Plasmon-resonant nanostars provide excellent contrast enhancement for photoacoustic tomography claim US scientists. The team behind the research, led by Lihong Wang at Washington University in St Louis, US, say that the high photoacoustic sensitivity of plasmon-resonant nanostars at near-infrared wavelengths enables the in vivo detection in rat sentinel lymph nodes and vessels. These materials could act as contrast agents for lymphangiography.
Read the Article for free until 11th March:
The front cover features Acid-directed synthesis of SERS-active hierarchical assemblies of silver nanostructures. This paper reports the acid-directed self-assembly of metal nanoparticles into large systems with complex structures, without the application of any polymer surfactant or capping agent. The team behind the research say that the addition of acid to induce formation of self-assembled structures can be a general synthetic platform to fabricate metal structures with complex morphologies. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2495-2501.)
Highlighted on the inside cover is Aqueous polyfluorene probe for the detection and estimation of Fe3+ and inorganic phosphate in blood serum. Reported in this paper is the synthesis of an anionic polyfluorene derivative, poly(9,9-bis(6′-sulfate)hexyl) fluorene-alt-1,4-phenylene sodium salt. This probe exhibits exemplary activity towards the selective detection of Fe3+ and phosphates under physiological conditions. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2502-2507.)
Mobility and photovoltaic performance studies on polymer blends: effects of side chains volume fraction by Getachew Adam, Almantas Pivrikas, Alberto M. Ramil, Sisay Tadesse, Teketel Yohannes, Niyazi S. Sariciftci and Daniel A. M. Egbe is the paper featured on the back cover. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2594-2600.)
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.
Did you read the recent themed issue in Journal of Materials Chemistry on the topic of hybrid materials? This issue was guest edited by Pierre Rabu and Andreas Taubert and contained a broad range of high quality articles.
You may also be interested in the current issue of Chem Soc Rev, a themed issue on this topic, with guest editors Clément Sanchez, Kenneth Shea and Susumu Kitagawa. The issue contains 33 tutorial and critical reviews, highlighting exciting new achievements in hybrid materials research.
Joanne Thomson, Deputy Editor of Chem Soc Rev will be attending the Hybrid Materials conference in Strasbourg in March. Let her know if you would like to meet up to discuss RSC Publishing!
The paper featured on the outside front cover is Self-assembly and charge transport properties of a benzobisthiazole end-capped with dihexyl thienothiophene units (Greg J. McEntee, Filipe Vilela, Peter J. Skabara, Thomas D. Anthopoulos, John G. Labram, Steve Tierney, Ross W. Harrington and William Clegg, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2091-2097). The paper reports thin-film studies and OFEt characteristics for a rigid, planar conjugated molecule, BDHTT-BBT. The authors say that this material exhibits liquid crystal properties in its thin-film state.
Unique hexagonal non-close-packed arrays of alumina obtained by plasma etching/deposition with catalytic performance is the paper highlighted on the inside front cover. (Shuyan Gao, Naoto Koshizaki, Yue Li and Liang Li, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2087-2090.) This paper reports a hexagonal-non-close-packed alumina array with hierarchical micro-/nano-structures fabricated by plasma etching/deposition that acts as a catalyt in ethyl acetoacetate isomerization.
The back cover showcases the work of David Muñoz-Rojas, Judith Oró-Solé, Omar Ayyad and Pedro Gómez-Romero (Shaping hybrid nanostructures with polymer matrices: the formation mechanism of silver–polypyrrole core/shell nanostructures; J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2078-2086). In the paper the team show that a polypyrrole matrix forming around suspended Ag2O particles in a pyrrole solution under hydrothermal conditions is key for the formation of tortuous Ag@PPy nanostructures.
You can read the whole issue here:
The one-pot synthesis of core/shell/shell CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots in aqueous media for in vivo deep tissue imaging. Shohei Taniguchi, Mark Green, Sarwat B. Rizvi and Alexander Seifalian, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03527K, Paper (Advance Article)
Water soluble, near infrared emitting CdTe/CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots have been synthesized in a simple one-pot procedure. The team of scientists based at King’s College London and University College London in the UK, say the emission wavelength could be tuned from 530 nm (original CdTe core) to 670 nm. To demonstrate the effectiveness the quantum dots were used in subcutaneous deep tissue monitoring.
Controllable synthesis of anisotropic elongated particles using microvalve actuated microfluidic approach. Qingquan Zhang, Shaojiang Zeng, Bingcheng Lin and Jianhua Qin, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0JM04033A (Advance Article)
The team from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, China, showcase a method to synthesize anisotropic elongated particles via the combination of a droplet based microsphere synthesis and colloidal assembly in a microchannel. The team claim’s that the method is flexible and easy to operate and could find applications in rheological modifiers and drug delivery carrier design.
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.
Sponsored by the Applied Materials Group, Royal Society of Chemistry
Surface chemistry and the non-specific binding problem in biosensor technology
Date: May 9th, 2011 (9;00 AM – 5:30 PM)
Location: Burlington House, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK
Scheduled speakers: M. Thompson and Christophe Blaszykowski, University of Toronto; Lisa Hall, University of Cambridge; H. Schnerr, TTP LabTech Ltd, Melbourn; J-F. Masson, University of Montreal; S. Reddy, University of Surrey: S. Brewer, DSTL, Porton Down.
Registration fee; 75 pounds for academic delegates; 100 pounds industry delegate. Fee includes a lunch and all proceedings.
Registration form and payment; Ms Wendy King, DSTL, UK
Organizers for further details: Professor Michael Thompson, Dr. Stuart Brewer
Workshop Abstract;
The purpose of the proposed symposium will be to discuss surface coatings that can be used to address the issue of non-specific binding in biosensors. The symposium will be of interest to both academics and industrialists. While a number of international conferences are dedicated to biosensors (e.g. Biosensors 2010, Glasgow) non-specific binding is only dealt with in an ad hoc manner. Considering that this phenomenon will ultimately dictate whether a biosensor can be commercialized or not, it is clear that a dedicated symposium on this subject is both timely and warranted. The subject matter is relevant to the fields of drug discovery, clinical diagnostics and environmental analysis, including homeland security and defense sectors.
Issue 6 of Journal of Materials Chemistry is now online. This issue features Platinum catalyzed growth of NiPt hollow spheres with an ultrathin shell by Qian Sun, Zheng Ren, Rongming Wang, Ning Wang and Xia Cao on the front cover. This paper explains how NiPt hollow spheres with an ultrathin shell were synthesized at room temperature and reports their catalytic properties. (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 1925-1930)
The back cover advertises the work of Davide Barreca, Alberto Gasparotto and Eugenio Tondello and their Highlight Metal/oxide interfaces in inorganic nanosystems: what’s going on and what’s next? (J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 1648-1654).
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)
