Langmuir[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Roles of Anion and Cation Doping in g-CN as Artificial SEI for Regulating Interfacial Zn Deposition in Aqueous Zinc Metal Anodes.
Wang X, Pan L, Xu J … +4 more , Dong X, Sun Z, Sha D, Ding J
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42402190 · Publisher ↗
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are promising for their inherent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, their performance is limited by dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and interfacial instability from...
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are promising for their inherent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, their performance is limited by dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and interfacial instability from uncontrolled Zn deposition. Although graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) has been explored as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI), its limited active sites and sluggish Zn transport restrict long-term stability. More importantly, the roles of different doping types in regulating interfacial Zn behavior remain unclear. Herein, anion (O) and cation (K) are doped into g-CN to construct model ASEI layers for elucidating their respective roles in interfacial regulation. Combined experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that cation doping (KCN) decreases Zn diffusion barrier, thereby facilitating Zn transport across the interphase. In contrast, anion doping (OCN) induces strong electrostatic interaction and enhances Zn adsorption affinity, leading to improved zincophilicity and synergistically ion transport. These distinct interfacial interactions result in markedly different Zn deposition behaviors, where anion doping enables more uniform nucleation and suppressed dendrite growth. Consequently, the OCN@Zn anode exhibits enhanced cycling stability. This work clarifies the roles of anion and cation doping in regulating interfacial Zn deposition from the perspectives of ion transport and interfacial nucleation, and provides mechanistic insights and design guidelines for constructing high-efficiency ASEI layers via heteroatom engineering.
Molecular-Scale Mechanisms of CH Hydrate Displacement Using Multi-Component CO-Rich Industrial Waste Gas: Impacts of Gas Composition, Thermodynamic Conditions, and Salinity on Structural Evolution and Mass Transfer.
Yan H, Li D, Li X … +1 more , Xin G
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42402189 · Publisher ↗
The CH/CO displacement method is regarded as a highly promising approach for natural gas extraction, which can improve CH recovery efficiency while achieving carbon sequestration. However, CO purification is technologica...
The CH/CO displacement method is regarded as a highly promising approach for natural gas extraction, which can improve CH recovery efficiency while achieving carbon sequestration. However, CO purification is technologically complex and energy-intensive, and the replacement performance remains limited. Directly injecting CO-rich industrial waste gases can not only improve the CH recovery efficiency but also achieve waste gas sealing, reducing the cost of gas separation and purification. In this study, a model for replacing CH hydrate with CO-rich industrial waste gas is established based on the molecular dynamics method. The effects of temperature, pressure, concentration of industrial waste gas, and salinity on the molecular structure evolution and mass transfer behavior during the displacement process were comprehensively analyzed. The results indicate that an increase in temperature can significantly promote the release of CH and the formation of CO hydrates within the simulation range. The influence of pressure on the displacement process is relatively limited. Overall, the increase in pressure enhances the spatial correlation between CO and the hydrate cage, promoting the displacement and sequestration of CO. Compared with pure CO, the introduction of an appropriate amount of N and NO can promote the displacement process, indicating that a small amount of associated components have a synergistic regulatory effect in confined systems. Salinity exerts a significant inhibitory effect on the displacement process by weakening the hydrogen bond network of HO molecules and the intermolecular spatial correlation. This study offers a molecular-scale basis for mechanism analysis and operational condition evaluation of CO participation in hydrate displacement within multicomponent industrial waste gas environments.
Laser-Assisted Electrochemical Deposition of Bilateral Au Coatings on Ni Foils: Mechanism and Experimental Study.
Xu K, Lu X, Sun Y … +9 more , Cui S, Li D, Gan Z, Chang Y, Huang Y, Zhang Z, Zhu H, Liu Y, Wang J
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42402090 · Publisher ↗
Bilateral localized Au coatings are of great importance for high-density interconnection and double-sided functionalization in microelectronic devices. Conventional bilateral electrochemical deposition (ECD) typically re...
