Two-dimensional electronic conjugation: statics and dynamics at structural domains beyond molecular wires

Chemical architectures supporting a high degree of electronic conjugation serve as important functional components in devices and materials for advanced electronic and photonic applications. Increasing the spatial dimensionality of such constructs can fundamentally modify their optoelectronic properties and significantly alter intra- and intermolecular interactions that are crucial for understanding and controlling charge/energy-transfer processes. In this article, emerging design principles in the construction of well-defined conjugated platforms beyond molecular wires are highlighted. Both covalent and noncovalent approaches can be strategically employed to position one-dimensional (1D) substructures in a spatially well-defined manner in order to enhance both structural and functional complexity in a two-dimensional (2D) setting. A predictable and controllable switching mechanism can be designed and implemented with mobile 2D electronic conjugation that operates by correlated motions of inherently rigid 1D subunits. This emerging "dynamic" approach complements and challenges the prevailing "static" paradigm of conjugated chemical architectures.     

Inverse opal photonic crystal of chalcogenide glass by solution processing

Chalcogenide opal and inverse opal photonic crystals were successfully fabricated by low-cost and low-temperature solution-based process, which is well developed in polymer films processing. Highly ordered silica colloidal crystal films were successfully infilled with nano-colloidal solution of the high refractive index As(30)S(70) chalcogenide glass by using spin-coating method. The silica/As-S opal film was etched in HF acid to dissolve the silica opal template and fabricate the inverse opal As-S photonic crystal. Both, the infilled silica/As-S opal film (Δn ~ 0.84 near λ=770 nm) and the inverse opal As-S photonic structure (Δn ~ 1.26 near λ=660 nm) had significantly enhanced reflectivity values and wider photonic bandgaps in comparison with the silica opal film template (Δn ~ 0.434 near λ=600 nm). The key aspects of opal film preparation by spin-coating of nano-colloidal chalcogenide glass solution are discussed. The solution fabricated "inorganic polymer" opal and the inverse opal structures exceed photonic properties of silica or any organic polymer opal film. The fabricated photonic structures are proposed for designing novel flexible colloidal crystal laser devices, photonic waveguides and chemical sensors.     

Stimuli-responsive 2D polyelectrolyte photonic crystals for optically encoded pH sensing

A versatile photonic crystal sensing motif based on a two-dimensional (2D) inverse opal monolayer of stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte gel with tunable optical properties is reported. The photonic membrane shows prompt response to pH and can be readily read out from either its optical spectra or interference colours.     

Preparation and characterization of Pb<Subscript>0.56</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.44</Subscript>Zr<Subscript>0.52</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>0.48</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> inverse opal

Pb_0.56Sr_0.44Zr_0.52Ti_0.48O₃ (PSZT) inverse opal photonic crystals (PCs) have been synthesized by a process of self-assembly in combination with a sol–gel procedure. PSZT inverse opals show pure perovskite structure with good orders in three dimensions. The evident photonic band gaps have been observed in the transmittance spectra with a blue-shift phenomenon due to the decrease of opal template periods. PSZT inverse opals also exhibit the reflection peaks in basic agreement with the calculated results. This three-dimensional (3D) ordered PSZT inverse opals have shown interesting optical characteristics and potential applications in optoelectronic and photonic devices.     

胶体晶体自组装排列进展

自组装排列胶体晶体是发展光子晶体等亚微米周期有序结构及新型光电子器件十分重要的环节.高电荷密度单分散胶体球在较弱的离子强度和稀浓度下会自发排列形成紧密堆积的周期性结构(ccp),常常是面心立方(fcc),科学家们以此为基础发展了多种结晶化胶体粒子的方法,包括重力场沉积、电泳沉积、胶体外延技术、垂直沉积、流通池、物理束缚排列及其他的许多方法.目前排列的胶体粒子基本为球形,材料也多为SiO2、PS、PMMA,此外一些复合粒子,主要为核壳粒子的排列这里也稍作介绍,这些方法及其变通的使用可以形成类蛋白石及反蛋白石结构,最终实现光子带隙及其它多种用途。     

Recent advances in fabrication of monolayer colloidal crystals and their inverse replicas

Monolayer colloidal crystals(MCCs)are two-dimensional(2D)colloidal crystals consisting of a monolayer of monodisperse colloidal particles arrayed with a 2D periodic order.In recent years,MCCs have attracted intensive interest because they can act as 2D photonic crystals and be used as versatile templates for fabrication of various 2D nanostructure arrays.In this review,we provide an overview of the recent progress in the controllable fabrication of MCCs and their inverse replicas.First,some newly-developed methods for the self-assembly of MCCs based on different strategies including interfacial assembly and convective assembly are introduced.Second,some representative novel methods regarding the fabrication of various functional2D inverse replicas of MCCs,such as 2D arrays of nanobowls,nanocaps,and hollow spheres,as well as 2D monolayer inverse opals(MIOs),are described.In addition,the potential applications of MCCs and their inverse replicas are discussed.     

