Accelerated Sequential Deposition Reaction via Crystal Orientation Engineering for Low-Temperature,High-Efficiency Carbon-Electrode CsPbBr_(3) Solar Cells

Low-temperature,ambient processing of high-quality CsPbBr_(3)films is demanded for scalable production of efficient,low-cost carbon-electrode perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Herein,we demonstrate a crystal orientation engineering strategy of PbBr_(2)precursor film to accelerate its reaction with CsBr precursor during two-step sequential deposition of CsPbBr_(3)films.Such a novel strategy is proceeded by adding CsBr species into PbBr_(2)precursor,which can tailor the preferred crystal orientation of PbBr_(2)film from[020]into[031],with CsBr additive staying in the film as CsPb_(2)Br_(5)phase.Theoretical calculations show that the reaction energy barrier of(031)planes of PbBr_(2)with CsBr is lower about 2.28 eV than that of(O2O)planes.Therefore,CsPbBr_(3)films with full coverage,high purity,high crystallinity,micro-sized grains can be obtained at a low temperature of 150℃.Carbon-electrode PSCs with these desired CsPbBr_(3)films yield the record-high efficiency of 10.27%coupled with excellent operation stability.Meanwhile,the 1 cm^(2)area one with the superior efficiency of 8.00%as well as the flexible one with the champion efficiency of 8.27%and excellent mechanical bending characteristics are also achieved.

Regulating Effect of Substrate Temperature on Sputteringgrown Ge/Si QDs under Low Ge Deposition

The effect of deposition temperature on the morphology and optoelectronic performance of Ge/Si QDs grown by magnetron sputtering under low Ge deposition(~4 nm)was investigated by atomic force microscopy,Raman spectroscopy,and photoluminescence(PL)tests.The experimental results indicate that temperatures higher than 750℃effectively increase the crystallization rate and surface smoothness of the Si buffer layer,and temperatures higher than 600℃significantly enhance the migration ability of Ge atoms,thus increasing the probability of Ge atoms meeting and nucleating to form QDs on Si buffer layer,but an excessively high temperature will cause the QDs to undergo an Ostwald ripening process and thus develop into super large islands.In addition,some PL peaks were observed in samples containing small-sized,high-density Ge QDs,the photoelectric properties reflected by these peaks were in good agreement with the corresponding structural characteristics of the grown QDs.Our results demonstrate the viability of preparing high-quality QDs by magnetron sputtering at high deposition rate,and the temperature effect is expected to work in conjunction with other controllable factors to further regulate QD growth,which paves an effective way for the industrial production of QDs that can be used in future devices.

Alkyl dimethyl betaine activates the low-temperature collection capacity of sodium oleate for scheelite

The impact of alkyl dimethyl betaine (ADB) on the collection capacity of sodium oleate (NaOl) at low temperatures was evaluated using flotation tests at various scales. The low-temperature synergistic mechanism of ADB and NaOl was explored by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface tension measurement, foam performance test, and flotation reagent size measurement.The flotation tests revealed that the collector mixed with octadecyl dimethyl betaine (ODB) and NaOl in a mass ratio of 4:96 exhibited the highest collection capacity. The combined collector could increase the scheelite recovery by 3.48% at low temperatures of 8–12℃. This is particularly relevant in the Luanchuan area, which has the largest scheelite concentrate output in China. The results confirmed that ODB enhanced the collection capability of NaOl by improving the dispersion and foaming performance. Betaine can be introduced as an additive to NaOl to improve the recovery of scheelite at low temperatures.

