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This article introduces a collection of research papers on intercalation compounds, which are of interest to researchers in various fields. The collection covers topics such as intercalation mechanisms, synthesis methods, host-guest interactions, and structure/property relationships. It also includes papers on energy storage, catalysis, environmental remediation, and biomedical applications. The collection aims to provide valuable insights and encourage collaboration in the field of materials science. [Extracted from the article]

Full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) in conjunction with X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy provides two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) morphological and chemical-specific information within samples at the tens of nanometer scale. This technique has a broad range of applications in materials sciences and battery research. Despite its extensive applicability, 2D XANES imaging is subject to the disadvantage of information overlap when the sample thickness is uneven. 3D XANES imaging combines 3D TXM with XANES to obtain 3D distribution information on chemical states. A 3D XANES imaging method has been established at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) and has been used to characterize the structure and chemical state of commercial LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM, x + y + z = 1) battery powder materials. The imaging results provide a visual representation of the 3D chemical state information of the particles with depth resolution, allowing for the direct observation of 3D nickel oxidation. This paper will describe in detail the data acquisition, data processing, quantification and visualization analysis of 3D XANES imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorimetric sensing offers instant reporting via visible signals. Versus labor-intensive and instrument-dependent detection methods, colorimetric sensors present advantages including short acquisition time, high throughput screening, low cost, portability, and a user-friendly approach. These advantages have driven substantial growth in colorimetric sensors, particularly in point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Rapid progress in nanotechnology, materials science, microfluidics technology, biomarker discovery, digital technology, and signal pattern analysis has led to a variety of colorimetric reagents and detection mechanisms, which are fundamental to advance colorimetric sensing applications. This review first summarizes the basic components (e.g., color reagents, recognition interactions, and sampling procedures) in the design of a colorimetric sensing system. It then presents the rationale design and typical examples of POC devices, e.g., lateral flow devices, microfluidic paper-based analytical devices, and wearable sensing devices. Two highlighted colorimetric formats are discussed: combinational and activatable systems based on the sensor-array and lock-and-key mechanisms, respectively. Case discussions in colorimetric assays are organized by the analyte identities. Finally, the review presents challenges and perspectives for the design and development of colorimetric detection schemes as well as applications. The goal of this review is to provide a foundational resource for developing colorimetric systems and underscoring the colorants and mechanisms that facilitate the continuing evolution of POC sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl groups containing bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) are gaining increasing interest in the pharmaceutical industry and materials science; however, the development of an efficient methodology to construct perfluoroalkylated BCPs remains a challenging task. In this paper, we present a metal-free strategy to synthesize 1-perfluoroalkyl-3-heteroaryl bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes using an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex for the perfluoroalkylation of [1.1.1]propellane. After visible light irradiation, the resulting EDA complexes formed by perfluoroalkyl iodide and DBU lead to the generation of perfluoroalkyl radicals. These then sequentially react with highly strained [1.1.1]propellane and various heterocyclic compounds. Mechanistic studies revealed that this method proceeded via a radical chain reaction. This strategy may provide a versatile and sustainable way to obtain 1-perfluoroalkyl-3-heteroaryl bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes with good functional group tolerance under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas-sensing properties of two-dimensional materials have always been a research hotspot in the field of materials science. In this paper, the adsorption mechanism of common toxic gases on monolayer antimony phosphide (SbP), including CO, H2S, NH3, SO2, and NO2, is investigated based on first principles calculation. The results show high adsorption energy and charge transfer between monolayer SbP and NO2, which are −0.876 eV and −0.83 e, respectively. Then, combined with the analysis of electronic properties, we prove that P-orbital hybridization between atoms is the main reason for the high sensitivity and selectivity of monolayer SbP to NO2 gas molecules. In addition, when NO2 coexists with SO2, H2O, and CO2, respectively, the strong interaction between NO2 and SbP is hardly affected. Finally, the results of ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, recovery time, and strain regulation further predict the excellent performance of monolayer SbP in practical applications. Therefore, monolayer SbP is expected to be an excellent sensing material for NO2 detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper nanoclusters have attracted significant interest in the field of materials science due to their high abundance, complex structure, and unique properties. However, there is a limited amount of research on the relationship between structure and properties. In this study, we synthesized and comprehensively characterized two new Cu9 nanoclusters, [Cu9(PhSe)6(PPh2O2)3] (Cu9-1) and [Cu9(CH3OPhS)6(PPh2O2)3] (Cu9-2), in order to investigate the effect of ligands on photoluminescence. Both clusters have the same metal skeleton and similar distribution of ligands, with the only difference being the surface ligands (PhSe vs. CH3OPhS). Interestingly, the photoluminescence lifetime of Cu9-2 was found to be 3.2 times longer than that of Cu9-1. Furthermore, a notable Stokes shift (ST) was observed in the emission spectra of the two clusters. