Solution combustion synthesis,energy and environment: Best parameters for better materials

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a worldwide used methodology for the preparation of inorganic ceramic and composite materials with controlled properties for a wide number of applications, from catalysis to photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, from heavy metal removal to sensoristics and electronics. The high versatility and efficiency of this technique have led to the introduction of many variants, which allowed important optimization to the prepared materials. Moreover, its ecofriendly nature encouraged further studies about the use of sustainable precursors for the preparation of nanomaterials for energy and environment, according to the concept of circular economy. On the other hand, the large variety of expressions to define SCS and the often-contradictory definitions of the SCS parameters witnessed a scarce consciousness of the potentiality of this methodology. In this review article, the most important findings about SCS and the selection criteria for its main parameters are critically reviewed, in order to give useful guidelines to those scientists who want to use this methodology for preparing materials with improved or new functional properties. This review aims as well (i) to bring more clarity in the SCS terminology (ii) to increase the awareness of the SCS as a convenient tool for the synthesis of materials and (iii) to propose a new perspective in the SCS, with special attention to the use of ecofriendly procedures. Part of the review is also dedicated to precautions and limitations of this powerful methodology.     

Amphiphilic liquid‐crystalline 4‐miktoarm star copolymers with a siloxane junction leading to cylindrically nanostructured templates for a siloxane‐based nanodot array

Well‐defined A₃B‐, A₂B₂‐, and AB₃‐type 4‐miktoarm star copolymers (M_n = 10,500–16,200, M_w/M_n = 1.16–1.18) consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polymethacrylate bearing an azobenzene mesogen (PMA(Az)) as the arms and cyclotetrasiloxane as the core unit were synthesized using a combined route composed of a thiol‐ene click reaction and atom transfer radical polymerization. Microphase‐separated structures of the star copolymers in thin films with a thickness of approximately 100 nm were investigated by GISAXS and TEM. The A₃B‐type star‐(PEO)₃[PMA(Az)]₁ copolymer formed a more highly ordered PEO cylinder array with perpendicular alignment in the PMA(Az) matrix than that of the corresponding linear‐type block copolymer. The center‐to‐center distance of the PEO cylinders and the cylinder diameter were 13 and 4 nm, respectively. The highly ordered star‐(PEO)₃[PMA(Az)]₁ thin film was directly transferred to a siloxane‐based nanodot array by oxygen reactive ion etching. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1175–1188     

From superhydrophobic‐ to superhydrophilic‐patterned poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐chlorotrifluoroethylene) architectures as a novel platform for biotechnological applications

The manufacture of three‐dimensional patterned electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐chlorotrifluoroethylene) microstructures with tailored architecture, morphology, and wettability is presented. The patterned microstructures are fabricated using a simple, effective, low cost, and reproducible technique based on microfluidic technology. These novel structures can represent innovative platforms for advanced strategies in a wide range of biotechnological applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, microfluidic, and sensors and actuators devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1802–1810     

Precise Synthesis and Thin Film Self-Assembly of PLLA-b-PS Bottlebrush Block Copolymers

The ability of bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs) to self-assemble into ordered large periodic structures could greatly expand the scope of photonic and membrane technologies. In this paper, we describe a two-step synthesis of poly(l-lactide)-b-polystyrene (PLLA-b-PS) BBCPs and their rapid thin-film self-assembly. PLLA chains were grown from exo-5-norbornene-2-methanol via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide to produce norbornene-terminated PLLA. Norbonene-terminated PS was prepared using anionic polymerization followed by a termination reaction with exo-5-norbornene-2-carbonyl chloride. PLLA-b-PS BBCPs were prepared from these two norbornenyl macromonomers by a one-pot sequential ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). PLLA-b-PS BBCPs thin-films exhibited cylindrical and lamellar morphologies depending on the relative block volume fractions, with domain sizes of 46–58 nm and periodicities of 70–102 nm. Additionally, nanoporous templates were produced by the selective etching of PLLA blocks from ordered structures. The findings described in this work provide further insight into the controlled synthesis of BBCPs leading to various possible morphologies for applications requiring large periodicities. Moreover, the rapid thin film patterning strategy demonstrated (>5 min) highlights the advantages of using PLLA-b-PS BBCP materials beyond their linear BCP analogues in terms of both dimensions achievable and reduced processing time.     

