Stable photochromism and controllable reduction properties of surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate/silica hybrid films

In this paper, we present a novel strategy for fabricating polyoxometalate (POM)-based photochromic silica hybrid films. To combine metal nanoparticles (NPs) into the POMs embedded silica matrix, furthermore, we realized the controllable in situ synthesis of metal NPs in the film by utilizing the reduction property of POMs existing in the reduced state. Through electrostatic encapsulation with hydroxyl-terminated surfactants, the POMs with good redox property can be covalently grafted onto a silica matrix by means of a sol-gel approach, and stable silica sol-gel thin films containing surfactant-encapsulated POMs can be obtained. The functional hybrid film exhibits both the transparent and easily processible properties of silica matrix and the stable and reversible photochromism of POMs. In addition, well-dispersed POMs in a hydrophobic microenvironment within the hybrid film can be used as reductants for the in situ synthesis of metal NPs. More significantly, the size and location of NPs can be tuned by controlling the adsorption time of metal ions and mask blocking the surface. The hybrid film containing both POMs and metal NPs with patterned morphology can be obtained, which has potential applications in optical display, memory, catalysis, microelectronic devices and antibacterial materials.     

Insight into the Structural Variation and Sodium Storage Behavior of Polyoxometalates Encapsulated within Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The host–guest interaction can remarkably alter the physiochemical properties of composite materials. It is crucial to clarify the mechanism by revealing the influence of the host on the electronic structure of the guest molecules. Herein, we study the structural variation of polyoxometalates (POMs) after being confined in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). What we found is that in addition to the reported charge transfer from SWNT to POM, an intramolecular electron transfer within a single POM cluster can be observed in the POM@SWNT composites. Moreover, the charge density on the bridged oxygen of POMs is prominently enhanced. The structural change and electron reconfiguration of POMs upon encapsulation in SWNT significantly speed up electron and ion transport, leading to the improved electrochemical performance for sodium ions storage.     

A comparative study on photoelectrochemical performance of TiO2 photoanodes enhanced by different polyoxometalates

Based on the incorporation of polyoxometalates (POMs) into TiO₂ film, the photoelectrochemical performance of POMs/TiO₂ anode was elucidated by comparative investigation on the electron transport and electron–hole recombination in POMs/TiO₂ anode. The photoelectrochemical performance of the POMs/TiO₂ anode was clearly dependent on the type and content of POMs. Compared to the TiO₂ anode, the POMs/TiO₂ anode with low POMs loadings (0.75%) displayed the enhanced photoelectrochemical performance, while the excessive content (7.5%) of POMs could almost cause a negative effect. Thus, POMs could act as either “shallow electron trap” or “deep electron trap” depending on the different types and contents of POMs. This study reveals that the introduction of POMs into TiO₂ anode could facilitate photogenerated electron transfer and reduce electron–hole recombination, which is urgently desired to develop advanced composite materials of POMs/TiO₂ for application in photoelectrochemical catalysis and solar cells.     

Optical spectroscopy following the incorporation of a rare-earth containing (Eu) polyoxometalate into a sol-gel derived media

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are an emerging class of materials which can be considered as inorganic complexes with distinct structural and optical characteristics. To be suitable in biomedical applications such as imaging, the materials may need to be embedded in a suitable host material, which may affect the optical properties of the emitting polyoxometalate. Here, we demonstrate that POMs can successfully be included into a sol-gel derived silica matrix. We report on the effects of one such potential host on the luminescence excitation and emission spectra, as well as the POM luminescence decay times. It appears that the POMs do not interact with the bulk oxide of the matrix, but are retained within the hosts' internal pore structure.     