Bilateral localized Au coatings are of great importance for high-density interconnection and double-sided functionalization in microelectronic devices. Conventional bilateral electrochemical deposition (ECD) typically requires cathode reversal or masking, which makes the process cumbersome and limits precision. Herein, a maskless laser-assisted electrochemical deposition (LECD) technology is proposed to achieve simultaneous bilateral deposition under single-side laser irradiation. Comparative experiments were conducted to elucidate the bilateral deposition mechanism under the synergistic effects of thermomechanical enhancement and laser cleaning, and single-factor experiments were performed to investigate the influence of the effective accumulated energy density () on surface morphology and thickness symmetry. The comparative results show that the local temperature rise induced by front-side laser irradiation is conducted to the back side through the substrate, thereby increasing the cathodic overpotential and reaction kinetics at both interfaces and inducing electrochemical deposition to form coatings. Compared with the back-side coating, the front-side coating benefits from the coupled cleaning-deposition process and exhibits a denser and more uniform structure. The single-factor experiments reveal that, with increasing , the coatings on both sides undergo a characteristic matte-gold-bright-gold-rematte-gold morphological evolution. Under the optimized parameters (single-pulse energy of 12-14 μJ and scanning speed of 100-140 mm/s), high-quality bilateral coatings with an interfacial symmetry index (ISI) of 0.7 were obtained. In addition, the LECD coatings were superior to or comparable to conventional ECD coatings in corrosion resistance, interfacial bonding strength, and electrical performance. This study provides an efficient strategy for fabricating high-precision bilateral functional coatings for microelectronic applications.
Mechanistic Insights into Pulmonary Surfactant Inactivation.
Novaes-Silva MC, Rodríguez-Hakim M, Vermant J
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42402027 · Publisher ↗
Lung surfactant is essential for regulating alveolar surface stresses, reducing the work of breathing, maintaining compliance, and preventing collapse. Under pathological conditions such as acute respiratory distress syn...
Lung surfactant is essential for regulating alveolar surface stresses, reducing the work of breathing, maintaining compliance, and preventing collapse. Under pathological conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), this functionality is compromised, yet the underlying physical mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent work has shown that surfactant failure cannot be described from surface tension alone, but requires consideration of the interfacial dilatational modulus, which quantifies the ability of the interface to sustain stress under deformation. Mechanical instability arises when this stress-bearing capacity is lost, linking alveolar collapse directly to a reduction in the dilatational modulus. However, this response is typically interpreted in terms of equilibrium adsorption and Gibbs elasticity. Here, we demonstrate instead that it reflects the breakdown of nonequilibrium, microstructure-mediated mechanical surface stresses. By combining freestanding thin-film measurements, cryo-TEM imaging, and dilatational rheology, we isolate the effects of extra compressive stress contributions arising from interfacial microstructure and probe the effects of Albumin and lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) on the clinical surfactant Infasurf. We show that LysoPC-induced structural reorganization disrupts the interfacial architecture, suppressing the development of compressive surface stresses and thereby weakening the mechanical integrity of the interface. These results establish a more subtle link between surfactant microstructure and the interfacial stress response, providing a physically grounded framework for surfactant inactivation and suggesting distinct directions for therapeutic design.
MPN-GE Bilayer Interphase Construction: Green Modification Derived from Biomass and Synergistic Enhancement of CFRP.
Wang Y, Wang X, Li Q … +6 more , Qin X, Zhu Y, Yang D, Wang Z, Wang D, Yao Z
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400933 · Publisher ↗
The interfacial performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) is a key factor restricting their wide application in aerospace and other fields. In this paper, based on naturally derived biobased materi...
The interfacial performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) is a key factor restricting their wide application in aerospace and other fields. In this paper, based on naturally derived biobased materials, we propose a green, layered surface modification strategy. First, metal-phenolic networks (MPN) are self-assembled on the carbon fiber surface as the bottom layer, with the help of the coordination of tannic acid (TA) with Fe to form a three-dimensional cross-linked structure. Then, through the phenol-amine codeposition effect, gelatin (GE) is introduced as the top layer to construct an MPN-GE bilayer interfacial structure. The results show that the interlaminar shear strength, flexural strength, and transverse fiber bundle tensile strength (TFBT) of the modified CFRP are increased by 60.88, 126.66, and 143.32%, respectively, compared to the unmodified composites. The biobased, nontoxic modification system adopted in this paper provides a new idea for the green, efficient interfacial engineering of high-performance CFRP.
