Pub Date : 2026-05-19DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00648-1
Jeonghoon Lee, Dong Hyun Seo, Gyeong Deok Seo, TaeWan Kim
Reducing contact resistance remains a critical challenge for improving the performance of two-dimensional semiconductor-based field-effect-transistors (FETs). In this study, we investigate the effect of O2 plasma treatment on the metal/WS2 interface and its impact on device performance. The plasma treatment induces the formation of an ultrathin WO3−x interfacial layer, effectively suppresses metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and mitigates Fermi-level pinning at the contact interface. As a result, the Schottky barrier height is significantly reduced, leading to marked improvements in charge injection and transport characteristics. The optimized WS2 FET exhibited a 14.4-fold enhancement in field-effect mobility, a 799.6-fold reduction in contact resistance, and a 26.2-fold increase in on-current (ION) compared to pristine devices. These findings demonstrate that O2 plasma-induced interfacial engineering provides a scalable approach for achieving high-performance WS2–based FETs with low-contact resistance.
{"title":"Interfacial Engineering of WS₂ Thin-Film Transistors via O₂ Plasma-Induced WO3−x Buffer Layers","authors":"Jeonghoon Lee, Dong Hyun Seo, Gyeong Deok Seo, TaeWan Kim","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00648-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00648-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reducing contact resistance remains a critical challenge for improving the performance of two-dimensional semiconductor-based field-effect-transistors (FETs). In this study, we investigate the effect of O<sub>2</sub> plasma treatment on the metal/WS<sub>2</sub> interface and its impact on device performance. The plasma treatment induces the formation of an ultrathin WO<sub>3−x</sub> interfacial layer, effectively suppresses metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and mitigates Fermi-level pinning at the contact interface. As a result, the Schottky barrier height is significantly reduced, leading to marked improvements in charge injection and transport characteristics. The optimized WS<sub>2</sub> FET exhibited a 14.4-fold enhancement in field-effect mobility, a 799.6-fold reduction in contact resistance, and a 26.2-fold increase in on-current (I<sub>ON</sub>) compared to pristine devices. These findings demonstrate that O<sub>2</sub> plasma-induced interfacial engineering provides a scalable approach for achieving high-performance WS<sub>2</sub>–based FETs with low-contact resistance.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"409 - 416"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-05-14DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00651-6
Seunghwan Kim, Dae-wook Kim, In-Kyoung Ahn
Surface engineering via N2 plasma-based ion implantation is presented as a rapid strategy to boost the zinc-storage performance of manganese hexacyanoferrate (MnHCF) cathodes. Precise control of the plasma exposure duration is shown to be essential, with a 1-minute treatment (MnHCF-N1) providing the most significant enhancements in capacity and stability. The MnHCF-N1 electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 130.9 mAh g-1, which represents a 20% increase compared to the pristine sample. Physical characterizations reveal that the 1-minute plasma exposure induces beneficial surface nanopore and a monoclinic-like phase. These structural modifications facilitate faster charge transfer and Zn2+ diffusion kinetics. This approach offers a facile and efficient route for optimizing the electrochemical properties of Prussian blue analogues in aqueous storage system.
