Materials Chemistry Frontiers Blog

As a joint venture between the chemistry communities of China and the UK, Materials Chemistry Frontiers strives to report the best research from China and rest of the world to international audiences.

Board members of the journal regularly select and feature their favorite MCF articles that represent research the members see as possessing exceptional novelty and a potential impact to the development of the field.

This month, Editorial Board member Zhen Li picked his choice articles from those published in Materials Chemistry Frontiers during June and July 2017.

All these articles are now FREE to read.

@MaterChem on Twitter to tell us how you think about them.

Design and effective synthesis methods for high-performance polymer semiconductors in organic field-effect transistors

Longxian Shi, Yunlong Guo, Wenping Hu and Yunqi Liu  
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00169J, Review Article
First published on 07 Jul 2017

Editor’s comments:

Organic field effect transistors (OFETs), important components of organic electronics, have witnessed lots of breakthrough, partially due to their potential applications in radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, flexible displays, electronic papers, sensor and so forth. Thanks to the advantages of flexibility, light weight, transparency, solution-processability and modifiability, polymer semiconductors are one of the favorite choices for OFETs. In this Review Article, Yunlong Guo, Wenping Hu, and Yunqi Liu and coworkers from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) and Tianjing University (China) summarized the progress of the third-generation donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers for OFETs with high performance, especially emphasizing on building block selection, backbone halogenation, side chain engineering and random copolymerization. They pointed out that once the chemical approaches mentioned above are combined with rational device architectures, more high-performance polymer based OFETs are expected.

Molecular conformation and packing: their critical roles in the emission performance of mechanochromic fluorescence materials

Can Wang and Zhen Li
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00201G, Review Article
First published on 07 Jun 2017

Editor’s comments:

The development of mechanochromic fluorescence (MCF) materials has attracted much attention due to their great potential in data storage, anti-counterfeiting, pressure sensors and display. However, the significantly variety in the origin of this stimuli-responsive systems makes it challenging to establish a general and specific design strategies to create new high-contrast MCF materials. In this Review Article, Zhen Li and co-worker from Wuhan University (China) summarized the mechanisms of different MCF cases from the viewpoint of molecular packing status, intermolecular interactions, and intramolecular conformation in polymorphism MCF systems. The critical roles of molecular packing and conformation in the force-to-luminescence process are discussed. The general thoughts of structure–packing–performance generated from the MCF materials might promote the further optimization of organic material performance in aggregated state.

High rate Li-ion storage properties of MOF-carbonized derivatives coated on MnO nanowires

Zhen-Dong Huang, Zhen Gong, Qi Kang, Yanwu Fang, Xu-Sheng Yang, Ruiqing Liu, Xiujing Lin, Xiaomiao Feng, Yanwen Ma and Dan Wang
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, 1, 1975-1981
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00178A, Research Article
First published on 02 Jun 2017

Editor’s comments:

The supply of power is one of the most important issues in modern life. Nowadays, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are still the leading power sources for electrical vehicles and still predominate in the battery market for portable electronic devices and green energy distribution. To break the limit of traditional LIBs with graphite as the anode material, many efforts have been attempted. In this Article, Yanwen Ma, Dan Wang and coworkers from Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications (China) and Institute of Process Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) utilized zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) types of MOF strung by MnO₂ NWs as precursors, to prepare C/Co-coated MnO nanowires (C/Co-MnO NWs), which could deliver 848.4 and 718 mA h g^-1 at 500 and 5000 mA g^-1 after 40 charge/discharge cycles, respectively, superior to other reported MOF-derived nanostructured materials.

In situ polymerized hyperbranched polymer reinforced poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels

Nazila Dehbari, Javad Tavakoli, Simranjeet Singh Khatrao and Youhong Tang
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, 1, 1995-2004
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00028F, Research Article
First published on 06 Jun 2017

Editor’s comments:

Hydrogels, a special kind of three-dimensional cross-linked, water-swollen and hydrophilic polymers, have been extensively investigated for use in various applications as enviro-sensitive materials. Among various types of hydrogels, polyacrylate polymers such as polyacrylic acid (PAA) have the most versatile structure to enhance their practical utility in everyday life applications such as filtration, water remediation, diapers and hygiene products, cosmetics, wound dressings, medical waste solidification and metal ion removal. However, regardless of many advantages, the poor mechanical property of PAA hydrogels is considered as a marked weakness, and limited their specific applications. In this Article, Youhong Tang and coworkers from Flinders University (Australia) intelligently introduced a hyperbranched polymer into PAA, through in situ polymerization, to toughen PAA hydrogels with 130% improvement in the ultimate tensile strength, without sacrificing the swelling ratio.