Magnetically Retrievable Core@Shell Nanocomposites for Rare Earth Element Adsorption: Experimental and Machine Learning Insights.
Shokouhimehr M, Guidugli LF, Smith RC … +3 more , Knight C, Devnath B, Reza MT
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400913 · Publisher ↗
Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential for contemporary technologies; however, their sustainable recovery from aqueous media remains challenging due to limited reserves and the environmental impacts associated with con...
Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential for contemporary technologies; however, their sustainable recovery from aqueous media remains challenging due to limited reserves and the environmental impacts associated with conventional extraction methods. This study presents the synthesis of magnetically retrievable core@shell nanocomposites (MRCSNs) as an efficient platform for REE adsorption from water. The MRCSNs consist of a magnetic zerovalent iron nanoparticle core, a silica shell scaffold, and surface-attached functional ligands, including 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (NH), 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane (NHNH), and trimethoxysilylpropyl ethylenediamine triacetic acid trisodium salt (EDTA). This architecture combines magnetic responsiveness with tailored chemical affinity, enabling rapid magnetic separation and selective adsorption of REEs. The nanocomposites were synthesized through a simple ambient-temperature procedure and comprehensively characterized to confirm their structure and composition. Adsorption studies demonstrated effective removal of Er, La, Nd, Pr, and Sm ions, with MRCSN-EDTA exhibiting the highest performance, achieving adsorption efficiencies of up to 82% for Er and 75% for Sm at a sorbent loading of 100 mg. Furthermore, machine learning models were integrated with experimental adsorption data in a cyclical feedback framework to predict adsorption behavior and identify key performance descriptors. The developed XGBoost models achieved an overall R of approximately 0.93, identifying sorbent loading as the dominant factor governing adsorption performance, while REE atomic number served as a secondary descriptor. These results highlight the potential of integrating magnetic nanocomposites with machine learning for efficient REE adsorption.
Microstreaming of a Pneumatically Controlled Bubble under Hydrostatic Pressure and Crossflow.
Fung K, Lovison R, Jain R … +2 more , Ding X, Ding Y
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400856 · Publisher ↗
Three-dimensional (3D) microstreaming bubbles can generate local turbulence and perturb bulk fluid flow, offering great potential for mitigating membrane fouling. However, the microstreaming generated by trapped atmosphe...
Three-dimensional (3D) microstreaming bubbles can generate local turbulence and perturb bulk fluid flow, offering great potential for mitigating membrane fouling. However, the microstreaming generated by trapped atmospheric gas bubbles often diminishes under hydraulic pressure and crossflow due to gas compressibility, limiting their application in membrane processes. In this work, we explore the microstreaming effects of a pneumatically controlled bubble whose position, shape, and internal pressure can be adjusted within a fluid medium under varying hydraulic pressure and crossflow. We demonstrate that the pneumatic microstreaming bubble (PMB) can generate effective streaming in bulk fluid with hydraulic pressures up to 20 psi and crossflow velocities up to 19.3 mm/s, which are well within the operating range of membrane separation processes. The study outlines the working conditions and identifies key challenges for future integration of PMBs into practical membrane separation processes.
Tuning Pore Sizes of Core-Shell Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Efficient Loading of Functional Materials.
Oyedepo OG, Wittchen K, Rezwan K … +2 more , Beutel S, Maas M
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400548 · Publisher ↗
Precise control over pore accessibility in dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSNs) is essential for loading and transport of large biomolecules and functional nanoparticles for catalysis, sensing, and further a...
