The immense potential of colossal permittivity (CP) materials for use in modern microelectronics as well as for high-energy-density storage applications has propelled much recent research and development. Despite the discovery of several new classes of CP materials, the development of such materials with the required high performance is still a highly challenging task. Here, we propose a new electron-pinned, defect-dipole route to ideal CP behaviour, where hopping electrons are localized by designated lattice defect states to generate giant defect-dipoles and result in high-performance CP materials. We present a concrete example, (Nb+In) co-doped TiO₂ rutile, that exhibits a largely temperature- and frequency-independent colossal permittivity (> 10(4)) as well as a low dielectric loss (mostly < 0.05) over a very broad temperature range from 80 to 450 K. A systematic defect analysis coupled with density functional theory modelling suggests that 'triangular' In₂(3+)Vo(••)Ti(3+) and 'diamond' shaped Nb₂(5+)Ti(3+)A(Ti) (A = Ti(3+)/In(3+)/Ti(4+)) defect complexes are strongly correlated, giving rise to large defect-dipole clusters containing highly localized electrons that are together responsible for the excellent CP properties observed in co-doped TiO₂. This combined experimental and theoretical work opens up a promising feasible route to the systematic development of new high-performance CP materials via defect engineering.

Nb+Al) codoped rutile TiO 2 ceramics with nominal composition Ti 4+ 0.995 Nb 5+ 0.005y Al 3+ 0.005z O 2 , z = (4−5y)/3 and y = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and Ti 4+ 0.90 Nb 5+ 0.05 Al 3+ 0.05 O 2 have been synthesized. The resultant samples in ceramic pellet form exhibit a colossal dielectric permittivity (>∼10 4 ) with an acceptably low dielectric loss (∼10 −1 ) after optimization of the processing conditions. It is found that a conventional surface barrier layer capacitor (SBLC) effect, while it contributes significantly to the observed colossal permittivity, is not the dominant effect. Rather, there exists a subtle chemical compositional gradient inward from the pellet surface, involving the concentration of Ti 3+ cations gradually increasing from zero at the surface without the introduction of any charge compensating oxygen vacancies. Instead, well-defined G r ± 1 / 3 [011]* satellite reflections with the modulation wave-vector q = 1 / 3 [011] r * and sharp diffuse streaking running along the G r ± ε[011]* direction from electron diffraction suggest that the induced additional metal ions appear to be digested by a locally intergrown, intermediate, metal ion rich structure. This gradient in local chemical composition exists on a scale up to ∼ submillimeters, significantly affecting the overall dielectric properties. This work suggests that such a controllable surface compositional gradient is an alternative method to tailor the desired dielectric performance.

No abstract

Phytoplankton-bacteria interactions drive the surface ocean sulfur cycle and local climatic processes through the production and exchange of a key compound: dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Despite their large-scale implications, these interactions remain unquantified at the cellular-scale. Here we use secondary-ion mass spectrometry to provide the first visualization of DMSP at sub-cellular levels, tracking the fate of a stable sulfur isotope (34S) from its incorporation by microalgae as inorganic sulfate to its biosynthesis and exudation as DMSP, and finally its uptake and degradation by bacteria. Our results identify for the first time the storage locations of DMSP in microalgae, with high enrichments present in vacuoles, cytoplasm and chloroplasts. In addition, we quantify DMSP incorporation at the single-cell level, with DMSP-degrading bacteria containing seven times more 34S than the control strain. This study provides an unprecedented methodology to label, retain, and image small diffusible molecules, which can be transposable to other symbiotic systems.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23008.001

No abstract