For these kind of networks we encounter significant differences between networks with an even or odd number of hexagons along one of the axes.We study the transport properties on honeycomb networks motivated by graphene structures by using the continuous-time quantum walk (CTQW) model. For various relevant topologies we consider the average return probability and its long-time average as measures for the transport efficiency. These quantities are fully determined by the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of the connectivity matrix of the network. For all networks derived from graphene structures we notice a nontrivial interplay between good spreading and localization effects. Flat graphene with similar number of hexagons along both directions shows a decrease in transport efficiency compared to more one-dimensional structures. This loss can be overcome by increasing the number of layers, thus creating a graphite network, but it gets less efficient when rolling up the sheets so that a nanotube structure is considered. We found peculiar results for honeycomb networks constructed from  Problems such as the configurational properties of polymers6, kinetic chemical reactions7, diffusion9, or epidemic spreading of diseases11 are explained through RW models. For a growing number of phenomena, however, quantum effects can no longer be neglected. Thus, in the last years, efforts have been tremendous to consider quantum mechanical variants of the RW, of which Quantum Walks (QWs) on networks are a prime example. This framework can be related to a number of real-world problems, such as coherent and incoherent quantum dynamics of excitations in complex systems16, dynamics on quantum graphs19, quantum search algorithms, quantum information or quantum computation27. By exploiting the interference of quantum waves, combined with measurement, quantum search algorithms show a polynomial or even an exponential increase in the speedup28, when compared to their corresponding classical counterparts. This impressive result has additionally started an avalanche of experimental work related to this problem47.Transport properties of materials and structures are an active field of research in physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. Many such phenomena of complex dynamics in the classical realm can be modeled by a classical Random Walk (RW)48 can be studied by using two distinct models: the discrete-time quantum walk (DTQW)49 and the continuous-time quantum walk (CTQW)50. It was shown that these two models are not independent51. Moreover, there are alternatives to these two basic models, such as the quantum stochastic walk54 and a Green’s function approach for quantum graphs56. In the CTQW model, which is our chosen model, the dynamics of the quantum walk is solved by identifying the Hamiltonian with the transfer matrix of the network, which is proportional to the discrete Laplacian. As in the classical model, in the CTQW model the transfer matrix of any undirected network is associated to the connectivity matrix2 of the underlying graph. Then, all quantum transport properties can be obtained directly from its eigenvalues and eigenvectors. We evaluate the efficiency of transport through the probability to return to the starting node after a given time, and also consider the corresponding long-time average return probability.Similar to the classical case, quantum transport68. Here, we use honeycomb networks, motivated by graphene structures. Since the successful isolation of a single sheet of graphene69, many of its unusual properties76 were encountered and exploited in various applications80. In this report we consider quantum transport (CTQWs) on graphene and its most relevant carbon structures, motivated by the fact that nowdays, graphene and their derivates can be obtained in laboratory and they can serve as a non trivial architecture to compare theoretical and experimental findings.Continuous-time quantum walks have been studied on a great number of network structures81 the problem of localization on honeycomb structures was studied by using the DTQW model, while the same model was implemented to graphene related structures to determine the accumulated arrival probability82. The problem of quantum search on graphene lattice by making use of a CTQW model was addressed in Refs.84. A discrete-time staggered quantum walk model was used to compute the mean-square displacement on hexagonal lattices and to solve the spatial search problem85. The article86 focuses on excitation source-to-sink transport for percolated coined quantum walks on nanotubes. It was shown in Ref.87 that for the line, square and honeycomb lattice topologies there is a unitary equivalence of coined and scattering discrete time quantum walk models. The scattering construction of discrete time quantum walks on honeycomb lattices was studied in detail88, obtaining ten independent models. By contrast to all these works, we monitor in detail the evolution of quantum efficiency on honeycomb networks in the CTQW framework, monitoring its dependence on the topology of the structures. We find that the transport is strongly influenced by the underlying topology of the network.Other theoretical works were devoted to quantum walks on honeycomb or graphene-based structures. In Ref.58, shows strong localization effects. The situation is different if one considers the CTQWs on linear chains, for which we encounter a very good spreading over the network57. Honeycomb networks like graphene and its related structures display a mixture of linear and starlike segments. For the considered networks the number of branches is very small, namely three for all nodes of fullerenes, two or three for graphene sheets or nanotubes, and ranging between two and five for graphite. Thus, the number of branches is not as low as in rings, for which we have only two, or as high as in scale-free networks59, for which one can consider highly connected nodes. All our networks are composed of connected rings of size six, i.e. hexagons. Additionally, we also have some pentagons for fullerenes and plenty of squares for graphite networks. Note that this variety of topologies cannot be captured in terms of the topological directional functions88. We will monitor how the quantum transport efficiency changes by stacking one graphene sheet on top of each other, similar to the procedure developed in Ref.60, or by rolling-up cylinders of graphene forming nanotubes.It is known that in our model the quantum transport on networks with many branches, such as Cayley trees or starsThe paper is organized as follows: In “69, related to the dimensionality of its different possible topologies. From this large variety of structures we choose to analyse the most symbolic ones: fullerenes, graphene, graphite, and nanotubes. Fullerenes, known also as buckyballs resemble a hollow sphere89. From the physical point of view, they are considered finite, zero-dimensional objects with discrete energy states. Since its discovery in 1985 many theoretical as well as experimental studies were devoted to 91 or encountered in the universe93. 90: N is the number of nodes, F is the number of faces and E gives the number of links (edges). From this formula any fullerene has exactly 12 pentagons and Honeycomb structures are ubiquitous as carbon is one of the most present chemical elements on earth. Structures based on graphene sheets gained more importance in the last decades with the discovery of its multifaceted properties69. Since then, many experimental and theoretical studies continue to uncover its peculiar properties105, to cite only a few. In this article we use honeycomb networks mimicking a sheet of graphene defined in terms of the number of hexagons along two directions, y-axis by moving along the x-axis, then we move to the second line along the y-axis and so on until the last node of the network. We choose this method of numbering for reasons which will become clear in the “x-axis and y-axis are given byx-axis equals Graphene is a two-dimensional allotrope of carbon and it is viewed as a single layer of atoms arranged as a honeycomb network made up of hexagons. Although it is widely considered as the cornerstone of all known allotropes of carbon, a single graphene sheet was only recently isolated106 and the layers can easily move past each other due to weak forces between adjacent layers. By using Raman spectroscopy it was proven that changes in its electronic structure allows to identify the graphene layers107. Two adjacent layers are usually arranged in such a way that the atoms in one of the two sublattices of the honeycomb structure of one layer are situated above one half of the atoms in the neighboring layer95. In this article we construct our multilayer honeycomb network as a sequence of identical copies of the initial layer. We also consider that all the nodes from a layer are connected to a single node from the neighboring layers, thus, each node from a layer is situated directly above a node from their adjacent layers. Such networks appear also in graphite intercalated compounds109 or they can be obtained by layer-by-layer assembling techniques110. In Fig. x- and y-axis, respectively, and we denote by L the number of identical layers. First, we put the numbers on nodes from the first layer and then we move to the second layer and so on. The numbers of the nodes of each layer are given according to the procedure described above for a single sheet graphene network. The total number of nodes and links of a graphite-type honeycomb network are therefore given byLayers of graphene can be piled on top of each other creating graphite. This is the three-dimensional allotrope of carbon and it is one of the most stable form of carbon under standard conditions. It possesses properties of both metals and non-metals, having high thermal and electrical conductivity95. Carbon nanotubes have a large surface area and high thermal and electrical conductivity111. In the literature, two classes of nanotubes are distinguished: single-wall carbon nanotubes (single layer of graphene), and multiwall carbon nanotubes . Here, we consider the first class, for which there are three ways of wrapping a honeycomb network to a cylindrical honeycomb tube, so-called armchair, chiral, and zigzag type112. Here, we construct our nanotube from the graphene by cutting the last bonds from each line and reconnecting it to the first node of the line, corresponding to the zigzag type112. Due to this prescription, which considers lines instead of hexagons, we choose to change our parameters to Carbon nanotubes can be obtained by rolling a single layer of graphene along a certain rotational axis and reconnecting the open bonds. The nanotubes are composed only of hexagons and thus, from the physical point of view they can be considered one-dimensional structuresN nodes, which are coupled to other nodes by links. In this formalism we associate to each node a state j.In this article we study quantum transport on honeycomb networks by making use of the CTQW model. For a better understanding of transport properties we study also the corresponding classical model, the CTRW. Here, we consider a network to be a set of connectivity matrixj and k, and 0 otherwise. Its diagonal elements equal the number of links emerging from node j, namely 57 that we encounter only positive real eigenvalues The dynamics on any network for both a CTRW and a CTQW depends only on the connections between the nodes. All transport properties are determined from the complete set of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the so-called 1 for the transition probability k to node j in time t ,l