Anisotropic particles with patchy, multicompartment and Janus architectures: preparation and application

Anisotropic particles, such as patchy, multicompartment and Janus particles, have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their novel morphologies and diverse potential applications. The non-centrosymmetric features of these particles make them a unique class of nano- or micro-colloidal materials. Patchy particles usually have different compositional patches in the corona, whereas multicompartment particles have a multi-phasic anisotropic architecture in the core domain. In contrast, Janus particles, named after the double-faced Roman god, have a strictly biphasic geometry of distinct compositions and properties in the core and/or corona. The term Janus particles, multicompartment particles and patchy particles frequently appears in the literature, however, they are sometimes misused due to their structural similarity. Therefore, in this critical review we classify the key features of these different anisotropic colloidal particles and compare structural properties as well as discuss their preparation and application. This review brings together and highlights the significant advances in the last 2 to 3 years in the fabrication and application of these novel patchy, multicompartment and Janus particles (98 references).     

Self-formation phenomenon to hierarchically structured porous materials: design, synthesis, formation mechanism and applications

In this paper, we will thoroughly review a novel and versatile self-formation phenomenon that can be exploited to target porous hierarchies of materials without need of any external templates only on the basis of the chemistry of metal alkoxides and alkylmetals. These hierarchically porous materials have unique structures, which are made of either parallel funnel-like/straight macrochannels or 3D continuous interconnected macroporous foams with micro/mesoporous walls. The self-generated porogen mechanism has been proposed, leading to a series of techniques to tailor porous hierarchy, i.e. the use of different chemical precursors (single metal alkoxides, mixed metal alkoxides, single molecular precursors with two different alkoxide functionalities, alkylmetals, etc., …), the control of their hydrolysis and condensation rates (pH, chelating agents,…) and the addition of alkoxysilanes as co-reactant. Various chemical compositions from single or binary metal oxides, to aluminosilicates, aluminophosphates, silicoaluminophosphates, metallophosphates,… can be prepared, offering a panel of potential applications. Some perspectives have been proposed to transform the synthesized materials with a hierarchy of pore sizes to micro-meso-macroporous crystalline materials with zeolite architectures. The advantages of this self-formation preparation method have been discussed compared to traditional templating methods. The possibility to combine with other strategies, for example soft or hard templating, to target even more sophisticated hierarchically meso-macroporous materials with specific structure and function for various applications has been presented. The "hierarchical catalysis" concept has been re-visited.     

复杂中空结构材料的构筑及能源应用

随着能源问题的日益突显,开发新型多功能材料以满足能源存储与转换应用的需求变得尤为重要.在众多功能材料中,复杂中空结构材料由于其独特的结构和物理化学特性而备受关注.本文综合评述了复杂中空结构材料的普适性构筑方法(硬模板法、软模板法、自模板法、次序模板法和选择性刻蚀法)及在能源方面的应用(锂/钠/钾离子电池、锂硫电池、超级电容器、电催化、光催化及染料敏化电池等).最后,对复杂空心结构研究领域存在的问题及未来的发展方向进行了展望.     

Mechanically Strong Janus Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/Graphene Oxide Hydrogels as Thermo-responsive Soft Robots

Simple preparation of stimuli-responsive hydrogels with good mechanical properties and mild stimuliresponsiveness is essential for their applications as smart soft robots.Mechanically strong Janus poly(Nisopropylacrylamide)/graphene oxide (PNIPAM/GO) nanocomposite hydrogels with stimuli-responsive bending behaviors are prepared through a simple one-step method by using molds made of a Teflon plate and a glass plate.Residual oxygen in the air bubbles on the Teflon plate surface affects the polymerization and hence the cross-linking density,leading to the different swelling/deswelling rates of the two sides of the gels.Therefore,the hydrogels exhibit bending/unbending behaviors upon heating/cooling in water.The incorporation of GO nanosheets dramatically enhances the mechanical properties of Janus hydrogels.Meanwhile,the photo-responsive property of the GO nanosheets also imparts the hydrogels with remotecontrollable deformation under IR irradiation.The application of the Janus PNIPAM/GO hydrogels as thermo-responsive grippers is demonstrated.     