Graphical Abstract
通过氮等离子体离子注入进行表面工程是提高六氰高铁锰（MnHCF）阴极储锌性能的一种快速策略。精确控制等离子体暴露时间至关重要，1分钟治疗（MnHCF-N1）可显著增强能力和稳定性。MnHCF-N1电极具有130.9 mAh g-1的高比容量，与原始样品相比增加了20%。物理表征表明，1分钟的等离子体暴露诱导了有益的表面纳米孔和单斜样相。这些结构修饰促进了更快的电荷转移和Zn2+扩散动力学。该方法为优化水溶液中普鲁士蓝类似物的电化学性能提供了一条简便有效的途径。图形抽象
{"title":"Nitrogen Plasma-induced Surface Engineering of MnFe Prussian Blue Analogues for Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries","authors":"Seunghwan Kim, Dae-wook Kim, In-Kyoung Ahn","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00651-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00651-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Surface engineering via N<sub>2</sub> plasma-based ion implantation is presented as a rapid strategy to boost the zinc-storage performance of manganese hexacyanoferrate (MnHCF) cathodes. Precise control of the plasma exposure duration is shown to be essential, with a 1-minute treatment (MnHCF-N1) providing the most significant enhancements in capacity and stability. The MnHCF-N1 electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 130.9 mAh g<sup>-1</sup>, which represents a 20% increase compared to the pristine sample. Physical characterizations reveal that the 1-minute plasma exposure induces beneficial surface nanopore and a monoclinic-like phase. These structural modifications facilitate faster charge transfer and Zn<sup>2+</sup> diffusion kinetics. This approach offers a facile and efficient route for optimizing the electrochemical properties of Prussian blue analogues in aqueous storage system.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"468 - 477"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-17DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00643-6
Tang Yu, Ge Jing, Yu Jun-kai, Su Zhi-peng, Yang Si-cheng, Shu-hong Liu, Li Zhu-xin, Zhao Hong, Zhang Yong
Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are important components of fuel cells, which play important roles in supporting catalyst layer, collecting current, transmitting gas and managing water reaction product in fuel cells. Due to the carbon corrosion issue, however, the durability of GDLs is still not satisfied. Herein, a duplex oxidation–reduction treatment is adopted to tune the sp3/sp2 hybridization of CNTs in GDLs. XRD, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies measurement elucidated that, the sp3/sp2 ratio of GDLs was precisely tuned by duplex oxidation–reduction treatment, which enhanced the electrochemical stability and electric conductivity of GDLs. When duplex oxidation–reduction treated GDLs were assembled to single fuel cells, a high power-density (838 mW cm−2) was achieved, which was much higher than that of untreated GDLs (571 mW cm−2). Because the output power-density of single fuel cells in this paper is similar to that of commercial GDLs assembled fuel cells (908 mW cm−2), the s–p hybridization route will provide fruitful highlights to overcome carbon corrosion and find promising applications in the fields of fuel cells.
Graphical Abstract
The sp3/sp2 ratio of GDLs is precisely tuned by a duplex oxidation-reduction treatment. Regulating sp3/sp2 ratio of GDLs, the output power-density of single fuel cell is increased 46.7%. The s–p hybridization route paves a new road to design highly durable GDLs for fuel cells
{"title":"Tuning sp3/sp2 Carbon Hybridization to Realize Highly Durable Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs) for Fuel Cells","authors":"Tang Yu, Ge Jing, Yu Jun-kai, Su Zhi-peng, Yang Si-cheng, Shu-hong Liu, Li Zhu-xin, Zhao Hong, Zhang Yong","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00643-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00643-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are important components of fuel cells, which play important roles in supporting catalyst layer, collecting current, transmitting gas and managing water reaction product in fuel cells. Due to the carbon corrosion issue, however, the durability of GDLs is still not satisfied. Herein, a duplex oxidation–reduction treatment is adopted to tune the <i>sp</i><sup>3</sup>/<i>sp</i><sup>2</sup> hybridization of CNTs in GDLs. XRD, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies measurement elucidated that, the <i>sp</i><sup>3</sup>/<i>sp</i><sup>2</sup> ratio of GDLs was precisely tuned by duplex oxidation–reduction treatment, which enhanced the electrochemical stability and electric conductivity of GDLs. When duplex oxidation–reduction treated GDLs were assembled to single fuel cells, a high power-density (838 mW cm<sup>−2</sup>) was achieved, which was much higher than that of untreated GDLs (571 mW cm<sup>−2</sup>). Because the output power-density of single fuel cells in this paper is similar to that of commercial GDLs assembled fuel cells (908 mW cm<sup>−2</sup>), the s–p hybridization route will provide fruitful highlights to overcome carbon corrosion and find promising applications in the fields of fuel cells.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div><div><p>The sp<sup>3</sup>/sp<sup>2</sup> ratio of GDLs is precisely tuned by a duplex oxidation-reduction treatment. Regulating sp<sup>3</sup>/sp<sup>2</sup> ratio of GDLs, the output power-density of single fuel cell is increased 46.7%. The s–p hybridization route paves a new road to design highly durable GDLs for fuel cells</p></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"437 - 448"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-12DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00640-9
