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Abstract In June 2020, the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Basin were affected by a series of African dust outbreaks unprecedented in size and intensity. These events, informally named “Godzilla”, coincided with CALIMA, a large field campaign, offering a rare opportunity to assess the impact of African dust on air quality in the Greater Caribbean Basin. Network measurements of respirable particles (i.e., PM₁₀and PM_2.5) showed that dust significantly degraded regional air quality and increased the risk to public health in the Caribbean, the southern United States, northern South America, and Central America. CALIMA examined the meteorological context of Godzilla dust events over North Africa and how these conditions might relate to the greatly increased dust emissions and enhanced transport to the Americas. Godzilla was linked to strong pressure anomalies over West Africa, resulting in a large-scale geostrophic wind anomaly at 700 hPa over North Africa. We used surface-based and columnar measurements to test the performance of two frequently used aerosol forecast models: the NASA GEOS and WRF-Chem models. The models showed some skills, but differed substantially between their forecasts, suggesting large uncertainties in these forecasts that are critical for issuing early warnings of health-threatening dust events. Our results demonstrate the value of an integrated approach in characterizing the spatial and temporal variability of African dust transport and assessing its impact on regional air quality. Future studies are needed to improve models and to track the long-term changes in dust transport from Africa under a changing climate. 

The title compound, C 7 H 3 F 5 INS, a pentafluorosulfanyl (SF 5 ) containing arene, was synthesized from 4-(pentafluorosulfanyl)benzonitrile and lithium tetramethylpiperidide following a variation to the standard approach, which features simple and mild conditions that allow direct access to tri-substituted SF 5 intermediates that have not been demonstrated using previous methods. The molecule displays a planar geometry with the benzene ring in the same plane as its three substituents. It lies on a mirror plane perpendicular to [010] with the iodo, cyano, and the sulfur and axial fluorine atoms of the pentafluorosulfanyl substituent in the plane of the molecule. The equatorial F atoms have symmetry-related counterparts generated by the mirror plane. The pentafluorosulfanyl group exhibits a staggered fashion relative to the ring and the two hydrogen atoms ortho to the substituent. S—F bond lengths of the pentafluorosulfanyl group are unequal: the equatorial bond facing the iodo moiety has a longer distance [1.572 (3) Å] and wider angle compared to that facing the side of the molecules with two hydrogen atoms [1.561 (4) Å]. As expected, the axial S—F bond is the longest [1.582 (5) Å]. In the crystal, in-plane C—H...F and N...I interactions as well as out-of-plane F...C interactions are observed. According to the Hirshfeld analysis, the principal intermolecular contacts for the title compound are F...H (29.4%), F...I (15.8%), F...N (11.4%), F...F (6.0%), N...I (5.6%) and F...C (4.5%). 

Abstract Electrical control of atom‐thick van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets is a key toward future magnetoelectric nanodevices; however, state‐of‐the‐art control approaches are volatile. In this work, introducing ferroelectric switching as an aided layer is demonstrated to be an effective approach toward achieving nonvolatile electrical control of 2D ferromagnets. For example, when a ferromagnetic monolayer CrI₃and ferroelectric MXene Sc₂CO₂come together into multiferroic heterostructures, CrI₃is controlled by polarized states P↑ and P↓ of Sc₂CO₂. P↑ Sc₂CO₂does not change the semiconducting nature of CrI₃, but surprisingly P↓ Sc₂CO₂makes CrI₃half‐metallic. Nonvolatility of the electrical switching between two oppositely ferroelectric polarized states, therefore, indirectly enables nonvolatile electrical control of CrI₃between ferromagnetic semiconductor and half‐metal. The heterointerface‐induced half‐metallicity in CrI₃is intrinsic without resorting to any chemical functionalization or external physical modification, which is rather beneficial to the practical application. This work paves the way for nonvolatile electrical control of 2D vdW ferromagnets and applications of CrI₃in half‐metal‐based nanospintronics. 

Abstract The development of low‐cost and efficient electrocatalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) at ambient conditions is crucial for NH₃synthesis and provides an alternative to the traditional Harber‐Bosch process. Herein, by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations, the catalytic performance of a series of single metal atoms supported on graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C₃N₄) for NRR is evaluated. Among all the candidates, the Gibbs free energy change of the potential‐determining step for five single‐atom catalysts (SACs), namely Ti, Co, Mo, W, and Pt atoms supported on g‐C₃N₄monolayer, is lower than that on the Ru(0001) stepped surface. In particular, the single tungsten (W) atom anchored on g‐C₃N₄(W@g‐C₃N₄) exhibits the highest catalytic activity toward NRR with a limiting potential of −0.35 V via associative enzymatic pathway, and can well suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. The high NRR activity and selectivity of W@g‐C₃N₄are attributed to its inherent properties, such as significant positive charge and large spin moment on the W atom, excellent electrical conductivity, and moderate adsorption strength with NRR intermediates. This work opens up a new avenue of N₂reduction for renewable energy supplies and helps guide future development of single‐atom catalysts for NRR and other related electrochemical process. 