and j and the initial conditions are For a classical CTRW we start from a Markov process master equationquantum transport we assume a set of orthonormal and complete states 57. The dynamics is determined from the quantum mechanical Hamiltonian, such that the Schrödinger equation for the transition amplitudes k to node j at time t is given by 50: k is averaged over all nodes. For CTRWs we setN. In the quantum CTQW case, however, 57:61 that the long time average transition probability depends only on the eigenvalue density 62:The transition probability of a CTRW can be written as a function of the eigenvalues 61. For a star with 63.Quantum transport is considered to have maximum efficiency for into Eq. , one fin113:m, n) and  are two distinct links of node m and deg(m) and deg(n) being the degree of m and n, respectively, while m.We focus on quantities that depend on the eigenvalues square graphene sheets. Finally, we study carbon nanotube-types of networks obtained from rolling up a graphene sheet, exploring how the width and length of the sheet influences the quantum transport.We now show our results of continuous-time quantum walks on honeycomb networks. First we focus on the fullerene-types, chosing 57 from the equation n being an integer and In Fig. 57, namely 1/2. It is important to stress that networks whose density of states follows a power-law, 57: 115. In the quantum case the envelope of the lower bound for CTQW scales as 57. The same scaling was obtained for the decay of temporal correlations in quantum systems with Cantor spectra116, where the quantum average probability 57, In Fig. n by Eq. , and its(t), Eq. . Here, w57. It is important to stress that node 55 is the most distant node from node 2, i.e. its diametrically opposite node82, with the shortest path containing 9 links, depicted by a blue line in Fig. 57. For circles with an even number of nodes one finds two maximum probabilities: to the starting point and to its opposite node, while for odd-numbered circles we encounter only the first situation. This is due to the symmetry of the network, more exact to the number of steps to go in both directions. In the case of networks of 117.In Fig. mentclass2pt{minimmentclass2pt{minimmentclass2pt{minimt we found that for In Fig. entclass1pt{minimak and ends at node j after time t. We display the results for the three graphene-type networks shown in Fig. x-axis, y-axis, x-direction, connected to each other through x-axis, thus we have set the parameters to square graphene sheet with the same amount of hexagons on both directions, In Fig. t}π, Eq. , of a CTmentclass2pt{minimmentclass2pt{minimmentclass2pt{minim H_y)=8, $$\end{dok after time t, hitting time118. For the first graphene network we found that square graphene-type network. Thus, generalizing these data we encounter the time needed to reach the last node from the first line to be N nodes119, namely N nodes, probabilities which are 10 times higher than the equipartition value 1/N, like our networks, can be considered a proof of some localization effects. For some network structures one might find full revivals at certain times57 or incomplete revivals63. The full revival times 119. Thus, sometimes we focus on computing some incomplete revival times, for which square graphene we found In the first row of Fig. mentclass2pt{minimBy contrast to these findings, in the second row of Fig. j, k) at time square graphene, panel (i), the walkers have enough time to travel through the entire network, thus we encounter a better mixing of the interference waves. These observations are also well supported if one looks at the highest probabilities, which for all three networks are between 0.1 and 0.2. In this interval we encounter 22 pairs of nodes for the first graphene-type network, 4 pairs for the second network, and 6 pairs for the last square graphene sheet network. The maximum value for our three networks also show where the localization effects are a little bit stronger: In the last row of Fig. square graphene). The number of nodes for these networks is not the same, ranging between 5002 and 6010, and it depends on the chosen parameters according to Eq.  and 3 (inner), like our graphene networks. Differently than dendrimers, the graphene networks have also the circular segments (from the hexagons). The same exponent is also encountered for a square lattice with a similar number of nodes, as shown by a dashed line in the panel. Thus, for networks with longer linear segments the above mentioned behavior is followed by another power-law behavior, 57. For graphene with 60, but for the graphene networks 57, and for longer times we notice that the fluctuations occur around the long-time average 90, the difference between the number of links and nodes keeps the same: 121, which is the total number of links divided by the total number of nodes and it gives the connectivity of a network. For our networks this ratio is equal to 1.41, 1.45, 1.47,  and 1.48, respectively. The lowest In Fig. (t), Eq. , and \do(t), Eq. , as a fumentclass2pt{minimy direction we have an armchair pattern. By comparing two pairs (i)square graphene 120.In Fig. t}χ, Eq. , as a fumentclass2pt{minimsquare graphene sheets, with In Fig. L. In order to facilitate the understanding of the results and to compare with simpler graphene sheet networks studied earlier, we continue to use the same numbering method implemented for graphene-type networks, for more details see Fig. In Fig. t}π, Eq. , for thementclass2pt{minimmentclass2pt{minim57 is obvious. The amplitude waves travel along the network until they bounce off the nodes from the last layer and interfere at longer times. The same process occurs with other chosen networks, but the interference patterns are showing up earlier, because we now have a smaller number of layers, i.e. shorter lines. An interesting situation is encountered for more compact networks, namely our graphite-type networks with only 121: 1.98, which suggest a higher connectivity. This high value is mainly due to links between layers, since its Link-Node ratio of a single layer is the second lowest from the five networks. Thus, the fast propagation along the network is due to spreading on one layer, while the high number of links between layers is responsible for localization. The most compact network, In the first row of Fig. mentclass2pt{minimIn the second row of Fig. mentclass2pt{minimsquare. We have probabilities higher than 0.1 only for 18 pairs of nodes =7, 7, 0, 5040$$63, more exact a power-law decay with the exponent square graphene with an odd number of hexagons, the approximate value In Fig. (t), Eq. , and \do(t), Eq. . We consx or y axes. All the curves follow a power-law decay with exponent 60, for which the power-law exponent equals In Fig. squareL at the same time, depending on the most suitable option.In Fig. t}χ, Eq. , but we mentclass2pt{minimsquare graphene-type network with In Fig. x- and y-axis, respectively. In order to easier understand the results it is important to remember that x-axis and we present its results in the first column. In the second column, panels (b), (e), and (h), we display the results for a nanotube structure with square graphene sheet with In Fig. t}π, Eq. , for thrmentclass2pt{minimx,L_y,N)=4,2,68$$\mentclass2pt{minimIn the first row of Fig. mentclass2pt{minimIn the second row of Fig. mentclass2pt{minimy-axis, due to the block structure arrangement. For the first two nanotube networks, walkers that start from one line have higher transition probabilities to a node from the same line. For the last nanotube structure, the walkers have the highest probabilities to be at a different line, for example, nodes from the first line are coupled to nodes from the last line, nodes from the second line are coupled to nodes from the fourth line and the nodes from the third line are paired with nodes from the fifth line. We find probabilities larger than 0.1 only for the last two nanotube networks, namely 32 pairs of nodes for the second and 60 pairs for the third nanotube structure. The largest values for these networks also show us where we have stronger localization effects: square graphene with In the last row of Fig. square network corresponds to square networks, x-axis, y-axis. We observe that networks with oddevenoddevensquare graphene and they are due to the symmetry of the networks. For instance, nanotubes with even-numbered In Fig. mentclass2pt{minimIn Fig. (t), Eq. , and \do(t), Eq. . We consIn Fig. t}χ, Eq. , as a fuIn Fig. square networks. In this case, there are differences between an even or odd number of hexagons, a situation reminiscent of the square lattices into which we can map our graphene networks. We have shown that for square honeycomb networks with an odd number of hexagons along one direction the quantum efficiency is diminished when compared to adjacent parameter values. Due to the rolling up mechanism the decrease in efficiency occurs for nanotube composed of almost square graphene networks. A similar decrease in efficiency, but not so evident, has been encountered also for graphene or nanotube structures with the number of hexagons along one direction being a multiple of the hexagons along the other direction. For graphite this behavior is accentuated by the increase in the degeneracy of some eigenvalues, which is a direct consequence of stacking layers on top of each other. For graphene and graphite, but different from nanotubes, we have found that when placing the initial excitation in the center of the networks we get faster spreading, but also stronger localization effects. Thus, the transport along such networks depends on the initial condition. However, this dependence is not too strong and it can be overcome when the walkers start from a superposition of states, making these structures feasible also for applications, such as quantum search algorithms or quantum information. Strong localization properties were observed for discrete-time Grover-type quantum walks on honeycomb networks81. In this model, the localization disappears if the initial coin state is a superposition of all eigenstates. Using the same model, it was shown in Ref.86 that longer and thinner nanotubes exhibit better transport, which we also observed in our model and in the staggered quantum walk on the infinite hexagonal lattice85. For graphene based networks we observed a mixed situation regarding the validity of the approximation square graphene with an odd number of hexagons along one direction. We have shown that for graphite formed from square graphene sheets (In this work we have studied continuous-time quantum walks on honeycomb networks. We consider fullerene-type, graphene-type, graphite-type, and nanotube-type networks. We have investigated the average return probability and the long-time average transition probability 125, nuclear magnetic resonance126, trapped ions128, neutral atoms130, or superconducting qubits132.We expect our results to be of interest in various research areas, such as quantum transfer of excitons, quantum transport on graphene and related structures, quantum information or quantum search algorithms. Our findings can be exploited in experiments involving the walk of a single particle on tailored graphene-like networks. Experimental quantum walks of individual or multiple particles have been realized for various platforms, including photons