Xuanyi Huo, Yi Dong, Jingjing Xu, Mindong Chen
To develop highly efficient photocatalysts for environmental pollution control, constructing Z-scheme heterojunctions with excellent redox capabilities is one of the effective approaches. In this study, a Z-scheme BiOCl (BOC)/CoWO₄ (CWO) heterostructure was fabricated via a solvothermal method. When exposed to visible light, this composite showed substantially higher efficiency in degrading ciprofloxacin (CIP) via photocatalysis. The best-performing sample, BCW-2, attained a 91.2% degradation efficiency over 40 min. Its degradation rate constant (k) was 37.59 times and 3.44 times higher than that of pure CoWO₄ and pristine BiOCl, respectively. Notably, BCW-2 showed a moderate degradation effect on polyethylene (PE) microplastics, resulting in an 8.3% decrease in weight within 24 h. Characterization tests revealed that the enhanced charge separation and transfer capabilities, as well as the suppression of carrier recombination in the heterojunction, contributed to the improved photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, quenching experiments combined with ESR spectroscopy revealed a Z-scheme charge transfer pathway, offering a theoretical foundation for the exceptional photocatalytic degradation efficiency observed.
{"title":"Z-Scheme Charge Transfer in BiOCl/CoWO4 Heterostructures for Enhanced Photocatalytic Removal of Ciprofloxacin and Microplastics","authors":"Xuanyi Huo, Yi Dong, Jingjing Xu, Mindong Chen","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00640-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00640-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To develop highly efficient photocatalysts for environmental pollution control, constructing Z-scheme heterojunctions with excellent redox capabilities is one of the effective approaches. In this study, a Z-scheme BiOCl (BOC)/CoWO₄ (CWO) heterostructure was fabricated via a solvothermal method. When exposed to visible light, this composite showed substantially higher efficiency in degrading ciprofloxacin (CIP) via photocatalysis. The best-performing sample, BCW-2, attained a 91.2% degradation efficiency over 40 min. Its degradation rate constant (k) was 37.59 times and 3.44 times higher than that of pure CoWO₄ and pristine BiOCl, respectively. Notably, BCW-2 showed a moderate degradation effect on polyethylene (PE) microplastics, resulting in an 8.3% decrease in weight within 24 h. Characterization tests revealed that the enhanced charge separation and transfer capabilities, as well as the suppression of carrier recombination in the heterojunction, contributed to the improved photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, quenching experiments combined with ESR spectroscopy revealed a Z-scheme charge transfer pathway, offering a theoretical foundation for the exceptional photocatalytic degradation efficiency observed.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"478 - 496"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-12DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00641-8
Si Hoon Jeong, Seung Yong Lee, Nosang Vincent Myung, Kyu Hyoung Lee
Piezochromic molybdates (XMoO4, X = Ni, Co, Cu) can reversibly modulate their color via pressure- or temperature-induced polymorphic phase transitions. Beyond chromic behavior, the structural flexibility of the molybdate sublattice, switching between [MoO4] tetrahedral and [MoO6] octahedral coordination, implies tunable charge-transfer characteristics that are highly relevant to electrochemical applications, particularly when these compounds are regarded as metastable materials with intrinsically active frameworks. Herein, we demonstrate that microscale XMoO4 powders exhibit distinct oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities governed by structural instability and electronic structure. Single-phase XMoO4 micropowders show composition-dependent OER performance (151 mA cm-2 for NiMoO4, 218 mA cm-2 for CoMoO4, and 206 mA cm-2 for CuMoO4 in 1 M KOH). Moreover, the electrochemical oxidation behavior of XMoO4 during water electrolysis varies markedly with the structural phase described (α and β), particularly near an applied potential of ~ 1 V. These results highlight the catalytic potential of metastable ternary metal oxide powders without relying on noble or rare-earth elements and suggest that metastability can serve as an effective design parameter for advanced electrocatalysts.