Mechanically strong Janus poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-isopropylacrylamide)/graphene oxide hydrogels as thermo-responsive soft robots

Simple preparation of stimuli-responsive hydrogels with good mechanical properties and mild stimuliresponsiveness is essential for their applications as smart soft robots. Mechanically strong Janus poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/graphene oxide (PNIPAM/GO) nanocomposite hydrogels with stimuli-responsive bending behaviors are prepared through a simple one-step method by using molds made of a Teflon plate and a glass plate. Residual oxygen in the air bubbles on the Teflon plate surface affects the polymerization and hence the cross-linking density, leading to the different swelling/deswelling rates of the two sides of the gels. Therefore, the hydrogels exhibit bending/unbending behaviors upon heating/cooling in water. The incorporation of GO nanosheets dramatically enhances the mechanical properties of Janus hydrogels. Meanwhile, the photo-responsive property of the GO nanosheets also imparts the hydrogels with remotecontrollable deformation under IR irradiation. The application of the Janus PNIPAM/GO hydrogels as thermo-responsive grippers is demonstrated.     

Materials with Nanoscale Porosity: Energy and Environmental Applications

In this personal account, several key inventions on designing novel microporous and mesoporous materials, and their applications in energy and environmental research are reviewed. Although, crystalline materials with sub‐nanometer pore size regime like zeolites, AlPOs, MOFs, ZIFs etc. are known over the years, silicious and non‐silicious mesoporous materials have revolutionized the research on the materials with nanoscale porosity in last two and half decades. A wide range of inorganic, organic‐inorganic hybrid as well as purely organic mesoporous materials with either periodic or disordered mesopores are known. Apart from conventional hydrothermal syntheses involving soft templating route, hard templating, evaporation induced self‐assembly (EISA), electrochemical or solvothermal (using hydrophilic solvents) synthetic routes are often employed in designing a large spectrum of mesoporous materials. Ease of synthesis using available cheap raw chemicals and versatility in the framework compositions together with the unique surface properties like exceptionally high surface area, pore volume and tunability in pore dimensions have made these materials very exciting to a wide range of researchers working on materials chemistry. Nanoscale porosity in the semiconductor nanomaterials is highly beneficial for the photocatalytic, optoelectronic and related light‐harvesting applications. Their high chemical stability has been explored intensively in designing novel heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of biofuels from biomass or CO₂ fixation to reactive organic molecules for the synthesis of fine chemicals and fuels, which has a large impact on energy and environmental research for the years to come. Diversity in mesoporous frameworks and their potential applications related to light harvesting, generation of renewable energy and synthesis of value added fine chemicals and fuels through environment friendly routes are mostly focused in this review.     

Fabrication of Self-Propelled Micro- and Nanomotors Based on Janus Structures

Delicate molecular and biological motors are tiny machines capable of achieving numerous vital tasks in biological processes. To gain a deeper understanding of their mechanism of motion, researchers from multiple backgrounds have designed and fabricated artificial micro- and nanomotors. These nano-/microscale motors can self-propel in solution by exploiting different sources of energy; thus showing tremendous potential in widespread applications. As one of the most common motor systems, Janus motors possess unique asymmetric structures and integrate different functional materials onto two sides. This review mainly focuses on the fabrication of different types of micro- and nanomotors based on Janus structures. Furthermore, some challenges still exist in the implementation of Janus motors in the biomedical field. With such common goals in mind, it is expected that the elaborate and multifunctional design of Janus motors will overcome their challenges in the near future.     

