Author Archive

Small crystals with big prospects – magnetite composites as candidates for energy storage

In their Hot Article, Qiang Shen and colleagues from Shandong University report the generation of Fe3O4–C composites via the evolution of orthorhombic FeOCl. The crystals display some interesting electrochemical properties which make them potential candidates for next generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs).

We use LIBS in portable electronic devices such as phones and computers and LIB development has sparked a great deal of interest among materials scientists and crystal engineers alike.

Take a look at the results of the team’s research by downloading the article below, which is free to access for 4 weeks.

A chemical composition evolution for the shape-controlled synthesis and energy storage applicability of Fe3O4–C nanostructures
Fenfen Xu, Wenpei Kang, Xinxin Wang, Rui Liu, Chenhao Zhao and Qiang Shen

 

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December Crystal Clear: A Crystal Snowflake

 

SEM image of a dendritic copper(I) oxide crystal deposited on an ITO substrate in a stirred electrolyte

SEM image of a dendritic copper(I) oxide crystal deposited on an ITO substrate in a stirred electrolyte

Last month’s crystal clear is a wintry image of a Cu2O crystal.

The group from the Taiyuan University of Technology were investigating the growth of Cu2O crystals along the <110> direction. Copper(I) oxide is a p-type semi-conductor with applications from solar-cells to water splitting and catalysis. The physical properties of Cu2O crystals are greatly influenced by their morphology, which has generated considerable interested among crystal engineers.

The study by Wei Liang et al. reports the synthesis of dendritic crystals using a pulsed galvanostatic method and an electrolyte containing only Cu(Ac)2, the controlled growth along the <110> directions produces these eye-catching nano-structures. The team reported the full details of their research in Issue 23 of CrystEngComm. You can download the full article below, which is free to access for 4 weeks.

Are you a budding crystal engineer? Keep up to date with latest developments by following us on twitter @CrystEngComm.

Crystallization behavior and formation mechanism of dendrite Cu2O crystals
Jinbo Xue, Wei Liang, Xuguang Liu, Qianqian Shen and Bingshe Xu

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IUPAC Provisional Recommendations on Metal-Organic Framework and Coordination Polymer Terminology

The IUPAC task group: Coordination polymers and metal organic frameworks: terminology and nomenclature guidelines have published provisional recommendations. The article can be accessed directly here and any comments can be directed to the task group chair, Professor Lars Öhrström.

Terminology of Metal-Organic Frameworks and Coordination Polymers (IUPAC Provisional Recommendation)

The task group was set-up in 2009 to document, analyse and evaluate the use of nomenclature and terminology in the areas of coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks. As well as meeting on three occasions the group also published a Highlight article detailing the need for terminology guidelines and the provisional recommendations, which include the following definitions:

Term Definition
Coordination Polymer A coordination compound continuously extending in 1, 2 or 3 dimensions through coordination bonds
Coordination Network A coordination compound extending, through coordination bonds, in 1 dimension, but with cross-links between two or more individual chains, loops or spiro-links, or a coordination compound extending through coordination bonds in 2 or 3 dimensions
Metal-Organic Framework Metal-Organic Framework, abbreviated to MOF, is a Coordination Polymer (or alternatively Coordination Network) with an open framework containing potential voids

There are also recommendations on net and network topology, topology descriptors, nomenclature and the use of other terms (which explicitly discourages the term “hybrid organic-inorganic materials”)

Download the full article for the complete recommendations and take a look at the Highlight article published last year

Coordination polymers, metal–organic frameworks and the need for terminology guidelines
Stuart R. Batten, Neil R. Champness, Xiao-Ming Chen, Javier Garcia-Martinez, Susumu Kitagawa, Lars Öhrström, Michael O’Keeffe, Myunghyun Paik Suh and Jan Reedijk
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 3001-3004
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE06488J

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November Crystal Clear: Seeing Red

Mid-infrared lasers are of particular interest for a variety of applications including sensing, defence applications and laser surgery tools such as the laser scalpel.

This month’s crystal clear is a very bright image of a CaErAlO4 crystal.

The team from the Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Professor Chaoyang Tu have been investigating new materials for mid-infrared lasers. Lasers in this range of the spectrum are of particular interest for a variety of applications including sensing, defence applications such as heat seeking missile counter measures and laser surgery tools such as the laser scalpel.

The crystal was successfully grown using the Czochralski method and the absorption and emission properties compared to those of existing InGaAs laser diodes and Er:YAG lasers. For more details on the team’s research findings, including the photochemical properties and crystal structure, you can read the full article which was published in Issue 21 of CrystEngComm.