Electrolyte Design for Low‑Temperature Li‑Metal Batteries:Challenges and Prospects

Electrolyte design holds the greatest opportunity for the development of batteries that are capable of sub-zero temperature operation.To get the most energy storage out of the battery at low temperatures,improvements in electrolyte chemistry need to be coupled with optimized electrode materials and tailored electrolyte/electrode interphases.Herein,this review critically outlines electrolytes’limiting factors,including reduced ionic conductivity,large de-solvation energy,sluggish charge transfer,and slow Li-ion transportation across the electrolyte/electrode interphases,which affect the low-temperature performance of Li-metal batteries.Detailed theoretical derivations that explain the explicit influence of temperature on battery performance are presented to deepen understanding.Emerging improvement strategies from the aspects of electrolyte design and electrolyte/electrode interphase engineering are summarized and rigorously compared.Perspectives on future research are proposed to guide the ongoing exploration for better low-temperature Li-metal batteries.

Revealing the key role of non-solvating diluents for fast-charging and low temperature Li-ion batteries

Fast-charging and low temperature operation are of vital importance for the further development of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),which is hindered by the utilization of conventional carbonate-based electrolytes due to their slow kinetics,narrow operating temperature and voltage range.Herein,an acetonitrile(AN)-based localized high-concentration electrolyte(LHCE)is proposed to retain liquid state and high ionic conductivity at ultra-low temperatures while possessing high oxidation stability.We originally reveal the excellent thermal shielding effect of non-solvating diluent to prevent the aggregation of Li^(+) solvates as temperature drops,maintaining the merits of fast Li transport and facile desolvation as at room temperature,which bestows the graphite electrode with remarkable low temperature performance(264 mA h g^(-1) at-20 C).Remarkably,an extremely high capacity retention of 97%is achieved for high-voltage high-energy graphite||NCM batteries after 250 cycles at-20 C,and a high capacity of 110 mA h g^(-1)(71%of its room-temperature capacity)is retained at-30°C.The study unveils the key role of the non-solvating diluents and provides instructive guidance in designing electrolytes towards fast-charging and low temperature LIBs.

Origin of the presence/absence variation of the LTIA1/LTIA2 mini-ribonucleaseⅢgenes required for low-temperature growth in rice

A rice low temperature-induced albino variant was determined by the recessive ltia1 and ltia2 genes.LTIA1 and LTIA2 encode highly conserved mini-ribonucleasesⅢlocated in chloroplasts and expressed in aerial parts of the plant.At low temperature,LTIA1 and LTIA2 redundantly affect chlorophyll levels,non-photochemical quenching,photosynthetic quantum yield of PSⅡand seedling growth.LTIA1 and LTIA2 proteins are involved in splicing of atp F and the biogenesis of 16S and 23S rRNA in chloroplasts.Presence/absence variation of LTIA1,the ancestral copy,was found only in japonica but that of LTIA2 in all rice subgroups.Accessions with LTIA2 presence tended to be distributed more remote from the equator compared to those with LTIA2 absence.LTIA2 duplicated from LTIA1 at the early stage of divergence of the AA genome Oryza species but deleted againin O.nivara.In cultivated rice,absence of LTIA2 is derived from O.nivara.LTIA1 absence occurred more recently in japonica.

Genome-Wide Exploration of the Grape GLR Gene Family and Differential Responses of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 to Low Temperature and Salt Stress

Grapes,one of the oldest tree species globally,are rich in vitamins.However,environmental conditions such as low temperature and soil salinization significantly affect grape yield and quality.The glutamate receptor(GLR)family,comprising highly conserved ligand-gated ion channels,regulates plant growth and development in response to stress.In this study,11 members of the VvGLR gene family in grapes were identified using whole-genome sequence analysis.Bioinformatic methods were employed to analyze the basic physical and chemical properties,phylogenetic trees,conserved domains,motifs,expression patterns,and evolutionary relationships.Phylogenetic and collinear analyses revealed that the VvGLRs were divided into three subgroups,showing the high conservation of the grape GLR family.These members exhibited 2 glutamate receptor binding regions(GABAb and GluR)and 3-4 transmembrane regions(M1,M2,M3,and M4).Real-time quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated the sensitivity of all VvGLRs to low temperature and salt stress.Subsequent localization studies in Nicotiana tabacum verified that VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 proteins were located on the cell membrane and cell nucleus.Additionally,yeast transformation experiments confirmed the functionality of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 in response to low temperature and salt stress.Thesefindings highlight the significant role of the GLR family,a highly conserved group of ion channels,in enhancing grape stress resistance.This study offers new insights into the grape GLR gene family,providing fundamental knowledge for further functional analysis and breeding of stress-resistant grapevines.

