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At least 19 records

Ultrafast Carrier Self-Trapping Driven by Strong Exciton–Phonon Coupling in 2D MA 3 Bi 2 I 6 Cl 3 Perovskite

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid bismuth halide perovskites have emerged as promising lead-free materials for optoelectronic applications due to their solution processability and tunable structures. Here, in this study, we investigate 2D layered hybrid perovskite MA 3 Bi 2 I 6 Cl 3 using temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Our results reveal strong coupling between excitons and phonons, evidenced by giant Huang–Rhys factors, coherent phonon oscillations, and ultrafast carrier self-trapping into small-polaron and self-trapped exciton (STE) states. These processes appear as time-dependent ground-state bleach and photoinduced absorption features, highlighting the influence of the lattice in carrier dynamics. Wavelength- and time-resolved measurements reveal that PL emission is dominated by STEs, while free exciton emission is weak and short-lived. By comparing 2D MA 3 Bi 2 I 6 Cl 3 with 0D MA 3 Bi 2 I 9 , which contains molecularly isolated [BiI 6 ] 3− octahedra and 2D MA 3 Bi 2 Br 9 perovskites, we demonstrate how halide composition and structural dimensionality influence the balance between free exciton populations and carrier localization. These insights uncover the intrinsic kinetic landscape of photoexcited states in MA 3 Bi 2 I 6 Cl 3 . Overall, our study contributes to a mechanistic understanding of exciton–phonon interactions in lead-free 2D perovskites.

Pradeep, Kodimana Ramakrishnan [Northwestern Univ.↗

Prebiotic properties of Bacillus coagulans MA-13: production of galactoside hydrolyzing enzymes and characterization of the transglycosylation properties of a GH42 β-galactosidase

The spore-forming lactic acid bacterium Bacillus coagulans MA-13 has been isolated from canned beans manufacturing and successfully employed for the sustainable production of lactic acid from lignocellulosic biomass. Among lactic acid bacteria, B. coagulans strains are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for human consumption. Low-cost microbial production of industrially valuable products such as lactic acid and various enzymes devoted to the hydrolysis of oligosaccharides and lactose, is of great importance to the food industry. Specifically, α- and β-galactosidases are attractive for their ability to hydrolyze not-digestible galactosides present in the food matrix as well as in the human gastrointestinal tract. In this work we have explored the potential of B. coagulans MA-13 as a source of metabolites and enzymes to improve the digestibility and the nutritional value of food. A combination of mass spectrometry analysis with conventional biochemical approaches has been employed to unveil the intra- and extra- cellular glycosyl hydrolase (GH) repertoire of B. coagulans MA-13 under diverse growth conditions. The highest enzymatic activity was detected on β-1,4 and α-1,6-glycosidic linkages and the enzymes responsible for these activities were unambiguously identified as β-galactosidase (GH42) and α-galactosidase (GH36), respectively. Whilst the former has been found only in the cytosol, the latter is localized also extracellularly. The export of this enzyme may occur through a not yet identified secretion mechanism, since a typical signal peptide is missing in the α-galactosidase sequence. A full biochemical characterization of the recombinant β-galactosidase has been carried out and the ability of this enzyme to perform homo- and hetero-condensation reactions to produce galacto-oligosaccharides, has been demonstrated. Probiotics which are safe for human use and are capable of producing high levels of both α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase are of great importance to the food industry. In this work we have proven the ability of B. coagulans MA-13 to over-produce these two enzymes thus paving the way for its potential use in treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Reassessing energy deposition for the ITER 5 MA vertical displacement event with an improved DINA model

