Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Top Ten most-read Journal of Materials Chemistry articles in March

03 May 2012

This month sees the following Journal of Materials Chemistry articles that are in the top ten most accessed for March:

Composite microspheres with PAM microgel core and polymerisable surfactant/polyoxometalate complexes shell
Hong Li, Ping Zhang, Long Zhang, Tong Zhou and Daodao Hu
J. Mater. Chem., 2009, 19, 4575-4586
DOI: 10.1039/B823075G

Hierarchical porous TiO₂@C hollow microspheres: one-pot synthesis and enhanced visible-light photocatalysis
Jiandong Zhuang, Qinfen Tian, Hu Zhou, Qian Liu, Ping Liu and Hongmei Zhong
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7036-7042
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16924J

Recent developments in molecule-based organic materials for dye-sensitized solar cells
Yung-Sheng Yen, Hsien-Hsin Chou, Yung-Chung Chen, Chih-Yu Hsu and Jiann T. Lin
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 8734-8747
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM30362K

ZnO nanostructures: growth, properties and applications
Aleksandra B. Djurišić, Xinyi Chen, Yu Hang Leung and Alan Man Ching Ng
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6526-6535
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15548F

A 3D porous architecture of Si/graphene nanocomposite as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries
Xing Xin, Xufeng Zhou, Feng Wang, Xiayin Yao, Xiaoxiong Xu, Yimei Zhu and Zhaoping Liu
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7724-7730
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM00120A

A simple template-free synthesis of ultrathin Cu₂ZnSnS₄ nanosheets for highly stable photocatalytic H₂ evolution
Lu Wang, Wenzhong Wang and Songmei Sun
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6553-6555
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16515E

One pot synthesis of tunable Fe₃O₄–MnO₂ core–shell nanoplates and their applications for water purification
Zhiwei Zhao, Jie Liu, Fuyi Cui, Hui Feng and Linlin Zhang
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9052-9057
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM00153E

Self-assembly of ZnO nanocrystals into nanoporous pyramids: high selective adsorption and photocatalytic activity
Yunxin Liu, Jianxin Shi, Qing Peng and Yadong Li
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6539-6541
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16729H

Novel preparation and near-infrared photoluminescence of uniform core-shell silver sulfide nanoparticle@mesoporous silica nanospheres
Lu Han, Yingying Lv, Abdullah M. Asiri, Abdulrahman O. Al-Youbi, Bo Tu and Dongyuan Zhao
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7274-7279
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16168K

The chemistry of graphene
Kian Ping Loh, Qiaoliang Bao, Priscilla Kailian Ang and Jiaxiang Yang
J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 2277-2289
DOI: 10.1039/B920539J

Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.

Fancy submitting an article to Journal of Materials Chemistry? Then why not submit to us today!

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Hot Paper: Enhancing antibacterial cloths

02 May 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Enzymatic pre-treatment as a means of enhancing the antibacterial activity and stability of ZnO nanoparticles sonochemically coated on cotton fabrics

Scientists in Israel, Spain and the UK have developed an enzymatic pre-treatment to enhance the antibacterial activity and stability of ZnO nanoparticles coated onto cotton. ZnO nanoparticles are less toxic to human cells than silver– which is one of the materials currently used to make antibacterial fabrics. ZnO nanoparticles can protect the wearer against UV rays.

The pre-treatment means that the by modifying the cotton itself with cellulase, the nanoparticles are embedded for longer. The cotton remained antibacterial up to 10 laundry cycles. Read the article for free until 30^th May.