Devisable POM/Ni Foam Composite: Precisely Control Synthesis toward Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction at High pH

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are promising catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogen production from water owing to their high intrinsic catalytic activity and chemical tunability. However, poor electrical conductivity and easy detachment of the POMs from the electrode cause significant challenges under operating condition. Herein, a simple one-step hydrothermal method is reported to synthesize a series of Dexter–Silverton POM/Ni foam composites (denoted as Ni M -POM/Ni; M =Co, Zn, Mn), in which the stable linkage between the POM catalysts and the Ni foam electrodes lead to high activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Among them, the highest HER performance can be observed in the NiCo-POM/Ni, featuring an overpotential of 64 mV (at 10 mA cm⁻², vs. reversible hydrogen electrode), and a Tafel slope of 75 mV dec⁻¹ in 1.0 m aqueous KOH. Moreover, the NiCo-POM/Ni catalyst showed a high faradaic efficiency ≈97 % for HER. Post-catalytic of NiCo-POM/Ni analyses showed virtually no mechanical or chemical degradation. The findings propose a facile and inexpensive method to design stable and effective POM-based catalysts for HER in alkaline water electrolysis.     

Influence of Synthesis pH and Oxidative Strength of the Catalyzing Acid on the Morphology and Chemical Structure of Hydrothermal Carbon

A specific control of the morphology and chemical structure of hydrothermal carbon (HTC) is of crucial importance for its application, both in catalyst supports or electrochemical devices. Here we show how the morphology, that is, particles size and homogeneity, and the distribution of functional groups can be controlled by the control of the synthesis pH of the hydrothermal carbonization. A complementary analysis of liquid byproducts by HPLC provides useful information on the nature of the polymeric species produced during the poly‐condensation in the hydrothermal process and reveals the potential implementation of the process into the biorefinery concept. The acidic byproducts levulinic acid and formic acid determine the hydrothermal carbonization autocatalytically by additional supply of protons to the reaction medium. Thus, for a starting pH>3, only minor structural differences can be detected for HTC. The use of oxidizing acids favors higher yields of HTC and improves carbonization towards higher condensed carbon domains. Scaling up the process in a stirred 2 L batch reactor favors carbonization leading to higher condensed carbonaceous products. The relative trends of pH variation are maintained.     

RNA-selective cross-pairing of backbone-extended pyrrolidine-amide oligonucleotide mimics (bePOMs)

Pyrrolidine-amide oligonucleotide mimics (POMs) can cross-pair strongly with complementary parallel and antiparallel DNA and RNA targets in a sequence-specific fashion. As a result POMs have significant potential for applications including in vivo gene silencing, diagnostics and bioanalysis. To further modulate the DNA- and RNA-recognition properties and fine-tune the physiochemical properties of POMs for nucleic acid targeting, backbone-extended pyrrolidine-amide oligonucleotide mimics (bePOM I and II) were introduced. The bePOMs differ from the original POMs through the insertion of an additional methylene group into the backbone units, which increases the flexibility of the oligomers. bePOM I and II oligomers were synthesised using solid-phase peptide chemistry. Interestingly, UV thermal denaturation and circular dichroism studies reveals bePOM I and II can hybridise with complementary RNA, but not DNA.     

基于杂多酸的负载离子液相催化在醇氧化中的应用

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备的离子液体功能化的二氧化硅对于杂多酸是一种可行的载体,三种商用杂多酸成功的负载在离子液体功能化的二氧化硅上作为醇氧化的催化剂.利用FTIR、XRD、XPS对该种负载离子液相催化剂进行了表征.基于磷钨酸的负载离子液相催化剂活性最好,高产率(大部分＞93%)的得到了相应的羰基化合物.且该催化剂经过简单的...     

