Celebrating the Lunar New Year with some of our most popular articles

Celebrating the Lunar New Year with some of our most popular articles

Happy Lunar New Year from the materials journals at the Royal Society of Chemistry!

To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, we are delighted to highlight some of the most popular articles published in Materials Horizons and the Journal of Materials Chemistry family last year by corresponding authors based in countries celebrating the Lunar New Year. Check out the collections below:

 🔗 Materials Horizons

🔗 Journal of Materials Chemistry A

 🔗 Journal of Materials Chemistry B

🔗 Journal of Materials Chemistry C

All articles in the collections are FREE to read until 10 March 2024

We hope you enjoy reading the articles in the collections and wish you a happy and prosperous year of the dragon.

 

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Spotlight on a Materials Advances Highly Cited Review Article

“Fluorescent Schiff base sensors as a versatile tool for metal ion detection: strategies, mechanistic insights, and applications”

Materials Advances publishes review articles on topics across materials science, which are open access and free to read. To celebrate our excellent review articles, we asked the authors of some of our most well-received review articles to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we share insights from our interview with the authors of the recently published Materials Advances review “Fluorescent Schiff base sensors as a versatile tool for metal ion detection: strategies, mechanistic insights, and applications”.

Insights from the authors of a highly cited Materials Advances review article

What aspect of your research are you most excited about at the moment?

“The exciting aspects of fluorescence Schiff base research lie in its potential applications, such as in sensing and imaging. Understanding how these compounds interact with different environments or molecules opens up opportunities for advancements in various fields, from medicine to materials science. Additionally, exploring novel synthesis methods and improving the efficiency of fluorescence can contribute to the development of innovative technologies.”

What do you find most challenging about your research?

“Fluorescence Schiff base research, while exciting, also presents certain challenges. Some common challenges include:
(i) Synthesis complexity
(ii) Interference from environmental factors such as pH, temperature, and the presence of other organic or inorganic species.
(iii) The real-world application of these techniques often involves complex sample matrices, like biological fluids or environmental samples, which introduces additional challenges.”

What does it mean to you to have a highly cited review article?

“Being acknowledged by colleagues in the same field for one’s work is a rewarding experience for a researcher”

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

Materials Advances has established itself as a prestigious journal within the Materials family. The platform it offers is a unique opportunity for researchers to present their latest discoveries in the field of materials science. With its consistently high-quality publications, this journal has evolved into a central hub for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in materials science.”

What is one piece of career-related advice or wisdom that you would like to share with early career scientists?

“I recommend that early career researchers pinpoint global challenges and research gaps, dedicating their utmost efforts to address them in a meaningful way. Engage in brainstorming sessions, analyzing the What, Why, and How aspects—understand the problem, its underlying reasons, and potential solutions. Persistently pursue your aspirations, surmounting obstacles and challenges, until you can reflect with pride on your journey.”

Meet the authors

Dr Manoj Kumar Goshisht is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Govt. College Tokapal, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, India. He obtained his Master’s Degree from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar, Haryana, and PhD Degree from Dr B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He has cleared the National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC NET) for Assistant Professor in the subject of Chemical Sciences. He is a winner of the Editors Pick Award of the “9th DST & ACS Workshop” held on 11th August 2021. His research interests include organic chemistry, materials chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and nanomaterials. He has published various research papers in reputed international peer-reviewed journals of The American Chemical Society, The Royal Society of Chemistry, and Springer Nature. He also has a book in his account published by CRC Press (an imprint of the Taylor & Francis group).

Prof. Goutam Kumar Patra did his Ph.D. from Jadavpur University, under the supervision of Prof. Dipankar Datta at Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata. Then he joined Tel Aviv University, Israel, as a postdoctoral research fellow with Prof. Israel Goldberg (2000–2002). Subsequently he moved to Carnegie Mellon University, USA where he worked with Prof. Catalina Achim. Then he joined as Asst. Prof. in Vijoygarh Jyotish Ray College, Kolkata in December 2003. He visited Max Planck Institute of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Mülheim, Germany as a BOYSCAST fellow during 2006–07 and worked with the then Director, Prof. Karl Wieghardt. He is a Professor in Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur since 2012. His research interests include chemosensor, redox activity, azamacrocyclic chemistry, crystal engineering, porphyrin and supramolecular chemistry, peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) and free radical chemistry. So far, he has published more than hundred research papers in the journals of national and international repute.

