Formation of Natural Melanin/TiO_(2) Nanostructure Hybrids with Enhanced Optical,Thermal and Magnetic Properties as a Soft Material

The natural Melanin/TiO_(2) was synthesized by the use of ultrasonication under UV radiation.The influence of natural melanin on the structural,optical and thermal properties of TiO_(2) nanoparticles was investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,thermogravimetric analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy.It was observed that incorporating natural melanin on TiO_(2) nanoparticles(TiO_(2)-Mel)occurred at 2.01 eV with a low value of Urbach energy around 100 meV indicating improvement in the crystalline structure.Magnetic measurement at room temperature showed diamagnetic behavior.Furthermore,thermal results showed that TiO_(2)-Mel is stable even at temperatures up to 400℃.According to the results obtained by the thermal stability of melanin with titanium dioxide,it can be a good candidate in many applications such as solar cells and optoelectronics.

Mass-Based Environmental Factor and Energy Assessment of Microwave-Assisted Synthesized Transition Metal Nanostructures

This paper describes mass-based energy phase-space projection of microwave-assisted synthesis of transition metals (zinc oxide, palladium, silver, platinum, and gold) nanostructures. The projection uses process energy budget (measured in kJ) on the horizontal axes and process density (measured in kJg−1) on the vertical axes. These two axes allow both mass usage efficiency (Environmental-Factor) and energy efficiency to be evaluated for a range of microwave applicator and metal synthesis. The metrics are allied to the: second, sixth and eleventh principle of the twelve principle of Green Chemistry. This analytical approach to microwave synthesis (widely considered as a useful Green Chemistry energy source) allows a quantified dynamic environmental quotient to be given to renewable plant-based biomass associated with the reduction of the metal precursors. Thus allowing a degree of quantification of claimed “eco-friendly” and “sustainable” synthesis with regard to waste production and energy usage.

Vertical 3D Nanostructures Boost Efficient Hydrogen Production Coupled with Glycerol Oxidation Under Alkaline Conditions

Hydrogen production from electrolytic water is an important sustainable technology to realize renewable energy conversion and carbon neutrality.However,it is limited by the high overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)at the anode.To reduce the operating voltage of electrolyzer,herein thermodynamically favorable glycerol oxidation reaction(GOR)is proposed to replace the OER.Moreover,vertical Ni O flakes and NiMoNH nanopillars are developed to boost the reaction kinetics of anodic GOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution,respectively.Meanwhile,excluding the explosion risk of mixed H_2/O_(2),a cheap organic membrane is used to replace the expensive anion exchange membrane in the electrolyzer.Impressively,the electrolyzer delivers a remarkable reduction of operation voltage by 280 mV,and exhibits good long-term stability.This work provides a new paradigm of hydrogen production with low cost and good feasibility.

Morphology,Nanostructure,and Oxidation Reactivity of Particulate Matter Emitted by Diesel Blending with Various Aromatics

This study aims to analyze the influence of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH)content in diesel on the physical and chemical properties of diesel soot particles.Four diesel fuels with different PAH content were tested on a 11.6 L direct-injection diesel engine.The raw particulate matter(PM)before the after-treatment devices was collected using the thermophoresis sampling system and the filter sampling system.A transmission electron microscope and Raman spectrometer are used to analyze the physical properties of the soot particles,including morphology,primary particle size distribution,and graphitization degree.A Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and thermogravimetric analyzer are used to characterize the surface chemical composition and oxidation reactivity of soot particles,respectively.The results show that as the PAH content in the fuel decreases,the size of the primary soot particles decreases from 29.58 to 26.70 nm.The graphitization degree of soot particles first increases and then decreases,and the relative content of the aliphatic hydrocarbon functional groups of soot particles first decreases and then increases.The T_(10),T_(50),and T_(90) of soot from high-PAH fuel are 505.3,589.3,and 623.5℃,while those from low-PAH fuel are 480.1,557.5,and 599.2℃,respectively.This indicates that exhaust PM generated by the low-PAH fuel has poor oxidation reactivity.However,as the PAH content in fuel is further decreased,the excessively high cetane number may cause uneven mixing and incomplete combustion,leading to enhanced oxidation reactivity.