Flexible respiratory monitoring devices have become available for outside-hospital application scenarios attributable to their improved system wearability. However, the complex fabrication process of such flexible devices results in high prices, limiting their applications in real-life scenarios. This study proposes a flexible, low-cost, and easy-processing paper-based humidity sensor for sleep respiratory monitoring. A paper humidity sensing model was established and sensors under different design parameters were processed and tested, achieving high sensitivity of 5.45 kΩ/%RH and good repeatability with a matching rate of over 85.7%. Furthermore, the sensor patch with a dual-channel 3D structure was designed to distinguish between oral and nasal breathing from origin signals proved in the simulated breathing signal monitoring test. The sensor patch was applied in the sleep respiratory monitoring of a healthy volunteer and an obstruct sleep apnea patient, demonstrating its ability to distinguish between different respiratory patterns as well as various breathing modes. Respirag events ,11,12,13g events . Thus, dg events ,17,18,19As a flexible substrate material, paper has some characteristics of low cost, water absorptivity, and degradability, which brings new possibilities to the flexible sensing field. Therefore, it has been adopted recently to replace the traditional substrate material of flexible electronic devices ,21,22. FIn this article, we introduce a paper-based humidity sensor (PHS) based on the hygroscopic characteristics of paper for flexible respiratory monitoring. PHS has the specialties of flexibility, low price, easy processing, as well as the ability to distinguish between nasal and oral breathing signals by a designed dual-channel 3D structure. By establishing the paper humidity sensing model of paper material, the principle that the PHS can sense the humidity variations is elaborated, as The printing paper used to build the PHS was purchased from Double A, Thailand. Printing paper of three different grams per square meter (gsm) was chosen, including 70 gsm, 75 gsm, and 80 gsm. The graphite ink  was screen-printed to the printing paper through the designed interdigital electrode pattern. The PHS patch with the designed 3D structure was processed, as the detailed fabrication process is shown in In order to characterize the humidity sensing behavior of the paper-based sensor, we built an experimental calibration platform. The commercial temperature and moisture meter Testo 635-2, with a measuring range of 0 to 100%RH and accuracy of ±2%RH at 25 °C, was purchased from Testo Technology Company, Lenzkirch, Germany. It was used in the experiment to measure relative humidity and environment temperature within the experimental settings.To carry out the humidity calibrating experiment, the PHSs, as well as the standard humidity meter, were placed in a closed chamber. The humidifier was used to create unidirectional humidity changes within the cavity. Step humidity increase and decrease were set, and the corresponding resistance of PHS was measured when reaching equilibrium at different relative humidity conditions.The sensor response time was tested by placing the sensor into the humidity chambers with set humidity levels to evaluate the time needed for reaching equilibrium. PHS was transferred from low environmental relative humidity of 28%RH to high humidity environments . After the resistance readout stabilized in the high humidity level, PHS was moved back to the low humidity environment with the recovery time recorded.In the repeatability test, the standard humidity meter probe and PHS were placed adjacent in front of the periodically operating humidifier, which generated 30 times of humidity variation with a 4 min period in the environment by ejecting an equal amount of moisture into the sensor. The resistance of the sensor and environmental humidity were measured simultaneously.In the simulated breathing signal monitoring experiment, various respiratory patterns and breathing modes were produced artificially while signals were monitored by oral and nasal sensors simultaneously. In the sleep respiratory monitoring test, one healthy volunteer and one OSA patient were recruited. The designed 3D PHS patches as well as the flexible PCBs were used to detect signals during an over-two-hour sleep.An acquisition system shown in  was desiA preprocessing filter was performed on the acquired signal so as to get rid of the noise introduced by the circuit. The raw signal was filtered by a median filter with a window width of 15, and then a smooth filter with a window width of 9 before further signal processing.R and the thickness of the aqueous layer on the fiber t is shown as Equation (1)d and L are the interfinger gap width and interfinger gap length of the interdigital electrode, h is the thickness of the paper, r is the average radius of the paper fiber, fA is the fiber area fraction of the paper composite, and ρ is the resistivity of the water layer. For the sensor constructed with interdigital electrodes, the width and gap of the fingers are both 0.5 mm, forming a 7 mm × 7.8 mm sensing area. For the interdigital electrodes, the number of fingers changes the resistance of the sensor by varying the overall interfinger gap length L. According to Equation (1), both interfinger gap length L and paper thickness h change the resistance range of sensor responding to relative humidity, which further leads to variations in sensitivity. After weighing the sensitivity and device resistance range, appropriate L and h for measurement were determined. Based on Majumdar’s theory of water condensation on hydrophilic surfaces as well as Israelachvili’s study of the interactions between particles and surfaces, the relationship between relative humidity and the thickness of the water layer is shown in Equation (2)ψ is the relative humidity, λ is the length-scale parameter in hydration energy, and U is the free-energy parameter in hydration energy [α, β, δ, η, together with detailed formula derivations, can be found in the To explain the phenomenon that the resistance of paper-based sensors changes with relative humidity, a paper humidity sensing model is established. Paper, as a short fibers composite, consists mainly of cellulose and hemicellulose, which are both hydrophilic materials. When exposed to high relative humidity, water molecules tend to condense and form a water layer on the surfaces of the fibers. The salts left on the fibers after paper processing, such as sulfates, dissolve in water and come into ions, which conduct through directional movement in the solvent. When the ambient humidity decreases, the condensed water on the fibers evaporates and quickly diffuses into the atmosphere. We establish a paper humidity sensing model of the printing paper based on water condensation theory as well as interactions between particles and surfaces theory ,29. The n energy ,29. Spect increases with the increase of relative humidity ψ, as indicated by Equation (2). Based on Equation (1), an increase in t leads to a decrease in the resistance R of the paper-based sensor. In terms of the changing trend, the change rate of resistance to the relative humidity in the low humidity zone is much higher than that in the high humidity zone.According to our paper humidity sensing model, the thickness of the water film on the surface of fiber Sensitivity was characterized under the experimental setting detailed in the Methods section and the result of the relationship between relative humidity and resistance of PHS is shown in For respiration monitoring purposes, the high sensitivity to humidity enables the PHS to detect different respiration patterns with refined signals. The PHS with 80 gsm printing paper shows sufficient sensitivity and small hysteresis error within the targeted sensing range of ambient relative humidity to 100%RH to cover the reported exhale breath relative humidity of over ambient to 91%, for the application in respiratory sensing . MoreoveThe response and recovery characteristics of the 80 gsm sensors are as shown in M is proposed, which is defined as M = (PPV/PPV0)/(PPRH/PPRH0), where PPRH0 and PPV0 are the peak-to-peak values of standard humidity and voltage output from the sensor measurement circuit in the first cycle, and PPRH and PPV are that of other cycles. The matching rate M remains over 85.7% during the repeatability experiment, which shows good repeatability of PHS.The designed cyclic test to verify sensor repeatability was carried out by simulating the periodic moisture flow during breathing. As shown in To distinguish the oral and nasal breathing signals, a paper-based sensor patch was attached to the skin between the nasal septum and upper lip to collect oral and nasal breathing signals separately, forming a dual-channel PHS working mode, as shown in Firstly, three different breathing modes, including normal breathing, deep breathing, and rapid breathing, were simulated and tested. According to The ability to distinguish between oral and nasal breathing was then characterized, as shown in There are many different human breathing patterns during sleep, which vary significantly in breathing depth and respiratory rate. For people with sleep-related respiratory disorders, abnormal breathing, including apnea and excessively shallow breathing, may be present during their sleep. In order to verify the sensor’s response and monitoring capabilities to complex sleep breathing signals, sleep breath monitoring tests were conducted on a healthy volunteer and an OSA patient.A paper-based sensor patch was stuck on the skin, and other modules, including a flexible PCB and battery, were placed in the sleep mask to increase the wearability of the device and reduce body motion artifact during sleep. The sleep respiratory monitoring experiments were conducted over two hours with each participant. The result of the breathing signal is shown in The sleep respiratory monitoring experiments have proved that the wearable device using the designed dual-channel paper-based humidity sensor has the ability to distinguish between the mouth and nose breathing from the original signal and further differentiate various respiration patterns. Besides, the device can not only monitor the regular sleep breathing signals of a healthy volunteer but also detect the cluttered breathing signals of a patient with sleep-related respiratory disorders. Respiration of the healthy volunteer is mainly composed of regular oral breathing, nasal breathing, and mouth–nose coordinated breathing, while oral–nasal co-breathing accounts for a significantly higher proportion for the OSA patient. The device can be a helpful tool for breathing event detection, which can provide doctors with more information on the sleep-related respiratory disorders diagnosis and treatment process.In summary, a flexible, highly sensitive PHS with good stability has been developed for sleep respiratory monitoring. With low cost and simple processing, the paper-based sensor can be regarded as a disposable part of the flexible device, making it portable and hygienic for daily usage. The 80 gsm PHS shows high sensitivity (5.45 kΩ/%RH in low humidity level and 411 Ω/%RH in high humidity level) as well as good cyclic performance in the device characterization process. The designed dual-channel 3D structure enables the sensor to distinguish oral and nasal breathing signals directly from the original signal. Moreover, experiments on long-term respiratory monitoring during sleep have been carried out, in which we observed the characteristics of sleep respiratory signals in a healthy volunteer and an OSA patient, proving that the use of PHS in oral and nasal breathing monitoring can provide more information about how gas flows through different airways. The device may provide healthcare workers with more breathing information about patients with sleep-related respiratory disorders to assist in the diagnosis and treatment process.


