Freestanding Carbon Nanotube Film for Flexible Straplike Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

Flexible lithium/sulfur (Li/S) batteries are promising to meet the emerging power demand for flexible electronic devices. The key challenge for a flexible Li/S battery is to design a cathode with excellent electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility. In this work, a flexible strap-like Li/S battery based on a S@carbon nanotube/Pt@carbon nanotube hybrid film cathode was designed. It delivers a specific capacity of 1145 mAh g⁻¹ at the first cycle and retains a specific capacity of 822 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles. Moreover, the flexible Li/S battery retains stabile specific capacity and Coulombic efficiency even under severe bending conditions. As a demonstration of practical applications, an LED array is shown stably powered by the flexible Li/S battery under flattened and bent states. We also use the strap-like flexible Li/S battery as a real strap for a watch, which at the same time provides a reliable power supply to the watch.     

Photoinduced Nonlinear Contraction Behavior in Metal–Organic Frameworks

The photoinduced dynamic behavior of flexible materials has received considerable attention for potential applications, such as in data storage or as smart optical devices and molecular mechanical actuators. Until now, precisely controlling expansion and contraction with light has remained a challenge. Unraveling the detailed mechanisms of photoinduced structural transformations remains a critical step necessary to understand the molecular architecture necessary for the design of sensitive photomechanical actuators. Herein, a two-dimensional flexible metal–organic framework [Zn₂(bdc)₂(3-CH₃-spy)₂]⋅H₂O ( Zn₂-1 ; H₂bdc=1,4-benzenedicaboxylic acid; 3-CH₃-spy=3-methylstyrylpyridine) with a positive volumetric thermal expansion coefficient of +78.78×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ is reported. Upon light irradiation at different wavelengths, the MOF underwent a [2+2] cycloaddition, which afforded a family of isomeric, three-dimensional MOFs ( Zn₂-2 n , n=a–d) in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) manner. An unprecedented phenomenon, that is, photoinduced nonlinear contraction (PINC), was observed during this conversion. The PINC is caused by conformational changes in the 3-CH₃-spy and bdc²⁻ ligands, the bending of metal–ligand bonds, and the local distortion of the paddle-wheel SBUs. The formation of a “wrinkle morphology” on the crystal surface after the photoreaction was observed by AFM. This PINC behavior can broaden the studies on materials expansion and offer a photodriven approach for the future design of supersensitive photomechanical actuators.     

A low-temperature X-ray diffraction study of the Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin films

Low-temperature XRD measurements were performed to confirm the phase composition and structural parameters of the electrochemically deposited Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ thin films on flexible metal substrates.     

Polypropylene/polystyrene/clay blends prepared by an innovative eccentric rotor extruder based on continuous elongational flow: Analysis of morphology,rheology property,and crystallization behavior

The polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS)/montmorillonite (MMT) blends were prepared by an innovative eccentric rotor extruder based on continuous elongational flow. Addition of MMT nanoparticles was found to reduce the PS droplet size and improve the compatibility of PP/PS. The MMT nanoparticles had clear intercalation and/or exfoliation structures and were located mostly at the interface of PP/PS. It was found that the intercalation and exfoliation of MMT was finished under the synergy of interfacial interaction and tensile deformation so that we called the mechanism as “MMT exfoliation mechanism induced by synergy of interface and tensile deformation”. The rheological analysis showed that incorporation of MMT led to an increase in complex viscosity to an optimum level (5 wt%), after which any further increase in MMT concentration decreased the complex viscosity. Moreover, the degree of crystallinity of blends was controlled by the heterogeneous nucleation effect of MMT and the inhibition effect of PS.     