Tailored BiVO_(4)/In_(2)O_(3)nanostructures with boosted charge separation ability toward unassisted water splitting

The development of new heterostructures with high photoactivity is a breakthrough for the limitation of solar-driven water splitting.Here,we first introduce indium oxide(In_(2)O_(3))nanorods(NRs)as a novel electron transport layer for bismuth vanadate(BiVO_(4))with a short charge diffusion length.In_(2)O_(3)NRs reinforce the electron transport and hole blocking of BiVO_(4),surpassing the state-of-the-art photoelectrochemical performances of BiVO_(4)-based photoanodes.Also,a tannin-nickel-iron complex(TANF)is used as an oxygen evolution catalyst to speed up the reaction kinetics.The final TANF/BiVO_(4)/In_(2)O_(3)NR photoanode generates photocurrent densities of 7.1 mAcm^(−2) in sulfite oxidation and 4.2 mA cm^(−2) in water oxidation at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode.Furthermore,the“artificial leaf,”which is a tandem cell with a perovskite/silicon solar cell,shows a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 6.2%for unbiased solar water splitting.We reveal significant advances in the photoactivity of TANF/BiVO_(4)/In_(2)O_(3)NRs from the tailored nanostructure and band structure for charge dynamics.

Toward high-efficiency perovskite solar cells with one-dimensional oriented nanostructured electron transport materials

The unique advantages of one-dimensional(1D)oriented nanostructures in light-trapping and chargetransport make them competitive candidates in photovoltaic(PV)devices.Since the emergence of perovskite solar cells(PSCs),1D nanostructured electron transport materials(ETMs)have drawn tremendous interest.However,the power conversion efficiencies(PCEs)of these devices have always significantly lagged behind their mesoscopic and planar counterparts.High-efficiency PSCs with 1D ETMs showing efficiency over 22%were just realized in the most recent studies.It yet lacks a comprehensive review covering the development of 1D ETMs and their application in PSCs.We hence timely summarize the advances in 1D ETMs-based solar cells,emphasizing on the fundamental and optimization issues of charge separation and collection ability,and their influence on PV performance.After sketching the classification and requirements for high-efficiency 1D nanostructured solar cells,we highlight the applicability of 1D TiO_(2)nanostructures in PSCs,including nanotubes,nanorods,nanocones,and nanopyramids,and carefully analyze how the electrostatic field affects cell performance.Other kinds of oriented nanostructures,e.g.,ZnO and SnO_(2)ETMs,are also described.Finally,we discuss the challenges and propose some potential strategies to further boost device performance.This review provides a broad range of valuable work in this fast-developing field,which we hope will stimulate research enthusiasm to push PSCs to an unprecedented level.

Nanostructure enabled extracellular vesicles separation and detection

Extracellular vesicles(EVs)have recently attracted significant research attention owing to their important biological functions,including cell-to-cell communication.EVs are a type of membrane vesicles that are secreted into the extracellular space by most types of cells.Several biological biomolecules found in EVs,such as proteins,microRNA,and DNA,are closely related to the pathogenesis of human malignancies,making EVs valuable biomarkers for disease diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis.Therefore,EV separation and detection are prerequisites for providing important information for clinical research.Conventional separation methods suffer from low levels of purity,as well as the need for cumbersome and prolonged operations.Moreover,detection methods require trained operators and present challenges such as high operational expenses and low sensitivity and specificity.In the past decade,platforms for EV separation and detection based on nanostructures have emerged.This article reviews recent advances in nanostructure-based EV separation and detection techniques.First,nanostructures based on membranes,nanowires,nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement,and surface modification are presented.Second,high-throughput separation of EVs based on nanostructures combined with acoustic and electric fields is described.Third,techniques combining nanostructures with immunofluorescence,surface plasmon resonance,surface-enhanced Raman scattering,electrochemical detection,or piezoelectric sensors for high-precision EV analysis are summarized.Finally,the potential of nanostructures to detect individual EVs is explored,with the aim of providing insights into the further development of nanostructure-based EV separation and detection techniques.

