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A gradient doping strategy based on vapor deposition is proposed, which effectively reduces the crystallization rate at the bottom layer, promotes uniform crystallization, and applies pre-compressive stress to the surface of the perovskite film, thereby effectively alleviating the residual stress and achieving a PCE of 23.0% for p-i-n PSCs with vapor-deposited perovskite.

Abstract

Vapor-deposited p-i-n perovskite solar cells (PSCs) present key advantages such as low cost, excellent stability, low-temperature fabrication, and compatibility with tandem architectures, positioning them as strong contenders for industrial-scale solar applications. However, their power conversion efficiency (PCE) remains lower than that of n-i-p architectures. Herein, a gradient doping strategy to alleviate the stress in vapor-deposited perovskite films is introduced. Gradient chloride doping in the perovskite precursor film effectively slows the crystallization rate at the bottom layer, facilitating uniform crystallization and mitigating residual strain. This method yielded high-quality perovskite films, achieving a PCE of 23.0% for p-i-n PSCs with vapor-deposited perovskite and 21.43% for entirely vapor-deposited PSCs. Additionally, the devices demonstrates outstanding stability, showing negligible performance degradation over 1600 h of nitrogen storage and maintaining 87.3% of their initial PCE after 500 h of maximum power point tracking under 1-sun equivalent illumination at 70% relative humidity. The gradient doping strategy provides valuable insights for advancing large-area and perovskite-textured silicon tandem solar cells.

A Bi/Mg-based hybrid interphase protective layer is formed on the Mg foil via an in situ quasi-solid−solid redox reaction. Magnesiophilic components enhance Mg ion transfer, desolvation, and nucleation kinetics, whereas magnesiophobic species confer passivation-free and corrosion-resistant properties. Consequently, the smooth anode-electrolyte interphase facilitates homogeneous charge/ion distribution, promoting a highly reversible Mg plating/stripping process.

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) is a promising anode material for magnesium metal batteries (MMBs) owing to its high specific capacity, excellent safety profile, and abundant availability. However, pristine Mg anodes suffer from uneven plating/stripping and surface passivation/corrosion, limiting the safety and cycling stability of MMBs. This study introduces a Bi/Mg-based hybrid interphase protective layer on Mg foil (denoted Bi-Mg@Mg) through an in situ quasi-solid–solid redox reaction by immersing the foil in a bismuth oxybromide suspension. The resulting interphase layer consists of magnesiophilic components (Bi metal and Bi2Mg3 alloy) and magnesiophobic species (MgO, MgBr2, and BiBr3). These components synergistically enhance the desolvation, nucleation, and deposition kinetics, mitigate side reactions, and promote uniform electric field and ion flux distributions. As a result, the Bi-Mg@Mg electrodes exhibit superior Mg plating/stripping reversibility, maintaining stable performance for over 4100 h in the all-phenyl complex electrolyte and 2900 h in the Mg(TFSI)2 electrolyte, significantly outperforming pristine Mg electrodes. Furthermore, full cells paired with Mo6S8 and S cathodes demonstrate excellent capacities, rate capabilities, and long lifespans, highlighting the exceptional electrochemical performance of the Bi-Mg@Mg anode. This study offers a promising strategy for developing highly reversible Mg anodes, paving the way for practical long-cycle MMBs.

Biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion devices are uniquely suited for self-driven physiological information monitoring and powering human–computer interaction systems. These devices based on micro-/nanoarchitectured inorganic dielectric materials (MNIDMs) have shown ultrahigh electromechanical performance and thus great potential for practical deployment. This review constructs a nexus among MNIDMs and all kinds of biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion nanogenerators in terms of material development.

Abstract

Biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion technology rapidly developed with the emergence of nanogenerators (NGs) in 2006, which proves promising in distributed energy management for the Internet of Things, self-powered sensing, and human–computer interaction. Recently, researchers have increasingly integrated inorganic dielectric materials (IDMs) and micro-/nanoarchitectures into various types of NGs (i.e., triboelectric, piezoelectric, and flexoelectric NGs). This strategy significantly enhances the electrical performance, enabling near-theoretical energy harvesting capability and precise multiple physiological information detection. However, because micro-/nanoarchitectured IDMs function differently in each type of NG, numerous studies have focused on a single NG type and lack a unified perspective on their role across all types of biomechanical energy NGs. In this review, from an overall theoretical root of NGs, the performance enhancement mechanisms and effects of designs of IDMs coupling micro-/nanoarchitectures of various kinds of biomechanical energy NGs are systematically summarized. Next, advanced applications in human energy scavenging and physiological signal sensing are delved into. Finally, challenges and rational guidelines for designing future devices are discussed. This work provides researchers with in-depth insight into the development of high-performance personalized high-entropy power supplies and sensor networks via biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion technologies based on IDMs coupling micro-/nanoarchitectures.

