Synthesis of Aqueous CdTe Nanocrystals with High Efficient Blue‐Green Emission of Exciton

As one of the most popular nanocrystals (NCs), aqueous CdTe NCs have very weak green emission under conventional synthesis conditions. In this work, we report the first example of blue‐emitting CdTe NCs directly synthesized in aqueous solution by slowing down the growth rate after nucleation. The key for the synthesis is the optimization of NC growth conditions, namely pH range of 7.5 to 8.5, TGA/Cd ratio of 3.6, Cd/Te ratio of 10, and Te concentration of 2×10^?5 mol/L, to get a slow growth rate after nucleation. The as‐prepared blue‐emitting CdTe NCs have small size (as small as 1.9 nm) and bright emission [with 4% photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) at 486 nm and 17% PLQY at 500 nm]. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the as‐prepared CdTe show monodispersed NCs which exhibit cubic zinc blend structure. Moreover, time‐resolved PL decay and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show the as‐prepared NCs have better surface modification by ligand, which makes these luminescent small CdTe NCs have higher photoluminescence quantum yield, compared with NCs synthesized under conventional conditions.     

Synthesis of Positively Charged Luminescent CdTe Nanocrystals in Aqueous Solution

Highly luminescent positively charged CdTe nanocrystals were prepared from a facile and reproducible approach by the reaction of Cd²⁺ and HTe^? in the presence of mercaptoethylamine. The influence of various experimental variables, including pH value, growth temperature, Te-to-Cd ratio, as well as Cd-to-ligand ratio, on the growth rate and optical properties of CdTe nanocrystals have been systematically investigated. Experimental results indicate that the pH value and Te-to-Cd molar ratio play the crucial role in determining luminescent properties of the obtained CdTe nanocrystals. The mechanism for the resulting high-quality optical properties of the resulting CdTe nanocrystals was also elucidated.     

5‐(2‐Mercaptoethyl)‐1H‐tetrazole: Facile Synthesis and Application for the Preparation of Water Soluble Nanocrystals and Their Gels

A facile method for the preparation of the novel capping ligand 5‐(2‐mercaptoethyl)‐1H‐tetrazole for the stabilization of water‐soluble nanocrystals was developed. This effective synthetic procedure is based on the cycloaddition of sodium azide to 3,3′‐dithiobis(propionitrile) followed by the reductive cleavage of a S?S bond with triphenylphosphine. The structure of the synthesized compound was confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. A target tetrazole was successfully applied for the direct aqueous synthesis of CdTe and Au nanocrystals. CdTe nanocrystals capped with 5‐(2‐mercaptoethyl)‐1H‐tetrazole were found to reveal high photoluminescence efficiencies (up to 77 %). Nanocrystals capped with this tetrazole ligand are able to build 3D structures in a metal‐ion‐assisted gelation process in aqueous solution. Critical point drying of the as‐formed hydrogels allowed the preparation of the corresponding aerogels, while preserving the mesoporous structure.     

Aqueous Precursor Induced Morphological Change and Improved Water Stability of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals

In the literature, lead halide perovskites are very notable for their degradation in the presence of polar solvents, such as water. In contrast, in this research, it is observed that adding a minor amount of water into the precursor solution can improve the stability and photoluminescence quantum yield of CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals through a ligand-assisted reprecipitation (LARP) method. In this way, the shape and phase transformation from CsPbBr₃ nanoplates to CsPbBr₃/Cs₄PbBr₆ nanorods and Cs₄PbBr₆ nanowires can be controlled with increasing water content in the precursor solution. Upon adding water up to an ideal amount, CsPbBr₃ maintains its phase and nanoplate morphology. The key role of water amount for tuning the crystallinity, stability, morphology, optical properties, and phase transformation of cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals will be beneficial in the future commercialization of optoelectronics.     