The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged scientists and the general population to think more than ever before about how we interact with microbes in our indoor spaces. Research investigating transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has advanced our knowledge significantly in the last two years. However, indoor and built environment microbiomes are extremely complex polymicrobial systems. We have barely scratched the surface in our understanding of the microbial inhabitants of our indoor and urban spaces. The Microbes in the Built Environment Collection showcases recent research in this important topic around the globe. In September 2018, I attended a meeting for editorial members at Springer Nature where we were told about the opportunity to guest edit a collection of articles in Scientific Reports. A few weeks later I proposed to be the guest editor for a collection on Microbes and the Built Environment, and we started collecting manuscripts in spring of 2019. Little did we know at the time that the behaviour of microbes in indoor spaces would become such a crucial topic by the end of the year.3. The pandemic has resulted in an influx of new research investigating microbial survival and transmission pathways6. We might therefore think that we have greatly expanded our understanding of the microbes in the built environment beyond what we knew pre-pandemic. However, this assumption would be a mistake. While we know a lot more about SARS-CoV-2 viability and transmission, we have likely neglected the many other microbial inhabitants in the built environment.The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to how microbes circulate around the places we spend our time—whether at home, at work, or in public spaces; indoors and outdoors. There has also been much focus on the removal of microbes in indoor environments, from surfaces and the air, in order to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission7, freshwater systems8, marine systems9 and the microbiomes of various animals, including humans10. As mentioned, however, the microbial communities found in the built environment, such as indoor environments, public spaces, and air and water handling systems, are often neglected. We tend to think that these environments are relatively microbe-free, but this is not the case. Studying these communities, and not just single species of microbes, allows us to better understand the ecological and evolutionary factors that influence them, as well as how they may interact with ourselves and other animals.Over the past decades, much research has been carried out on the microbial communities present in natural environments such as soil11. However, there are also species present in our indoor environments which have positive roles, for instance, aiding the development of our immune systems in childhood, and outcompeting pathogens12.We tend to think of microbes as dirty and dangerous, but microbes have been around for billions of years and carry out many useful functions in their various niches. However, we still lack a full understanding of the complex and intricate relationships that various microbial species have between themselves and their environments. This is particularly true in the built environment, where our focus is typically on the removal of microbes through cleaning, due to the possible presence of pathogenic organisms that can change our lives dramatically. SARS-CoV-2 is an example of such an organism, as are the many antibiotic resistant pathogens that have emerged over the past decadesWe know little about the varied microbial communities present in our built environments—the bacteria, fungi, viruses, algae that we share our spaces with. This Collection is an attempt to get to know them better by curating manuscripts of the state-of-the-art research being carried out to better understand these communities around the world. The Collection includes a variety of microbial communities as well as a broad range of environments in which they are found.13 show the differences in the bacterial microbiomes found on floor dust, and on heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) intake and exhaust filter dust, using high-throughput sequencing. They show the HVAC intake filter communities to be rich in environmental outdoor organisms that are associated with the natural environment, such as Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas. On the other hand, the floor dust and dust from the HVAC exhaust filters were dominated by genera associated with human skin and the respiratory system, such as Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Their work shows the influence that occupancy has on the microbiome in indoor spaces.The microbiome present in dust collected from various points within a building can reveal the impact of the environment on microbial community structure. Nygaard et al.14 used bacterial culture methods to look for opportunistic pathogens present in hand wash sinks. They found the drain to be a reservoir for pathogens and high levels of antibiotic resistance among the isolated organisms, and that these organisms persisted despite a rigorous daily cleaning regime. Furthermore, the resistant organisms were more frequently found in patient rather than staff sinks.Hand wash sinks in the healthcare setting were shown to be different in patient rooms and healthcare staff areas. Franco et al.15. The samples were then examined using microbiological culture methods. The results showed that the communities present on the surfaces varied according to room and touch frequency. Bedside tables tended to have higher bacterial counts and greater biodiversity when compared to other surfaces, such as the phone, bathroom door, and TV remote. The study also showed that homes where the occupants reported opening windows frequently had different microbial profiles to those who kept windows closed.Surfaces in various rooms in the homes of older adults were sampled by Sharpe et al.16, according to both location, but also aerosol size. Urban bioaerosols were found to be dominated by human skin-associated bacteria, whereas suburban samples were dominated by soil and plant associated bacteria. There was also a difference in the microbes identified in coarse larger particles and fine smaller particles. The data suggests that local environmental factors, including indoor spaces, could influence outdoor bacterial communities.Bioaerosols collected from outdoor urban and suburban areas in Japan were shown to have differing microbiomes by Tanaka et al.17 sampled various freshwater systems in urban Singapore, cultured these for microalgae, and compared the species found in different areas of the city. All samples were found to have microalgae present, and some water bodies have particularly diverse algal communities. The presence of these algae not only contribute to the biodiversity in the high-rise environment of Singapore, but many of the isolated species are also highly effective at carbon-capture, and of commercial significance.And we must not forget the eukaryotes. Lloyd et al.18 show that microbial communities in nasal passages can be influenced by the ventilation strategy within a space. Their study investigated the bacterial communities found in the nares of occupants and the surfaces within spaces using high-throughput sequencing in two groups—hospitalised patients and a non-hospitalised group. The study showed that the nasal and surface communities were more similar in mechanically ventilated spaces. Furthermore, hospitalised patients were more likely to harbour microbes found on their surrounding surfaces highlighting the importance of the patients’ environment.Finally, Chen et al.The “Microbes in the Built Environment” Collection is still open to new submissions. We are interested in work that describes the distribution and viability of microbial communities in built and managed environment contexts, such as buildings, water treatment facilities, public transport and leisure and hospitality venues.


Protonophores are compounds capable of electrogenic transport of protons acrossmembranes. Protonophores have been intensively studied over the past 50 yearsowing to their ability to uncouple oxidation and phosphorylation inmitochondria and chloroplasts. The action mechanism of classical uncouplers,such as DNP and CCCP, in mitochondria is believed to be related to theirprotonophoric activity; i.e., their ability to transfer protons across thelipid part of the mitochondrial membrane. Given the recently revealeddeviations in the correlation between the protonophoric activity of someuncouplers and their ability to stimulate mitochondrial respiration, thisreview addresses the involvement of some proteins of the inner mitochondrialmembrane, such as the ATP/ADP antiporter, dicarboxylate carrier, and ATPase, inthe uncoupling process. However, these deviations do not contradict theMitchell theory but point to a more complex nature of the interaction of DNP,CCCP, and other uncouplers with mitochondrial membranes. Therefore, a detailedinvestigation of the action mechanism of uncouplers is required for a moresuccessful pharmacological use, including their antibacterial, antiviral,anticancer, as well as cardio-, neuro-, and nephroprotective effects. It is wcarriers .Skulachcarriers , which rcarriers  is now ccarriers , which wThe listed studies caused an explosion of interest in protonophores and,together with subsequent studies, contributed significantly to proving theMitchell chemiosmotic theory. It is worth noting that the P-vs-U correlationwas immediately disputed in studies from another group , which rClassical protonophores are organic acids with pKa close to physiological pHvalues, which have an extensive system of π-electrons delocalizing thenegative charge that prevents penetration through the hydrophobic layer of themembrane .This enApproximately 50 years have passed since the first studies on protonophoresappeared, and many new small-molecule compounds with uncoupler properties havebeen identified. Many of them are described in the review , althougCompounds that effectively uncouple mitochondria but barely increase the protonconductivity of BLMs also include a recently synthesized conjugate offluorescein and triphenylphosphonium, called mitoFluo . mitoFluAs mentioned above, deviations from the P-vs-U correlation are traditionallyexplained by the interaction between uncouplers and proteins of the innermitochondrial membrane, which may increase proton transfer due to acceleratedtransfer of the anionic form of the protonophore through the lipid part of themembrane , 35. ThiThe active interaction of uncouplers with proton pumps was known even beforethe studies of the late 1960s–early 1970s, because all the uncouplersknown at that time exhibited a bell-shaped dependence of the respiration rateof mitochondria or submitochondrial particles (SMPs) on their concentration;i.e., stimulation of respiration at low concentrations of uncouplers was alwaysfollowed by its inhibition at high concentrations of uncouplers , 46. ThiAccording to this concept, deviation of triclosan from the P-vs-U correlationin the opposite direction, compared to fatty acids, is due to the fact thatmost protonophores use certain proteins during the induction of protonconductivity in mitochondrial membranes. Because triclosan induces a greaterBLM current than CCCP, while operating in mitochondria at larger concentrationsthan CCCP, the latter may be presumed to induce a proton current through somemitochondrial protein. This suggestion is supported by direct experiments onthe interaction between the azido derivative of CCCP and mitochondrial proteins. A recenIt should also be mentioned that the P-vs-U correlation appears clearlydisturbed in a series of homologues of some uncouplers. For example, ourlaboratory showed that the protonophoric activity of uncouplers based on thepopular fluorescent dye 7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) with an alkylsubstituent grows in planar BLMs and liposomes as the alkyl chain increases. In mitoThus, it may be concluded that the P-vs-U correlation is rather poor whencomprising many of the new uncouplers discovered since the first studies inthis field. However, it should be emphasized that the Mitchell theory, largelyaccepted by the scientific community owing to the P-vs-U correlation, cannot bequestioned on this basis. The point is that the Mitchell theory has been provedby many direct experiments, such as the measurement of the generation ofelectric potentials by proton pumps or the dAnother question is the existence of a protonophore that acts in mitochondriawithout the involvement of proteins. As described above, the most popularuncouplers DNP and CCCP may hardly be considered such protonophores. GramicidinA may be such a protonophore, but it transports not only protons, but alsopotassium and sodium ions, which makes it very toxic to cells. Perhaps, thisrole may be played by triclosan, an extremely active protonophore in BLMs,surpassing both CCCP and SF6847, the most potent known uncoupler . HoweverAbove, we considered the mechanism of interaction between DNP and the ATP/ADPtranslocator, which contributes to the uncoupling effect of DNP on mitochondria. AccordiAlthough the term protonophore is defined quite clearly , the use of this term for mitochondria encounters certaindifficulties when combined with the term uncoupler. For example, shouldinduction of leaks caused by detergents , 65, 66 Another, rather controversial, concept associated with the use of uncouplers isthe term "mild uncoupling". This term was proposed by Skulachev  and StarThe history of the investigation of protonophores dates back more than 50years. In conclusion of our brief review, we would like to consider thepractical application of protonophores. We should start with the history of DNPthat was used as a remedy for obesity in the 1930s . This waWe may also mention the insecticidal, herbicidal , and fungicidaleffect of protonophores: dinitrophenol analogs, such as pentachlorophenol, 6-isobuThus, a detailed study of the action mechanism of protonophores in mitochondriaremains an important problem. Its solution may help towards a switch fromanimal experiments to the use of protonophores in clinical practice, not onlyas anthelmintic agents, but also as drugs effective against various common andsevere diseases.