This research explores lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for enhancing mRNA delivery to the central nervous system via intrathecal injection. By chemically engineering brain-targeting small molecules into ionizable lipids (BLs), the developed BLNPs effectively facilitate mRNA delivery across the brain. Intrathecal administration of Cas9 mRNA/sgRNA using the lead BLNP achieves significant gene editing in the brain with minimal off-target effects.

Abstract

Lipid nanoparticle-messenger RNA formulations have garnered significant attention for their therapeutic potential in infectious diseases, cancer and genetic disorders. However, effective mRNA delivery to the central nervous system (CNS) remains a formidable challenge. To overcome this limitation, a class of brain-targeting lipids (BLs) is developed by incorporating brain-targeting small molecules with amino lipids and formulated them with helper lipids to generate brain-targeting lipid nanoparticles (BLNPs) for mRNA delivery. Screening studies led to a lead formulation, TD5 BLNPs, outperforming FDA-approved DLin-MC3-DMA LNPs in delivering mRNA to the brain upon intrathecal injection. Specifically, a single intrathecal injection of TD5 BLNP-GFP mRNA led to GFP expression in 29.6% of neurons and 38.1% of astrocytes across the brain. In an Ai14 mouse model, TD5 BLNP-Cre recombinase mRNA treatment induced tdTomato expression in ≈30% of neurons and 40% of astrocytes across major brain regions. Notably, delivery of Cas9 mRNA/sgRNA complex using TD5 BLNPs achieved effective genome editing in the brain. Additionally, TD5 BLNPs showed comparable safety profiles to MC3 LNPs, indicating promising biocompatibility. Overall, this TD5 BLNP formulation effectively delivers mRNA to brain tissues via intrathecal injection and facilitates efficient expression in both neurons and astrocytes, presenting a potential strategy for treating CNS diseases.

A rational design of skeleton-homologous nanoparticles for highly efficient and high-contrast theranostics is reported. The nanoparticles synchronously exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (40 µs) and generate multiple ROS, enabling TRI-guided PDT, where TRI eliminates the background noise and guides PDT accurately.

Abstract

Although photoluminescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) is promising for theranostics, it easily suffers from tissue autofluorescence and PDT photoproducts. To develop time-resolved imaging (TRI)-guided PDT with long-lived emission pathways, like thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), is urgent but challenging, because of the triplet competition between radiative transition and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Herein, skeleton-homologous nanoparticles are designed and constructed to address this dilemma, thereby achieving in vivo TRI-guided PDT for the first time. This system is formed with a lipophilic TADF core (as a TRI probe) encapsulated by an amphiphilic photosensitizer shell (as the corona exposed to oxygen for PDT), both of which are derived from the same donor–acceptor skeleton to minimize phase separation in the single entity, and enable the same long-wavelength photoexcitation for TRI and PDT. The chloropropylamine group is helpful for endoplasmic reticulum targeting to enhance PDT upon minimizing the ROS transmission path. Synchronously, the TADF core exhibits a delayed fluorescence of 40 µs for a clear TRI. The NPs are eventually applied in vivo with a high signal-to-background ratio (45.25) and outstanding PDT effects in a mouse model of deep-seated kidney cancer. Such a material design is beneficial for developing high-efficient and high-contrast theranostic approaches.

Atomically dispersed Co−Ru dimer catalyst synthesized by a confined pyrolysis strategy shows the orbital coupling effect derived from the atomic pair, which could reduce energy barrier of lithium polysulfides conversion and Li2S dissociation, thus accelerating the catalytic kinetics and achieving the enhanced Li−S battery performance.

