Single-Molecule White-Light-Emitting Starburst Donor-Acceptor Triphenylamine Derivatives and Their Application as Ratiometric Luminescent Molecular Thermometers

White-light emission (WLE) from a single molecule is a highly desirable alternative to a complex mixture of complementary colour emitters, which suffers from poor stability and reproducibility for potential use in organic electronic devices and lighting applications. We report single-molecule WLE both in solution and thin films by judiciously controlled π-electron delocalisation between the triarylamine subchromophoric units. Triphenylamine (TPA) forms the central core, and the phenyl rings are substituted with the electron-deficient acceptor 3-ethylrhodanine (Rh) and electron-rich donors triphenylamine or carbazole. The enforced biphenyl configuration of the TPA core and the other donors renders the π-conjugation across the entire chromophore poor, thus the individual subchromophoric units retain their individual emission characteristics, which cover all three primary colour emissions, that is, red, green and blue (RGB). TPA−Rh units exhibit broad fluorescence in the green-red region originating from the local excited (LE) state and intramolecular charge transfer state (ICT), strongly influenced by the solvent, water, and temperature. Different fluorescence parameters, including spectral maxima, ratiometric changes in ICT emission at the expense of blue emission from terminal donor units, and changes in lifetime, have a linear relationship with temperature between 180–330 K, thus the molecules can function as a multiparameter luminescent molecular thermometer. A temperature coefficient of 0.19 K⁻¹ in ratiometric fluorescence changes along with a spectral shift of 0.3 nm K⁻¹ and their workability over the wide temperature makes these molecules promising materials for potential applications. At lower temperatures, individual subchromophoric properties subside because of the reduced dihedral angle of biphenyl, and fluorescence from the whole molecule becomes dominant.     

Fluorescence and Morphology of Self-Assembled Nucleobases and Their Diphenylalanine Hybrid Aggregates

Studies carried out in recent decades have revealed that the ability to self-assemble is a widespread property among biomolecules. Small nucleic acid moieties or very short peptides are able to generate intricate assemblies endowed with remarkable structural and spectroscopic properties. Herein, the structural/spectroscopic characterization of aggregates formed by nucleobases and peptide nucleic acid (PNA)–peptide conjugates are reported. At high concentration, all studied nucleobases form aggregates characterized by previously unreported fluorescence properties. The conjugation of these bases, as PNA derivatives, to the dipeptide Phe–Phe leads to the formation of novel hybrid assemblies, which are characterized by an amyloid-like association of the monomers. Although these compounds share the same basic cross-β motif, the nature and number of PNA units have an important impact on both the level of structural order and the intrinsic fluorescence of the self-assembled nanostructure.     

铁表面银纳米粒子自组装膜及其缓蚀性能研究

应用化学还原法于水溶液中制备银纳米粒子.在十二烷基硫醇的保护下,将银纳米粒子从水相转移到甲苯相,并将处理好的铁电极浸泡在含有十二烷基硫醇保护的银纳米粒子/甲苯溶液中,制得十二烷基硫醇/银纳米粒子自组装混合膜.电化学方法如交流阻抗谱(EIS)、极化曲线等研究该自组装膜在0.5 mol.L-1H2SO4溶液中的缓蚀作用.XPS测试证实该自组装膜十二烷基硫醇和银纳米粒子之存在.     

层层自组装聚电解质多层膜的制备及在膜分离中的应用

扼要论述了聚电解质自组装膜制备过程中电荷密度、驱动力及增长方式等对膜厚和膜结构影响的基本规律,着重介绍了近年来聚电解质自组装渗透气化膜和离子分离膜研究概况。对聚电解质自组装分离膜今后的研究工作提出了建议。     

层层自组装聚电解质多层膜的制备及在膜分离中的应用

扼要论述了聚电解质自组装膜制备过程中电荷密度、驱动力及增长方式等对膜厚和膜结构影响的基本规律,着重介绍了近年来聚电解质自组装渗透气化膜和离子分离膜研究概况。对聚电解质自组装分离膜今后的研究工作提出了建议。     

