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Photoinduced electrochemiluminescence (PECL) allows the electrochemically assisted conversion of low-energy photons into high-energy photons at an electrode surface. This concept is expected to have important implications, however, it is dramatically limited by the stability of the surface, impeding future developments. Here, a series of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) junctions, using photoactive n-type Si (n-Si) as a light absorber covered by a few-nanometer-thick protective SiO x /metal (SiO x /M, with M=Ru, Pt, and Ir) overlayers are investigated for upconversion PECL of the model co-reactant system involving the simultaneous oxidation of tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) and tri-n-propylamine. We show that n-Si/SiO x /Pt and n-Si/SiO x /Ir exhibit high photovoltages and record stabilities in operation (35 h for n-Si/SiO x /Ir) for the generation of intense PECL with an anti-Stokes shift of 218 nm. We also demonstrate that these surfaces can be employed for spatially localized PECL. These unprecedented performances are extremely promising for future applications of PECL., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The (electro)chemical grafting of a polyfluorinated calix[4]arene on gold, polypropylene and glass is reported. The modified surfaces were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A nanometric, robust and uniform monolayer of covalently surface-bound calix[4]arenes was obtained on the three different materials. For all surfaces, contact angles higher than 110° were recorded, highlighting the hydrophobic character given by this ∼2 nm thin organic monolayer. Remarkably, the contact angle values remained unchanged after 18 months under a laboratory atmosphere. The results presented herein thus present an attractive and sustainable strategy for bringing hydrophobic properties to the interface of a wide range of materials., Competing Interests: L. T.-G. was a postdoctoral researcher for X4C between October 2014 and September 2015. I. J. and C. L. are shareholders of X4C. I. J. is a consultant for X4C. All other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Biosensors that can determine protein concentration and structure are highly desired for biomedical applications. For the development of such biosensors, the use of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with the attenuated internal total reflection (ATR) configuration is particularly attractive, but it requires appropriate surface functionalization of the ATR optical element. Indeed, the surface has to specifically interact with a target protein in close contact with the optical element and must display antifouling properties to prevent nonspecific adsorption of other proteins. Here, we report robust monolayers of calix[4]arenes bearing oligo(ethylene glycol) (oEG) chains, which were grafted on germanium and gold surfaces via their tetradiazonium salts. The formation of monolayers of oEGylated calix[4]arenes was confirmed by AFM, IR, and contact angle measurements. The antifouling properties of these modified surfaces were studied by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy, and the nonspecific absorption of bovine serum albumin was found to be reduced by 85% compared to that of unmodified germanium. In other words, the organic coating by oEGylated calix[4]arenes provides remarkable antifouling properties, opening the way for the design of germanium- or gold-based biosensors.

Carbon electrodes were functionalized through the reduction of diazopyridinium cations that are produced from in situ diazotization of 2-, 3- and 4-aminopyridine. Diazopyridinium salts were much more rarely employed for surface functionalization than other aryldiazonium derivatives. A study combining X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle, ellipsometry, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements and electrochemical analyses demonstrates that films obtained from 4-diazopyridinium cations are hydrophilic, dense, compact but sufficiently thin to preserve fast electronic transfer rate, being then relevant to efficiently tailor the interface between the anode surface and an electroactive biofilm. Microbial Fuels Cells (MFCs) with pyridine-functionalized graphite anodes exhibit faster development and improved performances than MFCs operating with bare graphite anodes., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

For the purpose of preparing well-organized functional surfaces, carbon and gold substrates were modified using electroreduction of a tetrahedral-shape preorganized tetra-aryldiazonium salt, leading to the deposition of ultrathin organic films. Characterization of the modified surfaces has been performed using cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy, ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle measurements. The specific design of the tetra-aryldiazonium salts leads to an intrinsic structuring of the resulting organic films, allowing molecular sieving and current rectification properties toward redox probes in solution.

The immersion of oxide-free Si surfaces in MoS 4 2- aqueous solutions induces their spontaneous decoration with isolated MoO x nanoparticles (NPs). The process is versatile and was used on planar Si (100) as well as on antireflective Si (111) micro-pyramid (SimPy) arrays. The NP decoration does not affect the optical properties of the surface in the visible range and improves the performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under simulated sunlight. The simplicity and the scalability of the technique make it highly promising for the fabrication of catalytically active photoelectrodes. More specifically, the MoO x -decorated SimPy produced H 2 at a rate of 11 μmol cm -2 min -1 with a faradaic efficiency higher than 90% at -0.35 V vs. RHE. Furthermore, this process can be of great interest for other applications in high-performance electronic devices.

Substituted vinylogous tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFVs) containing two freely moving polyoxyethyl chains were prepared. Investigations of their redox behaviors in organic solvent show that these TTFV could efficiently complex metallic dications such as Pb(2+) or Ba(2+), leading to considerable modifications of their electrochemical response. As main feature, the molecule senses the association between the TTFV core and the metallic dication through a modification of the molecular motion triggered by the electron transfer. The complexation creates a link between the two parts of the TTFV core, causing considerable changes in the nature of the molecular motion. The resulting behavior is totally unusual as the 2-positively charged TTFV(2+) appears to present the highest association constants with the metallic dication.