Precise control over pore accessibility in dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSNs) is essential for loading and transport of large biomolecules and functional nanoparticles for catalysis, sensing, and further applications. Here, we present a scalable anion-assisted synthesis using sodium salicylate to tune pore size and shell thickness in nano- (170 nm) and microscale (1 μm) DMSNs core-shell particles. By varying the core-to-silane ratio, complex pore structure can be adjusted without altering the surfactant composition. Increasing the relative core content reduces silane availability per particle and suppresses secondary micelle filling, eliminating small mesopores (∼4 nm) while preserving large radially oriented interwrinkle mesopores (12-21 nm), consistent with a micelle-filling growth mechanism. This approach yields shell thicknesses ranging from ∼19 ± 5 nm to 87 ± 7 nm for small cores and from ∼11 ± 17 nm to 151 ± 23 nm for large cores. Loading experiments with silver nanoparticles (∼4 nm) and lysozyme (∼4 nm) reveal that diffusion limitations, rather than total surface area, control uptake in these materials. Core-shell particles dominated by large, accessible interwrinkle mesopores exhibit substantially higher loading than structures containing a higher fraction of small mesopores. Surface-area-normalized lysozyme loading reaches 4.1 ± 1.1 mg m for large-core (1 μm) particles with predominantly open interwrinkle channels, demonstrating that small mesopores can significantly reduce effective accessibility despite increasing nominal surface area. These results establish the core-to-silane ratio as a simple and robust parameter for engineering hierarchical pore architectures in DMSNs and provide a practical framework for designing mesoporous hosts for enzymes, nanocatalysts, and other nanoscale guests.
Design and Characterization of Hybrid Glucose-Powered Enzymatic Biofuel Cells Based on the Combination of Different Gold-Based Nanocompounds.
German N, Ramanaviciene A, Ramanavicius A
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400534 · Publisher ↗
This study highlights the development of 5 different membraneless glucose enzymatic biofuel cells, which are capable of operating in dual modes (biofuel cells and sensors). In these biofuel cells, different bioanodes wer...
This study highlights the development of 5 different membraneless glucose enzymatic biofuel cells, which are capable of operating in dual modes (biofuel cells and sensors). In these biofuel cells, different bioanodes were used, consisting of graphite rods (GRs) modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), dendritic gold nanostructures (DAuNSs), or both types of above-mentioned nanostructures covered by cystamine (Cys), a redox mediator (1,10-phenathroline-5,6-dione (PD)), and differently immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx). The Cys-based self-assembled monolayer (SAM) provided a platform for covalent GOx immobilization on the surface of the above-mentioned gold-based structures. A single-compartment-based membraneless design was applied for all three here designed hybrid enzymatic biofuel cells (G-EBFCs), which were all powered by glucose. Electrically conducting nanocompounds served as support for immobilization, while PD served as a redox mediator to enhance the current of G-EBFCs. The electrochemical behavior of the fabricated bioanodes, assessed by G-EBFCs, was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and direct voltage measurements. Although both GR/Cys/AuNPs/PD/GOx and GR/AuNPs/Cys/PD/GOx bioanodes were characterized by rather high power density, surface concentration of GOx, sensitivity, and low limit of detection, the GR/AuNPs/Cys/PD/GOx bioanode was considered more suitable for glucose biosensing in real samples due to its long-term stability and excellent anti-interference capability. The technological challenges discussed in this study open new horizons for simpler and more cost-effective designs of hybrid G-EBFCs and glucose biosensors, suitable for biomedical applications and the monitoring of beverage quality.
Modulating Interfacial Ion Transport with an Aluminum Alginate Surface Layer for Stable Zinc Anodes.
Wang T, Yu J, Mo X … +3 more , Xu S, Li M, Lin H
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42400530 · Publisher ↗
Metallic zinc is a promising anode candidate for high-safety, low-cost, and large-scale energy storage systems. However, its practical application is severely impeded by unstable electrode/electrolyte interfaces, includi...
Metallic zinc is a promising anode candidate for high-safety, low-cost, and large-scale energy storage systems. However, its practical application is severely impeded by unstable electrode/electrolyte interfaces, including zinc dendrite growth, corrosion, passivation, and hydrogen evolution reactions. Herein, we designed a stable artificial interfacial layer of aluminum alginate (AA@Zn) on the zinc anode surface through the coordination effect between the negatively charged carboxyl groups in sodium alginate (SA) and Al ions. The carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups in the AA coating can form a stable solid-state hydrogen-bonding network with water molecules, thereby suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and corrosion behavior. The electrostatic repulsion between carboxylate groups and sulfate ions (SO) in the electrolyte significantly reduces the generation of parasitic byproducts on the zinc anode surface. Furthermore, the AA coating acts as a favorable nucleation site to lower the Zn deposition energy barrier and promote uniform Zn deposition with more homogeneous nucleation. In addition, the AA coating exhibits favorable mechanical robustness and electrolyte wettability and inhibits the growth of zinc dendrites through the deposition of uniform zinc ions with uniform electric field distribution, thus achieving long-term cycling stability of the electrode interface chemistry. At a current density of 1 mA cm, a symmetric battery assembled with AA@Zn electrodes demonstrated a long cycle life of 3000 h. This research is expected to provide a technical basis for designing functional interfaces of metal anodes of AZIBs.