Highly efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials with reduced efficiency roll-off and low on-set voltages

Haobin Zhao, Zhiheng Wang, Xinyi Cai, Kunkun Liu, Zuozheng He, Xin Liu, Yong Cao and Shi-Jian Su
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, 1, 2039-2046
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00195A, Research Article
First published on 13 Jun 2017

Editor’s comments:

Prompted by both scientific and commercial interests, organic materials with high performance are badly needed to be explored for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Specially, metal-free thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials can achieve 100% use of excitons through reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) because of their low energy gap (DEST) between the lowest singlet excited state (S1) and the triplet excited state (T1). In this Article, Shijian Su, Yong Cao and coworkers from South China University of Technology (China) combined carbazole and two additional carbazole or diphenylamine moieties together with a benzophenone unit, to design two donor–acceptor (D–A) type TADF luminogens of CCDC and CCDD. A maximal EQE of 15.9%, the highest ever value among the reported benzophenone-based blue emitters, was achieved in the blue-emitting devices with CCDC as the emitter. And the green emitting CCDD-based devices demonstrated the maximal EQEs exceed 22% and the on-set voltages of as low as 2.6 V.

Morphology control enables thickness-insensitive efficient nonfullerene polymer solar cells

Xiaoyu Liu, Long Ye, Wenchao Zhao, Shaoqing Zhang, Sunsun Li, Gregory M. Su, Cheng Wang, Harald Ade and Jianhui Hou
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, 1, 2057-2064
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00182G, Research Article
First published on 22 Jun 2017

Editor’s comments:

Solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymeric solar cells (PSCs) have attracted extensive attention in the past two decades due to their low cost, light weight, and potential for roll-to-roll production on flexible substrates. Instead of using fullerene acceptors, due to the efforts of scientists, especially the contributions from Xiaowei Zhan’s group (Peking University, China), some PSCs comprising conjugated polymers and non-fullerene acceptors have demonstrated high power-conversion efficiencies (PCE > 12%). So far, one of the major factors hindering industrial production of nonfullerene PSCs is the high sensitivity of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to thickness variations, which can significantly affect the manufacturing yields and production costs of roll-to-roll processing. When the thickness of the active layer is over 100 nm, PCEs show a significant loss. In this Article, Long Ye, Shaoqing Zhang, Harald Ade and Jianhui Hou from University of Science and Technology Beijing (China), Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China), and North Carolina State University (USA) reported that simply via thermal annealing, highly efficient thickness-insensitive non-fullerene PSCs could fabricated. For example, PBDB-T/IT-M-based nonfullerene PSCs can afford an impressive PCE of up to 9.4% at an active layer thickness of 250 nm, and a high efficiency close to 9%@400 nm, contributing much for the possible commercial roll-to-roll printing technology.

Previous articles recommended by MCF board members are also open for all to access. Read the full collection now!

As a joint venture between the chemistry communities of China and the UK, Materials Chemistry Frontiers strives to report the best research from China and rest of the world to international audiences.

Board members of the journal regularly select and feature their favorite MCF articles that represent research the members see as possessing exceptional novelty and a potential impact to the development of the field.

This month, Associate Editor Shu Seki picked his choice articles from those published in Materials Chemistry Frontiers during April and May 2017.

All these articles are now FREE to read.

@MaterChem on Twitter to tell us how you think about them.

