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Flexible humidity sensors with high sensitivity, fast response time, and outstanding reliability have the potential to revolutionize electronic skin, healthcare, and non-contact sensing. In this study, we employed a straightforward nanocluster deposition technique to fabricate a resistive humidity sensor on a flexible substrate, using molybdenum oxide nanoparticles (MoOx NPs). We systematically evaluated the humidity-sensing behaviors of the MoOx NP film-based sensor and found that it exhibited exceptional sensing capabilities. Specifically, the sensor demonstrated high sensitivity (18.2 near zero humidity), a fast response/recovery time (1.7/2.2 s), and a wide relative humidity (RH) detection range (0–95%). The MoOx NP film, with its closely spaced granular nanostructure and high NP packing density, exhibited insensitivity to mechanical deformation, small hysteresis, good repeatability, and excellent stability. We also observed that the device exhibited distinct sensing kinetics in the range of high and low RH. Specifically, for RH > 43%, the response time showed a linear prolongation with increased RH. This behavior was attributed to two factors: the higher physical adsorption energy of H2O molecules and a multilayer physical adsorption process. In terms of applications, our sensor can be easily attached to a mask and has the potential to monitor human respiration owing to its high sensing performance. Additionally, the sensor was capable of dynamically tracking RH changes surrounding human skin, enabling a non-contact sensing capability. More significantly, we tested an integrated sensor array for its ability to detect moisture distribution in the external environment, demonstrating the potential of our sensor for contactless human–machine interaction. We believe that this innovation is particularly valuable during the COVID-19 epidemic, where cross-infection may be averted by the extensive use of contactless sensing. Overall, our findings demonstrate the tremendous potential of MoOx NP-based humidity sensors for a variety of applications, including healthcare, electronic skin, and non-contact sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To modulate stepwise photochromism by shifting ring-closure absorption of the dithienylethene (DTE) moiety, trans-Pt(PEt3)2(C=C-DTE)2 [C=C-DTE = L10 (100), L20 (200), L3o (300), and L40 (400)] and cis-Pt(PEt3)2(L40)2 (500) with two identical DTE-acetylides were elaborately designed. With the gradual red shift of ring-closure absorption for L1c (441 nm) → L2c (510 nm) → L3c (556 nm) → L4c (602 nm), stepwise photochromism is increasingly facilitated in trans-Pt(PEt3)2(C=C-DTE)2 following 100 → 200 → 300 → 400. The conversion percentage of singly ring-closed 2co-4co to dually ring-closed 2cc-4cc at the photostationary state is progressively increased in the order 1cc (0%) → 2cc (18%) → 3cc (67%) → 4cc (100%). Compared with trans-arranged 400, stepwise photochromism in the corresponding cis-counterpart 500 is less pronounced, ascribed to either direct conversion of 500 to 5cc or rapid conversion of 5co to 5cc. The progressively facile stepwise photocyclization following 200 → 300 → 400 is reasonably interpreted by gradually enhanced transition character involving LUMO+1, which is the only unoccupied frontier orbital responsible for further photocyclization of singly ring-closed 2co-4co. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H 2 ) is crucial in the future global energy landscape due to its eco-friendly properties, but its flammability requires precise monitoring. This study introduces an innovative thermocatalytic H 2 sensor utilizing ultrathin mica sheets as substrates, coated on both sides with Pd nanocluster (NC) films. The ultrathin mica substrate ensures robustness and flexibility, enabling the sensor to withstand high temperatures and mechanical deformation. Additionally, it simplifies the fabrication process by eliminating the need for complex microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Constructed through cluster beam deposition, the sensor exhibits exceptional characteristics, including a wide concentration range (from 500 ppm to 4%), rapid response and recovery times (3.1 and 2.4 s for 1% H 2 ), good selectivity, high stability, and repeatability. The operating temperature can be as low as 40 °C, achieving remarkably low power consumption. The study explores the impact of double-sided versus single-sided catalytic layers, revealing significantly higher sensitivity and response with the double-sided configuration due to the increased catalytic surface area. Additionally, the research investigates the relationship between the deposition amount of Pd NCs and the sensor's sensitivity, identifying an optimal value that maximizes performance without excessive use of Pd. The sensor's innovative design and excellent performance position it as a promising candidate for meeting the demands of a hydrogen-based energy economy.

