Recycling Nanowire Templates for Multiplex Templating Synthesis: A Green and Sustainable Strategy

Template‐directed synthesis of nanostructures has been emerging as one of the most important synthetic methodologies. A pristine nanotemplate is usually chemically transformed into other compounds and sacrificed after templating or only acts as an inert physical template to support the new components. If a nanotemplate is costly or toxic as waste, to recycle such a nanotemplate becomes highly desirable. Recently, ultrathin tellurium nanowires (TeNWs) have been demonstrated as versatile chemical or physical templates for the synthesis of a diverse family of uniform 1D nanostructures. However, ultrathin TeNWs as template are usually costly and are discarded as toxic waste in ionic species after chemical reactions or erosion. To solve the above problem, we conceptually demonstrate that such a nanotemplate can be economically recycled from waste solutions and repeatedly used as template.     

Fabrication of Metallic Crescent-shaped Nanohole Arrays by Combination of Nanoimprint Lithography and Nanotransfer Printing

Molecular detection techniques based on localized surface plasmon resonances shift,surfaced-enhanced Raman spectroscopy,surface-enhanced fluorescence,and plasmon resonance energy transfer are all highly dependent on the intensity of localized electromagnetic fields[1-4].Many different nanostructures were fabricated for sensing.Ebbesen and his co-workers discovered that hole-based "hot spots" could act as optical antennae,which could concentrate the electromagnetic fields into extremely small regions[5].Many efforts have been devoted to understanding this unique transmission phenomenon in the past decade[6-8].     

3D打印MXene气凝胶基微型超级电容器技术与材料研究进展

微型超级电容器(Micro-supercapacitors,MSCs)作为便携、可穿戴、可植入的微型能量存储单元,因高功率密度、瞬间充放电及长循环寿命的优势,在柔性微型电化学储能技术中取得了快速发展。MXene基气凝胶材料因其三维多孔网状结构、优越导电性、亲水性等优势,能够缩短离子传输路径与提高电荷转移效率,在构建柔性MSCs中发挥重要作用,如活性电极材料、柔性导电集流体、油墨印刷等。然而,开发低价、高效、高性能的柔性MSCs器件仍面临诸多挑战。三维(3D)打印能够构建几何形状复杂的3D结构,制造不同尺寸和形状的微型储能器件。为了优化其电化学性能,分别对3D打印技术分类及其最新进展、可打印MXenes材料的设计原理研究进行了综述,总结了它们在与可穿戴电子设备集成MSCs设备中的应用。并对MXenes材料在解决3D打印MSCs的挑战性问题与发展前景做出展望。     

Heat‐Free Biomimetic Metal Molding on Soft Substrates

Fabrication of bio‐templated metallic structures is limited by differences in properties, processing conditions, packing, and material state(s). Herein, by using undercooled metal particles, differences in modulus and processing temperatures can be overcome. Adoption of autonomous processes such as self‐filtration, capillary pressure, and evaporative concentration leads to enhanced packing, stabilization (jamming) and point sintering with phase change to create solid metal replicas of complex bio‐based features. Differentiation of subtle differences between cultivars of the rose flower with reproduction over large areas shows that this biomimetic metal patterning (BIOMAP) is a versatile method to replicate biological features either as positive or negative reliefs irrespective of the substrate. Using rose petal patterns, we illustrate the versatility of bio‐templated mapping with undercooled metal particles at ambient conditions, and with unprecedented efficiency for metal structures.     

Emergent Soft Lithographic Tools for the Fabrication of Functional Polymeric Microstructures

