Unveiling the Interfacial Effects for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on MoS2/WTe2 Hybrid Structures

Using the MoS₂‐WTe₂ heterostructure as a model system combined with electrochemical microreactors and density function theory calculations, it is shown that heterostructured contacts enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of monolayer MoS₂. Two possible mechanisms are suggested to explain this enhancement: efficient charge injection through large‐area heterojunctions between MoS₂ and WTe₂ and effective screening of mirror charges due to the semimetallic nature of WTe₂. The dielectric screening effect is proven minor, probed by measuring the HER activity of monolayer MoS₂ on various support substrates with dielectric constants ranging from 4 to 300. Thus, the enhanced HER is attributed to the increased charge injection into MoS₂ through large‐area heterojunctions. Based on this understanding, a MoS₂/WTe₂ hybrid catalyst is fabricated with an HER overpotential of ?140 mV at 10 mA cm^?2, a Tafel slope of 40 mV dec^?1, and long stability. These results demonstrate the importance of interfacial design in transition metal dichalcogenide HER catalysts. The microreactor platform presents an unambiguous approach to probe interfacial effects in various electrocatalytic reactions.     

Extraterrestrial digital elevation models: constraints on planetary evolution,with focus on Mars

Global digital elevation models of Mars, Venus and the Moon have been used to study the evolution of these planetary bodies and the early history of our solar system. A global digital elevation model of Mars has recently been produced from altimetry data collected by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. Over half a billion data points were collected over the five years of operation and the end result was the first centre of mass-based geodetic grid of Mars. This product has vertical resolution of ～1 m and spatial resolution ≤500 m and has helped to define and test many hypotheses related to the planet's interior and surface evolution. Higher resolution digital elevations models (DEMs) have also been created from stereo images taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the Mars Express spacecraft. These data have spatial resolution of up to 10 m, but only cover ～25% of the planet. Both sets of DEMs have been applied to a broad range of geological and geophysical problems. Here, I focus on the application of Martian DEMs to assess the history of water on the Red Planet, which allows improved understanding of Mars' astrobiological potential.     

Investigation of the Effect of Magnesium on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Prepared by Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis

This work aims to describe the effect of magnesium on the microstructure, phase composition, amount of undesirable Ti₂Ni phase, martensitic transformation, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of NiTi alloy. To minimize the quantity of Ti₂Ni phase, we use the magnesium as an element with high affinity to oxygen, because this phase is stabilized by oxygen. Various quantities of magnesium (1, 3, and 5 wt pct) were tested. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) was used as a production method of the alloys. The samples prepared by SHS were pulverized by a vibrating mill, and the obtained powders were used for consolidation by means of spark plasma sintering. Results showed a significant reduction of the content of undesirable Ti₂Ni phase by the addition of magnesium. Further, magnesium increased corrosion resistance and yield strength.

     

Deposition of nanostructured fluorocarbon plasma polymer films by RF magnetron sputtering of polytetrafluoroethylene

The RF magnetron sputtering of polytetrafluoroethylene target is studied with the aim to find out conditions leading to the deposition of super-hydrophobic thin films. It is shown that such coatings can be prepared at elevated pressures and a longer distance between the sputtered target and the substrate. This is explained by an increase in the density of longer C_xF_y molecules that reach the substrate and a lower flux of ions and CF₂ radicals on the surface of growing film under such deposition conditions, as observed by optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Such changes in plasma composition result in a deposition of rough films having F/C ratio close to 2 as observed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. These findings clearly distinguish our results from the previous investigations of polytetrafluoroethylene sputtering performed at shorter distances from the target, where either low F/C ratio or low roughness of the deposited films did not allow reaching super-hydrophobic character of the coatings.