Diverse Ligand‐Functionalized Mixed‐Valent Hexamanganese Sandwiched Silicotungstates with Single‐Molecule Magnet Behavior

Under hydrothermal conditions, replacement of the water molecules in the [Mn^III₄Mn^II₂O₄(H₂O)₄]⁸⁺ cluster of mixed‐valent Mn₆ sandwiched silicotungstate [(B‐α‐SiW₉O₃₄)₂Mn^III₄Mn^II₂O₄(H₂O)₄]^12? ( 1 a ) with organic N ligands led to the isolation of five organic–inorganic hybrid, Mn₆‐substituted polyoxometalates (POMs) 2 – 6 . They were all structurally characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, diffuse‐reflectance spectroscopy, and powder and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Compounds 2 – 6 represent the first series of mixed‐valent {Mn^III₄Mn^II₂O₄(H₂O)_4?n(L)_n} sandwiched POMs covalently functionalized by organic ligands. The preparation of 1 – 6 not only indicates that the double‐cubane {Mn^III₄Mn^II₂O₄(H₂O)_4?n(L)_n} clusters are very stable fragments in both conventional aqueous solution and hydrothermal systems and that organic functionalization of the [Mn^III₄Mn^II₂O₄(H₂O)₄]⁸⁺ cluster by substitution reactions is feasible, but also demonstrates that hydrothermal environments can promote and facilitate the occurrence of this substitution reaction. This work confirms that hydrothermal synthesis is effective for making novel mixed‐valent POMs substituted with transition‐metal (TM) clusters by combining lacunary Keggin precursors with TM cations and tunable organic ligands. Furthermore, magnetic measurements reveal that 3 and 6 exhibit single‐molecule magnet behavior.     

Hydrothermal syntheses and structural characterization of two new supramolecular compounds: (H2bbi)2[Mo8O26] and (H2bbi)2[SiW12O40]·2H2O [bbi = 1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(imidazole)]

Two new inorganic–organic hybrid supramolecular compounds based on imidazolium and POMs formulated as (H₂bbi)₂[Mo₈O₂₆] (1) and (H₂bbi)₂[SiW₁₂O₄₀]·2H₂O (2) [bbi = 1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(imidazole)] have been prepared under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The two compounds consist of protonated bbis together with POMs. [Mo₈O₂₆]^4? and [SiW₁₂O₄₀]^4? are linked through H₂bbi into a three-dimensional (3D) network via hydrogen bonds, respectively. Compound 1 is the first example of 3D two-fold interpenetrating hydrogen bond-supported supramolecular assembly from octamolybdate one-dimensional (1D) chain and imidazolium. The fascinating structural feature of compound 2 is that the anions and the protonated bbi ligands formed a 3D (4, 8) supramolecular network by hydrogen bonds. Compound 2 has been used as a solid bulk-modifier to fabricate three-dimensional bulk-modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) by direct mixing. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalysis of compound 2 modified CPE (2-CPE) have been studied.     

多酸在电催化析氢反应中的应用研究进展

电催化水裂解是一种可持续用于生产可再生氢能源的技术。然而,开发高效稳定、低成本的析氢电催化剂仍是一项具有挑战性的任务。多金属氧酸盐(多酸)是一种离散的金属氧簇合物,通常由氧配体和高价的钒(V)、钼(VI)、钨(VI)金属构成。由于多酸含有丰富的氧化还原活性金属中心,因此,近几年来,多酸在水裂解应用研究方面备受关注。本综述将聚焦于多酸在电催化水裂解析氢的应用研究进展。本文还突出强调了电催化析氢目前面临的主要问题,以及对多酸基催化剂及作为催化剂前体在电催化析氢方面的应用及发展前景做了展望。     

Transition metal ion-substituted polyoxometalates entrapped in polypyrrole as an electrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide

A conducting polymer was used for the immobilization of various transition metal ion-substituted Dawson-type polyoxometalates (POMs) onto glassy carbon electrodes. Voltammetric responses of films of different thicknesses were stable within the pH domain 2-7 and reveal redox processes associated with the conducting polymer, the entrapped POMs and incorporated metal ions. The resulting POM doped polypyrrole films were found to be extremely stable towards redox switching between the various redox states associated with the incorporated POM. An amperometric sensor for hydrogen peroxide detection based upon the POM doped polymer films was investigated. The detection limits were 0.3 and 0.6 μM, for the Cu(2+)- and Fe(3+)-substituted POM-doped polypyrrole films respectively, with a linear region from 0.1 up to 2 mM H(2)O(2). Surface characterization of the polymer films was carried out using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.     

