Recent Development of Bio-inspired Porous Materials for Catalytic Applications

Nature has served as a source of inspiration for chemists to design the catalysts with superior performance via mimicking their characteristics, such as active sites, reaction microenvironment and electron transfer behaviors. Over a few decades, many different types of materials have been widely used to construct the biomimetic catalysts. Among these materials, the porous materials have been demonstrated to be powerful platforms for constructing the biomimetic catalysts owing to their high surface area, controllable composition and easy functionalization. In this review, we briefly showed recent advances in the construction of various biomimetic porous catalysts using porous materials for the design of excellent catalysts. In addition, we also present the challenge and opportunities in this emerging field.     

单原子材料在电化学生物传感中的研究进展

电化学传感器具有响应速度快、 专一性强及准确性高等特点, 已成为生物传感快速检测的重要发展方向之一, 但目前难以达到对单个生物分子的检测水平, 这主要受限于作为核心部件的探针材料. 单原子材料由于其简单明确的原子局域结构, 且具有媲美于生物酶的统一活性位点, 是一种极具潜力的探针材料, 因此受到了广泛关注. 本文综合评述了具有均一局域配位环境的单原子材料的合成, 以及其在电化学生物传感中的应用, 并对单原子材料在未来电化学生物传感中面临的挑战和机遇进行了展望.     

Recent Progress in Azopyridine-Containing Supramolecular Assembly: From Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals to Light-Driven Devices

Azobenzene derivatives have become one of the most famous photoresponsive chromophores in the past few decades for their reversible molecular switches upon the irradiation of actinic light. To meet the ever-increasing requirements for applications in materials science, biomedicine, and light-driven devices, it is usually necessary to adjust their photochemical property from the molecular level by changing the substituents on the benzene rings of azobenzene groups. Among the diverse azobenzene derivatives, azopyridine combines the photoresponsive feature of azobenzene groups and the supramolecular function of pyridyl moieties in one molecule. This unique feature provides pH-responsiveness and hydrogen/halogen/coordination binding sites in the same chromophore, paving a new way to prepare multi-functional responsive materials through non-covalent interactions and reversible chemical reactions. This review summarizes the photochemical and photophysical properties of azopyridine derivatives in supramolecular states (e.g., hydrogen/halogen bonding, coordination interactions, and quaternization reactions) and illustrates their applications from photoresponsive liquid crystals to light-driven devices. We hope this review can highlight azopyridine as one more versatile candidate molecule for designing novel photoresponsive materials towards light-driven applications.     

Development of Bio-inspired Composite Materials for the Detection of Traces of Silver Present in Water: Use of Taguchi Methodology to Design Low-cost Carbon Paste Electrodes

Carbon Paste Electrodes (CPE) modified with Grapefruit-Peels (GP) functionalized with Urea (GPU) and, Melamine (GPM) were designed for the detection of Ag⁺ in water. Taguchi L₉ methodology was used to determine the optimal graphite-Active material ratio. The best electrochemical response was for CPE-GPU with an 80 : 20 ratio. The results obtained showed a linear detection range between 0.5 to 28 μg L⁻¹, with a detection limit of 0.73 μg L⁻¹ and a limit of quantification of 1.04 μg L⁻¹. Attributable to CPE-GPU characteristics: electroactive surface area 0.175 cm², roughness factor 3.87, resistance 0.09 Ω and, mostly −NH₂ groups on its surface. The composite material offers a viable option to be used for the determination of silver traces in situ in industrial processes.     

核酸适体功能化的二维材料场效应晶体管传感器研究进展

二维材料场效应晶体管传感器具有可调的电学性质和高的灵敏度, 非常适合用于构建高性能的传感器, 应用于疾病诊断和环境监测等领域. 核酸适体是一种生物识别分子, 具有特异性强、 稳定性高等优势. 近年来, 核酸适体功能化的二维材料场效应晶体管传感器在医疗诊断和环境监测等领域取得了显著的研究进展. 本文综合评述了核酸适体功能化的二维材料场效应晶体管传感器的最新研究进展, 对场效应晶体管传感器的结构及传感原理进行了概括, 详细介绍了二维材料的制备方法以及核酸适体功能化器件的设计原理. 在此基础上, 对核酸适体功能化的二维材料场效应晶体管传感器在疾病诊断和环境监测领域的应用进展进行了概述, 讨论了核酸适体功能化的二维材料场效应晶体管传感器面临的一些问题和挑战, 对其发展前景进行了展望.     