AAO辅助三唑亚铁纳米材料:一维限制生长和二维表面成膜及自旋转换性能

通过连续多步自组装的方式分别将三唑亚铁（SCO1）和氨基三唑亚铁（SCO2）自旋转换纳米材料生长于氧化铝模板（AAO）的孔道内和表面上。利用扫描电镜（SEM）、红外光谱（IR）、粉末X射线衍射（PXRD）、拉曼光谱（Raman）等手段对SCO1-1D+2D和SCO2-1D+2D纳米材料进行表征,SEM表明随着自组装时间的增加,球状的SCO纳米颗粒生长于AAO孔道内,并逐渐形成1D的纳米结构,而在AAO表面则形成致密均匀的SCO-2D薄膜。两种SCO-1D+2D纳米粒子都具有两步自旋行为（SCO1-1D+2D：T_c1↑=319 K,T_c1↓=313 K,T_c2↑=381 K,T_c2↓=340 K;SCO2-1D+2D：T_c1↑=181 K,T_c1↓=155 K,T_c2↑=246 K,T_c2↓=233 K）。对相应的SCO-1D和SCO-2D磁性结果表明,两步自旋转换行为的产生是由于SCO组装体形貌的差异。其中,低温区的自旋转换行为是由生长于AAO表面的SCO-2D自旋转换性能所致,而发生在更高温度的第二阶段的自旋转换行为则归因于生长于AAO孔道内的SCO-1D的自旋转换性能。     

MOF衍生的分层多孔三维N-CoPx/Ni2P大电流密度下加速析氢

氢气(H₂)具有能量密度高、环境友好等优点,是一种很有前景的清洁能源载体.目前,电催化水裂解大规模制氢被认为是一种理想可行的方法.析氢反应(HER)涉及多个步骤,首先形成吸附的氢(Volmer步骤),然后是脱附步骤(Heyrovsky步骤)或两个相邻的吸附氢形成H₂(Tafel步骤).与酸性介质相比,碱性介质中的HER可与现有的析氧反应(OER)催化剂偶合,降低电解水的设备成本,因此研究碱性条件下HER更具应用价值.但是,HER在碱性介质中不可避免地需要打破较强的共价键H–O–H,动力学缓慢,导致需要高过电位驱动反应.因此,开发适用于广泛的pH范围,特别是碱性介质高催化活性的催化剂,成为当务之急.金属铂是最高效的HER催化剂,但昂贵的价格严重阻碍了其在电解水中的大规模商业化应用.因此,开发过电位低和稳定性持久的非贵金属催化剂,特别是可以在大电流密度(>500 mA cm^-2的质子交换膜和碱性电解槽)下稳定工作的催化剂,对实际工业应用至关重要.过渡金属磷化物(TMPs),尤其是CoP和Ni₂P在HER中表现出了较好的催化活性,引起广泛关注.但是,有限的电子结构、低电导率和大电流密度测试过程中的团聚仍然是限制其实际应用的瓶颈.近年来,具有金属可调性、多孔型结构、高比表面积和多交叉开放通道的金属有机骨架(MOFs)已被证明是制备TMPs的理想前驱体.但是,在高温煅烧过程中无法避免MOF结构坍塌,导致开放通道和电导率降低,限制了电子/离子的传输以及在高电流密度下的电催化活性.本文通过TMPs和Co-MOF之间的简单拓扑化学转化制备了一种自支撑结构的N掺杂二元TMPs电催化剂(N-CoP_x/Ni₂P),以Co-MOF作为模板和前驱体,一部分泡沫镍原位磷化成Ni₂P,形成异质结构的双金属磷化物.扫描电镜和透射电镜结果表明,该催化剂呈三维多孔结构,有利于充分暴露活性位点.通过X射线光电子能谱分析了催化剂表面化学状态,发现形成了Co–N键,说明N掺杂成功.通过电化学测试结果表明,N-CoP_x/Ni₂P在全pH范围内表现出较好的HER活性,尤其在碱性介质中,当电流密度为650 mA cm^-2时,仅需要152 mV过电位.催化剂转化率为3.2 s^-1,法拉第效率接近100%,该催化剂在200 mA cm^-2电流密度下连续工作24 h无明显衰减.密度泛函理论计算表明,N-CoP_x/Ni₂P催化活性的增强归因于氮掺杂及双金属磷化物的协同作用提高了催化剂的本征活性位点,从而优化了氢吸附能和水结合能.综上,本文为廉价电催化剂的工业化应用提供了一种有前景的策略.     