Realization of ethane-selective porous materials for efficient ethane/ethylene (C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 ) separation is an important task in the petrochemical industry. Although a number of C 2 H 6 -selective adsorbents have been realized, their adsorption capacity and selectivity might be mostly dampened under humid conditions due to structure decomposition or co-adsorption of water vapor. A desired material should have simultaneously high C 2 H 6 uptake and selectivity, excellent water stability, and ultralow water adsorption uptake for industrial applications, but such a material is elusive. Herein, we report a chemically stable hafnium-based material (Hf)DUT-52a, featuring the suitable pore apertures and less hydrophilicity for highly efficient C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 separation under humid conditions. Gas sorption results reveal that (Hf)DUT-52a exhibits both high ethane adsorption capacity (4.02 mmol g -1 ) and C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 selectivity (1.9) at 296 K and 1 bar, which are comparable to the majority of the top-performing materials. Most importantly, the less pore hydrophilicity enables (Hf)DUT-52a to exhibit a negligible water uptake of 0.036 g g -1 before 40% relative humidity (RH), effectively minimizing the impact of humidity on separation capacity. This material thus shows excellent separation capacity even under 40% RH with a high polymer-grade ethylene production capacity up to 8.43 L kg -1 at ambient conditions, as evidenced by the breakthrough experiments.

The separation of ethane (C 2 H 6 ) from ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) is of prime importance in the production of polymer-grade C 2 H 4 for industrial manufacturing. It is very challenging and still remains unexploited to fully realize efficient C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 separation in the emerging hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) due to the weak nature of hydrogen bonds. We herein report the benchmark example of a novel ultrarobust HOF adsorbent (termed as HOF-76a) with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area exceeding 1100 m 2 g -1 , exhibiting the preferential binding of C 2 H 6 over C 2 H 4 and thus highly selective separation of C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 . Theoretical calculations indicate the key role of the nonpolar surface and the suitable triangular channel-like pores in HOF-76a to sterically "match" better with the nonplanar C 2 H 6 molecule than the planar C 2 H 4 , thus affording overall stronger multipoint van der Waals interactions with C 2 H 6 . The exceptional separation performance of HOF-76a for C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 separation was clearly demonstrated by gas adsorption isotherms, ideal adsorbed solution theory calculations, and simulated and experimental breakthrough curves. Breakthrough experiments on HOF-76a reveal that polymer-grade ethylene gas can be straightforwardly produced from 50/50 (v/v) C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 mixtures during the first adsorption cycle with a high productivity of 7.2 L/kg at 298 K and 1.01 bar and 18.8 L/kg at 298 K and 5.0 bar, respectively.

Changing functionalities of materials using simple methods is an active area of research, as it is "green" and lowers the developing cost of new products for the enterprises. A new small molecule racemic N , N -dimethyl aspartic acid has been prepared. Its structure is determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It is characterized by FTIR, XPS, 1 H NMR, and mass spectroscopy. Its near-infrared luminescence can be enhanced by the combination of metal ions, including Dy 3+ , Gd 3+ , Nd 3+ , Er 3+ , Sr 3+ , Y 3+ , Zn 2+ , Zr 4+ , Ho 3+ , Yb 3+ , La 3+ , Pr 6+ /Pr 3+ , and Sm 3+ ions. An optical chemistry mechanism upon interaction between the sensitizer and activator is proposed. Furthermore, the association of Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , or Zr 4+ ions to the molecule enhanced its photodegradation for dyes under white-light irradiation. Specifically, rhodamine 6G can be degraded by the Ca 2+ -modified molecule; rhodamine B, rhodamine 6G, and fluorescein sodium salt can be degraded by the Sr 2+ - or Zr 4+ -modified molecule. This surprising development opens a way in simultaneously increasing NIR luminescence and the ability of dye photodegradation for the investigated molecule., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society.)

