Room-temperature synthesis of full-component APbX_(3)perovskite nanocrystal inks for optoelectronic applications

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals(PNCs)have received great research interests due to their excellent optoelectronic properties.However,high temperature,inert gas protection and insulating long-chain ligands are used during the conventional hot-injection synthesis of PNCs,which limits their practical applications.In this work,we first develop a simple and scalable polar-solvent-free method for the preparation of full-component APbX_(3)(A=Cs,methylammonium(MA),formamidinium(FA),X=Cl,Br,I)PNCs under ambient condition.Through an exothermic reaction between butylamine(BA)and propionic acid(PA)short ligands,the PbX_(2) precursors could be well dissolved without use of any polar solvent.Meanwhile,the relatively lower growth rate of PNCs in our room-temperature reaction enables us to modulate the synthetic procedure to enhance the scalability(40-fold)and achieve large-scale synthesis.The resultant short ligands passivated PNC inks are compatible with varying solution depositing technique like spray coating for large-area film.Finally,we showcase that adopting the as-prepared MAPbI_(3) PNC inks,a self-powered photodetector is fabricated and shows a high photoresponsivity.These results demonstrate that our ambient-condition synthetic approach can accelerate the preparation of tunable and ready-to-use PNCs towards commercial optoelectronic applications.

Unfolding the structure-property relationships of Li_(2)S anchoring on two-dimensional materials with high-throughput calculations and machine learning

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries are notable for their high theoretical energy density,but the‘shuttle effect’and the limited conversion kinetics of Li-S species can downgrade their actual performance.An essential strategy is to design anchoring materials(AMs)to appropriately adsorb Li-S species.Herein,we propose a new three-procedure protocol,named InfoAd(Informative Adsorption)to evaluate the anchoring of Li_(2)S on two-dimensional(2D)materials and disclose the underlying importance of material features by combining high-throughput calculation workflow and machine learning(ML).In this paradigm,we calculate the anchoring of Li_(2)S on 12552D A_(x)B_(y)(B in the VIA/VIIA group)materials and pick out 44(un)reported nontoxic 2D binary A_(x)B_(y)AMs,in which the importance of the geometric features on the anchoring effect is revealed by ML for the first time.We develop a new Infograph model for crystals to accurately predict whether a material has a moderate binding with Li_(2)S and extend it to all 2D materials.Our InfoAd protocol elucidates the underlying structure-property relationship of Li_(2)S adsorption on 2D materials and provides a general research framework of adsorption-related materials for catalysis and energy/substance storage.

Improving the UV-light stability of silicon heterojunction solar cells through plasmon-enhanced luminescence downshifting of YVO_(4):Eu^(3+),Bi^(3+)nanophosphors decorated with Ag nanoparticles

The ultraviolet(UV)light stability of silicon heterojunction(SHJ)solar cells should be addressed before large-scale production and applications.Introducing downshifting(DS)nanophosphors on top of solar cells that can convert UV light to visible light may reduce UV-induced degradation(UVID)without sacrificing the power conversion efficiency(PCE).Herein,a novel composite DS nanomaterial composed of YVO_(4):Eu^(3+),Bi^(3+)nanoparticles(NPs)and AgNPs was synthesized and introduced onto the incident light side of industrial SHJ solar cells to achieve UV shielding.The YVO_(4):Eu^(3+),Bi^(3+)NPs and Ag NPs were synthesized via a sol-gel method and a wet chemical reduction method,respectively.Then,a composite structure of the YVO_(4):Eu^(3+),Bi^(3+)NPs decorated with Ag NPs was synthesized by an ultrasonic method.The emission intensities of the YVO_(4):Eu^(3+),Bi^(3+)nanophosphors were significantly enhanced upon decoration with an appropriate amount of~20 nm Ag NPs due to the localized surface plasmon resonance(LSPR)effect.Upon the introduction of LSPR-enhanced downshifting,the SHJ solar cells exhibited an~0.54%relative decrease in PCE degradation under UV irradiation with a cumulative dose of 45 k W h compared to their counterparts,suggesting excellent potential for application in UV-light stability enhancement of solar cells or modules.

