Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Hot Article: DNA nanofabrication by scanning near-field photolithography of oligo(ethylene glycol) terminated SAMs: Controlled scan-rate dependent switching between head group oxidation and tail group degradation

Control of exposure in near-field lithography enables simple, convenient switching between alternate photochemical reaction pathways say scientists from the UK and China. The team behind the research claim this approach could be used to create biosensors by assembling bio-functionalised nanoparticles onto nanofeatures embedded in an inert background.

Read the article here: Shuqing Sun, David G. Thompson, Duncan Graham and Graham J. Leggett, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11803J Advance Article

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A Cu²⁺ sensor based on click chemistry and azide- and alkyne-functionalized polydiacetylene vesicles has been developed by South Korean scientists. In the presence of ascorbic acid, Cu2+ is reduced to Cu+ and catalyzes a click reaction between the two functional groups. The sensor changes colour from blue to red due to a conformational transition in the conjugated backbone. Interested to know more? Read the full article for free until 8th September.

Visual detection of copper ions based on azide- and alkyne-functionalized polydiacetylene vesicles: Qingling Xu, Kyung Mi Lee, Fang Wang and Juyoung Yoon, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11660F (Advance Article)

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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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Scientists at the University College London, UK, have developed a combinatorial aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition technique to deposit gallium-doped indium oxide thin films. The oxide films were deposited within composition graduated films from the aerosol-assisted CVD of GaMe₃, InMe₃ and HOCH₂CH₂OMe. The team behind the research say that this is the first time that a combinatorial aerosol-assisted CVD method has been described. The method provides a rapid route to investigate the effect of a dopant on the functional properties of a wide range of materials and since it is a solution-based technique, films with a range of compositions could be deposited even if volatile precursors are not available.

Read for Free until 15th August: Caroline E. Knapp, Andreas Kafizas, Ivan P. Parkin and Claire J. Carmalt, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11606A, Advance Article

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Polyurethane microcapsules containing hexamethylene diisocyanate form a one-part self-healing anticorrosion coating. 

Read the full article for free until 9th August: Mingxing Huang and Jinglei Yang, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10794A, Advance Article

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Feature Article: Chemically induced self-assembly of spherical and anisotropic inorganic nanocrystals: In this review Dmitry Baranov, Liberato Manna and Antonios G. Kanaras discuss the self-organization of colloidal nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes induced by the active manipulation of nanoparticle surfaces. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11599E Advance Article)

Feature Article: Pt-based composite nanoparticles for magnetic, catalytic, and biomedical applications: This hot review by Yi Liu, Dongguo Li and Shouheng Sun highlights the recent advances in synthesizing Pt-based alloy and core–shell nanoparticles for magnetic, catalytic, and biomedical applications. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11605C, Advance Article)

Feature Article: Emerging functional nanomaterials for therapeutics: This feature article showcases some of the recent therapeutic applications involving some representative nanomaterials as drug carriers or direct therapeutic modalities. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11401H, Advance Article)

Feature Article: Fabrication of functional colloidal photonic crystals based on well-designed latex particles: This review by Youzhuan Zhang, Jingxia Wang, Yu Huang, Yanlin Song and Lei Jiang presents the recent research progress on the fabrication of functional colloidal crystals with high mechanical strength, controllable wettability, anisotropic structure or large scale, based on well-designed latex particles.  (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10977D)  

Read all the Feature Articles for Free until 9th August 2011

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