Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Highly efficient solution-processed green and red electrophosphorescent devices enabled by small-molecule bipolar host material: A solution-processable host molecule TPO comprised of hole-transporting triphenylamine and electron-transporting oxadiazole has been synthesized by a team of Chinese scientists. The team used these materials to create a device with an efficiency of 56.8 cd A−1, which they say is among the highest ever reported for small-molecule based green phosphorescent OLED fabricated by a wet process. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10987A, Advance Article)

An ambipolar poly(meta-phenylene) copolymer with high triplet energy to host blue and green electrophosphorescence: A conjugated polymer with a hole transporting carbazole unit and an electron transporting oxadiazole unit incorporated into a poly(meta-phenylene) backbone was prepared by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA. The carbazole unit raises the polymer’s HOMO energy level to enhance hole injection, while the oxadiazole unit lowers the LUMO energy level, to boost electron injection. The PPLED devices with PmPCz-Ox doped with green or blue phosphorescent dopants as the active layer emits exclusive phosphorescent light from the dopants. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11212K, Advance Article)

γ-Cyclodextrin–folate complex-functionalized quantum dots for tumor-targeting and site-specific labeling: Chinese scientists have synthesized a series of folate-receptor targeted QDs, in which tumor-targeting folic acid was conjugated to the surface of QDs through cell-penetrated γ-cyclodextrin. The team claim that the QDs showed good optical properties and biocompatibility. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11066G, Advance Article)

Read these articles for free until 4th July 

Towards controlled synthesis and better understanding of highly luminescent PbS/CdS core/shell quantum dots: A two-step cation exchange procedure for synthesizing PbS/CdS core/shell quantum dots with a much thicker shell has been developed by US and Canadian scientists. The team behind the research say this method expands the flexibility of the current cation exchange approach. These core/shell PbS/CdS QDs not only show significantly increased quantum yield of up to 67%, they are also much more photostable and thermally stable than the shell-free PbS QDs. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM11205H, Advance Article)

Plasma functionalized PDMS microfluidic chips: towards point-of-care capture of circulating tumor cells: An efficient and disposable microfluidic device for capturing circulating tumor cells have been created by a team of Australian scientists. The team created the device using plasma functionalization of PDMS followed by conjugation with the anti-epithelial-cell adhesion-molecule mAb. The team say that the ability to efficiently capture circulating tumor cells using a disposable, low cost PDMS device such as the one shown here should facilitate the adoption of this new technology in clinical practice. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM10317B, Advance Article)

Nematic self-organization of regioselectively polyfunctionalized [60]fullerene: Fullerene hexakisadducts displaying different symmetries based on the regioselective polyfunctionalization of the fullerene sphere have been synthesised by a team at the Université de Strasbourg, France. These organic molecules could find use as organic electronic materials. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011 DOI:10.1039/C1JM10982K, Advance Article)

Preparation of multifunctional mesoporous silica particles: the use of an amphiphilic silica precursor with latent amine functionality in selective functionalization of the inner surface: Using a sequential functionalisation strategy, scientists at Seoul National University, South Korea, have selectively modified the inner surface of mesoporous silica particles. To demonstrate their approach the team created silica particles that contained FRET donors inside the silica framework and Fret acceptor moieties inside the pore. The outer surface was also functionalised with hydroxypropyl groups. Functionalized mesoporous silica particles have a range of applications including catalysis, separation, sensing, and delivery. The team believe that this approach could help tailor the properties of mesoporous silica particles to suit different applications.

Read the article for free until 21st June. Min Soo Kim and Ji Young Chang, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM10440C (Advance Article)

Hierarchical ZnO rod-in-tube nano-architecture arrays produced via a two-step hydrothermal and ultrasonication process: Dye-sensitized solar cells based on hierarchical ZnO rod-in-tube nano-architectures are 75% more efficient than similar solar cells that just use ZnO nanorods. The ZnO rod-in-tube nano-architecture arrays were created via a two-step hydrothermal and ultrasonication procedure developed by scientists at Sun Yat-sen University, China. The team attribute the greater efficiency to the larger surface area of the rod-in-tube array.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article available for free until 20th June.

Qiu-Ping Luo, Bing-Xin Lei, Xiao-Yun Yu, Dai-Bin Kuang and Cheng-Yong Su, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM10871A, (Advance Article)