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF), [Cu2L(H2O)2]·7DMF·4H2O [ZJU-40; H4L = 5,5'-(pyrazine-2,5-diyl)diisophthalic acid], with Lewis basic nitrogen sites has been constructed and structurally characterized. Owing to the combined features of high porosity, moderate pore sizes, and immobilized Lewis basic nitrogen sites, the activated ZJU-40a exhibits the second-highest gravimetric C2H2 uptake of 216 cm(3) g(-1) (at 298 K and 1 bar) among all of the reported MOFs so far. This value is not only much higher than that of the isoreticular NOTT-101a (184 cm(3) g(-1)), but also superior to those of two very promising MOFs, known as HKUST-1 (201 cm(3) g(-1)) and Co-MOF-74 (197 cm(3) g(-1)). Interestingly, the immobilized nitrogen sites in ZJU-40a have nearly no effect on the CO2 uptake, so ZJU-40a adsorbs a similar amount of CO2 (87 cm(3) g(-1)) compared with NOTT-101a (84 cm(3) g(-1)) at 298 K and 1 bar. As a result, ZJU-40a shows significantly enhanced adsorption selectivity for C2H2/CO2 separation (17-11.5) at ambient temperature compared to that of NOTT-101a (8-9), leading to a superior MOF material for highly selective C2H2/CO2 separation.

Four asymmetric bis(dithienylethene-acetylide) platinum(II) complexes trans-Pt(PEt3)2(L1o)(L5o) (1oo), trans-Pt(PEt3)2(L2o)(L5o) (2oo), trans-Pt(PEt3)2(L3o)(L5o) (3oo), and trans-Pt(PEt3)2(L4o)(L5o) (4oo) with two different dithienylethene-acetylides (L1o-L5o) were designed to modulate stepwise, multistate, and multicolor photochromism by modifying ring-closure absorption wavelengths. Upon irradiation under UV light, 1oo converts only to 1oc without the observation of 1co and dually ring-closed species 1cc. In contrast, both mixed ring-open/closed species oc and co as well as dually ring-closed species cc are observed upon UV light irradiation of 2oo-4oo, implying that a substantial stepwise photochromic process occurs following 2oo-4oo → 2oc-4oc/2co-4co → 2cc-4cc. The conversion percentage of dually ring-closed species at the photostationary state (PSS) is progressively increased following 1cc (0%) → 2cc (40%) → 3cc (86%) → 4cc (>95%), coinciding with the progressive red-shift of ring-closure absorption bands in free L1c (441 nm) → L2c (510 nm) → L3c (556 nm) → L4c (591 nm). Particularly, compound 2 affords four states (2oo, 2co, 2oc, and 2cc) with different colors (colorless, purple, blue, and dark blue, respectively) through a selective photochemical cycloreversion process upon irradiation with appropriate wavelengths of light. Although stepwise photocyclization reactions 3oo → 3co/3oc → 3cc and 4oo → 4co/4oc → 4cc are observed, multicolor photochromism of 3oo and 4oo could not be achieved because ring-closure absorption bands between L3c/L4c and L5c are significantly overlapped. The stepwise photochemical processes are well demonstrated by NMR, UV-vis, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) computational studies.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been emerging as promising multifunctional materials and have shown particularly useful applications for gas storage and separation. We have briefly outlined the early development of this very active research field to provide us a clear picture on what are MOFs and how the research endeavor has been initiated and explored. Following that, we have demonstrated why MOFs are so unique for gas storage and separation: high porosities, tunable framework structures, and immobilized functional sites to fully make use of pore space for gas storage, to optimize their sieving effects, and to differentiate their interactions with gas molecules. Finally, we have provided a perspective on further development of porous MOFs for gas storage and separation.

We have realized a new porous metal-organic framework UTSA-76a with pyrimidine groups on the linker, exhibiting high volumetric methane uptake of ~260 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) at 298 K and 65 bar, and record high working capacity of ~200 cm(3) (STP) cm(-3) (between 5 and 65 bar). Such exceptionally high working capacity is attributed to the central "dynamic" pyrimidine groups within UTSA-76a, which are capable of adjusting their orientations to optimize the methane packing at high pressure, as revealed by computational studies and neutron scattering experiments.