Controlled Secondary Growth of CAU-1-NH Membranes with Improved CO Separation Performance.
Lin BH, Chuang CH, Hsiao LW … +5 more , Wang HY, Chi LT, Lin YH, Lin LC, Kang DY
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42394437 · Publisher ↗
Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes have attracted increasing interest for energy-efficient gas separation due to their tunable pore structures and selective adsorption properties. In this study, CAU-1-NH membranes w...
Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes have attracted increasing interest for energy-efficient gas separation due to their tunable pore structures and selective adsorption properties. In this study, CAU-1-NH membranes were fabricated on porous α-alumina substrates via a seeded growth method. The effects of precursor concentration and ligand-to-metal ratio in the secondary growth solution on membrane morphology and gas separation performance were systematically investigated. Among the five membrane variants synthesized, the optimized CAU-1-NH(B) membrane exhibited a continuous and low-defect structure, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Single-gas permeation measurements on the CAU-1-NH(B) membrane at 35 °C and 3 bar showed H, CO, N, and CH permeances of 207.1, 110.2, 6.0, and 6.6 GPU, respectively, corresponding to ideal CO/N and CO/CH selectivities of 19.4 and 17.6. Mixed-gas permeation tests revealed significantly enhanced separation performance, with CO/N separation factors ranging from 59.3 to 89.2 under various feed compositions. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations further indicate that strong competitive adsorption of CO within the CAU-1-NH framework plays a dominant role in governing the observed mixed-gas separation behavior. These findings demonstrate the potential of CAU-1-NH membranes for efficient CO separation.
Facile Fabrication and Stable Mechanism of a Microscale Heavy Calcium Carbonate Suspension.
Miao H, Zhang D, Liu E … +5 more , Zhong Y, Lai Q, Wang J, Hu Y, Zhang X
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42393834 · Publisher ↗
Heavy calcium carbonate (CaCO) suspension is widely utilized in industrial, food, and cosmetic applications because of its advantageous physicochemical properties, abundant source, and low cost. However, its practical pe...
Heavy calcium carbonate (CaCO) suspension is widely utilized in industrial, food, and cosmetic applications because of its advantageous physicochemical properties, abundant source, and low cost. However, its practical performance was limited because of the agglomeration issues caused by the high surface energy and inherent hydrophilicity. Herein, hydrophobic CaCO was prepared via sequential modification with stearic acid and n-octyltriethoxysilane (OTES). Their oil-based homogeneous suspensions were developed to mitigate the challenges of agglomeration and sedimentation of heavy CaCO particles. The systems exhibited low viscosity and high fluidity while maintaining nonsettling stability for more than 30 days with a 25% CaCO loading. Concurrently, the synergistic interactions between organoclay and emulsifiers in this system established a stable suspension, with experimental validation via stability analyzer assessments delivering robust data that elucidate the internal stable structure of the system. This straightforward method offered a new perspective for utilizing microscale heavy CaCO suspensions and presented a potential avenue to expand its industrial applications.
Polycationic Biocidal Coatings: The Mechanism of Their Interaction with Cells.
Yaroslavov AA, Panova IG, Yuzhanin KI … +8 more , Lokova AY, Novoskoltseva OA, Shevchenko NN, Loiko NG, Nikolaev YA, Bagrov DV, Spiridonov VV, Markova AA
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42392987 · Publisher ↗
Application of bacterial cultures to cationic coatings leads to cell dysfunction and death. A traditional "biocidal paradigm" considers cell death resulting from their direct contact with the outer surface of the coating...
