Improved Anisotropic Thermoelectric Behavior of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(styrenesulfonate) via Magnetophoresis

Advancements in Bio-inspired Self-Powered Wireless Sensors: Materials, Mechanisms, and Biomedical Applications

The rapid maturation of smart city ecosystems is intimately linked to advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) and self-powered sensing technologies. Central to this evolution are battery-less sensors that are critical for applications such as continuous health monitoring through blood metabolites and vital signs, the recognition of human activity for behavioral analysis, and the operational enhancement of humanoid robots. The focus on biosensors that exploit the human body for energy-spanning wearable, attachable, and implantable variants has intensified, driven by their broad applicability in areas from underwater exploration to biomedical assays and earthquake monitoring. The heart of these sensors lies in their diverse energy harvesting mechanisms, including biofuel cells, and piezoelectric, triboelectric, and pyroelectric nanogenerators. Notwithstanding the wealth of research, the literature still lacks a holistic review that integrates the design challenges and implementation intricacies of such sensors. Our review seeks to fill this gap by thoroughly evaluating energy harvesting strategies from both material and structural perspectives and assessing their roles in powering an array of sensors for myriad uses. This exploration offers a comprehensive outlook on the state of self-powered sensing devices, tackling the nuances of their deployment and highlighting their potential to revolutionize data gathering in autonomous systems. The intent of this review is to chart the current landscape and future prospects, providing a pivotal reference point for ongoing research and innovation in self-powered wireless sensing technologies.

Magnetic field induced alignment of macroradical epoxy for enhanced electrical properties

Improving the electrical performance of macroradical epoxy thermosets to surpass the semiconductor threshold requires a comprehensive understanding of the electrical charge transport mechanisms and characteristics. In this study, we investigate the electrical properties of a non-conjugated radical thermoset in a rigid, three-dimensional (3D) motif cured under an external magnetic field. The outcomes of the four-angle analysis of the synchrotron IRM beamline provide for the first time quantitative insights into the molecular orientation at the atomic-scale level. These insights, in turn, were utilized to apply Quantum Computational modeling theories and Monte Carlo simulation to study the effect of the magnetic field-induced molecular alignment on tuning electrical charge transport characteristics. The results explored the impact of radical density on forming percolation networks, showing a robust protocol for designing polymers with high electrical/thermal conductivity.

Donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) structural monomers as donor materials in polymer solar cells: a DFT/TDDFT approach

Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) are used to investigate the ground- and excited-state properties of donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) monomers based on 3,6-carbazole (CB) combined with various-conjugated benzothiazole derivatives, using B3LYP and the 6-311 G basis set. To create nine D-A-D monomers for this investigation, nine (9) distinct acceptors were inserted at the C3 and C6 positions of carbazole. The impact of various electron-donor groups on structural, electrical, and optoelectronic properties is investigated. Our technique for developing novel donor monomers provides a theoretical framework for further optimizing the photovoltaic device's electrical, optical, and efficiency features. The HOMO and LUMO energies, bandgap, excited state, exciton binding energy, open-circuit voltage (VOC) and absorption spectra were calculated. Our findings indicate that CB-TDP-CB and CB-SDP-CB monomers have an appropriate electronic structure for polymer solar cells.

Donor-Acceptor-Donor Copolymers with 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene Moiety: Electropolymerization and Effect on Optoelectronic and Electrochromic Properties

Three random copolymers PE- co -M1, PE- co -M2, and PE- co -M3 were obtained by electrochemical polymerization of donor-acceptor-donor monomers M1, M2, and M3 with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene moiety, respectively, using a 1:1 molar ratio of the corresponding monomers, to find new properties and a more effective way to control the optoelectronic properties in conjugated system. For comparison purpose, polymers P1, P2, and P3 were prepared from the corresponding monomer units M1-M3, respectively, by electrochemical polymerization. We also present efficient synthesis, characterization, and comparative density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the monomers M1-M3 and polymers P1-P3. Cyclic voltammetry, spectroelectrochemistry, and electrochromic properties of all of the polymers P1-P3 and copolymers PE- co -M1, PE- co -M2, and PE- co -M3 were carried out and a throughout comparison was made. We have shown that electrochemical copolymerization is a powerful strategy to tune the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level, band gap, and color of the copolymer. Thus, this finding clearly indicates that the copolymers show significantly different optoelectronic properties compared to their constituent polymers.