The chemistry of organoimido derivatives of polyoxometalates

The chemistry of organoimido derivatives of polyoxometalates (POMs) has received increasing interest. In recent decades, a great development of the synthetic chemistry of organoimido derivatives of POMs using different imido-releasing reagents has taken place, particularly the novel DCC-dehydrating protocol to prepare organoimido derivatives of POMs was developed recently by us and co-workers. Organoimido substituted POMs as valuable building blocks can construct novel nanostructured organic-inorganic hybrid molecular materials in well-developed common organic synthesis methods, such as Pd-catalyzed carbon-carbon coupling and esterification. Therefore, the reactive chemistry of organoimido derivatives of POMs stands for the fascinating future of the chemistry of organoimido derivatives of POMs.     

Visible‐Light Sensitization and Photoenergy Storage in Quantum Dot/Polyoxometalate Systems

Recently, the process by which energy is transferred from photoexcited semiconductor nanocrystals, called quantum dots (QDs), to other semiconductors has attracted much attention and has potential application in solar energy conversion (i.e., QD‐sensitized solar cells). Sensitization of wide band gap polyoxometalates (POMs) to visible light by using CuInS₂ QDs dispersed in an organic solution is demonstrated herein. Photoluminescence quenching and lifetime studies revealed efficient electron transfer from the CuInS₂ QDs to POMs, such as SiW₁₂O₄₀ and W₁₀O₃₂, that were hybridized with a cationic surfactant. CuInS₂ QDs function as an antenna that absorbs visible light and supplies electrons to the POMs to enable certain photocatalytic reactions, including noble‐metal‐ion reduction. The photoenergy storage capabilities of the QD‐POM system, in which electrons photogenerated in QDs by visible‐light excitation are trapped and accommodated by POMs to form reduced POM, are also demonstrated. Electrons stored in the POM can be later discharged through reductive reactions, such as oxygen reduction, in the dark.     

Soft Matter Approaches for Enhancing the Catalytic Capabilities of Polyoxometalate Clusters

In this minireview, we discuss the recent efforts on expanding the catalytic capabilities of polyoxometalates (POM) through emulsion catalysis approaches with novel catalytic-active POM–organic hybrid clusters as emulsifiers. The hybrid emulsifiers include surfactant encapsulated POM complexes, molecular POMs–organic hybrids, and POM-based solid nanoparticles. With such novel approaches the catalytic efficiency of the POMs can be significantly improved by enhancing the compatibility of the POMs with organic media, providing catalytic interface for biphasic reactions, as well as easier preparation, and better recyclability. Particularly, a simple, green chemistry method to prepare metal nanoparticle materials with POMs as both reducing and capping agents in aqueous is reviewed.     

Synthesis, characterisation and cytotoxicity of polyoxometalate/carboxymethyl chitosan nanocomposites

Chitosan and its derivates continue to attract considerable research interest as effective drug carriers with good biocompatibility and high cellular uptake rates. We used these versatile features to tap the considerable biomedical potential of polyoxometalates (POMs) through their encapsulation into a carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) matrix. The nanocapsules were prepared by ionic gelification with Ca(2+); their size distribution ranges from 60 to 150 nm. Because [Co(4)(H(2)O)(2)(PW(9)O(34))(2)](10-) is well known for its manifold properties, such as antiviral activity, it was selected as a model POM. The resulting composites were characterised with a wide range of analytical methods, which pointed to quantitative encapsulation of intact POMs within the CMC matrix. We studied the biocompatibility of the POM/CMC nanocomposites on HeLa cells through MTT and proliferation assays. Even after prolonged incubation times at high concentrations, the composites did not display cytotoxicity, thereby drastically reducing the side effects of the pristine POMs. This opens up new avenues for designing novel inorganic drug prototypes from bioactive POMs.     