Graphical Abstract
压致变色钼酸盐（XMoO4, X = Ni, Co, Cu）可以通过压力或温度诱导的多晶相变可逆地调节其颜色。除了铬化行为，钼酸盐亚晶格的结构灵活性，在[MoO4]四面体和[MoO6]八面体配位之间切换，意味着与电化学应用高度相关的可调电荷转移特性，特别是当这些化合物被视为具有内在活性框架的亚稳材料时。在此，我们证明了微尺度XMoO4粉末在结构不稳定性和电子结构的控制下表现出明显的析氧反应（OER）活性。单相XMoO4微粉的OER性能与组分有关（NiMoO4的OER性能为151 mA cm-2， CoMoO4的OER性能为218 mA cm-2， CuMoO4的OER性能为206 mA cm-2）。此外，XMoO4在水电解过程中的电化学氧化行为随着所描述的结构相（α和β）而显著变化，特别是在施加电位~ 1 V附近。这些结果突出了不依赖于贵金属或稀土元素的亚稳三元金属氧化物粉末的催化潜力，并表明亚稳性可以作为先进电催化剂的有效设计参数。图形抽象
{"title":"Metastable Phase in Molybdate XMoO4 (X = Ni, Co, Cu) for Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Structural Phase Dependence","authors":"Si Hoon Jeong, Seung Yong Lee, Nosang Vincent Myung, Kyu Hyoung Lee","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00641-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00641-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Piezochromic molybdates (XMoO<sub>4</sub>, X = Ni, Co, Cu) can reversibly modulate their color via pressure- or temperature-induced polymorphic phase transitions. Beyond chromic behavior, the structural flexibility of the molybdate sublattice, switching between [MoO<sub>4</sub>] tetrahedral and [MoO<sub>6</sub>] octahedral coordination, implies tunable charge-transfer characteristics that are highly relevant to electrochemical applications, particularly when these compounds are regarded as metastable materials with intrinsically active frameworks. Herein, we demonstrate that microscale XMoO<sub>4</sub> powders exhibit distinct oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities governed by structural instability and electronic structure. Single-phase XMoO<sub>4</sub> micropowders show composition-dependent OER performance (151 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for NiMoO<sub>4</sub>, 218 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for CoMoO<sub>4</sub>, and 206 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for CuMoO<sub>4</sub> in 1 M KOH). Moreover, the electrochemical oxidation behavior of XMoO<sub>4</sub> during water electrolysis varies markedly with the structural phase described (α and β), particularly near an applied potential of ~ 1 V. These results highlight the catalytic potential of metastable ternary metal oxide powders without relying on noble or rare-earth elements and suggest that metastability can serve as an effective design parameter for advanced electrocatalysts.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"429 - 436"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13391-026-00641-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-10DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00642-7
Dayoung Yoo, Minseok Kim, Jingya Wang, Shinyoung Kim, Siyeon Joo, Dongyun Lee
This study presents the synthesis and multifunctional performance of nanoporous CuO-ZnO composites prepared via a polymer-confined direct solution pyrolysis (PDSP) method. The fabricated materials exhibit a highly porous architecture with uniformly distributed p-type CuO and n-type ZnO phases, forming efficient p–n heterojunctions. Electrochemical investigations revealed that the nanoporous CuO–ZnO electrodes achieved a high sensitivity of up to 8 mA cm⁻² mM⁻¹ with a rapid response time as fast as 1 s for enzyme-free glucose sensing, significantly outperforming other types of copper oxide- and Au- or Cu metal-based sensors. Additionally, photocurrent analysis under simulated solar illumination demonstrated a 5.6-fold enhancement in photocurrent for the CuO-ZnO composite compared to ZnO alone, which is attributed to efficient charge carrier separation across the heterojunction and improved light harvesting enabled by the porous structure. These findings highlight the potential of PDSP-derived CuO-ZnO nanocomposites as dual-functional materials for electrochemical glucose sensing and solar-driven photocatalysis.