 

Dr. Neetu Tripathi earned her Ph.D. from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India. She achieved first rank with a Gold medal in M.Sc. Chemistry (Instrumental Analysis) for her master’s degree. Currently, she serves as a Research Associate (RA) at DRDO, Defence Materials and Stores R&D Establishment. During her Ph.D., she received the prestigious INSPIRE fellowship from the Government of India. Dr. Tripathi has successfully cleared the National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC NET) for Assistant Professor and the Graduate Aptitude Test (GATE) in the subject of chemical sciences. Her research interests encompass organic chemistry, materials chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and nanomaterials. She has contributed to various international peer-reviewed journals, including those by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Elsevier, and Springer. Additionally, Dr. Tripathi is an author of a book published by CRC Press, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group.

We congratulate the authors on their impactful work and wish them success in their future academic research!

 

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Journal of Materials Chemistry A welcomes Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India to their Advisory Board

Journal of Materials Chemistry A is delighted to welcome Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India to their Advisory Board.

Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India

Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya is a Professor of Chemical Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India. He received his bachelor’s at Calcutta University, and his PhD degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, before he carried out his postdoctoral work in the US.

He joined the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India in April 2010, and has moved from Assistant Professor, to Professor of Chemical Sciences. His research focus is the design and synthesis of nanoscale functional materials, elucidation of their fundamental electronic, optical and other physical properties, and the development of processes that lead to specific alternative energy solutions.

Here is what he had to say about his appointment to Journal of Materials Chemistry A:

  • What does it mean to you to join the Advisory Board of Journal of Materials Chemistry A?

I am delighted to join the Advisory Board of Journal of Materials Chemistry A, which has set very high standards. Over the years, we have been publishing our research here, and reading high-quality articles by other research groups. The advisory board role will allow me to help the journal make decisions to promote seminal or outstanding scientific findings and influence future research.

  • What is the current biggest challenge you face in your field?

Mankind has to solve the burgeoning problem of climate change, not only in the reaction flask at the laboratory scale but implementing the proven concepts on a societal level for bridging the gap between academia and industry. A systematic approach should be in place to identify and promote the best solutions, published in journals, which are often overlooked.

  • What advances in your field are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about the immense potential of solar and thermal energy for solving the energy and environmental crisis. Secondly, advanced materials design is necessary for successfully replicating or mimicking the complexity and efficiency of natural processes. New inorganic / organic, and hybrid materials design is necessary with an understanding of their structural and electronic characteristics.

  • Why do you feel that researchers should choose to publish their work in Journal of Materials Chemistry A?

Journal of Materials Chemistry A provides an ideal interdisciplinary forum, with a broad range of topics, for publishing the path-breaking, most-read and most-cited research articles. It caters to quality science in the field of energy conversion and storage applications. The editorial board members are very active, and provide rigorous service through peer review to accelerate the dissemination of scientific findings.

  • Where do you see the materials chemistry field in the next 10 years?

I expect a comprehensive integration of materials chemistry into various domains of science and technology, demonstrating its interdisciplinary potential, and underscoring the interconnected nature of scientific advancements. Materials chemistry will play a central role in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and engineering to social sciences, reflecting its broad applications. The central role of materials chemistry can be envisioned through the collaborative efforts of researchers across different branches of science and technology, working towards the societal solutions to energy and environmental challenges.

 

Check out some of Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya’s recent publications in Royal Society of Chemistry journals:

Join us in welcoming Sayan to our Advisory Board!

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Feature in our International Women’s Day collections

By Natalie Cotterell and Ed Gardner.

