Featured
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| Open AccessGiant dielectric tunability in ferroelectric ceramics with ultralow loss by ion substitution design
The authors realize composite optimization in dielectric tunable materials by simultaneously achieving low electric field, large tunability, and low loss through ion substitution design in ferroelectric tunable materials.
- Ruitao Li
- , Diming Xu
- & Di Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessCoordination cages integrated into swelling poly(ionic liquid)s for guest encapsulation and separation
The efficient encapsulation of guests by coordination cages in the solid state is prevented by their flexibility, dynamicity, and metal-ligand bond reversibility. Here, the authors report coordination cages integrated into poly(ionic liquid)s to control swelling and mechanical properties of the gels and develop efficient and regenerable supramolecular separation materials.
- Xiang Zhang
- , Dawei Zhang
- & Mingyuan He
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Article
| Open AccessMagnetic steering continuum robot for transluminal procedures with programmable shape and functionalities
Interaction with surrounding lumina leads to potential medical risks in transluminal procedures. Here, the authors report a magnetic steering continuum robot that achieve autonomous shaping without the need for environmental interaction.
- Liyang Mao
- , Peng Yang
- & Hui Xie
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Article
| Open AccessControlling the broadband enhanced light chirality with L-shaped dielectric metamaterials
L-shaped silicon metamaterials are realized exhibiting broadband and enhanced chirality. The current work sets new benchmarks in the assembly of ultrathin dielectric chiral metamaterials that can efficiently control chiral light-matter interactions.
- Ufuk Kilic
- , Matthew Hilfiker
- & Christos Argyropoulos
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Article
| Open AccessColor morphing surfaces with effective chemical shielding
Photochromic materials suffer from degradation when exposed to harsh chemical environments, but this can be overcome by providing chemical shielding via superomniphobicity. Here, the authors show the design rationale and careful materials selection for fabrication of color morphing surfaces that can simultaneously display excellent chemical resistance.
- Adil Majeed Rather
- , Sravanthi Vallabhuneni
- & Arun Kumar Kota
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Article
| Open AccessPolymer hetero-electrolyte enabled solid-state 2.4-V Zn/Li hybrid batteries
Zn batteries suffer from low voltage due to the high redox potential of the Zn anode and the low potential of traditional cathodes. Here, the authors develop a polymer hetero-electrolyte, which allows separated Zn and Li reversibility and achieves a 2.4 V-Zn battery based on the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathode.
- Ze Chen
- , Tairan Wang
- & Chunyi Zhi
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Article
| Open AccessObservation of dichotomic field-tunable electronic structure in twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene
The phase diagram of twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene depends on the electric field direction, exhibiting phases similar to twisted bilayer and double-bilayer graphene. Here the authors study the field dependent electronic structure, in particular flat bands, using nano-ARPES and explain the field-tunability.
- Hongyun Zhang
- , Qian Li
- & Shuyun Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessWeyl spin-momentum locking in a chiral topological semimetal
Spin-momentum locking is a fundamental property of condensed matter systems. Here, the authors evidence parallel Weyl spin-momentum locking of multifold fermions in the chiral topological semimetal PtGa.
- Jonas A. Krieger
- , Samuel Stolz
- & Niels B. M. Schröter
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Article
| Open AccessCreep-type all-solid-state cathode achieving long life
Electrochemical-mechanical issues bring challenges but create new opportunities to design innovative all-solid-state batteries. Here, the authors propose to use the (de)lithiation-stress-creep synergistic time-dependent evolution to boost the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state batteries.
- Xiaolin Xiong
- , Ting Lin
- & Liumin Suo
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Article
| Open AccessDelayed room temperature phosphorescence enabled by phosphines
Room-temperature phosphorescence usually occurs immediately after the removal of excitation. Here the authors achieve combined instant and delayed phosphorescence through introduction of phosphines into carbazole emitters.
- Guang Lu
- , Jing Tan
- & Hui Xu
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Article
| Open AccessTunneling current-controlled spin states in few-layer van der Waals magnets
Magnetic tunnel junctions consist of two magnetic layers, separated by a thin insulator. The simplicity belies the industrial importance: magnetic tunnel junctions have a very wide variety of applications in contemporary society. Here, Fu et al present a magnetic tunnel junction composed of single van der Waals magnetic insulator, CrI3, exhibiting remarkably low power consumption.