The process of encapsulating cobalt nanoparticles using a graphene layer is mainly direct pyrolysis. The encapsulation structure of hybrids prepared in this way improves the catalyst stability, which greatly reduces the leaching of non-metals and prevents metal nanoparticles from growing beyond a certain size. In this study, cobalt particles surrounded by graphene layers were formed by increasing the temperature in a transmission electron microscope, and they were analyzed using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Synthesized cobalt hydroxide nanosheets were used to obtain cobalt particles using an in-situ heating holder inside a TEM column. The cobalt nanoparticles are surrounded by layers of graphene, and the number of layers increases as the temperature increases. The interlayer spacing of the graphene layers was also investigated using atomic imaging. The success achieved in the encapsulation of metallic nanoparticles in graphene layers paves the way for the design of highly active and reusable heterogeneous catalysts for more challenging molecules. Metallic catalysts play a dominant role in industrial applications and the development of catalysts using base metals . Interestingly, the number of graphene layers increases when heated to above 1000 °C. The whole process was analyzed using high-resolution STEM.Recently, Co encapsulated in a carbon matrix has been developed for various reactions such as catalytic hydrogenation and ORR , annular dark field , and HAADF detectors simultaneously. Even if the material is composed of the same element, the degree of visualization differs depending on the type of detector used in STEM mode. This is because the detection degree of the scattered electron beam varies according to the scattering angle of the electron beam as it scatters through the material. Therefore, we obtained BF, DF2, DF4, and HAADF images in STEM mode to investigate the morphology and structure of a Co particle encapsulated by graphene layers as shown in Fig. The graphene layer forms to surround the Co particles, and even if the Co particles partially move, the graphene layer maintains its shape. As shown in Fig. The graphene layer surrounds the Co particles without a gap between the interface of the Co particles and the graphene layer. The number of graphene layers, which are observed prominently at 800 °C or higher, increases when a heating pulse of 1000 °C or higher is applied. Fig. 2 nanosheet exists in the form of a thin film, which crystallizes when a temperature of 800 °C or higher is applied. The crystallized carbon grows into a graphene layer surrounding the Co particles, and the number of graphene layers gradually increases due to the catalytic activation of Co at temperatures above 1000 °C. All these behaviors were observed through STEM imaging, and the graphene layer composed of low elements was observed using BF and ADF images in STEM mode, which has the advantage of using various detectors at the same time. The results of this work show a versatile and scalable technique that can be used to fabricate structured graphene materials.We summarize that the behavior of Co particles encapsulated by graphene layers formed by high temperature and electron beam irradiation. The amorphous carbon remaining in the synthesized Co (OH)2 nanosheets were synthesized using the aqueous nutrient solution containing 2 mM cobalt nitrate hexahydrate and 2 mM hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA). Depending on the opening area of a container, a calculated amount of chloroform solution of sodium hexadecyl sulfate (SHS) was added to the water-air interface. After about 30 minutes, the container was capped and placed in a convection oven at 70 °C for typically 180 minutes. The synthesized Co (OH)2 sheets were scooped using an TEM grid for imaging.Co (OH)2.STEM images were acquired using an aberration-corrected FEI Titan Cubed TEM (FEI Titan3 G2 60–300), which was operated at a 200 kV acceleration voltage with a monochromator. Dose rate was 72.5 A/m


Successful ways of fully exploiting the excellent structural and multifunctional performance of graphene and related materials are of great scientific and technological interest. New opportunities are provided by the fabrication of a novel class of nanocomposites with a nanolaminate architecture. In this work, by using the iterative lift-off/float-on process combined with wet depositions, we incorporated cm-size graphene monolayers produced via Chemical Vapour Deposition into a poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix with a controlled, alternate-layered structure. The produced nanolaminate shows a significant improvement in mechanical properties, with enhanced stiffness, strength and toughness, with the addition of only 0.06 vol% of graphene. Furthermore, oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability measurements performed at different relative humidity levels, reveal that the addition of graphene leads to significant reduction of permeability, compared to neat PMMA. Overall, we demonstrate that the produced graphene–PMMA nanolaminate surpasses, in terms of gas barrier properties, the traditional discontinuous graphene–particle composites with a similar filler content. Moreover, we found that the gas permeability through the nanocomposites departs from a monotonic decrease as a function of relative humidity, which is instead evident in the case of the pure PMMA nanolaminate. This work suggests the possible use of Chemical Vapour Deposition graphene–polymer nanolaminates as a flexible gas barrier, thus enlarging the spectrum of applications for this novel material. Two-dimensional 2D) crystals are the most promising materials to date, thanks to their extraordinary physico-chemical properties and their potential to replace conventional ones in several applications . GraphenD crystalMost of the attempts reported in the literature towards practical application of graphene as gas barrier concern the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes or coatings, which are obtained by dispersing liquid or chemically exfoliated graphene flakes and related materials (GRMs)—such as graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)—into a polymer matrix ,8,9. In In general, the typical structure of the discontinuous graphene–polymer composites lacks the precise architecture and 2D nano-porous structure that is characteristic of all-graphene, highly packed membranes . In prin2 and O2) for gas barrier applications, at different levels of relative humidity (R.H.).The production of high-quality, continuous, macroscopic 2D materials with controlled layer thickness and reduced number of defects is a growing field that has garnered considerable attention  and whicNanolaminate membranes were produced by iterative transfer of graphene–PMMA (Gr-PMMA) layers using the ‘lift-off/float-on’ process combined with the wet depositions described in . Single-Gr-PMMAt) was measured using the scratch test method through atomic force microscopy (AFM)  in the case of CO2 and to 1.33 × 10−21 [mol m m−2 Pa−1 s−1] in the case of O2. The ratio between the pure CO2 permeability of a graphene layer and that of pure O2 is higher than its value for pure PMMA (6.40 vs. 4.57), thus suggesting that the presence of the graphene layers introduces a molecular ‘sieving’ mechanism in the nanocomposite ruled by the graphene layer defect size; this is not present in the glassy PMMA, which is characterized by solubility selectivity more than by size selectivity [2 and 0.346 nm for O2, which are in line with the higher GrP observed for CO2.One obtains a value of ectivity , in viewectivity  are equaP, can be properly quantified according to the following phenomenological equation, as has already been adopted by Pierleoni et. al. [dk represents the kinetic diameter [b is simply retrieved from the slope of the corresponding permeability coefficients curve  versus the corresponding molecular kinetic diameter and provides a quantitative estimation of the “membrane sieving capacity”.In general, the gas permeability coefficient of a multilayer membrane,  et. al.  in dealidiameter ,38, and b for pure PMMA and for Gr-PMMA nanolaminates in the case of CO2 and O2 with an “average” value of b for a single graphene layer. The corresponding values of b are about 95 nm−1 in the case of pure PMMA and about 115 nm−1 in the case of the PMMA–graphene nanolaminate and of the single graphene layer within the nanocomposite. Indeed, the value of b in the case of the nanocomposite is higher than that of the nanolaminate made of neat PMMA and slightly lower than the “average” b of the single graphene layer. This result is consistent with the described physical picture, pointing out that the ‘necking factor’ for the permeation mechanism of the penetrants is given by jumps through voids of proper size and shape distributed onto each graphene monolayer.In this context, it is of interest to compare the values of The stronger dependence of permeability on the molecular size of the penetrant compared to the pure PMMA nanolaminate membrane that was observed in the case of the single graphene monolayer, and hence for the nanocomposite, suggests that most graphene layers will mainly display nano-sized defects.2 and O2, we have investigated the permeation of the two gases at different R.H. levels.The role of graphene defects on the penetrant permeation mechanism in the nanocomposite system is expected to be significant also in the case of gas permeation in the presence of water vapour. To elucidate possible effects of water molecules on the mass transport mechanism of CO2 and O2 permeability coefficients decreased as a function of R.H. level. Starting from the analysis of pure gases, the steady-state permeation coefficient P can be expressed, in principle, as 2 and O2 can be assumed to be constant.We first analysed the case of the pure PMMA nanolaminate film, finding that both the COfficient ,39. In fIn the case of humidified streams, water vapour is absorbed within the PMMA membrane, thus affecting both the diffusivity and solubility of the test gas. In particular, a monotonic decrease in the permeabilities of both gases with R.H. was observed. The prominent effect was expected to be the reduction of solubility of the gases in view of the higher condensability of water. In fact, water competes with permanent gases for adsorption on the excess free volume micro-voids characteristic of a glassy polymer .2 and O2 display, at the highest R.H. levels investigated, a value higher than that determined at R.H. = 0.5. Although lack of detailed information on the structure of graphene nanocomposites prevents a robust explanation of this effect, in the following we propose a reasonable interpretation of the observed behaviour.In contrast, in the case of Gr-PMMA nanolaminate, a non-monotonic effect of R.H. on test gas permeabilities was detected. In fact, the experimentally determined permeabilities of both COP at higher R.H. levels could be explained by invoking the fact that the adsorption of water molecules locally affects the mass transport mechanism within the PMMA–graphene interface regions. In fact, it is well known that the CVD graphene layers within the PMMA–graphene nanolaminate may display a wrinkled morphology at the nanoscale [In fact, the transport mechanism within the nanocomposite of each testing gas through each PMMA bulk phase is expected to follow the same monotonic decreasing trend as a function of R.H., observed for the pure PMMA nanolaminate. In addition, it is expected that water molecules compete with the testing gas molecules in the passage through the single-layer graphene nanocavities. Additionally, this effect in principle contributes to a decrease in the permeability of the testing gas through the overall nanocomposite. On these bases, the observed increase in anoscale  as an inanoscale  the adsoanoscale  decreaseGrP by using Equation (4) as applied to the case of R.H. = 0.5 and R.H. = 0.8. The results are reported in 2 and O2 “equivalent” average permeabilities for a single graphene layer also display such a non-monotonic behaviour. This result is to be expected since the “equivalent” graphene layer average permeability coefficient takes into account both the molecular jump mechanism through the graphene defects and the molecular transport mechanism within the interphase regions, so that a non-monotonic decrease in GrP as a function of R.H.  could result from the trade-off between the two different dependence of the described transport mechanism as a function of relative humidity.To isolate the average contribution of a single Graphene layer within the nanocomposite, we estimated its “equivalent” permeabilities Films with a nanolaminate architecture, made of controlled alternating PMMA layers and cm-size graphene monolayers, were produced via Chemical Vapour Deposition and characterized for their mechanical and gas barrier properties. A significant improvement of mechanical properties as compared to pure PMMA was registered, with enhanced stiffness, strength, and toughness, with the addition of only 0.06 vol% of graphene.Oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability measurements, conducted at different R.H. levels, revealed that the addition of graphene monolayers led to a significant improvement in the gas barrier properties compared to neat PMMA, outperforming the traditional discontinuous graphene–particle composites, while using a similar filler content. A size-sieving effect of the graphene monolayer was evidenced, and an interesting effect of relative humidity on permeation properties was highlighted. In fact, a non-monotonic decrease behaviour of the gas permeability through the nanocomposite as a function of R.H. was found, different from the observed behaviour of pure nanolaminate PMMA, that has been tentatively attributed to the interplay between water-induced hindering of passageways through the graphene layers, the water-induced decrease in the PMMA–graphene interphase density associated with the enlarging of graphene layers wrinkles, and the decrease in the permeability coefficient of the testing gas as a function of relative humidity within the bulk polymer phase. Indeed, the latter is due to a well-established competitive mechanism of water and testing gas sorption within the polymer bulk phase.