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024

Feature your work in our materials or nanoscience collections

Last year, we celebrated some of the amazing women in materials science and nanoscience with two collections highlighting recent work led by women around the world, published in our materials and nanoscience journal portfolios. These collections showcased the impact these leading individuals have on their fields in line with International Women’s Day. We were delighted to feature so much exciting research in the collections and look forward to celebrating again in 2024.

If you have published in any of the journals below in 2023, and either the first and/or corresponding author of the article is a woman, your article can feature in our 2024 collection!

 

If you are interested, please email ✉ materials-rsc@rsc.org with the title of your article, DOI, journal in which your article is featured and a headshot photo of the eligible author by 23 February 2024. The collection will be promoted this International Women’s Day, 8 March 2024. At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we foster a culture of inclusion of women from all walks of life and look forward to continuing to celebrate all of the wonderful women in materials and nanoscience.

If you have any colleagues that may have published in any of these journals in 2023 and would be suitable to feature in the collection, please do let us know.

Check out our collections from last year to see the outstanding articles that we celebrated in 2023
🔗 2023 Women in Nanoscience collection

🔗 2023 Women in Materials Science collection

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Congratulations to the prize winners at SSCG 2023

The 42nd RSC Solid State Chemistry Group Christmas Meeting (SSCG 2023) took place in Edinburgh, UK from 18–19 December 2023. Materials Chemistry Frontiers, Materials Advances, Dalton Transactions, New Journal of Chemistry, CrystEngComm, RSC Mechanochemistry and Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers were pleased to support awards at this event and we would like to congratulate our winners! In addition to the awards supported by our RSC journals, the Roy Prize for best graduate student oral presentation and the Dent-Glasser Prize for best crystallography in oral or poster were awarded by the RSC Solid State Chemistry Group.

Group photo of the prize winners at SSCG 2023.

Group photo of the prize winners at SSCG 2023.

 

Learn more about the prize winners below:

Photo of Roy Prize winner Anthony Onwuli.

Roy Prize for best graduate student oral presentation

Anthony Onwuli (Imperial College London)

Anthony Onwuli is a PhD Student in Materials Science at Imperial College London under the supervision of Prof. Aron Walsh. He obtained his MEng degree from Imperial College London, UK, with a First Class Honours in Materials Science and Engineering in 2020. His current doctoral research has focused on developing software and leveraging materials data to aid in the screening and identification of new chemical spaces. He uses chemical heuristics, density functional theory calculations and machine learning to explore and design novel chemical spaces to discover potential candidates for solid-state electrolytes.

Photo of prize winner Eliza Dempsey.

Dent-Glasser Prize for best crystallography in oral or poster

Eliza Dempsey (University of Edinburgh)

Eliza Dempsey is a PhD student with Dr James Cumby at the University of Edinburgh. She completed her degree in Chemical Physics in 2021 and now researches the control of functional properties in metal oxyfluorides. Using solid-state synthesis, X-ray diffraction and density functional theory she is exploring the links between chemical composition, structure and properties in these materials. Alongside her PhD she also works on science communication as president of EUSci: the Edinburgh University Science Media society.

Photo of prize winner Cara Hawkins.

Materials Chemistry Frontiers Prize for Characterisation

Cara Hawkins (University of Liverpool)

Cara Hawkins is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Liverpool, studying under the supervision of Prof. Matthew Rosseinsky FRS in the Materials Innovation Factory. Cara obtained her Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Liverpool in 2021, before moving into Chemistry as a postgraduate. Her research focuses on the discovery of new inorganic materials for use in energy technologies. She is particularly interested in the synthesis of novel mixed anion compounds for photovoltaic applications, with the aim of engineering improved properties beyond single anion compositions.

Photo of prize winner Andrew McCluskey.

Materials Advances Prize for Computational Science

Andrew McCluskey (University of Bristol)

Andrew McCluskey is a lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Bristol. He moved to Bristol in 2023 following periods at the European Spallation Source and Diamond Light Source to establish a research group focusing on the role of mathematical modelling in materials science. In particular, he is interested in using Bayesian and probabilistic approaches to offer improved analysis of both simulation and experiment.