Magnetic-field effects in ambipolar transistors based on a bipolar molecular glass

Thomas Reichert, Georg Hagelstein and Tobat P. I. Saragi
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00104E, Research Article
First published on 10 Apr 2017

Editor’s comments:

Huge variety of organic semiconductive molecular materials has been reported day-by-day in these years, and the devices based on the materials are mainly of interests with efficient charge transporting properties. The nature of charge carriers themselves, however, has been seldom clarified in many cases. The magnetoresistance in a bipolar semiconductive molecular glass, discussed in the present paper by Reichert, Hagelstein, and Saragi, provides a clear picture of the charge carriers of which spins are in a variety of coupling interactions. The magnetic responses of the devices offer the multi-functional device systems responding external magnetic field, as the authors claim, and will contribute to figure out fundamentally the characters of charge carriers themselves.

Direct amination of the antiaromatic NiII norcorrole

Takuya Yoshida and Hiroshi Shinokubo
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00176B, Research Article
First published online on 10 May 2017

Editor’s comments:

Likely to the aromatic porphyrin derivatives studied widely in everywhere, anti-aromatic norcorroles will be a fundamental and important class of ‘porphyrinoids’ in their condensed phases via p-electron interaction through spaces.  The direct amination reactions discovered and demonstrated in the present paper by Yoshida and Shinokubo are very simple approach to functionalize the molecular motifs with region-selectivity via C-H activation. This might be the easiest way to introduce electron donating amino groups into porphynoids, leading to the fine tuning of energy levels with pretty high chemical yields.

The ‘folklore’ and reality of reticular chemistry

Kyle E. Cordova and Omar M. Yaghi
Mater. Chem. Front., 2017, 1, 1304-1309
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00144D, Chemistry Frontiers
First published on 05 May 2017

Editor’s comments:

Scientists working on “reticular chemistry” linking molecular building blocks by strong bonds to make porous frameworks, by the authors, will empathize the three folklores in this frontier article.  However, the comments in this article, especially in conclusions, will be fruitful for most of all chemists working on ‘The Atom and the Molecule’ to think and design their own future molecular systems as the frontier of materials.

Previous articles recommended by MCF board members are also open for all to access. Read the full collection now!

As a joint venture between the chemistry communities of China and the UK, Materials Chemistry Frontiers strives to report the best research from China and rest of the world to international audiences.

Board members of the journal regularly select and feature their favourite MCF articles that represent research the members see as possessing exceptional novelty and a potential impact to the development of the field.

This month, Associate Editor Dan Wang picked his choice articles from those published in Materials Chemistry Frontiers during February and March 2017. This selection of articles focuses on the preparation of hybrid or nanomaterials and their promising applications in energy conversion and storage.

All these articles are now FREE to read.

@MaterChem on Twitter to tell us how you think about them.

Research progress regarding Si-based anode materials towards practical application in high energy density Li-ion batteries

Jin-Yi Li, Quan Xu, Ge Li, Ya-Xia Yin, Li-Jun Wan* and Yu-Guo Guo*  
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00302H, Review Article
First published online on 20 Feb 2017

Editor’s Comments:

Si-based anode materials provide a promising way to improve the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its environmentally friendly character, natural abundance, high theoretical capacity and attractive operating voltage. However, huge volume variation during lithiation/delithiation and low electric conductivity of Si make it challenging for practical applications of Si-based materials. Yu-Guo Guo and coworkers at Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed the mechanisms of Li-Si alloying and cell failure of Si-based anodes and summarized research progress of Si-based anode materials. To obtain high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability, nano/micro-structured Si/C and SiO_x/C composite anodes with 3D conductive networks and stable interfaces are discussed. The researchers proposed the key aspects of Si-based materials and prospective strategies for promoting the practical applications of Si-based anodes in high energy density Li-ion batteries.

High-quality organohalide lead perovskite films fabricated by layer-by-layer alternating vacuum deposition for high efficiency photovoltaics

Mohammad Mahdi Tavakoli, Abdolreza Simchi, Xiaoliang Mo* and Zhiyong Fan*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00379F, Research Article
First published online on 06 Feb 2017

Editor’s Comments:

A new procedure to fabricate stoichiometric, uniform, and highly crystalline lead perovskite thin films. In this work, Fan et al. at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology developed a layer-by-layer alternating (LBLA) vacuum deposition method to obtain methylammonium lead iodide thin films with much improved morphology, thickness uniformity and composition stoichiometry, as compared with previously reported two-step thin film deposition method. Characterizations show that LBLA films have higher crystallinity and longer carrier life-time. The better film quality leads to 20% improved power conversion efficiency in thin film perovskite solar devices, primarily owing to a higher fill factor and current density.

