Electronic Structure and Optoelectronic Properties of Bismuth Oxyiodide Robust against Percent‐Level Iodine‐, Oxygen‐, and Bismuth‐Related Surface Defects

In the search for nontoxic alternatives to lead‐halide perovskites, bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) has emerged as a promising contender. BiOI is air‐stable for over three months, demonstrates promising early‐stage photovoltaic performance and, importantly, is predicted from calculations to tolerate vacancy and antisite defects. Here, whether BiOI tolerates point defects is experimentally investigated. BiOI thin films are annealed at a low temperature of 100 °C under vacuum (25 Pa absolute pressure). There is a relative reduction in the surface atomic fraction of iodine by over 40%, reduction in the surface bismuth fraction by over 5%, and an increase in the surface oxygen fraction by over 45%. Unexpectedly, the Bi 4f_7/2 core level position, Fermi level position, and valence band density of states of BiOI are not significantly changed. Further, the charge‐carrier lifetime, photoluminescence intensity, and the performance of the vacuum‐annealed BiOI films in solar cells remain unchanged. The results show BiOI to be electronically and optoelectronically robust to percent‐level changes in surface composition. However, from photoinduced current transient spectroscopy measurements, it is found that the as‐grown BiOI films have deep traps located ≈0.3 and 0.6 eV from the band edge. These traps limit the charge‐carrier lifetimes of BiOI, and future improvements in the performance of BiOI photovoltaics will need to focus on identifying their origin. Nevertheless, these deep traps are three to four orders of magnitude less concentrated than the surface point defects induced through vacuum annealing. The charge‐carrier lifetimes of the BiOI films are also orders of magnitude longer than if these surface defects were recombination active. This work therefore shows BiOI to be robust against processing conditions that lead to percent‐level iodine‐, bismuth‐, and oxygen‐related surface defects. This will simplify and reduce the cost of fabricating BiOI‐based electronic devices, and stands in contrast to the defect‐sensitivity of traditional covalent semiconductors.     

Crystalline transformation of colloidal nanoparticles on graphene oxide

Emergence of novel two-dimensional (2-D) templates, e.g., graphene oxide, has signified new intriguing opportunities to couple nanocrystals electronically to the microscopic 2-D contacts. A promising approach to uniform dispersion of inorganic nanocrystals on the 2-D interfaces is to graft them through chemical bonding. The 2-D dispersion would offer a unique opportunity to address one of the primary challenges in the field of nanotechnology: fulfilling excellent chemical and physical properties of the nanocrystals in electronic solid-state devices. In this study, we blended colloidal nanocrystals with graphene oxide in aqueous solution in attempts to bind the nanocrystals on reactive sites of the graphene oxide surface, thereby achieving uniform loading. Interestingly, the nanocrystals undergo significant crystalline transformation even under relatively moderate reaction conditions. The growth of particle size and the drastic crystalline deformation, e.g., from wurtzite CdSe to amorphous Se, appear to take place in the proximity of acidic functional groups on graphene oxide. Photocarriers also play a key role in the reaction: under room light, the transformation yielded dramatic size increase and crystalline transformation, whereas in the dark, the change was suppressed. The experimental results presented in this study provide guidelines for uniform 2-D loading of colloidal nanocrystals on graphene oxide. The findings suggest that the surface acidity be titrated for colloidal nanocrystals to deposit on the graphitic layer and to avoid unwanted changes of nanocrystal size and properties.     

Rapid detection of influenza A(H1N1)virus by conductive polymer-based nanoparticle via optical response to virus-specific binding

A recurrent pandemic with unpredictable viral nature has implied the need for a rapid diagnostic technology to facilitate timely and appropriate countermeasures...     