Photo of prize winner Alexandra Morscher.

Dalton Transactions Poster Prize

Alexandra Morscher (University of Liverpool)

Alexandra Morscher is originally from Austria and moved to Scotland for her undergraduate studies where she received her master’s degree from the University of Aberdeen in 2019 under the supervision of Professor Abbie McLaughlin. Her master’s work focused on the investigation of magnetocaloric materials and was carried out at the ICMCB in Bordeaux. After completing her master’s degree, she joined the University of Liverpool as a PhD student working under the supervision of Professor Matthew Rosseinsky and as part of the Faraday Institution’s SOLBAT project. Her work focuses on the discovery and characterisation of novel solid electrolytes for the use in All Solid-State Batteries. Her interest lies in utilising diffraction techniques to elucidate robust structure-property relationships and using this insight to guide research, striving for property optimisation.

 

Photo of prize winner Giuditta Perversi.

New Journal of Chemistry Prize for Interdisciplinarity

Giuditta Perversi (Maastricht University, Netherlands)

Giuditta Perversi is an Assistant Professor of Materials Chemistry at Maastricht University (NL), which she joined in 2019. She obtained her PhD in 2018, under the supervision of Prof. Paul Attfield at the University of Edinburgh (UK), and was subsequently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Montpellier (FR) in the group of Prof. Werner Paulus. Her main research interests focus on functional materials, in particular transition metal oxides for energy applications: she tackles new synthesis methods and new phase spaces, but also performs in-depth structural analysis (including single crystal, local structure and magnetic structure work) to correlate structure and property in complex order-disorder systems. Giuditta is extensively active in teaching and research-base learning, leading inorganic chemistry education at the Maastricht Science Programme, and liaises with interdisciplinary institutes: a key example is the bridging of materials science into cultural heritage, as she works in support of painting conservation efforts alongside the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL).

Photo of prize winner John Cattermull.

CrystEngComm Poster Prize

John Cattermull (University of Oxford)

John Cattermull is a final year DPhil student at the University of Oxford, working in the groups of Prof Mauro Pasta and Prof Andrew Goodwin FRS. John read Chemistry for his undergraduate at the University of Oxford, winning a thesis prize in Inorganic Chemistry for his Master’s research project. His doctoral research focuses on investigating the structural chemistry of Prussian Blue Analogue materials in the context of their application in K-ion batteries. In 2021, John was awarded a Lord Bullock Memorial Scholarship from St. Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Photo of prize winner Craig Hiley.

RSC Mechanochemistry Prize for Synthesis

Craig Hiley (University of Warwick)

Craig Hiley is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Warwick in the groups of Prof. Richard Walton and Dr Mark Senn. He received a Master’s degree and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Warwick after studying the synthesis and magnetic and catalytic properties of new oxide materials. After postdoctoral positions at the University of Liverpool and University of Leicester, in 2022 he returned to Warwick to explore solution synthesis of transition metal fluoride layered perovskites.

Photo of prize winner Nataliia Hulai.

Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers Poster Prize

Nataliia Hulai (University of Liverpool)

Dr. Nataliia Hulai obtained her bachelor’s (2016) and master’s (2018) degrees at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine, under the guidance of Prof. Yaroslav Kalychak. After that, she joined the group of Prof. Rainer Pöttgen at the University of Münster, Germany, where she was studying crystal structure and physical properties of intermetallic compounds of indium. After receiving her PhD degree in 2022, she has joined the group of Prof. Matthew Rosseinsky at the University of Liverpool. Dr. Hulai’s current research is focused on discovery of new oxide materials, their structure and property characterization, and crystallography.

We’d like to congratulate all the prize winners once more, it’s a great achievement for their work to be selected from all the excellent research presented at the event. We’d also like to thank all organisers and the RSC Solid State Chemistry Group for organising this conference. You can follow the RSC Solid State Chemistry Group (@SscgR) on Twitter to keep up to date with their latest news.

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Open Call for Submissions: Molecular Photoswitches for Energy storage

We are delighted to announce an Open Call for Submissions to a themed collection on Molecular Photoswitches for Energy storage to be published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A and Journal of Materials Chemistry C.