L1 or 2-hydroxy-5-tert-butyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde L2, respectively, were obtained and characterized by X-ray crystallography and spectroscopy . X-ray crystal structure determination and DFT calculations for compounds confirmed their geometry in solution and in the solid phase. Moreover, intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure of L1 and L2 were analyzed using 3D Hirshfeld surfaces and the related 2D fingerprint plots. The 3D Hirschfeld analyses show that the most numerous interactions were found between hydrogen atoms. A considerable number of such interactions are justified by the presence of bulk tert-butyl groups in L2. The luminescence of L1 and L2 in various solvents and in the solid state was studied. In general, the quantum efficiency between 0.14 and 0.70 was noted. The increase in the quantum efficiency with the solvent polarity in the case of L1 was observed (λex = 350 nm). For L2, this trend is similar, except for the chloroform. In the solid state, emission was registered at 552 nm and 561 nm (λex = 350 nm) for L1 and L2, respectively. Thin layers of the studied compounds were deposited on Si(111) by the spin coating method or by thermal vapor deposition and studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopic ellipsometry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The ellipsometric analysis of thin materials obtained by thermal vapor deposition showed that the band-gap energy was 3.45 ± 0.02 eV (359 ± 2 nm) and 3.29 ± 0.02 eV (377 ± 2 nm) for L1/Si and L2/Si samples, respectively. Furthermore, the materials of the L1/Si and L2/Si exhibited broad emission. This feature can allow for using these compounds in LED diodes.Two macrocyclic Schiff bases derived from o-phenylenediamine and 2-hydroxy-5-methylisophthalaldehyde  Schiff base ligands reveal a broad variety of coordination architectures and structural differentiation. The presence and position of the azomethine group in macrocyclic compounds allow the formation of multi-donor ligands. Macrocyclization processes are ensured by the diversity of the structures of the resulting ligand. Thus, they give stable metal complexes with many metal ions. Macrocyclic Schiff bases are used in the fields of biochemistry ,2,3, supThe multi-donor macrocyclic Schiff bases  can form compounds of various structures, which are crucial in coordination chemistry, as they can influence the structural, magnetic, or optical properties of the obtained complexes ,15,16,17It has been intimately researched that Schiff base ligands are also organic sensors with selectivity for the different metal ions; they detect both anions and cations ,32,33,34Additionally, Schiff bases could create thin fluorescent films using the spin, dip coating, Langmuir-Blodgett or organic vapor methods . Films cL1 or 2-hydroxy-5-tertbutyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde L2  (L1 and from -NH-CH2-(7) at 4.48 ppm  for L1 as well as at 47.37 ppm (C7) for L2   at 4.40 4.48 ppm  for L2 w−1 from stretching vibrations of the azomethine group. A sharp band at 3405 cm−1 for L1 and 3423 cm−1 for L2, can be ascribed to the vNH groups : 2.30  (H1), CH3, 4.40  (H6), CH2, 6.31  Ar-H (3), 6.75–6.78  Ar-H (9), 6.92–6.94  Ar-H (10), 7.01–7.03  Ar-H (8), 7.13–7.14  Ar-H (15), 7.17–7.18  Ar-H (11), 8.55  -N=CH-, 13.5  -OH, (13C [ppm]: 20.36 (C1), 46.91 (C6), 111.78 (C8), 117.44 (C14), 117.99 (C9), 119.55 (C10), 125.33 (C4), 128.18 (C11), 128.30 (C3), 131.57 (C15), 134.28 (C7), 136.11 (C12) 143.49 (C2) 157.36 (C5) 161.76 (C13) : 1.35  (H1), CH3, 4.48  (H7), CH2, 6.81–6.82  Ar-H (4), 7.00–7.01  Ar-H (11), 7.08–7.09 ) Ar-H (10), 7.27–7.28  Ar-H (9), 7.37  Ar-H (12), 7.45  Ar-H (16), 8.65  -N=CH-, 13.57  -OH, (13C [ppm]: 31.42 (C1), 34.05 (C2), 47.37 (C7), 111.90 (C9), 117.56 (C15), 117.98 (C10), 119.21 (C11), 124.99 (C16), 128.05 , 128.24 (C12), 130.88 (C8), 136.24 (C13), 141.89 (C3), 157.26 (C6), 162.15 (C14) (2H) -OH,  13C .,34.1H [p−1) 3423 νOH, 2958, 2861 νC-HAr, 1600, 1587 νC=N, 1508 νC=CHA, 1455, 1364 νC=CAr, 1333 νC-NHA, 1289 νPh-O. (−5 mol/dm3): λ/nm 340 , 382 , : λ/nm 338 , 346 , 380 , : λ/nm 342 , : λ/nm 342 , 390 .Selected FT-IR  , which was connected to the IL transitions.For both compounds, the bathochromic shift of the emission bands in the solid state compared to the solution was registered. The materials obtained by thermal vapor exhibited fluorescence at 560 nm  and 3.29 ± 0.02 eV (377 ± 2 nm) for L1 and L2 samples, respectively. Moreover, the L1 and L2 films exhibited semiconducting behaviour. The values of the roughness parameters indicate the achievement of smooth films of macrocyclic Schiff bases L1/Si and L2/Si. This is important because the layers which can be used, e.g., in OLEDs have to be smooth and thin. Our materials can be also used as semiconductors.The high intensity of the fluorescence indicated The computational procedure used allowed for the prediction of the relative tendencies in the absorption spectra for all the compounds and the determination of the character of the transitions in the spectra of all the isolated compounds.


The effect of MoS2 on the morphology and the electrode performance was examined in detail. The results showed that the combination of centrifugal spinning, hydrothermal synthesis, and heat treatment is an efficient way to fabricate high-performance electrodes for rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, CNFs fabricated at a carbonization temperature of 800 °C delivered the highest capacity, and the addition of MoS2 improved the reversible capacity up to 860 mAh/g and 455 mAh/g for Li- and Na-ion batteries, respectively. A specific capacity of over 380 mAh/g was observed even at a high current density of 1 A/g. Centrifugal spinning and hydrothermal synthesis allowed for the fabrication of high-performance electrodes for sodium ion batteries.Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries as green energy storage devices because of their similar working principles and the abundance of low-cost sodium resources. Nanostructured carbon materials are attracting great interest as high-performance anodes for SIBs. Herein, a simple and fast technique to prepare carbon nanofibers (CNFs) is presented, and the effects of carbonization conditions on the morphology and electrochemical properties of CNF anodes in Li- and Na-ion batteries are investigated. Porous CNFs containing graphene were fabricated via centrifugal spinning, and MoS Green energy storage technology is receiving significant attention owing to the increasing effects of global warming. To decrease the negative effects of greenhouse gases on the environment, the usage and storage of green energy must increase ,2,3. BecCarbonaceous materials, such as graphene, hard carbon, carbon nanofibers (CNFs), carbon sheets, and carbon nanotubes, are abundant and inexpensive; thus, nanostructured carbons are the most favorable materials for use as SIB anodes . BecauseNa+ ions ,4. For CNa+ ions .Porous nanostructured carbons are important materials, particularly for sensors, fuel cells, and energy storage, because of their high surface areas . AdditioGraphene with a two-dimensional honeycomb structure is commonly used in energy storage devices because of its high theoretical specific capacity, large specific surface area, and good electronic conductivity, which can decrease the volume expansion during the charge/discharge process. Kim et al. synthesized a hybrid CNF/highly branched graphene nanosheet (HBGN) via a chemical vapor deposition method and used it as an electrode in LIBs. The HBGN delivered a reversible capacity of approximately 300 cavities . Dufficycavities  fabricatng rates .2 makes it a promising anode material for SIBs. However, capacity fading and poor capacity retention resulted from the large volume change and pulverization, which need to be adressed for practical applications. CNFs could buffer the volume change and improve the structural integrity of MoS2-based electrodes [2@C electrodes with stable cycling performance owing to volume elasticity and excellent electrical conductivity of hierarchical Mxene and carbon structure. Li et al. [2 composite electrode and stable cycling performance was attributed to the conductive network, enhanced charge transfer, and alleviated volume expansion with the addition of graphene.The high capacity and graphene-like layered structure of MoSectrodes . Yuan etectrodes  fabricati et al.  prepared2-decorated graphene@porous CNFs were prepared for the first time by combining centrifugal spining, a novel, fast, and reliable production technique, hydrothermal synthesis, and heat treatment processing. The electrochemical properties could be optimized by tuning the thermal treatment conditions and thus controlling the structural parameters. The effects of carbonization temperature and MoS2 addition on the morphology and structure of the CNFs were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical performance of the prepared CNFs and MoS2-decorated graphene@porous CNFs were also investigated as anodes in Li- and Na-ion batteries.Although CNFs can be produced via different techniques, such as electrospinning, self-assembly, template synthesis, and chemical vapor deposition, centrifugal spinning has attracted significant attention owing to its high production rate, low cost, and reliable safety ,15,16,172-decorated carbon nanofibers were synthesized via hydrothermal synthesis. A certain amount of thiourea and ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate was dissolved in distilled water, and PAN/PS/graphene nanofibers were immersed in this solution. The solution was then transferred to the hydrothermal reactor and heated up to 180 °C for 24 h. The as-prepared MoS2-decorated PAN/PS/graphene nanofibers were stabilized at 280 °C for 3 h and carbonized at 800 °C for 2 h. As-prepared CNFs were used as electrodes in Na-ion and Li-ion cells. Electrochemical experiments were performed using two electrode coin-type (316ss CR2032) half cells. In SIBs, a Whatman glass microfiber filter membrane was used as a separator, and sodium metal was used as the counter electrodes. The electrolyte of the SIBs was composed of a 1.0 M of NaClO4 solution in mixed ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) at 1:1 by volume. Polypropylene membrane was used as a separator, and lithium metal was used as the counter electrodes in Li-ion batteries. The electrolyte of the LIBs was composed of a 1.0 M of LiPF6 solution in mixed ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC) at 1:1:1 by volume. A constant current was applied to the working electrode between two potential values. The electrochemical measurements were performed by carrying out galvanostatic charge/discharge tests of 0–2.5 V at 100 mA/g.Polyacrylonitrile , polystyrene (PS), N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), thiourea, ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate, and graphene were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA. PAN nanofibers were prepared by centrifugal spinning. A 10 wt.