Application of bacterial cultures to cationic coatings leads to cell dysfunction and death. A traditional "biocidal paradigm" considers cell death resulting from their direct contact with the outer surface of the coating, which carries toxic cationic groups. To clarify the mechanism of antimicrobial polymer action, model anionic polymer microspheres, fixed K562 cells, and Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria have been deposited over the coatings from synthetic cationic poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride). The cells come from the environment in small water-salt droplets, which adsorb on the coating and induce a set of processes, including (1) dissolution of the polycation and its binding to the cells, (2) migration of the polycation between individual cells in solution, (3) adsorption of polycation-cell complex onto the coating, and (4) transfer of the polycation from the coating to the cell surface. Taking together, these processes ensure high efficacy of the biocidal action of cationic polymer coatings. The fact that cells are washed off the coatings being bound to cationic polymer should be taken into account when designing antimicrobial experiments and interpreting results.
Atomic-Scale Displacement in Ordered SmMnO Nanoislands.
Han J, Ma Y, Chen N … +4 more , Liu C, Zeng S, Li Y, Sun Y
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42391638 · Publisher ↗
In orthorhombic RMnO, multiferroicity is governed by epitaxial strain, which establishes a delicate balance between competing magnetic and ferroelectric interactions by tuning the Mn-O-Mn bond angles and Mn-O bond length...
In orthorhombic RMnO, multiferroicity is governed by epitaxial strain, which establishes a delicate balance between competing magnetic and ferroelectric interactions by tuning the Mn-O-Mn bond angles and Mn-O bond lengths. Here, we employed high-angle annular dark field (HAADF), atomic-resolution energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and annular bright field (ABF) imaging to resolve the structure of SmMnO nanoislands grown on SrTiO (001) by sol-gel spin coating. We quantified lattice constants, strain gradients, and unit-cell level polar displacements, finding polar displacements ranging from 4.26 to 20.47 pm with a marked reduction at the interface. Subunit-cell scale measurements showed Mn-O bonds shorten and Mn-O-Mn angles enlarge under ∼-3.5% in-plane compression. Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) further reveals a uniform distribution of oxygen vacancies and a mixed Mn/Mn valence state with a constant L/L intensity ratio of ∼3.5 across the entire nanoisland. These atomic-scale measurements provide fundamental insights into the structure-property relationships governing structural polar behavior, offering valuable guidance for future functional applications.
Vacancy Defect Modulated Interfacial Thermal Transport and Phonon Localization in AlGaN/GaN Heterojunctions.
Shan Z, Li X, Wang Z … +1 more , Xu K
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42391612 · Publisher ↗
The AlGaN/GaN heterojunction is a key component of GaN-based high electron mobility transistors, where interfacial defects strongly influence heat dissipation. However, the mechanisms by which vacancy defects regulate in...
The AlGaN/GaN heterojunction is a key component of GaN-based high electron mobility transistors, where interfacial defects strongly influence heat dissipation. However, the mechanisms by which vacancy defects regulate interfacial phonon transport and localization remain unclear. Herein, nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) combined with lattice dynamics analysis are employed to investigate the effects of vacancy defects on interfacial thermal transport in AlGaN/GaN heterojunctions. The results show that the interfacial thermal conductance (ITC) exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on defect concentration, initially increasing and then decreasing. At a vacancy concentration of 0.5%, the ITC is enhanced by 9.15% and 5.72% for GaN- and AlGaN-side defects, respectively. With increasing defect concentration or defect ranges, phonon-vacancy and interfacial scattering are significantly strengthened, leading to pronounced phonon localization and suppression of effective heat-conduction channels. Furthermore, AlGaN exhibits higher sensitivity to defects, whereas defects on the GaN side are more effective in inducing cooperative phonon spectral reconstruction at high concentrations. By correlating defect characteristics with phonon transport behavior, this study reveals the dual regulatory role of vacancy defects in interfacial thermal transport and provides theoretical insights for defect engineering and thermal management in GaN-based electronic devices.
Immobilization of Ytterbium via Polyphenol Chemistry on Implant Materials for Enhanced Cytocompatibility and Antibacterial Properties.
Huang C, Liu X, Zhang Z … +3 more , Chen Q, Meng J, Wang Q
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42390894 · Publisher ↗
Bacterial colonization-induced infections and poor cytocompatibility remain critical challenges for diverse biomedical materials, limiting their clinical translation. Herein, we report a versatile surface modification st...