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed the formation of hydrogen bonds between neighboring clusters of Cu9-2, which influenced intramolecular interactions. Additionally, the methoxy groups in Cu9-2, acting as conjugated electron donors, promoted intramolecular charge transfer and π–π interaction. This study is expected to inspire further research on surface ligand engineering for controlling the properties of copper nanoclusters beyond photoluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles (NPs) are ubiquitous because they find applications in nanomedicine, materials science, and consumer products to name a few, and eventually end up in the environment. The various techniques available to analyze NPs each have strengths and limitations. This study focuses on improving the single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICPMS) technique to address the limitations of existing methods and improve the size detection limit for Pt and Au NPs. Infrared heating of the spray chamber and connection to the torch is used to pre-evaporate the aerosol and improve the transport efficiency. Eight modified cyclonic spray chambers with a volume ranging from 25 to 125 mL, where an IR emitter is inserted in a modified baffle and the gap between the top of the baffle and the top service of the spray chamber was varied, are tested for the characterization of NPs to see their effect on sensitivity, detection limit, and transport efficiency. The results indicate that the 50 mL modified spray chamber with a 2 mm gap between the top of the baffle and the top service of the spray chamber offers the best detection limit for Pt. It enhances sensitivity and precision and allows accurate characterization of Au and Pt NPs without any measurement of the transport efficiency. Furthermore, this sample introduction system provided similar improvements in sensitivity and detection limit when used with the same nebulizer on two different spICPMS instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of new open-framework polyoxometalates is very significant in structural chemistry and materials science. Herein, three new organic hybrid three-dimensional vanadium borophosphates (H3O)7(H2aeae)3{[Cd(H2O)3]2[H3O⊃(V2BP2O12)6]}·15H2O (1, aeae = 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol) and (H3O)5(H2aeae)3{[TM(H2O)2.5(H2aeae)0.5]2[H3O⊃ (V2BP2O12)6]}·9H2O [TM = Mn(2), Co(3)] were hydrothermally prepared and structurally characterized. The three vanadium borophosphates contain similar 12-member ring crown-shaped clusters [(V2BP2O12)6]18− based on the linkage of six [V2O8] dimers and six [BP2O10] units. The [(V2BP2O12)6]18− cluster is further bridged by the unsaturated [Cd(H2O)3]2+ or [TM(H2O)2.5(H2aeae)0.5]3+ complexes to build new types of open-framework vanadium borophosphates with pores and cavities retained by the protonated H2aeae2+, H3O+ and free H2O. Surprisingly, the monodentate H2aeae2+ ligand coordinating with a metal center was observed in 2 and 3 for the first time as the aeae molecule acted as the trichelating ligand. Their optical absorption edges were determined to be in the range of 2.61–2.68 eV using solid-state UV-vis spectroscopy. 1–3 exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity towards methylene blue (MB) degradation under visible light irradiation, which presented the first example of organic hybrid open-framework vanadium borophosphates as the photo-catalysts for MB degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal expansion regulation by chemical decoration at a molecular level is of great technological value for materials science. Herein, we show that the spin crossover active compound Fe(pyz)Pt(CN)4 (pyz = pyrazine) shows a rare 2D negative thermal expansion (NTE) in the ab-plane. By introducing axial coordination iodine ions or reducing the framework dimension from 3D to 2D, the NTE behavior can be effectively switched to positive thermal expansion (PTE) or even zero thermal expansion (ZTE). Moreover, it is found that different spin states of Fe2+ also influence the magnitude of NTE. Compared with the low-spin (LS) sate, the high-spin (HS) state tends to enhance the magnitude of NTE. Combined in situ structural and Raman spectral analyses revealed that the NTE mainly originates from the transverse vibration of a bridging cyano group and the tailorable thermal expansion is closely related to the state of the Fe–C≡N–Pt linkage. The present study shows how the rational regulation of the building unit and framework dimensions can effectively control thermal expansion behaviors. This insight can serve as guidance for designing and synthesizing novel NTE materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a back cover of the journal "Analyst" featuring research conducted by Professor Keqi Tang from Ningbo University in China. The research focuses on a strategy for simultaneously enriching N- and O-glycopeptides from complex biological samples using hydrophilic and electrostatic interactions. The article provides further details on this strategy and its successful application. Additionally, the back cover mentions another research paper in the same journal issue that discusses the use of breath volatile organic compounds for monitoring the progression of chronic kidney disease. [Extracted from the article]

A novel photocatalytic acylation strategy was developed harnessing tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT) as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) photocatalyst to facilitate the direct coupling of aldehydes with N-heterocycles at ambient temperature. This approach realizes the direct acylation of N-hetrerocycles without the need for noble metals, acids, or external oxidants, thereby marking a significant advance in green chemistry protocols. Utilizing this photocatalyzed method, we successfully synthesized a diverse array of 3-acylated azauracils and quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, adorned with a variety of functional groups, achieving yields ranging from good to excellent. This research opens avenues for the rapid and efficient modification of heterocyclic compounds, which are foundational structures in medicinal chemistry and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organosilicon compounds are versatile reagents in chemical synthesis and materials sciences. As an important class of organosilanes, 1,1,1-trisilylalkanes can undergo various organic transformations and serve as core units for silicon-containing hyperbranched polymers. The existing catalytic approaches for accessing 1,1,1-trisilylalkanes via alkyne trisilylation not only requires pre-synthesized moisture- and air-sensitive organocalcium and organolanthanum catalysts but also suffers from limited substrate scope for both alkyne and hydrosilane reagents. For example, only alkyl-substituted alkynes can undergo organocalcium-catalyzed trisilylation with alkyl hydrosilanes to provide the desired 1,1,1-trisilylalkane products. Herein, we report a selective copper-catalyzed trisilylation reaction of both alkyl- and aryl-substituted alkynes with a readily accessible copper catalyst that is generated in situ from Cu(OAc)2 and tributylphosphine PnBu3. This copper-catalyzed trisilylation reaction features easy catalyst preparation, broad substrate scope, and mild solvent-free reaction conditions. Mechanistic studies reveal that this trisilylation reaction occurs through copper-catalyzed deprotosilylation of alkynes to form alkynylsilanes followed by double hydrosilylation of alkynylsilane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controlled preparation of oligopyrroles can be enabling for both chemistry and materials science. In this study, we present a straightforward one-pot synthesis that allows access to a series of α,α′-linked arene-bridged oligopyrrolic dialdehydes. The method relies on the Pd(0)-catalyzed tandem Suzuki cross-coupling of heterocyclic precursors. Access to the present diformyl oligopyrroles enables the construction of new macrocycles as confirmed by NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric studies, as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the history, present status, and future of density-functional theory (DFT) is informally reviewed and discussed by 70 workers in the field, including molecular scientists, materials scientists, method developers and practitioners. The format of the paper is that of a roundtable discussion, in which the participants express and exchange views on DFT in the form of 302 individual contributions, formulated as responses to a preset list of 26 questions. Supported by a bibliography of 777 entries, the paper represents a broad snapshot of DFT, anno 2022.

