Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Spongy structure of CdS nanocrystals decorated with dye molecules for semiconductor sensitized solar cells. Tao Ling, Ming-Ke Wu, Kai-Yang Niu, Jing Yang, Zhi-Ming Gao, Jing Sun and Xi-Wen Du, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03530K (Advance Article)

This paper reports the work of Xi-Wen Du at Tianjin University and co-workers as they exploit a new structure of semiconductor sensitized solar cells, where CdS nanocrystals are assembled into a spongy structure and decorated with organic molecules to serve as photoanode. The spongy solar cells show higher absorption and conversion efficiency than traditional semiconductor sensitized solar cells the team claim. 

A congruently melting and deep UV nonlinear optical material: Li3Cs2B5O10. Single crystals of Li3Cs2B5O10 have been synthesized and its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Yun Yang, Shilie Pan, Xueling Hou, Chuanyi Wang, Kenneth R. Poeppelmeier, Zhaohui Chen, Hongping Wu and Zhongxiang Zhou, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03187A (Advance Article)

Hierarchical self-assembly of ultrathin nickel hydroxide nanoflakes for high-performance supercapacitors. Hao Jiang, Ting Zhao, Chunzhong Li and Jan Ma, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0JM03830J (Advance Article)

Ultrathin Ni(OH)₂ hierarchical nanostructures have been successfully designed. The team behind the research led by Chunzhong Li and Jan Ma claim they show excellent electrochemical capacitive behavior.

New random copolymers with pendant carbazole donor and 1,3,4-oxadiazole acceptor for high performance memory device applications
Yi-Kai Fang, Cheng-Liang Liu and Wen-Chang Chen, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02535F (Advance Article)

Non-conjugated random copolymers containing pendent electron-donating carbazole (VPK) and electron-accepting oxadiazole (OXD or BOXD) showed the electrical characteristics of diodes, volatile memory and insulators depending on donor/acceptor ratio and acceptor strength.

Mechanical-energy influences to electrochemical phenomena in lithium-ion batteries
T. Ichitsubo, S. Yukitani, K. Hirai, S. Yagi, T. Uda and E. Matsubara, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02893B (Advance Article)

In this paper the team from Kyoto University, Japan, investigate the mechanical effect’s of mechanical strain or energy on the electrochemical reactions in lithium-ion batteries. This strain considerably affects the value of the electrode potential. Ichitsubo and the team claim that harnessing the strain effect could make the cell voltage higher in lithium ion batteries.

Three-dimensional ZnO nanodendrite/nanoparticle composite solar cells
Chun-Te Wu, Wen-Pin Liao and Jih-Jen Wu, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03481A (Advance Article)

The team from National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, compare the efficiency of sensitized ZnO nanodendrite/nanoparticle composite dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to that of sensitized TiO2 nanoparticle DSSC. The superior efficiency of the 3D ZnO nanodendrite/nanoparticle composite DSSC compared to that of TiO₂ nanoparticle cell is mainly due to the quasi-single-crystalline 3D framework of ZnO NDs which fascinates electron transport.

Here is a sneak preview of two of the hot papers from the upcoming Mechanoresponive Materials themed issue.

Tailored design of mechanically sensitive biocatalytic assemblies based on polyelectrolyte multilayers by Damien Mertz, Cédric Vogt, Joseph Hemmerlé, Christian Debry, Jean-Claude Voegel, Pierre Schaaf and Philippe Lavalle, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03496G (Advance Article)

High-resolution ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectroscopic studies of the response of spinel aluminates to mechanical action by Vladimir Šepelák, Ingo Bergmann, Sylvio Indris, Armin Feldhoff, Horst Hahn, Klaus Dieter Becker, Clare P. Grey and Paul Heitjans, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03721D (Advance Article)

A general strategy for making highly efficient thermoelectric films from bismuth chalcogenides has been developed by Chinese scientists. The team from Shanghai Institute of Ceramics created the films by chemical vapor transport on presynthesized Bi films. They say the process is a promising technique for making thermoelectric films.

Read the full article for free until the 15th February: Zhengliang Sun, Shengcong Liufu, Riuheng Liu, Xihong Chen and Lidong Chen, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03561K (Advance Article)

Hydrophobic modification of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composites and chitosan films has been performed by a team of scientists at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. The team say that this approach provides a simple method to improve the wet tensile properties of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite films making them more suitable for biomedical applications.

Interested to know more? Read the full article for free: Clementine Pradal, Prakash Kithva, Darren Martin, Matt Trau and Lisbeth Grøndahl, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03080E (Advance Article)

Anna Köhler and Heinz Bässler discuss the recent progress in the description of triplet energy transfer in π-conjugated molecules in this Hot Highlight.

Read the full article (free until 9th February):
Anna Köhler and Heinz Bässler, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02886J (Advance Article)

A material that combines oxidative energy storage with a visible light driven photocatalyst has been developed by Japanese scientists. The team led by Tetsu Tatsuma at the University of Tokyo, Japan, used photocatalysts based on TiO2 or WO3 and combined them with Ni(OH)2  to provide oxidative energy storage.

Read the full article here: Fei Yang, Yukina Takahashi, Nobuyuki Sakai and Tetsu Tatsuma, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0JM03434G (Advance Article)

Dopamine sensors made from layered double hydroxide nanosheets and cobalt phthalocyanines have been created by a team of Chinese scientists. The team behind the research claim that the modified electrode exhibits a low detection limit, fast response and excellent long-term stability for the determination of dopamine. Interested to know more? Why not read the full article.

Jingbin Han, Xiangyu Xu, Xiuying Rao, Min Wei, David G. Evans and Xue Duan, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02430A, Advance Article

Materials made from Ti-incorporated into mesoporous silica have been synthesized using a one pot method by a team of scientists from Taiwan and Japan. The team studied that structure and properties of these materials as epoxidation catalysts. Fancy knowing more? Click on the link below to read the full article for free.

Shih-Yuan Chen, Chih-Yuan Tang, Jyh-Fu Lee, Ling-Yun Jang, Takashi Tatsumi and Soofin Cheng, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03111A, Advance Article

This ‘Hot’ paper describes the development of a novel click chemistry approach for the modular construction of tuneable multichromophoric light emitters. To make these iridium complexes, one, two or three triazole–pyridine units were effectively built into the heteroaromatic macromolecule using versatile acetylene- and azide-functionalised precursors.

The approach described by the team from the Netherlands is of interest for the design and construction of various light-emitting materials by covalent linking of different chromophores, including versatile tuning of the material properties, using ‘click’ chemistry. One example of such an application was demonstrated; two iridium centres showing ‘yellow’ emission and one fluorene unit showing ‘blue’ emission were combined via the covalent linkage to provide a white-light emitter.

Interested in knowing more?  Read for free until January 18th.

Triazole–pyridine ligands: a novel approach to chromophoric iridium arrays 
Michal Juríček, Marco Felici, Pablo Contreras-Carballada, Ján Lauko, Sandra Rodríguez Bou, Paul H. J. Kouwer, Albert M. Brouwer and Alan E. Rowan
J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03117H, Paper