Unveiling the charge storage mechanism of vanadium nitride to defy the limits of on-chip micro-supercapacitors.

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Catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of fuel oil has received much attention. For this, the synthesis of highly efficient ODS catalyst has been strongly pursued. Polyoxometalates (POMs) as active centers have...

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In this work, we report on the synthesis of ethyl lactate-based plasma polymer film (ELPPF) by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). Using a design of experiments, it appears that, among other, the injected power (P RF ) is the key parameter affecting the ELPPF features. Indeed, we observe a strong decrease of the COO-C/H functionalities (from 12 to 2 at.%) within a limited P RF domain. A more precise analysis of the film chemistry by combining XPS and chemical derivatization reveals that up to 95% of these carboxyl-based functions are esters. On the other hand, we show that the cross-linking degree of the ELPPF can be increased by a factor of two as a function of P RF . This work paves the way for the tailoring of the barrier properties of ELPPF by controlling the ester content and the cross-linking degree of the PPF.

Glacial episodes have been linked to Ordovician–Silurian extinction events, but cooling itself may not be solely responsible for these extinctions. Teratological (malformed) assemblages of fossil plankton that correlate precisely with the extinction events can help identify alternate drivers of extinction. Here we show that metal poisoning may have caused these aberrant morphologies during a late Silurian (Pridoli) event. Malformations coincide with a dramatic increase of metals (Fe, Mo, Pb, Mn and As) in the fossils and their host rocks. Metallic toxins are known to cause a teratological response in modern organisms, which is now routinely used as a proxy to assess oceanic metal contamination. Similarly, our study identifies metal-induced teratology as a deep-time, palaeobiological monitor of palaeo-ocean chemistry. The redox-sensitive character of enriched metals supports emerging ‘oceanic anoxic event' models. Our data suggest that spreading anoxia and redox cycling of harmful metals was a contributing kill mechanism during these devastating Ordovician–Silurian palaeobiological events.

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