Assembly of ϵ-Keggin Polyoxometalate from Molecular Crystal to Zeolitic Octahedral Metal Oxide

Zeolitic octahedral metal oxides are inorganic crystalline microporous materials with adsorption and redox properties. New ϵ-Keggin nickel molybdate–based zeolitic octahedral metal oxides have been synthesized. ³¹P NMR spectroscopy shows that reduction of Mo^VI-based molybdates forms an ϵ-Keggin polyoxometalate that immediately transfers to the solid phase. Investigation of the formation process indicates that a low Ni concentration, insoluble reducing agent, and long synthesis time are the critical factors for obtaining the zeolite octahedral metal oxides rather than the ϵ-Keggin polyoxometalate molecule. The synthesized zeolitic nickel molybdate with Na⁺ is used as the adsorbent, which effectively separates C₂ hydrocarbon mixtures.     

Nitrogen Donor Protection for Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters

Surface organic ligands are critical in dictating the structures and properties of atomically precise metal nanoclusters. In contrast to the conventionally used thiolate, phosphine and alkynyl ligands, nitrogen donor ligands have not been used in the protection for well-defined metal nanoclusters until recently. This review focuses on recent developments in atomically precise metal nanoclusters stabilized by different types of nitrogen donor ligands, in which the synthesis, total structure determination and various properties are covered. We hope that this review will provide insights into the rational design of N donor-protected metal nanoclusters in terms of structural and functional modulation.     

Abnormal Association between Metal−Organic Cages and Counterions Regulated by the Hydration Shells

A unique trend in the binding affinity between cationic metal−organic cages (MOCs) and external counteranions in aqueous media was observed. Similar to many macroions, two MOCs, sharing similar structures but carrying different number of charges, self-assembled into hollow spherical single-layered blackberry-type structures through counterion-mediated attraction. Dynamic and static light scattering and isothermal titration calorimetry measurements confirm the stronger interactions among less charged MOCs and counteranions than that of highly charged MOCs, leading to larger assembly sizes. DOSY NMR measurements suggest the significance of thick hydration shells of highly charged MOCs, inhibiting the MOC-counterion binding and weakening the interaction between them. This study demonstrates that the greater role played by hydration shell on ion-pair formation comparing with charge density of MOCs.     

Asymmetric Three‐Component Heck Arylation/Amination of Nonconjugated Cyclodienes

Substituted cyclohexylamines are becoming increasingly important in drug discovery. Asymmetric Heck insertion/amination of nonconjugated cyclodienes proceeds to give 5‐aryl cyclohexenylamines with good enantioselectivity and exclusive trans configurations. Primary and secondary anilines, indoline, and benzylamines are suitable amines. The weakly donating diphosphite Kelliphite forms a deep unsymmetrical pocket, which is essential for stereoselective anti attack of amines.     

Laser control of magneto-polaron in transition metal dichalcogenides triangular quantum well

We study the dynamic of magneto-polaron condensate in monolayer two dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) materials of 2H types in triangular quantum well potential. Within both the quantum mechanical Schrödinger approach (QMSA) and the improved Wigner-Brillouin theory (IWBT), Landau energies levels (LELs) are derived. We have shown that the magneto-polaron condensation is enhanced in monolayer MoSe₂ compared to MoS₂, WS₂ and WSe₂. We derive various levels by increasing a magnetic field and laser parameter. We show that the quantum confinement lifts the degeneracy of the Landau levels (LLs) resulting in an anticrossing and crossing. The dephasing effect due to the quantum well potential's parameter plays an important role in the magneto-polaron energy corrections, which are also affected by the amplitude of the laser field. The system presents Stückelberg oscillations which is important for practical applications.     

Engineering nanostructures of CuO-based photocatalysts for water treatment: Current progress and future challenges

Nowadays, increasing extortions regarding environmental problems and energy scarcity have stuck the development and endurance of human society. The issue of inorganic and organic pollutants that exist in water from agricultural, domestic, and industrial activities has directed the development of advanced technologies to address the challenges of water scarcity efficiently. To solve this major issue, various scientists and researchers are looking for novel and effective technologies that can efficiently remove pollutants from wastewater. Nanoscale metal oxide materials have been proposed due to their distinctive size, physical and chemical properties along with promising applications. Cupric Oxide (CuO) is one of the most commonly used benchmark photocatalysts in photodegradation owing to the fact that they are cost-effective, non-toxic, and more efficient in absorption across a significant fraction of solar spectrum. In this review, we have summarized synthetic strategies of CuO fabrication, modification methods with applications for water treatment purposes. Moreover, an elaborative discussion on feasible strategies includes; binary and ternary heterojunction formation, Z-scheme based photocatalytic system, incorporation of rare earth/transition metal ions as dopants, and carbonaceous materials serving as a support system. The mechanistic insight inferring photo-induced charge separation and transfer, the functional reactive radical species involved in a photocatalytic reaction, have been successfully featured and examined. Finally, a conclusive remark regarding current studies and unresolved challenges related to CuO are put forth for future perspectives.     