Enzymatic pre-treatment as a means of enhancing the antibacterial activity and stability of ZnO nanoparticles sonochemically coated on cotton fabrics: Ilana Perelshtein, Yelena Ruderman, Nina Perkas, Kamelia Traeger, Tzanko Tzanov, Jamie Beddow, Eadaoin Joyce, Timothy J. Mason, María Blanes, Korina Mollá and Aharon Gedanken, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2JM31054F (Advance Article)

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Hot Paper: Studying intramolecular excimer emission for SMOLEDs

01 May 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Intramolecular excimer emission as a blue light source in fluorescent organic light emitting diodes: a promising molecular design

Intermolecular π–π interactions are important in OLEDs and other organic electronic materials and have been extensively studied over the last 20 years; however, intramolecular π–π interactions have not been investigated as deeply. This hot paper reports a structure–property relationship study into intramolecular excimer emission arising from organic molecules used as a blue light source in SMOLEDs. Read for free until 29^th May.

Intramolecular excimer emission as a blue light source in fluorescent organic light emitting diodes: a promising molecular design: Damien Thirion, Maxime Romain, Joëlle Rault-Berthelot and Cyril Poriel, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7149-7157

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Hot Article: Structure, photophysics, and photooxidation of crowded diethynyltetracenes

25 Apr 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Rubrene and other acenes are common luminescent materials used in light-emitting devices; however, the performance of devices based on these materials decreases as the materials decompose. This hot paper describes a new class of sterically crowded tetracene derivatives that have both phenyl and ethynyl substituents. The steric crowding above and below the tetracene core prevents overlap between the extended π-systems of the acenes. The arenes reported have spectra similar to diarylpentacenes, but with higher quantum yields of fluorescence and greater photostability. Read this article for free until 23rd May.

Jingjing Zhang, Syena Sarrafpour, Terry E. Haas, Peter Müller and Samuel W. Thomas, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6182-6189.

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2012 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship: Nominations closing soon…

24 Apr 2012

By Serin Dabb, Deputy Editor.

Nominations for the 2012 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship are closing soon.

This annual lectureship honours a younger scientist who has made a significant contribution to the field of materials chemistry.

Liberato Manna, the winner of the 2011 lectureship, was chosen for his outstanding contribution to the field of inorganic nanotechnology.

Qualification
To be eligible for the Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship, the candidate should be in the earlier stages of their scientific career, typically within 10 years of attaining their doctorate or equivalent degree, and will have made a significant contribution to the field.

Description
The recipient of the award will be asked to present one Journal of Materials Chemistry lecture, at a conference decided upon by the recipient and the Editorial Office. The Journal of Materials Chemistry Editorial Office will provide the sum of £1000 to the recipient for travel and accommodation costs. The award recipient will be presented with the award at this lecture. They will also be asked to contribute a lead article to the journal and will have their work showcased on the back cover of the issue in which their article is published.

Selection
The recipient of the lectureshipwill be selected and endorsed by the Journal of Materials Chemistry Editorial Board.

Nominations
Those wishing to make a nomination should send details of the nominee including a brief C.V. (no longer than 2 pages) together with a letter supporting the nomination (no longer than 2 pages), to the Journal of Materials Chemistry Editorial Office by 11 May 2012. Please note that self-nomination is permitted.

Send a nomination here today: materials-rsc@rsc.org

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Author Profile: Vincent Rotello

23 Apr 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Vincent Rotello is the Charles A. Goessmann Professor of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, with an appointment in the Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He has been the recipient of the NSF CAREER and Cottrell Scholar awards, as well as the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, the Sloan Fellowships, and the Langmuir Lectureship, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the Royal Society of Chemistry (U.K.). He is currently an Executive Editor for Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews and Associate Editor for North America for the Journal of Materials Chemistry, and is on the Editorial Board of nine other journals. His research program focuses on using synthetic organic chemistry to engineer the interface between hard and soft materials, and spans the areas of devices, polymers, and nanotechnology/bionanotechnology, with over 340 papers published to date. He is actively involved in the development of new nanomanufacturing methods. In the area of bionanotechnology, his research includes programs in delivery, imaging, diagnostics and nanotoxicology.

1. Which projects are you working on at the moment?
We are working on a range of products in the areas of nanomaufacturing, drug/gene/protein delivery, and diagnostics.