% solution was fed into the spinneret, and a rotational speed of 4000 rpm was applied. The spinneret-to-collector distance was set to 10 cm. To obtain CNFs and determine the optimum carbonization temperature, PAN nanofibers were stabilized at 280 °C for 3 h and carbonized at three different temperatures: 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C. In addition, a PAN/PS/graphene solution was prepared to produce porous CNFs with enhanced specific surface area and improved conductivity. MoS2-decorated graphene@porous CNFs were determined by thermogravimetric analysis . The sample was heated at a rate of 10 °C/min from room temperature to 600 °C in air. The cycling tests  to determine the electrochemical performance were performed at room temperature.SEM  was used to study the morphology of the nanofibers. The fiber diameters were calculated by measuring 100 randomly selected nanofibers in SEM images using Revolution software for each sample. XRD  with a step of 0.01 and speed of 4° per minute and Raman spectroscopy  were used to characterize the structure. The composition of MoSIn this study, a centrifugal spinning system was used to fabricate PAN and graphene/PAN/PS nanofibers. A fibrous structure with an average fiber diameter of approximately 990 nm was observed in the SEM images of the PAN nanofibers, as shown in 2 atmosphere at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C for 2 h to form polyaromatic (graphite structure) and disordered carbons (turbostratic structure). The carbonization process includes an aromatic growth and polymerization step, in which the noncarbon elements are removed as volatile gases in the form of hydrogen, nitrogen, water, ammonia, and so on [After spinning, PAN nanofibers are converted to CNFs by applying a two-step thermal treatment that includes stabilization and carbonization. In the stabilization process, the nanofibers are heated in air at 280 °C for 3 h. During this time, the chemical structure of PAN was changed to a ladder structure with cyclization, dehydrogenation, aromatization, oxidation, and crosslinking reactions occurring in the air atmosphere. Crosslinking occurs with the formation of triazine, which is the result of an intermolecular reaction involving three nitriles of three different PAN chains to prevent decomposition at high temperatures. Intermolecular and intramolecular nitrile crosslinking reactions are crucial for determining the final structure because these reactions change the chemical structure of PAN to form a ladder-like structure due to cyclization of the nitrile groups and thus determine the structure of the CNFs. An incomplete stabilization process leads to poor carbon properties. Following stabilization, PAN was carbonized in a Nnd so on ,19.SEM images of the CNFs carbonized at temperatures of 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C are shown in (002) values of the CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C were calculated to be around 0.359, 0.353, 0.352 nm, respectively, which are larger than the d spacing of graphite (0.336 nm). As the carbonization temperature increased from 700 °C to 900 °C, the (002) peak sharpened, indicating structural development and a more ordered structure. Similar result was also reported by Choi et al. [The XRD pattern of the CNFs carbonized at different temperatures are shown in i et al. . Qanati i et al.  and Zhoui et al.  also repi et al. ,25. The i et al. . When thi et al. . As the D/IG) reveals the quantity of ordered graphitic structure. As the temperature increased from 700 °C to 900 °C, R decreased from 1.10 to 0.99, indicating a more ordered structure at 900 °C. Zhang et al. [D/IG decreased as the carbonization temperature increased, which indicates that an increase in temperature improves the quality of the graphitic structure.Raman spectra of the CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C are shown in e carbon . As the e carbon . The intg et al.  also repc) was determined using the Deby–Scherrer formula: kλ = Lc·β·cosθ, where K is the Scherrer parameter (K = 0.94 for the (002) diffraction peak) [c is 1.07, 1.11, and 1.13 for CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C, respectively. The in-plane graphitic crystallite size (La) was calculated using the following equation: La(nm) = 4.4(ID/IG)−1, which was developed by Knight and White [a and ID/IG. With increasing temperature, the ID/IG ratio decreased and La increased. The La values were 3.9, 4.43, and 4.43 nm as the temperature increased from 700 °C to 800 °C and then to 900 °C, respectively. Additionally, the area proportions (area under (002)/area under (100)) of CNF-700, CNF-800, and CNF-900 were 12.58, 9.06, and 8.55, respectively, demonstrating that, with increasing carbonization temperature, the structure of the CNFs became more ordered.Both XRD and Raman data demonstrated that, as the carbonization temperature increased, the graphitization of the CNFs increased, and their structure became more ordered. In addition, the crystalline stacking size (Lon peak) , and β ind White . There iThe first Li-ion cell discharge–charge curves for the CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C are shown in CNFs were also used as electrodes in Na-ion cells, and the first discharge–charge curves for the CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C are shown in The cycling performances of the Li-ion cells containing CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C are shown in The cycling performance for Na-ion cells containing CNFs carbonized at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C is shown in + = 76 nm and ionic radius of Na+ = 102 nm) [Developing a promising electrode material for Na-ion batteries is challenging because of its large ionic radius (ionic radius of Li 102 nm) . Graphen2 has high theoretical capacity and a graphene-like layered structure with large interlayer spacing of 0.62 nm. However, poor electronic conductivity and large volume change result in poor cycling performance [2 nanolayers were decorated on graphene@ porous carbon nanofibers via hydrothermal synthesis  analysis was carried out to determine the elements in the material. EDAX mapping of MoSc) (23.85 nm) increased with the addition of graphene, which proves the presence of graphene. In the XRD pattern of MoS2-decorated G-PCNFs, the major peaks at 13.8°, 32.2°, 39.5°, and 58° are respectively indexed to the (002), (100), (103), and (110) planes of MoS2 [2 phase (JCPDScardno.37-1492). The minor peaks at 33°, 43°, 50°, 55°, and 60° are ascribed to (101), (006), (105), (101), and (008), respectively [XRD pattern and Raman spectra are shown in  of MoS2 , while mectively ,45.−1 (D peak) and 1571 cm−1 (G peak) (a (4.44 nm) increased with graphene, which indicates a higher degree of order and thus higher ionic conductivity. The peaks at around 376.47 and 402.90 cm−1 were assigned to the E12g and A1g modes of MoS2 [The Raman spectra of G-PCNFs showed two peaks at 1347 cm(G peak) b. The am of MoS2 .2-decorated graphene@ porous carbon nanofiber were determined using Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET). The N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) plots are shown in 2 g−1 was observed due to the highly porous carbon nanofibers.The surface area and relative pore size of MoS2 content in MoS2-decorated graphene@ porous carbon nanofibers. The TGA curve is shown in 2 to MoO3 in air. On the basis of the TGA results, the mass fraction of MoS2 was around 30%.TGA was used to determine MoSThe first-cycle discharge–charge curves and cycling performance of graphene@porous CNFs in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries are shown in The reversible capacities were 365 mAh/g and 207 mAh/g for the Li-ion and Na-ion cells, respectively, in 200 cycles. The addition of graphene improved the electrochemical performance. Dufficy et al.  also repNa+ ions .2-decorated graphene@ porous carbon nanofiber electrodes in Li-ion  and Na-ion batteries  are seen in 2 on PCNFs, which led to high specific capacity with excellent cycling stability. A cycling performance at 1000 mA/g is shown on 2 shortened the diffusion path of ions and improved cycling performance even at high C-rates. The inclusion of graphene not only improved the overall electronic conductivity but also contributed to storing more ions in the structure owing to the rougher surface observed from SEM and TEM images. Moreover, the high specific capacities and excellent cycling performance was attributed to the nanostructured MoS2 layer on highly porous graphene@CNFs with high conductivity. Graphene@ porous CNFs not only prevented aggregation of MoS2 but also provided more active sites for electrochemical reactions. Nanostructured active material coating on centrifugally spun highly porous carbon nanofibers with high conductivity provided short pathways for ion difusion and elecron transport as well as large contact areas between electrode and electrolyte, leading to excellent cycle performance even at high rates.First-cycle discharge/charge curves and cycling performance of MoS2-decorated graphene-included porous CNF improved the electrochemical capacity up to 860 mAh/g in Li-ion cells and 455 mAh/g in Na-ion cells with excellent cycling performance. Combining centrifugal spinning and hydrothermal synthesis techniques is a promising way to fabricate high performance electrode materials.To support the development of cost-effective green energy storage in the face of climate change, this study explores the feasibility of nanostructured anodes in SIBs and LIBs. A novel electrode manufacturing and refinement process is presented in the form of a fast and reliable CNF preparation. Hydrothermal synthesis and heat treatment processes are presented, providing an efficient way to prepare high-performance battery electrodes. Additionally, the effect of the carbonization temperature during heat treatment on the structural properties and electrochemical performance of CNFs was investigated. XRD pattern and Raman spectra illustrated that increasing the carbonization temperature improved the ordered structure. CNFs carbonized at 800 °C, delivering the highest capacity compared to CNFs carbonized at 700 °C and 900 °C owing to high conductivity and large amount of defects. Furthermore, MoS