Confined crystallization of polymers within anodic aluminum oxide templates

In this article, a review of recent literature on confined crystallization within nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates is presented. For almost all infiltrated polymeric materials, crystal orientation within the nanopores is a function of pore diameter. T_c and T_m usually decrease and are a function of pore size. When no pore interconnection remains, the crystallization occur at large supercoolings in heterogeneity free environments. Hence, the nucleation mechanism changes from heterogeneous to surface or homogeneous nucleation. The crystallization kinetics of infiltrated polymers should be close to first order, since in confined environments nucleation is the determining step of the overall crystallization and Avrami indexes (n) of ～1 (or lower in some cases) should be obtained. Examples are provided where these conditions have been met and first order kinetics (n = 1) were measured as opposed to higher orders (n = 3?4) for the same polymer in the bulk. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1179–1194     

Shaping the Light: The Key Factors Affecting the Photophysical Properties of Fluorescent Polymer Nanostructures

To manipulate the functions of nanomaterials more precisely for diverse applications, the controllability and critical influencing factors of their properties must be thoroughly investigated. In this work, the macroscopic and microscopic effects are studied on the photophysical properties of various pyrene‐ended poly(styrene‐block‐methyl methacrylate) nanostructures. Fluorescent polymer nanospheres, nanorods, and nanotubes are prepared by different template‐based methods using anodic aluminum oxide membranes. Chain arrangements and conformations are determined as the key factors affecting the photophysical properties of the fluorescent polymer nanostructures. This work not only gives a deeper understanding of the effects on the photophysical properties of polymer nanomaterials influenced by morphologies, chain arrangements, and chain conformations, but also provides a reference for designing proper fluorescent nanostructures for specific applications.

     

Non‐Lithography Hydrodynamic Printing of Micro/Nanostructures on Curved Surfaces

A key issue of micro/nano devices is how to integrate micro/nanostructures with specified chemical components onto various curved surfaces. Hydrodynamic printing of micro/nanostructures on three‐dimensional curved surfaces is achieved with a strategy that combines template‐induced hydrodynamic printing and self‐assembly of nanoparticles (NPs). Non‐lithography flexible wall‐shaped templates are replicated with microscale features by dicing a trench‐shaped silicon wafer. Arising from the capillary pumped function between the template and curved substrates, NPs in the colloidal suspension self‐assemble into close‐packed micro/nanostructures without a gravity effect. Theoretical analysis with the lattice Boltzmann model reveals the fundamental principles of the hydrodynamic assembly process. Spiral linear structures achieved by two kinds of fluorescent NPs show non‐interfering photoluminescence properties, while the waveguide and photoluminescence are confirmed in 3D curved space. The printed multiconstituent micro/nanostructures with single‐NP resolution may serve as a general platform for optoelectronics beyond flat surfaces.     

Formation of a Single-Crystal Aluminum-Based MOF Nanowire with Graphene Oxide Nanoscrolls as Structure-Directing Agents

An innovative strategy is proposed to synthesize single-crystal nanowires (NWs) of the Al³⁺ dicarboxylate MIL-69(Al) MOF by using graphene oxide nanoscrolls as structure-directing agents. MIL-69(Al) NWs with an average diameter of 70±20 nm and lengths up to 2 μm were found to preferentially grow along the [001] crystallographic direction. Advanced characterization methods (electron diffraction, TEM, STEM-HAADF, SEM, XPS) and molecular modeling revealed the mechanism of formation of MIL-69(Al) NWs involving size-confinement and templating effects. The formation of MIL-69(Al) seeds and the self-scroll of GO sheets followed by the anisotropic growth of MIL-69(Al) crystals are mediated by specific GO sheets/MOF interactions. This study delivers an unprecedented approach to control the design of 1D MOF nanostructures and superstructures.