2. What motivated you to specialise in studying nanoparticles?
What moves me in this research is the integration of small-molecule synthesis and supramolecular chemistry concepts and techniques with materials science. There’s all sorts of interesting things that happen when you go from one molecule to hundreds or thousands on a particle.

3. What are the hot topics in materials research at the moment?
The shift from empirical nanotechnology to the true understanding of nanoscale structure and dynamics.

4. What current problem would you like to see science provide a solution to?
Human health remains a crucial focus, with curing/preventing disease presenting a complex and multidisciplinary challenge.

5. What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of your career?
Two things–seeing something new every day and playing a role in the development of young scientists

6. What’s the secret to being a successful scientist?
Have fun!

7. Which scientist past or present do you most admire?
I’m a sucker for the old school natural philosophers like da Vinci–it would have been nice to be able to do the “renaissance” thing.

8. If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be?
A chef–I can do well by myself in the kitchen.

Here’s a selection Professor Rotello’s recent articles in Journal of Materials Chemistry.

You can read more about Professor Rotello’s research here or on the Rotello Research Group website.

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Hot Paper: New 3D supramolecular Zn(II)-coordinated self-assembled organic networks

20 Apr 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

In this Hot Paper Andrew C. Grimsdale and co-workers at Nanyang Technological University and University of Liverpool prepare 3D supramolecular networks using Zn(II) coordination of the tetraphenylmethane-based p-type and n-type molecules bearing four terpyridine ligands. The team also demonstrate that metal–ligand mediated self-assembly can be used to make two component systems in which the optical properties can be tuned by selection of the units.

New 3D supramolecular Zn(II)-coordinated self-assembled organic networks: Zheng Bang Lim, Hairong Li, Shuangyong Sun, Jun Yan Lek, Abbie Trewin, Yeng Ming Lam and Andrew C. Grimsdale, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 6218-6231

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Hot Feature Article: Controlling chirality with helix inversion in cholesteric liquid crystals

19 Apr 2012

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Controlling the structure of cholesteric helices holds great potential for developing stimuli-responsive materials. For instance inversion of a cholesteric helix is associated with inversion of the circular polarization of the light it reflects. This Hot Feature Article reviews recent achievements in inducing, controlling and understanding helix inversion in cholesteric liquid crystals. Read the article for free until 17^th May.

Controlling chirality with helix inversion in cholesteric liquid crystals: Nathalie Katsonis, Emmanuelle Lacaze and Alberta Ferrarini, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 7088-7097

Don’t forget to keep up-to-date with all the latest research you can sign-up for the Journal of Materials Chemistry RSS feed or Table of contents alert.

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Top Ten most-read Journal of Materials Chemistry articles in February

17 Apr 2012

By Aliya Anwar.

This month sees the following Journal of Materials Chemistry articles that are in the top ten most accessed for February:

Synthesis of Porous Hollow Fe₃O₄ Beads and Their Applications in Lithium Ion Batteries
Yu Chen, Hui Xia, Li Lu and Junmin Xue
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 5006-5012
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15440D

Needle-like polyaniline nanowires on graphite nanofibers: hierarchical micro/nano architecture for high performance supercapacitors
Shuijian He, Xiaowu Hu, Shuiliang Chen, Huan Hu, Muddasir Hanif and Haoqing Hou
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 5114-5120
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15668G

Structures and Properties of Conjugated Donor–Acceptor Copolymers for Solar Cell Applications
Zhi-Guo Zhang and Jizheng Wang
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 4178-4187
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM14951F

Charge transfer state in high efficient polymer- fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells
Claudia Piliego and Maria Antonietta Loi
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 4141-4150
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15027A

Prospects and Challenges of Organic/IV Group Nanomaterials Solar Cells
Tao Song, Shuit-Tong Lee and Baoquan Sun
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 4216-4232
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM14943E

Functional Fullerenes for Organic Photovoltaics
Chang-Zhi Li, Hin-Lap Yip and Alex K.-Y. Jen
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 4161-4177
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15126J