Guest Editors:

Prof. Rachel Evans (University of Cambridge)

Prof. Grace Han (Brandeis University)

Prof. Tao Li (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

Prof. Dr. Hermann A. Wegner (Justus-Liebig Universität)

Scope:

The necessity to harvest and store energy is one of the greatest challenges of today. The sun represents in this respect the ultimate energy source on earth. The utilization of light as energy input is therefore highly desirable. Molecular photoswitches do exactly that, as they can be switched between two states. Such processes have great potential in energy storage. This special issue celebrates results in all areas covering molecular photoswitches in the broadest sense for energy storage:

Appropriate topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Design, synthesis and characterization of photoswitches
  • Application of photoswitches for energy storage, such as molecular solar thermal energy storage systems
  • Incorporation of photoswitches in devices for energy storage
  • Investigation of diverse triggering methods for energy release (e.g., (electro)catalysis)
  • Phase transitions and latent heat storage-release induced by the photoswitching processes
  • Theoretical screening of photoswitch candidates for improved energy storage

Deadline: 13 June 2024

Submissions to the journal should contain chemistry in the context of a material and should fit within the scope of Journal of Materials Chemistry C or Journal of Materials Chemistry A. Please see the journal’s page for more information on the journal’s scope, standards, article types and author guidelines.

This call for papers is open for the following article types:

  • Communications
  • Full papers

If you would like to contribute to this themed collection, you can submit your article directly to the online submission system for Journal of Materials Chemistry C or Journal of Materials Chemistry A. Please mention that this submission is a contribution to the Molecular Photoswitches for Energy storage in the “Themed issues” section of the submission form and add a “Note to the Editor” that this is from the Open Call.

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Journal of Materials Chemistry 10th Anniversary Cover Showcase – December

Last year, as you may know, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, B, and C celebrated their 10th anniversary! To join in the celebrations, we asked authors to find creative ways to add a ’10’ to the cover artwork and are excited to show you the latest results in our December monthly cover showcase.

To look back at all the celebrational activities, you can view the #JMCs10Years hashtag on Twitter.

Here are this month’s covers

 

 

Advancing vapor-deposited perovskite solar cells via machine learning

 

 

Structural inhomogeneity: a potential strategy to improve the hydrogen storage performance of metal hydrides

 

 

 

Long-term cycling stability of a SnS2-based covalent organic nanosheet anode for lithium-ion batteries

 

 

 


A boron-nitride based dispersive composite coating on nickel-rich layered cathodes for enhanced cycle stability and safety

 

 

From conventional inorganic semiconductors to covalent organic frameworks: advances and opportunities in heterogeneous photocatalytic CO2 reduction

 

In situ crystal engineering on 3D-printed woodpile scaffolds: a monolith catalyst with highly accessible active sites for enhanced catalytic cracking

 

 

 

 

Oxygen-vacancy enhanced CoO/CeO2 heterojunction for synchronous regulation of sulfur resourcing and selenium adsorption separation from flue gas desulfurization wastewater

 

The role of nanochitin in biologically-active matrices for tissue engineering-where do we stand?

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Open Call for Papers: Photon Upconversion Materials

Open call for papers to contribute to themed collection for Journal of Materials Chemistry C: Photon Upconversion Materials

The field of photon upconversion materials has been booming in recent years. There are several reasons why researchers explore these systems for potential applications in fields as diverse as solar energy conversion, photochemistry, and biomedicine.

The two main classes of materials are organic compounds undergoing triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion and inorganic upconverting (nano)materials based on rare earth elements. Both fields have much in common, but have rarely been connected. To overcome this separation of similar research fields, this special collection embraces the similarities and differences of the two upconversion fields.