聚合物在受限层空间中的形态结构演变及相关性能研究进展

自然界中的层状有序结构如强韧的贝壳、树木等,往往带来优异的性能或特殊的功能。作为仿生材料学在高分子加工成型技术中的应用,聚合物微纳层共挤出技术是通过特殊的流道设计对聚合物熔体进行多次强制分割叠加,来制备高性能交替多层聚合物材料的新方法。层倍增器单元对熔体的多重力场作用,为多相多组分体系形态的原位调控提供了可能。而通过两相交替层状排布形成的受限层空间和丰富的层界面不仅赋予了材料独特的力学、光电、阻隔等性能,还为聚合物结晶调控提供了理想的研究模型。本文简要综述了近年来在层倍增过程中聚合物的形态结构演变及其对相关性能影响方面的研究进展。     

Recent Progress in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: From FundamentalScience to Structure Design

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIB) sparked a considerable surge of research attention in energy storage systems due to its environment benignity and superior electrochemical performance. Up to now, less efforts to delve into mechanisms of zinc metal anode and their electrochemical performance. Zn metal anodes sustain thorny issues with Zn dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction, and Zn corrosion irreversible byproduct formation, which results in low coulomb efficiency (CE) and poor cycle ability of the battery. Herein, we reveal the fundamental understanding of the above issue, outline four step, including mass transfer, desolvation process, charge transfer and Zn cluster formation. It can be clearly seen from reported strategies to promote Zn anode stability that deals with one or more steps, thereby boosting the understanding of the issues of Zn anodes and benefiting the rational design to surmount the issue. We also sum up advanced materials and structure design such as the design of the anode surface and internal structure, electrolyte strategies, and multifunctional separators. Finally, possible tactics and future innovation direction for Zn-based batteries are proposed to achieve high performance aqueous Zinc-ion batteries.     

光促甲烷直接转化为甲醇的研究进展

概述了甲烷直接转化为甲醇的光化学和光促表面反应的研究，分析了不同反应体系、不同光源（可见光、紫外光和激光）及不同固体表面材料对甲烷转化率和甲醇选择性的影响，并讨论了“光－表面”对甲烷活化的协同作用。     

Recent Progress in Organic Solar Cells: A Review on Materials from Acceptor to Donor

In the last few decades, organic solar cells (OSCs) have drawn broad interest owing to their advantages such as being low cost, flexible, semitransparent, non-toxic, and ideal for roll-to-roll large-scale processing. Significant advances have been made in the field of OSCs containing high-performance active layer materials, electrodes, and interlayers, as well as novel device structures. Particularly, the innovation of active layer materials, including novel acceptors and donors, has contributed significantly to the power conversion efficiency (PCE) improvement in OSCs. In this review, high-performance acceptors, containing fullerene derivatives, small molecular, and polymeric non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), are discussed in detail. Meanwhile, highly efficient donor materials designed for fullerene- and NFA-based OSCs are also presented. Additionally, motivated by the incessant developments of donor and acceptor materials, recent advances in the field of ternary and tandem OSCs are reviewed as well.     