A series of four platinum(II) complexes bearing two tetrathiafulvalene acetylide ligands coordinated either cis or trans to the metal center are reported: cis-Pt(bipy)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2), cis-Pt(tBu(2)bipy)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2), cis-Pt(dppe)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2) and trans-Pt(PPh(3))(2)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2). The X-ray diffraction studies of the four complexes are reported and discussed. The electrochemical investigations carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) evidenced different redox behavior as a function of the ancillary ligand. Only for the cis-Pt(dppe)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2) complex is the first oxidation wave resolved (ΔE = 70 mV) into two one-electron processes. Spectroelectrochemical investigations performed on the four complexes did not evidence any electronic interactions between the two organic electrophores. The splitting of the first oxidation wave observed in cis-Pt(dppe)(C≡CMe(3)TTF)(2) is mainly explained by the non-equivalence of the two TTF moieties induced by the geometrical constraint imposed by the ancillary dppe ligand as found by density functional theory calculations.

A series of novel metallogelators containing near-IR nickel-bis(dithiolene) absorbers were rationally designed and synthesized. Robust gel networks are formed by right handed helical 1D-nanofibers which generate strong and remarkable chiro-optical effects in the near-infrared region., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012)

An essential issue in the development of materials presenting an accurately functionalized surface is to achieve control of layer structuring. Whereas the very popular method based on the spontaneous adsorption of alkanethiols on metal faces stability problems, the reductive electrografting of aryldiazonium salts yielding stable interface, struggles with the control of the formation and organization of monolayers. Here we report a general strategy for patterning surfaces using aryldiazonium surface chemistry. Calix[4]tetra-diazonium cations generated in situ from the corresponding tetra-anilines were electrografted on gold and carbon substrates. The well-preorganized macrocyclic structure of the calix[4]arene molecules allows the formation of densely packed monolayers. Through adequate decoration of the small rim of the calixarenes, functional molecules can then be introduced on the immobilized calixarene subunits, paving the way for an accurate spatial control of the chemical composition of a surface at molecular level.

Through an expedient synthesis, a novel blue emitter, DiSpiroXanthene-IndenoFluorene (DSX-IF) has been designed and synthesized. DSX-IF possesses good morphological and color stability upon heating, has a high quantum yield, and may be easily polymerized through anodic oxidation. Small molecule organic light emitting diodes (SMOLEDs), using this promising new dixanthene derivative as a blue emissive layer, exhibit a maximum luminance of ca. 3800 Cd.m(-2) with a luminous efficiency of 1 Cd.A(-1).

The redox-active and chelating diphosphine, 3,4-dimethyl-3',4'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-tetrathiafulvalene, denoted as P2, is engaged in a series of platinum complexes, [(P2)Pt(dithiolene)], with different dithiolate ligands, such as 1,2-benzenedithiolate (bdt), 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate (dmit), and 5,6-dihydro-1,4-dithiin-2,3-dithiolate (dddt). The complexes are structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction, together with a model compound derived from bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, namely, [(dppe)Pt(dddt)]. Four successive reversible electron-transfer processes are found for the [(P2)Pt(dddt)] complex, associated with the two covalently linked but electronically uncoupled electrophores, that is, the TTF core and the platinum dithiolene moiety. The assignments of the different redox processes to either one or the other electrophore is made thanks to the electrochemical properties of the model compound [(dppe)Pt(dddt)] lacking the TTF redox core, and with the help of theoretical calculations (DFT) to understand the nature and energy of the frontier orbitals of the [(P2)Pt(dithiolene)] complexes in their different oxidation states. The first oxidation of the highly electron-rich [(P2)Pt(dddt)] complex can be unambiguously assigned to the redox process affecting the Pt(dddt) moiety rather than the TTF core, a rare example in the coordination chemistry of tetrathiafulvalenes acting as ligands.

A versatile two-step method is developed to covalently immobilize redox-active molecules onto carbon surfaces. First, a robust anchoring platform is grafted onto surfaces by electrochemical reduction of aryl diazonium salts in situ generated. Depending on the nature of the layer termini, -COOH or -NH(2), a further chemical coupling involving ferrocenemethylamine or ferrocene carboxylic acid derivatives leads to the covalent binding of ferrocene centers. The chemical strategy using acyl chloride activation is efficient and flexible, since it can be applied either to surface-reactive end groups or to reactive species in solution. Cyclic voltammetry analyses point to the covalent binding of ferrocene units restricted to the upper layers of the underlying aryl films, while AFM measurements show a lost of compactness of the layers after the chemical attachment of ferrocene centers. The preparation conditions of the anchoring layers were found to determine the interfacial properties of the resulted ferrocenyl-modified electrodes. The ferrocene units promoted effective redox mediation providing that the free redox probes are adequately chosen (i.e., vs size/formal potential) and the underlying layers exhibit strong blocking properties. For anchoring films with weaker blocking effect, the coexistence of two distinct phenomena, redox mediation and ET at pinholes could be evidenced.

The Pt(ii) dithiolene complex of a tetrathiafulvalene diphosphine ligand exhibits two reversible redox systems at close potentials, localized on the weakly interacting TTF (tetrathiafulvalene) and Pt(dmit) moieties.

The synthesis of a series of crown ether substituted vinylogous tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFVs) has been carried out through oxidative coupling of bisdithiafulvenes. These new receptors have been fully characterized using electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and molecular modeling experiments. These studies show that, upon oxidation, either a clip movement (TTFVs 3a,b) or a stretch movement (TTFV 3c) occurs, depending on the length of the crown ether chains. Preliminary electrochemical studies, undertaken on TTFV 3c in dichloromethane, show a little shift of the first standard oxidation potential toward more positive values upon addition of the Pb(2+) ion, but a considerable variation of the electron-transfer kinetics. This result introduces an interesting concept for the preparation of sensors not based on thermodynamic variations but on kinetic modifications of the electron transfer.

Vinyl-terminated heptapodyl beta-cyclodextrins react with hydrogenated silicon surfaces to generate covalently-bound molecular recognition devices.