- ZhuangEn Fu
- , Piumi I. Samarawickrama
- & Jifa Tian
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Article
| Open AccessWaveguide-integrated twisted bilayer graphene photodetectors
Silicon-integrated graphene photodetectors exhibit promising bandwidths at telecom wavelengths, but their responsivity is usually limited. Here, the authors report the wafer-scale fabrication of waveguide-integrated detectors based on twisted bilayer graphene, showing responsivities up to 0.65 A/W and 3-dB bandwidths >65 GHz.
- Qinci Wu
- , Jun Qian
- & Hailin Peng
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Article
| Open AccessOptofluidic crystallithography for directed growth of single-crystalline halide perovskites
Precise and spatio-temporal control of crystallization kinetics is important but challenging. Here, the authors propose an optical strategy called optofluidic crystallithography to steer the growth of single-crystalline halide perovskites.
- Xue-Guang Chen
- , Linhan Lin
- & Hong-Bo Sun
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Article
| Open AccessBoosting organic phosphorescence in adaptive host-guest materials by hyperconjugation
Room-temperature phosphorescence is usually inefficient in purely organic material. Here, the authors achieve near-unity phosphorescence efficiency with color tunability in adaptive host-guest materials through use of hyperconjugation.
- Huili Ma
- , Lishun Fu
- & Wei Huang
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Article
| Open AccessBiocomposite thermoplastic polyurethanes containing evolved bacterial spores as living fillers to facilitate polymer disintegration
Plastic pollution severely threatens the resilience of nature. Here, the authors utilize the spore-forming, polymer-degrading bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, as a living filler to develop biocomposite thermoplastic polyurethane with improved mechanical properties and biodegradation.
- Han Sol Kim
- , Myung Hyun Noh
- & Jonathan K. Pokorski
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Article
| Open AccessCharge density waves tuned by biaxial tensile stress
Previous studies of the effects of strain on charge density waves have mostly focused on uniaxial strain. Here the authors use a biaxial-strain device to demonstrate switching of the charge density wave orientation, as well as a strong linear increase of the transition temperature while the gap seems to saturate.
- A. Gallo–Frantz
- , V. L. R. Jacques
- & D. Le Bolloc’h
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Article
| Open AccessNoncovalent synthesis of homo and hetero-architectures of supramolecular polymers via secondary nucleation
Synthesis of supramolecular polymers with controlled architecture is desirable but challenging. Here, the authors use a secondary nucleation event to prepare a range of supramolecular polymer architectures.
- Srinu Kotha
- , Rahul Sahu
- & Kotagiri Venkata Rao
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Article
| Open AccessAll-natural 2D nanofluidics as highly-efficient osmotic energy generators
Researchers report a sustainable nanofluidic osmotic energy harvester made from natural montmorillonite clay nanosheets and recycled cellulose. Scaled-up films of 700 cm2 show power output of 8 W m−2 with stability over 30 days
- Jiadong Tang
- , Yun Wang
- & Tieyong Zuo
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Article
| Open AccessRoom-temperature low-threshold avalanche effect in stepwise van-der-Waals homojunction photodiodes
The avalanche or carrier-multiplication effect has the potential to improve the performance of photodetectors and solar cells, but usually requires high threshold energies. Here, the authors report stepwise WSe2 homojunctions exhibiting threshold energies approaching the semiconductor bandgap at room temperature.
- Hailu Wang
- , Hui Xia
- & Wei Lu
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Article
| Open AccessMolecular tuning boosts asymmetric C-C coupling for CO conversion to acetate
This work presents a general surface molecular tuning strategy to promote the electrochemical reduction of CO.
- Jie Ding
- , Fuhua Li
- & Bin Liu
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Article
| Open AccessSelf-condensation-assisted chemical vapour deposition growth of atomically two-dimensional MOF single-crystals
2D MOFs have a variety of applications, including molecular separation and atomically thin electronics. Here authors demonstrate the preparation of monolayer and few-layer MOF single-crystals using a self-condensation-assisted CVD method.