介孔硅材料及其负载型催化剂去除挥发性有机物的最新进展

介孔硅材料由于具有大的比表面积,均一的孔结构和大的孔径,常被用于分离、吸附和催化等领域.本文综述了近年来国内外介孔硅材料及其负载型催化剂去除各类挥发性有机物(VOCs)的研究进展,主要包括烃类、甲醇、甲醛、丙酮、苯、甲苯、萘、乙酸乙酯等.讨论了介孔硅材料的结构对VOCs吸附过程的影响;介绍了不同催化剂消除各类VOCs的催化性能及反应机理,并重点评述了甲苯在不同催化剂上的研究进展.分析结果表明,介孔硅材料的表面环境、孔道结构以及宏观形貌是影响VOCs分子在介孔硅材料上吸附的主要因素;贵金属催化剂的应用需要提高其抗中毒性以及降低成本;过渡金属的研究应着重于研发高活性的负载型过渡金属复合氧化物催化剂.最后对国内外介孔硅材料及其负载型催化剂的发展进行了展望,今后催化剂的设计可以从“氧化硅载体”和“介孔孔道”两个方面展开,这将为设计合适的催化剂处理各类VOCs污染物提供一定参考.     

Self‐Assembled Selenium Monolayers: From Nanotechnology to Materials Science and Adaptive Catalysis

Self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) of selenium have emerged into a rapidly developing field of nanotechnology with several promising opportunities in materials chemistry and catalysis. Comparison between sulfur‐based self‐assembled monolayers and newly developed selenium‐based monolayers reveal outstanding complimentary features on surface chemistry and highlighted the key role of the headgroup element. Diverse structural properties and reactivity of organosulfur and organoselenium groups on the surface provide flexible frameworks to create new generations of materials and adaptive catalysts with unprecedented selectivity. Important practical utility of adaptive catalytic systems deals with development of sustainable technologies and industrial processes based on natural resources. Independent development of nanotechnology, materials science and catalysis has led to the discovery of common fundamental principles of the surface chemistry of chalcogen compounds.     

聚芴类蓝光材料抑制链簇集及绿光发射的新进展

在共轭聚合物研究领域,聚芴是一类非常有前途的蓝光材料,针对其分子链易簇集及发光过程中易产生绿光等问题,本文对最近三年以来聚芴类发光材料的研究进展进行了综述.     

限域化学：碳基功能材料从基础研究到应用

限域化学研究的是对象在纳米尺度限域空间内的化学行为。限域空间内的化学环境不同于常规本体溶液,因而会出现许多奇特的现象,如反应选择性增强、活性增加、稳定性提高。本文结合笔者课题组近年来的工作,对限域化学领域碳基功能材料的限域策略,包括限域界面诱导、限域化学组装印刷及三维多孔受限体系作简要介绍,并阐述了其在催化、储能方面的应用。最后提出了限域化学未来发展面临的主要挑战,期望能为此领域研究提供参考。     

多孔材料化学:从无机微孔化合物到金属有机多孔骨架

本文主要从无机微孔化合物和金属有机多孔骨架的合成化学和结构化学这两方面来介绍多孔材料化学的研究进展。多孔材料是一类具有规则孔结构的固态化合物,它们在催化、分离、离子交换等工业领域有着广泛的应用。硅铝酸盐是最为人们所熟知的微孔分子筛,经过半个多世纪的发展,人们又相继开发出磷酸盐、砷酸盐、锗酸盐、亚磷酸盐、硫酸盐、亚硒酸盐以及金属硫化物等类沸石无机微孔化合物。近十多年来,配位聚合物与金属有机多孔骨架开始大量兴起,为微孔化合物的多样化与组成的复杂性增添了新的领域。     

Recent Advances of Ti/Zr-Substituted Polyoxometalates: From Structural Diversity to Functional Applications

Polyoxometalates (POMs), a large family of anionic polynuclear metal–oxo clusters, have received considerable research attention due to their structural versatility and diverse physicochemical properties. Lacunary POMs are key building blocks for the syntheses of functional POMs due to their highly active multidentate O-donor sites. In this review, we have addressed the structural diversities of Ti/Zr-substituted POMs based on the polymerization number of POM building blocks and the number of Ti and Zr centers. The synthetic strategies and relevant catalytic applications of some representative Ti/Zr-substituted POMs have been discussed in detail. Finally, the outlook on the future development of this area is also prospected.     

