Abstract: Permanent magnets generally require a favorable, but difficult-to-achieve combination of high magnetization, Curie point, and magnetic anisotropy. Thus there have been few, if any, viable permanent magnets developed since the 1982 discovery of Nd2Fe14B [M. Sagawa, S. Fujimura, H. Yamamoto, Y. Matsuura, and S. Hirosawa, J. Appl. Phys. 57, 4094 (1985)]. Here we point out, both by direct first-principles calculations on the iron carbides and silicides Fe5C2, Fe5SiC, and Fe7C3 as well as a discussion of recent experimental findings, that there are numerous rare-earth-free iron-rich potential permanent-magnet materials with sufficient intrinsic magnetic properties to reasonably achieve room-temperature energy products of 20-25 MG Oe. This is substantially better than the performance of the best available rare-earth-free magnets based on ferrite, as well as shape-anisotropy-employing alnico. These magnets could plausibly fill, at low cost, the present performance “gap” [J. M. D. Coey, Scr. Mater. 67, 524 (2012)] between the best rare-earth-free magnets and rare-earth magnets such as Nd2Fe14B and Sm-Co.

Abstract: Dirac plasmons in a two-dimensional (2D) crystal are strongly affected by the dielectric properties of the environment, due to interaction of their electric field lines with the surrounding medium. Using graphene as a 2D reservoir of free carriers, one can engineer a material configuration that provides an anisotropic environment to the plasmons. In this work, we discuss the physical properties of Dirac plasmons in graphene surrounded by an arbitrary anisotropic dielectric and exemplify how h-BN-based heterostructures can be designed to bear the required anisotropic characteristics. We calculate how dielec-tric anisotropy impacts the spatial propagation of the plasmons and find that an anisotropy-induced plasmon mode emerges, together with a damping pathway, that stem from the out-of-plane off-diagonal elements in the dielectric tensor. Furthermore, we find that one can create hyperbolic plasmons by inher-iting the dielectric hyperbolicity of the designed material environment. Strong control over plasmon propagation patterns can be realized in a similar manner. Finally, we show that in this way one can also control the polarization of the light-matter excitations that constitute the plasmon. Taken together, our results promote the design of the dielectric environment as an effective path to tailor the plasmonic response of graphene on the nanoscopic level.

Abstract: A strong superconducting diode effect (SDE) is revealed in a thin superconducting film periodically nanostructured with magnetic dots. The SDE is caused by the current-activated dissipation mitigated by vortex-antivortex pairs (VAPs), which periodically nucleate under the dots, move and annihilate in the superconductor-eventually driving the system to the high-resistive state. Inversing the polarity of the applied current destimulates the nucleation of VAPs, the system remains superconducting up to far larger currents, leading to the pronounced diodic response. Our dissipative Ginzburg-Landau simulations detail the involved processes, and provide reliable geometric and parametric ranges for the experimental realiza-tion of such a nonvolatile superconducting diode, which operates in the absence of any applied magnetic field while being fluxonic by design.

Abstract: Using first-principles calculations, we evaluate the electrochemical performance of heterostructures made up of Ti2CO2 and chemically modified graphene for Li batteries. We find that heteroatom doping and molecule intercalation have a significant impact on the storage capacity and Li migration barrier energies. While N and S doping do not improve the storage capacity, B doping together with molecule interaction make it possible to intercalate two layers of Li, which stick separately to the surface of Ti2CO2 and B-doped graphene. The calculated diffusion-barrier energies (E-diff), which are between 0.3 and 0.4 eV depending on Li concentration, are quite promising for fast charge and discharge rates. Besides, the predicted E-diff as much as 2 eV for the diffusion of the Li atom from the Ti2CO2 surface to the B-doped graphene surface significantly suppresses the interlayer Li migration, which diminishes the charge and discharge rates. The calculated volume and lattice parameter changes indicate that Ti2CO2/graphene hybrid structures exhibit cyclic stability against Li loading and unloading. Consequently, first-principles calculations we perform evidently highlight the favorable effect of molecular intercalation on the capacity improvement of ion batteries.