- Lingxin Luo
- , Lingxiang Hou
- & Jian Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessSpatial decoupling of bromide-mediated process boosts propylene oxide electrosynthesis
The practical application of electrosynthesis of propylene oxide is hindered by limited performance. Here, the authors report a spatial decoupling strategy by utilizing the bromide mediator to link propylene and anode within separated reactors, realizing high-performance electrosynthesis of propylene oxide.
- Mingfang Chi
- , Jingwen Ke
- & Jie Zeng
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient tandem electroreduction of nitrate into ammonia through coupling Cu single atoms with adjacent Co3O4
An optimal catalyst for nitrate electroreduction should satisfy the simultaneously optimized adsorption of intermediates. Here, the authors report a tandem electrocatalyst by combining Cu single atoms with Co3O4 nanosheets, enhancing the binding with NO2−, thus promoting nitrate electroreduction to NH3.
- Yan Liu
- , Jie Wei
- & Jie Zeng
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Article
| Open AccessHighly efficient in crystallo energy transduction of light to work
Crystals are known to have a range of responses to light, but multiple responses in the same material are rare. Here, the authors report different mechanical effects in response to light across three polymorphs as a result of a dimerization reaction.
- Jiawei Lin
- , Jianmin Zhou
- & Junbo Gong
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Article
| Open AccessThree-dimensional domain identification in a single hexagonal manganite nanocrystal
The authors present a 3D determination of the ferroelectric domain structure in a hexagonal yttrium manganite nanocrystal using multi-peak Bragg coherent x-ray diffraction imaging and reconstructing the full displacement field and strain tensor
- Ahmed H. Mokhtar
- , David Serban
- & Marcus C. Newton
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Article
| Open AccessNear-strain-free anode architecture enabled by interfacial diffusion creep for initial-anode-free quasi-solid-state batteries
Initially anode-free batteries with garnet-type solid-state electrolytes suffer from internal strain by repeated Li plating/stripping. Here, the authors propose a near-strain-free anode architecture for interfacial diffusion of Li metal that suppresses volume expansion during cycling.
- Kwang Hee Kim
- , Myung-Jin Lee
- & Jong Hyeok Park
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Article
| Open AccessVisible-light-excited robust room-temperature phosphorescence of dimeric single-component luminophores in the amorphous state
Organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) is limited to rigid environments. Here, the authors report a single-component system with robust persistent RTP emissions in various aggregation states, such as crystalline, fine powder, and amorphous.
- Danman Guo
- , Wen Wang
- & Zhiyong Yang
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Article
| Open AccessStaggered structural dynamic-mediated selective adsorption of H2O/D2O on flexible graphene oxide nanosheets
Graphene oxide is a promising material for molecular separation technologies. Here, the authors propose a realistic staggered stacking structure that plays a crucial role in H/D recognition in water adsorption, as well as high mobilities of water.
- Ryusuke Futamura
- , Taku Iiyama
- & Katsumi Kaneko
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Article
| Open AccessHigh-entropy engineering of the crystal and electronic structures in a Dirac material
Manipulating the electronic properties of topological semimetals is a central goal of modern condensed matter physics research. Here, the authors demonstrate how a high-entropy engineering approach allows for the tuning of the crystal structure and the electronic states in a Dirac semimetal.
- Antu Laha
- , Suguru Yoshida
- & Zhiqiang Mao
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Article
| Open AccessPredicting maximum strain hardening factor in elongational flow of branched pom-pom polymers from polymer architecture
The quantitative connection between the molecular topology and molecular dynamics is a long-standing, fundamental challenge in polymer science. Here the authors present a model-driven predictive scheme for the uniaxial extensional viscosity and strain hardening of branched polymer melts, specifically for the pom-pom architecture.