Templated‐Assembly of CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals into 2D Photonic Supercrystals with Amplified Spontaneous Emission

Perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have revolutionized optoelectronic devices because of their versatile optical properties. However, controlling and extending these functionalities often requires a light‐management strategy involving additional processing steps. Herein, we introduce a simple approach to shape perovskite nanocrystals (NC) into photonic architectures that provide light management by directly shaping the active material. Pre‐patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) templates are used for the template‐induced self‐assembly of 10 nm CsPbBr₃ perovskite NC colloids into large area (1 cm²) 2D photonic crystals with tunable lattice spacing, ranging from 400 nm up to several microns. The photonic crystal arrangement facilitates efficient light coupling to the nanocrystal layer, thereby increasing the electric field intensity within the perovskite film. As a result, CsPbBr₃ 2D photonic crystals show amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) under lower optical excitation fluences in the near‐IR, in contrast to equivalent flat NC films prepared using the same colloidal ink. This improvement is attributed to the enhanced multi‐photon absorption caused by light trapping in the photonic crystal.     

Mesoporous Silica and Organosilica Films Templated by Nanocrystalline Chitin

Liquid crystalline phases can be used to impart order into inorganic solids, creating materials that mimic natural architectures. Herein, mesoporous silica and organosilica films with layered structures and high surface areas have been templated by nanocrystalline chitin. Aqueous suspensions of spindle‐shaped chitin nanocrystals were prepared by sequential deacetylation and hydrolysis of chitin fibrils isolated from king crab shells. The nanocrystalline chitin self‐assembles into a nematic liquid‐crystalline phase that has been used to template silica and organosilica composites. Removal of the chitin template by either calcination or sulfuric‐acid‐catalyzed hydrolysis gave mesoporous silica and ethylene‐bridged organosilica films. The large, crack‐free mesoporous films have layered structures with features that originate from the nematic organization of the nanocrystalline chitin.     

Opal and inverse opal photonic crystals: Fabrication and characterization

Three-dimensional photonic crystals made of close-packed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spheres or air spheres in silica, titania and ceria matrices have been fabricated and characterized using SEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and UV–Vis transmittance measurements. The PMMA colloidal crystals (opals) were grown by self-assembly from aqueous suspensions of monodisperse PMMA spheres with diameters between 280 and 415 nm. SEM confirmed the PMMA spheres crystallized uniformly in a face-centred cubic (fcc) array, and UV–Vis measurements show that the colloidal crystals possess pseudo photonic band gaps in the visible and near-IR regions. Inverse opals were prepared by depositing silica (SiO₂), titania (TiO₂) or ceria (CeO₂) in the voids of the PMMA colloidal crystals using sol-gel procedures, then calcining the resulting structure at 550 °C to remove the polymer template. The resulting macroporous materials showed fcc ordering of air spheres separated by thin frameworks of amorphous silica, nanocrystalline titania or nanocrystalline ceria particles, respectively. Optical measurements confirmed the photonic nature of the inverse opal arrays. UV–Vis data collected for the opals and inverse opals obeyed a modified Bragg’s law expression that considers both diffraction and refraction of light by the photonic crystal architectures. The versatility of the colloidal crystal template approach for the fabrication of macroporous oxide structures is demonstrated.     

仿鲍鱼壳石墨烯多功能纳米复合材料

石墨烯具有力学性能高、电导率优异等特点,然而单层石墨烯纳米片在组装成为宏观纳米复合材料的过程中,往往会出现片层团聚、界面作用弱、无规取向等问题,导致宏观石墨烯纳米复合材料性能远低于单片石墨烯。因此,如何将微观石墨烯纳米片层的高性能在宏观纳米复合材料中体现出来,是目前研究的热点和难点。本专论结合目前石墨烯纳米复合材料的研究现状,简要讨论了受天然鲍鱼壳的“砖-泥”结构的启发,仿生构筑高性能石墨烯纳米复合材料的最新研究进展。并对本课题组在仿鲍鱼壳石墨烯多功能纳米复合材料领域近年来的工作进行介绍,包括石墨烯纤维、薄膜和块材等多种宏观石墨烯纳米复合材料,系统总结构筑仿鲍鱼壳结构和反鲍鱼壳结构两种策略,在一定程度上解决了石墨烯在组装过程中的科学问题。同时,详细阐述了仿鲍鱼壳石墨烯多功能纳米复合材料的增强增韧机制和功能化策略,分析了今后研究工作中可能遇到的问题,并展望了未来的发展趋势。     