Abstract: The atomically laminated layered ternary transition-metal borides (the MAB phases) have demonstrated outstanding properties and have been applied in various fields. Understanding their thermal and mechanical properties is critical to determining their applicability in various fields such as high-temperature applications. To achieve this, we conducted first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory and the quasiharmonic approximation to determine the thermal expansion coefficients, Gruneisen parameters, bulk moduli, hardness, thermal conductivity, electron-phonon coupling parameters, and the structural and vibrational properties of MoAlB, WAlB, Cr2AlB2, and Ti2InB2. We found varying degrees of anisotropy in the thermal expansion and mechanical properties in spite of similarities in their crystal structures. MoAlB has a mild degree of anisotropy in its thermal expansion coefficient (TEC), while Cr2AlB2 and WAlB display the highest level of TEC anisotropy. We assessed various empirical models to calculate hardness and thermal conductivity, and correlated the calculated values with the material properties such as elastic moduli, Gruneisen parameter, Debye temperature, and type of bonding. Owing to their higher Gruneisen parameters, implying a greater degree of anharmonicity in lattice vibrations and lower phonon group velocities, MoAlB and WAlB have significantly lower lattice thermal conductivity values than those of Cr2AlB2 and Ti2InB2. The hardness and lattice thermal conductivity of MAB phases can be predicted with high accuracy if one utilizes an appropriate model.

Abstract: Gold nanorod supercrystals have been widely employed for the detection of relevant bioanalytes with detection limits ranging from nano- to picomolar levels,
confirming the promising nature of these structures for biosensing. Even though a relationship between the height of the supercrystal (i.e., the number of stacked nanorod layers)and the enhancement factor has been proposed, no systematic
study has been reported. In order to tackle this problem, we prepared gold nanorod supercrystals with varying numbers of stacked layers and analyzed them extensively by atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and surface enhanced Raman scattering. The experimental results were compared to numerical
simulations performed on real-size supercrystals composed of thousands of nanorod building blocks. Analysis of the hot spot distribution in the simulated supercrystals showed the presence of standing waves that were distributed at different depths, depending on the number of layers in each supercrystal. On the basis of these theoretical results, we interpreted the experimental
data in terms of analyte penetration into the topmost layer only, which indicates that diffusion to the interior of the supercrystals would be crucial if the complete field enhancement produced by the stacked nanorods is to be exploited. We propose that our conclusions will be of high relevance in the design of next generation plasmonic devices.

Abstract: As narrow band gap nanocrystals become a considerable building block for the design of infrared sensors, device design needs to match their actual operating conditions. While in the near and shortwave infrared, room-temperature operation has been demonstrated, longer wavelengths still require low-temperature operations and thus specific design. Here, we discuss how field-effect transistors (FETs) can be compatible with low-temperature detection. To reach this goal, two key developments are proposed. First, we report the gating of nanocrystal films from SrTiO3 which leads to high gate capacitance with leakage and breakdown free operation in the 4-100 K range. Second, we demonstrate that this FET is compatible with a plasmonic resonator whose role is to achieve strong light absorption from a thin film used as the channel of the FET. Combining three resonances, broadband absorption from 1.5 to 3 mu m reaching 30% is demonstrated. Finally, combining gate and enhanced light-matter coupling, we show that detectivity can be as high as 10(12) Jones for a device presenting a 3 mu m cutoff wavelength and 30 K operation.

Abstract: Chemically synthesized metal nanoparticles with morphological chiral features are known to exhibit strong circular dichroism. However, we still lack understanding of the correlation between morphological and chiroptical features of plasmonic nanoparticles. To shed light on that question, single nanoparticle experiments are required. We performed photothermal circular dichroism measurements of single chiral and achiral gold nanoparticles and correlated the chiroptical response to the 3D morphology of the same nanoparticles retrieved by electron tomography. In contrast to an ensemble measurement, we show that individual particles within the ensemble display a broad distribution of strength and handedness of circular dichroism signals. Whereas obvious structural chiral features, such as helical wrinkles, translate into chiroptical ones, nanoparticles with less obvious chiral morphological features can also display strong circular dichroism signals. Interestingly, we find that even seemingly achiral nanoparticles can display large g-factors. The origin of this circular dichroism signal is discussed in terms of plasmonics and other potentially relevant factors.

