The introduction of two-dimensional (2D) perovskite layers on top of three-dimensional (3D) perovskite films enhances the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the electronic effect of the spacer cation and the quality of the 2D capping layer are critical factors in achieving the required results. In this study, we compared two fluorinated salts: 4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamidine hydrochloride (4TF-BA·HCl) and 4-fluorobenzamidine hydrochloride (4F-BA·HCl) to engineer the 3D/2D perovskite films. Surprisingly, 4F-BA formed a high-performance 3D/2D heterojunction, while 4TF-BA produced an amorphous layer on the perovskite films. Our findings indicate that the balanced intramolecular charge polarization, which leads to effective hydrogen bonding, is more favorable in 4F-BA than in 4TF-BA, promoting the formation of a crystalline 2D perovskite. Nevertheless, 4TF-BA managed to improve efficiency to 24%, surpassing the control device, primarily due to the natural passivation capabilities of benzamidine. Interestingly, the devices based on 4F-BA demonstrated an efficiency exceeding 25% with greater longevity under various storage conditions compared to 4TF-BA-based and the control devices.

A comprehensive narrative review published in Translational Exercise Biomedicine, (ISSN: 2942-6812), an official partner journal of International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), sheds new light on the critical role of lipid droplets in human health and disease, and how exercise serves as a powerful modulator of their dynamics. The article, entitled “The impact of exercise on the role of lipid droplets in maintaining health: a narrative review” synthesizes current evidence on how these once-underestimated organelles contribute to various pathologies and how physical activity can counteract their detrimental effects.

A new study reveals that interview-based sighting histories can reliably estimate the relative abundance of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Chinese coastal waters. By transforming local ecological knowledge into quantitative indices, researchers found strong correlations with actual population data. This method offers an affordable and practical alternative for monitoring marine megafauna in regions where traditional surveys are limited by cost and logistics.

Researchers employed single-cell RNA sequencing to map gonadal development in a simultaneous hermaphroditic scallop Argopecten irradians. Their work revealed key cell types and interactions, elucidating communication between germ cells and accessory cells. This finding offers insights into scallop reproduction and potential applications in aquaculture.

Researchers have developed a graph-based expert system that improves the accuracy and prediction stability of automated bank reconciliation. By modelling historical transactional data as a network graph, the system can learn complex one-to-many matching scenarios that existing tools often fail to predict correctly. The findings point to more reliable automation for high-risk domains such as finance and accounting.

Professor Zaifa Shi's team at Xiamen University developed an ultra-high temperature flash vacuum pyrolysis (UT-FVP) device to form giant fullerenes from single-carbon molecules within a short time (15 s) at extremely high temperatures (∽3000 ℃). Due to the strong intermolecular forces between giant fullerene molecules and soot, traditional ultrasonic or Soxhlet extraction methods cannot separate most giant fullerenes from soot in toluene. To overcome these strong intermolecular forces, two separation techniques—mechanical grinding and sublimation—were optimized to separate the giant fullerenes from the pyrolysis products, and laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOFMS) was used for comprehensive and thorough detection. These methods extended the mass distribution of synthesized giant fullerenes to 2760 Da (greater than C₂₃₀). Notably, the separation technology can also recover giant fullerenes that have long been neglected due to incomplete separation in flame and arc discharge methods. This separation strategy has broad applicability in the synthesis of giant fullerenes, providing a new perspective for the synthesis and utilization of these carbon materials. The article was published as an open access research article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.