Graphical Abstract
本文研究了采用聚合物约束直接溶液热解（PDSP）法制备的纳米多孔CuO-ZnO复合材料的合成及其多功能性能。制备的材料具有高度多孔的结构，具有均匀分布的p型CuO和n型ZnO相，形成高效的p-n异质结。电化学研究表明，纳米多孔CuO-ZnO电极在无酶葡萄糖传感方面具有高达8 mA cm⁻²mM⁻¹的高灵敏度，反应时间快至1 s，明显优于其他类型的氧化铜和金或铜金属传感器。此外，模拟太阳光照下的光电流分析表明，与单独使用ZnO相比，CuO-ZnO复合材料的光电流增强了5.6倍，这是由于异质结上有效的载流子分离和多孔结构提高了光收集能力。这些发现突出了pdsp衍生的CuO-ZnO纳米复合材料作为电化学葡萄糖传感和太阳能驱动光催化双功能材料的潜力。图形抽象
{"title":"High-Sensitivity Enzyme-Free Glucose Sensing and Enhanced Photocurrent Response by a Nanoporous CuO and CuO-ZnO Composite","authors":"Dayoung Yoo, Minseok Kim, Jingya Wang, Shinyoung Kim, Siyeon Joo, Dongyun Lee","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00642-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00642-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study presents the synthesis and multifunctional performance of nanoporous CuO-ZnO composites prepared via a polymer-confined direct solution pyrolysis (PDSP) method. The fabricated materials exhibit a highly porous architecture with uniformly distributed <i>p</i>-type CuO and <i>n</i>-type ZnO phases, forming efficient p–n heterojunctions. Electrochemical investigations revealed that the nanoporous CuO–ZnO electrodes achieved a high sensitivity of up to 8 mA cm⁻² mM⁻¹ with a rapid response time as fast as 1 s for enzyme-free glucose sensing, significantly outperforming other types of copper oxide- and Au- or Cu metal-based sensors. Additionally, photocurrent analysis under simulated solar illumination demonstrated a 5.6-fold enhancement in photocurrent for the CuO-ZnO composite compared to ZnO alone, which is attributed to efficient charge carrier separation across the heterojunction and improved light harvesting enabled by the porous structure. These findings highlight the potential of PDSP-derived CuO-ZnO nanocomposites as dual-functional materials for electrochemical glucose sensing and solar-driven photocatalysis.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"449 - 457"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00639-2
Fangzhen He, Ying Bai, Aiju Zhang, Xiaolin Zhang, Fang Wang, Qingyun Wang, Ming Zhong, Bitao Su, Na Dong
Amidst escalating global energy crises and environmental degradation, biomass resources offer a critical pathway for energy transition through their inherent renewability, carbon neutrality, and abundance. However, efficient conversion of waste biomass remains impeded by compositional complexity and suboptimal process energetics, constraining scalable industrial implementation. Building on this, we innovatively utilize waste grapefruit peel as a multifunctional precursor to construct Ni-Mo₂C heterojunction nanocomposites (Ni-Mo₂C/NGC) on a biomass-derived N-doped graphene-like carbon matrix (NGC) via an in situ one-step pyrolysis strategy. Electrocatalytic evaluation reveals that the nanocomposite exhibits outstanding bifunctional activity for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER/HER) in alkaline electrolyte, achieving low overpotentials (η) of 260 mV for OER and 120 mV for HER at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², with corresponding Tafel slopes of 48 and 52 mV dec⁻¹, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate that synergistic interfacial electron coupling between Ni and Mo₂C at the heterojunction significantly elevates the density of exposed catalytic active sites, optimizes the adsorption free energy of key reaction intermediates, and accelerates interfacial charge transfer kinetics, thereby cooperatively enhancing the intrinsic bifunctional electrocatalytic activity. This study establishes a novel strategy for the high-value-oriented preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts from waste biomass, providing insights into the construction of non-precious metal bifunctional heterojunction catalysts.
