Highlight
Recent advances in high mobility donor–acceptor semiconducting polymers
Laure Biniek, Bob C. Schroeder, Christian B. Nielsen and Iain McCulloch, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2JM31943H (Advance Article)
Click here to see all three reviews
The 2011 Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship recipient, Liberato Manna, has published a paper on cubic and hexagonal phases of copper-sulfur-selenium alloys which exhibit a well-defined near-infrared valence band plasmon resonance. The nanocrystals were then evaluated as an anode material in Li-ion batteries, and were capable of undergoing lithiation/delithiation via a displacement/conversion reaction (Cu to Li and vice versa) in a partially reversible manner.
His work was highlighted on the back cover of the journal, and can be read by clicking on the link below:
Colloidal Cu2−x(SySe1−y) alloy nanocrystals with controllable crystal phase: synthesis, plasmonic properties, cation exchange and electrochemical lithiation
Enrico Dilena, Dirk Dorfs, Chandramohan George, Karol Miszta, Mauro Povia, Alessandro Genovese, Alberto Casu, Mirko Prato and Liberato Manna
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 13023-13031
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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This month sees the following Journal of Materials Chemistry articles that are in the top ten most accessed for April:
Fe3O4@MOF core–shell magnetic microspheres with a designable metal–organic framework shell
Fei Ke, Ling-Guang Qiu, Yu-Peng Yuan, Xia Jiang and Jun-Fa Zhu
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9497-9500
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM31167D
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
Green synthesis of carbon nanotube–graphene hybrid aerogels and their use as versatile agents for water purification
Zhuyin Sui, Qinghan Meng, Xuetong Zhang, Rui Ma and Bing Cao
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 8767-8771
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM00055E
Carbon quantum dots embedded with mesoporous hematite nanospheres as efficient visible light-active photocatalysts
Byong Yong Yu and Seung-Yeop Kwak
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 8345-8353
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16931B
Micro/nanostructured α-Fe2O3 spheres: synthesis, characterization, and structurally enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity
Gang Liu, Quan Deng, Hongqiang Wang, Dickon H. L. Ng, Mingguang Kong, Weiping Cai and Guozhong Wang
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9704-9713
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM31586F
Direct application of commercial fountain pen ink to efficient dye-sensitized solar cells
Xin Cai, Zhibin Lv, Hongwei Wu, Shaocong Hou and Dechun Zou
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9639-9644
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16265B
High-yield, large-scale production of few-layer graphene flakes within seconds: using chlorosulfonic acid and H2O2 as exfoliating agents
Wenbo Lu, Sen Liu, Xiaoyun Qin, Lei Wang, Jingqi Tian, Yonglan Luo, Abdullah M. Asiri, Abdulrahman O. Al-Youbi and Xuping Sun
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 8775-8777
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16741G
In situ synthesis of SnS2@graphene nanocomposites for rechargeable lithium batteries
Zhoufeng Jiang, Cen Wang, Gaohui Du, Y. J. Zhong and J. Z. Jiang
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9494-9496
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM30856H
Hybrid CdSe/TiO2 nanowire photoelectrodes: Fabrication and photoelectric performance
Guo Ai, Wentao Sun, Xianfeng Gao, Yiling Zhang and Lian-Mao Peng
J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 8749-8755
DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03867A
Synthesis and superior anode performance of TiO2@reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for lithium ion batteries
Huaqiang Cao, Baojun Li, Jingxian Zhang, Fang Lian, Xianghua Kong and Meizhen Qu
J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 9759-9766
DOI: 10.1039/C2JM00007E
Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.
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Andrew Grimsdale talks to Russell Johnson about his research into materials for energy conversion and storage, and how he hopes materials can solve some of the problems facing society.
Andrew Grimsdale was born in Waiouru, New Zealand in 1963 and received his Ph.D. from the University of Auckland, in 1990 under the supervision of Prof. R. C. Cambie. After postdoctoral research into materials for optoelectronic applications with Prof. Andrew Pelter at University of Wales, Swansea, and Prof. Andrew Holmes at the University of Cambridge, he was project leader in charge of research into conjugated polymers in the group of Prof. Klaus Müllen at Mainz from 1999-2005. After working again with Prof. Holmes at University of Melbourne, he joined the faculty of Nanyang Technological University in November 2006, as an Assistant Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering. His current research interests are the synthesis of materials for optoelectronic applications and on the formation of functional nanomaterials by self-assembly. He is the author of over 100 publications (>6800 citations, h-index 35) including some major reviews on the synthesis and applications of conjugated polymers and organic nanomaterials.