Low-temperature conformal vacuum deposition of OLED devices using close-space sublimation

Close-space sublimation(CSS)has been demonstrated as an alternative vacuum deposition technique for fabricating organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs).CSS utilizes a planar donor plate pre-coated with organic thin films as an area source to rapidly transfer the donor film to a device substrate at temperatures below 200℃.CSS is also conformal and capable of depositing on odd-shaped substrates using flexible donor media.The evaporation behaviors of organic donor films under CSS were fully characterized using model OLED materials and CSS-deposited films exhibited comparable device performances in an OLED stack to films deposited by conventional point sources.The low temperature and conformal nature of CSS,along with its high material utilization and short process time,make it a promising method for fabricating flexible OLED displays.

Properties of Activated Carbons from Sugarcane Leaves and Rice Straw Derived Charcoals by Activation at Low Temperature via KMnO_(4)Pre-Oxidation-Hydrolysis

Activated carbon preparation from sugarcane leaves and rice straw by carbonization(250℃–400℃)and activation at 500℃were studied.The effects of pre-oxidation,hydrolysis of derived charcoals by boiled KMnO4 aqueous solution were evaluated.The derived charcoals products were pretreated using oxidation-hydrolysis with 1–5 wt.%KMnO4 at 100℃and then activated at 500℃.The derived charcoal and activated carbon products were characterized by FTIR,XRD,SEM-EDS and BET.Iodine number and methylene blue number of derived products were also used for the analysis of the products.It was found that fabricated charcoal materials made at 350℃–400℃possess good characteristics with low content of surface functional groups and high carbon content.After pre-oxidation-hydrolysis and activation at 500℃,the resulting derived activated carbon materials from charcoals with 400℃carbonization temperature have high content of oxygen containing surface functional groups such as Mn-O,Si-O,Si-O-Si,C-O,or O-H.In addition,MnO_(2) accumulated on the surface of the derived activated carbon products.The surface area and pore volume of the activated carbon products have also increased with increasing of KMnO_(4) concentration from 1 to 3 wt.%and then decreased with 5 wt.%used during activation.Therefore,activated carbon products made by pre-oxidation-hydrolysis with 3 wt.%KMnO_(4) were used for Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption experiments.It was found that Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption on the activated carbon materials can be fitted with both the Freundlich and the Langmuir models.The calculated maximum Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption capacities of sugarcane leaves derived activated carbon and rice straw derived activated carbon products were 50.00 and 39.37 mg/g,respectively.It was shown that the effect of pre-oxidation-hydrolysis by KMnO_(4) and activation at 500℃are beneficial for activated carbon preparation with environmentally friendly and low-cost simplified operation.

Arginine promotes seed energy metabolism,increasing wheat seed germination at low temperature

Low temperatures during germination inhibit seed growth,lead to small and weak seedlings,and significantly reduce the wheat yield.Alleviating the adverse effects of low temperature on wheat seed germination is highly important for achieving high and stable wheat yields.In this study,Tongmai 6(insensitive)and Zhengmai 113(sensitive),which have different low-temperature sensitivities during germination were treated with low temperature during germination.The transcriptome,metabolome and physiological data revealed that low temperature decreased the germination rate,downregulated the expression of a large number of genes involved in regulating glycometabolism,and inhibited carbon,nitrogen(especially amino acids)and energy metabolism in the seeds.Arginine content increased at low temperature,and its increase in the low-temperature-tolerant variety was significantly greater than that in the sensitive variety.Arginine priming experiment showed that treatment with an appropriate concentration of arginine improved the seed germination rate.The conversion of starch to soluble sugar significantly increased under exogenous arginine conditions,the content of key metabolites in energy metabolism increased,and the utilization of ATP in the seeds increased.Taken together,arginine priming increased seed germination at low temperature by relieving inhibition of seed carbon and nitrogen metabolism and improving seed energy metabolism.