The beryllium (Be) main chamber wall interaction during a 5 MA/1.8 T upward, unmitigated VDE scenario, first analysed in [J. Coburn et al., Phys. Scr. T171 (2020) 014076] for ITER, has been re-evaluated using the latest energy deposition analysis software. Updates to the DINA disruption model are summarized, including an improved numerical convergence for the 0D power balance, limitations on the safety factor within the plasma core, and the choice to maintain a constant plasma +halo poloidal cross-section. Such updates result in a broad halo region and higher radiated power fractions compared to previous models. The new scenario lasts for ~75 ms and deposits ~29 MJ of energy, with the radial distribution of parallel heat flux q‖(r)resembling an exponential falloff with an effective λ_q=75-198 mm. A maximum halo width w_h of 0.52 m at the outboard midplane is observed. SMITER field line tracing and energy deposition simulations calculate a q_{⊥,max} of ~83 MW/m^2 on the upper first wall panels (FWP). Heat transfer calculations with the MEMOS-U code show that the FWP surface temperature reaches ~1000 K, well below the Be melt threshold. Variations of this 5 MA scenario with Be im-purity densities from 0 to 3∙10^19 m^-3 also remain below the melt threshold despite differences in energy deposition and duration. These results are in contrast to the early study which predicted melt damage to the first wall [J. Coburn et al., Phys. Scr. T171 (2020) 014076], and emphasize the importance of accurate models for the halo width w_h and the heat flux distribution q‖(r)within that halo width. The 2020 halo model in DINA has been compared with halo current experiments on COMPASS, JET, and Alcator C-Mod, and the preliminary results build confidence in the broad halo width predictions. Results for the 5 MA VDE are compared with those for a 15 MA equivalent, generated using the new DINA model. At the higher current, significant melting of the upper FWP is to be expected.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Additively manufactured electrodes for plasma and power-flow studies in high-power transmission lines on the 1-MA MAIZE facility

Power-flow studies on the 30-MA, 100-ns Z facility at Sandia National Laboratories have shown that plasmas in the facility’s magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITLs) and double post-hole convolute can result in a loss of current delivered to the load. To study power-flow physics on the 1-MA, 100-ns MAIZE facility at the University of Michigan, planar MITL loads and planar post-hole convolute loads have been developed that extend into the lines of sight for various imaging diagnostics on MAIZE. These loads use 3D-printed dielectric support structures lined with thin foils of either aluminum or stainless steel. Here, the metal foils serve as the current-carrying power-flow surfaces, which generate plasma during the current pulse. The foil thickness (50 µm) and widths (11.5–16 mm) are selected to ensure a sufficient linear current density (0.5–0.7 MA/cm) for plasma formation. Laser backlighting (532 nm) and visible-light self-emission imaging capture the overall plasma evolution in the anode–cathode gaps, including the gap closure velocities (1–4 cm/μs).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

C6 Hydroxymethyl-Substituted Carbapenem MA-1-206 Inhibits the Major Acinetobacter baumannii Carbapenemase OXA-23 by Impeding Deacylation

Acinetobacter baumannii has become a major nosocomial pathogen, as it is often multidrug-resistant, which results in infections characterized by high mortality rates. The bacterium achieves high levels of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics by producing β-lactamases, enzymes which destroy these valuable agents. Historically, the carbapenem family of b-lactam antibiotics have been the drugs of choice for treating A. baumannii infections. However, their effectiveness has been significantly diminished due to the pathogen’s production of carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs); thus, new antibiotics and inhibitors of these enzymes are urgently needed. Here, we describe a new carbapenem antibiotic, MA-1-206, in which the canonical C6 hydroxyethyl group has been replaced with hydroxymethyl. The antimicrobial susceptibility studies presented here demonstrated that this compound is more potent than meropenem and imipenem against A. baumannii producing OXA-23, the most prevalent CHDL of this pathogen, and also against strains producing the CHDL OXA-24/40 and the class B metallo-β-lactamase VIM-2. Our kinetic and mass spectrometry studies revealed that this drug is a reversible inhibitor of OXA-23, where inhibition takes place through a branched pathway. X-ray crystallographic studies, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations of the OXA-23-MA-1-206 complex show that the C6 hydroxymethyl group forms a hydrogen bond with the carboxylated catalytic lysine of OXA-23, effectively preventing deacylation. These results provide a promising strategy for designing a new generation of CHDL-resistant carbapenems to restore their efficacy against deadly A. baumannii infections. Carbapenem antibiotics are the drugs of choice for treatment of deadly infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. However, their efficacy is severely compromised by the wide spread of carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs). The importance of this research is the discovery that substitution of the canonical hydroxyethyl group of carbapenems by a hydroxymethyl significantly enhances stability against inactivation by the major CHDL of Acinetobacter baumannii, OXA-23. These results provide a novel strategy for designing next-generation, carbapenemase-stable carbapenems to fight multidrug-resistant infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