- Max G. Schußmann
- , Manfred Wilhelm
- & Valerian Hirschberg
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Article
| Open AccessProgramming viscoelastic properties in a complexation gel composite by utilizing entropy-driven topologically frustrated dynamical state
Tuning the physical interactions and structures to govern the viscoelastic properties in hydrogels without altering the chemistry is challenging. Here the authors design a complexation gel composite and utilize the physical principle of topologically frustrated dynamical state to tune the correlated structures between the guest polycation chains and negatively charged host gels.
- Gui Kang Wang
- , Yi Ming Yang
- & Di Jia
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Article
| Open AccessImaging 3D chemistry at 1 nm resolution with fused multi-modal electron tomography
The authors demonstrate 3D chemical imaging of organic and inorganic materials near or below one-nanometer resolution using multi-modal electron tomography, by fusing elastic and inelastic scattering signals.
- Jonathan Schwartz
- , Zichao Wendy Di
- & Robert Hovden
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Article
| Open AccessA substitutional quantum defect in WS2 discovered by high-throughput computational screening and fabricated by site-selective STM manipulation
Point defects in 2D semiconductors have potential for quantum computing applications, but their controlled design and synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors identify and fabricate a promising quantum defect in 2D WS2 via high-throughput computational screening and scanning tunnelling microscopy.
- John C. Thomas
- , Wei Chen
- & Geoffroy Hautier
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Article
| Open AccessBiocompatible aggregation-induced emission active polyphosphate-manganese nanosheets with glutamine synthetase-like activity in excitotoxic nerve cells
Glutamine synthetase (GS) relies on Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to activate glutamate (Glu) and are vital for maintaining ammonia and Glu homeostasis, but GS function is impaired during ATP-deficient neurotoxic events. Here the authors report polyphosphate-manganese nanosheets having GS-like activity independent of ATP to promote the conversion of Glu to glutamine in excitatory neurotoxic cells.
- Jing Wang
- , Xinyang Zhao
- & Wei Wei
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Article
| Open AccessCollapse of carbon nanotubes due to local high-pressure from van der Waals encapsulation
vdW assembly of low-dimensional materials has proven the capability of creating structures with on-demand properties. Here, the authors report on the structural collapse of CNTs in conjunction with a metal-semiconductor junction induced by the VdW encapsulation.
- Cheng Hu
- , Jiajun Chen
- & Zhiwen Shi
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Article
| Open AccessMultiple hydrogen-bonding induced nonconventional red fluorescence emission in hydrogels
The development of fluorescent polymer hydrogels without the use of extended pi-conjugation is challenging. Here, the authors report the use of clustering-trigger emission to give red fluorescence on boiling polymer hydrogels, with tuneable emission properties.
- Jiayu Wu
- , Yuhuan Wang
- & Feng Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessEstablishing superfine nanofibrils for robust polyelectrolyte artificial spider silk and powerful artificial muscles
Spider silk has desirable properties, but these are hard to replicate with artificial materials. Here, the authors report a polyelectrolyte artificial spider silk, with control over dissociation of the polymer chains by introduction of ions, and thermally driven supercontraction.
- Wenqian He
- , Meilin Wang
- & Zunfeng Liu
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Review Article
| Open AccessUntethered soft actuators for soft standalone robotics
Untethered soft robots offer numerous advantages in terms of mobility, versatility, and autonomy, making them increasingly valuable for a wide range of applications. Jung et al. review the new types of untethered soft actuators that represent breakthroughs and discuss the future perspective of soft actuators.
- Yeongju Jung
- , Kangkyu Kwon
- & Seung Hwan Ko
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Article
| Open AccessMemory-electroluminescence for multiple action-potentials combination in bio-inspired afferent nerves
In this work, a nanoscale light-emitting diode with memory-electroluminescence is demonstrated, which is used for mimicking the generation of multiple action-potentials and their combinations in bio-inspired afferent nerves.
- Kun Wang
- , Yitao Liao
- & Tae Whan Kim
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Article
| Open AccessControl of polymers’ amorphous-crystalline transition enables miniaturization and multifunctional integration for hydrogel bioelectronics
Soft elastic materials could be useful in the fabrication of brain-machine interfaces, but achieving the desirable material properties can be challenging. Here, the authors report control of the amorphous-crystalline transition of polymers to alter hydrogel properties and monitor mouse behaviour.