From Bacteria to Mollusks: The Principles Underlying the Biomineralization of Iron Oxide Materials

Various organisms possess a genetic program that enables the controlled formation of a mineral, a process termed biomineralization. The variety of biological material architectures is mind‐boggling and arises from the ability of organisms to exert control over crystal nucleation and growth. The structure and composition of biominerals equip biomineralizing organisms with properties and functionalities that abiotically formed materials, made of the same mineral, usually lack. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms underlying biomineralization and morphogenesis is of interdisciplinary interest to extract design principles that will enable the biomimetic formation of functional materials with similar capabilities. Herein, we summarize what is known about iron oxides formed by bacteria and mollusks for their magnetic and mechanical properties. We describe the chemical and biological machineries that are involved in controlling mineral precipitation and organization and show how these organisms are able to form highly complex structures under physiological conditions.     

From Prebiotic Chemistry to Supramolecular Biomedical Materials: Exploring the Properties of Self-Assembling Nucleobase-Containing Peptides

Peptides and their synthetic analogs are a class of molecules with enormous relevance as therapeutics for their ability to interact with biomacromolecules like nucleic acids and proteins, potentially interfering with biological pathways often involved in the onset and progression of pathologies of high social impact. Nucleobase-bearing peptides (nucleopeptides) and pseudopeptides (PNAs) offer further interesting possibilities related to their nucleobase-decorated nature for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, thanks to their reported ability to target complementary DNA and RNA strands. In addition, these chimeric compounds are endowed with intriguing self-assembling properties, which are at the heart of their investigation as self-replicating materials in prebiotic chemistry, as well as their application as constituents of innovative drug delivery systems and, more generally, as novel nanomaterials to be employed in biomedicine. Herein we describe the properties of nucleopeptides, PNAs and related supramolecular systems, and summarize some of the most relevant applications of these systems.     

Role of Bridge-bonded Formate in Formic Acid Dehydration to CO at Pt Electrode: Electrochemial in-situ Infrared Spectroscopic Study

Formic acid (HCOOH) decomposition at Pt film electrode has been studied by electrochem- ical in situ FTIR spectroscopy under attenuated-total-reflection configuration, in order to clarify whether bridge-bonded formate (HCOOb) is the reactive intermediate for CO_ad for-mation from HCOOH molecules. When switching from HCOOH-free solution to HCOOH-containing solution at constant potential (E=0.4 V vs. RHE), we found that immediately upon solution switch CO_ad formation rate is the highest, while surface coverage of formate is zero, then after CO_ad formation rate decreases, while formate coverage reaches a steady state coverage quickly within ca. 1 s. Potential step experiment from E=0.75 V to 0.35 V, reveals that formate band intensity drops immediately right after the potential step, while the CO_ad signal develops slowly with time. Both facts indicate that formate is not the reactive intermediate for formic acid dehydration to CO.     

Recent Progress and Emerging Applications of Rare Earth Doped Phosphor Materials for Dye‐Sensitized and Perovskite Solar Cells: A Review

Although the efficiency of Dye‐sensitized and Perovskite solar cell is still below the performance level of market dominance silicon solar cells, in last few years they have grabbed significant attention because of their fabrication ease using low‐cost materials, and henceforth these cells are considered as a promising alternative to commercial photovoltaic devices. However, third generation solar cells have significant absorption in the visible region of solar spectrum, which confines their power conversion efficiency. Subsequently, the performance of current photovoltaics is significantly hampered by the transmission loss of sub‐band‐gap photons. To overcome these issues, rare earth doped luminescent materials is the favorable route followed to convert these transmitted sub‐band‐gap photons into above‐band‐gap light, where solar cells typically have significant light‐scattering effects. Moreover, the rare earth based down/up conversion material facilitates the improvement in sensitization, light‐scattering and device stability of these devices. This review provides insight into the application of various down/up conversion materials for Dye‐sensitized and perovskite solar cell applications. Additionally, the paper discusses the techniques to improve the photovoltaic performance in terms of current density and photo voltage in detail.