Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Large-scale mechanical peeling of boron nitride nanosheets by low-energy ball milling: Low-energy ball milling is a simple and effective way to mechanically cleave high-quality nanosheets say scientists from Australia, Republic of Ireland and Croatia. Mechanical cleavage by Scotch tape was the first method to produce graphene and is still widely used in laboratories; however, it suffers from a very low yield. In this hot article a team led by Lu Hua Li have tailored ball milling conditions to produce gentle shear forces that produce high quality boron nitride nanosheets in high yield and efficiency. The team claim that this method could be used to produce nanosheets from any layered material. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 11862-11866)

In situ: growth nanocomposites composed of rodlike ZnO nanocrystals arranged by nanoparticles in a self-assembling diblock copolymer for heterojunction optoelectronics: In this hot article a team from Nanchang University led by Yiwang Chen and Lie Chen develop a method to grow nanocomposites made of rodlike ZnO nanocrystals arranged by ZnO nanoparticles. The nanocomposites are made in situ with a self-assembling diblock copolymer and are used in a hybrid solar cell. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 11886-11894)

Polymorphism, structural characterisation and electrical properties of  Na₂Nb₄O₁₁: Na₂Nb₄O₁₁ transforms from R3 c to C2/c on cooling and shows a tendency towards low temperature antiferroelectric behaviour say a team of UK and Spanish scientists. A comparison of the high and room temperature structures shows clear evidence of antiparallel atomic displacements in the room temperature structure which explains the tendency towards low temperature antiferroelectric behaviour. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 12096-12102)

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Coalescence of Ag2S and Au nanocrystals at room temperature: A method to extract gold from quantum dot–gold hybrids or gold-containing alloys could provide an effective route to investigate the influence of gold on the properties of these materials say scientists at the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The strategy is based on a dissolution–renucleation process which leads to the coalescence of Ag2S and Au nanocrystals. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 11750-11753)

Ceramic nanowrinkles via a facile replication process: Researchers at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, have developed a simple method for fabricating regularly structured ceramic nanopatterns without any lithographic or mechanical processes. Their approach uses a molding and replication process to create the wrinkled ceramic nanopatterns. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 11750-11753)

A versatile approach to achieve quintuple-shape memory effect by semi-interpenetrating polymer networks containing broadened glass transition and crystalline segments: A shape memory polymer that remembers 5 different shapes has been developed by Chinese scientists. The quintuple-shape memory effect is achieved using PMMA/PEG semi-interpenetrating polymer networks containing broadened glass transition and crystalline segments. The team that this is the first time a quintuple-shape memory effect has been achieved. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM12496J, Advance Article)

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A novel layered zirconium molybdate as a precursor to a ceramic zirconomolybdate host for lanthanide bearing radioactive waste: Geochemically stable crystalline matrices that structurally mimic natural minerals are one possible way of disposing of radioactive waste in geological repositories. In this Hot Paper layered Na+(NH4+)-zirconium molybdates synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions are used as precursors to a ceramic Ln2Zr3(MoO4)9 host phase for Ln-bearing radioactive waste. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM11122A, Advance Article)  

Fabrication of wafer-scale polystyrene photonic crystal multilayers via the layer-by-layer scooping transfer technique: A simple layer-by-layer scooping transfer method can fabricate photonic crystal multilayers. The method offers control over the number of layers and which are vertically crack-free. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11122A, Advance Article) 

A simple, low waste and versatile procedure to make polymer electrochromic devices: In this Hot Article Gregory Sotzing and co-workers at the University of Connecticut demonstrate a simple method for fabricating solid-state conjugated polymer devices. These in situ devices have high contrast and can be easily patterned by inkjet printing. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 11873-11878) 

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Randomly oriented electrospun nanofibre nonwoven mats can be directly used for making mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion devices with high electrical outputs say researchers at Deakin University, Australia. Their device can generate a voltage output of several volts and showed long-term working stability.

Interested to know more? Read the full article for free until 15th August: Jian Fang, Xungai Wang and Tong Lin, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11445J, Advance Article

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In this Hot Article, porous low-density polyamide aerogels are synthesized in one-pot by reacting carboxylic acids with isocyanates. The aerogels combine high specific energy absorption with low speed of sound and Styrofoam-like thermal conductivity.

Read the full article for free until 15^th August: Nicholas Leventis, Chakkaravarthy Chidambareswarapattar, Dhairyashil P. Mohite, Zachary J. Larimore, Hongbing Lu and Chariklia Sotiriou-Leventis, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11472G, Advance Article

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