Achieving stepwise photochromism in a combined molecule to access all of the possible ring-open/closed isomers is a challenge due to facile energy transfer from ring-open dithienylethene (DTE) to an adjacent ring-closed moiety that prohibits further photocyclization. The preparation, characterization, and photochromic properties of a bis(σ-acetylide) bonded ruthenium(II) complex 2oo and its oxidized form 2oo(+) with two identical DTE-acetylides (L1o) are described. Stepwise and dual photochromic reactions are successfully achieved in both 2oo and 2oo(+), in which the ring-closing absorption band of 2oo(+) shows an obvious blue-shift relative to 2oo. It is demonstrated that stepwise photochromic reactions 2oo→2co→2cc are more facile than 2oo(+)→2co(+)→2cc(+). The lower electronic density at the reactive carbon atoms upon oxidation of Ru(II) to Ru(III) causes photocyclization to have more difficulty proceeding in oxidized species 2oo(+)/2co(+). Upon dual ring-closure, 2cc/2cc(+) exhibits significant electronic interaction between two identical ring-closed DTE units across trans-Ru(dppe)(2) spacer. The interconversion processes among six states are unambiguously demonstrated by NMR, UV-vis-NIR, and IR spectroscopic, and electrochemical and computational studies.

The preparation, characterization, and photochromic properties of a mononuclear gold(I) complex (1oo) with two identical DTE-acetylides and a dinuclear gold(I) complex (2ooo) with both DTE-acetylide and DTE-diphosphine are described. Both gold(I) complexes exhibit multistep and multiple photocyclization/cycloreversion reactions. Particularly, four-state and four-color photochromic switch is successfully achieved for the dinuclear gold(I) complex upon irradiation with appropriate wavelengths of light. In contrast, fully ring-closed form is unattained through multiple photocyclization for the two corresponding model organic compounds coupling with the same DTE units as gold(I) complexes but without gold(I)-participation. It is demonstrated that coordination of gold(I) ion to DTE-acetylides exerts indeed a crucial role in achieving stepwise and selective photocyclization and cycloreversion reactions for both gold(I) complexes, in which the coordinated gold(I) atom acts as an effective "barrier" to prohibit intramolecular energy transfer between multi-DTE moieties.

A family of Mn(III)/Ni(II) heterometallic clusters, [Mn(III)(4)Ni(II)(5)(OH)(4)(hmcH)(4)(pao)(8)Cl(2)]·5DMF (1·5DMF), [Mn(III)(3)Ni(II)(6)(N(3))(2)(pao)(10)(hmcH)(2)(OH)(4)]Br·2MeOH·9H(2)O (2·2MeOH·9H(2)O), [Mn(III)Ni(II)(5)(N(3))(4)(pao)(6)(paoH)(2)(OH)(2)](ClO(4))·MeOH·3H(2)O (3·MeOH·3H(2)O), and [Mn(III)(2)Ni(II)(2)(hmcH)(2)(pao)(4)(OMe)(2)(MeOH)(2)]·2H(2)O·6MeOH (4·2H(2)O·6MeOH) [paoH = pyridine-2-aldoxime, hmcH(3) = 2, 6-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-p-cresol], has been prepared by reactions of Mn(II) salts with [Ni(paoH)(2)Cl(2)], hmcH(3), and NEt(3) in the presence or absence of NaN(3) and characterized. Complex 1 has a Mn(III)(4)Ni(II)(5) topology which can be described as two corner-sharing [Mn(2)Ni(2)O(2)] butterfly units bridged to an outer Mn atom and a Ni atom through alkoxide groups. Complex 2 has a Mn(III)(3)Ni(II)(6) topology that is similar to that of 1 but with two corner-sharing [Mn(2)Ni(2)O(2)] units of 1 replaced with [Mn(3)NiO(2)] and [MnNi(3)O(2)] units as well as the outer Mn atom of 1 substituted by a Ni atom. 1 and 2 represent the largest 3d heterometal/oxime clusters and the biggest Mn(III)Ni(II) clusters discovered to date. Complex 3 possesses a [MnNi(5)(μ-N(3))(2)(μ-OH)(2)](9+) core, whose topology is observed for the first time in a discrete molecule. Careful examination of the structures of 1-3 indicates that the Mn/Ni ratios of the complexes are likely associated with the presence of the different coligands hmcH(2-) and/or N(3)(-). Complex 4 has a Mn(III)(2)Ni(II)(2) defective double-cubane topology. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetization studies were carried out on complexes 1-4. Fitting of the obtained M/(Nμ(B)) vs H/T data gave S = 5, g = 1.94, and D = -0.38 cm(-1) for 1 and S = 3, g = 2.05, and D = -0.86 cm(-1) for 3. The ground state for 2 was determined from ac data, which indicated an S = 5 ground state. For 4, the pairwise exchange interactions were determined by fitting the susceptibility data vs T based on a 3-J model. Complex 1 exhibits out-of-phase ac susceptibility signals, indicating it may be a SMM.