Polymeric microstructures (PMs) are useful to a broad range of technologies applicable to, for example, sensing, energy storage, and soft robotics. Due to the diverse application space of PMs, many techniques (e. g., photolithography, 3D printing, micromilling, etc.) have been developed to fabricate these structures. Stemming from their generality and unique capabilities, the tools encompassed by soft lithography (e. g., replica molding, microcontact printing, etc.), which use soft elastomeric materials as masters in the fabrication of PMs, are particularly relevant. By taking advantage of the characteristics of elastomeric masters, particularly their mechanical and chemical properties, soft lithography has enabled the use of non-planar substrates and relatively inexpensive equipment in the generation of many types of PMs, redefining existing communities and creating new ones. Traditionally, these elastomeric masters have been produced from relief patterns fabricated using photolithography; however, recent efforts have led to the emergence of new methods that make use of masters that are self-forming, dynamic in their geometric and chemical properties, 3D in architecture, and/or sacrificial (i. e., easily removed/released using phase changes). These “next generation” soft lithographic masters include self-assembled liquid droplets, microscale balloons, templates derived from natural materials, and hierarchically microstructured surfaces. The new methods of fabrication supported by these unique masters enable access to numerous varieties of PMs (e. g., those with hierarchical microstructures, overhanging features, and 3D architectures) that would not be possible following established methods of soft lithography. This review explores these emergent soft lithographic methods, addressing their operational principles and the application space they can impact.     

One‐Pot Self‐Templating Synthesis of Pt Hollow Nanostructures and Their Catalytic Properties for CO Oxidation

Nanoporous Pt hollow nanostructures with octahedral and hexagonal frame‐like morphologies were prepared by a novel one‐pot self‐templating route with no assistance from a preformed template or shape‐directing agent. The hexagonal frame‐like Pt hollow structures exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic activity toward CO oxidation reaction compared to the octahedral Pt hollow nanostructures due to the higher oxidation state of Pt.     

Fabrication of Micro‐ and Nanoscale Polymer Structures by Soft Lithography and Spin Dewetting

In this work, the process of spin dewetting of a polymer solution on a topographically patterned PDMS mold was used for fabrication of micro‐ and nanaoscale polymer structures. Spin coating was used to provide a fast and reproducible coating. This simple technique was capable of producing a wide range of polymer feature geometries from a single microfabricated mold. This experimental study looks at the effects of the original mold feature geometry as well as the polymer solution concentration on the resultant microstructures. Polystyrene and poly(propyl methacrylate) were used as model polymers. Features with film thickness ranging from <100 nm to >5 µm were obtained using this technique. The process was also extended to fabrication of nanoscale features.

     

Dual-Function HKUST-1: Templating and Catalyzing Formation of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Quantum Dots Under Mild Conditions

Graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (g-CNQDs) are highly promising photoresponsive materials. However, synthesis of monodispersed g-CNQDs remains challenging. Here we report the dual function of MOF [Cu₃BTC₂] (HKUST-1) as a catalyst and template simultaneously to prepare g-CNQDs under mild conditions. Cyanamide (CA), a graphitic carbon nitride precursor, catalytically dimerized inside the larger MOF cavities at 90 °C and condensed into g-CNQDs at 120 °C in a controlled fashion. The HKUST-1 template was stable under the reaction conditions, leading to uniform g-CNQDs with a particle size of 2.22±0.68 nm. The as prepared g-CNQDs showed photoluminescence emission with a quantum yield of 3.1 %. This concept (MOF dual functionality) for catalyzing CA polycondensation (open metal sites (OMSs) effect) and controlling the produced particle size (pore-templating effect), together with the tunable MOF porosity, is expected to produce unique g-CNQDs with controllable size, morphology, and surface functionality.     

碳包裹软磁金属纳米粒子的绿色合成及热稳定性研究

本文报道了一种制备碳包裹软磁金属纳米粒子的绿色合成方法:将金属醋酸盐溶液与可溶性淀粉均匀混合,蒸发、烘干后在N2保护下热处理,得到金属纳米复合粒子(C@Ni,C@Co,C@Fe,C@CoNi,C@CoFe,C@FeNi)。TEM结果表明金属粒子均匀分散在碳介质中,粒径为3~5 nm。样品在室温下具有良好的抗氧化性、热稳定性和软磁性能。     

Use of thin sectioning (nanoskiving) to fabricate nanostructures for electronic and optical applications