Characterization of Controlled Release Fertilizer by Infrared Microspectroscopy

The feasibility and potential of infrared microspectroscopy for quantitatively characterizing the dynamic changes in the coating of controlled release fertilizer granules are discussed to better characterize the release of nutrients. Two polymer-coated compound fertilizers were selected as typical samples. A frozen section technique was used for sample pretreatment, where freeze-dried controlled release fertilizer granules were cut into 20-µm-thick sections. Optimal parameters for the spectral range, spectral resolution, and pixel dimensions in the transmission spectra were determined to be 4000–750?cm^?1, 16?cm^?1, and 6.25?×?6.25?µm, respectively. A mean spectrum of four scans was used in data processing for second-derivative analysis with nine smoothing points. This work is aimed to quantitatively distinguish between the coating and fertilizer core according to radial variations in second-derivative spectra using characteristic wavelengths that represent the coating and fertilizer core. During nutrient release, the fertilizer core gathered gradually and adhered in uniform distribution around the coating, while some nutrients were trapped in micropores. The coating thickness of the controlled release fertilizers fluctuated within 37.5––55 and 15–55?µm, respectively. Although measurement results based on infrared microspectroscopy were in accordance with the scanning electron microscopy observations, they were shown to be more accurate and were not influenced by the coating mixed with the fertilizer core. Furthermore, infrared microspectroscopy was effectively used to quantify the dynamic thickness of the coating of controlled release fertilizer granules and visually characterize fertilizer penetration through the coating.     

ZnO自组装薄膜的可控生长及其光催化性能

通过改变工艺参数, 制得了粒径可控的ZnO自组装薄膜. 该薄膜在可见光区域出现了光子带隙. 以染料甲基橙的光催化降解为模型评价了ZnO自组装薄膜的光催化活性. 利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)表征了ZnO的晶体结构和微观形貌. 实验结果表明, ZnO自组装薄膜在太阳光照射下表现出良好的光催化性能, 其光催化活性随着ZnO颗粒粒径的减小而提高. ZnO自组装薄膜光催化降解甲基橙的反应符合一级反应动力学规律.     

Molecular Alignment-Induced Chemically Patchy Uniaxial Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Anti-Counterfeiting and Self-Assembled Superstructures

We report an unusual strategy for synthesizing patchy nanoparticles (NPs) by controlling the orientation of the molecules that form the NPs. This is realized by synchronous polymerization and crystallization of liquid crystal (LC) monomers during scalable precipitation polymerization. The resulting NPs are cylinders with highly uniform shapes and have only a single LC domain. The patchy properties originate from the discrepancy of surface chemical compositions on flat and side surfaces and can be switched on and off by solvent. Extra colloidal blocks can be grown onto the patches, resulting in highly uniform triblock patchy dumbbells, which have integrated optical properties, and as demonstrated, show triple-mode optical authentication in anti-counterfeiting labels or patterns. We also demonstrate that the triblock patchy cylinders are attractive building blocks for long LC rods or porous colloidal materials through polymerization-induced self-assembly.     

基于显微拉曼检测蛋白核小球藻鉴别丁草胺及草甘膦

以蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)作为鉴别载体,利用共聚焦显微拉曼光谱仪分别获取生长在除草剂草甘膦、丁草胺污染水体以及正常水体的蛋白核小球藻β-胡萝卜素的拉曼光谱信息,对2种除草剂进行了鉴别.利用预处理后的光谱信号,建立偏最小二乘回归(PLS)预测模型及线性判别分析(LDA)分类模型.当阈值为±0.3时,全波段建立的PLS模型对草甘膦和丁草胺的预测正确率高达83.33%,特征峰建立的LDA分类模型对2种除草剂的分类正确率均达到了100%.结果表明,利用蛋白核小球藻为载体对丁草胺和草甘膦2种除草剂进行鉴别是可行的,且LDA分类模型更适合除草剂的分类研究.     