Abstract: During the conversion of lignocellulose, phenolic wastewaters are generated. Therefore, researchers have investigated wastewater valorization processes in which these pollutants are converted to chemicals, i.e., lipids. However, wastewaters are lean feedstocks, so these valorization processes in research typically require the addition of large quantities of sugars and sterilization, which increase costs. This paper investigates a repeated batch fermentation strategy with Rhodotorula kratochvilovae EXF7516 and Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum ATCC 20509, without these requirements. The pollutant removal and its conversion to microbial oil were evaluated. Because of the presence of non-monomeric substrates, the ligninolytic enzyme activity was also investigated. The repeated batch fermentation strategy was successful, as more lipids accumulated every cycle, up to a total of 5.4 g/L (23% cell dry weight). In addition, the yeasts consumed up to 87% of monomeric substrates, i.e., sugars, aromatics, and organics acids, and up to 23% of non-monomeric substrates, i.e., partially degraded xylan, lignin, cellulose. Interestingly, lipid production was only observed during the harvest phase of each cycle, as the cells experienced stress, possibly due to oxygen limitation. This work presents the first results on the feasibility of valorizing non-sterilized lignocellulosic wastewater with R. kratochvilovae and C. oleaginosum using a cost-effective repeated batch strategy.

Abstract: Additives in semiconductor metal oxides are commonly used to improve sensing behavior of gas sensors. Due to complicated effects of additives on the materials microstructure, adsorption sites and reactivity to target gases the sensing mechanism with modified metal oxides is a matter of thorough research. Herein, we establish the promoting effect of nanocrystalline zinc oxide modification by 1-7 at.% of indium on the sensitivity to CO gas due to improved nanostructure dispersion and concentration of active sites. The sensing materials were synthesized via an aqueous coprecipitation route. Materials composition, particle size and BET area were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, high-resolution electron microscopy techniques and EDX-mapping. Surface species of chemisorbed oxygen, OH-groups, and acid sites were characterized by probe molecule techniques and infrared spectroscopy. It was found that particle size of zinc oxide decreased and the BET area increased with the amount of indium oxide. The additive was observed as amorphous indium oxide segregated on agglomerated ZnO nanocrystals. The measured concentration of surface species was higher on In2O3-modified zinc oxide. With the increase of indium oxide content, the sensor response of ZnO/In2O3 to CO was improved. Using in situ infrared spectroscopy, it was shown that oxidation of CO molecules was enhanced on the modified zinc oxide surface. The effect of modifier was attributed to promotion of surface OH-groups and enhancement of CO oxidation on the segregated indium ions, as suggested by DFT in previous work.

Abstract: Nitrification is well-suited for urine stabilization. No base dosage is required if the pH is controlled within an appropriate operating range by urine feeding, producing an ammonium-nitrate fertilizer. However, the process is highly dependent on the selected pH set-points and is susceptible to process failures such as nitrite accumulation or the growth of acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. To address the need for a robust and reliable process in decentralized applications, two different strategies were tested: operating a two-position pH controller (inflow on/off) with a narrow pH control band at 6.20/6.25 (∆pH = 0.05, narrow-pH) vs. a wider pH control band at 6.00/6.50 (∆pH = 0.50, wide-pH). These variations in pH also cause variations in the chemical speciation of ammonia and nitrite and, as shown, the microbial production of nitrite. It was hypothesized that the higher fluctuations would result in greater microbial diversity and, thus, a more robust process. The diversity of nitrifiers was higher in the wide-pH reactor, while the diversity of the entire microbiome was similar in both systems. However, the wide-pH reactor was more susceptible to tested process disturbances caused by increasing pH or temperature, decreasing dissolved oxygen, or an influent stop. In addition, with an emission factor of 0.47%, the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the wide-pH reactor were twice as high as the N2O emissions from the narrow-pH reactor, most likely due to the nitrite fluctuations. Based on these results, a narrow control band is recommended for pH control in urine nitrification.

Abstract: The requirements for new technologies to serve as anticancer agents go far beyond their toxicity potential. Novel applications also need to be safe on a molecular and patient level. In a broader sense, this also relates to cancer metastasis and inflammation. In a previous study, the toxicity of an atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet in four human pancreatic cancer cell lines was confirmed and plasma treatment did not promote metastasis in vitro and in ovo. Here, these results are extended by additional types of analysis and new models to validate and define on a molecular level the changes related to metastatic processes in pancreatic cancer cells following plasma treatment in vitro and in ovo. In solid tumors that were grown on the chorion-allantois membrane of fertilized chicken eggs (TUM-CAM), plasma treatment induced modest to profound apoptosis in the tissues. This, however, was not associated with a change in the expression levels of adhesion molecules, as shown using immunofluorescence of ultrathin tissue sections. Culturing of the cells detached from these solid tumors for 6d revealed a similar or smaller total growth area and expression of ZEB1, a transcription factor associated with cancer metastasis, in the plasma-treated pancreatic cancer tissues. Analysis of in vitro and in ovo supernatants of 13 different cytokines and chemokines revealed cell line-specific effects of the plasma treatment but a noticeable increase of, e.g., growth-promoting interleukin 10 was not observed. Moreover, markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a metastasis-promoting cellular program, were investigated. Plasma-treated pancreatic cancer cells did not present an EMT-profile. Finally, a realistic 3D tumor spheroid co-culture model with pancreatic stellate cells was employed, and the invasive properties in a gel-like cellular matrix were investigated. Tumor outgrowth and spread was similar or decreased in the plasma conditions. Altogether, these results provide valuable insights into the effect of plasma treatment on metastasis-related properties of cancer cells and did not suggest EMT-promoting effects of this novel cancer therapy.