Janus Nanoparticles: Preparation,Characterization, and Applications

In chemical functionalization of colloidal particles, the functional moieties are generally distributed rather homogeneously on the particle surface. Recently, a variety of synthetic protocols have been developed in which particle functionalization may be carried out in a spatially controlled fashion, leading to the production of structurally asymmetrical particles. Janus particles represent the first example in which the two hemispheres exhibit distinctly different chemical and physical properties, which is analogous to the dual‐faced Roman god, Janus. Whereas a variety of methods have been reported for the preparation of (sub)micron‐sized polymeric Janus particles, it has remained challenging for the synthesis and (unambiguous) structural characterization of much smaller nanometer‐sized Janus particles. Herein, several leading methods for the preparation of nanometer‐sized Janus particles are discussed and the important properties and applications of these Janus nanoparticles in electrochemistry, sensing, and catalysis are highlighted. Some perspectives on research into functional patchy nanoparticles are also given.     

双面粒子的制备及应用研究进展

双面粒子是指粒子的两个半球表面具有不同组成或性质的微粒.这种各向异性或不对称的结构使其有很广泛的应用,但也使其制备变得困难.近年来已发展了很多制备方法,本文总结了最近几年双面粒子在制备及应用方面的研究进展.     

Fabrication, properties and applications of Janus particles

Although the concept of Janus particles was raised in the early 1990s, the related research has not attracted considerable interest until recently due to the special properties and applications of these colloidal particles as well as the advances in new fabrications. Janus particles can be divided into three categories: polymeric, inorganic, and polymeric-inorganic, and each kind of Janus particles can be spherical, dumbbell-like, half raspberry-like, cylindrical, disk-like, or any of a variety of other shapes. Different Janus particles may share common preparation principles or require specific fabrication processes, and may have different assembly behaviours and properties. This critical review discusses the main fabrication methods of the three kinds of Janus particles, and then highlights the important properties and applications of these Janus particles developed in recent years, and finally proposes some perspectives on the future of Janus particle research and development.     

Recent advances in synthetic methods and applications of photo-luminescent molecularly imprinted polymers

Molecularly imprinted polymers with photo-luminescent properties (PLMIPs) and PLMIPs-based hybrids have been widely studied in recent years because of their integrated merits from molecular imprinting technologies and PL properties. PLMIPs have superior capabilities for signal transducer and molecular recognition, exhibiting great potential as the constructing platforms for promising applications. During the past decade, numerous researches have mentioned PLMIPs. In terms of unique merits and important applications of PLMIPs, a timely, comprehensive and in-depth review on PLMIPs is significant and is still lacking currently. This review systematically summarizes recent advances of PLMIPs, focusing on different synthetic methods and applications. Based on different components and structures, PLMIPs include different categories. Synthetic methods majorly involve encapsulation polymerization of nanomaterials (fluorophores) into MIPs, copolymerization of fluorescent monomers, electro-polymerization, photo-polymerization, etc. Various engineering structures and luminescence properties of PLMIPs are highlighted Potential applications of PLMIPs mention significant research fields, including chemo/bio-detection, bio-imaging, functionalized separation materials, versatile sensing materials, optical devices, etc. We also discuss present status, probable challenges and future perspectives of PLMIPs. This review is desirable for scientists from broad research fields and can promote further development of MIPs-based functional materials, luminescent hybrid materials and other advanced optical materials.     

Breakthrough and future: nanoscale controls of compositions,morphologies, and mesochannel orientations toward advanced mesoporous materials