Carbon-based nanostructured materials and their composites as supercapacitor electrode
Saswata Bose, Tapas Kuila, Ananta Kumar Mishra, R. Rajasekar, Nam Hoon Kim and Joong Hee Lee
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 767-784
DOI: 10.1039/C1JM14468E

Co₃O₄/Ni(OH)₂ Composite Mesoporous Nanosheet Networks as a Promising Electrode for Supercapacitor Application
Jin-Hui Zhong, An-Liang Wang, Gao-Ren Li, Jian-Wei Wang, Yan-Nan Ou and Ye-Xiang Tong
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 5656-5665
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15863A

Layered lithium transition metal oxide cathode towards high energy lithium-ion batteries
Ping He, Haijun Yu, De Li and Haoshen Zhou
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 3680-3695
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM14305D

Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.

Fancy submitting an article to Journal of Materials Chemistry? Then why not submit to us today!

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Plant spores mop up oil

13 Apr 2012

By Aliya Anwar.

UK researchers have modified plant spore microcapsules to take up to three and a half times their own weight in oil by a simple mixing process, giving them potential as natural oil-spill clean-up materials.

Grahame Mackenzie at the University of Hull and colleagues at Sporomex, a company that deals in micro-encapsulation for the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and personal care industries in Hull, extracted the outer layer of Lycopodium clavatum (clubmoss) spores, removed the inner contents using a simple, non-toxic process and modified the surface functional groups to make them more lipophilic. They then put the microcapsules into an oil in water emulsion, shook it by hand for 15 seconds, and filtered the microcapsules out to leave an oil-free sample. The microcapsules could be used two or three times without a change in oil recovery efficiency, which the team attributed to the high strength of the sporopollenin polymer in the spore walls.

‘The advantage over conventional methods, for example phase separation paper or simple solvent extraction, is that the emulsion is simply mixed with the shells and then filtered, which is more rapid,’ says Mackenzie. Compared to other oil remediation methods, he says, ‘the spores are a natural material, are very robust and have a consistent size, making them easy to filter’.

A fish oil in water emulsion (left) before and (right) after introduction of the plant spore microcapsules. The microcapsules were able to recover 98% of the oil from the emulsion

Sporopollenin is also known to be very elastic and so the group tested the release of oil from the microcapsules under prolonged friction. They found that the oil could be released slowly over short time periods, indicating that the microcapsules could be used as delivery vehicles in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

‘A major breakthrough is the ability to evacuate the spores without toxic solvents,’ says Miriam Rafailovich, an expert in nanoscale materials engineering at Stony Brook University, US. However, she says that ‘since these spores can be allergens in their native form, the interactions of these processed capsules with higher organisms will need to be tested’.

Mackenzie considers one drawback to be ‘the high cost and lack of large-scale availability’ of the spores, however he adds that ‘research is ongoing and applications are being explored by various companies’.

Thibaud Coradin of the materials and biology team at the College of France in Paris says that the approach ‘should be highly inspiring for the future identification and processing of biocapsules’.

Sequestration of edible oil from emulsions using new single and double layered microcapsules from plant spores
Alberto Diego-Taboada, Priscille Cousson, Elodie Raynaud, Youkui Huang, Mark Lorch, Bernard P. Binks, Yves Queneau, Andrew N. Boa, Stephen L. Atkin, Stephen T. Beckett and Grahame Mackenzie
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM00103A

Read the original Chemistry World article here

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Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Top Ten most-read Journal of Materials Chemistry articles in March

Hot Paper: Enhancing antibacterial cloths

Hot Paper: Studying intramolecular excimer emission for SMOLEDs

Hot Article: Structure, photophysics, and photooxidation of crowded diethynyltetracenes

2012 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship: Nominations closing soon…

Author Profile: Vincent Rotello

Hot Paper: New 3D supramolecular Zn(II)-coordinated self-assembled organic networks

Hot Feature Article: Controlling chirality with helix inversion in cholesteric liquid crystals

Top Ten most-read Journal of Materials Chemistry articles in February

Plant spores mop up oil

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