Abstract: Low temperature plasmas (LTPs) enable to create a highly reactive environment at near ambient temperatures due to the energetic electrons with typical kinetic energies in the range of 1 to 10 eV (1 eV = 11600K), which are being used in applications ranging from plasma etching of electronic chips and additive manufacturing to plasma-assisted combustion. LTPs are at the core of many advanced technologies. Without LTPs, many of the conveniences of modern society would simply not exist. New applications of LTPs are continuously being proposed. Researchers are facing many grand challenges before these new applications can be translated to practice. In this paper, we will discuss the challenges being faced in the field of LTPs, in particular for atmospheric pressure plasmas, with a focus on health, energy and sustainability.

Abstract: Increasing efforts are directed towards the development of sustainable alternative protein sources among which microbial protein (MP) is one of the most promising. Especially when waste streams are used as substrates, the case for MP could become environmentally favorable. The risks of using organic waste streams for MP production–the presence of pathogens or toxicants–can be mitigated by their anaerobic digestion and subsequent aerobic assimilation of the (filter-sterilized) biogas. Even though methane and hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (MOB and HOB) have been intensively studied for MP production, the potential benefits of their co-cultivation remain elusive. Here, we isolated a diverse group of novel HOB (that were capable of autotrophic metabolism), and co-cultured them with a defined set of MOB, which could be grown on a mixture of biogas and H2/O2. The combination of MOB and HOB, apart from the CH4 and CO2 contained in biogas, can also enable the valorization of the CO2 that results from the oxidation of methane by the MOB. Different MOB and HOB combinations were grown in serum vials to identify the best-performing ones. We observed synergistic effects on growth for several combinations, and in all combinations a co-culture consisting out of both HOB and MOB could be maintained during five days of cultivation. Relative to the axenic growth, five out of the ten co-cultures exhibited 1.1–3.8 times higher protein concentration and two combinations presented 2.4–6.1 times higher essential amino acid content. The MP produced in this study generally contained lower amounts of the essential amino acids histidine, lysine and threonine, compared to tofu and fishmeal. The most promising combination in terms of protein concentration and essential amino acid profile was Methyloparacoccus murrelli LMG 27482 with Cupriavidus necator LMG 1201. Microbial protein from M. murrelli and C. necator requires 27–67% less quantity than chicken, whole egg and tofu, while it only requires 15% more quantity than the amino acid-dense soybean to cover the needs of an average adult. In conclusion, while limitations still exist, the co-cultivation of MOB and HOB creates an alternative route for MP production leveraging safe and sustainably-produced gaseous substrates.

Abstract: Cholesterol plays a crucial role in major cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and rare genetic disorders showing altered cholesterol metabolism. Cyclodextrins (CDs) have shown promising therapeutic efficacy based on their capacity to sequester and mobilise cholesterol. However, the administration of monomeric CDs suffers from several drawbacks due to their lack of specificity and poor pharmacokinetics. We present core-shell superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) functionalised with CDs appended to poly (2-methyl-2-oxazoline) polymers grafted in a dense brush to the iron oxide core. The CD-decorated nanoparticles (CySPIONs) are designed so that the macrocycle is specifically cleaved off the nanoparticle’s shell at a slightly acidic pH. In the intended use, free monomeric CDs will then mobilise cholesterol out of the lysosome to the cytosol and beyond through the formation of an inclusion complex. Hence, its suitability as a therapeutic platform to remove cholesterol in the lysosomal compartment. Synthesis and full characterization of the polymer as well as of the core-shell SPION are presented. Cholesterol-binding activity is shown through an enzymatic assay.