The Faraday Discussion 'From optical to THz control of materials' was held in London, UK, and online on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th May 2022. The meeting brought together established and early-career scientists, postgraduate students, scientific editors, and industrial researchers in the field of spectroscopy and materials science from over ten different countries interested in exploring the physical properties of materials at ultrafast timescales driven by optical and THz excitations. This conference report provides highlights of this meeting and we give summaries of the presentations including the introductory lecture, all the papers discussed, and the concluding remarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial introducing a spotlight collection on inorganic molecular electronics in the journal Dalton Transactions. The collection includes 16 articles from universities around the world, covering topics such as molecular-scale electronics, electron transport, rectification, switching, and optical and electronic properties. The collection aims to provide an understanding of the field and emphasizes the importance of diversity in research. The authors express gratitude to the contributors and hope that readers will enjoy the collection. [Extracted from the article]

The energy level matching of perovskites was regarded as the prerequisite for achieving high photovoltaic performance. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a two-dimensional polymer semiconductor material, which has good semiconductor properties, suitable electronic band structure and excellent physical and chemical stability, and is widely used in energy and materials science fields such as for photovoltaic conversion. Graphene oxide (GO) is a two-dimensional π-conjugated carbon atom sheet formed by sp2 hybrid bonds. Due to its unique electronic properties, g-C3N4 can be seamlessly spliced with the two-dimensional domains of GO through continuous π-conjugated bonds, which not only effectively modifies the electronic structure of g-C3N4 but also contributes to the unhindered separation and transfer of electrons and holes in the plane. Therefore, in this work, we effectively passivated film trap defects and significantly reduced non-radiative recombination by constructing GO/g-C3N4 heterostructures as an ultra-thin interface modification layer between the perovskite layer and the electron transport layer (ETL). As a result, the addition of a GO/g-C3N4 heterojunction modification layer facilitated achieving an improved power-conversion efficiency (PCE 20.50% to 22.08%), inhibited the recombination of carriers, and improved the mobility of carriers. An unpackaged device demonstrated excellent stability, maintaining more than 90% of the initial efficiency after over 1,000 hours of storage under ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imines are vital intermediate chemicals applied in organic synthesis, pharmaceuticals, and materials science. It is desirable but challenging to explore a green photocatalytic system, especially solvent-free photocatalysis, for the synthesis of imines from amines with molecular oxygen as an oxidant under mild reaction conditions. In the present study, a ternary CdS/Ag/BiVO4 Z-heterojunction photocatalyst was designed and prepared for the photocatalytic oxidative coupling of benzylamine to N-benzylidenebenzylamine. Under solvent-free conditions, a yield of 92% of N-benzylidenebenzylamine with a selectivity of 99% was achieved over CdS/Ag/BiVO4 in neat benzylamine with dioxygen as an oxidant at room temperature and ambient pressure. In the Z-scheme electronic transmission system, CdS worked as a reductive photocatalyst, while BiVO4 acted as an oxidative photocatalyst. The oxygen vacancies in the catalyst and Ag nanoparticles in the catalyst with their plasmonic effect boosted light absorption, enhancing charge migration and photogenerated electron–hole separation on the contact interface. A photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on controlled experiments. The catalyst exhibited good stability for five cycles, and the catalyst can be applied for the oxidative coupling of various amines to imines. This work provides a strategy for the rational design of photocatalytic oxidative coupling of amines to imines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nucleophilic ring opening of epoxides by carboxylic acids is an indispensable transformation for materials science and coating technologies. Due to this industrial significance, improvements in operational energy consumption and catalyst sustainability are highly desirable for this transformation. Herein, an efficient, environmentally benign and non-toxic halide free cooperative catalyst system based on an iron(III) benzoate complex and guanidinium carbonate is reported. The novel catalyst system shows improved activity over onium halide catalysts under neat conditions and in several solvents, including anisole and nBuOAc. Detailed mechanistic studies using FeCl3/DMAP as a catalyst revealed the importance of a carboxylate bridged cationic trinuclear μ3-oxo iron cluster and guanidinium carbonate or DMAP as a carboxylate reservoir due to its superior activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tridentate bis(carboxamide) pincers are key ligands used in catalysis, investigational medicinal inorganic compounds, and materials science. This study examined the atropisomerism of a group of bis(carboxamide) pincers with C2 symmetry to elucidate their physical, chemical, and structural behaviour, paving the way for the application of their metal complexes in different fields. One of the five compounds structurally elucidated by X-ray crystallography, 1c, has a pair of intramolecularly constrained isoquinoline ring substituents and crystallized enantiomerically pure in a chiral Sohncke space group. PM6 calculations of the 3-D potential energy surface for the main atropisomerisation reaction coordinate of 1c indicated that the lowest-energy conformer (atropisomer) has the isoquinoline rings canted out-of-plane by almost +30° and −30° relative to the central pyridine ring. The X-ray structure of 1c is located close to this energy minimum. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy on bulk solid samples confirmed the presence of an excess population of one enantiomer (C2-symmetric atropisomer), most notably for compounds 1c, 1e, and 1f. CD spectra could be recorded for all compounds in solution, similarly reflecting an excess population of one atropisomer. The experimental spectra were confirmed by TD-DFT simulations at the CAM-B3LYP/def2-tzvp level of theory. We conclude that the present group of ligands are worthy of further investigation as chelating agents for metal ions with applications in chiral catalysis or biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of the polyol component, after glycolysis of polyurethane (PU) foams coming from automotive waste, was investigated. Several separation methods such as simple sedimentation, centrifugation and liquid–liquid extraction, eventually preceded by an acid washing step, were tested. The obtained fractions were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and CHN elemental analysis. Furthermore, multivariate data analysis was carried out on the infrared spectra by principal component analysis to classify the fractions based on purity. IR spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis was able to estimate the success of the separation and eventual culprits such as contaminations, which were then quantified by CHN elemental analysis. This approach addresses some critical limitations associated with classical analytical techniques such as NMR, TGA, GPC, MALDI-TOF that often require an extremely accurate separation of the depolymerized product fractions. Moreover, IR spectroscopy and CHN elemental analysis techniques are cheap and widespread in standard materials science laboratories. At last, based on the results of the analysis of the regenerated polyol fractions, and on the foaming tests, considerations were made to guide the choice of the purification method according to the application specifications and greenness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CH-arylated quinolines have found widespread