Reactions of 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)isoindoline (HL1), 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)benz(f)isoindoline (HL2), or 5,6-dihydro-2,3-diphenyl-5-(pyridin-2-ylimino)pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylidene)pyridin-2-amine (HL3) with Pt(tht)(2)Cl(2) (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) afforded the corresponding Pt(L)Cl complexes. A series of neutral platinum(II) alkynyl complexes Pt(L)(C[triple bond]CR) were prepared by reactions of the precursors Pt(L)Cl with alkynyl ligands through CuI-catalyzed platinum acetylide sigma coordination. Crystal structural determination of Pt(L3)Cl (3), Pt(L1)(C[triple bond]CPh) (4), and Pt(L1)(C[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)Bu(t)-4) (6) by X-ray crystallography revealed that the neutral platinum(Pi) complexes with monoanionic tridentate L ligands display more perfect square-planar geometry than that in platinum(II) complexes with neutral tridentate 2,2':6',2''-terpyridyl ligands. Both the Pt(L)Cl and Pt(L)(C[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)R-4) complexes exhibit low-energy absorption at 400-550 nm, arising primarily from pi --> pi*(L) intraligand (IL) and 5d(Pt) --> pi*(L) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transitions as suggested from density functional theory calculations. They display bright-orange to red room-temperature luminescence in fluid dichloromethane solutions with microsecond to submicrosecond ranges of emissive lifetimes and 0.03-3.79% quantum yields, originating mainly from (3)IL and (3)MLCT excited states. Compared with the emissive state in Pt(L)Cl complexes, substitution of the coordinated Cl with C[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)R-4 in Pt(L)(C[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)R-4) complexes induces an obviously enhanced contribution from the (3)[pi(C[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)R-4) --> pi*(L)] ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (LLCT) triplet state. The photophysical properties can be finely tuned by modifying both the L and alkynyl ligands. The calculated absorption and emission spectra in dichloromethane coincide well with those measured in a fluid dichloromethane solution at ambient temperature.

Reaction of Pt(dppm-P,P')Cl2 (dppm = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) with HCCPhtpy (HCCPhtpy = 4'-(4-ethynylphenyl)-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine) in the presence of copper(I) iodide and diisopropylamine induced isolation of mononuclear complex cis-Pt(dppm-P,P')(C[triple bond]CPhtpy)2 (1), which can be converted into face-to-face diplatinum(II) species Pt2(mu-dppm)2(C[triple bond]CPhtpy)4 (5) when equivalent dppm is added. Incorporating 1 or 5 to Ln(hfac)3(H2O)2 (Hhfac = hexafluoroacetylacetone) gave PtLn2 (Ln = Nd (2), Eu (3), Yb (4)) or Pt2Ln4 (Ln = Nd (6), Eu (7), Gd (8), Yb (9)) adducts with the lanthanide centers chelated by terdentate terpyridyl in the bridging C[triple bond]CPhtpy. The structures of 1, 6, 7, and 9 were determined by X-ray crystallography. Upon excitation at lambdaex = 360-450 nm (2-4) or 360-500 nm (6-9), where the PtII alkynyl antenna chromophores absorb strongly but the model complexes Ln(hfac)3(HC[triple bond]CPhtpy) lack obvious absorption in this region, these PtLn2 and Pt2Ln4 (Ln = Nd, Eu, Yb) species exhibit band-like lanthanide luminescence that is typical of the corresponding Ln3+ ions, demonstrating unambiguously that efficient Pt --> Ln energy transfer occurs indeed from the PtII alkynyl antenna chromophores to the lanthanide centers across the bridging CCPhtpy with intramolecular Pt...Ln distances being ca. 14.2 A. The Pt --> Ln energy transfer rate (kET) is 6.07 x 10(7) s(-1) for Pt2Nd4 (6) and 2.12 x 10(5) s(-1) for Pt2Yb4 (9) species.