Abstract

The sluggish sulfur redox reaction in lithium−sulfur (Li−S) batteries triggers the development of highly active electrocatalysts for accelerating the polysulfides conversion kinetics. Rational design of catalysts with satisfactory active sites and high atom utilization toward multistep sulfur-based conversion is much desired but remains challenging. Here, it is shown that the well-designed Co−Ru dimer sites confined on carbon matrix could effectively manipulate the sulfur-involved conversion reactions and thus improve Li−S batteries performance. The orbital coupling of Co−Ru dimer induces the orbital regulation for the atomic pair, resulting the favored lithium polysulfides adsorption strength and lowed conversion energy barrier, as confirmed by systematic electrochemical characterizations and theoretical calculation. Besides, the intrinsic catalytic activity of Ru from Co–Ru moiety also accelerates the Li2S dissociation reaction. Taken together, the as-constructed Co–Ru dimer sites render the Li−S battery with excellent performance, delivering energy density of 468 Wh kg−1 of total assembled pouch cell. This study offers a rational design of catalysts for boosting the catalytic performance in Li−S batteries.

A full-color pixel with only a single perovskite photodiode is presented. By integrating multiple photoresponse mechanisms into one device, spectral information is encoded directly into its impedance characteristics. Machine learning-based reconstruction enables accurate color retrieval without the need for additional optical components or modulation. The RGB reconstruction error is kept below 2%.

Abstract

Photodetectors typically provide only 1D information about light intensity. Even the most basic color sensing requires external optical components, such as integrated filters. This limitation of information richness has only been overcome in recent years at the cost of spatial inefficiencies in multidetector integration designs or challenges in precisely controlling in situ modulation in single-detector designs. Acquiring high-dimensional color information with a single photodetector without external components, integration, or modulation remains a significant challenge that is aimed to resolve in this work. Due to the differences in carrier excitation by photons of varying energies, the simultaneous introduction of both electronic and ionic photoconductivity mechanisms enables the spectral characteristics of the unknown exciting light to be embedded within the impedance features of the device. By extracting impedance spectra and using machine learning-based reconstruction, a full-color pixel is achieved for the first time with just a single photodetector.

Unique oxygen-deficient, hybrid phased titanates are leveraged to achieve nanoconfinement of ammonia borane (AB) via a distinctive one-end-anchored docking (OEAD) mechanism. This approach enables sustained H2 release while mitigating the detrimental reaction between AB and hydrogen peroxide in pathological conditions. The released H2, in synergy with magnesium ions, effectively promotes innervated-vascularized bone regeneration in a diabetic model.

Abstract

Despite its potential in hydrogen (H2) therapy, ammonia borane (AB) has limited biomedical applications due to its uncontrolled hydrolysis rate and potential to cause cytotoxicity. Existing material-based delivery strategies focus on accelerating AB hydrolysis for H2 production, hence exacerbating these issues. A new nanoconfinement strategy is reported, which loads AB onto oxygen-deficient, hybrid-phased titanate nanocrystals on implant surfaces through a unique one-end-anchored docking (OEAD) mechanism. This nanoconfinement strategy effectively restricts the release of AB molecules, allowing only water molecules to infiltrate the interlayer space for slow hydrolysis and sustained H2 release. This significantly prolongs the duration of H2 release and effectively circumvents the cytotoxicity associated with AB interacting with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the inflammatory microenvironment. In vitro and in vivo have shown that sustained H2 release from the implant surface effectively alleviates diabetes-related oxidative stress, and combined with the release of magnesium ions (Mg2+) synergistically promotes innervated-vascularized bone regeneration.

Solution-processed quasi-2D perovskite films have a wide phase component distribution. Yu et al. show that introducing acetate anions promote the in situ phase transition from low-n to high-n phases. The enhanced phase transformation efficiency enables high-performance pure-red light-emitting diodes with an emission peak of 641 nm and peak external quantum efficiency of 25.3%.

Abstract

Layered quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) halide perovskites have emerged as a promising platform for high-efficiency electroluminescence. Narrowing the multi-quantum well distribution and eliminating wide-bandgap 2D phases are crucial for achieving a flat energy landscape, minimizing energy loss, and ensuring high-color-purity emission. Here, it is demonstrated that solution-processed quasi-2D perovskite films with broad component distributions arise from an incomplete kinetic transition from low-n (n, quantum well thickness) to high-n phases. To address this, an acetate anion treatment strategy is proposed, which induces competitive coordination between the acetate anion, the bulky spacer cation, and the inorganic layer, thereby facilitating the insertion of octahedral precursor ions and promoting phase transition. This treatment results in quasi-2D films with enhanced color purity, efficient energy transfer, and high photoluminescence quantum yield. The fabricated perovskite light emitting diode (PeLED) exhibits an emission peak at 641 nm and a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 25.3%, representing one of the most efficient pure-red PeLEDs. The strategy also showcases the versatility of quasi-2D films for different emission wavelengths.