applications in drug discovery as well as in the field of fine chemicals and material science. Herein, we report a general, transition-metal-free, environmentally friendly photocatalytic strategy for the direct C–H arylation of quinolines and quinoline N-oxides/pyridines selectively at the C-8 and C-2 positions, respectively, using chlorophyll as the organic photocatalyst. This method offers a simple, practical route for direct access to C8-aryl quinolines, C2-aryl pyridines, and quinoline N-oxides. The key advantages of the present protocol include operational simplicity, the use of clean energy sources, low reagent costs, and no requirement of pre-functionalized substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of magnetically switchable materials that concurrently incorporate spin crossover (SCO) and a structural phase transition (SPT) presents a significant challenge in materials science. In this study, we prepared four structurally related cobalt(II)-based SCO compounds: two one-dimensional (1D) chains of {[(enbzp)Co(μ-L)](ClO4)2·sol}n (L = bpee, sol = 2MeOH·H2O, 1; L = bpea, sol = none, 2; enbzp = N,N′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(1-phenyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)methanimine); bpee = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene; and bpea = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane) and their discrete segments, [{(enbzp)Co}2(μ-L)](ClO4)4·2MeOH (L = bpee, 3; L = bpea, 4). In all of these complexes, each Co(II) center is equatorially chelated by the planar tetradentate ligand enbzp and connected to a chain or dinuclear structure through bpee or bpea ligands along its axial direction. All of the complexes, including their desolvated phases, displayed overall incomplete and gradual SCO properties. Interestingly, the desolvated phase of 1 exhibited an additional non-spin magnetic transition characterized by wide room-temperature hysteresis (>40 K), which was reversible and rate-dependent, showcasing the synergy between SCO and SPT manifested through slow kinetics. We discuss the possible reasons for the distinct features and our findings demonstrate that the combination of a rigid polymeric framework with flexible substituents holds promise for achieving synergy between SCO and SPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of materials having optical properties is a fertile area of research because of their application in OLEDs, sensors, and semiconducting materials science field. Moreover, considering environmental concerns, there is an increasing need in the scientific community to enhance the preparative methods using eco-friendly approaches. In this work, the mechanochemical liquid assisted grinding (LAG) method is applied for the syntheses of hybrid organometallic/organic materials made of π–acidic silver(I) or copper(I) metallacycles, with bridging ligands such as 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolate or 3,5-dinitro-pyrazolate, and coronene, a highly symmetric polycyclic aromatic molecule (PAH). The LAG method was monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM; the former was applied to study the slight structural modification upon interactions, and the latter was used to depict the changes in the solid surface morphology upon CH2Cl2-assisted grinding. On the other hand, the dissolution of the materials reversibly yields the starting compounds. The stacked materials were characterized by elemental and TGA analyses, and photoluminescence (PL), and IR spectroscopies. The PL study highlights the room temperature quenching of the coronene emissions at 505 nm, indicating the occurrence of dispersive electrostatic interactions. Interestingly, the solid-state UV-Vis study allowed the calculations of direct (2.27 eV) and indirect (2.78 eV) band gaps for the D/A adduct {[3,5-(CF3)2pz]Ag}3@coronene, 1, with values featuring the materials in the semiconductor band gap range, useful for application in OFETs or OPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of rare-earth elements (REEs) mass fractions is of great significance in various fields including materials science, geology, ecotoxicology, environmental safety and human health. However, the conventional pneumatic nebulization (PN) sampling system commonly used with the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) suffers from low sample introduction efficiency and a high yield of oxide interferences. In this work, the feasibility of a high-efficiency micro-ultrasonic nebulization (MUN) sampling system coupled with an ICP-MS for the sensitive determination of REEs was evaluated. It was observed that the use of MUN could enhance the sensitivity by more than one order of magnitude. In addition, we also found that operating the MUN with a square waveform and a duty ratio of 50% could significantly improve the signal intensities and signal-to-noise ratios of REEs compared to our previous sinusoidal waveform. This improvement can be attributed to the lower aerosol size distribution (d50 = 6.0 μm) generated with the square-waveform MUN. Moreover, MUN-ICP-MS exhibited lower oxide ratios (139La16O+/139La+ = 0.79%, 140Ce16O+/140Ce+ = 0.73%, 150Sm16O+/150Sm+ = 0.06% and 159Tb16O+/159Tb+ = 0.10%). It is worth noting that achieving similar levels of low oxide ratios with the PN-ICP-MS system requires the use of a reaction/collision cell, resulting in nearly a 50% loss in sensitivity. Under optimized conditions, the LODs for 16 REEs ranged from 0.03 (Tm and Lu) to 1.07 (Sc) ng L−1, and the repeatability (RSD, n = 8) was between 0.3% (Eu, 10 ng mL−1) and 3.4% (Lu, 1 ng mL−1). The accuracy of the proposed method was validated using certified reference materials (CRMs) of sediments, soils and basalts. The proposed MUN provides a novel low-cost high-efficiency sample introduction strategy for sensitive and accurate REEs analysis using ICP-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the dynamic behavior of polymeric fluids in porous media is essential for vast geoscience applications, particularly enhanced oil recovery and polymer-enhanced soil washing, to clean up soil contamination. During the past decades, the behavior of polymeric fluids in microscopic space has only been investigated using ensemble-averaged experimental methods in which a bulk phase behavior of the fluids characterizes flow mechanisms. Multiple flow mechanisms have been proposed based on ensemble-averaged data; however, microscale characterization of the interactions between polymers and solid surfaces and the mechanisms governing polymer retention and permeability reduction as well as the reversibility of polymer retention are lacking, resulting in a limited understanding of the flow mechanisms. Here we report direct visualization and multi-scale characterization of the dynamic behavior of polymer molecules in a representative porous medium by integrating microfluidics with single-molecule imaging. We demonstrate that the polymers' adsorption, entrapment and hydrodynamic retention contribute to their overall retention in porous media. Our study illustrates how microfluidics can help in understanding the dynamic behavior of polymers, their interactions with the solid/fluid interface and their effects on flow properties. Additionally, it demonstrates the role of microfluidic platforms in providing a more representative and accurate model for polymer retention and permeability reduction in porous media. The obtained insights encourage the development of improved models that better capture the behavior of complex fluids in confined environments and have significant implications for a wide range of applications in geoscience, materials science, and rheology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper and copper oxide nanostructures are ubiquitous in materials science owing to their high potential in energy and environment applications. This article describes the utility of a 2D Cu(II) coordination polymer (2D-CuPDC) derived from 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid linker, as a precursor for selective isolation of Cu and CuO nanostructures. The structure of the coordination polymer has been elucidated from single crystal XRD. The Cu center in 2D-CuPDC is in a distorted square pyramidal geometry with the polymeric unit propagating along