A Stable Open-Shell Conjugated Diradical Polymer with Ultra-High Photothermal Conversion Efficiency for NIR-Ⅱ Photo-Immunotherapy of Metastatic Tumor

Massive efforts have been concentrated on the advance of eminent near-infrared(NIR) photothermal materials(PTMs) in the NIR-Ⅱ window(1000–1700 nm), especially organic PTMs because of their intrinsic biological safety compared with inorganic PTMs. However, so far, only a few NIR-Ⅱresponsive organic PTMs was explored, and their photothermal conversion efficiencies(PCEs) still remain relatively low. Herein, donor–acceptor conjugated diradical polymers with open-shell characteristics are explored for synergistically photothermal immunotherapy of metastatic tumors in the NIR-Ⅱ window. By employing side-chain regulation, the conjugated diradical polymer TTB-2 with obvious NIR-Ⅱ absorption was developed, and its nanoparticles realize a record-breaking PCE of 87.7% upon NIR-Ⅱ light illustration. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that TTB-2 nanoparticles show good tumor photoablation with navigation of photoacoustic imaging in the NIR-Ⅱ window, without any side-effect. Moreover, by combining with PD-1 antibody,the pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer is high-effectively prevented by the efficient photo-immunity effect. Thus, this study explores superior PTMs for cancer metastasis theranostics in the NIR-Ⅱ window, offering a new horizon in developing radical-characteristic NIR-Ⅱ photothermal materials.

Atomically dispersed Fe sites on hierarchically porous carbon nanoplates for oxygen reduction reaction

Developing cost-effective,robust and stable non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is of paramount importance for electrochemical energy conversion devices such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries.Although Fe-N-C single atom catalysts(SACs) have been hailed as the most promising candidate due to the optimal binding strength of ORR intermediates on the Fe-N_(4) sites,they suffer from serious mass transport limitations as microporous templates/substrates,i.e.,zeolitic imidazolate frameworks(ZIFs),are usually employed to host the active sites.Motivated by this challenge,we herein develop a hydrogen-bonded organic framework(HOF)-assisted pyrolysis strategy to construct hierarchical micro/mesoporous carbon nanoplates for the deposition of atomically dispersed Fe-N_(4) sites.Such a design is accomplished by employing HOF nanoplates assembled from 2-aminoterephthalic acid(NH_(2)-BDC) and p-phenylenediamine(PDA) as both soft templates and C,N precursors.Benefitting from the structural merits inherited from HOF templates,the optimized catalyst(denoted as Fe-N-C SAC-950) displays outstanding ORR activity with a high half-wave potential of 0.895 V(vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)) and a small overpotential of 356 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).More excitingly,its application potential is further verified by delivering superb rechargeability and cycling stability with a nearly unfading charge-discharge gap of 0.72 V after 160 h.Molecular dynamics(MD) simulations reveal that micro/mesoporous structure is conducive to the rapid mass transfer of O_(2),thus enhancing the ORR performance.In situ Raman results further indicate that the conversion of O_(2) to~*O_(2)-the rate-determining step(RDS) for Fe-N-C SAC-950.This work will provide a versatile strategy to construct single atom catalysts with desirable catalytic properties.

Integrated Photothermal Nanoreactors for Effi cient Hydrogenation of CO_(2)

To alleviate the energy crisis and global warming,photothermal catalysis is an attractive way to effi ciently convert CO_(2)and renewable H_(2) into value-added fuels and chemicals.However,the catalytic performance is usually restricted by the trade-off between the dispersity and light absorption property of metal catalysts.Here we demonstrate a simple SiO 2-protected metal-organic framework pyrolysis strategy to fabricate a new type of integrated photothermal nanoreactor with a comparatively high metal loading,dispersity,and stability.The core-satellite structured Co@SiO_(2)exhibits strong sunlight-absorptive abil-ity and excellent catalytic activity in CO_(2)hydrogenation,which is ascribed to the functional separation of diff erent sizes of Co nanoparticles.Large-sized plasmonic Co nanoparticles are mainly responsible for the light absorption and conversion to heat(nanoheaters),whereas small-sized Co nanoparticles with high intrinsic activities are responsible for the catalysis(nanoreactors).This study provides a new concept for designing effi cient photothermal catalytic materials.

