Search

A tetraphenylethene (TPE)-modified rhodanine derivative was successfully designed and prepared, and this luminophor showed intramolecular charge transfer nature from the TPE unit to the rhodanine-3-acetic acid unit. Interestingly, this luminogen not only exhibited typical aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) behavior but also showed good cell imaging performance. Remarkably, this AIEE-active TPE-containing rhodanine derivative possessed noticeable solvatochromic fluorescence effect involving multiple fluorescent colors of green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, and red. Meanwhile, this fluorescigenic compound displayed reversible mechanochromic fluorescence behavior based on the mutual transformation of between stable crystalline and metastable amorphous states. On the other hand, this multifunctional fluorophor could selectively and sensitively detect Hg2+ in an acetonitrile solution. Furthermore, this chemosensor could also be used to detect Hg2+ on test paper strips.

Tough gel with extreme temperature tolerance is a class of soft materials having potential applications in the specific fields that require excellent integrated properties under subzero temperature. Herein, physically crosslinked Europium (Eu)-alginate/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) organohydrogels that do not freeze at far below 0°C, while retention of high stress and stretchability is demonstrated. These organohydrogels are synthesized through displacement of water swollen in polymer networks of hydrogel to cryoprotectants (e.g., ethylene glycol, glycerol, and d-sorbitol). The organohydrogels swollen water-cryoprotectant binary systems can be recovered to their original shapes when be bent, folded and even twisted after being cooled down to a temperature as low as −20 and −45°C, due to lower vapor pressure and ice-inhibition of cryoprotectants. The physical organohydrogels exhibit the maximum stress (5.62 ± 0.41 MPa) and strain (7.63 ± 0.02), which is about 10 and 2 times of their original hydrogel, due to the synergistic effect of multiple hydrogen bonds, coordination bonds and dense polymer networks. Based on these features, such physically crosslinked organohydrogels with extreme toughness and wide temperature tolerance is a promising soft material expanding the applications of gels in more specific and harsh conditions.

Lithium–sulfur batteries are the most promising candidates for high energy battery systems due to their high theoretical energy density. However, the severe degradation of the lithium anode during cycling is a significant issue that hinders the practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries. Herein, a gel polymer electrolyte, fabricated via the self-polymerization of polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) gel polymer electrolyte, was introduced for the first time to stabilize the lithium anode in a quasi-solid-state lithium–sulfur battery. Specifically, polydopamine with pyrrolic nitrogen in the structure is identified to be lithiophilic owing to its Lewis acid–base interactions. Such a lithiophilic gel polymer electrolyte plays a key role in regulating the nucleation and stripping/plating process of the lithium anode, leading to a smooth anode surface with a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during long-term cycling. Moreover, polydopamine is beneficial for confining polysulfides through their strong interaction, thus reducing the polysulfide side reaction with the anode. As a result, the quasi-solid-state cell with the multifunctional gel polymer electrolyte not only possesses a stable lithium anode, but also demonstrates excellent cycling performance. Moreover, the amount of electrolyte in the quasi-solid-state cell is lower compared with the conventional cell with a liquid electrolyte, which favors an increase in energy density of the battery.

Li4Ti5O12 has been considered as one of the most promising alternative anode materials for high power lithium ion batteries due to its excellent cycle life and good safety. In particular, the superior high-rate capability of Li4Ti5O12 is indispensable for practical application in high power batteries. Herein, in order to enhance the high-rate capability of Li4Ti5O12, Li4Ti5O12 hollow microspheres are successfully prepared via a template method and solid-state reaction by annealing in an argon atmosphere. Importantly, doping with larger PO43− anions is introduced to improve the kinetics of the Li4Ti5O12 anode materials. The microstructure and morphology of the as-prepared Li4Ti5O12(PO4)x (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03) hollow microspheres are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. It is demonstrated from the electrochemical measurements that the as-prepared Li4Ti5O12(PO4)0.02 sample manifests optimized electrochemical performance, including better cycle stability and outstanding high-rate performance during cycling. In particular, Li4Ti5O12(PO4)0.02 presents the discharge capacity of 117.6 mA h g−1 at 50C rate, obviously larger than that (70.5 mA h g−1) of the pristine Li4Ti5O12 due to the improvement of the kinetics, including charge-transfer resistance and lithium ion diffusion impedance. As a consequence, Li4Ti5O12(PO4)0.02 is considered as a promising anode material with superior high-rate performance for lithium ion batteries.

A new series of pyrazoline analogs was furnished and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer efficacies against human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A549. Claisen–Schmidt condensation between intended acetophenone compound and different substituted aldehydes resulted in the formation of corresponding chalcones which were cyclized using hydrazine hydrate to yield the final pyrazoline intermediates. α-Naphthyl isothiocyanate was prepared from benzoyl chloride and α-naphthyl amine through α-naphthyl thiourea to react with pyrazoline intermediates to furnish title compounds 10a – h , disubstituted pyrazolines in good yields and purity. All final analogs were screened for their anticancer potential using MTT and SRB assay in addition to the determination of their cytotoxic nature. Final compounds revealed a good deal of potential against A549 cell lines with reasonable level of cytotoxic nature, particularly analogs with fluorine and thiomethyl and methoxy functional group demonstrated good potencies. SAR showed that the activity level varied with the variation in the nature of substituent present on the phenyl ring attached to the C-4 position of the pyrazoline ring. This study revealed the efficacies of presented molecules for further development as anticancer congeners. The structures of final compounds were confirmed with the aid of FT-IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR spectroscopy and CHN analysis.