Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Electrochemical sensing by surface-immobilized poly(ferrocenylsilane) grafts
Xiaofeng Sui ,  Xueling Feng ,  Jing Song ,  Mark A. Hempenius and G. Julius Vancso
J. Mater. Chem., 2012,22, 11261-11267

Poly(ferrocenylsilane) based materials have useful redox characteristics that make them suitable for the electrochemical detection of biological analytes; however, only a few accounts of covalently surface-tethered poly(ferrocenylsilane) films have been reported in the literature. In this hot paper chemically modified electrodes, decorated with covalently tethered poly(ferrocenylsilane) chains are fabricated. Led by G. Julius Vancso the team employed a “grafting to” approach for the covalent attachment of PFS chains to an electrode surface using amine alkylation reactions. Using this technique the team fabricated an ascorbic acid electrochemical sensor which showed high sensitivity and a stable response.

Incorporation of fused tetrathiafulvalene units in a DPP–terthiophene copolymer for air stable solution processable organic field effect transistors
Diego Cortizo-Lacalle ,  Sasikumar Arumugam ,  Saadeldin E. T. Elmasly ,  Alexander L. Kanibolotsky ,  Neil J. Findlay ,  Anto Regis Inigo and Peter J. Skabara
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 11310-11315

In this hot paper a team led by Anto Regis Inigo & Peter J. Skabara report the synthesis and properties of a new polymer p(DPP-TTF) featuring a fused thieno-TTF unit that has been copolymerised with a dithieno-DPP derivative. Bottom gate/bottom contact field effect transistors were fabricated from films of p(DPP-TTF). The transistors showed excellent air-stability which the team attribute to the incorporation of the TTF unit into the polymer.

Frozen polymerization for aligned porous structures with enhanced mechanical stability, conductivity, and as stationary phase for HPLC
Michael Barrow ,  Ali Eltmimi ,  Adham Ahmed ,  Peter Myers and Haifei Zhang
J. Mater. Chem., 2012,22, 11615-11620

Ice templating is a simple and versatile route to prepare a wide range of porous materials. In general, a solution or colloidal suspension is frozen prior to the removal of ice crystals by freeze drying– which leaves a porous structures; however, the structures produced are often fragile and mechanically weak. In this hot paper a directional freezing and frozen polymerization method is developed to prepare crosslinked aligned porous polymers with improved mechanical stability. In the process monomer solutions are directionally frozen in liquid nitrogen to orientate the growth of solvent crystals after which the frozen samples are polymerized by UV irradiation. Removal of the solvent under vacuum produces the aligned porous structure. The team behind the research say the mechanical stability is improved by two orders of magnitude compared to similar materials produced using a freeze-dried process. The team also showed the resulting materials can be modified with graphene and a conducting polymer.

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Scientists in Saudi Arabia have used a kitchen sponge as an electrode platform for supercapacitor devices. The MnO₂–carbon nanotube–sponge supercapacitor electrode demonstrates reasonably good electrochemical performance in both aqueous and organic electrolytes, they say.

Compared to aqueous electrolytes, the energy density of supercapacitors in 1M Et₄NBF₄ tripled and the value was improved six-fold when using 1M LiClO₄ as the electrolyte. The team behind the research also said that the cycling performance in organic electrolytes was inferior to aqueous electrolytes, but the devices in organic electrolytes retained a significant energy density advantage even after 10,000 cycles. (Read the article for free until the 5^th July)

High energy density supercapacitors using macroporous kitchen sponges: Wei Chen, Rakhi Raghavanbaby and Husam N Alshareef, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2JM32030D

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Synthesis and self-assembly of tetraphenylethene and biphenyl based AIE-active triazoles:
Wang Zhang Yuan,  Faisal Mahtab,  Yongyang Gong,  Zhen-Qiang Yu,  Ping Lu,  Youhong Tang,  Jacky W. Y. Lam,  Caizhen Zhu and Ben Zhong Tang, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 10472-10479.

Aggregation-caused quenching effects are often encountered when luminophores are condensed and aggregated. This hot paper reports a new family of luminophors which can be easily fabricated into high efficiency fluorescent helical nanofibers that show aggregation-induced emission. The biphenyl and TPE-containing luminogens are practically nonluminescent in solution, but become highly fluorescent when aggregated as nanosuspensions, solid powders, or thin films.

Photonic anti-counterfeiting using structural colors derived from magnetic-responsive photonic crystals with double photonic bandgap heterostructures:
Haibo Hu ,  Qian-Wang Chen ,  Jian Tang ,  Xian-Yi Hu and Xu-Hui Zhou, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 11048-11053.

A simple and low-cost method to fabricate photonic crystals with double photonic band-gap hetero-structures is reported by Chinese scientists. These photonic crystals could be suitable for use in anti-counterfeiting measures as they are more difficult to imitate than chemical dyes and pigments. Using a magnetic-induced self-assembly technique the team were able to create a range of structural colours.

Preparation of Pickering emulsions and colloidosomes using either a glycerol-functionalised silica sol or core–shell polymer/silica nanocomposite particles:
Lee A. Fielding and Steven P. Armes, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 11235-11244.

Microcapsules with shells constructed from colloidal particles have been widely reported; however, there are few reports on the formation of stable colloidosomes using solely nano-sized silica or polymer/silica nanocomposite particles using cross-linking chemistry. In this hot paper a glycerol-functionalised colloidal silica sol and core–shell polymer/silica nanocomposite particles are used to prepare oil-in-water Pickering emulsions.

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Sequestration of edible oil from emulsions using new single and double layered microcapsules from plant spores

Microcapsules developed from modified plant spores can sequester efficiently edible oils from oil-in-water emulsions. The microcapsules contain either a single layered shell or double layered shell and are modified by converting their surface hydroxyl groups (alcohols, phenols carboxylic acids) into salts (Na+ and K+), acetates and methyl ethers. (J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9767-9773)

Chemical reduction of an aqueous suspension of graphene oxide by nascent hydrogen

South Korean scientists have shown that nascent hydrogen can effectively reduce graphene oxide. Using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis they demonstrate that most of the labile oxygen functional groups were removed during nascent hydrogen reduction. Compared to other reducing agents the use of low cost, non-toxic metals for nascent hydrogen reduction is a promising method for bulk preparation of high quality reduced graphene oxide. (J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 10530-10536)

Structural requirements for fast lithium ion migration in Li₁₀GeP₂S₁₂

Developing high performance electrolytes that combine fast lithium ion conductivity with electrochemical stability and safety is one of the challenges facing scientists creating the next generation of batteries. In this hot article atomistic molecular dynamics simulations shed new light on the dynamic lithium distribution, structural stability and ion transport mechanism in the ultrafast ion conductor Li₁₀GeP₂S₁₂. (J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7687-7691)

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Scientists in the US have immobilised photocatalytic titania nanoparticles onto cellulose fibres to improve their ability to remove harmful bacteria (in this case cyanobacteria toxin microcystin-LR) from drinking water.

The team found that the type of titania nanoparticle (visible light activated or UV light activated), the surface area of the fibre mat and loading solution pH all had an effect on the distribution of titania along the fibres. Read the article for free until 19^th June.

Photocatalytic Cellulosic Electrospun Fibers for the Degradation of Potent Cyanobacteria Toxin Microcystin-LR
Nicholas M Bedford, Miguel Pelaez, Changseok Han, Dion D Dionysiou and Andrew J. Steckl
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2JM31597A

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