Ethnography after Genocide: Working with Ezidi Women in Iraq

Dr. Lechowick will reflect on the practice of ethnography in the aftermath of the Sinjar Genocide, drawing from four years of work with Ezidi women in Khanke IDP Camp, northern Iraq. He will explore how trust, positionality, and everyday life shaped a methodology grounded in long-term, relational engagement rather than extractive interviews. Central to the discussion is how Ezidi women, often framed solely as victims, articulate agency, identity, and transformation in the shadow of atrocity. The talk also considers the ethical responsibilities of researching in emergencies and the complexities of representing subaltern voices with care.

• Speaker: Dr. Richard Latham Lechowick, Research Associate & Teaching Fellow, Global History Lab (CRASSH)
• Tuesday 06 May 2025, 13:10-14:00
• Venue: Richard King room, Darwin College.
• Series: Darwin College Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars; organiser: Dr Amelia Hassoun.

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Computational prediction of the molecular structure of porous materials, particularly reticular framework materials such as MOFs and COFs, remains a significant challenge. Considering the symmetry of the building blocks that form the desired material, and a similarity score with existing experimentally characterized structures, helps identify promising new candidates; which can subsequently be used for further computational modeling and experimental validation.

Abstract

De novo prediction of reticular framework structures is a challenging task for chemists and materials scientists. Herein, a computational workflow that predicts a list of possible reticular frameworks based on only the connectivity and symmetry of node and linker building blocks is presented. This list is ranked based on the occurrence of topologies in known structures, thus providing a manageable number of structures that can be optimized using density functional theory, and inform future experiments. This workflow is broadly applicable, correctly predicts known reticular materials, and furthermore identifies novel unknown phases for some systems. This workflow is available online at https://rationaldesign.pythonanywhere.com/.

Gradient enamel-mimetic composites (GEMC) are fabricated by the magnetic-assisted dual-directional freezing assembly of amorphous ZrO2 layer-coated hydroxyapatite nanowires and subsequently, scalable layer-by-layer assembly with nanowires’ direction crossed stacking. The enamel analog exhibits high strength and toughness surpassing the natural tooth enamel, and simultaneously high stiffness and damping comparable to those of enamel, as well as high fatigue resistance. Such an enamel biomimetic strategy offers guidelines for the engineering of gradient structure materials with excellent mechanical properties.

Abstract

Materials with excellent comprehensive mechanical properties (e.g., strength and toughness, stiffness and damping, fatigue et al.) are highly desirable for engineering applications, while it is still challenged for design. Tooth enamel is a typical biomaterial with outstanding mechanical properties that originate from its multiscale and gradient structure. Some composites with enamel-like multiscale structures are successfully synthesized, but mimicking the gradient structure of tooth enamel is still difficult to realize. Here, an enamel analog is fabricated with a gradient structure similar to inner enamel based on the crisscross assembly of aligned hybrid nanowires through a magnetic-assisted freeze casting and subsequent mechanical compression strategy. The gradient enamel-mimetic composites exhibited high strength and toughness surpassing the natural tooth enamel, and simultaneously high stiffness and damping comparable to those of enamel, as well as high fatigue resistance. The interface reinforcement of gradient structure, crystal/amorphous and organic/inorganic, fundamentally accounted for high mechanical performance. The gradient design strategy provides an avenue for the engineering of structural materials with excellent mechanical properties.

The precise synthesis of 1D materials has enabled the discovery of physical properties only accessible in length scales close to the atomic scale. Herein, it is demonstrated that encapsulation within single-walled carbon nanotubes with matching diameters leads to a stoichiometric quasi-1D van der Waals polymorph of a 2D pnictogen chalcogenide, Sb2Te3, with a blue-shifted band gap in the short-wave infrared regime.

Abstract

The discovery and synthesis of atomically precise low-dimensional inorganic materials have led to numerous unusual structural motifs and nascent physical properties. However, access to low-dimensional van der Waals (vdW)-bound analogs of bulk crystals is often limited by chemical considerations arising from structural factors like atomic radii, bonding or coordination, and electronegativity. Using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as confinement templates, we demonstrate the synthesis of a short-wave infrared-absorbing quasi-1D (q-1D) chain polymorph of Sb2Te3 ([Sb4Te6]n) that is structurally and electronically distinct from its 2D counterpart. It is found that the q-1D chain polymorph has both three- and five-coordinate Sb atoms covalently bonded to Te and is thermodynamically stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between the encapsulated chain and the model SWCNT. The complementary experimental and computational results demonstrate the synthetic advantage of vdW nanotube confinement in the discovery of low-dimensional polytypes with drastically altered physical properties and potential applications in energy conversion processes.