the ac-plane when viewed along the a-axis. The thermogravimetric analysis of 2D-CuPDC indicates that it can be an efficient molecular precursor for copper oxide nanoparticles. The solvent assisted and solvent free breakdown of the 2D-CuPDC network revealed the formation of Cu nano-flowers and porous CuO nanostructures, respectively. The crystal structure, phase purity, morphology, elemental composition and band gap of these nanostructures were evaluated from pXRD, electron microscopy, EDS and DRS-UV, respectively. The band gap of these nanostructures lies in the range suitable for photocatalytic applications. This coordination polymer driven synthesis of Cu and CuO nanostructures can be expanded for other technologically important metal and metal oxide nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isonicotinamide has important roles and application prospects in pharmaceutical, medical, and materials sciences. The biosynthesis of isonicotinamide has great advantages over chemical methods, but the biosynthesis of isonicotinamide has been reported for three decades and has not been industrialized yet. In this study, a thermophilic NHase from Carbonactinospora thermoautotrophicus was selected and then its activity was substantially improved by a "toolbox" screening strategy. The specific activity of the βL48D mutant towards 4-cyanopyridine was 307.02 ± 3.50 U mg−1, which was 13.9 times higher than that of the WT C.t NHase (22.01 ± 1.30 U mg−1). The structural analysis demonstrated that introduction of Asp into the βLeu48 site resulted in a larger catalytic cavity and better substrate orientations. Finally, a recombinant strain E. coli BL21 of the βL48D mutant was cultured at high cell density in a 5 L fermenter for high-level isonicotinamide production, developing a powerful process for isonicotinamide bio-production. The yield of isonicotinamide reached 2.89 M (352 g L−1), the substrate (4-cyanopyridine) was exhausted and the conversion was 100%. These results prove that C.t NHase is a promising competitor for future industrial production of biosynthetic isonicotinamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of functional materials capable of sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere or capturing that emitted from human activities is one of the major challenges in materials science today. Porous organic polymers have already proven efficient for the selective adsorption of CO2. Various combinations of building units and functionalities can create different topologies of porous organic systems. We have investigated the effect of two trigonal connectors (triphenylamine and triphenylpyridine) and three nitrogen–nitrogen linkages (azo, azoxy and azodioxy) on the geometrical and adsorption properties of porous organic polymers. The computational chemistry methods (calculation of binding energies, electrostatic potential maps and grand-canonical Monte Carlo simulations) were used to evaluate the effects of various structural patterns and four different layer stacking modes on the CO2 adsorption. In the experimental part of the work, we synthesized and characterized (by IR and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements) a new azo-linked pyridine-based polymer which exhibits high surface area of 606 m2 g−1 and the CO2 uptake of 32 mg g−1, which matches nicely with the results of the GCMC study. The computational results indicated that azoxy and azodioxy linkages strongly promote CO2 adsorption and this can be tentatively predicted from the calculated electrostatic potential values. Although the correlation between the calculated electrostatic potential values and CO2 uptake is not always straightforward, it can provide a simple model for evaluating the CO2 adsorption properties of porous organic polymers prior to synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin coordination derivatives are notable for the availability, safety in use and high stability. This advantage, together with their useful properties, determines the prospects for their use in medicine and materials science. One of the most fundamental characteristics that determine these properties is the location of frontier molecular orbitals and the size of the gap between them. In this work, we synthesized new penta-, hexa-, and hepta-coordinated tin(IV) derivatives from Et2SnO and Schiff bases. The latter were 2-hydroxybenzylidene-hydrazinecarboxamide and –thiosemicarbazone (with 1,10-phenanthroline as an additional ligand), N,N′-bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine ("Salophen") and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl-imine). The resulting derivatives were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Their redox properties were studied in acetonitrile by cyclic voltammetry, and the results were compared with UV-vis spectroscopy data. The influence of hypercoordination and bond formation with the N-donor on the HOMO and LUMO levels was shown as an effective means of their control and tuning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That the boundaries of analysis using XRF spectrometry performed at SR sources continues to be pushed back is evidenced by the nanoscale spatial resolution with near single-atom sensitivity for the most efficiently detected elements in nanobeam applications and high speed 2D/3D imaging capabilities. The 4th generation SR facilities currently under development, such as the ESRF Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), will be at the forefront of these advances. A clear trend is that SR-XRF spectrometry is increasingly applied with complementary X-ray spectroscopic/imaging techniques to combine spatially resolved elemental information with speciation and structural/morphological imaging. The wide range of applications of scanning (sub)microXRF spectrometry for elemental imaging published in the period covered by this review included biomedical, environmental, materials science and cultural heritage studies. Most applications involved XAS and XRD methods at hard X-ray micro- and nano-probe facilities. Full field microXRF spectrometry has made very promising advances with respect to the optics used. Coded apertures have potential for overcoming the low count rates that often restrict the full potential of laboratory-based full-field setups. The availability of commercial full-field detectors will increase the user community and thereby foster advancement in full field microXRF spectrometry. The TXRF spectrometry of ambient air is becoming more and more sophisticated and the advantages of this micro analytical tool over ICP-MS in terms of short sampling times with high particle size resolution are becoming ever more apparent. For example, the optimal sampling time for aerosols for TXRF analysis was well below 12 hours, whereas that for ICP-MS analysis was about 24 hours. High-quality grazing incidence XRF analysis in the laboratory has become more feasible with the development of prototype TXRF instrumentation and the availability of commercial XRD setups with energy dispersive detectors. Portable XRF spectrometry has undergone significant technological improvements in recent years and is now applied in a wide range of applications. This is reflected in a significant number of valuable review papers dealing with different aspects of the portable XRF technique. The growth in the use of macroXRF scanning systems in cultural heritage investigations has required development of new software and methodologies for efficient handling of the huge data files generated. In several contributions the possibilities of a new scanning station equipped with real time macroXRF spectrometry was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a back cover of an article published in the journal Chemical Communications. The article focuses on research in energy and environmental catalysis and is open to everyone. It features research from Professor Hutchins' laboratory at the University of Missouri, Columbia. The document also mentions two specific research papers, one on the thermosalient behavior of anthracene-9-thiocarboxamide and another on the modular synthesis of cyclic difluoroamines. [Extracted from the article]