同步辐射显微红外光谱法应用于杜仲的研究

同步辐射显微红外光谱具有高亮度、高信噪比等优势.应用同步辐射显微红外光谱对于中药进行研究,可以进行微区分析,从而更加深入了解中药的组成.应用同步辐射显微红外光谱对于杜仲的冰冻切片进行研究,采集不同微区的一系列红外光谱;同时对选定区域进行化学成像,进一步研究该区域中化学组成的分布,从而对于杜仲红外光谱中各个峰的归属有深入...     

Adsorption-Inhibition of Clathrate Hydrates by Self-Assembled Nanostructures

The mechanism by which safranine O (SFO), an ice growth inhibitor, halts the growth of single crystal tetrahydrofuran (THF) clathrate hydrates was explored using microfluidics coupled with cold stages and fluorescence microscopy. THF hydrates grown in SFO solutions exhibited morphology changes and were shaped as truncated octahedrons or hexagons. Fluorescence microscopy and microfluidics demonstrated that SFO binds to the surface of THF hydrates on specific crystal planes. Cryo-TEM experiments of aqueous solutions containing millimolar concentrations of SFO exhibited the formation of bilayered lamellae with an average thickness of 4.2±0.2 nm covering several μm². Altogether, these results indicate that SFO forms supramolecular lamellae in solution, which might bind to the surface of the hydrate and inhibit further growth. As an ice and hydrate inhibitor, SFO may bind to the surface of these crystals via ordered water molecules near its amine and methyl groups, similar to some antifreeze proteins.     

含酰胺结构的巯基自组装膜的设计与结构表征

提出了一种简便通用的合成巯基化合物的途径，以分子中的羧基CO2H为起始基团，与2-流基乙胺的氨基选择性缩合；合成了一系列具有RC（O）NHCH2CH2SH（R分别为偶氯苯衍生物，双炔衍生物及直链烷基）结构的化合物，并用接触角测量，电化学和掠角反射红外光谱（GIR-IR）等手段对这些化合物在金表面形成的自组装单分子膜进行了表征。发现4-（N－（2‘-巯基已基））酰胺偶氮苯的自组装膜表现出良好的电活性，电化学测定表面浓度为4．21×10(－10)mol·cm(-2)．当R为烷基链时，随烷基链的增长，膜的致密度与有序度增加GIR-IR证明在自组装腹中CH3（CH2）6C（O）NHCH2CH2SH的C＝O和N－H键与Au表面平行，分子轴线与Au表面近似垂直．     

A Self-Assembled Cage with Endohedral Acid Groups both Catalyzes Substitution Reactions and Controls Their Molecularity

A self-assembled Fe₄L₆ cage complex internally decorated with acid functions is capable of accelerating the thioetherification of activated alcohols, ethers and amines by up to 1000-fold. No product inhibition is seen, and effective supramolecular catalysis can occur with as little as 5 % cage. The substrates are bound in the host with up to micromolar affinities, whereas the products show binding that is an order of magnitude weaker. Most importantly, the cage host alters the molecularity of the reaction: whereas the reaction catalyzed by simple acids is a unimolecular, S_N1-type substitution process, the rate of the host-mediated process is dependent on the concentration of nucleophile. The molecularity of the cage-catalyzed reaction is substrate-dependent, and can be up to bimolecular. In addition, the catalysis can be prevented by a large excess of nucleophile, where substrate inhibition dominates, and the use of tritylated anilines as substrates causes a negative feedback loop, whereby the liberated product destroys the catalyst and stops the reaction.     