Bacterial colonization-induced infections and poor cytocompatibility remain critical challenges for diverse biomedical materials, limiting their clinical translation. Herein, we report a versatile surface modification strategy, effective on multiple flat substrates, polydopamine/tannic acid/ytterbium (PDA/TA-Yb) composite coatings on titanium (Ti, metallic), polyurethane (PU, polymer), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET, polymer) substrates via mussel-inspired polyphenol chemistry. The fabrication involves two key steps: (1) formation of a PDA intermediate layer through oxidative self-polymerization of dopamine, enabling robust adhesion to substrates with distinct surface chemistries; (2) immobilization of ytterbium ions (Yb) via coordination with TA and residual catechol groups of PDA, constructing stable metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) with synergistic covalent and coordination bonds. Comprehensive characterizations (ATR-FTIR, XPS, SEM, AFM, WCA) confirm successful coating deposition with uniform nanoscale granular morphology, enhanced hydrophilicity (water contact angle ∼62°), moderate thickness (110.3-131.2 nm), and excellent long-term stability (only ∼8.1% thickness loss after 7-day PBS immersion). The PDA/TA-Yb coatings exhibit potent antibacterial activity against clinically relevant Gram-negative () and Gram-positive () bacteria, achieving antibacterial rates of 83.9-93.1% at 24 h and retaining 80.1-88.4% efficacy after 7 days of continuous bacterial challenge. This sustained antibacterial effect arises from synergistic actions of Yb (disrupting bacterial membrane integrity) and TA (inhibiting bacterial metabolism). Critically, the coatings maintain excellent cytocompatibility with L929 mouse fibroblasts, with cell viability exceeding 80% even after 7 days of coculture, meeting ISO 10993-5 noncytotoxicity standards. This facile, scalable strategy overcomes the limitations of single-substrate dependence and uncontrolled metal ion release in conventional coatings, offering a versatile platform to engineer multifunctional surfaces for implantable devices, catheters, and medical textiles.
Electrochemical Oxidation Strategy for Integrated CO Capture and Conversion.
Lai D, Xiao S, Wang S … +4 more , Guo W, Shen X, Zhou Y, Lian X
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42390467 · Publisher ↗
The sequential CO capture and conversion suffer from substantial energy penalties associated with CO recovery. While direct electrochemical (bi)carbonate reduction circumvents this energy-intensive step, it still faces s...
The sequential CO capture and conversion suffer from substantial energy penalties associated with CO recovery. While direct electrochemical (bi)carbonate reduction circumvents this energy-intensive step, it still faces several limitations, including low carbon utilization efficiency, cumbersome product separation, and reliance on the anodic oxygen evolution reaction─a process hampered by slow kinetics and limited economic value. Herein, we present an electrochemical oxidation strategy that directly employs a CO-captured NaOH solution─rich in (bi)carbonate ions─as the electrolyte. In this system, (bi)carbonate-mediated two-electron water oxidation reaction takes place, enabling the in situ generation of HO. Following electrolysis, NaCO·1.5HO, a solid crystalline adduct of NaCO and HO, was readily separated from the electrolyte, thereby fixing CO into a storable and value-added product. This integrated approach eliminates the need for energy-intensive CO recovery, offering a streamlined route to convert captured CO into easily isolable, high-value chemicals.
Probing Molecular Structural Changes of Buried Interfaces between Polyethylene and Nylon in Polymer Thin Films after Stretching.
Gan J, Chen X, Wu G … +6 more , Lee JY, Guo Y, Paradkar R, Chen X, Kuo TC, Chen Z
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42390342 · Publisher ↗
Polymer thin films are widely used in both industries and everyday life. The performance of thin films is improved by using multiple functional layers through either lamination with adhesives or multilayer coextrusions....