The preparation of multipurpose high-energy materials for space technologies remains a challenging task and such materials usually require special precautions and fine tunability of their functional properties. To unveil new opportunities en route to high-performance energetic materials, novel potential melt-castable explosives and energetic plasticizers incorporating a (1,2,3-triazolyl)furazan scaffold enriched with nitro and nitratomethyl explosophoric functionalities were synthesized. The successful implementation of the regiodivergent approach enabled the preparation of regioisomeric (nitratomethyltriazolyl)furazans that possessed significantly different physicochemical properties classifying the target materials as melt-castable substances or energetic plasticizers. Hirshfeld surface calculations supported by energy framework plots were also performed to better understand the relationship between the molecular structure and sensitivity. All the prepared (1,2,3-triazolyl)furazans show high nitrogen–oxygen contents (76–77%), good experimental densities (up to 1.72 g cm−3) and high positive enthalpies of formation (180–318 kJ mol−1) resulting in good detonation performances (D = 7.1–8.0 km s−1; P = 21–29 GPa). Overall, this work unveils novel strategies for the construction of balanced energetic melt-castable substances or plasticizers for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies for the preparation of sulfones have received much attention because they have found widespread applications in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials science fields. Although the radical hydrosulfonylations of alkenes have provided a direct and powerful technique for sulfone synthesis, these protocols still suffer from some shortcomings, such as a limited alkene scope and the use of expensive photocatalysts and/or 4-mercaptophenol. Herein, we report a visible light-initiated manganese-catalyzed radical hydrosulfonylation technique using commercially available and relatively cheap sulfonyl chlorides as sulfonyl radical sources, which can expediently convert a wide range of alkenes to valuable sulfonyl-containing compounds under very mild reaction conditions. Besides a broad substrate scope (we disclose more than 50 examples), this practical strategy exhibits extraordinary functional-group tolerance and can be applied to the late-stage functionalization of complex drug derivatives. Importantly, compared to the existing methods for the photocatalytic hydrosulfonylation of alkenes, the current procedure avoids the usage of precious Ir-based photocatalysts and toxic 4-mercaptophenol, thus providing a green and sustainable alternative to alkene hydrosulfonylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling crystal growth is important for example in crystal engineering, materials science, and the life sciences. Molecular modelling techniques can provide fundamental insights into the atomic processes underlying crystal growth but do not always give direct information about growth rates and growth modes on spatial and temporal scales relevant in nature and for applications. The phase-field (PF) approach is a relatively simple model that can provide results on length and time scales directly comparable to experiments, but it has not extensively been employed to investigate crystallization of ionic solids, and not many quantitative results have been reported. In the present study we model the growth of cubic NaCl crystals in two dimensions. We have used small crystal seeds with an appropriate anisotropy term to investigate both the growth speed and the growth mode. Results are compared to experimental data from the literature. The PF model displays the concentration dependent transition from compact to non-compact growth of NaCl reasonably well on spatial and temporal scales that are not easily accessible with other theoretical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating spin crossover (SCO)-fluorescence bifunctional materials and establishing their structure–function relationships are attractive topics in chemistry and materials science. However, it remains challenging to preserve the fluorescence and SCO properties simultaneously in aggregated solid states. Herein, we design an (E)-2,6-bis(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-4-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)styryl)pyridine (tpe-bpp) ligand, which contains coordinated SCO and fluorescence units of an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen). The coordination of the tpe-bpp ligand with different FeII salts generated three mononuclear complexes: [Fe(tpe-bpp)2](ClO4)2·5.75CH2Cl2 (1), [Fe(tpe-bpp)2](ClO4)2·CH2Cl2·3CH3OH (2) and [Fe(tpe-bpp)2](BF4)2·CH2Cl2·3CH3OH (3). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies showed that they shared a similar [Fe(tpe-bpp)2]2+ complex cation. Their counterions and co-crystallized solvents were different. Magnetic measurements revealed that 1, 2, and 3 exhibited a complete SCO behavior with the transition temperatures T1/2 of 375, 260, and 248 K, respectively. Fluorescence measurements confirmed the existence of the AIE property for both the tpe-bpp ligand and Fe(II) complexes. A monotonic decrease of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity upon increasing the temperature was behavior observed for all three complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The architecture of molecules plays a significant role in their effective binding with another moiety. Direct comparison of a linear dithiocarbamate and its macrocyclic analogue was carried out, to explore the magnitude of these architectural effects for different biological and material science applications. Linear and macrocyclic compounds with the same functional groups, such as amide, dithiocarbamic ester, naphthyl, and propyl, were designed, synthesized, and compared through their spectral, physicochemical, and thermal properties. Utilizing dithiocarbamates, the compounds were used for the detoxification of water by removal of toxic heavy metals, including Hg2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+ by precipitation. In addition, comparable interactions with various important proteins, such as bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin, haemoglobin, lysozyme, proteinase, ribonuclease, and trypsin, were performed. The observation of better performance for the macrocycle towards protein interaction, and of the linear compound for removal of heavy metals is remarkable, and proves that the compound architecture is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-dimensional structure and excellent optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials have made them a hot theme for research in materials science. In this study, the geometrical properties, electrical properties, and optical characteristics of a new SnSe2/GaP heterostructure are explored using first principles. We also calculated the effect of different rotational angle stacking and doping on the optoelectronic properties of the SnSe2/GaP heterostructure. The results show that the SnSe2/GaP heterostructure is a type-II heterostructure with an indirect bandgap of 0.439 eV, and the photogenerated electron–hole pairs can be effectively separated at the heterogeneous interface. The heterostructure bandgap can be adjusted to zero by modulating the interlayer distance or by applying electric fields and strains, enabling semiconductor–metal leapfrogging. It is noteworthy that when imposing an electric field of 0.4 V Å−1, the SnSe2/GaP heterostructure varies from type-II heterostructure into type-I. In particular, unlike the two monolayers, the formation of the SnSe2/GaP heterostructure results in a significant increase in absorbance, especially in the UV absorption region, and has a wider light absorption range. This shows that SnSe2/GaP heterostructure has great potential for future multifunctional optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite various applications of alkylzinc complexes supported by N,N-bidentate ligands in chemistry and materials science, the corresponding organozinc amidinates still represent an insufficiently explored area. To gain a more in-depth understanding of factors controlling the structure and stability of alkylzinc amidinates, we selected benzamidinate and N,N′-diphenylformamidinate ligands as model N,N′-unsubstituted and N,N′-diaryl substituted