Artificial Macrophage with Hierarchical Nanostructure for Biomimetic Reconstruction of Antitumor Immunity

Artificial cells are constructed from synthetic materials to imitate the biological functions of natural cells.By virtue of nanoengineering techniques,artificial cells with designed biomimetic functions provide alternatives to natural cells,showing vast potential for biomedical applications.Especially in cancer treatment,the deficiency of immunoactive macrophages results in tumor progression and immune resistance.To overcome the limitation,a BaSO_(4)@ZIF-8/transferrin(TRF)nanomacrophage(NMΦ)is herein constructed as an alternative to immunoactive macrophages.Alike to natural immunoactive macrophages,NMΦis stably retained in tumors through the specific affinity of TRF to tumor cells.Zn^(2+)as an“artificial cytokine”is then released from the ZIF-8 layer of NMΦunder tumor microenvironment.Similar as proinflammatory cytokines,Zn^(2+)can trigger cell anoikis to expose tumor antigens,which are selectively captured by the BaSO_(4)cavities.Therefore,the hierarchical nanostructure of NMΦs allows them to mediate immunogenic death of tumor cells and subsequent antigen capture for T cell activation to fabricate long-term antitumor immunity.As a proof-of-concept,the NMΦmimics the biological functions of macrophage,including tumor residence,cytokine release,antigen capture and immune activation,which is hopeful to provide a paradigm for the design and biomedical applications of artificial cells.

Prediction of one-dimensional CrN nanostructure as a promising ferromagnetic half-metal

Searching for one-dimensional(1D)nanostructure with ferromagnetic(FM)half-metallicity is of significance for the development of miniature spintronic devices.Here,based on the first-principles calculations,we propose that the 1D CrN nanostructure is a FM half-metal,which can generate the fully spin-polarized current.The ab initio molecular dynamic simulation and the phonon spectrum calculation demonstrate that the 1D CrN nanostructure is thermodynamically stable.The partially occupied Cr-d orbitals endow the nanostructure with FM half-metallicity,in which the half-metallic gap(?s)reaches up to 1.58 eV.The ferromagnetism in the nanostructure is attributed to the superexchange interaction between the magnetic Cr atoms,and a sizable magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy(MAE)is obtained.Moreover,the transverse stretching of nanostructure can effectively modulate?s and MAE,accompanied by the preservation of half-metallicity.A nanocable is designed by encapsulating the CrN nanostructure with a BN nanotube,and the intriguing magnetic and electronic properties of the nanostructure are retained.These novel characteristics render the 1D CrN nanostructure as a compelling candidate for exploiting high-performance spintronic devices.

Generating micro/nanostructures on magnesium alloy surface using ultraprecision diamond surface texturing process

The lightness and high strength-to-weight ratio of the magnesium alloy have attracted more interest in various applications.However,micro/nanostructure generation on their surfaces remains a challenge due to the flammability and ignition.Motivated by this,this study proposed a machining process,named the ultraprecision diamond surface texturing process,to machine the micro/nanostructures on magnesium alloy surfaces.Experimental results showed the various microstructures and sawtooth-shaped nanostructures were successfully generated on the AZ31B magnesium alloy surfaces,demonstrating the effectiveness of this proposed machining process.Furthermore,sawtooth-shaped nanostructures had the function of inducing the optical effect and generating different colors on workpiece surfaces.The colorful letter and colorful flower image were clearly viewed on magnesium alloy surfaces.The corresponding cutting force,chip morphology,and tool wear were systematically investigated to understand the machining mechanism of micro/nanostructures on magnesium alloy surfaces.The proposed machining process can further improve the performances of the magnesium alloy and extend its functions to other fields,such as optics.

Rapid growth of nanostructure on tungsten thin film by exposure to helium plasma

A fiberform nanostructure was synthesized by exposing high-density helium plasma to a 100 nm thick tungsten thin film in the linear plasma device NAGDIS-II.After helium plasma exposure,the cross-section of samples was observed by a scanning electron microscope,transmission electron microscope,and focused ion beam scanning electron microscope.It is shown that the thickness of the nanostructured layer increases significantly for only a short irradiation time.The optical absorptivity remains high,even though it is exposed to helium plasma for a short time.The usage of the thin film can shorten the processing time for nanostructure growth,which will be beneficial for commercial production.

