Chemical Science Blog

Scientists in Japan have demonstrated that the supramolecular organisation of ionic liquids is a promising way for constructing highly ion conductive materials. The team used the ionic liquids to make three-dimensional nanochannels that function as efficient transportation pathways for ions.

Link to journal article
Co-organisation of ionic liquids with amphiphilic diethanolamines: construction of 3D continuous ionic nanochannels through the induction of liquid-crystalline bicontinuous cubic phases
T Ichikawa et al
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc00981a

Scientists in Singapore and China say it is due to a hidden force – a coulomb repulsion between the unevenly-bound bonding and non-bonding electron pairs in the hydrogen bond. Understanding the behaviour of water is key to many fields of science and engineering.

Link to journal article
The hidden force opposing ice compression
C Q Sun, X Zhang and W Zheng
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc20066j

A polymer functionalised with boronic acid promises a cheap and quick way to purify antibodies for disease studies, according to scientists in China.

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are used to investigate disease diagnostics and treatments. They are Y-shaped proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralise foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. Capturing and purifying antibodies is essential for these investigations.

The current gold standard for capturing the antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG) uses protein A – a bacterial protein that targets a region at the bottom of the Y part of the IgG molecule – in chromatography. However, disadvantages associated with this method, such as poor protein stability and harsh conditions for releasing the antibody afterwards, inspired Zhen Liu and his team at Nanjing University to look for alternatives.

The antibodies were bound to ligands that were embedded in the mesopores of a polymer

Read the full story in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Restricted access boronate affinity porous monolith as a protein A mimetic for the specific capture of immunoglobulin G
Yunchun Liu ,  Yue Lu and Zhen Liu
Chem. Sci., 2012, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C2SC20125A

Star-shaped bimetallic nanobundles are better catalysts for fuel cells than conventional platinum nanoparticles, say US and Chinese scientists. The team made the branched platinum–nickel nanostructures by diffusing Ni species into the crystal lattice of Pt seeds; a method they claim opens a new avenue for the morphology control of bimetallic alloys. The steps and kinks on the nanostructures’ surfaces make them better at oxidising methanol.

Link to journal article
Highly Branched Pt-Ni Nanocrystals Enclosed by Stepped Surface
Z Niu et al
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc00004k

Aromaticity and antiaromaticity is one of the most fundamental concepts of chemistry but the nature of antiaromaticity remains elusive because of the lack of stable species.

A research team from Japan has provided an explanation for why heteroarene-fused boroles are higher in antiaromaticity and benzene-fused boroles are lower in antiaromaticity than the parent borole, providing a crucial design principle for more fascinating antiaromatic π-conjugated molecular systems.

Link to journal article
Heteroarene-fused Boroles: What Governs the Antiaromaticity and Lewis Acidity of the Borole Skeleton?
A Iida, A Sekioka and S Yamaguchi
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc20100c

A low temperature route to making diverse carbon nanoforms, including nanoonions and multiwalled nanotubes, has been developed by researchers in Spain. The route is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than other routes and is scalable.

The method involves a thermal decomposition of a sebacate-intercalated NiFe layered double hydroxide at 400^oC and benefits from the catalytic activity of the FeNi₃ nanoparticles generated in situ.

Applications of these nanocarbons include photovoltaic materials, lubricants, drug delivery, magnetic storage materials and electrochemical devices.

Link to journal article
Layered double hydroxide (LDH) – organic hybrids as precursors for the low-temperature chemical synthesis of carbon nanoforms
G Abellán et al
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc01064j

US scientists have designed a scaffold that can covalently attach to substrates and induce directed functionalisation at remote C–H bonds. This should help to overcome the limited substrate scope seen with current methods for functionalising unreactive C–H bonds, in which the directing groups are generally embedded in the structure of the substrate, effectively limiting the reactions to highly specific substrate classes.

Link to journal article
Molecular Scaffolds with Remote Directing Groups for Selective Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Bond Functionalizations
E E Stache et al
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc20176c

The growth mechanism of organic nanomaterials is unclear – understanding more about it would help in the design of optoelectronic devices. Scientists in China have come up with a mechanism for polymeric nanowire growth. Dynamic light scattering studies revealed that after nucleation growth, a mesoscale assembly existed as an intermediate, which then formed the nanowires.

Link to journal article
How does a Supramolecular Polymeric Nanowire Form in Solution?
T Lei et al
Chem. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2sc01123a

A hydrogen fuel cell that uses carbon nanotubes to increase the amount of electrocatalyst attached to electrodes has been designed by UK scientists. This arrangement offers an order of magnitude improvement in power density over existing designs, they say.

Membrane-less hydrogen fuel cells based on enzyme electrocatalysts offer a clean and sustainable source of energy. In contrast to conventional hydrogen fuel cells, the high specificity of enzyme active sites means they can work on a mixed feed of hydrogen and oxidant so they don’t require protons transported across a membrane; however, fuel cells depend on the performance of their electrocatalysts and enzymes are bulky, which limits the power output.

The fuel cell features two enzymes as electrocatalysts on specially modified electrodes – an oxygen-tolerant hydrogenase for the anode and bilirubin oxidase for the cathode

Read the full story in Chemistry World

Link to journal Article
Order-of-Magnitude Enhancement of an Enzymatic Hydrogen-Air Fuel Cell based on Pyrenyl Carbon Nanostructures
Fraser A Armstrong and Sadagopan Krishnan
Chem. Sci., 2012, Accepted Manuscript, DOI: 10.1039/C2SC01103D