This Review discusses nanoskiving--a simple and inexpensive method of nanofabrication, which minimizes requirements for access to cleanrooms and associated facilities, and which makes it possible to fabricate nanostructures from materials, and of geometries, to which more familiar methods of nanofabrication are not applicable. Nanoskiving requires three steps: 1) deposition of a metallic, semiconducting, ceramic, or polymeric thin film onto an epoxy substrate; 2) embedding this film in epoxy, to form an epoxy block, with the film as an inclusion; and 3) sectioning the epoxy block into slabs with an ultramicrotome. These slabs, which can be 30 nm-10 μm thick, contain nanostructures whose lateral dimensions are equal to the thicknesses of the embedded thin films. Electronic applications of structures produced by this method include nanoelectrodes for electrochemistry, chemoresistive nanowires, and heterostructures of organic semiconductors. Optical applications include surface plasmon resonators, plasmonic waveguides, and frequency-selective surfaces.     

Engineered Green Fluorescence Proteins for Proteomics and Biomolecular Electronic Applications

The discovery of the photochromic characteristics of engineered green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) allows new proteomics and biomolecular electronic applications. In particular, photoreversibility among two distinct optical states can lead to the realization of a bio-optical high density storage memory. Here we review our recent work on an optically bistable GFP and we report the recent developments of self-assembly methods for spatial immobilization of proteins into well-definite 2D patterns.     

软刻蚀及其应用

软刻蚀是一类基于自组装和复制模塑等原理的非光刻微米和纳米加工方法。它为形成和制作微米、纳米图案提供了简便、有效、价廉的途径。在软刻蚀中，用一个表面带图案的弹性模板来实现图案的转移，其加工的分辨率可达30nm－100μm。软刻蚀是微接触印刷、复制模塑、转移微模塑、毛细微模塑、溶剂辅助微模塑等的总称。本文将简介软刻蚀的原理、方法以及它们在微米和纳米加工、微电子学、材料科学、光学、微电子机械系统、表面化学等方面的应用。     

Porous Organic Polymers as Fire-Resistant Additives and Precursors for Hyperporous Carbon towards Oxygen Reduction Reactions

Cyclotriphosphazene (CP) based porous organic polymers (POPs) have been designed and prepared. The introduction of CP into the porous skeleton endowed special thermal stability and outstanding flame retardancy to prepared polymers. The nonflammable level of PNK-CMP fabricated via the condensation of 2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)diacetonitrile (DAN) and hexakis(4-acetylphenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene (HACTP) through Knoevenagel reaction, in vertical burning tests reached V-2 class (UL-94) and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) reached 20.8 %. When used as additive, PNK-CMP could suppress the dissolving out of PEPA effectively, reducing environment pollution and improving the flame retardant efficiency. The POP and PEPA co-added PU (m_POP%: m_PEPA%=5.0 %: 5.0 %) could not be ignited under simulated real-scale fire conditions. The nonflammable level of POP/PEPA/PU in vertical burning tests (UL-94) reached V-0 class with a LOI as high as 23.2 %. The smoke emission could also be suppressed, thus reducing the potential for flame spread and fire hazards. Furthermore, carbonization of PNK-CMP under the activation of KOH yield a hyperporous carbon (PNKA-800) with ultrahigh BET surface area (3001 m² g⁻¹) and ultramicropore size showing excellent ORR activity in alkaline conditions.     

Self-Assembled Surfactant-Polyoxovanadate Soft Materials as Tuneable Vanadium Oxide Cathode Precursors for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The mixing of [V₁₀O₂₈]⁶⁻ decavanadate anions with a dicationic gemini surfactant ( gem ) leads to the spontaneous self-assembly of surfactant-templated nanostructured arrays of decavanadate clusters. Calcination of the material under air yields highly crystalline, sponge-like V₂O₅ ( gem -V₂O₅ ). In contrast, calcination of the amorphous tetrabutylammonium decavanadate allows isolation of a more agglomerated V₂O₅ consisting of very small crystallites ( TBA -V₂O₅ ). Electrochemical analysis of the materials’ performance as lithium-ion intercalation electrodes highlights the role of morphology in cathode performance. The large crystallites and long-range microstructure of the gem -V₂O₅ cathode deliver higher initial capacity and superior capacity retention than TBA -V₂O₅ . The smaller crystallite size and higher surface area of TBA -V₂O₅ allow faster lithium insertion and superior rate performance to gem -V₂O₅ .