Ternary silver chlorobromide nanocrystals: intrinsic influence of size and morphology on photocatalytic activity

Sasitha C. Abeyweera and Yugang Sun* 
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00046D, Research Article
First published online on 09 Mar 2017

Editor’s Comments:

Stirring rate plays a significant role in determining the mass diffusion and thus nucleation and growth kinetics of forming colloidal nanocrystals in particular in high-viscosity solutions even though its importance is usually overlooked.  By controlling the rate of solution stirring, Abeyweera and Sun from Temple University demonstrated the successful synthesis of various silver chlorobromide (AgCl_xBr_1-x) nanoparticles with well-controlled sizes and morphologies through precipitation reaction of silver ions and halide ions in ethylene glycol.  The as-synthesized AgCl_xBr_1‒x nanoparticles provide a unique platform to accurately study the dependence of their photocatalytic activity on particle size (which determines charge separation efficiency) and morphology (which determines the type of catalytic surfaces).

Fabrication of core–shell, yolk–shell and hollow Fe₃O₄@carbon microboxes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Hao Tian, Hao Liu*, Tianyu Yang, Jean-Pierre Veder, Guoxiu Wang, Ming Hu, Shaobin Wang, Mietek Jaroniec* and Jian Liu*
DOI: 10.1039/C7QM00059F, Research Article
First published on 06 Mar 2017

Editor’s comments:

This work presents a facile synthetic procedure of Fe₃O₄@carbon microboxes with core-shell, yolk-shell and hollow structures via one-step Stöber coating synthesis. Dr Jian Liu and co-workers working primarily at Curtin University, Australia, with connections to Shanghai University, China, and Kent State University, USA have synthesized a series of Fe₃O₄@carbon microboxes. When applied as electrodes in a lithium ion battery, the core–shell structured Fe₃O₄@carbon microboxes show an excellent performance with a high reversible capacity of 857 mA h g⁻¹ that could be retained after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g⁻¹. Their results revealed that a great performance of the Fe₃O₄@carbon microboxes proves the importance of rational design and fabrication of core–shell particles with tuneable structures, multi-chemical composition and improved functionalities.

*This article is also featured as the front cover story for Mater. Chem. Front., Vol 1, Iss 5.

High open-circuit voltage ternary organic solar cells based on ICBA as acceptor and absorption-complementary donors

Jin Fang, Dan Deng, Jianqi Zhang, Yajie Zhang, Kun Lu and Zhixiang Wei*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00308G, Research Article
Published as Advance Articles on 06 Feb 2017

Editor’s comments:

A potential strategy to improve the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs), ternary OSCs based on indene-C₆₀ bisadduct (ICBA) electron acceptor and absorption-complementary electron donors, was reported by Wei and co-workers from National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, China. A high open-circuit voltage of 0.98 V is obtained. The performance of ternary OSCs is improved by 10% attributed to the optimized morphology with better crystalline electron donors and acceptor after blending solution processing small molecules. The reported studies reveal a new method for enhancing the performance of ICBA and non-fullerene based OSCs.

Previous articles recommended by MCF board members are also open for all to access. Read the full collection now!

As a joint venture between the chemistry communities of China and the UK, Materials Chemistry Frontiers strives to report the best research from China and rest of the world to international audiences.

Board members of the journal regularly select and feature their favourite MCF articles that represent research the members see as possessing exceptional novelty and a potential impact to the development of the field.

This month, we would like to highlight two articles about Metal-Organic Frameworks under the recommendation of our Associate Editor Natalia Shustova. Both of these articles were selected from those published in Materials Chemistry Frontiers during December 2016 and January 2017. They were also part of the themed collection Functional Open framework materials.

All these papers are now free to read. @MaterChem on Twitter to tell us how you think about them.