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Growth, structure and spectral properties of a novel crystal CaErAlO4 for 2.7 μm lasers
Zhaojie Zhu, Huiyi Zeng, Jianfu Li, Zhenyu You, Yan Wang, Zixiang Huang and Chaoyang Tu
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 7423-7427
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE26013A

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October Crystal Clear: A Sparkling Crystal

This month’s crystal clear is a barium borate crystal.

Inorganic borates are of interest due to their physical properties in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, making them potentially useful materials in non-linear optics. The image is of a crystal created by T. B. Bekker et al from the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences and published in Issue 20 of CrystEngComm.

The team were studying the BaB2O4–BaF2–BaO system and discovered the new non-centrosymmetric solid-solution series Ba7(BO3)4−xF2+3x. For more information on the group’s discoveries you can download the full paper which is free to access for 4 weeks.

Phase formation in the BaB2O4–BaF2–BaO system and new non-centrosymmetric solid-solution series Ba7(BO3)4−xF2+3x
T. B. Bekker, S. V. Rashchenko, V. V. Bakakin, Yu. V. Seryotkin, P. P. Fedorov, A. E. Kokh and S. Yu. Stonoga
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6910-6915
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE26122G

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This month’s CrystEngSelects

Here is this month’s selection of Advance Articles and Accepted Manuscripts of interest to crystal engineers across RSC Journals

Articles are chosen from:
ChemComm,
Chemical Science,
CrystEngComm,
Dalton Transactions,
Journal of Materials Chemistry,
Nanoscale,
New Journal of Chemistry,
RSC Advances.

Click here to expand the full list

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SPP 1415 Kristalline Nichtgleichgewichtsphasen – Theorie und Experiment (Nonequilibrium crystalline phases – theory and experiment)

Professor Josef Breu awarding Miss Iryna Andrusenko the CrystEngComm poster prize

Congratulations to Miss Iryna Andrusenko, University of Mainz, the winner of the CrystEngComm Poster Prize at the recent ‘Kristalline Nichtgleichgewichtsphasen – Theorie und Experiment’.

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Iryna’s poster, titled ‘Importance of Understanding the Vaterite Structure’ is based on her research into a polymorph of calcium carbonate, Vaterite.

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Well done Iryna, I hope you enjoy your copy of Science of Ice Cream!

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September Crystal Clear: Crystal Flowers

High-magnification SEM image of flower-like ZnO prepared on ITO glass

This month’s crystal clear is a striking image of what looks like a crystal flower!

In fact this is a high-magnification SEM image of a ZnO microstructure prepared on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass. Ping Yang and co-workers from the University of Jinan published their article in Issue 18 of CrystEngComm.

The team were investigating the growth mechanism of ZnO rods using an environmentally friendly synthesis at 70oC, by decreasing the concentration of NaOH they found they could transform the rods into these remarkable flower-like structures!
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You can read the full details of the groups research, including how to create these impressive crystals, by downloading there article below, which is free to access for 4 weeks!
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Ruixia Shi, Ping Yang, Jianrong Wang, Aiyu Zhang, Yuanna Zhu, Yongqiang Cao and Qian Ma
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 5996-6003
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE25606A
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‘New talent: Americas’ Collection now online

The CrystEngComm Collection ‘New talent: Americas’

The CrystEngComm Collection ‘New talent: Americas’ as now been published.

The issue contains a collection of papers from young talented scientists working in the field of crystal engineering in the Americas, including:

Switching between halogen- and hydrogen-bonding in stoichiometric variations of a cocrystal of a phosphine oxide
Se Ye Oh, Christopher W. Nickels, Felipe Garcia, William Jones and Tomislav Frišcic
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6110-6114

Controlling the local arrangements of p-stacked polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through substituent effects
Steven E. Wheeler
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6140-6145

Structural bolstering of metal sites as nodes in metal–organic frameworks
Sanjit Das, Daniel E. Johnston and Siddhartha Das
CrystEngComm, 2012, 14, 6136-6139

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These are just a few of the great articles from the Americas included in the collection.

Read the full CrystEngComm Collection here

You can also check out the issues editorial by the Guest Editor, Christer Aakeröy

New talent: Americas

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This month’s CrystEngSelects

Here is this month’s selection of Advance Articles and Accepted Manuscripts of interest to crystal engineers across RSC Journals

Articles are chosen from:
ChemComm,
Chemical Science,
CrystEngComm,
Dalton Transactions,
Journal of Materials Chemistry,
Nanoscale,
New Journal of Chemistry,
RSC Advances.

 Click here to expand the full list

Click here to expand the full list

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