In situ surface-confined fabrication of single atomic Fe-N_(4) on N-doped carbon nanoleaves for oxygen reduction reaction

Controllable fabrication of Fe-N-C based single-atom catalysts(SACs)for enhanced electrocatalytic performance is highly desirable but still challenging.Here,an in situ surface-confined strategy was demonstrated for the synthesis of single atomic Fe-N_(4))on N-doped carbon nanoleaves(L-FeNC).The in situ generated Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2 could not only serve as a protection layer against collapse of nanoleaves but also provide abundant Fe source for the formation of Fe-N moieties during pyrolysis,leading to high surface area and high graphitization degree of L-FeNC simultaneously.Benefiting from abundant Fe-N_(4))active sites,enhanced mass and charge transfer,the as-prepared L-FeNC manifested a half-wave potential of 0.89 V for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)in 0.1 M KOH.A maximum power density of 140 m W cm^(-2)and stable discharge voltage even after operation for 50,000 s have been demonstrated when the L-FeNC was used as air cathode for Zn-air battery.This work not only provided a unique surfaceconfined strategy for the synthesis of two-dimensional nanocarbons,but also demonstrated the significant benefit from rational design and engineering of Fe-N-C SACs,thus offering great opportunities for fabrication of efficient energy conversion and storage devices.

Manufacturing N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan-reduced graphene oxide under freeze-dying for performance improvement of Li-S battery

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S) batteries can provide far higher energy density than currently commercialized lithium ion batteries, but challenges remain before it they are used in practice.One of the challenges is the shuttle effect that originates from soluble intermediates, like lithium polysulfides. To address this issue, we report a novel laminar composite, N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan-reduced graphene oxide(CC-rGO), which is manufactured via the self-assembly of CC onto GO and subsequent reduction of GO under an extreme condition of 1 Pa and-50°C. The synthesized laminar CC-rGO composite is mixed with acetylene black(AB) and coated on a commercial polypropylene(PP) membrane, resulting in a separator(CC-rGO/AB/PP) that can not only completely suppress the polysulfides penetration, but also can accelerate the lithium ion transportation, providing a Li-S battery with excellent cyclic stability and rate capability. As confirmed by theoretic simulations, this unique feature of CC-rGO is attributed to its strong repulsive interaction to polysulfide anions and its benefit for fast lithium ion transportation through the paths paved by the heteroatoms in CC.

Nanoscale Precise Editing of Multiple Immune Stimulating Ligands on DNA Origami for T Cell Activation and Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

The spatial arrangement of activating ligands is known to have great influence on T cell activation.However,independently studying each ligand’s spatial organization parameter that affects T cell activation remains a great challenge.Here,with DNA origami,we precisely organized the CD3ɛantibodies simulating T cell receptor(TCR)ligands and CD28 antibodies simulating co-stimulatory ligands to interrogate the independent role of TCR-ligand spacing and local copy numbers as well as the spacing between TCR ligands and co-stimulatory ligands on T cell activation.We found that T cell activation benefited fromlocally concentrated TCR ligands with a shorter spacing and was maximized by an∼38 nm spacing between TCR ligands and co-stimulatory ligands.The T cell expander constructed based on our findings could efficiently expand CD8+T cells for tumor immunotherapy.Thus,the DNA nanostructurebased ligands’precise arrangement can be a unique tool in studying immune cell activations and cellbased immunotherapies.

Achieving structurally stable O3-type layered oxide cathodes through site-specific cation-anion co-substitution for sodium-ion batteries

O3-type layered oxides have garnered great attention as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries because of their abundant reserves and high theoretical capacity.However,challenges persist in the form of uncontrollable phase transitions and intricate Na^(+)diffusion pathways during cycling,resulting in compromised structural stability and reduced capacity over cycles.This study introduces a special approach employing site-specific Ca/F co-substitution within the layered structure of O_(3)-NaNi_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) to effectively address these issues.Herein,the strategically site-specific doping of Ca into Na sites and F into O sites not only expands the Na^(+)diffusion pathways but also orchestrates a mild phase transition by suppressing the Na^(+)/vacancy ordering and providing strong metal-oxygen bonding strength,respectively.The as-synthesized Na_(0.95)Ca_(0.05)Ni_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(1.95)F_(0.05)(NNMO-CaF)exhibits a mild O3→O3+O'3→P3 phase transition with minimized interlayer distance variation,leading to enhanced structural integrity and stability over extended cycles.As a result,NNMO-CaF delivers a high specific capacity of 119.5 mA h g^(-1)at a current density of 120 mA g^(-1)with a capacity retention of 87.1%after 100 cycles.This study presents a promising strategy to mitigate the challenges posed by multiple phase transitions and augment Na^(+)diffusion kinetics,thus paving the way for high-performance layered cathode materials in sodium-ion batteries.