Towards hydroxamic acid linked zirconium metal–organic frameworks

Carla F. Pereira, Ashlee J. Howarth, Nicolaas A. Vermeulen, Filipe A. Almeida PazJoa ̃o P. C. Tome, Joseph T. Hupp* and Omar K. Farha*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00364H
First Published online on 30 Jan 2017

Editor’s comments:

A very powerful approach, solvent-assisted linker exchange (SALE) in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), was developed in the Hupp and Farha team from Northwestern University, USA. One of the major advantages of SALE is preservation of a MOF topology while introducing a new functionality. The authors demonstrated that SALE could also be applied to increase MOF stability. In particular, increase of stability of widely used UiO-66 framework was reported through incorporation of benzene-1,4-dihydroxamic acid linkers due to formation of stronger bonds. These studies reveal a new avenue in the use of post-synthetic techniques, such as SALE, to access robust metal-organic materials, which is a key component for practical application development.

Two-dimensional metal–organic frameworks for selective separation of CO₂/CH₄ and CO₂/N₂

Stephen Charles King, Rui-Biao Lin,* Hailong Wang, Hadi D. Arman and Banglin Chen*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00375C
First published on 13 Jan 2017

Editor’s comments:

Due to modularity and exceptional tunability, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer a number of advantages for efficient gas separation. Thus, Chen and co-workers from the University of Texas at San Antonio, USA reported the novel MOFs, which selectively adsorb CO₂ over CH₄ and N₂, as shown by single component gas sorption and selectivity calculations. The reported studies are an important step forward for the industrial separation of CO₂/CH₄ and CO₂/N₂ gas mixtures as well as a next generation of efficient absorbents.

As a joint venture between the chemistry communities of China and the UK, Materials Chemistry Frontiers strives to report the best research from China and rest of the world to international audiences.

Board members of the journal regularly select and feature their favourite MCF articles that represent research the members see as possessing exceptional novelty and a potential impact to the development of the field.

This month, Editor-in-Chief Ben Zhong Tang has picked his choice articles from those published in Materials Chemistry Frontiers before December 2016.

All these papers are now FREE to read.

@MaterChem on Twitter to tell us how you think about them.

Monolithic hierarchical gold sponges for efficient and stable catalysis in a continuous-flow microreactor

You Yu*, Wenqing Xiao, Tongtong Zhou, Ping Zhang, Casey Yan and Zijian Zheng*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00115G
First published online 23 Aug 2016

Editor’s comments:

It is highly desirable to fabricate metallic materials with large surface area-to-volume ratios by simple procedures. Y. Yu, Z. Zheng and coworkers at Northwest University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (both in China) developed an air-compatible and moisture-tolerant solution process for the preparation of free-standing monolithic gold sponges through a polymer-assisted metal deposition approach. The Au sponges showed ultrahigh catalytic efficiency for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol even after 100 times of repeated use. The researchers also developed a continuous-flow system made of the Au sponges, which enabled separation-free, continuous catalytic reduction of flow-in liquid chemicals.

Flexible assembly of targeting agents on porous magnetic nano-cargos by inclusion complexation for accurate drug delivery

Dian Li, Luyan Sun, Yuting Zhang, Meng Yu, Jia Guo and Changchun Wang*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00049E
First published online 07 Sep 2016

Editor’s Comments:

Development of effective systems for accurate drug delivery is in great demand. C. Wang and collaborators at Fudan University (Shanghai) and Technical Center of China Tobacco Guangxi Industrial Co., Ltd. (Nanning) developed magnetic nano-cargos for controlled drug delivery. The Chinese researchers fixed anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) onto porous magnetic cores by acid-susceptible linkers, which can be broken in intracellular environments or organelles. The superficial poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains on the magnetic cores enhanced the dispersion of the nano-cargos and the immobilized folate (FA)-modified a-cyclodextrin (CD) by inclusion complexation, and the α-CD derivatives could be flexibly replaced as needed. With efficient pH-responsive drug release, this drug delivery system inhibited the proliferation of cancer (HeLa) cells, while imposing little cytotoxicity on normal (HEK 293T) cells. The synergistic interplay of the targeting and pH-controlled drug release capabilities of the nano-cargos has great potential in cancer chemotherapy with personalized and accurate treatment.