- Sizhe Huang
- , Xinyue Liu
- & Siyuan Rao
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Article
| Open AccessMulti-level, forming and filament free, bulk switching trilayer RRAM for neuromorphic computing at the edge
Filamentary RRAM technologies suffer from variations and noise, leading to computational accuracy loss, and increased energy consumption. Park et al. created a trilayer metal-oxide bulk switching RRAM technology without filament formation and showed edge computing for an autonomous navigation task.
- Jaeseoung Park
- , Ashwani Kumar
- & Duygu Kuzum
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Article
| Open AccessConfining single Er3+ ions in sub-3 nm NaYF4 nanoparticles to induce slow relaxation of the magnetisation
Many of the most industrially important magnets require the addition of rare-earths to improve their coercivity and magnetic performance. Here, the authors place a single paramagnetic rare-earth ion, Er3+, in a diamagnetic nanoparticle, and study the slow relaxation of the resulting nanoparticles, providing vital information for the further development of rare-earth magnetic materials.
- Diogo A. Gálico
- , Emille M. Rodrigues
- & Muralee Murugesu
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Article
| Open AccessConsummating ion desolvation in hard carbon anodes for reversible sodium storage
Hard carbon is regarded as a promising negative electrode for Na-ion batteries but suffers from low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). Here, the authors identify the time-dependent ion pre-desolvation on the nanopore of hard carbons, which remarkably improves the ICE by simply extending the aging time.
- Ziyang Lu
- , Huijun Yang
- & Haoshen Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessMagnetically propagating Hund’s exciton in van der Waals antiferromagnet NiPS3
Recently, excitons with unconventional properties were reported in a van der Waals antiferromagnet NiPS3. Here, using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, the authors show that the formation of these excitons is primarily driven by Hund’s coupling and that they propagate similarly to two-magnon excitations.
- W. He
- , Y. Shen
- & M. P. M. Dean
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient ammonia synthesis from the air using tandem non-thermal plasma and electrocatalysis at ambient conditions
The conversion of atmospheric N2 into NH3 under ambient pressure is highly interesting but very challenging. In this study, the authors present a tandem air-NOx and NOx-NH3 system that combines non-thermal plasma-enabled N2 oxidation with Ni(OH)x/Cu-catalyzed electrochemical NOx−reduction, resulting in a high NH3 yield from N2 under ambient pressure conditions.
- Wei Liu
- , Mengyang Xia
- & Guidong Yang
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Article
| Open AccessSub-millisecond lithiothermal synthesis of graphitic meso–microporous carbon
Porous carbons with high specific surface area and electronic conductivity are of interest for their electron and ion transport ability. Here authors use ultra-high temperature reactions of Li metal and polytetrafluoroethylene to make graphitized porous carbon for electrochemical energy storage.
- Huimin Zhang
- , Jingyi Qiu
- & Hao Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessSweat permeable and ultrahigh strength 3D PVDF piezoelectric nanoyarn fabric strain sensor
Electronic packaging causes piezoelectric sensors to be airtight, resulting in poor wearing comfort. To address this issue, the authors develop a 3D all-fiber piezoelectric sensor with sweat permeable using the advanced 3D textile technology.
- Wei Fan
- , Ruixin Lei
- & Shengbo Ge
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Article
| Open AccessFlower-shaped 2D crystals grown in curved fluid vesicle membranes
Thin crystals grown on rigid spherical templates of increasing curvature exhibit increased protrusions. Here, the authors demonstrate the opposite curvature effect on the morphology of molecularly thin crystals grown within elastic fluid membranes, like those of biological cells.
- Hao Wan
- , Geunwoong Jeon
- & Maria M. Santore
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Article
| Open AccessFunctionalized MXene ink enables environmentally stable printed electronics
Here, authors demonstrate the electrohydrodynamic printing of alkylated 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine functionalized MXene (AD-MXene) ink. The AD-MXene outperforms vacuum-deposited Au and Al electrodes, providing thin film transistors with good environmental stability due to its hydrophobicity.
- Tae Yun Ko
- , Heqing Ye
- & Insik In