Simultaneous acceleration of sulfur reduction and oxidation on bifunctional electrocatalytic electrodes for quasi-solid-state Zn–S batteries

The incomplete sulfur reduction and high ZnS re-oxidation energy barrier along with severe side reactions during the battery cycling compromise the practical application of Zn–S electrochemistry. Herein, a bifunctional electrocatalytic sulfur matrix that simultaneously accelerates the sulfur reduction and ZnS oxidation is proposed to realize a highly-efficient Zn–S cell. It is revealed that the N-heteroatom hotspots are more favorable for facilitating the conversion of S to ZnS while the CoO nanocrystal substantially lowers the ZnS activation energy barrier thereby suppressing the formation of disproportionation species(e.g.,SO_(4)^(2-)) and accumulation of inactive ZnS. Accordingly, the Co O anchored on the N-doped carbon-supported sulfur cathode delivers a high Zn^(2+)storage capacity of 1,172 m Ahg^(-1)and outstanding cycling stability with a capacity retention of 71.6% after500 cycles with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 97.8%. Simultaneously, the stable cycling of solid-state Zn–S pouch cells with an energy density of 585 Whkg^(-1)sulfuris also demonstrated. Moreover, the postmortem analysis reveals that the degradation of Zn–S cells is mainly attributed to the limited reversibility of Zn anodes rather than the ZnS decomposition and/or accumulation. The approach to the bidirectional catalysis manipulated the sulfur redox provides a new perspective to realize the theoretical potentials of Zn–S cells.

MOF-derived Cu embedded into N-doped mesoporous carbon as a robust support of PdAu nanocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)h ave attracted widespread attention due to their large surface area and porous structure.Rationally designing the nanostructures of MOFs to promote their application in ethanol electrooxidation is still a challenge.Here,a novel Cu-NCNs(Cu-nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes)support was synthesized by pyrolysis of melamine(MEL)and Cu-ZIF-8 together,and then,Pd-Au nanoalloys were loaded by sodium borohydride reduction method to prepare PdAu@Cu-NCNs catalysts.The generating mesoporous carbon with high specific surface area and favorable electron and mass transport can be used as a potential excellent carrier for PdAu nanoparticles.In addition,the balance of catalyst composition and surface structure was tuned by controlling the content of Pd and Au.Thus,the best-performed Pd_(2)Au_(2)@Cu-NCN-1000-2(where 1000 means the carrier calcination temperature,and 2 means the calcination constant temperature time)catalyst exhibits better long-term stability and electrochemical activity for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media(4.80 A·mg^(-1)),which is 5.05 times higher than that of commercial Pd/C(0.95 A·mg^(-1)).Therefore,this work is beneficial to further promoting the application of MOFs in direct ethanol fuel cells(DEFCs)and can be used as inspiration for the design of more efficient catalyst support structures.

Fluorescent Silicon Nanorods-Based Nanotheranostic Agents for Multimodal Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy

The utilization of diagnosis to guide/aid therapy procedures has shown great prospects in the era of personalized medicine along with the recognition of tumor heterogeneity and complexity.Herein,a kind of multifunctional silicon-based nanostructure,i.e.,gold nanoparticles-decorated fluorescent silicon nanorods(Au@SiNRs),is fabricated and exploited for tumor-targeted multimodal imaging-guided photothermal therapy.In particular,the prepared Au@SiNRs feature high photothermal conversion efficiency(~43.9%)and strong photothermal stability(photothermal performance stays constant after five-cycle NIR laser irradiation),making them high-performance agents for simultaneously photoacoustic and infrared thermal imaging.The Au@SiNRs are readily modified with targeting peptide ligands,enabling an enhanced tumor accumulation with a high value of^8.74%ID g?1.Taking advantages of these unique merits,the Au@SiNRs are superbly suitable for specifically ablating tumors in vivo without appreciable toxicity under the guidance of multimodal imaging.Typically,all the mice treated with the Au@SiNRs remain alive,and no distinct tumor recurrence is observed during 60-day investigation.