Triphenylamine-based donor–π–acceptor organic phosphors: synthesis, characterization and theoretical study

Aravind Babu Kajjam, Santanb Giri and Sivakumar V.*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00031B
First published online 07 Sep 2016

Editor’s Comments:

The development of efficient organic phosphors is of great importance to the construction of hybrid organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Sivakumar V. and coworkers at National Institute of Technology (India) successfully synthesized a series of new triphenylamine derivatives with multiple acceptors as yellow organic phosphors and demonstrated that an increase in the number of the acceptors led to a red shift in the photoluminescence (PL), owing to the π–π interaction and aggregation-induced emission. The yellow phosphors all showed solvent-dependent PL or solvatochromic behaviour. The phosphors are stable at high temperatures and have the potential to be used for the fabrication of white OLEDs.

Dicyanopyrazine capped with tetraphenylethylene: polymorphs with high contrast luminescence as organic volatile sensors

Chao Ge, Yang Liu,* Xin Ye, Xiaoxin Zheng, Quanxiang Han, Jie Liu and Xutang Tao
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00146G
First published online 12 Sep 2016

Editor’s Comments:

Organic luminescent polymorphs with high contrasts in light emission have attracted much attention. Taking advantage of the aggregation-induced emission feature of propeller-shaped tetraphenylethylene and the strong electron-withdrawing ability of dicyanopyrazine, Liu and coworkers at Shandong University (China) have synthesized a pair of luminescent materials (1DQCN and 2DQCN) with intramolecular charge-transfer attribute.  Whereas 1DQCN shows crystallization-induced blue shift in its light emission, 2DQCN exhibits crystallization-induced red shift due to its more coplanar molecular structure.  2DQCN displays three distinguishable polymorphs with different colour and luminescence.  Switching between the polymorphs can be readily achieved by solvent fuming and thermal annealing, making the luminogen promising as visualization sensor for the detection of volatile organic compounds.

An anthracenecarboximide fluorescent probe for in vitro and in vivo ratiometric imaging of endogenous alpha-ʟ-fucosidase for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis

Xianfeng Hou, Jin Peng, Fang Zeng,* Changmin Yu and Shuizhu Wu*
DOI: 10.1039/c6qm00112b
First published online 28 Sep 2016

Editor’s Comments:

Alpha-ʟ-fucosidase (AFU) is an enzyme that belongs to the family of hydrolases and that plays a vital role in all mammalian cells at low concentrations.  Aberrant levels of AFU, however, cause health problems such as fucosidosis and carcinoma.  Effective detection of AFU can thus be very useful in terms of early disease diagnosis.  F. Zeng, S. Wu and coworkers at South China University of Technology (Guangzhou) presented the first example of ratiometric fluorescent bioprobe for AFU assay.  The bioprobe is based on the mechanism of AFU-catalyzed selective cleavage of α-ʟ-fucose group, enabling highly sensitive and selective detection of AFU in live cells.  Its detection limit is as low as 0.0033 U mL-1. The researchers successfully applied this bioprobe to a hepatocellular carcinoma model of zebrafish for monitoring and spatially mapping endogenous AFU levels. This work offers an effective approach to studying AFU-associated physiological and pathological processes.

Different cell behaviors induced by stereochemistry on polypeptide brush grafted surfaces

Yinan Ma, Yong Shen* and Zhibo Li*
DOI: 10.1039/C6QM00200E
First published online 15 Nov 2016

Editor’s Comments:

Almost all the proteinogenic amino acids are L-stereoisomers in the living systems. Is there any biological implication of this structural motif? A “yes” answer was given in a recent study by Y. Shen, Z. Li and collaborators at Qingdao University of Science and Technology (Shandong) and Institute of Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing).  The researchers prepared surface-grafted poly(γ-benzyl glutamate) brushes with different secondary structures to investigate the influence of main-chain chirality on cell adhesion behaviours.  They found that cells adhered and grown more densely and homogeneously on the poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBLG)-grafted surfaces than on those grafted with its enantiomeric counterpart poly(γ-benzyl D-glutamate) (PBDG).  This is possibly owing to the chirality recognition of living cells through the stereospecific interactions between the chiral molecules and the cell surface proteins. This study may help better understand cell/chirality interactions.

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