Piezoresistive behavior of elastomer composites with segregated network of carbon nanostructures and alumina

Electrically conductive elastomer composites(CECs)with segregated networks of conductive nanofillers show high potential in stretchable strain sensors due to balanced mechanical and electrical properties,yet the sensitivity at low strain is generally insufficient for practical application.Herein,we report an easy and effective way to improve the resistive response to low strain for CECs with segregated network structure via adding stiff alumina into carbon nanostructures(CNS).The CEC containing 0.7 wt%CNS and 5 wt%Al_(2)O_(3) almost sustains the same elasticity(elongation at break of~900%)and conductivity(0.8 S/m)as the control,while the piezoresistive sensitivity is significantly improved.Thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU)composites with a segregated network of hybrid nanofillers(CNS and Al_(2)O_(3))show much higher strain sensitivity(Gauge factor,GF-566)at low strain(45%strain)due to a local stress concentration effect,this sensitivity is superior to that of TPU/CNS composites(GF-11).Such a local stress concentration effect depends on alumina content and its distribution at the TPU particle interface.In addition,CECs with hybrid fillers show better reproducibility in cyclic piezoresistive behavior testing than the control.This work offers an easy method for fabricating CECs with a segregated filler network offering stretchable strain sensors with a high strain sensitivity.

Morphological features and nanostructures generated during SiC graphitization process

Surface morphological features and nanostructures generated during SiC graphitization process can significantly affect fabrication of high-quality epitaxial graphene on semiconductor substrates.In this work,we investigate the surface morphologies and atomic structures during graphitization process of 4H-SiC(0001) using scanning tunneling microscopy.Our high-magnified scanning-tunneling-microscope images exhibit the appearance and gradual developments of SiC(1 × 1)nanostructures after 1100℃ cleaning treatments,irregularly distributed among carbon nanocaps and(√3×√3) reconstruction domains.A model for the formation and growth progression of SiC(1 × 1) nanostructures has been proposed.When post-annealing temperature reaches 1300 ℃,the nanoholes and nanoislands can be observed on the surface,and multilayer graphene is often detected lying on the top surface of those nanoislands.These results provide profound insights into the complex evolution process of surface morphology during SiC thermal decomposition and will shed light on fabrication of SiC nanostructures and graphene nanoflakes.

Green Chemistry Allometry Test of Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Transition Metal Nanostructures

Microwave irradiation is considered an important approach to Green Chemistry, because of its ability to rapidly increase the internal temperature of polar-organic compounds that lead to synthesis times of minutes rather than hours when compared to conventional thermal heating. This works describes a dual allometry test for the discrimination between the solvents and reagents used in the microwave-assisted synthesis of transition metal (zinc oxide, palladium silver, platinum, and gold) nanostructures. The test is performed in log-log process energy phase-space projection, where the synthesis data (kJ against kJ·mol-1) has a power-law signature. The test is shown to discriminate between recommended Green Chemistry, problematic Green Chemistry, and Green Chemistry hazardous solvents. Typically, recommended Green chemistry exhibits a broad y-axes distribution within an upper exponent = 1 and lower exponent = 0.5. Problematic Green Chemistry exhibits a y-axes narrower distribution with an upper exponent = 0.94 and lower exponent = 0.64. Non-Green Chemistry hazardous data exhibits a further narrowing of the y-axes distribution within upper exponent = 0.87 and lower exponent = 0.66. In all three cases, the y-axes is aligned to original database power-law signature. It is also shown that in the x-axes direction (process energy budget) the grouped order of magnitude decreases from four orders for recommended Green Chemistry solvent and reagent data, through two orders for non-Green Chemistry hazardous material and down to one order for problematic Green Chemistry.

Animal- and Human-Inspired Nanostructures as Supercapacitor Electrode Materials: A Review

Human civilization has been relentlessly inspired by the nurturing lessons;nature is teaching us.From birds to airplanes and bullet trains,nature gave us a lot of perspective in aiding the progress and development of countless industries,inventions,transportation,and many more.Not only that nature inspired us in such technological advances but also,nature stimulated the advancement of micro-and nanostructures.Nature-inspired nanoarchitectures have been consid-ered a favorable structure in electrode materials for a wide range of applications.It offers various positive attributes,especially in energy storage applications,such as the formation of hierarchical two-dimen-sional and three-dimensional interconnected networked structures that benefit the electrodes in terms of high surface area,high porosity and rich surface textural features,and eventually,delivering high capacity and outstanding overall material stability.In this review,we compre-hensively assessed and compiled the recent advances in various nature-inspired based on animal-and human-inspired nanostructures used for supercapacitors.This comprehensive review will help researchers to accommodate nature-inspired nanostructures in industrializing energy storage and many other applications.