Tuning of Photonic band gap via combined effect of electric and optical fields in a blue phase liquid crystal composite

ABSTRACT

Blue phase liquid crystals are soft 3D photonic crystals in which the liquid crystal molecules self-assemble to form a cubic structure with lattice spacing of a few hundred nanometers resulting in selective reflection of colours in the visible spectrum. The corresponding wavelength or the ‘photonic band gap’ can be tuned using various external stimuli such as thermal, electric, magnetic and optical fields. Here, we report efficient tuning of photonic band gap by utilising the combination of electric and optical fields in a blue phase liquid crystalline system. The studies indicate that the chirality of the medium has a direct bearing on the direction of the wavelength shift and the extent of the photonic band gap tunability. More importantly, the synergistic effect of the two fields helps in reversible tuning of the band gap.     

Introduction of a planar defect in a molecularly imprinted photonic crystal sensor for the detection of bisphenol A

This paper reports the preparation of a molecularly imprinted inverse opal hydrogel containing a 2D defect layer, by combining the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and the photonic crystal template method. By coupling the exceptional characteristics of molecularly imprinted polymers, sensitive to the presence of a target molecule, and those of photonic crystals in a single device, we could obtain a defect-embedded imprinted photonic polymer consisting in a three-dimensional, highly-ordered and interconnected macroporous array, where nanocavities complementary to analytes in shape and binding sites are distributed. As a proof of concept, we prepared a three-dimensional macroporous array of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) containing molecular imprints of bisphenol A (BPA) and a planar defect layer consisting in macropores of different size. The optical properties of the resulting inverse opal were investigated using reflection spectroscopy. The defect layer was shown to enhance the sensitivity of the photonic crystal material, opening new possibilities towards the development smart optical sensing devices.     

Coordination networks through the dimensions: from discrete clusters to 1D, 2D, and 3D silver(I) coordination polymers with rigid aliphatic amino ligands

The use of a ligand directed strategy in the assembly of discrete clusters, 1D chains, 2D layers, and 3D networks using aliphatic N-donor ligands has been investigated. The ligands are a family of amines with rigid backbones [cis,cis-1,3,5-triaminocyclohexane (cis-tach), cis,trans-1,3,5-triaminocyclohexane (trans-tach), cis-1,3-diaminocyclohexane (cis-dach), and cis-3,5-diaminopiperidine (cis-dapi)], and their complexation with Ag(I) salts results in a diverse set of architectures with the following compositions: [Ag3(cis-tach)2]F3.4CH(3)OH.0.5H2O (1), [Ag3(cis-tach)2]F3.6H2O (2), ([Ag(cis-dach)]ClO4)n (3), ([Ag(cis-tach)]NO3)n (4), ([Ag(trans-tach)]PF6)n(5), and ([Ag(cis-dapi)]CF3SO3)n (6). Structural analysis shows that compounds 1 and 2 are discrete M(3)L(2) cage-type clusters with varying solvent molecule content. Short Ag...Ag contacts (3.021(8) A) are observed to dimerize discrete units in compound 2. Compound 3 is a 1D zigzag chain formed by coordination to the two primary amines of cis-dach, whereas the tridentate ligands in compounds 4 and 5 (cis-tach and trans-tach, respectively) are able to form tubular architectures by virtue of their ability to "wrap" round the channel walls. An infinite 2D coordination network is demonstrated by compound 6, in which the three coplanar amino donors of cis-dapi coordinate to the trigonal planar Ag(I) ions to form a layered structure of 6(3) topology. These are compared with a previously reported 3D structure, ([Ag(trans-tach)]NO3)n (7), that belongs to this family of architectures.     

Continuous modification of upconversion luminescence of fluorescent dye in the crystalline colloidal arrays

The crystalline colloidal arrays with controllable photonic bandgaps were prepared by the change of volume fraction of the polystyrene microspheres. Upconversion emission property of fluorescent dye has investigated in crystalline colloidal array, and continuous modification of the upconversion emission of fluorescent dye was observed. A significant suppression of upconversion emission of dye in the range of the photonic bandgap as well as enhancement at the bandgap edge was obtained in the crystalline colloidal arrays. In addition, upconversion emission of dye was also enhanced when the excited light overlapped with the long or short bandgap edge of the crystalline colloidal arrays, which is due to slow photons effect near the edges of a photonic bandgap. The continuous modification and enhancement of upconversion emission may be important for the development of low-threshold upconversion lasers and displays.     