Guest Editors:

Dr. Eva Hemmer is an Associate Professor of Materials Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. She received her PhD (2008) in materials science from Saarland University (Germany) under the mentorship of Prof. Sanjay Mathur. During her graduate studies she focused on single-source-precursors and their application in the bottom-up synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials. This experience was further deepened during her postdoctoral studies when she worked on rare-earth-based nanoparticles for near-infrared bioimaging with Prof. Kohei Soga (Tokyo University of Science, Japan, 2009-2012). In 2013 she was awarded a Feodor Lynen Research Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to work in the groups of Profs. Fiorenzo Vetrone and Francois Légaré at Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, Canada, 2012-2015) to develop rare-earth-based optical nanothermometers. In winter 2016 Dr. Hemmer came to Ottawa; since then, her research focuses on new designs of rare-earth-based nanoparticles for bioimaging, optoelectronic and optomagnetic applications, accompanied by chemically controlled synthesis, surface chemistry, and understanding of structure-property relationships. She received the 2021 Jubilee Global Diversity Award of the ACerS (American Ceramic Society; Engineering Ceramics Division), as well as the 2021 Early-career Achievement Award in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology by NanoOntario. Her commitment to higher-level education and to the broader materials community – for instance as active member of the American Ceramic Society or as Chair of the Student Engagement Sub-Committee of the Materials Research Society – was recognized with the AcerS‘ Du-Co Ceramics Young Professional Award.

Nobuo Kimizuka received his Ph.D. in 1990 under the supervision of Prof. Toyoki Kunitake at Kyushu University.

After working as a postdoc with Prof. Helmut Ringsdorf at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, he was promoted to associate professor in 1992 and full professor in 2000.

In 2020, he was appointed as a Research Supervisor, JST CREST, “Precise arrangement toward the functionality of molecular systems” (2020-2027).

His work encompasses the synthesis, structure, properties, and functions of molecular self-assemblies and coordination nanomaterials.

In recent years, he has focused on developing supramolecular photon energy conversion systems based on designed molecular systems: photon upconversion, molecular solar thermal fuels, and singlet fission.

Lukasz Marciniak is a professor in physics at the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland. His current research focuses on the synthesis and the characterization of the luminescent properties of advanced multifunctional materials in a form of nanocrystals, colloidal solutions, microcrystalline powders, glasses, and single-crystals with the special emphasis on their application in remote sensing and imaging of physical and chemical parameters i.e. temperature (luminescent thermometer), pressure (luminescent manometry) and pH. He conducts interdisciplinary scientific research on a border of physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, material engineering, and biology.

Dr. Lea Nienhaus earned her B.Sc. from the Universität Ulm, Germany in 2010 and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015. She then moved to MIT to work with Professor Bawendi as a postdoctoral associate. She began her independent career at Florida State University in the Fall of 2018. The Nienhaus group is interested in unraveling the complex photophysical processes occurring in hybrid upconversion systems by a combination of optical spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy.

Professor Timothy Schmidt was educated at The University of Sydney, winning the University Medal for Theoretical Chemistry in 1997. He undertook his PhD at The University of Cambridge in the field of femtosecond spectroscopy under the supervision of the late Dr Gareth Roberts. He was a postdoctoral research associate of Prof. Dr John Paul Maier, FRS in Basel, Switzerland, where he researched highly unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules of astrophysical relevance. Tim returned to Australia in 2003 to take up a position at CSIRO researching artificial photosynthesis. He was appointed as a lecturer in the School of Chemistry at The University of Sydney in 2004 and there rose to Associate Professor before moving to UNSW in 2014 as Professor and ARC Future Fellow. At UNSW he is Research Director of the School of Chemistry and Chief Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science. Professor Schmidt has been the recipient of a number of awards for his research including the Coblentz Award (2010) for contributions to the science of molecular spectroscopy.

About this call

Submissions to the journal should contain chemistry in a materials context and should fit within the scope of Journal of Materials Chemistry C. Please see the journal’s website for more information on the journal’s scope, standards, article types and author guidelines.

For this open call, we welcome full Papers and Communications.

If you would like to contribute to this themed collection, please submit your article directly through the Journal of Materials Chemistry C submission service. Please mention that your submission is a contribution to the ‘Photon Upconversion Materials’ collection in the “Themed issues” section of the submission form and add a “Note to the Editor” that this is from the Open Call. Please do not mention the collection in your cover letter.