To this end, this study examined the effects of primary and secondary psychopathy on utilitarian and deontological response tendencies. Moreover, this study also explored the mediating role of alexithymia as well as the moderating role of gender in these effects. (2) Methods: A total of 1227 participants were recruited through the online questionnaire service wjx.cn. After deleting unfinished questionnaires, the remaining 1170 participants were included in the final data analysis. Each participant completed a demographic information questionnaire, the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and six pairs of moral dilemmas. Descriptive and correlational analyses of study variables were conducted in SPSS 22.0. Mediation and gender difference analyses were conducted in AMOS 23.0. (3) Results: Primary psychopathy was negatively correlated with deontological response tendencies and uncorrelated with utilitarian response tendencies. By contrast, secondary psychopathy also correlated negatively with deontological response tendencies, but it correlated positively with utilitarian response tendencies. Mediation analysis revealed that alexithymia only mediated the relationship between secondary psychopathy and deontological response tendencies. Multi-group analysis revealed that there was no difference between females and males in the indirect effect model. (4) Conclusions: People with high primary psychopathy are less likely to reject harm in moral dilemmas. By contrast, people with high secondary psychopathy have high alexithymia, which causes them to be less concerned about avoiding harm, and they are more likely to maximize outcomes in moral dilemmas. These findings shed new light on the moral dilemma judgments of individuals with primary and secondary psychopathy. Psychopathy is characterized by callousness, a lack of empathy and remorse, profound egocentricity, and antisocial behavior . PsychopResearch on moral dilemma judgment has formed the view that utilitarian judgment and deontological judgment can be measured by using sacrificial moral dilemmas . For exaAccording to dual process theory, more powerful cognitive deliberations seem to promote utilitarian judgment ,15,16. PThe relationship between psychopathy and moral dilemma judgment has received considerable attention from clinical and moral psychology researchers. Such empirical evidence not only helps to explain other main aspects of psychopathy but also provides a deeper understanding of the mental underpinnings of moral judgment . Using sMore importantly, the majority of studies on the moral judgment of psychopathy adopted the traditional moral dilemma paradigm. The issue with the traditional moral dilemma paradigm is that deontological judgment is treated as the pure inverse of utilitarian judgment . The response to moral dilemmas only reflects a relative preference for one over the other rather than absolute preferences for either. This leads the psychological processes underlying utilitarian and deontological judgment to have an inverse relationship, in which stronger utilitarian response tendencies signify weaker deontological response tendencies and vice versa . HoweverUsing a novel process dissociation (PD) approach could independently quantify the strength of utilitarian and deontological response tendencies  approach to independently quantify the strength of utilitarian and deontological response tendencies, and examined the effects of primary and secondary psychopathy on utilitarian and deontological response tendencies. According to dual process theory, deontological response tendencies involve relatively more affective responses to harmful actions, whereas utilitarian response tendencies involve a relatively more deliberative reasoning about outcomes ,29,32. PMoreover, the mechanism of the relationship between primary and secondary psychopathy and deontological and utilitarian response tendencies requires further investigation. Psychopathy is characterized by a lack of emotional awareness and shallow emotions ,4. A conFurthermore, evidence from previous studies suggests that there are gender differences in psychopathy, alexithymia, and moral judgment ,39,40,41Mage = 18.86 years, SDage = 1.12, the number of participants in each age group  was used to measure individuals’ level of psychopathy, which is a self-report measure with sound reliability and validity ,44. The The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) was used to measure individuals’ level of alexithymia, which is a self-report measure with well-demonstrated reliability and validity . The TASUsing a process dissociation (PD) approach could independently quantify the strength of utilitarian response tendencies and deontological response tendencies. The key to PD analyses is to employ both incongruent and congruent moral dilemmas . ParticiIncongruent dilemmas approximate the traditional high-conflict dilemma, in which harmful actions promote the greater good. Utilitarian and deontological response tendencies would drive divergent responses in incongruent dilemmas. For instance, in the incongruent dilemma of the crying baby, participants were asked whether it was appropriate to smother the child to prevent themselves and other townspeople from being killed. In this case, utilitarian response tendencies would lead people to agree to sacrificing the baby because sacrificing one person would save more lives. In contrast, deontological response tendencies would drive people to disagree with the baby sacrifice because such harmful behavior violates moral norms. Congruent dilemmas have a similar structure and wording to incongruent dilemmas, except for the outcomes: endorsing harmful actions would lead to worse outcomes overall . Thus, uIn other words, utilitarian response tendencies always drive people to reject harm in congruent dilemmas and to accept harm in incongruent dilemmas because action can maximize good outcomes, whereas deontological response tendencies always drive people to reject harm in incongruent and congruent dilemmas because action would violate moral norms. U parameter) were obtained from the difference in the proportion of “unacceptable” responses between congruent and incongruent dilemmas , alexithymia , and deontological tendencies  were not statistically significant. However, the gender differences in primary psychopathy  and utilitarian tendencies  were significant, with males scoring higher than females on primary psychopathy, and females scoring higher than males on utilitarian tendencies.Firstly, this study tested whether there were gender differences in the five variables. The results indicated that the gender differences in secondary psychopathy [χ2/df = 2.63, RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95, SRMR = 0.05; constrained structural paths: χ2/df = 2.44, RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.96, SRMR = 0.05). For the indirect effect model for females and males, see the Because this study found gender differences, multi-group analyses was conducted to examine whether the indirect effect model differed on the basis of gender. Following the suggestion of Byrne (2001), two models that keep the basic parameters equal were built . The firχ2= 21.95, p = 0.145, suggesting that the indirect effect model did not differ by gender. This study further calculated the critical ratios of differences (CRD) to assess the between-group differences in each path coefficient [PP→A = 0.089, CRDDPP→ = 0.221, CRDSS→A = 1.009, CRDDSS→ = 0.588, CRDUSS→ = 0.29, CRDDA→ = 0.26, CRDUPP→ = 1.154, CRDUA→ = −0.507), suggesting that there was no difference between females and males in the indirect effects model.The results show that the chi-square differences between the two models were not significant, Δfficient . If the The purpose of this study is to provide more nuanced insights into the effects of sub-dimensional levels of psychopathy on moral dilemma judgments. To this end, this study examined the effects of primary and secondary psychopathy on utilitarian and deontological response tendencies. Moreover, this study also explored the mediating role of alexithymia as well as the moderating role of gender in these effects. Overall, the findings partially support the hypotheses of the present study.As hypothesized, the study found that primary psychopathy was negatively correlated with deontological response tendencies and uncorrelated with utilitarian response tendencies. This finding suggests that individuals with high primary psychopathy are less likely to reject harm across moral dilemmas. Previous studies have shown that individuals with high primary psychopathy exhibit a preference for utilitarian judgment ,28, and This study also found that secondary psychopathy correlated negatively with deontological response tendencies. However, contrary to the expected assumption, secondary psychopathy correlated positively with utilitarian response tendencies. This finding suggests that individuals with high secondary psychopathy are less likely to reject harm and more likely to maximize outcomes across moral dilemmas. Previous studies have shown that secondary psychopathy correlated positively with utilitarian judgment ,26, and Moreover, the current study hypothesized that alexithymia would mediate the relationships between primary and secondary psychopathy and deontological response tendencies. However, this study found that alexithymia only mediated the relationship between secondary psychopathy and deontological response tendencies. This finding reveals that people with high secondary psychopathy have high alexithymia, which in turn decreases deontological response tendencies. Several studies provide support for our findings. For example, Lander et al. (2012) revealed that secondary psychopathy, but not primary psychopathy, predicted a higher level of alexithymia, and they argued that this finding indicates that core emotional deficits appear to be unique to secondary psychopathy . RidingsThis study benefited from separately quantified deontological and utilitarian response tendencies among individuals with primary and secondary psychopathy. This study found that primary and secondary psychopathy have a similar effect on deontological response tendencies, but the mechanism of such a relationship is different. Moreover, primary and secondary psychopathy have different effects on utilitarian response tendencies. These findings suggest that it is necessary to consider the separate effects of primary and secondary psychopathy on moral dilemma judgments. More importantly, the present study also has some practical implications. This study found that alexithymia not only mediated the relationship between secondary psychopathy and deontological response tendencies but also mediated the relationship between psychopathy and deontological response tendencies see the . These fThis study also has several limitations. First, although hypothetical dilemmas can measure individuals’ moral concern, the possibility remains that decisions on real dilemmas may differ . Future This study provides more nuanced insights into the relationship between primary and secondary psychopathy and moral dilemma judgment. People with high primary psychopathy are less likely to reject harm in moral dilemmas. By contrast, people with high secondary psychopathy have high alexithymia, which leads them to be less concerned about avoiding harm; in addition, they are more likely to maximize outcomes in moral dilemmas. Our findings shed new light on the moral dilemma judgment of individuals with primary and secondary psychopathy.