ligands, respectively, to systematically modify the secondary coordination sphere of the Zn center. A series of new alkylzinc amidinates has been synthesized and their molecular structures identified in both the solid state (single-crystal X-ray crystallography) and solution (NMR and FTIR spectroscopy). The results indicate that [RZnL]x-type amidinate moieties are essentially unstable and tend to undergo Schlenk equilibria-mediated ligand scrambling leading to more thermodynamically stable non-stoichiometric [R2Zn3L4]- and [R3Zn4L5]-type complexes. This process is significantly influenced by the secondary coordination sphere noncovalent interactions as well as the steric hindrance provided by both zinc-bounded alkyl groups and the N-substituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isosorbide is a well-investigated and accessible biomass-derived compound that has found wide use in medicine, cosmetics, and materials science. The efforts to employ this rigid bicyclic diol as a sustainable building block in high-performance biobased plastics for, e.g., the engineering, coating, and packaging sectors have grown sharply in recent years. Due to the biomass origin, there is an implicit assumption of a low toxicity and an environmentally benign nature of isosorbide-derived plastics. In the present work, the ecotoxicity of isosorbide acrylate and methacrylate monomers and the corresponding poly(meth)acrylates, as well as industrially produced latexes from these monomers, were evaluated towards bacteria (Escherichia coli, Aliivibrio fischeri), vascular plants (Spirodela polyrhiza) and invertebrates (Thamnocephalus platyurus) using widely acknowledged test assays. The measured half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values indicate that the chemically reactive isosorbide acrylate monomers are toxic towards higher multicellular organisms (S. polyrhiza and T. platyurus, EC50 ∼ 9 mg L−1) and moderately toxic towards bacteria (E. coli), whereas the corresponding methacrylate monomers can be considered as practically harmless or harmless on the same test assays. Corresponding isosorbide polyacrylate and polymethacrylate polymers are harmless towards the tested organisms (EC50 > 1000 mg L−1), except towards E. coli, where two polymers are classified as practically harmless (EC50 = 374 and 514 mg L−1). Moreover, industrially produced isosorbide methacrylate derived latexes can be classified as harmless based on this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a precursor material that plays a key role in polymorph selection and crystallization of carbonates. It is involved in the formation of the cryogenic carbonate ikaite (CaCO3·6H2O), but the role of ACC during the transformation of this room-temperature-metastable material is poorly understood. We report the occurrence of two ACC types that differ in their mode of formation, morphology, particle size, water content and stability. ACC precipitated in solution below 5 °C, referred to as ACC (I), is amorphous, forms as ∼100 nm sized spheres, and contains 1.12 mol adsorbed and 0.26 mol chemically bonded water. Aging of ACC (I) for 25 min under cold conditions forms euhedral ikaite, whereas calcite forms within 10 min at room temperature. Our findings suggest that ACC (I) is the same precursor phase for both crystalline forms and their selection can be controlled by temperature alone. Rapid dehydration of ikaite by organic solvents and vacuum pumping at room temperature and by increasing the temperature from 5 to 30 °C within 1 min forms amorphous carbonate, referred to as ACC (II). ACC (II) consists of micron-sized, porous grains that preserve the ikaite grain morphology and contains 0.42 mol physically adsorbed and 0.35 mol chemically bonded water. Temperature-dependent investigations performed between 25 and 350 °C indicate that ACC (I) is more stable than ACC (II) despite its higher water content. At 300–350 °C ACC (I) can be dehydrated to an amorphous material containing 0.03 mol water, which crystallizes to calcite without a transitional anhydrous phase. The different ACC types can be attractive for materials science applications. The finding of an amorphous phase during the ikaite → calcite transition suggests the alteration of the original geochemical signal and thus has implications for interpreting paleoclimatological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures, sizes, reactivities, clusters, and other properties of materials in the microsolvation environment are currently attracting the interest of scientists in materials science and chemical biology. In this study, we investigated the structures of 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione (4MTT) in various environments, including solid, protic, and aprotic solvents. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations were used to assign the vibrational spectra of the 4MTT crystals and microsolvated hydrogen bonding clusters in acetonitrile, water, and methanol. In addition, the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra of the microsolvated hydrogen bonding clusters were simulated using time-dependent density functional theory. The UV-vis absorption and Raman spectra of 4MTT results showed that solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding contributed to the observed spectral band shifts in different solvents. The hydrogen-bond networks were centered on the electronegative groups, and the microsolvation clusters were further classified as 4MTT(solvent)n clusters: for n = 1 in acetonitrile and n = 2 in water and methanol. Afterward, nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy was used to investigate the excited state dynamics in solvents; it was also used in conjunction with complete active space self-consistent field calculations to characterize the excited-state decay mechanism and the formation of long-term triplet species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat conduction of solids has always been an important issue in materials science. Some structure-ordered crystals deliver heat transfer characteristics similar to amorphous solids, which endow such crystals with glass-like thermal properties that are attractive and promising in numerous applications. Here, the glass-like thermal behavior as a "three-stage" type inside rare-earth (RE) doped alkaline earth fluoride crystals is reviewed. By modeling and analyzing the thermal conductivity of RE doped CaF2 crystals as a function of temperature and doping concentration, the mechanism of glass-like heat conduction behavior emerging from RE doped fluoride crystals is investigated. The appropriate numerical models to fit the thermal conductivity of RE doped fluorides are proposed and discussed, which paves a theoretical foundation for subsequent similar research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, initially, we present a general overview of the global financial support for chemistry devoted to materials science, specifically intercalation layered compounds (ILCs). Subsequently, the strategies to synthesise these host structures and the corresponding guest-host hybrid assemblies are exemplified on the basis of some families of materials, including pillared clays (PILCs), porous clay heterostructures (PCHs), zirconium phosphate (ZrP), layered double hydroxides (LDHs), graphite intercalation compounds (GICs), graphene-based materials, and MXenes. Additionally, a non-exhaustive survey on their possible application in the field of energy through electrochemical storage, mostly as electrode materials but also as electrolyte additives, is presented, including lithium technologies based on lithium ion batteries (LIBs), and beyond LiBs with a focus on possible alternatives such XIBs (X = Na (NIB), K (KIB), Al (AIB), Zn (ZIB), and Cl (CIB)), reversible Mg batteries (RMBs), dual-ion batteries (DIBs), Zn-air and Zn-sulphur batteries and supercapacitors as well as their relevance in other fields related to (opto)electronics. This selective panorama should help readers better understand the reason why ILCs are expected to meet the challenge of tomorrow as electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between light and materials produces a range of phenomena within molecular systems, leading to advanced applications in the field of materials