1. Which research projects are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a number of projects related to energy storage and conversion, which is a major focus of research here in Singapore, as it is a country currently almost totally dependent upon imported energy supplies. I am involved in one industry funded project on developing new materials for organic solar cells. I am collaborating with two projects on batteries including new types of batteries and new materials for existing types. I am also part of a big project on trying to understand the working principles of and optimise the design of light-harvesting systems, which has obvious implications for organic photovoltaic devices and also to related areas such as solar fuels. In relation to these projects I am not just interested in making classical polymers and oligomers but also in investigating the use of self-assembly to make functional materials including nanocomposite materials. Finally I am part of a project on developing new anti-fouling coatings for ships – it is amazing how much fuel can be saved by preventing things like barnacles from growing on the sides of ships, and it is fascinating to think that an understanding of how mollusc proteins bind to surfaces could be useful for fighting global warming.
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 5th July)
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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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Ram Seshadri explains why it was love at first sight with solid state materials.
Seshadri is a professor of Materials and a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He received his BS degree in chemistry from St. Stephens College, Delhi, in 1989, and his PhD degree in solid state chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 1995. After some years as a postdoctoral fellow in Caen, France, and Mainz, Germany, he started a faculty career as an assistant professor in Bangalore in 1999, before moving to UCSB in 2002. Seshadri’s research program addresses structure-composition-property relations in functional inorganic materials, focusing currently on magnetic and correlated materials, catalysts, and phosphors.
1. Which research projects are you working on at the moment?
This is an exciting time in our research. We continue to look at magnetic properties of oxides, and have added intermetallics to the list of materials. We also have an active and continuing program in phosphors for solid state lighting, and materials for heterogeneous catalysis. Newer avenues include thermoelectrics and batteries.
2. What motivated you to focus on functional solid state materials?
Love at first sight. I started researching the chemistry and physics of solids — specifically carrying our redox titrations of high-temperature copper oxide superconductors — under the guidance of Professor C. N. R. Rao FRS, whilst an undergraduate, and I continue to be both fascinated and ignorant in the area. I will quit researching solids when I understand them, which is likely never!
3. What are the hot topics in materials chemistry at the moment?
Materials for processes related to energy conversion and energy efficiency.
4. What current problem would you like to see science provide a solution to?
I would love to see an understanding of high-temperature superconductors.
5. What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of your career?
Working with smart students at a great institution (UC Santa Barbara).
6. What’s the secret to being a successful scientist?
I wish I knew. I do know how to be a happy scientist – work on things you don’t understand, but wish to.
7. Which scientist past or present do you most admire?
Helen Megaw (1907-2002). Everything I do traces back to her in some way. An unsung hero of materials science.
8. If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be?
I am a third-generation scientist. To even think of alternate careers is tantamount to apostasy.
If you’re interested to learn more about research in the Seshadri lab you can read a selection of papers below or check out their research pages on the group website.
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Read all the articles for free until 25th June
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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Gengfeng Zheng talks about his research on low-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials and the joy of watching his students succeed.
Gengfeng Zheng is currently a professor of Chemistry at Fudan University, China. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry in 2000 from Fudan University, and obtained his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry in 2006 from Harvard University, under the guidance of Prof. Charles M. Lieber. During 2007-2010, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Chad Mirkin at Northwestern University, USA. Dr. Zheng has been the recipient of the Professorship of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning (2012), the China Ministry of Education New Century Excellent Talents (2011), and the Materials Research Society Graduate Student Gold Award (2006). His research interests include the synthesis of low-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials, fabrication of nanodevices for solar energy conversion and lithium ion battery, and studies of hybrid nanomaterial-biomaterial interfaces for disease diagnosis.
1. Which research projects are you working on at the moment?
We are working the synthesis of new low-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage, including: 1) metal oxide and sulfide nanowires for photoelectrochemical water splitting, and 2) hybrid porous and nanostructured materials for lithium ion battery and supercapacitors.
2. What motivated you to work on porous and nanostructured materials?
Porous and nanostructured semiconducting materials with rationally designed architectures provide tunable electronic bandgap structures, efficient charge transport, and large interfacial area for surface reactions. A lot of unconventional properties and high device performances can be expected from these material building blocks.