Boosting polysulfide redox conversion of Li-S batteries by one-step-synthesized Co-Mo bimetallic nitride

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries are considered as one of the most promising next generation energy storage systems due to the high theoretical specific capacity,low cost,and environmental benignity.However,the notorious shuttle effect of polysulfides hinders the practical application of Li-S batteries.Herein,we have rationally designed and synthesized sea urchin-like Co-Mo bimetallic nitride(Co_(3) MO_(3) N)in the absence of additional nitrogen sources with only one step,which was applied as the sulfur host materials for Li-S batteries.The results indicate that Co_(3) Mo_(3) N can efficiently anchor and catalyze the conversion of polysulfides,thus accelerating the electrochemical reaction kinetics and enabling prominent electrochemical properties.As a consequence,the S@Co_(3) Mo_(3) N cathode exhibits a high rate performance of 705 mAh g^(-1) at 3 C rate and an excellent cycling stability with a low capacity fading rate of 0.08%per cycle at 1 C over 600 cycles.Even at a high sulfur loading of 5.4 cmg cm^(-2),it delivers a high initial areal capacity of 4.50 mAh cm^(-2) which is still retained at 3.64 mAh cm^(-2) after 120 cycles.Furthermore,the catalytic mechanism and structural stability of Co_(3) Mo_(3) N during cycling were elucidated by a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure.This work highlights the strategy of structure-catalysis engineering of bimetallic nitride,which is expected to have a wide application in Li-S batteries.

Carbon dots regulate the interface electron transfer and catalytic kinetics of Pt-based alloys catalyst for highly efficient hydrogen oxidation

The regulation of interface electron-transfer and catalytic kinetics is very important to design the efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction(HOR).Here,we show the Pt-Ni alloy nanoparticles(PtNi_(2))have an enhanced HOR activity compared with single component Pt catalyst.While,the interface electron-transfer kinetics of PtNi_(2)catalyst exhibits a very wide electron-transfer speed distribution.When combined with carbon dots(CDs),the interface charge transfer of PtNi_(2)-CDs composite is optimized,and then the PtNi_(2)-5 mg CDs exhibits about 2.67 times and 4.04 times higher mass and specific activity in 0.1 M KOH than that of 20%commercial Pt/C.In this system,CDs also contribute to trapping H^(+)and H_(2)O generated during HOR,tuning hydrogen binding energy(HBE),and regulating interface electron transfer.This work provides a deep understanding of the interface catalytic kinetics of Pt-based alloys towards highly efficient HOR catalysts design.

Modulating eg orbitals through ligand engineering to boost the electrocatalytic activity of NiSe for advanced lithium-sulfur batteries

Accelerating the sluggish redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)by electrocatalysis is essential to achieve high performance lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.However,the issue of insufficient catalytic activity remains to be addressed.Herein,a strategy of modulating e_(g) orbitals through ligand engineering has been proposed to boost the catalytic activity of NiSe for rapid LiPSs redox conversion.The X-ray spectroscopic measurements and theoretical calculations reveal that partial substitution of Se with N disrupts the octahedral coordination of Ni atoms in NiSe,leading to the reduced degeneracy and upward shift of e_(g) orbitals of Ni 3 d states.As a consequence,the bonding strength of N-substituted NiSe(N-NiSe)with LiPSs is enhanced,which facilitates the interfacial charge transfer kinetics and accelerates the LiPSs redox kinetics.Therefore,the Li-S batteries assembled with N-NiSe present a high capacity of 682.6 mAh g^(-1) at a high rate of 5 C and a high areal capacity of 6.5 mAh cm^(-2)at a high sulfur loading of 6 mg cm^(-2).This work provides a promising strategy to develop efficient transition-metal based electrocatalysts for Li-S batteries through e_(g) orbital modulation.