All submissions will be subject to assessment against the journal’s usual scope and standards criteria and sent for peer review only if appropriate. Accepted articles will be published online as soon as they are ready and added to the web collection.

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Spotlight on Materials Advances Highly Cited Review Article

Recent advances in chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste into value added products for sustainable coating solutions – hope vs. hype

Materials Advances publishes review articles on topics across materials science, which are open access and free to read. To celebrate our excellent review articles, we asked the authors of some of our most well-received review articles to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we share insights from our interview with Krishanu Ghosal and learn more about the authors of recently published paper Recent advances in chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste into value added products for sustainable coating solutions – hope vs. hype.

Graphical abstract for review article.

Insights from the authors of a highly cited Materials Advances review article

What aspect of your research are you most excited about at the moment?

“In this polymer age, the unprecedented escalation in the production, consumption, and disposal of post-consumer polymeric waste materials has become a critical environmental concern of paramount importance. According to a World Bank report, in 2016, the global production of plastic waste reached a staggering 242 million tonnes, constituting approximately 12% of the total solid waste generated worldwide. Historically, a significant portion of this plastic waste has been managed through methods such as landfills or incineration.

To address this escalating issue, researchers are now concentrating on the 3R (reduce, recycle, and reuse) concept of plastic products. Currently, I am specifically working on the recycling of plastic waste into value-added chemicals, which can serve as raw materials or intermediates for the creation of new materials, including novel biodegradable polymers. More precisely, my work involves developing new classes of biodegradable polymers derived from recycled polymeric materials waste focusing on biomedical and coatings applications.”

What do you find most challenging about your research?

“I feel that, the most challenging part about my research is translation of technology from lab to commercial scale. It’s common for reactions, processes, or technologies that prove effective in a lab setting to encounter significant drawbacks when implemented on an industrial scale. This challenge is particularly pronounced in the field of polymer recycling, where there has been a surge in research articles. Unfortunately, only a handful of these innovations make it to commercialization while maintaining socio-economic viability.

A noteworthy observation is the disparity between the promising laboratory results and the practical hurdles faced during industrial implementation. A recurring issue is the elevated cost of recycled raw materials compared to readily available fresh raw materials in the market, which diminishes the feasibility of recycling initiatives. Additionally, it’s imperative to consider the environmental impact of the recycling process. An ideal recycling method should not only be economically viable but also environmentally sustainable, ensuring a carbon-neutral or even negative footprint, while avoiding the generation of harmful chemicals throughout the entire process.”

What does it mean to you to have a highly cited review article?

“Receiving acknowledgment from peers in the same field is a truly gratifying experience for any researcher. It not only validates the dedication and effort invested in one’s work but also fosters a sense of professional camaraderie and shared appreciation within the research community.”

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

“All of the journals of Royal Society of Chemistry’s Materials family are highly reputed among materials researchers. The Materials Advances platform offers a unique opportunity for researchers to showcase their latest findings in the dynamic field of materials science. Publishing in Materials Advances experience is really amazing. Additionally, because Materials Advances is an OA journal, the reach of the journal is broader, which attracts many researchers working in different fields of materials to read and publish in Materials Advances.”

What is one piece of career-related advice or wisdom that you would like to share with early career scientists?

“I feel that, early career researchers should choose problem statements wisely. To address these challenges, early career scientists should take the initiative and independently formulate solutions for their chosen problem statements. Engaging in discussions with fellow researchers and colleagues regarding the problem statement and potential solutions serves as a valuable process for refining and sharpening the proposed solution. This collaborative process not only hones their problem-solving skills but also cultivates critical thinking, fostering the development of well-rounded and innovative researchers.

Furthermore, I would recommend that early career scientists actively explore opportunities to translate their research into commercial applications. This initiative not only maximizes the societal impact of their work but also exposes them to the complexities and practicalities of taking scientific innovations from the lab to the market. By bridging the gap between research and commercialization, these scientists can bring out the true potential of their findings to the broader public, making a meaningful difference in the real world.”

