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Experimental Evidence of Chiral Ferrimagnetism in Amorphous GdCo Films

Harnessing high‐resolution Lorentz microscopy, Robert Streubel and co‐workers visualize chiral ferrimagnetic domain walls in amorphous films, revealing a composition dependence that potentially enables a temperature control of intrinsic domain wall properties. The reconstructed electron phase (magnetic induction) of achiral Bloch domain walls is shown here. Read more »

Reversible Fe(II) uptake/release by magnetite nanoparticles

The coexistence of magnetite and aqueous Fe2+ is common in anoxic subsurface environments and can have a great influence on important biogeochemical redox processes. This study demonstrates that the flow direction of electron equivalents in the form of Fe(II) across the magnetite–solution interface changes in a predictable fashion by altering solution pH, background Fe2+(aq) concentration, and magnetite loading. Read more »

A facile route for the synthesis of heterogeneous crystal structures in hierarchical architectures with vacancy-driven defects via the oriented attachment growth mechanism

TiO2 nanorod arrays based on substrates with heterogeneous crystal structures and remarkable crystalline stability have potential as promising photocatalysts. Researchers synthesized a 1D anatase/rutile heterogeneous TiO2 crystal structure in a hierarchical architecture by forming hybrid organic–inorganic interfaces in a solution-based environment. Read more »

Surpassing 10% Efficiency Benchmark for Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells by Scalable Coating in Air from Single Nonhalogenated Solvent

Realizing over 10% efficiency in printed organic solar cells via scalable materials and less toxic solvents remains a grand challenge. In this article, Harald Ade and co‐workers report chlorine‐free, in‐air blade‐coating of a new photoactive combination, FTAZ:IT‐M, which is able to yield an efficiency of nearly 11%, despite a high humidity of ≈50%. Read more »

Enhancing the Efficiency of Organic Photovoltaics by a Photoactive Molecular Mediator

In the search for high-efficiency organic solar cells, additives often play an important role in improving the film morphology. Liquid additives, while often effective, evaporate or migrate over time. Herein, Liu et al. report a solid photoactive molecular mediator that could be employed to replace the liquid additives to tune the morphology of bulk heterojunction films for improved device performance. Read more »

CO Adsorption on Pd(100) Studied by Multimodal Ambient Pressure X-Ray Photoelectron and Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopies

The first combined infrared spectroscopy and ambient-pressure XPS study was demonstrated at Beamline 11.0.2. The in situ vibrational and core-level spectroscopies in the Torr pressure range offer complementary information on the properties of surfaces and adsorbates while closing the pressure gap between laboratory measurements and applications.  The multimodal spectroscopy also allowed the identification of the C 1s binding energy and quantification of an uncommon atop CO species on a Pd(100) surface. Read more »

Structure of Nanoscale-Pitch Helical Phases: Blue Phase and Twist-Bend Nematic Phase Resolved by Resonant Soft X-Ray Scattering

Resonant soft x-ray scattering (RSoXS) at the carbon K-edge was used to probe periodic structures of phases with orientational molecular order but homogeneous electron density distribution. This approach can be applied to structures with periodicities below the optical wavelength, to which neither optical nor classical x-ray diffraction techniques are sensitive. Read more »

Elucidating the mechanism of MgB2 initial hydrogenation via a combined experimental–theoretical study

Magnesium borohydride Mg(BH4)2 is a promising solid-state hydrogen-storage material, releasing 14.9 wt% hydrogen upon conversion to MgB2. Although several dehydrogenation pathways have been proposed, the hydrogenation process is less well understood. This study elucidates the key atomistic mechanisms associated with the initial stages of hydrogen uptake within MgB2. Read more »

Amorphous calcium carbonate particles form coral skeletons

Skeletons of Stylophora pistillata corals form by the attachment of amorphous calcium carbonate precursor particles, formed within the coral tissue, to the coral skeleton surface. This mechanism is faster than the precipitation of ions from solution and may render the corals less susceptible to ocean acidification than previously assumed. Read more »