Currently, ordered mesoporous materials prepared through the self‐assembly of surfactants have attracted growing interests owing to their special properties, including uniform mesopores and a high specific surface area. Here we focus on fine controls of compositions, morphologies, mesochannel orientations which are important factors for design of mesoporous materials with new functionalities. This Review describes our recent progress toward advanced mesoporous materials. Mesoporous materials now include a variety of inorganic‐based materials, for example, transition‐metal oxides, carbons, inorganic‐organic hybrid materials, polymers, and even metals. Mesoporous metals with metallic frameworks can be produced by using surfactant‐based synthesis with electrochemical methods. Owing to their metallic frameworks, mesoporous metals with high electroconductivity and high surface areas hold promise for a wide range of potential applications, such as electronic devices, magnetic recording media, and metal catalysts. Fabrication of mesoporous materials with controllable morphologies is also one of the main subjects in this rapidly developing research field. Mesoporous materials in the form of films, spheres, fibers, and tubes have been obtained by various synthetic processes such as evaporation‐mediated direct templating (EDIT), spray‐dried techniques, and collaboration with hard‐templates such as porous anodic alumina and polymer membranes. Furthermore, we have developed several approaches for orientation controls of 1D mesochannels. The macroscopic‐scale controls of mesochannels are important for innovative applications such as molecular‐scale devices and electrodes with enhanced diffusions of guest species. © 2010 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 9: 321–339; 2009: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.200900022     

Poly(urea)urethanes based on amorphous quaternizable hard segments and a crystalline polyol derived from castor oil

A set of poly(urea)urethanes (PUU), with different contents of amorphous hard segment and castor oil-derived crystalline polyol as soft segment, was prepared combining bulk and solution polymerizations. It is shown that both the soft segment crystallinity and hard segment glassy nature control the stiffness of the materials and that phase mixing at intermediate hard segment compositions produces softer materials. Upon yielding, PUU developed large plasticity associated to the nature of soft segments. At longer strains, PUU presented strain-induced crystallization related both to soft segments alignment and crystallization, leading to strong and tough materials, especially with high hard segment content compositions. Despite the hydrophobicity of the soft segments, the PUU with 65 wt% hard segment content was dispersable in water after quaternization with acetic acid. The high amount of urea groups in this quaternized PUU makes one think of these types of polymers as promising water soluble environmentally friendly strong adhesives, coatings, or water soluble polymeric electrolites.     

Biphasic Synergistic Gel Materials with Switchable Mechanics and Self‐Healing Capacity

A fabrication strategy for biphasic gels is reported, which incorporates high‐internal‐phase emulsions. Closely packed micro‐inclusions within the elastic hydrogel matrix greatly improve the mechanical properties of the materials. The materials exhibit excellent switchable mechanics and shape‐memory performance because of the switchable micro‐ inclusions that are incorporated into the hydrogel matrix. The produced materials demonstrated a self‐healing capacity that originates from the noncovalent effect of the biphasic heteronetwork. The aforementioned characteristics suggest that the biphasic gels may serve as ideal composite gel materials with validity in a variety of applications, such as soft actuators, flexible devices, and biological materials.     

Electrospun Polymer-Inorganic Nanostructured Materials and Their Applications

Abstract

Materials based on polymer-inorganic nanostructures, e(Polym/INS), produced by combining functional polymers with inorganic nanostructured compounds represent a major area of research with many applications. This review provides a summary of the most relevant polymer-inorganic nanostructured systems found in the literature over the last decade. Then the most relevant and specific features of these systems are described. Finally, we summarize the progress made over the last decade in the development of polymer-inorganic electrospun hybrid materials with various morphologies, compositions and applications in environmental remediation, sensors, catalysts, energy area and biomedical uses.     

Recent advances of lead-free metal halide perovskite single crystals and nanocrystals: synthesis,crystal structure,optical properties,and their diverse applications

Lead halide hybrid perovskites have received massive research attention because of their unique inherent photophysical properties that driven them for potential application in the fields of photovoltaics, light-emitting devices, lasing, X-ray detector, and so on. Perovskite single crystals and nanocrystals are generally synthesized via various low-cost solution-processed techniques. The emergence of simple growth approaches of perovskite structures enable to fabricate low-cost and highly efficient devices. However, toxicity of Pb atoms and instability of perovskite structures obstruct further commercialization of these technologies. Recent efforts have been shifted to discover novel, eco-friendly, and stable lead-free metal halide perovskite (LFHP) materials and exploring their different growth processes for various device applications. This review aims to provide an up-to-date analysis of recent progress report on LFHPs and will mainly focus on their growth processes in the single crystalline and nanocrystalline forms. This review also tries to understand how the perovskite crystal structure impacts on their fundamental properties. In addition, we discuss the current progress in various field of applications and their future aspects.     

