Themed collection RSC Advances Physical Chemistry year in review 2024

With the advancement of materials engineering and the coatings industry, glass with excellent self-cleaning properties has emerged as a prominent research area.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in utilizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) to enhance antimicrobial and UV protective properties in healthcare solutions.

Owing to their attractive energy density of about 8.1 kW h kg⁻¹ and specific capacity of about 2.9 A h g⁻¹, aluminum–air (Al–air) batteries have become the focus of research.

This review provides an overview of the progress & developments of PSCs, beginning with introduction to their fundamental properties & significance. It discusses the various types of PSCs, highlighting their unique attributes & performance metrics.

The adsorption of methyl acetate and methyl propanoate has been studied on a graphite surface at 28 K. TPD data show that the desorption energy of both molecules is highly coverage dependent with repulsive interactions being seen at low coverages.

The “isovitriscope” optical platform supplements standard techniques by tracking optical temperature evolution, accurately measuring onset glass transition temperature, and identifying phase change events.

Ammonia exhibits structural transitions depending on T and p, offering valuable insights into planetary science. Cubic crystal ammonia was stabilized at ambient T under atmospheric p for the first time, being a candidate of hydrogen storage medium.

This study introduces a biosensor based on liquid crystals (LC) designed to detect the Aβ-42 biomarker, commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SBAWH) is a highly promising approach for extracting water from the atmosphere thanks to its sustainability, exceptional energy efficiency, and affordability.