Multilevel Conductance States of Vapor-Transport-Deposited Sb2S3 Memristors Achieved via Electrical and Optical Modulation.

The pursuit of advanced brain-inspired electronic devices and memory technologies has led to explore novel materials by processing multimodal and multilevel tailored conductive properties as the next generation of semiconductor platforms, due to von Neumann architecture limits. Among such materials, antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) thin films exhibit outstanding optical and electronic properties, and therefore, they are ideal for applications such as thin-film solar cells and nonvolatile memory systems. This study investigates the conduction modulation and memory functionalities of Sb2S3 thin films deposited via the vapor transport deposition technique. Experimental results indicate that the Ag/Sb2S3/Pt device possesses properties suitable for memory applications, including low operational voltages, robust endurance, and reliable switching behavior. Further, the reproducibility and stability of these properties across different device batches validate the reliability of these devices for practical implementation. Moreover, Sb2S3-based memristors exhibit artificial neuroplasticity with prolonged stability, promising considerable advancements in neuromorphic computing. Leveraging the photosensitivity of Sb2S3 enables the Ag/Sb2S3/Pt device to exhibit significant low operating potential and conductivity modulation under optical stimulation for memory applications. This research highlights the potential applications of Sb2S3 in future memory devices and optoelectronics and in shaping electronics with versatility.

Organically surface engineered mesoporous silica nanoparticles control the release of quercetin by pH stimuli.

Controlling the premature release of hydrophobic drugs like quercetin over physiological conditions remains a challenge motivating the development of smart and responsive drug carriers in recent years. This present work reported a surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) by a functional compound having both amines (as a positively charged group) and carboxylic (negatively charged group), namely 4-((2-aminoethyl)amino)-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid (AmEA) prepared via simple mechanochemistry approach. The impact of MSN surface modification on physical, textural, and morphological features was evaluated by TGA, N2 adsorption-desorption, PSA-zeta, SEM, and TEM. The BET surface area of AmEA-modified MSN (MSN-AmEA) was found to be 858.41 m2 g-1 with a pore size of 2.69 nm which could accommodate a high concentration of quercetin 118% higher than MSN. In addition, the colloidal stability of MSN-AmEA was greatly improved as indicated by high zeta potential especially at pH 4 compared to MSN. In contrast to MSN, MSN-AmEA has better in controlling quercetin release triggered by pH, thanks to the presence of the functional groups that have a pose-sensitive interaction hence it may fully control the quercetin release, as elaborated by the DFT study. Therefore, the controlled release of quercetin over MSN-AmEA verified its capability of acting as a smart drug delivery system.