Graphical Abstract
在全球能源危机日益加剧和环境恶化的背景下，生物质资源凭借其固有的可再生、碳中和和丰度为能源转型提供了重要途径。然而，废物生物质的有效转化仍然受到成分复杂性和次优过程能量学的阻碍，限制了可扩展的工业实施。在此基础上，我们创新性地利用废弃葡萄柚皮作为多功能前驱体，通过原位一步热解策略在生物质来源的n掺杂类石墨烯碳基体（NGC）上构建Ni-Mo₂C异质结纳米复合材料（Ni-Mo₂C/NGC）。电催化评价表明，该纳米复合材料在碱性电解质中对氧和氢的析出反应（OER/HER）具有突出的双功能活性，在电流密度为10 mA cm⁻²时，OER和HER的过电位（η）分别为260 mV和120 mV，相应的塔非斜率分别为48 mV和52 mV dec⁻¹。密度泛函理论（DFT）计算表明，Ni和Mo₂C在异质结处的协同界面电子耦合显著提高了暴露的催化活性位点密度，优化了关键反应中间体的吸附自由能，加速了界面电荷转移动力学，从而协同提高了本征双功能电催化活性。本研究为利用废生物质制备高价值的高性能电催化剂建立了新策略，为非贵金属双功能异质结催化剂的构建提供了新的思路。图形抽象
{"title":"One-Step Synthesis of Ni-Mo2C/N-Biochar Heterojunction Bifunctional Electrocatalyst from Waste Grapefruit Peel for Efficient Overall Water Electrolysis","authors":"Fangzhen He, Ying Bai, Aiju Zhang, Xiaolin Zhang, Fang Wang, Qingyun Wang, Ming Zhong, Bitao Su, Na Dong","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00639-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00639-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Amidst escalating global energy crises and environmental degradation, biomass resources offer a critical pathway for energy transition through their inherent renewability, carbon neutrality, and abundance. However, efficient conversion of waste biomass remains impeded by compositional complexity and suboptimal process energetics, constraining scalable industrial implementation. Building on this, we innovatively utilize waste grapefruit peel as a multifunctional precursor to construct Ni-Mo₂C heterojunction nanocomposites (Ni-Mo₂C/NGC) on a biomass-derived N-doped graphene-like carbon matrix (NGC) via an in situ one-step pyrolysis strategy. Electrocatalytic evaluation reveals that the nanocomposite exhibits outstanding bifunctional activity for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER/HER) in alkaline electrolyte, achieving low overpotentials (<i>η</i>) of 260 mV for OER and 120 mV for HER at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², with corresponding Tafel slopes of 48 and 52 mV dec⁻¹, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate that synergistic interfacial electron coupling between Ni and Mo₂C at the heterojunction significantly elevates the density of exposed catalytic active sites, optimizes the adsorption free energy of key reaction intermediates, and accelerates interfacial charge transfer kinetics, thereby cooperatively enhancing the intrinsic bifunctional electrocatalytic activity. This study establishes a novel strategy for the high-value-oriented preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts from waste biomass, providing insights into the construction of non-precious metal bifunctional heterojunction catalysts.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"417 - 428"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148783388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-24DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00633-8
Dongwon Kang, Subin Jeon, Eun Chong Ju, Jaewon Shin, Dayul Nam, Jaehyun Kim, Sung Kyu Park
Metal oxide thin-film transistors (MOTFTs) have been widely utilized in various electronic devices such as display backplanes, radiation detectors, and aerospace applications. As these electronics are increasingly deployed in harsh space and heavy radiation environments, the demand for semiconductor materials capable of maintaining electrical and structural stability has intensified. However, the limited understanding of how X-ray irradiation influences metal oxide semiconductor behavior has hindered their reliable use in practical heavy-radiation environments. In this study, we investigate the change of the electrical characteristics of metal oxide semiconductors such as amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), zinc tin oxide (a-ZTO), and indium zinc tin oxide (a-IZTO) under X-ray irradiation. The extracted threshold voltage shifts reveal a substantial difference among the three metal oxide semiconductors, with a-IGZO exhibiting a large shift of ΔVth ≤ 16 V and a-ZTO showing a moderate shift of ΔVth ≤ 7.1 V, while a-IZTO demonstrates significantly improved irradiation tolerance with a minimal shift of ΔVth ≤ 2.3 V even when the corresponding TFTs are X-ray irradiated up to 7 kGy. The distinct threshold voltage shifts induced under X-ray irradiation are primarily driven by excessive oxygen vacancy formation and radiation induced ionization. This study demonstrates that metal oxide semiconductors have significant potential as radiation hardness large area electronic devices for medical and aerospace applications.