Meet the authors

Photo of author Krishanu Ghosal.

Dr Krishanu Ghosal is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Before joining Technion he worked as an Assistant Technical Manager in Shalimar Paints Ltd. He did his Ph.D at the Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, with a thesis titled “Synthesis of biopolymers from recycled plastic waste and natural resources for tissue engineering applications”. He obtained his B.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry and M.Sc. in Applied Chemistry from Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Howrah, India. During his B.Sc. and M.Sc., he was actively involved in various research activities as well as industrial training. During an M.Sc. summer internship, he worked under Professor T P Radhakrishnan, School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad. There he worked on a project titled “Synthesis of ultrathin film based on poly-N-octadecylaniline based gold and silver nanoparticles using the air-solution interface”. He also worked under the guidance of Dr Atanu Bhattacharya at IISc Bangalore, completing his master’s thesis titled “Ground state decomposition mechanism of metal contained nitramine molecule”. His research interests include several diverse fields including synthesis of novel polymers, recycling of polymeric materials into value-added products, synthesis of nanomaterials and their biomedical applications, green chemistry etc.

Photo of author Chinmaya Nayak.

Mr Chinmaya Nayak is currently serving as the Head of Industrial R&D in Shalimar Paints Limited. Previously he worked as a Senior Development Manager in R&D at Berger Paints India Ltd, Kolkata. He received his M.Sc. degree in Chemistry from Delhi University and his M.Tech. (Corrosion Science & Technology) from NIT-Durgapur. He has 24 years of experience in the paint industry. As a seasoned R&D professional in the paint industry, he has designed and commercialized more than 2000 formulations. Additionally, he has trained more than 100 professionals in the field of paint technology. He has been a part of numerous technical events and conferences. In addition to that, he has been actively involved in the presentation and publication of technical papers.

We congratulate the authors on their impactful work and wish them success in their future academic research!

 

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Near-infrared-activated nanoparticles for localized anticancer drug delivery

To celebrate some of the excellent work that has been published in Materials Advances this year, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail. In this post, we hear from Dr Shazid Md. Sharker about their recently published article entitled “NIR-light-triggered delivery of doxorubicin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles for synergistic cancer therapy on DMBA/TPA induced tumor-bearing mice“.

Discover the key message from this article

 

Meet the author

 

Dr Shazid Md. Sharker obtained his PhD in 2016 from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea. Dr Sharker got a research training experience from the School of Medicine, Stanford University, California, USA. Currently, he is working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North South University (NSU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dr Sharker plans to continue exploring nanotechnology at NSU to expand his understanding of nanoscale biological interactions. He aims to develop polymer and liposome-based nanocarriers and discover new nanoparticles (NPs) having both therapeutic and diagnosing (theragnostic) applications.

 

 

An interview with the author

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?

Drug delivery technology is heavily reliant on technology; like others, I find excitement in developing or leveraging new tools, methods, or technologies that can enhance nanotechnology in drug delivery and its outcomes. Securing funding for research projects is a common challenge. Finding a balance between teaching responsibilities and research pursuits can be challenging for academics. Heavy teaching loads may limit the time available for focused research.

 

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

The prospect of publishing in reputable journals and receiving recognition for one’s work can be a source of great satisfaction and motivation. It made me decide on an open-access journal like Materials Advances and a well-known publisher like RSC as a place to publish research on this topic.

 

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with early career scientists?

The research career is like a journey, just like moving from one place to another. In both research and study, obstacles can be overcome, and new discoveries can be made, and a sense of progress and growth. A successful research career is not solely defined by the number of papers published but also by the ability to adapt, collaborate, and contribute meaningfully to their field and beyond. Cultivating a diverse skill set early in their career can position them for long-term success and make them more adaptable to the evolving landscape of scientific research. While becoming an expert in their chosen area is crucial, having a range of complementary skills can enhance scientists’ versatility and make them more resilient in a rapidly changing research landscape.

 

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