The MADS-box gene RhAGL6 plays a master role in regulating the receptacle malformation in rose at low temperature

Low temperature usually results in the developmental deformity of flower organs,immensely affecting the quality of rose flowers.However,it's largely unknown about the regulatory mechanisms activated by low temperature.Here,we used a low temperature-sensitive Rosa hybrida cv.‘Peach Avalanche’to screen a MADS-box gene RhAGL6 via conjoint analysis between RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing(WGBS).Furthermore,we found that low temperature induced the hypermethylation and elevated histone 3 lys-27 trimethylation(H3K27me3)level on the RhAGL6 promoter,leading to decreased RhAGL6 expression.In addition,RhAGL6 silencing resulted in the formation of abnormal receptacles.We also found that the levels of gibberellins(GA3)and abscisic acid(ABA)in the receptacle under low temperature were lower and higher,respectively,than under normal temperature.Promoter activity analysis revealed that GA3 significantly activated RhAGL6 promoter activity,whereas ABA inhibited it.Thus,we propose that RhAGL6 regulates rose receptacle development by integrating epigenetic regulation and phytohormones signaling at low temperature.

Evaluation of Cold Resistance and Semi-lethal Low Temperature(LT_(50))of Nine Pear Cultivars

[Objectives]To evaluate the cold resistance and semi-lethal temperature of pear cultivars,and provide a theoretical basis for the regional extension and breeding of cold-resistant pear cultivars.[Methods]Nine pear cultivars were used to study the changes in relative conductivity and cell injury rate of pear branches under low temperature stress,and the semi-lethal temperature(LT_(50))of pear branches was analyzed by fitting Logistic equation.[Results]The relative conductivity and cell injury rate of pear branches took on the trend of slow increase,rapid increase,and slow increase the decrease of treatment temperature.The LC_(50) of the nine pear cultivars were as follows:Nanguo pear-33.9℃,Wanyu-32.3℃,Red D Anjou-31.8℃,Jinfeng-31.3℃,Wujiuxiang-29.2℃,20 th Century Pear-29.1℃,Hanxiang-35.1℃,Yuluxiang-27.9℃ and Korla Fragrant Pear-29.2℃.[Conclusions]The semi-lethal temperature could reflect the cold resistance of pear trees,and Wanxiang had better cold resistance.The evaluation of cold resistance and semi-lethal temperature of pear cultivars can provide theoretical basis for regional extension and breeding of cold-resistant pear cultivars.

Effects of Low Temperature Stress on Germination and Physiological Characteristics of Different Sweet Maize Varieties

[Objectives]The paper was to explore the effects of low temperature stress on germination and physiological characteristics of different sweet maize varieties.[Methods]Taking Taitian 264,Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4 as the research objects,the changes in germination potential,germination index,plant height,biomass,and antioxidant enzyme activity of maize seeds were studied under optimal temperature conditions(25℃)and low temperature stress conditions(10℃).[Results]Under 10℃stress,the germination rate and germination index of Taitian 264 were higher than that of Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4.Under low temperature stress,Taitian 264 exhibited the least reduction in height and biomass,while Zhexuetian 1 had the most reduction.Additionally,the SOD and POD activities of Taitian 264 were higher than that of Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4 under both temperature conditions,while the MDA content of Taitian 264 was lower.Taitian 264 showed strong germination ability against low temperature stress.[Conclusions]This study provides a basis for timely sowing practices of sweet maize in agricultural production.