过渡金属Co2+离子掺杂ZnS硫化物纳米晶制备与中红外发光特性研究

利用不含有机相的简单水热法制备了Co^2+∶ZnS纳米晶,纳米晶具有立方闪锌矿结构,平均晶粒尺寸约为8.3 nm,在808 nm激光泵浦下具有2~5μm波段的中红外荧光发射,中心波长位于3400 nm和4700 nm,分别对应Co^2+离子的4T2(F)→4 A 1(F)和4T1(F)→4T2(F)的能级跃迁.进一步将制备的纳米晶在还原气氛下进行800℃热处理,获得立方闪锌矿和纤锌矿混合晶型的纳米晶,平均晶粒尺寸增大到22.5 nm左右,热处理后的纳米晶表面羟基含量更低,中红外荧光发射强度显著提高.该Co^2+∶ZnS纳米晶的制备方法简单、在制备过程中不引入有机相等荧光淬灭中心,同时证明通过后热处理过程可以进一步减少表面缺陷及羟基含量,使荧光强度得到大幅提升.     

Analysis,design and simulation of MIM plasmonic filters with different geometries for technical parameters improvement

In this paper, four optical filter topologies based on metal–insulator–metal waveguides are proposed and the designed structures are investigated numerically using finite-difference timedomain method. Triangular-shaped adjunctions have been added to the filter structures to improve their transmission spectrum. These improved structures consist of air as the insulator and silver as the metal. The relative permittivity of metal has been described via the Drude,Drude–Lorentz, and Palik models. The first filter's transmission spectrum shows an acceptable transmittance. In the second optimized filter, the transmission spectrum has been improved. The transmittance spectrum can be tuned through adjusting the edge of the triangle in these four optimized filters. As a result, the bandwidths of resonance spectra can be adjusted. The theory of such tapered structures will be investigated by the tapered transmission line and will be solved with the transfer matrix method. This method shows a better performance and higher transmission efficiency in comparison with the basic structures. On the other hand, the final filter has been chosen as the best one because of its hexagonal resonator. The main reason for having a better result is due to a longer interaction length in comparison with the circular resonator. This in turn creates much better energy coupling and results in higher transmission.     

Heteroborospherene nanoclusters as high-performance nonlinear optical materials

Today, the design of new compounds with giant nonlinear optical responses is attracted to many researchers. Inspired by an interesting finding of a new class of heteroborospherenes which were formed by doping four carbon atoms in the B364- nanocluster (C4B32), we suggest the alkali metal-doped C4B32 (M@C4B32, M=Li, Na, and K) nanoclusters as high-performance nonlinear optical materials. Our results show that the alkali metal atoms have a considerable effect on the structural and electronic properties of the C4B32 nanocluster. We found that the doping alkali metal can remarkably decrease the HOMO-LUMO gap and significantly increases the first hyperpolarizability of the C4B32 nanocluster. Also, our results reveal that the first hyperpolarizability of the M@C4B32 nanoclusters can be progressively enhanced by increasing the atomic number of alkali metals. The effect of external electric fields on the nonlinear optical responses of the M@C4B32 has been systematically explored. We found that the first hyperpolarizability of the M@C4B32 compounds can be gradually increased by increasing the imposed external electric field from zero to the critical external electric field along the charge transfer direction (M→C4B32). Accordingly, this work presents an efficient strategy to improve the nonlinear optical responses of the heteroborospherenes.     

Nanostructured BiVO4 Derived from Bi-MOF for Enhanced Visible-light Photodegradation

BiVO4,a promising visible-light responding photocatalyst,has aroused extensive research interest because of inexpensiveness and excellent chemical stability.However,its main drawback is the poor photoinduced charge-transfer dynamics.Building nanostructures is an effective way to tackle this problem.Herein,we put forward a new method to prepare nanostructured BiVO4 from Bi-based metal-organic frameworks[Bi-MOF(CAU-17)]precursor.The as-prepared material has a rod-like morphology inherited from the Bi-MOF sacrificial template and consists of small nanoparticle as building blocks.Compared with its counterparts prepared by conventional methods,MOF-derived nanostructured BiVO4 shows better light absorption ability,narrower bandgap,and improved electrical conductivity as well as reduced recombination.Consequently,BiVO4 nanostructure demonstrates high photocatalytic activity under visible light towards the degradation of methylene blue.Methylene blue can be degraded up to 90%within 30 min with a reaction rate constant of 0.058 min-1.Moreover,the cycling stability of the catalyst is excellent to withstand unchanged degradation efficiency for at least 5 cycles.