science. In this regard, metal–organic framework (MOF) materials have become superior candidates to others because of their easy tailor-made synthetic methods via incorporation of photoactive moieties into their structural assembly. Photoresponsive MOFs exhibit a massive variety of exciting properties, including photochromism, photomagnetism, photoluminescence, photon up or down conversion, photoconductivity, nonlinear optical properties, photosalient effects and photoinduced switching of conformations. These photoresponsive properties of MOFs regulate different potential applications, such as on-demand gas sorption and separation, optical sensing, fabrication of photoactuators and photosensing electronic devices, dye degradation, catalysis, cargo delivery, ink-free erasable printing, bio-imaging and drug delivery in biological systems. Therefore, judicious crystal engineering along with an understanding of their structure–property relationship will lead to the fabrication of desired photosensitive MOFs. Herein, we attempted to incorporate categorical descriptions based on advanced applications of photoresponsive MOFs considering a wide range of recent publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional fibers represent a cornerstone of human civilization, playing a pivotal role in numerous aspects of societal development. Natural biomaterials, in contrast to synthetic alternatives, offer environmental sustainability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Among these biomaterials, natural silk is favored in biomedical applications and smart fiber technology due to its accessibility, superior mechanical properties, diverse functional groups, controllable structure, and exceptional biocompatibility. This review delves into the intricate structure and properties of natural silk fibers and their extensive applications in biomedicine and smart fiber technology. It highlights the critical significance of silk fibers in the development of multifunctional materials, emphasizing their mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. A detailed analysis of the hierarchical structure of silk fibers elucidates how these structural features contribute to their unique properties. The review also encompasses the biomedical applications of silk fibers, including surgical sutures, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems, along with recent advancements in smart fiber applications such as sensing, optical technologies, and energy storage. The enhancement of functional properties of silk fibers through chemical or physical modifications is discussed, suggesting broader high-end applications. Additionally, the review addresses current challenges and future directions in the application of silk fibers in biomedicine and smart fiber technologies, underscoring silk's potential in driving contemporary technological innovations. The versatility and sustainability of silk fibers position them as pivotal elements in contemporary materials science and technology, fostering the development of next-generation smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and development of organic solid-state luminescent materials stand as crucial pillars within the realm of contemporary photofunctional materials. Overcoming challenges such as concentration quenching and achieving tailored luminescent properties necessitates a judicious approach to molecular structure design and the strategic utilization of diverse stimuli to modulate molecular packing patterns. Among the myriad candidates, α-cyanodiarylethenes (CAEs) emerge with distinctive solid-state luminescent attributes, capable of forming self-assembled packing structures with varying degrees of π–π stacking. This characteristic endows them with potential in the field of intelligent molecular responsive materials and optoelectronic devices. This tutorial review embarks on an exploration of design strategies geared towards attaining tunable solid-state emission through customized packing of CAEs. It explores the utilization of stimuli responses, including such as mechanical forces, light irradiation, solvent interactions, thermal influences, as well as the utilization of co-assembly methodologies. The overarching aim of this review is to provide a widely applicable platform fostering the flourishing development of modern organic photofunctional materials through integrating principles of molecular engineering, organic optoelectronics, and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate in situ analysis of beryllium (Be) is still a technical bottleneck in the fields of geoscience and materials science. In this study, we explored the analytical conditions of Be by using EPMA's state analysis of Be in different types of Be minerals (oxides, silicates, borates, and phosphates). Monte Carlo simulations suggested that a low accelerating voltage is conducive to the in situ analysis of Be. Optimized analytical conditions for Be minerals are obtained: 10 kV accelerating voltage, 50 to 100 nA beam current for hydrous Be minerals, greater than 100 nA beam current for anhydrous Be minerals, min beam size, PHA mode, and selecting the same Be minerals or similar Be minerals with the same structural environment of Be atoms as standard samples. Moreover, the analytical results of eleven types of Be minerals are close to the theoretical value or within the error range, showing that the in situ analysis of Be is completely feasible under the optimized analytical conditions. The low intensity of Be Kα under EPMA is most likely caused by the polyhedron structural environment, such as coordination, order and disorder, etc., and the influence of other chemical compositions (O, OH, and P) in Be minerals. The Fermi level decrease of EL in Be–O bonds results in the right shift of the X-ray peaks of Be. Overall, these experimental results and conclusions not only are helpful in revealing the mineralogical and geochemical properties of Be but also provide further insights into the distribution and metallogenic mechanism of Be in deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a precursor in the biomineralization of crystalline CaCO3. The lifetime of transient ACC in nature is regulated by biomacromolecules. The relevance of ACC in materials science is related to our understanding of CaCO3 crystallization pathways. Hydrated ACC and calcium carbonate monohydrate (CCM) are similar in their chemical composition, precipitation condition, and thermal behavior. We describe a fast and reliable way to prepare calcium carbonate monohydrate-like ACC (aCCM) in a planetary ball mill using ethanol as auxiliary solvent. Amorphization could not be achieved with apolar auxiliary solvents like cyclohexane. A consistent picture of the amorphization reaction was derived by combining different scattering methods and spectroscopies coupled with thermal analysis. Powder diffraction and total scattering show the absence of long-range order and complete amorphization. Metastable aCCM is stabilized by temporarily and partially displacing structural water with ethanol, which cannot be incorporated into the hydrate network of CCM due to its molecular size. These solvent "defects" in the hydrate network of the CCM structure are crucial to suppress the stabilization of the hydrated CCM polymorph by hydrogen bonding, while foreign ions (~10% Na+ or HPO42-) are typically required to generate ionic defects in anhydrous CaCO3. NMR and thermal analysis yield an approximate composition CaCO3⋅0.48H2O for a CCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a back cover advertisement for approved training courses offered by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The courses are available in various formats, including in-person and online, and cater to professionals at different skill levels. Members of the society receive a 10% discount on the courses. The document also mentions a research article published in Dalton Transactions, which discusses recent developments in piezo-photocatalytic CO2 reduction and highlights research from Professor Yen-Pei Fu's laboratory at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan. The article explores the application of mechanical vibration/stress to enhance the yields of CO2 reduction into valuable products. [Extracted from the article]