Host Cell Mimic Polymersomes for Rapid Detection of Highly Pathogenic Influenza Virus via a Viral Fusion and Cell Entry Mechanism

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) infections have occurred continuously and crossed the species barrier to humans, leading to fatalities. A polymerase chain reaction based molecular test is currently the most sensitive diagnostic tool for HPAIV; however, the results must be analyzed in centralized diagnosis systems by a trained individual. This requirement leads to delays in quarantine and isolation. To control the spread of HPAIV, rapid and accurate diagnostics suitable for field testing are needed, and the tests must facilitate a differential diagnosis between HPAIV and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV), which undergo cleavage specifically by trypsin‐ or furin‐like proteases, respectively. In this study, a differential avian influenza virus rapid test kit is developed and evaluated in vitro and using clinical specimens from HPAIV H5N1‐infected animals. It is demonstrated that this rapid test kit provides highly sensitive and specific detection of HPAIV and LPAIV and is thus a useful field diagnostic tool for H5N1 HPAIV outbreaks and for rapid quarantine control of the disease.     

Feasibility assessment of the alumina-forming duplex stainless steels as accident tolerant fuel cladding materials for light water reactors

Previously, the Fe-based alumina-forming duplex stainless steels (ADSSs) were developed for the application of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding materials for light water reactors (LWRs). The on-going research activities focusing on the feasibility assessment of ADSS alloys for ATF cladding are summarized. A long-term corrosion behavior in simulated LWR environment and short-term corrosion resistance in steam environment at temperature range of 800°C to 1200°C were performed, and the results showed excellent corrosion resistance of ADSS alloys. The tensile properties of ADSS alloys were evaluated at room temperature to 550°C, which showed much higher strength compared with other Fe-based alloys. After accelerated thermal aging at 425°C for 1000 hours, strength of ADSS alloys was increased and the elongation was decreased. However, the elongation of aged ADSS alloys was still greater than 15% because of the presence of ductile austenite phase. Meanwhile, because of the neutron absorption by Ni, Cr, and Fe, the use of ADSS alloys as ATF cladding would have detrimental effects on the fuel cycle length. Nonetheless, it was assessed that the neutronics penalty could be readily overcome by adopting thinner fuel cladding and slightly higher fuel enrichment. Finally, the fabrication of thin-walled tube was introduced. Overall, it has been shown that ADSS alloys could be considered as candidate alloys as ATF cladding materials.     

Textile Resistance Switching Memory for Fabric Electronics

A new type of wearable electronic device, called a textile memory, is reported. This is created by combining the unique properties of Al‐coated threads with a native layer of Al₂O₃ as a resistance switching layer, and carbon fiber as the counter‐electrode, which induces a fluent redox reaction at the interface under a small electrical bias (typically 2–3 V). These two materials can be embroidered into an existing cloth or woven into a novel cloth. The electrical resistance of the contacts is repeatedly switched by the bias polarity, as observed in the recently highlighted resistance switching memory. The devices with different structure from the solid metal‐insulator‐metal devices show reliable resistance switching behaviors in textile form by single stitch and in array as well that would render this new type of material system applicable to a broad range of emerging wearable devices. Such behavior cannot be achieved in other material choices, revealing the uniqueness of this material system.     

Effect of Minor Alloying Elements on the Oxidation Behavior of Ni-Base Alloys in a High-Temperature Steam Environment

Oxidation of Metals - Model alloys based on Alloy 617 were fabricated with modified minor alloying elements for improvement in oxidation resistance in high-temperature steam environments. Model...     

Changes in linguistic behaviors based on smart speaker task performance and pragmatic skills in multiple turn-taking interactions

In the current study, we conducted a Wizard-of-Oz experiment using a smart speaker to investigate how smart speakers’ task performance (success vs. failure) and pragmatic levels (high vs. low) alter users’ linguistic behaviors during multiple turn-taking conversations. The linguistic behaviors analyzed in this study included the mean length of utterance, give-up and topic development frequency. Furthermore, we examined what kinds of pragmatic skills smart speakers need to sustain multiple turn-taking interactions. The results suggest that smart speakers’ performance levels and pragmatic skills have different effects on linguistic behaviors. Task performance and the pragmatic levels of smart speaker did not change participants’ utterance lengths. Giving up on conversations when tasks were not successfully completed occurred more frequently with smart speakers with low pragmatic capabilities. Topic development occurred more frequently when people interacted with smart speakers with high pragmatic capabilities or when tasks were accomplished. The notable requisite pragmatic skills for smart speakers included the abilities to specify and describe information, react to indirect behavior, and appreciate humor/ironic humor. The findings of this study may have implications for designing dialogue for artificial conversational agents in various conversational settings.