Preparation of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Jujube Cores by Fractional Purification

Jujube cores are fiber-rich industrial waste. Dewaxing, alkali treatment, bleaching, and sulfuric acid hydrolysis were used to generate cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from the jujube cores in this study. The morphological, structural, crystallinity, and thermal properties of the fibers were investigated using FE-SEM, TEM, AFM, FT-IR, XRD, and TGA under various processes. CNCs’ zeta (ζ) potential and water contact angle (WAC) were also investigated. The findings demonstrate that non-fibrous components were effectively removed, and the fiber particles shrunk over time because of many activities. CNCs had a rod-like shape, with a length of 205.7 ± 52.4 nm and a 20.5 aspect ratio. The crystal structure of cellulose Iβ was preserved by the CNCs, and the crystallinity was 72.36%. The temperature of the fibers’ thermal degradation lowered during the operations, although CNCs still had outstanding thermal stability (>200 °C). Aside from the CNCs, the aqueous suspension of CNCs was slightly agglomerated; thus, the zeta (ζ) potential of the CNCs’ suspension was −23.72 ± 1.7 mV, and the powder had high hydrophilicity. This research will be valuable to individuals who want to explore the possibility for CNCs made of jujube cores.     

Designing Upconversion Nanocrystals Capable of 745 nm Sensitization and 803 nm Emission for Deep‐Tissue Imaging

A crystal design strategy is described that generates hexagonal‐phased NaYF₄:Nd/Yb@NaYF₄:Yb/Tm luminescent nanocrystals with the ability to emit light at 803 nm when illuminated at 745 nm. This is accomplished by taking advantage of the large absorption cross‐section of Nd³⁺ between 720 and 760 nm plus efficient spatial energy transfer and migration through Nd³⁺→Yb³⁺→Yb³⁺→Tm³⁺. Mechanistic investigations suggest that a cascaded two‐photon energy transfer upconversion process underlies the emission mechanism. This protocol enables deep‐tissue imaging to be achieved while mitigating the attenuation effect associated with the visible emission and the overheating constraint imposed by conventional 980 nm excitation.     

Facet‐Dependent Catalytic Activity of Cu2O Nanocrystals in the One‐Pot Synthesis of 1,2,3‐Triazoles by Multicomponent Click Reactions

We report the highly facet‐dependent catalytic activity of Cu₂O nanocubes, octahedra, and rhombic dodecahedra for the multicomponent direct synthesis of 1,2,3‐triazoles from the reaction of alkynes, organic halides, and NaN₃. The catalytic activities of clean surfactant‐removed Cu₂O nanocrystals with the same total surface area were compared. Rhombic dodecahedral Cu₂O nanocrystals bounded by {110} facets were much more catalytically active than Cu₂O octahedra exposing {111} facets, whereas Cu₂O nanocubes displayed the slowest catalytic activity. The superior catalytic activity of Cu₂O rhombic dodecahedra is attributed to the fully exposed surface Cu atoms on the {110} facet. A large series of 1,4‐disubstituted 1,2,3‐triazoles have been synthesized in excellent yields with high regioselectivity under green conditions by using these rhombic dodecahedral Cu₂O catalysts, including the synthesis of rufinamide, an antiepileptic drug, demonstrating the potential of these nanocrystals as promising heterogeneous catalysts for other important coupling reactions.     

Hydrochromic CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals for Anti‐Counterfeiting

Hydrochromic materials that can reversibly change color upon water treatment have attracted much attention owing to their potential applications in diverse fields. Herein, for the first time, we report that space‐confined CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals (NCs) are hydrochromic. When CsPbBr₃ NCs are loaded into a porous matrix, reversible transition between luminescent CsPbBr₃ and non‐luminescent CsPb₂Br₅ can be achieved upon the exposure/removal of water. The potential applications of hydrochromic CsPbBr₃ NCs in anti‐counterfeiting are demonstrated by using CsPbBr₃ NCs@mesoporous silica nanospheres (around 100 nm) as the starting material. Owing to the small particle size and negatively charged surface, the as‐prepared particles can be laser‐jet printed with high precision and high speed. We demonstrate the excellent stability over repeated transformation cycles without color fade. This new discovery may not only deepen the understanding of CsPbX₃, but also open a new way to design CsPbX₃ materials for new applications.     

