Fabricating Dual-Atom Iron Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Heteroatom Modulator Approach

Understanding the thermal aggregation behavior of metal atoms is important for the synthesis of supported metal clusters. Here, derived from a metal–organic framework encapsulating a trinuclear Fe^III₂Fe^II complex (denoted as Fe₃) within the channels, a well-defined nitrogen-doped carbon layer is fabricated as an ideal support for stabilizing the generated iron nanoclusters. Atomic replacement of Fe^II by other metal(II) ions (e.g., Zn^II/Co^II) via synthesizing isostructural trinuclear-complex precursors (Fe₂Zn/Fe₂Co), namely the “heteroatom modulator approach”, is inhibiting the aggregation of Fe atoms toward nanoclusters with formation of a stable iron dimer in an optimal metal–nitrogen moiety, clearly identified by direct transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The supported iron dimer, serving as cooperative metal–metal site, acts as efficient oxygen evolution catalyst. Our findings offer an atomic insight to guide the future design of ultrasmall metal clusters bearing outstanding catalytic capabilities.     

Suppressing Strong Exciton–Phonon Coupling in Blue Perovskite Nanoplatelet Solids by Binary Systems

Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) perovskites are promising candidates for light generation owing to their high radiative rates. However, strong exciton–phonon interactions caused by mechanical softening of the surface act as a bottleneck in improving their suitability for a wide range of lighting and display applications. Moreover, it is not easily available to tune the phonon interactions in bulk films. Here, we adopt bottom-up fabricated blue emissive perovskite nanoplatelets (NPLs) as model systems to elucidate and as well as tune the phonon interactions via engineering of binary NPL solids. By optimizing component domains, the phonon coupling strength can be reduced by a factor of 2 driven by the delocalization of 2D excitons in out-of-plane orientations. It shows the picosecond energy transfer originated from the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiently competes with the exciton–phonon interactions in the binary system.     

单颗金刚石切削无氧铜的声发射关联维特征*

声发射技术可以实现无氧铜切削加工特征的监测与评价。采用声发射技术监测单颗金刚石磨粒旋转切削无氧铜，利用G-P算法重构出声发射时域信号相空间，采用自相关函数法计算出相空间时间延迟参数，通过相空间双对数曲线的计算，得到不同切削工况下的关联维数。研究结果表明，进给速度和切削速度对声发射信号影响较不显著，切深与声发射信号振幅呈正效应关系；声发射信号双对数曲线呈现阶段性增加趋势，并逐渐收敛于饱和状态，关联维数随着嵌入维数的增加先快速下降后趋于平稳；金刚石切削无氧铜的声发射信号具有混沌运动变化特性，在较小嵌入维数时，关联维数与切深和切削速度呈现线性负效应关系，与进给速度呈现线性正效应关系。该研究为无氧铜的切削加工提供理论参考。     

A DNA Switch for Detecting Single Nucleotide Polymorphism within a Long DNA Sequence Under Denaturing Conditions

DNA detection is usually conducted under nondenaturing conditions to favor the formation of Watson–Crick base-paring interactions. However, although such a setting is excellent for distinguishing a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within short DNA sequences (15–25 nucleotides), it does not offer a good solution to SNP detection within much longer sequences. Here we report on a new detection method capable of detecting SNP in a DNA sequence containing 35–90 nucleotides. This is achieved through incorporating into the recognition DNA sequence a previously discovered DNA molecule that forms a stable G-quadruplex in the presence of 7 molar urea, a known condition for denaturing DNA structures. The systems are configured to produce both colorimetric and fluorescent signals upon target binding.     

无机钙钛矿太阳能电池Cs2SnI6的电子结构和光学性质的第一性原理研究

近年来,Cs2SnI6作为一种无毒性、稳定性好的新型钙钛矿材料应用于太阳能电池中,其电池的光电转换效率由最初不到1%增长到现在的8.5%,使之成为有可能替代铅基钙钛矿太阳能电池的新型太阳能电池。本文采用基于广义密度泛函和杂化密度泛函的第一性原理方法研究了Cs2SnI6的电子结构、光学特性和钙钛矿太阳能电池的光电性能参数。研究结果表明,导带底和价带顶位于同一高对称点Γ而属于直接跃迁型半导体,且电子态主要来自于I-5p轨道和Sn-5s轨道。在近红外和可见光波长范围内有较高的吸收系数,当Cs2SnI6钙钛矿厚度达到10μm时,吸收率在311~989 nm之间接近100%,不考虑潜在损失的情况下,理论上太阳能电池可获得短路电流为32.86 mA/cm2、开路电压0.91 V、填充因子87.4%、光电转换效率26.1%。为实验上制备高效Cs2SnI6钙钛矿太阳能电池提供了参考。     

Enhanced headspace single drop microextraction method using deep eutectic solvent based magnetic bucky gels: Application to the determination of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons in water and urine samples

A facile headspace single drop microextraction method was developed using deep eutectic solvent‐based magnetic bucky gel as the extraction solvent for the first time. The hydrophobic magnetic bucky gel was formed by combining choline chloride/chlorophenol deep eutectic solvent and magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposite. Magnetic susceptibility, high viscosity, high sorbing ability, and tunable extractability of organic analytes are the desirable advantages of the prepared gel. Using a rod magnet as a suspensor in combination with the magnetic susceptibility of the prepared gel resulted in a highly stable droplet. This stable droplet eliminated the possibility of drop dislodgement. The prepared droplet made it possible to complete the extraction process in high temperatures and elevated agitation rates. Furthermore, using larger micro‐droplet volumes without any operational problems became possible. These facts resulted in shorter sample preparation time, higher sensitivity of the method, and lower detection limits. Under the optimized conditions, an enrichment factor of 520–587, limit of detection of 0.05–0.90 ng/mL, and linearity range of 0.2–2000 ng/mL (coefficient of determination = 0.9982–0.9995) were obtained. Relative standard deviations were < 10%. This method was successfully coupled with gas chromatography and used for the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers as harmful volatile organic compounds in water and urine samples.     

Interplay of Hole Transfer and Host–Guest Interaction in a Molecular Dyad and Triad: Ensemble and Single‐Molecule Spectroscopy and Sensing Applications

A new molecular dyad consisting of a Cy5 chromophore and ferrocene (Fc) and a triad consisting of Cy5, Fc, and β‐cyclodextrin (CD) are synthesized and their photophysical properties investigated at both the ensemble and single‐molecule levels. Hole transfer efficiency from Cy5 to Fc in the dyad is reduced upon addition of CD. This is due to an increase in the Cy5‐Fc separation (r) when the Fc is encapsulated in the macrocyclic host. On the other hand, the triad adopts either a Fc‐CD inclusion complex conformation in which hole transfer quenching of the Cy5 by Fc is minimal or a quasi‐static conformation with short r and rapid charge transfer. Single‐molecule fluorescence measurements reveal that r is lengthened when the triad molecules are deposited on a glass substrate. By combining intramolecular charge transfer and competitive supramolecular interaction, the triad acts as an efficient chemical sensor to detect different bioactive analytes such as amantadine hydrochloride and sodium lithocholate in aqueous solution and synthetic urine.