Multifunctional elastomeric composites based on 3D graphene porous materials.

3D graphene porous materials (3GPM), which have low density, large porosity, excellent compressibility, high conductivity, hold huge promise for a wide range of applications. Nevertheless, most 3GPM have brittle and weak network structures, which limits their widespread use. Therefore, the preparation of a robust and elastic graphene porous network is critical for the functionalization of 3GPM. Herein, the recent research of 3GPM with excellent mechanical properties are summarized and the focus is on the effect factors that affect the mechanical properties of 3GPM. Moreover, the applications of elastic 3GPM in various fields, such as adsorption, energy storage, solar steam generation, sensors, flexible electronics, and electromagnetic wave shielding are comprehensively reviewed. At last, the new challenges and perspective for fabrication and functionalization of robust and elastic 3GPM are outlined. It is expected that the perspective will inspire more new ideas in preparation and functionalization of 3GPM.

Mechanical and vibrational behaviors of bilayer hexagonal boron nitride in different stacking modes.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a semiconductor material with a wide band gap, which has great potential to serve as a nanoresonators in microelectronics and mass and force sensing fields. This paper investigates the mechanical properties and natural frequencies of bilayer h-BN nanosheets under five different stacking modes, which have been rarely studied, using molecular dynamics simulations. The mechanical properties, including Young's modulus, the ultimate stress, ultimate strain, Poisson's ratio and shear modulus, are studied for all five stacking modes. And the effects of strain rate, crystal orientation and temperature to bilayer h-BN nanosheets' tensile properties have also been studied. Our findings suggest that bilayer h-BN nanosheets are basically an anisotropic material whose tensile properties vary substantially with stacking modes and temperature. Moreover, the natural frequencies are proposed in an explicit form based on the nonlocal theory. The differences of the fundamental natural frequencies among different stacking modes are affected by the constraint condition of bilayer h-BN sheet. The theory results match well with the simulation results. These findings establish elementary understandings of the mechanical behavior and vibration character of bilayer h-BN nanosheets under five different stacking modes, which could benefit its application in advanced nanodevices.

Gradient Graphene Spiral Sponges for Efficient Solar Evaporation and Zero Liquid Discharge Desalination with Directional Salt Crystallization.

Solar desalination is a promising strategy to utilize solar energy to purify saline water. However, the accumulation of salt on the solar evaporator surface severely reduces light absorption and evaporation performance. Herein, a simple and eco-friendly method to fabricate a 3D gradient graphene spiral sponge (GGS sponge) is presented that enables high-rate solar evaporation and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) desalination of high-salinity brine. The spiral structure of the GGS sponge enhances energy recovery, while the gradient network structures facilitate radial brine transport and directional salt crystallization, which cooperate to endow the sponge with superior solar evaporation (6.5 kg m-2 h-1 for 20 wt.% brine), efficient salt collection (1.5 kg m-2 h-1 for 20 wt.% brine), ZLD desalination, and long-term durability (continuous 144 h in 20 wt.% brine). Moreover, the GGS sponge shows an ultrahigh freshwater production rate of 3.1 kg m-2 h-1 during the outdoor desalination tests. A continuous desalination-irrigation system based on the GGS sponge for crop growth, which has the potential for self-sustainable agriculture in remote areas is demonstrated. This work introduces a novel evaporator design and also provides insight into the structural principles for designing next-generation solar desalination devices that are salt-tolerant and highly efficient.

A molecular dynamics simulation on the atomic mass sensor made of monolayer diamond.

The recently synthesized monolayer diamond-diamane has proved to possess excellent mechanical and electrical properties, and it holds great potential in the field of nano-mass sensors. Herein, a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to systematically investigate the vibration response of the diamane nanoribbon (DNR) for the mass inspection. The results show that under different attached masses, the natural frequency of DNR is about three times of that of the bilayer graphene nanoribbon (BGNR) with the same size. The edge flatness of the DNR can be maintained during the vibration process, while the edge of the BGNR will warp in the initial state. Increasing the pre-strain can significantly increase the natural frequency of the DNR, leading to a higher response sensitivity of the DNR. In addition, the DNR has a higher mass resolution than the BGNR, and can detect smaller attached mass. The position of the attached mass in the resonator has a significant effect on the detection response. When the attached mass is near the center of the resonator, the frequency shift reaches the maximum value, and then it rapidly decreases to zero when the attached mass is close to the edge of DNR. Finally, the attached mass has no obvious effect on the quality factor of the DNR, and its value is stable between 105and 106orders of magnitude. The theoretical results demonstrate the accuracy of the MD results. The MD simulations reveal that the DNR has important implications as a resonant material for nano-mass sensor in the future.

Critical role of the bending stiffness of the monolayer black phosphorus in its mechanical behaviors: molecular dynamics simulation.

Black phosphorus (BP) is a novel two-dimensional nanostructure with wide potential applications in such areas as nanoresonators and nanosensors. In this study, we concentrate on the role of the bending stiffness of the BP monolayer in its mechanical performances, including tension, compression, buckling and bending. Firstly, the stress-strain curve and Young's modulus of the single layer black phosphorus (SLBP) nanoribbon with different chiral structures are obtained in the tension process via the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Next, the loading behavior of the SLBP nanoribbon during compression is simulated via MD. It was found that the bending stiffness of the nanoribbon has an essential effect on its postbuckling behaviors, and an empirical formula is proposed which can accurately depict the postbuckling process. Eventually, the bending properties of chiral SLBP nanoribbons are explored via the MD simulation, and the modified expression of the bending stiffness can better predict its large deflection. These findings are beneficial for us to fully understand mechanical responses of BP, which hold implications in engineering new materials and devices at nanoscale.

Foxc1 and Foxc2 in the Neural Crest Are Required for Ocular Anterior Segment Development.

Purpose: The large Forkhead (Fox) transcription factor family has essential roles in development, and mutations cause a wide range of ocular and nonocular disease. One member, Foxc2 is expressed in neural crest (NC)-derived periocular mesenchymal cells of the developing murine eye; however, its precise role in the development, establishment, and maintenance of the ocular surface has yet to be investigated. Methods: To specifically delete Foxc2 from NC-derived cells, conditional knockout mice for Foxc2 (NC-Foxc2-/-) were generated by crossing Foxc2F mice with Wnt1-Cre mice. Similarly, we also generated compound NC-specific mutations of Foxc2 and a closely related gene, Foxc1 (NC-Foxc1-/-;NC-Foxc2-/-) in mice. Results: Neural crest-Foxc2-/- mice show abnormal thickness in the peripheral-to-central corneal stroma and limbus and displaced pupils with irregular iris. The neural crest-specific mutation in Foxc2 also leads to ectopic neovascularization in the cornea, as well as impaired ocular epithelial cell identity and corneal conjunctivalization. Compound, NC-specific Foxc1; Foxc2 homozygous mutant mice have more severe defects in structures of the ocular surface, such as the cornea and eyelids, accompanied by significant declines in the expression of another key developmental factor, Pitx2, and its downstream effector Dkk2, which antagonizes canonical Wnt signaling. Conclusions: The neural crest-Foxc2 mutation is associated with corneal conjunctivalization, ectopic corneal neovascularization, and disrupted ocular epithelial cell identity. Furthermore, Foxc2 and Foxc1 cooperatively function in NC-derived mesenchymal cells to ensure proper morphogenesis of the ocular surface via the regulation of Wnt signaling. Together, Foxc2 is required in the NC lineage for mesenchymal-epithelial interactions in corneal and ocular surface development.