+)、Cu^(2+)的诱导剂质量分数、诱导时间、干燥时间、干燥温度对实木复合地板柞木表板颜色变化的影响。结果表明:Fe^(2+)、Cu^(2+)的诱导剂质量分数对柞木表板色彩色调的影响极为显著(F值分别为20.4453、8.8442);柞木表板的明度色品指数(L^(*))、红绿轴色品指数(a^(*))、黄蓝轴色品指数(b^(*))均随着Fe^(2+)、Cu^(2+)的诱导剂质量分数、诱导时间、干燥时间的增加而逐渐减少,总色差(ΔE^(*))逐渐增大,最大为31.53、9.90,表板色调逐渐偏暗、偏绿、偏蓝;随着干燥温度的增加,Fe^(2+)、Cu^(2+)诱导时的柞木表板总色差都逐渐减小。