Solid‐State Electrochemiluminescence of F‐doped SnO2 Nanocrystals and Its Sensing Application

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behaviors and mechanisms of fluorine‐doped tin oxide (F‐SnO₂) semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) were firstly investigated in both of nonaqueous and aqueous solutions via potential scanning or pulsing. Furthermore, the ECL of F‐SnO₂ was applied successfully to detect dopamine based on the quenching effect.     

Biocatalytic Oxidative Cascade for the Conversion of Fatty Acids into α‐Ketoacids via Internal H2O2 Recycling

The functionalization of bio‐based chemicals is essential to allow valorization of natural carbon sources. An atom‐efficient biocatalytic oxidative cascade was developed for the conversion of saturated fatty acids to α‐ketoacids. Employment of P450 monooxygenase in the peroxygenase mode for regioselective α‐hydroxylation of fatty acids combined with enantioselective oxidation by α‐hydroxyacid oxidase(s) resulted in internal recycling of the oxidant H₂O₂, thus minimizing degradation of ketoacid product and maximizing biocatalyst lifetime. The O₂‐dependent cascade relies on catalytic amounts of H₂O₂ and releases water as sole by‐product. Octanoic acid was converted under mild conditions in aqueous buffer to 2‐oxooctanoic acid in a simultaneous one‐pot two‐step cascade in up to >99 % conversion without accumulation of hydroxyacid intermediate. Scale‐up allowed isolation of final product in 91 % yield and the cascade was applied to fatty acids of various chain lengths (C6:0 to C10:0).     

Self‐Assembly of Lead Chalcogenide Nanocrystals

This review focuses on recent developments in the self‐assembly of lead chalcogenide nanocrystals into two‐ and three‐dimensional superstructures. Self‐assembly is categorized by the shapes of building blocks, including nanospheres, nanocubes, nano‐octahedra, and nanostars. In the section on nanospheres, rapid assemblies of lead chalcogenide‐based multicomponent nanocrystals with additional components, such as semiconductors, noble metals, and magnetic nanocrystals, are further highlighted. In situ self‐assembly of lead chalcogenide nanocrystals into one‐dimensional nanostructures at elevated temperatures is also covered. Each section of this paper highlights examples extracted from recent publications. Finally, relatively novel properties and applications arising from lead chalcogenide superlattices as typical examples are also discussed.     

All‐in‐One Cellulose Nanocrystals for 3D Printing of Nanocomposite Hydrogels

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with >2000 photoactive groups on each can act as highly efficient initiators for radical polymerizations, cross‐linkers, as well as covalently embedded nanofillers for nanocomposite hydrogels. This is achieved by a simple and reliable method for surface modification of CNCs with a photoactive bis(acyl)phosphane oxide derivative. Shape‐persistent and free‐standing 3D structured objects were printed with a mono‐functional methacrylate, showing a superior swelling capacity and improved mechanical properties.     

Novel Strategy for Synthesis of High Quality CdTe Nanocrystals in Aqueous Solution

A novel aqueous route for the synthesis of high-quality CdTe nanocrystals（NCs） is presented in this article. With both glutathione（GSH） and cysteine[n（GSH）：n（cysteine）=1：3] as stabilizers, high-quality CdTe NCs with controllable photoluminescence（PL） wavelength from 500 to 630 nm can be prepared within 4 h. As-prepared CdTe NCs show higher photoluminescence quantum yields（PLQY） compared with CdTe NCs prepared via other aqueous methods. When the fluorescent emission peak appeared in orange-red window, the PLQY reaches 70% or above at room temperature without any post-preparative treatment.     

Synthesis of 10 nm β‐NaYF4:Yb,Er/NaYF4 Core/Shell Upconversion Nanocrystals with 5 nm Particle Cores

A new method is presented for preparing gram amounts of very small core/shell upconversion nanocrystals without additional codoping of the particles. First, ca. 5 nm β‐NaYF₄:Yb,Er core particles are formed by the reaction of sodium oleate, rare‐earth oleate, and ammonium fluoride, thereby making use of the fact that a high ratio of sodium to rare‐earth ions promotes the nucleation of a large number of β‐phase seeds. Thereafter, a 2 nm thick NaYF₄ shell is formed by using 3–4 nm particles of α‐NaYF₄ as a single‐source precursor for the β‐phase shell material. In contrast to the core particles, however, these α‐phase particles are prepared with a low ratio of sodium to rare‐earth ions, which efficiently suppresses an undesired nucleation of β‐NaYF₄ particles during shell growth.     

