Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

We are delighted to introduce the next contribution to our New Principal Investigators collection.

Read the paper

Fluorescent carbon dots with dual emissions and solvent-dependent properties for water detection in organic solvents
Koki Sekioka, Nazanin Mosleh, Dan Boice, Richard Hailstone and Xiangcheng Sun

For industrial applications and synthetic laboratories, it is critical to develop user-friendly and affordable methods for accurately detecting water in organic solvents. In this study, one novel fluorescent carbon dots with dual emissions and solvent-dependent properties were synthesized. The carbon dots serve as fluorescent probes for water detection in organic solvents through changes of single emissions and ratiometric signals from dual emissions. The carbon dots’ green emissions in organic solvents showed opposite responses upon addition of water just through varying excitation wavelengths.

Meet the Principal Investigator

Dr. Xiangcheng Sun obtained his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut in 2015. Later he conducted postdoctoral research at Cornell University and UC Santa Barbara. In the fall of 2021, Xiangcheng joined the Department of Chemical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) as an Assistant Professor. Currently, he is also the program faculty in School of Chemistry and Materials Science, and Department of Microsystems Engineering at RIT.

You’ve recently started your own group, what are the big research question/s your group will be focussing on?

Our lab is focused on the development of nanomaterials and fluorescent probes for sensing, imaging and catalysis applications through investigating the spectroscopy properties in both ensemble and single-molecule level. We develop fluorescent materials and use for portable sensors in the environmental and biomedical areas. In addition, we are interested in identifying catalytic reaction mechanisms with the designed fluorogenic probes, single-molecule catalysis and super-resolution imaging techniques. Our goal is to explore new approaches for chemical and biomedical monitoring and chemical processing.

What inspired you to get into science?

One reason that I went to science is that I was good at mathematical and scientific courses when I was young. In addition, I enjoy doing experiments in the lab and conducting research, which could help resolve real-world challenges and satisfy my curiosities.

What advice would you give to those who are seeking their first group leader position?

There are always multi-tasks simultaneously such as teaching, mentoring, research, scholarship, service, family-related, etc. My advice is to make a to-do list, to plan everything well, and especially to know your priorities and urgencies. Here I’d like to share one of my favorite quotes: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

A perspective on contact-electro-catalysis based on frontier molecular orbitals

Materials Advances publishes research articles on topics across materials science, which are open access and free to read. We asked the authors of a recent article on mechanical-induced catalysis to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we share insights from our interview with Ziming Wang and learn more about the authors of recently published paper ‘A perspective on contact-electro-catalysis based on frontier molecular orbitals‘.

Insights from the authors

What aspect of your research are you most excited about at the moment?

“Contact-electrification (CE) is a ubiquitous effect, and its first documentation can be traced back to over 2600 years ago. Recent studies have proved the electron is the dominant charge carrier by employing the thermionic emission or photoelectric effect to distinguish electrons. In virtue of the CE-driven electron transfer process, our group proposed the concept of contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) in 2022. However, a series of experimental observations during CEC could not be well-explained by existing theories of CE. In our recent Materials Advances article, we have proposed a more systematic framework to bridge the concepts of CE and CEC. To be specific, by taking the energy state of electrons into consideration, this framework could not only explain the difference in transferred charges when different polymers are employed, but also specify the transfer path of electrons and corresponding energy requirement. We expect this study could lead to the establishment of a contact-electro-catalytic diagram for facilitating the selection of suitable materials and mechanical stimulations for catalyzing target reactions.”

What do you find most challenging about your research?

“Although the contact-electrification (CE) effect is very common between two contact surfaces, its underlying mechanism remains controversial due to the lack of intuitive and precise characterization methods. Moreover, existing investigations mainly focus on the density of transferred charges during CE. However, the energy state of transferred electrons is also a vital parameter, especially for evaluating the feasibility of promoting target reactions. Thus, it is very challenging to establish a systematic framework that could take both the density and energy state of electrons into consideration.”

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

“I believe that Materials Advances is an ideal platform for publishing research on this topic. This high-profile journal is well-regarded in the materials science community and offers a broad readership that spans various disciplines. Its focus on interdisciplinary studies aligns well with the diverse nature of materials research, making it an ideal platform for sharing findings that can impact various applications.”

What is one piece of career-related advice or wisdom that you would like to share with early career scientists?

“One advice I would share with other early career scientists is to never stop learning and seeking new opportunities in your field. Science is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay curious, open-minded, and adaptable. By continuously expanding your knowledge and skillset, you will be better equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come your way in your career as a scientist.”

Meet the authors

Ziming Wang is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academic of Sciences. He received his Ph.D. degree in condensed matter physics from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), under the supervision of Prof. Zhong Lin Wang. His research interests include contact-electro-catalysis, self-powered sensors, and energy harvesting.

Xuanli Dong received his bachelor’s degree from Beijing Information Science & Technology University in 2020. He is currently pursuing his PhD degree in Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on contact electrification at the liquid-solid interface and contact-electro-catalysis.

Fu-Jie Lv received his bachelor’s degree from Shandong University Of Technology in 2023. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on contact-electrification at the liquid-solid interface and contact-electro-catalysis.

Wei Tang received his B.S. degree from the Physical Department and Ph.D. degree from the Microelectronic Department from Peking University in 2008 and 2013. He is a professor at the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academic of Sciences. His research interests include interface electron transfer and its applications in wearable electronics, contact-electro-catalysis, and energy harvesting devices.

We congratulate the authors on their impactful work in this emerging field and wish them success in their future academic research!