15-minute Parker River gap-filled tide height and salinity data, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA (2014–2023), for ELM PFLOTRAN modeling

This dataset contains 15-minute tide height and salinity data from the Typha site along the Parker River, part of the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (PIE LTER) site in Plum Island Sound, Massachusetts (MA) 2014-2023. Tide height (in NAVD88) was compiled from measurements conducted at the mouth of Plum Island Sound and corrected for time lags. Gap-filling of missing periods were done by fitting tidal constituents to the time series. Salinity was measured (and is stored on ESS DIVE ) in 2022 and 2023 using HOBO U24-002 conductivity loggers. River discharge is the most important control on tidal river water salinity at the location (Vallino & Hopkinson, 1998). An artificial neural network was trained to predict river water salinity at the location using Parker River discharge (USGS station 01101000, Parker River at Byfield, MA) and gap-filled salinity observations from a long-term monitoring station ca. 3km downstream from the Typha site (LTER station ‘Middle Road’) as input variables to create continuous time series information. The data set was used in the spin up and simulations of a land surface model coupled to a biogeochemical reaction network (ELM PFLOTRAN) assessing impacts of hydrology and salinity input on methane fluxes in 2022 and 2023 (Sulman et al., 2024). Metadata files ELMPFLOTRAN_tide_salinity_dd.csv and ELMPFLOTRAN_tide_salinity_flmd.csv provide details on site location, data variables, and QA/QC methods .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Variable Temperature Behaviour of the Hybrid Double Perovskite MA 2 KBiCl 6

Perovskite-related materials show very promising properties in many fields. Pb-free perovskites are particularly interesting, because of the toxicity of Pb. In this study, hybrid double perovskite MA 2 KBiCl 6 (MA = methylammonium cation) was found to have interesting variable temperature behaviours. Both variable temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction, synchrotron powder diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy were conducted to reveal a rhombohedral to cubic phase transition at around 330 K and an order to disorder transition for inorganic cage below 210 K.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Combined Precursor Engineering and Grain Anchoring Leading to MA-Free, Phase-Pure, and Stable α-Formamidinium Lead Iodide Perovskites for Efficient Solar Cells

a-Formamidinium lead iodide (a-FAPbI 3 ) is one of the most promising candidate materials for high-efficiency and thermally stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its outstanding optoelectrical properties and high thermal stability. However, achieving a stable form of a-FAPbI 3 where both the composition and the phase are pure is very challenging. In this work, we report on a combined strategy of precursor engineering and grain anchoring to successfully prepare methylammonium (MA)-free and phase-pure stable a-FAPbI 3 films. The incorporation of volatile FA-based additives in the precursor solutions completely suppresses the formation of non-perovskite d-FAPbI 3 during film crystallization. Grains of the desired a-phase are anchored together and stabilized when 4-tert-butylbenzylammonium iodide is permeated into the a-FAPbI 3 film interior via grain boundaries. This cooperative scheme leads to a significantly increased efficiency close to 21% for FAPbI 3 perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the stabilized PSCs exhibit improved thermal stability and maintained ~90 % of their initial efficiency after storage at 50 degrees C for over 1600 hours.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Combined Precursor Engineering and Grain Anchoring Leading to MA‐Free, Phase‐Pure, and Stable α‐Formamidinium Lead Iodide Perovskites for Efficient Solar Cells

