Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Patterned fluorescence films with reversible thermal response based on the host–guest superarchitecture: A patterned fluorescence film that shows reversible thermal and fluorescent behaviour in the temperature range 20–130 °C has been created by a team at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China. The team say that the transformation of an organic chromophore from irreversible to reversible thermal response material upon incorporation into a 2D layered matrix is the most distinct feature in this work. Combining the patterning technique with the thermal responsive photoluminescence nature of the chromophore–layered double hydroxide composites could be applicable to the development of a wide selection of intelligent devices and display systems. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11249J, Advance Article)

Tailoring hybrid glyco-nanolayers composed of chitohexaose and cellohexaose for cell culture applications: In this Hot Paper, Yuka Yoshiike and Takuya Kitaoka from Kyushu University, Japan, show that human carcinoma cells can adhere to self-assembled hybrid nanolayers of chitohexaose–thiosemicarbazide and cellohexaose–thiosemicarbazide. The surface density of bioactive chitohexaose is a key factor in cell adhesion efficiency, morphological variation and some cellular responses. Yoshiike and Kitaoka say that the Architectural design of carbohydrate-based hybrid nanolayers via the vectorial chain immobilization method is expected to provide a new concept for the functional development of glyco-decorated biointerfaces. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C1JM11448D)

Superparamagnetic magnetite nanocrystal clusters as potential magnetic carriers for the delivery of platinum anticancer drugs: A magnetic drug carrier that can increase the cellular uptake of platinum drugs while maintaining the inherent cytotoxicity of the drug cargo has been developed by Chinese scientists. The drug carrier is based on superparamagnetic magnetite nanocrystal clusters modified by carboxymethylcellulose and is conjugated to the anit-cancer drug cisplatin. The advantages of this drug delivery system include the simplicity of preparation, multifunctionality of the particles, and high loading capacity of the carrier. The team led by Zijian Guo at Nanjing University, China, say that this approach may be further developed into a promising strategy for targeted delivery of other drugs or biofunctional molecules. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C1JM11369K)

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Compositional tunability and high temperature stability of ceria–zirconia hollow spheres: Doping zirconium into CeO₂ hollow spheres can increase the thermal stability of the spheres by around 200 ^OC say researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. Cerium oxide is an important support for metal–nanoparticle based catalysis and it has found widespread use as a support in three-way catalytic converters; however, pure ceria is prone to sintering at modest temperatures (~700 °C).  The method described by the US based team creates hollow spheres with appropriate size and porosity for encapsulating noble metal nanoparticles. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM10897B, Advance Article) 

Phase behaviour of liquid-crystalline polymer/fullerene organic photovoltaic blends: thermal stability and miscibility: The phase transitions and thermal behaviour of an organic photovoltaic systems comprised of a liquid-crystalline fluorene-based polymer and a fullerene derivative are investigated in this hot article. The thermal stability and phase behaviour are crucial for maintaining the performance of polymer/fullerene solar cells. The team behind the research say that increasing the molecular weight of the polymer decreases the solubility of the fullerene derivative in the polymer phase which offers routes towards improving the photovoltaic performance of non-crystalline organic photovoltaic systems. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM11239B, Advance Article)

Synthesis and electrochemistry of monoclinic Li(Mn_xFe_1−x)BO₃: a combined experimental and computational study: Japanese scientists have synthesised Li(Mn_xFe_1−x)BO₃ and studied its stability in Li-ion batteries. Replacing the (PO₄)³⁻ anion in Li-ion batteries with the smaller and lighter (BO₃)³⁻ could increase the theoretical capacity of the battery. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C1JM11131K)

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D–π–M–π–A structured platinum acetylide sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells: A platinum acetylide sensitizer for use in dye-sensitized solar cells has been developed by scientists at East China Normal University. The team used the sensitizer to create a device with a solar to electricity conversion efficiency of 3.28%, which they claim is higher than most solar cells using platinum complexes as dye sensitizers. Future work will focus on expanding the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of the Pt-complexes, extend electron lifetime and further improve the optical properties of devices by molecular structure design. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10942A, Advance Article)

Low-temperature rapid synthesis of high-quality pristine or boron-doped graphene via Wurtz-type reductive coupling reaction: A rapid and low-temperature method to prepared high-quality graphene has been developed by Chinese scientists. The method doesn’t require any transition metal catalysts and it can be adapted to prepare boron-doped graphene by adding BBr₃. The team claim the method provides a cost-effective route to prepare high-quality pristine or doped graphene for mass production. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11184A, Advance Article)

Fabrication of carbon microtubes from thin films of supramolecular assemblies via self-rolling approach: A novel self-rolling approach to create carbon and carbon/metal hybrid microtubes could lead to programmable fabrication of spirals, springs and rings say German scientists. The team that developed this approach claim that it could be extended to fabricate a range of carbon/metal hybrid microtubes with control of the inner and outer diameters. These microtubes are expected to have potential applications in areas such as microfluidic devices, catalysis, sensing devices, and waveguiding. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11258A, Advance Article)

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Color tuning of Novel 2,1,3-Naphthothiadiazole and 2,1,3-Benzoselenadiazole based D-A-D′ Type dopants to realize highly efficient saturated red emission in non-polar solvents: In an effort to developed brighter and more efficient flat panel displays Lixiang Wang and co-workers at Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, China, created a series of red dopants for polymer light emitting diodes. The red dopants have enhanced electron affinity, saturated red emission wavelength and high fluorescence efficiency which the team hope should make them suitable for use in devices. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM11204J, Advance Article)

Controlling the wettability properties of polyester fibers using grafted functional nanomaterials: A simple and effective method to control the wettability of textile fibres has been developed by scientists at Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Israel. The approach relies on the surface modification of PET fibers with functional nanomaterials. The team led by Jean-Paul Lellouche claims that the silica layer’s optical transparency, chemical stability, and nontoxicity, means that fabric modified with this method will not reduce the color and morphology of PET fabrics. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011,  DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10823A, Advance Article)

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A strategy for encoding & decoding DNA based on DNA–Au nanoparticle conjugates has been developed by South Korean scientists. The system uses amphiphilic polymer-protected DNA–Au nanoparticles. The DNA-encoded probes can be readily decoded using DNA–AuNP hybridization and dark-fieldbased AuNP scattering on microarrayed surface. Jwa-Min Nam and co-workers at Seoul National University say that the particles are stable in a wide range of salt concentrations, pH and temperatures and sustain their stability even after the addition of D,L-dithiothreitol. These particles could eventually find be used in artificial coding systems such forgery protection, forensics and multiplexing bioprobes.

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Highly stable, amphiphilic DNA-encoded nanoparticle conjugates for DNA encoding/decoding applications: Dong-Kwon Lim, Min-Hao Cui and Jwa-Min Nam, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1jm11150g (Advance Article)

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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)

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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.

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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)

Thermal annealing activates amplified photoluminescence of germanium metabolically doped in diatom biosilica: Germanium doped in diatom (a single celled algae) biosilica creates highly photoluminescent frustules which are uniquely patterned on the nano- and micro-scale. Using diatoms to make photoluminescent Ge doped silica instead of industrial production methods has several advantages. The structures are made biologically avoiding the extremes of temperature, pressure, power and the need for sophisticated equipment. The team behind the research say that biologically fabricated photoluminescent nanostructured silicon and germanium metal oxide materials have comparable optoelectronic and chemical properties to industrially fabricated Si–Ge metal oxide materials. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C1JM10861A, Advance Article)