Noble Metal Ion-Directed Assembly of 2D Materials for Heterostructured Catalysts and Metallic Micro-Texturing

Assembling 2D-material (2DM) nanosheets into micro- and macro-architectures with augmented functionalities requires effective strategies to overcome nanosheet restacking. Conventional assembly approaches involve external binders and/or functionalization, which inevitably sacrifice 2DM's nanoscale properties. Noble metal ions (NMI) are promising ionic crosslinkers, which can simultaneously assemble 2DM nanosheets and induce synergistic properties. Herein, a collection of NMI–2DM complexes are screened and categorized into two sub-groups. Based on the zeta potentials, two assembly approaches are developed to obtain 1) NMI-crosslinked 2DM hydrogels/aerogels for heterostructured catalysts and 2) NMI–2DM inks for templated synthesis. First, tetraammineplatinum(II) nitrate (TPtN) serves as an efficient ionic crosslinker to agglomerate various 2DM dispersions. By utilizing micro-textured assembly platforms, various TPtN–2DM hydrogels are fabricated in a scalable fashion. Afterward, these hydrogels are lyophilized and thermally reduced to synthesize Pt-decorated 2DM aerogels (Pt@2DM). The Pt@2DM heterostructures demonstrate high, substrate-dependent catalytic activities and promote different reaction pathways in the hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene. Second, PtCl₄ can be incorporated into 2DM dispersions at high NMI molarities to prepare a series of PtCl₄–2DM inks with high colloidal stability. By adopting the PtCl₄–graphene oxide ink, various Pt micro-structures with replicated topographies are synthesized with accurate control of grain sizes and porosities.     

Systematic Control of the Orientation of Organic Phosphorescent Pt Complexes in Thin Films for Increased Optical Outcoupling

Orienting light‐emitting molecules relative to the substrate is an effective method to enhance the optical outcoupling of organic light‐emitting devices. Platinum(II) phosphorescent complexes enable facile control of the molecular alignment due to their planar structures. Here, the orientation of Pt(II) complexes during the growth of emissive layers is controlled by two different methods: modifying the molecular structure and using structural templating. Molecules whose structures are modified by adjusting the diketonate ligand of the Pt complex, dibenzo‐(f,h)quinoxaline Pt dipivaloylmethane, (dbx)Pt(dpm), show an ≈20% increased fraction of horizontally aligned transition dipole moments compared to (dbx)Pt(dpm) doped into a 4,4′‐bis(N‐carbazolyl)‐1,1′‐biphenyl, CBP, host. Alternatively, a template composed of highly ordered 3,4,9,10‐perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride monolayers is predeposited to drive the alignment of a subsequently deposited emissive layer comprising (2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18‐octaethyl)‐21H,23H‐porphyrinplatinum(II) doped into triindolotriazine. This results in a 60% increase in horizontally aligned transition dipole moments compared to the film deposited in the absence of the template. The findings provide a systematic route for controlling molecular alignment during layer growth, and ultimately to increase the optical outcoupling in organic light‐emitting diodes.     

High‐Performance Metal‐Free Solar Cells Using Stamp Transfer Printed Vapor Phase Polymerized Poly(3,4‐Ethylenedioxythiophene) Top Anodes

The use of vapor phase polymerized poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (VPP‐PEDOT) as a metal‐replacement top anode for inverted solar cells is reported. Devices with both i) standard bulk heterojunction blends of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) donor and 1‐(3‐methoxycarbonyl)‐propyl‐1‐phenyl‐(6,6)C₆₀ (PCBM) soluble fullerene acceptor and ii) hybrid inorganic/organic TiO₂/P3HT acceptor/donor active layers are studied. Stamp transfer printing methods are used to deposit both the VPP‐PEDOT top anode and a work function enhancing PEDOT:polystyrenesulphonate (PEDOT:PSS) interlayer. The metal‐free devices perform comparably to conventional devices with an evaporated metal top anode, yielding power conversion efficiencies of 3% for bulk heterojunction blend and 0.6% for organic/inorganic hybrid structures. These encouraging results suggest that stamp transfer printed VPP‐PEDOT provides a useful addition to the electrode materials tool‐box available for low temperature and non‐vacuum solar cell fabrication.     

Development of biodegradable natural rubber latex composites by employing corn derivative bio-fillers

This study aims to investigate the viability of employing corn-based fillers (powdered corn grain [CG], corn flour [CF] and cornstarch [CS]) to improve the biodegradability of natural rubber latex (NRL) composites by varying filler loading from 0 to 50 phr. Notable variation in both physical and mechanical properties were observed for the different filler types, with CG-filled NRL demonstrating the better adhesion with NRL. Thus, CG-filled composites were selected for investigation of biodegradability. Increased CG loading in NRL compounds enhanced biodegradation; with over 70% degradation observed for 50 phr CG loading upon 15 weeks of soil burial. However, the trade-off between mechanical properties and biodegradability limits the CG loading in the NRL matrix to 20 phr for manufacturing NRL-based products. It was observed that NRL with CG filler loading of 20 phr conforms to the ASTM D3578 standard for manufacturing rubber gloves; with 50% biodegradation upon 15 weeks of soil burial.     

Data Warehousing Stages of Growth

According to the stages of growth theory, things change over time, in sequential, predictable ways. Eight experts participated in a study that identified three data warehousing stages of growth - (1) initiation, (2) growth, and (3) maturity - and the variables that define each stage - data, architecture, stability of the production environment, warehouse staff, users, impact on users' skills and jobs, applications, costs and benefits, and organizational impacts. the data warehousing stages of growth model is useful in understanding and predicting how organizations' data warehouses change. the experts also suggested how recent developments in data warehousing are affecting the stages. Recommendations are given for managing the progression through stages.     

Business Performance Management: One Truth

The creation and execution of sound business strategy is essential to today's enterprise. Business Performance Management (BPM) offers organizations an IT-enabled approach to formulate, modify, and execute strategy effectively. This article describes Business Performance Management, presents a framework for BPM, and discusses the potential drivers, barriers, and critical success factors for a BPM implementation.     

Cold atmospheric plasma-induced protein modification: Novel nonthermal processing technology to improve protein quality,functionality, and allergenicity reduction

With the constant increase in protein demand globally, it is expedient to develop a strategy to effectively utilize protein, particularly those extracted from plant origin, which has been associated with low digestibility, poor techno-functional properties, and inherent allergenicity. Several thermal modification approaches have been developed to overcome these limitations and showed excellent results. Nevertheless, the excessive unfolding of the protein, aggregation of unfolded proteins, and irregular protein crosslinking have limited its application. Additionally, the increased consumer demand for natural products with no chemical additives has created a bottleneck for chemical-induced protein modification. Therefore, researchers are now directed toward other nonthermal technologies, including high-voltage cold plasma, ultrasound, high-pressure protein, etc., for protein modification. The techno-functional properties, allergenicity, and protein digestibility are greatly influenced by the applied treatment and its process parameters. Nevertheless, the application of these technologies, particularly high-voltage cold plasma, is still in its primary stage. Furthermore, the protein modification mechanism induced by high-voltage cold plasma has not been fully explained. Thus, this review meets the necessity to assemble the recent information on the process parameters and conditions for modifying proteins by high-voltage cold plasma and its impact on protein techno-functional properties, digestibility, and allergenicity.