Polymer thin films are widely used in both industries and everyday life. The performance of thin films is improved by using multiple functional layers through either lamination with adhesives or multilayer coextrusions. Further machine direction stretching to achieve oriented (MDO) films or both machine direction and cross-machine direction stretching to achieve biaxially oriented (BO) films can continually enhance their performance. Polymer multilayer thin films can degrade upon stretching for certain uses due to the interlayer adhesion loss. In this research, we investigated the buried nylon/maleic anhydride (MAH)-functionalized ethylene octene (EO) copolymer (MAHfEO) interface in a multilayer thin film made from a coextrusion blowing process and followed with and without machine direction (MD) stretching. Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was applied to study the chemical groups related to adhesion at the buried interface. The SFG signal of the unstretched film indicates weaker polymer chain entanglement and more ordered functional groups at the nylon/MAHfEO interface compared to the previously studied EVOH/MAHfEO interface in EVOH films. The signal increase from the unstretched to the 3× stretched films shows that reduced entanglement leads to adhesion loss. The comparatively small increase in signals from the 3× to the 6× stretched films indicates that the influence of entanglement loss due to the stretching becomes less significant for adhesion loss, while the chemical bond formed by the reaction at the buried interface plays a role in determining adhesion. Analysis of SFG spectra collected from orthogonal sample directions showed that the azimuthal orientation of interface functional groups was slightly reoriented toward the stretching direction. The research further explores the relationship between the polymer chain structure and its macromolecular properties, providing insights for rational material design and performance improvements.
Charge Dependence of Local Hydration Dynamics in Poly(Acrylic Acid) Solutions.
Landfield H, Zackin AK, Han S … +3 more , Franck JM, Segalman R, Shell MS
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42390235 · Publisher ↗
Localized measurements of hydration dynamics surrounding poly(acrylic acid) (pAA) chains are executed using Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization relaxometry to determine the role of polymer protonation state on the po...
Localized measurements of hydration dynamics surrounding poly(acrylic acid) (pAA) chains are executed using Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization relaxometry to determine the role of polymer protonation state on the polymer solvation environment. Alterations in polymer concentration and solution pH uncovered three different regimes of local water dynamics ranging from bulk-water-like to subdued water diffusivity. These experiments, combined with molecular dynamics simulations, reveal that the presence of deprotonated carboxylic acid groups promotes a hydrophilic local environment and extended polymer chain configurations that together incentivize the incorporation of bulk-like water near the polymer. This results in a stretched polymer conformation that leads to faster observed hydration dynamics in the local hydration environment. Meanwhile, protonated carboxylic acid groups are expected to engage in intrapolymer hydrogen bonding between monomer groups, resulting in a more collapsed conformation and slower observed hydration dynamics. The importance of the carboxylic acid groups on mediating hydration behavior is further illustrated by their role in dictating the solvation environment around poly(acrylic acid-stat-(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate) (p(AA-stat-PEGMEA)) copolymers with varying monomer ratios. These local hydration measurements establish a connection between local water dynamics and polymer chain conformation and may provide additional molecular perspective into poly(acrylic acid)'s classification as a superabsorbent polymer.
Amphiphilic Lubricants Linked by Hydrogen Bonds Achieve Superlubricity and Enhance Water/Oil Tribological Properties.
Lin M, Yao Z, Zhang X
Langmuir · 2026 Jul · PMID 42389978 · Publisher ↗
Glycerol is immiscible with oils, which poses a fundamental limitation in the development of glycerol-based lubricants suitable for nonpolar environments. In this study, pyrolyzed glucose was mixed with glycerol. The oxy...
Glycerol is immiscible with oils, which poses a fundamental limitation in the development of glycerol-based lubricants suitable for nonpolar environments. In this study, pyrolyzed glucose was mixed with glycerol. The oxygen-containing functional groups in the pyrolysis products formed a dense network of hydrogen bonds with the glycerol molecules, thereby creating a stable amphiphilic fluid that overcomes this classic incompatibility. This fluid not only mixes with both polar and nonpolar media but also exhibits macroscopic superlubricity on a glass/SiN friction pair. Importantly, the running-in period was extremely short (<4 s), and after 10 h of continuous operation, virtually no wear marks were detected on the glass surface. Mechanistic studies indicate that the superlubricity behavior stems from the synergistic interaction between the adsorbed film and the tribochemical film, and that the hydrogen-bond network effectively enhances the load-bearing capacity of the lubricating film. Furthermore, in a steel/steel friction pair under a contact pressure of 1.27 GPa, when used as an oil-based additive, the wear rate in the wear zone on the steel disc surface was reduced by 63.3% compared with PAO6; when used as a water-based additive, the wear rate was reduced by 55.5%. This work provides a new approach for developing amphiphilic liquid superlubricants with ultrashort motion cycles, which is expected to advance the practical application of sustainable lubrication technologies in a wider range of engineering scenarios.
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