A novel photopatternable high-k fluoropolymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride-bromotrifluoroethylene) P(VDF-BTFE), with a dielectric constant (k) between 8 and 11 is demonstrated in thin-film transistors. Crosslinking P(VDF-BTFE) reduces energetic disorder at the dielectric-semiconductor interface by controlling the chain conformations of P(VDF-BTFE), thereby leading to approximately a threefold enhancement in the charge mobility of rubrene single-crystal field-effect transistors.

We describe pH-controlled selective etching of atomic layer deposition (ALD) Al2O3 over ZnO. Film thickness as a function of etch exposure was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. We find that alkaline aqueous solutions with pH between about 9 and 12 will etch Al2O3 at useful rate with minimal attack of ZnO. Highly selective etching of Al2O3 over ZnO (selectivity >400:1) and an Al2O3 etch rate of ∼50 nm/min can be obtained using a pH 12 etch solution at 60 °C.

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freshwater storage. [6,7] Figure 1 shows the annual average monthly blue water (fresh surface water and groundwater) scarcity.Regions like Australia, central America, North China, and North Africa face the highest freshwater scarcity. Two-thirds of the global population suffers from severe freshwater scarcity at least 1 month of the year, and half a billion people worldwide face severe freshwater scarcity all year around. [8] This issue will intensify in the future due to climate change and evergrowing water consumption.The earth's climate and the terrestrial water cycle have a close and complex relationship. [9] Climate change is causing parts of the water cycle to speed up as warming temperatures increase the water evaporation rate. Scientific evidence shows that global warming is now unequivocal. [10] Greenhouse gas emissions have steeply increased, directly affecting terrestrial water budgets. For example, water decreases have already been observed in western Africa, southwestern Australia, the Yellow River basin in China, and the Pacific Northwest of the United States of America. Such decreases affect freshwater availability directly. [8,11] In addition to the negative effects of climate change on freshwater access, the higher water consumption of our world population and economic activities are causing great additional freshwater stress. For example, agriculture consumes 50-60%, industries use 5-10%, and 10-20% is used for urban purposes. [12] Further, many of these activities may lead to polluted water, decreasing the available clean and freshwater. For these reasons, the United Nations declared freshwater as one of the many global challenges that need immediate action for sustainable development. [13] Depending on the total mass of dissolved solids in water, natural water is classified into brine water (>50 g L −1 ), saline water (30-50 g L −1 ), brackish water (0.5-30 g L −1 ), and freshwater (0-0.5 g L −1 ). [14] According to the World Health Organization, drinkable water should contain <0.25 g L −1 of salt, and the limitation on agriculture irrigation is 2 g L −1 . [15,16] There is a need to obtain freshwater by leveraging the tremendous amount of non-fresh water that can be made useable. This can be done by extracting undesirable ions from existing water in a desalination process. This process needs to be energy-efficient and cheap for sustainability and affordability. Water desalination is a promising and practical approach to maintaining an adequate potable water supply. [17,18] Capacitive deionization (CDI) is burgeoning as a cost-effective and energy-efficient