To improve the efficiency of perovskite solar cells, careful device design and tailored interface engineering are needed to enhance optoelectronic properties and the charge extraction process at the ...selective electrodes. Here, we use two-dimensional transition metal carbides (MXene Ti
C
T
) with various termination groups (T
) to tune the work function (WF) of the perovskite absorber and the TiO
electron transport layer (ETL), and to engineer the perovskite/ETL interface. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations show that the addition of Ti
C
T
to halide perovskite and TiO
layers permits the tuning of the materials' WFs without affecting other electronic properties. Moreover, the dipole induced by the Ti
C
T
at the perovskite/ETL interface can be used to change the band alignment between these layers. The combined action of WF tuning and interface engineering can lead to substantial performance improvements in MXene-modified perovskite solar cells, as shown by the 26% increase of power conversion efficiency and hysteresis reduction with respect to reference cells without MXene.
The construction industry makes a significant contribution to global CO
emissions. Material extraction, processing, and demolition account for most of its environmental impact. As a response, there ...is an increasing interest in developing and implementing innovative biomaterials that support a circular economy, such as mycelium-based composites. The mycelium is the network of hyphae of fungi. Mycelium-based composites are renewable and biodegradable biomaterials obtained by ceasing mycelial growth on organic substrates, including agricultural waste. Cultivating mycelium-based composites within molds, however, is often wasteful, especially if molds are not reusable or recyclable. Shaping mycelium-based composites using 3D printing can minimize mold waste while allowing intricate forms to be fabricated. In this research, we explore the use of waste cardboard as a substrate for cultivating mycelium-based composites and the development of extrudable mixtures and workflows for 3D-printing mycelium-based components. In this paper, existing research on the use of mycelium-based material in recent 3D printing efforts was reviewed. This review is followed by the
experiments that we conducted, and we focus on the main challenges that we faced (i.e., contamination) and the ways in which we addressed them. The results of this research demonstrate the feasibility of using waste cardboard as a substrate for cultivating mycelia and the potential for developing extrudable mixtures and workflows for 3D-printing mycelium-based components.
Aims
To investigate characterization of the bacterial community composition and functionality and their impact on substrate biodegradation as well as mushroom yield.
Methods and Results
Bacterial ...diversity, composition and functionality were accessed by DNA‐derived analysis for a sugarcane straw‐based substrate composted for either 5, 10 or 15 days. In addition, carbon and nitrogen losses, carbohydrate conversion and mushroom yields were measured for the different treatments. Changes were observed in the bacterial community diversity and composition after the process started, but not during the composting process itself. Following phase I, Acinetobacter sequences were recovered in high numbers, and selected genes associated with nitrogen metabolism and lignocellulose deconstruction were mapped. Substrate physicochemical composition showed elevated carbon and nitrogen losses after 10 and 15 days of phase I with reductions in mushroom yield.
Conclusions
Acinetobacter species appear to play an important role in substrate degradation processes, and a 5‐day phase I period showed a significant higher mushroom yield compared to composting for either 10 or 15 days.
Significance and Impact of the Study
This study confers a better understanding of the bacterial community manipulation during the substrate preparation and their influence in substrate selectivity for the Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation.
Artificial lighting, primarily employed in crop production, can also be applied to the cultivation of edible mushrooms to enhance productivity and quality. While UV radiation has predominantly been ...investigated in post-harvest treatments for edible mushrooms, the utilization of different light wavelengths during the cultivation phase remains largely unexplored for many mushroom species. This study aimed to assess the impact of three different light wavelengths 450 nm (B), 610 nm (R), and a combination of these two wavelengths (R + B) on the productive characteristics and quality of Pleurotus ostreatus, cultivated using three straw-based commercial substrates. It was observed that, except for yield, artificial light influenced mushroom growth. Specifically, the application of R light appeared to promote mycelium growth, whereas B light contributed to increase the diameter of fruiting bodies. Additionally, the concentration of vitamin D2 was higher under both B and R+B light treatments. Interestingly, the light treatments did not affect yield but impacted diameter and various chemical attributes such as EC, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity. In conclusion, exposure to different lighting affected Pleurotus ostreatus physiology and nutritional content.
Statistical indium fluctuations in InGaN alloys have been demonstrated to induce spatial localization of carriers. This phenomenon has a strong influence on the behavior of InGaN based light emitting ...diodes and it is further exacerbated by the presence of compositional non-uniformities. In the present work, we theoretically characterize non-uniform InGaN alloys, taking into account the impact of indium clustering on the electronic and optical properties of the material. The assumption of a non-uniform indium distribution within the bulk structure results in a reduction of the band gap energy and a broadening of the absorption edge with respect to the uniform random alloy configuration, in agreement with the experimental results found in literature. Moreover, we find that it is crucial to consider the presence of compositional non-uniformity in order to derive a theoretical description that is consistent with the outcomes of the experimental studies, especially when the indium content exceeds 10%. Such an effect suggests that a growing indium concentration yields an increment in the amount of indium clustering. Finally, we use the Getis-Ord statistics in order to derive the characteristic localization length of the carriers. This is an original application of this method, usually employed in geospatial analysis.
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