Superchiral fields generated by nanostructures and their applications for chiral sensing

Chirality is ubiquitous in natural world.Although with similar physical and chemical properties,chiral enantiomers could play different roles in biochemical processes.Discrimination of chiral enantiomers is extremely important in biochemical,analytical chemistry,and pharmaceutical industries.Conventional chiroptical spectroscopic methods are disadvantageous at a limited detection sensitivity because of the weak signals of natural chiral molecules.Recently,superchiral fields were proposed to effectively enhance the interaction between light and molecules,allowing for ultrasensitive chiral detection.Intensive theoretical and experimental works have been devoted to generation of superchiral fields based on artificial nanostructures and their application in ultrasensitive chiral sensing.In this review,we present a survey on these works.We begin with the introduction of chiral properties of electromagnetic fields.Then,the optical chirality enhancement and ultrasensitive chiral detection based on chiral and achiral nanostructures are discussed respectively.Finally,we give a short summary and a perspective for the future ultrasensitive chiral sensing.

Synthesis of Micron-sized Hexagonal and Flowerlike Nanostructures of Lead Oxide (PbO_2) by Anodic Oxidation of Lead

Micron sized hexagon- and flower-like nanostructures of lead oxide（α-PbO2） have been synthesized by very simple and cost effective route of anodic oxidation of lead sheet. These structures were easily obtained by the simple variation of applied voltage from 2-6 V between the electrodes. Lead sheet was used as an anode and platinum sheet served as a cathode. Anodic oxidation at 2 V resulted in the variable edge sized（1-2 μm） hexagon-like structures in the electrolyte. When the applied potential was increased to 4 V a structure of distorted hexagons consisting of some flower-like structures were obtained. Further increment of potential up to 6 V resulted in flower like structures of α-PbO2 having six petals. The diameter of the flower-like structures was 200-500 nm and the size of a petal was 100-200 nm.

Development of and Perspective on High-Performance Nanostructured Bainitic Bearing Steel

Bearings are the most important component of nearly all mechanical equipment, as they guarantee the steady running of the equipment, which is especially important for high-end equipment such as highspeed trains and shield tunneling machines. Requirements regarding the quality of bearings are increasing with the rapid development in technology. A country’s bearings manufacturing level directly reflects the level of that country’s steel metallurgy and machinery manufacturing. The performance of the bearing steel is the critical factor that determines the quality of a bearing. The development of new bearing steel with higher performance is the ambition of material researchers and the expectation of the manufacturing industry. Many famous bearing manufacturing enterprises are competing to develop the new generation of bearing steel. Nanostructured bainitic bearing steel (NBBS), which is a newly developed bearing steel, not only possesses high strength and toughness, but also exhibits excellent wear resistance and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) resistance. In recent years, relevant achievements in NBBS in China have led to significant progress in this field. NBBS was first used in China to manufacture large bearings for wind turbines and heavy-duty bearings, with excellent performance. As a result, NBBS and its corresponding heat-treatment process have been included in the national and industry standards for the first time. The bearing industry considers the exploitation of NBBS to be epoch-making, and has termed this kind of bearing as the second generation of bainitic bearing. In this paper, the development of NBBS is reviewed in detail, including its advantages and disadvantages. Further research directions for NBBS are also proposed.

Microstructure and properties of Al_2O_3-13%TiO_2 coatings sprayed using nanostructured powders

The microstructure and wear performance of M203-13% TiO2 coatings prepared by plasma spraying of agglom- erated nanoparticle powders were investigated. SEM analysis showed that the as-sprayed Al2O3-TiO2 coatings comprise of two kinds of typical region： fully melted region and unmelted/partially melted nanostructured region, which is different than the conventional coating with lamellar structure. It is shown that the microhardness of the nanostructured coatings was about 15%-30% higher than that of the conventional coating and the wear resistance is significantly improved, especially under a high wear load. The nanostructured coating sprayed at a lower power shows a lower wear resistance than the coatings produced at a higher power, because of the presence of pores and microstructural defects which are detrimental to the fracture toughness of the coatings.

W-Ni-Fe nanostructure materials synthesized by high energy ball milling

Investigations were made on the phase evolution and thermal stability of the 90W 7Ni 3Fe(mass fraction, %) milled powders by means of XRD and DTA. The results showed that ball milling produced an ultrafine composite powder consisting of supersolidus solution W(Ni, Fe) and amorphous phase, owing to the fast diffusion rate induced by high density of lattice defects and nanograin boundaries. The amorphous phase results from the extension of the solubility of W in γ (Ni, Fe) phase which forms during the first 3 h of ball milling.