荧光/磷光混合型白光有机发光二极管的研究

白光有机发光二极管（white organic light-emitting diodes,WOLEDs）在全色显示、固态照明以及背光源等领域有巨大的应用前景,其研究备受关注.其中,荧光/磷光混合型WOLEDs因兼具荧光材料的长寿命和磷光材料的高效率,被认为是目前最有希望实现照明应用的器件结构.荧光/磷光混合型WOLEDs最重要的问题是要解决荧光材料的单线态激子和磷光材料的三线态激子的协同发光.为了避免单线态激子和三线态激子的相互猝灭问题,必须设计有效的器件结构.本文以两种不同三线态能级的蓝光荧光材料为研究对象,介绍了不同高性能荧光/磷光混合型WOLEDs的结构设计与性能.研究表明,载流子传输平衡的高效结构设计和激子分布宽范围内的有效调控是实现高性能荧光/磷光混合型WOLEDs的关键.     

Understanding and controlling organic-inorganic interfaces in mesostructured hybrid photovoltaic materials

The chemical compositions and structures of organic-inorganic interfaces in mesostructurally ordered conjugated polymer-titania nanocomposites are shown to have a predominant influence on their photovoltaic properties. Such interfaces can be controlled by using surfactant structure-directing agents (SDAs) with different architectures and molecular weights to promote contact between the highly hydrophobic electron-donating conjugated polymer species and hydrophilic electron-accepting titania frameworks. A combination of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), and solid-state NMR spectroscopy yields insights on the compositions, structures, and distributions of inorganic and organic species within the materials over multiple length scales. Two-dimensional NMR analyses establish the molecular-level interactions between the different SDA blocks, the conjugated polymer, and the titania framework, which are correlated with steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of the photoexcitation dynamics of the conjugated polymer and macroscopic photocurrent generation in photovoltaic devices. Molecular understanding of the compositions and chemical interactions at organic-inorganic interfaces are shown to enable the design, synthesis, and control of the photovoltaic properties of hybrid functional materials.     

Janus and patchy colloids at fluid interfaces

Understanding the fundamental behavior of chemically anisotropic Janus and patchy particles at fluid interfaces enables utilization of these colloids as solid surfactants for stabilization of emulsions and as building blocks for fabrication of functional and responsive materials. Here, we review recent progress on understanding the combined effects of particle–interface and particle–particle interactions on the surface activity and organization of Janus and patchy particles at fluid interfaces. We also highlight recent developments that harness these fundamental properties for applications in self-assembly and emulsion stabilization, and discuss some of the outstanding questions that warrant future investigation. The progress in the field opens new opportunities to pursue techniques for controlling interfacial rheology, directed motion, and the formulation of novel soft materials.     

聚环氧氯丙烷氨酯阻尼材料的阻尼性能研究

<正> 一般来讲,聚合物材料的阻尼性能来源于分子链运动带来的内摩擦力以及分子间物理键的破坏与再生,分子链运动所产生的阻尼在聚合物的玻璃化转变温度范围内最为有效。因此具有极性较强、体积较大的一CH_2Cl侧基的环氧氯丙烷聚合物应具有优异的阻尼性能,专利文献[1—2]报道过由多羟基(官能度≥2)聚环氧氯丙烷预聚物为原料制得的聚氨酯泡沫具有良好的阻燃性能,作者在聚环氧氯丙烷氨酯阻尼材料方面进行了尝试。