Tunable Chirality of Self-Assembled Dipeptides Mediated by Bipyridine Derivative

Supramolecular peptide assemblies have been widely used for the development of biomedical, catalytical, and optical materials with chiral nanostructures in view of the intrinsic chirality of peptides. However, the assembly pathway and chiral transformation behavior of various peptides remain largely elusive especially for the transient assemblies under out-of-equilibrium conditions. Herein, the N-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-protected phenylalanine-tyrosine dipeptide (Fmoc-FY) was used as a peptide assembly platform, which showed that the assembly proceeds multistep evolution. The original spheres caused by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) can nucleate and elongate into the formation of right-handed helices which were metastable and easily converted into microribbons. Interestingly, a bipyridine derivative can be introduced to effectively control the assembly pathway and induce the formation of thermodynamically stable right-handed or left-handed helices at different stoichiometric ratios. In addition, the chiral assembly can also be regulated by ultrasound or enzyme catalysis. This minimalistic system not only broadens the nucleation-elongation mechanisms of protein aggregates but also promotes the controllable design and development of chiral biomaterials.     

自组装膜调控下生物矿物晶体的生长

综述了近年来自组装膜(SAMs)调控下生物矿物晶体生长的最新进展.重点讨论了SAMs调控下碳酸钙、磷酸钙、草酸钙等生物矿物晶体的成核、生长及晶体形态特征,从静电作用、晶格匹配及氢键作用等方面探讨了SAMs调控下晶体生长的本质原因,并讨论了SAMs的结构和分类.     

Interfacial Tension Analysis of Oligo(ethylene glycol)-Terminated Self-Assembled Monolayers and Their Resistance to Bacterial Attachment

The fouling resistance of oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG)-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on gold has been well established. Although hydration of the OEG chains seems key to OEG-SAM resistance to macromolecular adsorption and cellular attachment, the details of how hydration prevents biofouling have been inferred largely through computational methods. Because OEG-SAMs of different lengths exhibit differing degrees of fouling resistance, the interactions between water and OEG-SAMs leading to fouling resistance can be deduced by comparing the properties of fouling and nonfouling OEG-SAMs. While all OEG-SAMs had similar water contact angles, contact angles taken with glycerol were able to individuate between different OEG-SAMs and between fouling and nonfouling OEG-SAMs. Subsequent estimation of surface and interfacial tension using a colloidal model showed that nonfouling surfaces are associated with an increased negative interfacial tension between those OEG-SAMs that resisted attachment and water. Further analysis of this interfacial tension experimentally confirmed current mathematical models that cite OEG-water hydrogen-bond formation as a driving force behind short-term fouling resistance. Finally, we found a correlation between solid-water interfacial tension and packing density and molecular density of ethylene glycol.     

鼠肝星状细胞体内与体外激活的显微拉曼光谱

采用密度梯度离心法从肝组织中分离、提纯肝星状细胞, 进行常规细胞鉴定后, 通过体外培养诱导肝星状细胞体外活化, 在不同的时间点上进行原位拉曼光谱表征; 通过一次性腹腔注射CCl4诱导鼠急性肝损伤, 取不同的时间点的肝损伤组织做拉曼光谱表征, 并以肝组织的光谱变化来间接反映肝星状细胞的体内活化. 结果表明, 用拉曼光谱能快速、 灵敏地监测肝星状细胞体内和体外活化过程中的分子变化, 可为肝纤维化的早期诊断提供依据.     

Progression of Organic Reactions on Resin Supports Monitored by Single Bead FTIR Microspectroscopy

We report the time courses of five solid-phase reactions obtained using single bead FTIR microspectroscopy. This time-resolved information aided in the determination of the required reaction time, the nature of the solid-phase reaction, and resin property, effectively assisting in the initial phase of our combinatorial chemistry efforts. Our results showed that solid-phase organic reactions proceed faster than generally speculated. In addition, we have shown that reactions on the surface and in the interior of the bead occur at the same rate for reactions studied. The reaction on the TentaGel resin was shown to be not faster than reactions on Wang resin, suggesting that the diffusion of the substrate into polystyrene bead copolymerized with 1% divinylbenzene is not rate-limiting. Finally, the capability of obtaining IR spectra from the partial surface of a single bead demonstrated the femtomolar detection limit of single bead FTIR microspectroscopy.