Graphical Abstract
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
{"title":"Radiation-Tolerant Amorphous Indium–Zinc–Tin–Oxide Thin-Film Transistors","authors":"Dongwon Kang, Subin Jeon, Eun Chong Ju, Jaewon Shin, Dayul Nam, Jaehyun Kim, Sung Kyu Park","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00633-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00633-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Metal oxide thin-film transistors (MOTFTs) have been widely utilized in various electronic devices such as display backplanes, radiation detectors, and aerospace applications. As these electronics are increasingly deployed in harsh space and heavy radiation environments, the demand for semiconductor materials capable of maintaining electrical and structural stability has intensified. However, the limited understanding of how X-ray irradiation influences metal oxide semiconductor behavior has hindered their reliable use in practical heavy-radiation environments. In this study, we investigate the change of the electrical characteristics of metal oxide semiconductors such as amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), zinc tin oxide (a-ZTO), and indium zinc tin oxide (a-IZTO) under X-ray irradiation. The extracted threshold voltage shifts reveal a substantial difference among the three metal oxide semiconductors, with a-IGZO exhibiting a large shift of ΔV<sub>th</sub> ≤ 16 V and a-ZTO showing a moderate shift of ΔV<sub>th</sub> ≤ 7.1 V, while a-IZTO demonstrates significantly improved irradiation tolerance with a minimal shift of ΔV<sub>th</sub> ≤ 2.3 V even when the corresponding TFTs are X-ray irradiated up to 7 kGy. The distinct threshold voltage shifts induced under X-ray irradiation are primarily driven by excessive oxygen vacancy formation and radiation induced ionization. This study demonstrates that metal oxide semiconductors have significant potential as radiation hardness large area electronic devices for medical and aerospace applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 4","pages":"348 - 355"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148281809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-24DOI: 10.1007/s13391-026-00636-5
Renzhi Jiang, Yuncheng Cai, Dingce Yan
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a highly promising candidate for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their inherent cost-effectiveness, exceptional safety, and environmental benignity. However, the sluggish development of high-performance cathode materials remains a critical bottleneck hindering the practical application of ZIBs. Herein, we report the rational design and successful synthesis of a novel high-entropy oxide, (FeMnAlCrTi)3O4 (denoted as FMACTO), and systematically evaluate its electrochemical performance as a cathode material for ZIBs. Benefiting from the unique multi-cation synergistic effect and lattice distortion inherent in FMACTO, the material exhibits significantly enhanced electronic conductivity and accelerated zinc-ion diffusion kinetics. As a result, FMACTO delivers a high specific capacity of 238.6 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.2 A g⁻¹ and excellent cycling stability with 70.1% capacity retention after 1100 charge-discharge cycles. This work not only demonstrates the great potential of FMACTO as a high-performance ZIB cathode but also provides a versatile high-entropy design strategy for the development of advanced electrode materials in energy storage fields.