LHCb Upgrade II - Flavour Physics at HL-LHC

The LHCb Detector, after performing beyond specification during Run 1+2 of the LHC , was successfully upgraded during Long Shutdown 2 to the current detector, increasing the instantaneous luminosity by a factor of 5 and moving to a fully software-based trigger. This will further LHCb’s physics reach, enabling more world-leading measurements of CP violation, rare b and c hadron decays and the further discovery of new particles through spectroscopy.

LHCb Upgrade II is the planned next upgrade to be installed during LS4 , allowing LHCb to operate through to the end of the LHC schedule, ramping up with the increased HL-LHC luminosity to ~40 pp collisions per bunch crossing. This will provide an unprecedented and unmatched sample of b and c hadron decays, increasing the total luminosity yield seven-fold, with unique acceptance and a diverse physics programme. This will require a complete overhaul of the sub-detectors with time resolution, high granularity and extreme radiation hardness required to manage the increase in rate.

The motivations for LHCb Upgrade II will be presented along with an overview of the detector upgrades before focusing on the VErtex LOcator (VELO) and the recent progress on VELO Upgrade II design, simulation and ongoing R&D. Finally, the possible VELO readout methods will be discussed, with the high rates producing 20+ Tbps from the sub-detector.

• Speaker: Dan Thompson: University of Birmingham
• Tuesday 06 May 2025, 11:00-12:00
• Venue: Seminar Room -- RDC D2.002 .
• Series: Cavendish HEP Seminars; organiser: Dr Paul Swallow.

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Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE00569H, Review ArticleShanshan Pan, Wenhao Fang, Jie Yan, Suojiang Zhang, Haitao Zhang
Semi-solid lithium flow batteries (LFBs), inheriting the advantages of high scalability of flow batteries (FBs) and high energy density of rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIBs), are considered as an emerging...
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Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE01194A, PaperYu Chen, Chengwei Ye, Jiajun He, Rui Guo, Liangti Qu, Shaochun Tang
Moisture-electric generator (MEG) present a promising alternative to conventional batteries, particularly for off-grid and decentralized power applications. However, existing MEGs suffer from low power output, instability, and limited scalability due...
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Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE01338K, PaperJiajun Gong, Qimin Peng, Shunshun Zhao, Taolue Wen, Haojie Xu, Weiting Ma, Zhicheng Yao, Yong Chen, Guoxiu Wang, Shimou Chen
Composite polymer electrolyte (CPE)-based Li metal batteries have emerged as the most promising candidates for next-generation batteries. However, intrinsic incompatibility between composite phases severely compromises electrolyte performance. Herein, we propose...
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TBA

Abstract not available

• Speaker: Kay Schönwald (Zurich U.)
• Friday 06 June 2025, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: Ray Dolby Centre, Seminar Room - North (Floor: 0 A0.019).
• Series: HEP phenomenology joint Cavendish-DAMTP seminar; organiser: Terry Generet.

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TBA

Abstract not available

• Speaker: Tyler Corbett (Vienna U.)
• Friday 16 May 2025, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: Ray Dolby Centre, Seminar Room - North (Floor: 0 A0.019).
• Series: HEP phenomenology joint Cavendish-DAMTP seminar; organiser: Nico Gubernari.

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Resummation of Non-Global Logarithms

An intricate pattern of enhanced higher-order corrections known as non-global logarithms arises in cross sections with angular cuts. While the leading logarithmic terms have been calculated numerically more than two decades ago, the resummation of subleading non-global logarithms remained an open problem. In this seminar, I will present a solution to this challenge using effective field theory techniques. Starting from a factorization theorem, we develop a dedicated parton shower framework in the Veneziano limit where the number of colors Nc becomes large, but the ratio of Nc to the number of fermion flavors nF remains fixed. We solve the associated renormalization-group equations using the Monte-Carlo framework MARZILI , thereby resumming the subleading non-global logarithms. To demonstrate the validity of our approach, we will show results of an ongoing comparison between MARZILI , GNOLE and PanScales.

• Speaker: Nicolas Schalch (Oxford U.)
• Friday 09 May 2025, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: Ray Dolby Centre, Seminar Room - North (Floor: 0 A0.019).
• Series: HEP phenomenology joint Cavendish-DAMTP seminar; organiser: Nico Gubernari.

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