Comparative Study of Alkali-Cation-Based (Li+, Na+, K+) Electrolytes in Acetonitrile and Alkylcarbonates

The development of a suitable functional electrolyte is urgently required for fast-charging and high-voltage alkali-ion (Li, Na, K) batteries as well as next-generation hybrids supercapacitors. Many recent works focused on an optimal selection of electrolytes for alkali-ion based systems and their electrochemical performance but the understanding of the fundamental aspect that explains their different behaviour is rare. Herein, we report a comparative study of transport properties for LiPF₆, NaPF₆, KPF₆ in acetonitrile (AN) and a binary mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC): (EC/DMC : 1/1, weigh) through conductivities, densities and viscosities measurements in wide temperature domain. By application of the Stokes-Einstein, Nernst-Einstein, and Jones Dole equations, the effective ionic solvated radius of cation (r_eff), the ionic dissociation coefficient (α_D) and structuring Jones Dole's parameters (A, B) for salt are calculated and discussed according to solvent or cation nature as a function of temperature. From the results, we demonstrate that better mobility of potassium can be explained by the nature of the ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions due to its polarizability. In the same time, the predominance of triple ions in the case of K⁺, is a disadvantage at high concentration.     

Rational Topological Design for Fluorescence Enhancement upon Aggregation of Distyrylfuran Derivatives

A series of 2,5‐distyrylfuran derivatives bearing pentafluorophenyl‐ and cyanovinyl units have been synthesized for aggregation‐induced emission (AIE). The effect of the type and extent of the supramolecular connections on the AIE of the furan derivatives were examined and correlated with their X‐ray crystal structures. It was found that the simultaneous presence of cyano and perfluorophenyl units strongly enhances the fluorescence upon aggregation. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis confirmed that C?H???F, F???F, C?H???nitrile, Ar???Ar_F (Ar=aryl, Ar_F=fluoroaryl), and nitrile???Ar_F intra‐ and intermolecular interactions drive the topology of the molecule and that solid‐state supramolecular contacts favor AIE of the furan derivatives.     

Comparison of fast field-cycling magnetic resonance imaging methods and future perspectives

ABSTRACT

Fast field-cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry is a well-established method to determine the relaxation rates as a function of magnetic field strength. This so-called nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion gives insight into the underlying molecular dynamics of a wide range of complex systems and has gained interest especially in the characterisation of biological tissues and diseases. The combination of FFC techniques with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a high potential for new types of image contrast more specific to pathological molecular dynamics. This article reviews the progress in FFC-MRI over the last decade and gives an overview of the hardware systems currently in operation. We discuss limitations and error correction strategies specific to FFC-MRI such as field stability and homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, eddy currents and acquisition time. We also report potential applications with impact in biology and medicine. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future applications in transferring the underlying molecular dynamics into novel types of image contrast by exploiting the dispersive properties of biological tissue or MRI contrast agents.     

Photoisomerisation in Aminoazobenzene‐Substituted Ruthenium(II) Tris(bipyridine) Complexes: Influence of the Conjugation Pathway

Transition‐metal complexes containing stimuli‐responsive systems are attractive for applications in optical devices, photonic memory, photosensing, as well as luminescence imaging. Amongst them, photochromic metal complexes offer the possibility of combining the specific properties of the metal centre and the optical response of the photochromic group. The synthesis, the electrochemical properties and the photophysical characterisation of a series of donor–acceptor azobenzene derivatives that possess bipyridine groups connected to a 4‐dialkylaminoazobenzene moiety through various linkers are presented. DFT and TD‐DFT calculations were performed to complement the experimental findings and contribute to their interpretation. The position and nature of the linker (ethynyl, triazolyl, none) were engineered and shown to induce different electronic coupling between donor and acceptor in ligands and complexes. This in turn led to strong modulations in terms of photoisomerisation of the ligands and complexes.