Abstract α‐Formamidinium lead iodide (α‐FAPbI 3 ) is one of the most promising candidate materials for high‐efficiency and thermally stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its outstanding optoelectrical properties and high thermal stability. However, achieving a stable form of α‐FAPbI 3 where both the composition and the phase are pure is very challenging. Herein, we report on a combined strategy of precursor engineering and grain anchoring to successfully prepare methylammonium (MA)‐free and phase‐pure stable α‐FAPbI 3 films. The incorporation of volatile FA‐based additives in the precursor solutions completely suppresses the formation of non‐perovskite δ‐FAPbI 3 during film crystallization. Grains of the desired α‐phase are anchored together and stabilized when 4‐ tert ‐butylbenzylammonium iodide is permeated into the α‐FAPbI 3 film interior via grain boundaries. This cooperative scheme leads to a significantly increased efficiency close to 21 % for FAPbI 3 perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the stabilized PSCs exhibit improved thermal stability and maintained ≈90 % of their initial efficiency after storage at 50 °C for over 1600 hours.

Ling, Xufeng↗

Genomes of eight cultured microbes from soil sites in Wellesley, MA

We present the genomes of eight cultured microbes isolated from surface soil in Wellesley, MA. The dataset is useful for exploring genomic diversity among freshwater taxa including Pedobacter, Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Streptomyces, and Flavobacterium.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Methyl α‐D‐galactopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐galactopyranoside and methyl β‐D‐galactopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐galactopyranoside: Glycosidic linkage conformation determined from MA'AT analysis

Abstract MA'ATanalysis has been applied to two biologically‐importantO‐glycosidic linkages in two disaccharides, α‐D‐Galp‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐GalpOMe (3) and β‐D‐Galp‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐GalpOMe (4). Using density functional theory (DFT) to obtain parameterized equations relating a group of trans‐O‐glycosidic NMR spin‐couplings to eitherphi(ϕ') orpsi(ψ'), and experimental 3 J COCH , 2 J COC , and 3 J COCC spin‐couplings measured in aqueous solution in 13 C‐labeled isotopomers, probability distributions ofϕ'andψ'in each linkage were determined and compared to those determined by aqueous 1‐μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Good agreement was found between theMA'ATand single‐state MD conformational models of these linkages for the most part, with modest (approximately <15°) differences in the mean values ofϕ'andψ', although the envelope of allowed angles (encoded in circular standard deviations or CSDs) is consistently larger forϕ'determined fromMA'ATanalysis than from MD for both linkages. TheMA'ATmodel of the α‐Galp‐(1→3)‐β‐Galplinkage agrees well with those determined previously using conventional NMR methods ( 3 J COCH values and/or 1 H‐ 1 H NOEs), but some discrepancy was observed for the β‐Galp‐(1→3)‐β‐Galplinkage, which may arise from errors in the conventions used to describe the linkage torsion angles. Statistical analyses of X‐ray crystal structures show ranges ofϕ'andψ'for both linkages that include the mean angles determined fromMA'ATanalyses, although both angles adopt a wide range of values in the crystalline state, withϕ'in β‐Galp‐(1→3)‐β‐Galplinkages showing greater‐than‐expected conformational variability.

Chemistry↗

Determining the electrical conductivity of metals using the 2 MA Thor pulsed power driver

We present the development of a pulsed power experimental technique to infer the electrical conductivity of metals from ambient to high energy density conditions. The method is implemented on Thor, a moderate scale (1–2 MA) pulsed power driver. The electrical conductivity of copper at elevated temperature (>4000 K) and pressure (>10 GPa) is determined, and a new tabular material model is developed, guided by density functional theory, which preserves agreement with existing experimental data. Minor modifications (<10%) are found to be necessary to the previous Lee–More–Desjarlais model isotherms in the vicinity of the melt transition in order to account for observed discrepancies with the new experimental data. An analytical model for magnetic direct drive flyer acceleration and Joule heating induced vaporization based on the Tsiolkovsky “rocket equation” is presented to assess sensitivity of the method to minor changes in electrical conductivity.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