Nitrogen fertilizer rate not timing determines no‐till corn yield following cereal rye cover crop in northeastern United States

Abstract There is relatively low adoption of winter cover crops across the United States, despite the many ecosystem service benefits they provide, and there has been much debate about corn yield penalties following cereal cover crops such as cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.). This 12 site‐year, coordinated study across a latitudinal gradient in the northeastern United States sought to determine the interactions between cereal rye biomass and fertilizer nitrogen (N) rate and timing on no‐till corn ( Zea mays L.) yield. Total N rates, not the timing of N fertilization, significantly affected corn yields, and higher cereal rye biomass slightly increased corn yields once sufficient N was added. We conclude that if total fertilizer N rates are sufficient, the split between starter N application at planting and sidedress N fertilization does not affect yield in no‐till corn across a range of cereal rye cover crop biomass levels.

Correction to “Triethylene Glycol Substituted Diketopyrrolopyrrole‐ and Isoindigo‐Dye Based Donor–Acceptor Copolymers for Organic Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells and Transistors”

Strain Fluctuations Unlock Ferroelectricity in Wurtzites

Abstract Ferroelectrics are of practical interest for non‐volatile data storage due to their reorientable, crystallographically defined polarization. Yet efforts to integrate conventional ferroelectrics into ultrathin memories have been frustrated by film‐thickness limitations, which impede polarization reversal under low applied voltage. Wurtzite materials, including magnesium‐substituted zinc oxide (Zn,Mg)O, have been shown to exhibit scalable ferroelectricity as thin films. In this work, the origins of ferroelectricity in (Zn,Mg)O are explained, showing that large strain fluctuations emerge locally in (Zn,Mg)O and can reduce local barriers to ferroelectric switching by more than 40%. Concurrent experimental and computational evidence of these effects are provided by demonstrating polarization switching in ZnO/(Zn,Mg)O/ZnO heterostructures featuring built‐in interfacial strain gradients. These results open up an avenue to develop scalable ferroelectrics by controlling strain fluctuations atomistically.

A Strategic Approach for Enhanced p‐Type Doping of WSe 2 p‐MOSFETs Using an Atomic Oxidation Process

Abstract Doping allows precise tuning of the electronic properties in 2D materials, optimizing their performance for applications such as complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) technology. However, developing reliable p ‐type 2D semiconductors remains challenging due to intrinsic defects or unintentional n ‐type doping. This study presents robust p ‐type monolayer WSe 2 field‐effect transistors (FETs) using phase‐engineered WSe 2 /WSe y O x building blocks created via an atomic oxidation process (AOP). The findings reveal that when bilayer WSe 2 is exposed to AOP, the top layer undergoes self‐limited oxidation to WSe y O x with no detectable oxidation of the bottom layer. This result is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. This process has further been used to demonstrate a well‐controlled and fully encapsulated WSe y O x /WSe 2 /WSe y O x heterostructure, ensuring symmetrical protection and stability of the WSe 2 channel region. The surface charge transfer doping using WSe y O x provides the capability to selectively modulate the carrier concentration in a WSe 2 without altering the intrinsic properties of the channel. This non‐destructive method simplifies the fabrication of p ‐type 2D FETs with monolithic, phase‐engineered heterostructures, facilitating seamless integration into next‐generation device architectures.

Cost‐Effective Layered Oxide – Olivine Blend Cathodes for High‐Rate Pulse Power Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Sustainability and supply‐chain concerns require lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) free from critical minerals, such as nickel and cobalt. While recent advances provide encouraging signs that cobalt can be removed, the question remains how much Ni can be removed from Co‐free layered oxide cathodes before sacrificing critical performance metrics. This study highlights the effect of reducing Ni by benchmarking several Co‐free cathodes with decreasing Ni content. Keeping the energy density the same by increasing the charge voltage, cathodes below 80% Ni content exhibit worsened capacity fade due to increasing oxygen release and electrolyte decomposition. Charge transfer and diffusion kinetics are also hindered with increasing Mn content and exacerbated by resistive surface phases formed at high voltages, rendering lower‐Ni, Co‐free cathodes less competitive than high‐Ni cathodes for high energy and power applications. It is demonstrated blending layered oxide with olivine as an effective alternative to deliver energy density and cycling stability comparable to lower‐Ni cathodes with moderate charging voltages. Blending with 30 wt% olivine LiMn 0.5 Fe 0.5 PO 4 (LMFP) virtually eliminates the diffusion limitation of layered oxides at low state‐of‐charge, with enhanced pulse power characteristics rivaling the high‐Ni counterparts. Cathode blending can further reduce the overall Ni content and cost without the performance limitations of lower‐Ni, Co‐free cathodes.

Field‐Relevant Degradation Mechanisms in Metal Halide Perovskite Modules

Abstract Field testing, failure analysis, and understanding of degradation mechanisms are essential to advancing metal halide perovskite (MHP) photovoltaic (PV) technology toward commercialization. Here, we present performance data from up to 1 year of outdoor testing of MHP modules in Golden, Colorado. The module encapsulation architecture and encapsulant materials have a significant impact on module reliability, with modules containing a polyolefin elastomer (POE) in addition to a desiccated polyisobutylene (PIB) edge seal outlasting modules with only a PIB edge seal or PIB blanket. Nondestructive and destructive characterization of the field‐tested modules points to module scribes and interfaces as areas of potential mechanical weakness and chemical migration, resulting in shunt pathways and increased series resistance. Finally, indoor accelerated stress testing with light and elevated temperatures is performed, demonstrating failure with similar scribe degradation signatures as compared to the field‐tested modules. Under both outdoor testing and light and elevated temperature conditions, electrochemical corrosion between the copper electrode and the mobile iodine ions appeared dominant, with a significant progression at the scribes that is speculated to result from an interplay between the initial laser damage and joule heating from enhanced ion diffusion under bias.