Colloidal Noble‐Metal and Bimetallic Alloy Nanocrystals: A General Synthetic Method and Their Catalytic Hydrogenation Properties

A general single‐step strategy has been developed for the direct thermal decomposition of noble‐metal salts in octadecylamine to synthesize octahedron‐ and rod‐shaped noble‐metal aggregates and monodisperse noble‐metal or bimetallic alloy nanocrystals without introducing any additive into the system. It has presented a facile and economic way to fabricate these nanocrystals, especially alloy nanocrystals, which does not require a post‐synthesis solid‐state annealing process. The morphology of the nanocrystals can be easily controlled by tuning the synthetic temperature. Their ability to catalyze heterogeneous Suzuki coupling reactions has been investigated and showed satisfactory catalytic activity. The catalytic performance of the monometallic and bimetallic alloy nanocrystals were also evaluated in the selective hydrogenation of citral in a conventional organic solvent (toluene) and a green solvent (supercritical carbon dioxide, scCO₂). Interestingly, the catalysts performed differently to each other when they were in scCO₂ owing to the different morphology, which should be readily optimized for further use.     

Highly Intensified Upconversion Luminescence of Ca2+‐doped Yb/Er:NaGdF4 Nanocrystals Prepared by a Solvothermal Route

Upon introducing Ca²⁺ dopants into the grain lattices by substituting Gd³⁺ ions, irregular Yb/Er:NaGdF₄ nanocrystals prepared through a simple solvothermal route convert into highly uniform nanorods. Meanwhile, their upconversion luminescence intensifies by about 200 times, probably due to a modification of the crystal structure of NaGdF₄ and an improvement in the crystallinity of the nanophase.     

Ionic‐Liquid‐Assisted Synthesis of Uniform Fluorinated B/C‐Codoped TiO2 Nanocrystals and Their Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

Exploiting advanced photocatalysts under visible light is of primary significance for the development of environmentally relevant photocatalytic decontamination processes. In this study, the ionic liquid (IL), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, was employed for the first time as both a structure‐directing agent and a dopant for the synthesis of novel fluorinated B/C‐codoped anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals (T_IL) through hydrothermal hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate. These T_IL nanocrystals feature uniform crystallite and pore sizes and are stable with respect to phase transitions, crystal ripening, and pore collapse upon calcination treatment. More significantly, these nanocrystals possess abundant localized states and strong visible‐light absorption in a wide range of wavelengths. Because of synergic interactions between titania and codopants, the calcined T_IL samples exhibited high visible‐light photocatalytic activity in the presence of oxidizing Rhodamine B (RhB). In particular, 300 °C‐calcined T_IL was most photocatalytically active; its activity was much higher than that of TiO_1.98N_0.02 and reference samples (T_W) obtained under identical conditions in the absence of ionic liquid. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic oxidation mechanism and the active species involved in the RhB degradation photocatalyzed by the T_IL samples were primarily investigated experimentally by using different scavengers. It was found that both holes and electrons, as well as their derived active species, such as ^.OH, contributed to the RhB degradation occurring on the fluorinated B/C‐codoped TiO₂ photocatalyst, in terms of both the photocatalytic reaction dynamics and the reaction pathway. The synthesis of the aforementioned novel photocatalyst and the identification of specific active species involved in the photodegradation of dyes could shed new light on the design and synthesis of semiconductor materials with enhanced photocatalytic activity towards organic pollutants.     

A Synthetic Method for Transition‐Metal Chalcogenide Nanocrystals

A facile wet route was applied to prepare a series of chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals (see figure) in controllable shapes and sizes, while a general bottom‐up approach was adopted to transform these cyclohexane‐soluble monodisperse nanocrystals into water‐soluble colloidal spheres.