CrystEngComm Blog

Using nonlinear optical crystals for second harmonic generators is an exciting field, and in this CrystEngComm Hot article, a high quality single crystal of K₃B₆O₁₀Br has been grown using a topseeded solution growth method. The crystal shows excellent second harmonic generation properties, three times better than KH₂PO₄

This work is particularly significant as this is the first time a single crystal of this type has been synthesised that is large enough to  demonstrate NLO properties.

Find out more by reading the full paper…

Crystal growth and optical properties of a noncentrosymmetric haloid borate, K3B6O10Br
Min Zhang, Shi-Lie Pan, Xiao-Yun Fan, Zhong-Xiang Zhou, Kenneth R. Poeppelmeier and Yun Yang
CrystEngComm, 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0CE00725K, Paper

FREE TO READ until 1st April

Vanadium oxides with various connectivities of distorted VO₆ polyhedra are characterized by tremendous structural diversity, which make them a seemingly huge playground for solid-state chemists.

In this exciting CrystEngComm Hot Article, Sarbajit Banerjee et al. describe a novel seeded growth strategy to obtain nanostars of VO₂ and V₂O₅.

The synthetic strategy offers a reproducible alternative to previous approaches for growing octahedral microcrystallites and nanostars with star, snowflake, and asterisk geometries.

Why not check out other amazing images on our Crystal Clear page here.

A VO-seeded approach for the growth of star-shaped VO₂ and V₂O₅ nanocrystals: facile synthesis, structural characterization, and elucidation of electronic structure
Luisa Whittaker, Jesus M. Velazquez and Sarbajit Banerjee
CrystEngComm, 2011, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C0CE00832J

In this CrystEngComm Hot article, Jon Zubieta and colleagues at Syracuse University, review the solid state coordination chemistry of three coordination polymers (1,2,4-triazole, 1,2,4-triazolate and 4-pyridyltetrazolate).

This study on the recent literature gives an excellent insight into the latest developments in this field, including important structural trends and stucture/property correlations.

Read the full article for FREE to find out more…

Solid state coordination chemistry of metal-1,2,4-triazolates and the related metal-4-pyridyltetrazolates
Wayne Ouellette, Stephanie Jones and Jon Zubieta
CrystEngComm, 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0CE00919A, Highlight

FREE to read until 1st April

In this CrystEngComm Hot Article, Songjun Zeng, Qibin Yang et al. demonstrate a simple lanthanide doping route for modifying the crystal structure (crystal phase, shape, size and physical properties) of monodisperse multifunctional NaYbF4 nanocrystals.

Lanthanide-doped UC nanocrystals attract attention due to their novel UC emission properties and potential applications in optics, biolabels, colour displays and as light-emitting diodes.

When compared with conventional bioimaging materials, Ln doped UC nanocrystals are considered the most appropriate candidates for biological fluorescent labels due to weak autofluorescence, deep penetration of non-invasive NIR excitation, low radiation damage and photobleaching.

Modifying crystal phase, shape, size, optical and magnetic properties of monodispersed multifunctional NaYbF4 nanocrystals through lanthanide doping
Songjun Zeng, Guozhong Ren, Changfu Xu and Qibin Yang
CrystEngComm, 2011, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C0CE00833H