Direct Toner Printing: A Versatile Technology for Easy Fabrication of Flexible Miniaturized Electrodes

We reported here three simple, low cost and easy to accomplish strategies for the fabrication of microelectrodes and other conductive patterns using ordinary office laser‐printers. In this work, toner patterns were directly printed onto the flexible substrate, acting as a mask to create the intended conductive design. To highlight the versatility of such technology, toner‐printed patterns were employed in two diverse ways: one in which the patterned toner had the exact design of the electrode and other employing a reverse toner‐printed pattern. The first one was used for the adaptation of the well‐known printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication technique, but using direct toner printing (DTP) in an already conductive flexible substrate. The second was employed for the two remaining strategies: one based on the deposition of conductive film, followed by lift‐off process; and another based on drop‐casting of a conductive ink into the formed toner cavities, followed by thermal cure. As proof‐of‐concept, all three DTP strategies were used for the fabrication of miniaturized gold electrodes in polyimide substrate, and electrochemical performance of each obtained electrode was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry. Insights about DTP technology, alignment issues, advantages, limitations and resolution of each presented approach were provided. Finally, direct toner printing showed to be a simple, affordable and quite promising technology for the fabrication of low cost point‐of‐care electrochemical devices using flexible platforms.     

Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Two One-dimensional Cobalt(Ⅱ) Compounds with the Flexible Dipyridyl Ligan

Two one-dimensional cobalt(Ⅱ) compounds {[Co(Hbpma)(H2O)4 ] 2 ·3SO 4 ·4.5H2O} n1 and {[Co(Hbpma)(NCS) 3 (H2O)]·2.85H2O}n2 (bpma = N,N -bis(3-pyridylmethyl)amine) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 crystallizes in triclinic, space group P1 with a = 15.8780(5), b = 16.2187(5), c = 16.4858(5) , α = 91.0420(10), β = 94.5190(10), γ = 101.4360(10)°, V = 4145.7(2) 3 , C 24 H 53 Co 2 N 6 O 24.50 S 3 , M r = 1031.76, Z = 4, D c = 1.653 g/cm 3 , μ(MoKα) = 1.046 mm -1 , F(000) = 2148, S = 1.017, the final R = 0.0269 and wR = 0.0644 for 13032 observed reflections (I > 2σ(I)). For complex 2, it belongs to triclinic, space group P1 with a = 9.3761(11), b = 10.5814(13), c = 11.2972(14) , α = 85.472(2), β = 88.058(2), γ = 76.203(2)°, V = 1085.0(2) 3 , C 15 H 21.70 CoN 6 O 3.85 S 3 , M r = 502.79, Z = 2, D c = 1.539 g/cm 3 , μ(MoKα) = 1.112 mm -1 , F(000) = 519, S = 1.070, the final R = 0.0358 and wR = 0.0899 for 3466 observed reflections (I > 2σ(I)). Two complexes 1 and 2 are both found to be one-dimensional coordination polymers bridged by the protonated bpma ligands, which are assembled into three-dimensional supramolecular structures through the hydrogen bonding interactions and π-π packing interactions.     

Quadruply BN-Fused Tetrathia[8]circulenes with Flexible Frameworks: Synthesis,Structures and Properties

Quadruply BN-fused tetrathia[8]circulenes were synthesized through four-fold electrophilic borylation. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the BN-fused tetrathia[8]circulene with peripheral phenyl groups exhibits crystal polymorphism, in which the circulene core adopts both planar and saddle conformations in the solid state. The experimental and theoretical studies revealed that the weaker aromaticity of azaborine compared with benzene renders the flexibility of the BN-fused tetrathia[8]circulenes.     

Flexible active matrix addressed displays manufactured by printing and coating techniques

A flexible electrochromic active matrix addressed display, including 8 × 8 pixels, is demonstrated by using solution processing based on standard printing and coating manufacturing techniques. Each organic electrochromic display (OECD) pixel and its corresponding organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) are located on different sides of the flexible PET substrate. Electronic vias generated through the plastic substrate connects each OECD pixel with one addressing OECT. When comparing this display with actively addressed OECDs with all its components located on the same side, the present approach based on this electronic via substrate provides an enhanced pixel resolution and a relatively more simplified manufacturing process. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Stabilized finite element method for flows with multiple reference frames

We present a space‐time finite element method capable of dealing with flows in multiple co‐rotating reference frames. Since equal order interpolation is used for all degrees of freedom, Galerkin/least‐squares stabilization is applied. We give a detailed derivation of the equations involved, introduce the variational form, present the stabilization parameters, and also discuss implementation issues. Numerical examples in 2D and 3D show generality and efficiency of the method, if steady‐state behavior of rotating components is sufficient for the CFD analysis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.