Different materials are studied for environmental gas sensors as well as photodetection prototypes. A ZnO/MoS2 p-n junction was synthetized to act as a multifunctional sensor prototype. After the ZnO was prepared on a silicon substrate by using DC sputtering at room temperature, molybdenum disulfide layers were spin-coated on a nanostructured zinc oxide flake-shaped surface to form an active layer. The heterostructure’s composite surface was examined using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersed X-ray, and Raman spectroscopy. Responses to light frequencies, light intensities, and gas chemical tracing were characterized, revealing an enhanced multifunctional performance of the prototype. Characterizations of light-induced photocurrents indicted that the obtained response strength (photocurrent/illumination light power) was up to 0.01 A/W, and the response time was less than 5 ms. In contrast, the gas-sensing measurements showed that its response strength (variation in resistance/original resistance) was up to 3.7% and the response time was down to 150 s when the prototype was exposed to ammonia gas, with the concentration down to 168 ppm. The fabricated prototype appears to have high stability and reproducibility, quick response and recovery times, as well as a high signal-to-noise ratio. 

The development of alga-based biodegradable membranes represents a significant advancement in fuel cell technology, aligning with the need for sustainable material solutions. In a significant advancement for sustainable energy technologies, we have developed a novel biodegradable κ-carrageenan (KC) and boron nitride (BN) nanoparticle membrane, optimized with ammonium sulfate (NHS). This study employed a set of characterization techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), where thermal anomalies were observed in the membranes around 160 °C and 300 °C as products of chemical decomposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed the phases corresponding to the different precursors, whose value in the EDS measurements reached a maximum in the KC/BN/NHS5% membrane at 2.31 keV. In terms of the mechanical properties (MPs), a maximum tensile stress value of 10.96 MPa was achieved for the KC/BN sample. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the physicochemical properties of the membranes were evaluated. Our findings reveal that the KC/BN/NHS1% membrane achieves an exceptional ionic conductivity of 7.82 × 10−5 S/cm, as determined by impedance spectroscopy (IS). The properties of the developed membrane composite suggest possible broader applications in areas such as sensor technology, water purification, and ecologically responsive packaging. This underscores the role of nanotechnology in enhancing the functional versatility and sustainability of energy materials, propelling the development of green technology solutions. 

This study presents the fabrication and characterization of highly selective, room-temperature gas sensors based on ternary zinc oxide–molybdenum disulfide–titanium dioxide (ZnO-MoS2-TiO2) nanoheterostructures. Integrating two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 with oxide nano materials synergistically combines their unique properties, significantly enhancing gas sensing performance. Comprehensive structural and chemical analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confirmed the successful synthesis and composition of the ternary nanoheterostructures. The sensors demonstrated excellent selectivity in detecting low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) among target gases such as ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) at room temperature, achieving up to 58% sensitivity at 4 ppm and 6% at 0.1 ppm for NO2. The prototypes demonstrated outstanding selectivity and a short response time of approximately 0.51 min. The impact of light-assisted enhancement was examined under 1 mW/cm2 weak ultraviolet (UV), blue, yellow, and red light-emitting diode (LED) illuminations, with the blue LED proving to deliver the highest sensor responsiveness. These results position ternary ZnO-MoS2-TiO2 nanoheterostructures as highly sensitive and selective room-temperature NO2 gas sensors that are suitable for applications in environmental monitoring, public health, and industrial processes. 

The significance of 1D and 2D nanomaterials in sensor technology lies in their unique properties and the potential for high-performance sensing [...] 

Coastal wetlands, vital for ecological diversity, have been significantly altered by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Caribbean. These changes have created a complex mosaic of habitats and physicochemical conditions, further stressed by climate variability and sea-level rise. This study, conducted in Las Cucharillas Natural Reserve, a tropical urban coastal wetland in Puerto Rico, aimed to determine the effects of spatiotemporal variations in phreatic levels and salinity on soil mesofauna assemblages, crucial bio-indicators of environmental change. In 2020 and 2021, soil samples were collected from five diverse habitat types during different hydroperiods. Each sample was taken under four randomly selected plant types and processed using lighted Tullgren–Berlese extractors. Phreatic level and salinity were also measured. A total of 43 families were quantified, underscoring distinct habitat differences, similarities, and overall ecosystem diversity. Moderate correlations between phreatic levels, salinity, and mesofauna richness and abundance were determined. Peak richness and abundance were quantified at shallow (−0.03 to −0.07 m) and slightly moderate (−0.12 to −0.17 m) phreatic levels where oligohaline salinity (>0.5 to 5.0 ppt) prevails. The study highlights the adaptability of mesofauna to environmental shifts and their potential as biosensors for effective coastal wetland management amid climatic and anthropogenic pressures.