Advances in Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms of Fruit Trees under Low Temperature Stress

The most recent research findings on the tolerance of fruit trees to cold stress are reviewed from a molecular perspective,including the perception and transduction of low temperature calcium signaling,CBF-dependent molecular regulatory mechanisms,non-CBF-dependent molecular regulatory mechanisms,and so forth.The objective is to provide a reference basis for further improving the cold resistance of fruit trees and cultivating new varieties of hardy plants.

Interfacial built-in electric field and crosslinking pathways enabling WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction with robust sodium storage at low temperature

Developing efficient energy storage for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)by creating high-performance heterojunctions and understanding their interfacial interaction at the atomic/molecular level holds promise but is also challenging.Besides,sluggish reaction kinetics at low temperatures restrict the operation of SIBs in cold climates.Herein,cross-linking nanoarchitectonics of WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction,featuring built-in electric field(BIEF),have been developed,employing as a model to reveal the positive effect of heterojunction design and BIEF for modifying the reaction kinetics and electrochemical activity.Particularly,the theoretical analysis manifests the discrepancy in work functions leads to the electronic flow from the electron-rich Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) to layered WS_(2),spontaneously forming the BIEF and“ion reservoir”at the heterogeneous interface.Besides,the generation of cross-linking pathways further promotes the transportation of electrons/ions,which guarantees rapid diffusion kinetics and excellent structure coupling.Consequently,superior sodium storage performance is obtained for the WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction,with only 0.2%decay per cycle at 5.0 A g^(-1)(25℃)up to 1000 cycles and a high capacity of 293.5 mA h g^(-1)(0.1A g^(-1)after 100 cycles)even at-20℃.Importantly,the spontaneously formed BIEF,accompanied by“ion reservoir”,in heterojunction provides deep understandings of the correlation between structure fabricated and performance obtained.

Association between Low Ambient Temperature and the Severity of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Objective:To explore the relationships among ambient temperature,ischemic stroke severity,and blood pressure.Methods:Meteorological data(2005–2015)were collected from the Guangzhou Meteorological Data Service.Ischemic stroke patients from the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively evaluated,each winter from 2005 to 2015.Patient demographics,baseline measurements,and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score were evaluated.Results:Three hundred sixty-two patients were included.The median latency from symptom onset to admission was 2 d(IQR:1–3 d).During recruitment,the highest and lowest temperatures were 39℃and 1.3℃,respectively.Hypertension was the most common comorbidity(75.1%).NIHSS scores at admission and discharge were higher in the cold-exposed group than in the controls regardless of the average temperature at admission.In addition,systolic and diastolic blood pressure values at admission were higher in the cold-exposed group than in the controls.When stratified by hypertensive status,the average and minimum temperatures at admission were negatively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure values in hypertensive patients.Reductions in the average and minimum temperatures at symptom onset were associated with more severe stroke.Conclusion:Ischemic stroke patients with symptom onset in winter had higher systolic blood pressure values and more serious neurologic deficits upon admission.

Ambiently fostering solid electrolyte interphase for low-temperature lithium metal batteries

Despite being a leading candidate to meet stringent energy targets,lithium(Li) metal batteries(LMBs)face severe challenges at low temperatures such as dramatic increase in impedance,capacity loss and dendrite growth.Unambiguously fingerprinting rate-limited factors of low-temperature LMBs would encourage targeted approaches to promote performances.Herein,the charge transfer impedance across solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) is identified to restrict battery operation under low temperature,and we propose a facile approach on the basis of ambiently fostering SEI(af-SEI) to facilitate charge transfer.The concept of af-SEI stems from kinetic benefits and structural merits to construct SEI at ambient temperature over low temperature developed SEI that is temporally consuming to achieve steady state and that is structurally defective to incur dendrite growth.The af-SEI allows ionically conductive and morphologically uniform layer on the anode surface,which exhibits a lower resistance and induces an even deposition of Li in the subsequent low temperature battery operation.Armed with af-SEI,the LMBs deliver the improved rate performance and prolonged cycle life when subjected to low temperature cycling.This work unveils the underlying causes that limit low temperature LMB performances,and enlightens the facile test protocols to build up favorable SEI,beyond scope of material and morphology design.