Correlation of Band Bending and Ionic Losses in 1.68 eV Wide Band Gap Perovskite Solar Cells

Abstract Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising for high‐efficiency tandem applications, but their long‐term stability, particularly due to ion migration, remains a challenge. Despite progress in stabilizing PSCs, they still fall short compared to mature technologies like silicon. This study explores how different piperazinium salt treatments using iodide, chloride, tosylate, and bistriflimide anions affect the energetics, carrier dynamics, and stability of 1.68 eV bandgap PSCs. Chloride‐based treatments achieved the highest power conversion efficiency (21.5%) and open‐circuit voltage (1.28 V), correlating with stronger band bending and n‐type character at the surface. At the same time, they showed reduced long‐term stability due to increased ionic losses. Tosylate‐treated devices offered the best balance, retaining 96.4% efficiency after 1000 h (ISOS‐LC‐1I). These findings suggest that targeted surface treatments can enhance both efficiency and stability in PSCs.

Plastic Deformation of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 Single Crystals Caused by Domain Orientation Dynamics

Abstract The nanoscale mechanisms of ion deintercalation in battery cathode materials remain poorly understood, especially the relationship between crystallographic defects (dislocations, small angle grain boundaries, vacancies, etc ), device performance, and durability. In this work, operando scanning X‐ray diffraction microscopy (SXDM) and multi‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (MCXD) are used to investigate microstrain and lattice tilt inhomogeneities inside Li 1 − x Ni 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 cathode particles during electrochemical cycling and their influence on the material degradation. Using these techniques, microscale lattice degradation mechanisms are investigated inside single crystals, extend it to an inter‐particle scale, and correlate it with the long‐term degradation of the cathode. During cycling, a crystal lattice deformation is observed, associated with phase transitions and inherent lattice defects in the measured particle. Residual misorientations are observed in the structure even after full discharge, indicating an irreversible structural change of the lattice. However, after long‐term cycling such lattice misorientations together with active material dissolution are further exacerbated only in a subset of particles, suggesting high heterogeneity of degradation mechanisms between the cathode particles. Selective degradation of particles could be caused by varying crystal quality across the sample, highlighting the need for a deep understanding of defect microstructures to enable a more rational design of materials with enhanced durability.

Heterogeneity of the Dominant Causes of Performance Loss in End‐of‐Life Cathodes and Their Consequences for Direct Recycling

Abstract Recycling Li‐ion batteries from electric vehicles is critical for reducing costs and supporting the development of a domestic battery supply chain. Direct recycling of cathodes, like LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 (NMC), is attractive due to its low cost, energy use, and emissions compared to traditional recycling techniques. However, a comprehensive understanding of the active material properties at end‐of‐life is needed to guide direct recycling processes and the performance‐dependent reuse applications. Here, NMC material from an end‐of‐life commercial pouch cell is characterized and bench‐marked against pristine non‐cycled counterparts with respect to capacity, impedance, crystallography, morphology, and microstructure to identify major degradation modes and understand variability in the end‐of‐life material. The spatial heterogeneity of each property throughout the cell is also quantified. While the degraded material demonstrated similar capacity as the pristine, its impedance and rate capability are severely diminished. Furthermore, samples from the periphery of the electrode layers showed more severe performance loss compared to samples extracted from central regions. The dominant culprit of performance loss is the material microstructure, where the magnitude of particle cracking showed the strongest correlation to the impedance components that are most unfavorably impacted. This work suggests severe cracks in cathode active materials are the primary challenge that direct recycling methods must overcome.

In‐Scribe Silane Bonding for Mechanical Reinforcement of Perovskite Photovoltaic Modules

Abstract Despite the extraordinary rise in power conversion efficiency over the last decade, metal halide perovskite (MHP) photovoltaics remain more mechanically fragile than other PV technologies. In this work, the scribe area, created by the monolithic interconnection of thin‐film solar cells, is used to extrinsically reinforce the mechanical robustness of packaged MHP solar modules. In contrast to the epoxy‐based chemistries often leveraged in the MHP literature, silane‐grafted polyolefin encapsulants are designed to form strong covalent bonds to oxide surfaces, specifically to glass and the transparent conductive oxide at the base of the scribe line. Pseudo‐modules encapsulated with silane‐grafted polyolefin are measured with more than an order‐of‐magnitude enhancement infracture energy from 0.27 ± 0.01 J·m −2 (no scribes) to 5.97 ± 0.42 J·m −2 (scribes perpendicular to delamination directioncovering ≈2.2% of the module area). The silane‐grafted polyolefin retains strong adhesion even after undergoing an accelerated IEC 61215 thermal cycling test consisting of 250 cycles. We find that the in‐scribe bonding allows perovskite modules to have adhesion strength comparable to commercial c‐Si and CdTe technologies with only 5% reduction in the active module area. This manufacturing‐compatible approach offers a practical solution to address the mechanical integrity challenges in MHP solar modules, regardless of cell architecture.