Unraveling Passivation Mechanism of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids on Inorganic Perovskite to Achieve Near-Record-Efficiency CsPbI_(2)Br Solar Cells

The application of ionic liquids in perovskite has attracted wide-spread attention for its astounding performance improvement of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).However,the detailed mechanisms behind the improvement remain mysterious.Herein,a series of imidazolium-based ionic liquids(IILs)with different cations and anions is systematically investigated to elucidate the passivation mechanism of IILs on inorganic perovskites.It is found that IILs display the following advantages:(1)They form ionic bonds with Cs^(+)and Pb^(2+)cations on the surface and at the grain boundaries of perovskite films,which could effectively heal/reduce the Cs^(+)/I−vacancies and Pb-related defects;(2)They serve as a bridge between the perovskite and the hole-transport-layer for effective charge extraction and transfer;and(3)They increase the hydrophobicity of the perovskite surface to further improve the stability of the CsPbI_(2)Br PSCs.The combination of the above effects results in suppressed non-radiative recombination loss in CsPbI_(2)Br PSCs and an impressive power conversion efficiency of 17.02%.Additionally,the CsPbI_(2)Br PSCs with IILs surface modification exhibited improved ambient and light illumination stability.Our results provide guidance for an indepth understanding of the passivation mechanism of IILs in inorganic perovskites.

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of monolayer hexagonal MnTe_(2)on Si(111)substrate

Monolayer MnTe_(2)stabilized as 1 T structure has been theoretically predicted to be a two-dimensional(2 D)ferromagnetic metal and can be tuned via strain engineering.There is no naturally van der Waals(vdW)layered MnTe_(2)bulk,leaving mechanical exfoliation impossible to prepare monolayer MnTe_(2).Herein,by means of molecular beam epitaxy(MBE),we successfully prepared monolayer hexagonal MnTe_(2)on Si(111)under Te rich condition.Sharp reflection high-energy electron diffraction(RHEED)and low-energy electron diffraction(LEED)patterns suggest the monolayer is atomically flat without surface reconstruction.The valence state of Mn^(4+)and the atom ratio of([Te]:[Mn])further confirm the MnTe_(2)compound.Scanning tunneling spectroscopy(STS)shows the hexagonal MnTe_(2)monolayer is a semiconductor with a large bandgap of~2.78 eV.The valence-band maximum(VBM)locates at theΓpoint,as illustrated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy(ARPES),below which three hole-type bands with parabolic dispersion can be identified.The successful synthesis of monolayer MnTe_(2)film provides a new platform to investigate the 2D magnetism.

Oxygen-coordinated low-nucleus cluster catalysts for enhanced electrocatalytic water oxidation

The oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activity of single-atom catalysts(SACs)is closely related to the coordination environment of the active site.Oxygencoordinated atomic metal species bring about unique features beyond nitrogen-coordinated atomic metal species due to the fact that the M-O bond is weaker than the M-N bond.Herein,a series of metal-oxygen-carbon structured low-nucleus clusters(LNCs)are successfully anchored on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes(M-MWCNTs,M=Ni,Co,or Fe)through a foolproof low-temperature gas transfer(300℃)method without any further treatment.The morphology and coordination configuration of the LNCs at the atomic level were confirmed by comprehensive characterizations.The synthetic Ni-MWCNTs electrocatalyst features excellent OER activity and stability under alkaline conditions,transcending the performances of Co-MWCNTs,Fe-MWCNTs and RuO_(2).Density functional theory calculations reveal that the moderate oxidation of low-nucleus Ni clusters changes the unoccupied orbital of Ni atoms,thereby lowering the energy barrier of the OER rate-limiting step and making the OER process more energy-efficient.This study demonstrates a novel versatile platform for large-scale manufacturing of oxygen-coordinated LNC catalysts.

Engineering surface strain for site-selective island growth of Au on anisotropic Au nanostructures

Controlled growth of islands on plasmonic metal nanoparticles represents a novel strategy in creating unique morphologies that are difficult to achieve by conventional colloidal synthesis processes,where the nanoparticle morphologies are typically determined by the preferential development of certain crystal facets.This work exploits an effective surface-engineering strategy for site-selective island growth of Au on anisotropic Au nanostructures.Selective ligand modification is first employed to direct the site-selective deposition of a thin transition layer of a secondary metal,e.g.,Pd,which has a considerable lattice mismatch with Au.The selective deposition of Pd on the original seeds produces a high contrast in the surface strain that guides the subsequent site-selective growth of Au islands.This strategy proves effective in not only inducing the island growth of Au on Au nanostructures but also manipulating the location of grown islands.By taking advantage of the iodide-assisted oxidative ripening process and the surface strain profile on Au nanostructures,we further demonstrate the precise control of the islands’number,coverage,and wetting degree,allowing fine-tuning of nanoparticles’optical properties.