From Interaction to Function in DNA-Templated Supramolecular Self-Assemblies

DNA-templated self-assembly represents a rich and growing subset of supramolecular chemistry where functional self-assemblies are programmed in a versatile manner using nucleic acids as readily-available and readily-tunable templates. In this review, we summarize the different DNA recognition modes and the basic supramolecular interactions at play in this context. We discuss the recent results that report the DNA-templated self-assembly of small molecules into complex yet precise nanoarrays, going from 1D to 3D architectures. Finally, we show their emerging functions as photonic/electronic nanowires, sensors, gene delivery vectors, and supramolecular catalysts, and their growing applications in a wide range of area from materials to biological sciences.     

Response of nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystals to ambient vapor pressure

Herein we report an analysis of the variation of the optical properties of different nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystal architectures versus changes in the ambient vapor pressure. Gradual shift of the optical response provides us with information on the sorption properties of these structures and allow us to measure precise adsorption isotherms of these porous multilayers. The potential of nanoparticle-based one-dimensional photonic crystals as base materials for optical sensing devices is demonstrated in this way.     

Construction of 3D hierarchical SnO2 microspheres from porous nanosheets towards NO decomposition

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical architectures are currently attracting worldwide interest owing to their fascinating morphology-dependent properties and potential applications. Herein we constructed SnO₂ microspheres with 3D hierarchical flower-like architectures self-assembled with porous SnS₂ nanosheets by a facile hydrothermal method with subsequent calcination. The chemical and physical properties as well as photocatalytic application of SnO₂ microspheres were investigated. The size and morphology were examined with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The phase and crystalline structure were determined with powder X-ray diffraction. The UV–Vis absorption property was determined with UV–Vis diffuse reflectance. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated with nitrogen monoxide (NO) decomposition under UV–Vis light irradiation. The effects of calcination temperature on morphology and NO decomposition were also studied.     

Temperature induced single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations and structure directed effects on magnetic properties

The binding of CoII, NiII, and CuII cations to the lithium 3-pyridinesulfonate ligand in an aqueous solution leads to single crystals of coordination polymers 1-3. The solid-state architectures of 1-3 which resulted from the combination of ligand-water heterocomplexation processes are linear coordination polymers packed into parallel alternatively stratified layers. These layers are interconnected through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions occurring between the coordinated water molecules and the noncoordinating oxygen atoms of the sulfonate groups. Consequently, this leads to the formation of the cross-linked 3D (1, 2) or layered 2D (3) networks exhibiting 12-point or four-point hydrogen bond contacts between each unit with eight or four adjacent neighbors, respectively. The reversible structural rearrangement of these frameworks proceeds from the "relaxed" room-temperature phase to the "contracted" low-temperature phase in response to an external thermal stimulus. The reversibility of the contraction/relaxation process has been tested and confirmed by X-ray analysis. Motions toward shortening intermolecular distances have the consequence of increasing the degree of magnetic interaction between the metal ions. The magnetic measurements carried out in the range 1.8-400 K on the three compounds show an unusual change from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic behavior related to the structural variations recorded at low temperatures and to the loss of water above 350 K.     

A Photochemical Route towards Metal Sulfide Nanosheets from Layered Metal Thiolate Complexes

Synthesizing nanomaterials with anisotropic architectures, especially two‐dimensional (2D) nanosheets (NSs), is a key focus of materials science research. Metal sulfide nanosheets (MSNSs) are typically obtained involving exfoliation of bulk metal sulfides with layered structures. The synthesis of NSs of intrinsically non‐layered metal sulfides has received relatively less attention. Metal alkanethiolates with lamellar structures are now shown to serve as effective scaffolds for constructing NSs. A novel photochemical step was employed to transform 2D metal thiolates into MSNSs. By this strategy the 2D nature of metal thiolate precursors was preserved in the final products, resulting in the successful synthesis of NSs of binary PbS, CdS, and Cu₉S₅, as well as ternary wurtzite CuInS₂, Cu₂SnS₃. Results encourage the wider utilization of photochemical strategies in the synthesis of anisotropic MSNSs.     

Thermoresponsive inverse opal films fabricated with liquid-crystal elastomers and nematic liquid crystals

Liquid-crystal elastomers together with nematic liquid crystals have been used as inverse opal materials to fabricate thermoresponsive photonic crystal directly. In the vicinity of the phase-transition point of the mixture, the photonic band gaps of such inverse opal films exhibited a strong temperature dependence. As the molar ratio of liquid-crystal elastomers and nematic liquid crystals changed, the character of their PBGs also changed with increasing temperature. Such a temperature-tuning effect in the photonic band gap should be of great interest in thermal switches and thermal sensors.