Cell-nucleus structured electrolyte for low-temperature aqueous zinc batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc(Zn) batteries hold great promise for large-scale energy storage,but their implementation is plagued by poor Zn reversibility and unsatisfactory low-temperature performance.Herein,we design a cell-nucleus structured electrolyte by introducing low-polarity 1,2-dimethoxyethane(DME) into dilute 1 M zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate(Zn(OTf)_(2)) aqueous solution,which features an OTf--rich Zn2^(+)-primary solvation sheath(PSS,inner nucleus) and the DMEmodulated Zn^(2+)-outer solvation sheath(outer layer).We find that DME additives with a low dosage do not participate in the Zn2+-PSS but reinforce the Zn-OTf-coordination,which guarantees good reaction kinetics under ultralow temperatures.Moreover,DME breaks the original H-bonding network of H2O,depressing the freezing point of electrolyte to-52.4℃.Such a cell-nucleus-solvation structure suppresses the H_(2)O-induced side reactions and forms an anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase on Zn and can be readily extended to 1,2-diethoxyethane.The as-designed electrolyte enables the Zn electrode deep cycling stability over 3500 h with a high depth-of-discharge of 51.3% and endows the Zn‖V_(2)O_(5)full battery with stable cycling over 1000 cycles at 40℃.This work would inspire the solvation structure design for low-temperature aqueous batteries.

Identification of a Novel OsCYP2 Allele that Was Involved in Rice Response to Low Temperature Stress

Cyclophilin(CYP)plays an important role in plant response to stress,and OsCYP2,one gene of cyclophlilin family,is involved in auxin signal transduction and stress signaling in rice.However,the mechanism that OsCYP2 is involved in rice response to low temperature is still unclear.We identified a new OsCYP2 allelic mutant,lrl3,with fewer lateral roots,and the differences in shoot height,primary root length and adventitious root length increased with the growth process compared to the wild-type plant.Auxin signaling pathway was also affected and became insensitive to gravity.The transgenic rice plants with over-expression of OsCYP2 were more tolerant to low temperature than the wild-type plants,suggesting that OsCYP2 was involved in the low temperature response in rice.In addition,OsCYP2 negatively regulated the expression of OsTPS38,a terpene synthase gene,and was dependent on the OsCDPK7-mediated pathway in response to low temperature stress.OsTPS38-overexpressed transgenic line ox-2 was more sensitive to low temperature.Therefore,OsCYP2 may negatively regulate OsTPS38 through an OsCDPK7-dependent pathway to mediate the response to low temperature in rice.These results provide a new basis for auxin signaling genes to regulate rice response to low temperature stress.

Low-Temperature Signaling Pathways and Their Signaling Factors in Plant

Low temperature as abiotic stress adversely impacts plant growth and development, and limits the ecological distribution of plants as well. Throughout their long evolutionary history, plants have developed a range of complicated and precise molecular regulatory mechanisms to deal with low-temperature stress, involving the activation of signal transduction pathways and the regulation of related genes. In this review, we provide a systematic summary of the most recent research findings regarding three hypotheses of cellular perception of low-temperature signals and two major intracellular low-temperature signaling pathways, including CBF-dependent signaling pathways and CBF-independent signaling pathways. Focus is placed on the functions of each component of the ICE-CBF-COR signaling cascade as well as their interrelationships. This review concludes that although some progress has been made in the identification, function, and mechanism of low-temperature response genes, their roles in the low-temperature regulatory network and molecular mechanisms still need to be studied in detail, which will be of great significance for improving the low-temperature tolerance of plants and adapting to climate change.