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Abstract:
ransparent electrodes are vital for optoelectronic
devices, but their development has been constrained by the limitations of existing materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and newer alternatives. All face issues of robustness, flexibility,conductivity, and stability in harsh environments. Addressing this challenge, we developed a flexible, low-cost titanium nitride (TiN)
nanomesh transparent electrode showcasing exceptional acid−alkali resistance. The TiN nanomesh electrode, created by depositing a TiN coating on a naturally cracked gel film substrate via a sputtering method, maintains a stable electrical performance through
thousands of bending cycles. It exhibits outstanding chemical
stability, resisting strong acid and alkali corrosion, which is a key hurdle for current electrodes when in contact with acidic/alkaline materials and solvents during device fabrication. This, coupled with superior light transmission and conductivity (88% at 550 nm with a sheet resistance of ∼200 Ω/sq), challenges the reliance on conventional materials. Our TiN nanomesh electrode,successfully applied in electric heaters and electrically controlled thermochromic devices, offers broad potential beyond harsh environment applications. It enables alternative possibilities for the design and fabrication of future optoelectronics for advancements in this pivotal field.

Keywords:
transparent electrode, titanium nitride, flexible, corrosion resistant, mesh, smart window

Abstract:
wo-dimensional polystyrene sphere opals are important materials for nanotechnology applications and funda-
mental nanoscience research. They are a facile and inexpensive nanofabrication tool, but the quality factor of these opals has drastic differences between reports. Additives like ethanol, ions, and organic molecules in the aqueous particle spreading solution are known to affect the quality factor and growth efficiency of the
produced opals. However, a systematic study on the effect and optimization of some of the most effective additives has not been reported until now. Here, we investigate the influence of additives on the growth efficiency and quality factor of such monolayers formed at the air−water interface without the use of a Langmuir−Blodgett trough. The additives induced large variations in the monolayer quality factor and growth efficiency, and we found that the ideal additive content of the spreading agents is 30 wt % < cethanol < 70 wt %, 0 < cHd 2SOd 4 < 30.5 mM, and 0 < csty < 255.0 mM. This study provides a guideline for the rational composition and additive content of the spreading solution to obtain high-quality two-dimensional opals for further applications in nanofabrication and photonics and will enable researchers and application engineers to produce standardized nanofabrication materials.

Abstract:
Plasma-treated polystyrene particles (PSP) are key building blocks in the fabrication of two- dimensional
nanostructure arrays. Oxygen plasma etching can shrink PS particles and is a widespread tool in fundamental
research and applications, but its effect has not been well understood. Here, we show that oxygen plasma induces
an ultra-thin cross-linking layer on the surface of the PSPs, which increases their solvent resistance. We found in
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) fine structure and valence band probing that the polymer C–C bonds are breaking and ecombining to form oxygenated functional groups. Our results explain, why oxygen plasma etched PS particles are more difficult to dissolve in nanofabrication procedures. Further, we used the ultra-thin crosslinked polymer layer to construct novel substrate-base microcavity arrays.

Keywords:
Polystyrene particle, Oxygen plasma, Cross-linking

Abstract:
Enhancing the selectivity of hydrocarbon products remains a key challenge to achieving artificial energy sustainability via closing the carbon cycle. While copper-based electrodes uniquely yield hydrocarbon products, the improvement of their product selectivity through physical morphology regulation shows great potential and requires further investigation. Here, we show the distinct morphological influences of the Cu electrode on the reaction selectivity. We synthesize binder-free, vertically aligned, nanoid forest-like copper electrocatalysts for superior improved methane conversion selectivity with respect to planar Cu. These Cu nanocomposites are fabricated through the conformal coating of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube array electrodes, which have matured to a cost-effective and scalable technology over the past two decades. Simulations reveal that carbon intermediates and protons can be confined in the gaps of the nanoid copper forest, which are formed in situ and in turn cover the catalytic sites and facilitate the simultaneous transfer of coupled electrons and protons. Such forest-like antenna morphology benefits from a threefold improvement of the CO2 electroreduction performance through a decreased reaction onset potential, an increased current density, and enhanced hydrocarbon selectivity.

Keywords:
CO2 conversion,electroreduction,MWCNT,copper catalyst

Abstract:
Until now, the growth of periodic vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (VA-
MWCNT) arrays was dependent on at least one lithography step during fabrication. Here, we demonstrate a lithography-free fabrication method to grow hexagonal arrays of self-standing VA-MWCNTs with tunable pitch and MWCNT size. The MWCNTs are synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from Ni catalyst particles. Template guided dewetting of a thin Ni film on a hexagonally close-packed silica particle monolayer provides periodically distributed Ni catalyst particles as seeds for the growth of the periodic MWCNT arrays. The diameter of the silica particles directly controls the pitch of the periodic VA-MWCNT arrays from 600 nm to as small as 160 nm. The diameter and length of the individual MWCNTs can also be readily adjusted and are a function of the Ni particle size and PECVD time. This unique method of lithography-free growth of periodic VA-MWCNT arrays can be utilized for the fabrication of large-scale biomimetic materials

Keywords:
periodic, ithography free, nanofabrication, template guided, vertically-aligned multi- walled carbon nanotubes, self-standing