Graphical Abstract
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
由于其固有的成本效益、卓越的安全性和环境友好性，水性锌离子电池（zib）已成为下一代储能系统的一个非常有前途的候选者。然而，高性能阴极材料的发展缓慢仍然是阻碍ZIBs实际应用的关键瓶颈。本文报道了一种新型高熵氧化物（FeMnAlCrTi）3O4（标记为FMACTO）的合理设计和成功合成，并系统地评价了其作为ZIBs正极材料的电化学性能。得益于FMACTO独特的多阳离子协同效应和晶格畸变，该材料表现出显著增强的电子导电性和加速的锌离子扩散动力学。因此，FMACTO在0.2 a g⁻¹的电流密度下提供了238.6 mAh的高比容量，并且在1100次充放电循环后具有70.1%的良好循环稳定性。这项工作不仅证明了FMACTO作为高性能ZIB阴极的巨大潜力，而且为储能领域先进电极材料的开发提供了一种通用的高熵设计策略。此图像的替代文本可能是使用AI生成的。
{"title":"High-Performance High-Entropy Oxide (FeMnAlCrTi)3O4 as a Cathode Material for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries","authors":"Renzhi Jiang, Yuncheng Cai, Dingce Yan","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00636-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00636-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a highly promising candidate for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their inherent cost-effectiveness, exceptional safety, and environmental benignity. However, the sluggish development of high-performance cathode materials remains a critical bottleneck hindering the practical application of ZIBs. Herein, we report the rational design and successful synthesis of a novel high-entropy oxide, (FeMnAlCrTi)<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> (denoted as FMACTO), and systematically evaluate its electrochemical performance as a cathode material for ZIBs. Benefiting from the unique multi-cation synergistic effect and lattice distortion inherent in FMACTO, the material exhibits significantly enhanced electronic conductivity and accelerated zinc-ion diffusion kinetics. As a result, FMACTO delivers a high specific capacity of 238.6 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.2 A g⁻¹ and excellent cycling stability with 70.1% capacity retention after 1100 charge-discharge cycles. This work not only demonstrates the great potential of FMACTO as a high-performance ZIB cathode but also provides a versatile high-entropy design strategy for the development of advanced electrode materials in energy storage fields.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 3","pages":"273 - 279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147743684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation cold cathode electron sources due to their excellent field emission properties. However, the mechanism by which substrate materials influence emission performance remains poorly understood. In this work, we systematically investigate the field emission behavior of CNTs grown on stainless steel (SS304) and silicon (Si) substrates by combining experimental characterization with finite element simulations. The results show that the SS304 substrate, owing to its high electrical conductivity, significantly reduces contact resistance, enabling an ultralow turn-on field of 1.86 V/µm and high current density of 5.5 mA/cm2, thereby greatly enhancing emission efficiency. In contrast, although the Si substrate has lower electrical conductivity, its high thermal conductivity ranging from 140 to 150 W/(m·K) allows for effective heat dissipation, resulting in excellent long-term stability with only 7% current fluctuation over a 4 h period, which is significantly better than the 15% fluctuation observed for the SS304 based cathode. Triode structured electron gun tests further confirm the superior output performance of the SS304 based device under low driving voltages. Our results reveal a key trade-off between emission efficiency and thermal stability governed by substrate properties, providing valuable guidance for optimal substrate selection in the development of high performance and reliable carbon nanotube based vacuum electronic devices.
{"title":"Unveiling the Substrate Effect: A Combined Experimental and Simulation Study of Field Emission from Carbon Nanotubes on Stainless Steel and Silicon","authors":"Jianwei Chen, Yike Zhao, Yajie Guo, Wuwei Feng, Jiajie Fan, Yangyang Zhao, Jun Jiang","doi":"10.1007/s13391-026-00637-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13391-026-00637-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation cold cathode electron sources due to their excellent field emission properties. However, the mechanism by which substrate materials influence emission performance remains poorly understood. In this work, we systematically investigate the field emission behavior of CNTs grown on stainless steel (SS304) and silicon (Si) substrates by combining experimental characterization with finite element simulations. The results show that the SS304 substrate, owing to its high electrical conductivity, significantly reduces contact resistance, enabling an ultralow turn-on field of 1.86 V/µm and high current density of 5.5 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, thereby greatly enhancing emission efficiency. In contrast, although the Si substrate has lower electrical conductivity, its high thermal conductivity ranging from 140 to 150 W/(m·K) allows for effective heat dissipation, resulting in excellent long-term stability with only 7% current fluctuation over a 4 h period, which is significantly better than the 15% fluctuation observed for the SS304 based cathode. Triode structured electron gun tests further confirm the superior output performance of the SS304 based device under low driving voltages. Our results reveal a key trade-off between emission efficiency and thermal stability governed by substrate properties, providing valuable guidance for optimal substrate selection in the development of high performance and reliable carbon nanotube based vacuum electronic devices.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":536,"journal":{"name":"Electronic Materials Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"458 - 467"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148783315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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