Exploiting Interactions between Polyoxometalates and Proteins for Applications in (Bio)chemistry and Medicine

The specific interactions of anionic metal-oxo clusters, known as polyoxometalates (POMs), with proteins can be leveraged for a wide range of analytical and biomedical applications. For example, POMs have been developed as selective catalysts that can induce protein modifications and have also been shown to facilitate protein crystallization, both of which are instrumental in the structural characterization of proteins. POMs can also be used for selective protein separation and enzyme inhibition, which makes them promising therapeutic agents. Hence, understanding POM-protein interactions is essential for the development of POM-based materials and their implementation in several fields. In this Review we summarize in detail the key insights that have been gained so far on POM-protein interactions. Emphasis is also given to hybrid POMs functionalized with organic ligands to prompt further research in this direction owing to the promising recent results on tuning POM-protein interactions through POM functionalization.     

Polyoxometalates–Directed Assembly of Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Compounds with Copper Multinuclear Nano-cluster Based on Flexible Double Tetrazole-based Thioether

Two new inorganic–organic hybrid compounds constructed from different polyoxometalates (POMs) and copper multinuclear clusters, [Cu(bmte)(H₂Mo₈O₂₆)_0.5]·3H₂O (1) and [Cu₃(bmte)₃(HSiMo₁₂O₄₀)]·H₂O (2) (bmte = 1,2-bis(1-methyl-5-mercapto-1,2,3,4-tetrazole)ethane), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions with a flexible double tetrazole-based thioether and characterized by IR, TG and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. In compound 1, two bmte ligands chelate two Cu^I ions with three N atoms to form a binuclear nano-scale subunit [Cu₂(bmte)₂]²⁺, then the binuclear Cu^I subunits are connected by [Mo₈O₂₆]⁴⁻ anions to build a one dimensional (1D) chain. In compound 2, a trinuclear nano-scale subunit [Cu₃(bmte)₃]³⁺ constructed from three Cu^I ions and three bmte ligands has been obtained, and the adjacent trinuclear subunits are linked by [SiMo₁₂O₄₀]⁴⁻ anions to form a “zipper” 1D chain. The adjacent chains of the title compounds are ultimately extended into 2D layers by hydrogen bonds between bmte and POMs. The structural difference of the two compounds indicates that the POMs play an important structure-directed role on the final networks. In addition, the electrochemical behavior of 2-modified carbon paste electrode (2-CPE) and its electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite have been discussed.     

Keggin 型磷钨酸盐修饰碳糊电极传感多巴胺的研究

多金属氧酸盐作为一类阴离子簇合物,由于其结构的多样性和尺寸大小的可调变性,在电化学、催化和药学等领域引起了人们的广泛关注.本文制备了多酸Co(C₁₅N₆H₁₂)₂[PW₁₂O₃₈]·5H₂O（Co[PW₁₂O₃₈]）修饰碳糊电极并通过电化学阻抗谱、循环伏安法以及差分脉冲伏安法对多巴胺的传感性能进行了研究.对其制备条件和检测条件分别进行了优化.在优化条件下,制备的传感器对多巴胺具有良好的选择性和灵敏度的检测能力.多巴胺的线性响应范围为8.0x10^-6 mol·L^-1至3x10^-5 mol·L^-1,灵敏度为0.039 μA·(μmol·L^-1)^-1,检出限（S/N=3）为5.4 x10^-6 mol·L^-1. 制备的多酸修饰碳糊电极用于检测多巴胺表现出良好的稳定性和重现性,并且对抗坏血酸、尿酸等常见的干扰物质,具有良好的抗干扰性. 多酸修饰的碳糊电极制备过程简单方便,成本低,传感性能良好,对应用于电化学传感器检测多巴胺具备潜在的应用前景.