Aqueous‐Solution Route to Zinc Telluride Films for Application to CO2 Reduction

As a photocathode for CO₂ reduction, zinc‐blende zinc telluride (ZnTe) was directly formed on a Zn/ZnO nanowire substrate by a simple dissolution–recrystallization mechanism without any surfactant. With the most negative conduction‐band edge among p‐type semiconductors, this new photocatalyst showed efficient and stable CO formation in photoelectrochemical CO₂ reduction at ?0.2–?0.7 V versus RHE without a sacrificial reagent.     

Electrochemical Synthesis of Tetrahexahedral Rhodium Nanocrystals with Extraordinarily High Surface Energy and High Electrocatalytic Activity

Noble metal nanocrystals (NCs) enclosed with high‐index facets hold a high catalytic activity thanks to the high density of low‐coordinated step atoms that they exposed on their surface. Shape‐control synthesis of the metal NCs with high‐index facets presents a big challenge owing to the high surface energy of the NCs, and the shape control for metal Rh is even more difficult because of its extraordinarily high surface energy in comparison with Pt, Pd, and Au. The successful synthesis is presented of tetrahexahedral Rh NCs (THH Rh NCs) enclosed by {830} high‐index facets through the dynamic oxygen adsorption/desorption mediated by square‐wave potential. The results demonstrate that the THH Rh NCs exhibit greatly enhanced catalytic activity over commercial Rh black catalyst for the electrooxidation of ethanol and CO.     

A Bifunctional Perovskite Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution

La_0.3(Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)_0.7Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3?δ is a promising bifunctional perovskite catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction and the oxygen evolution reaction. This catalyst has circa 10 nm‐scale rhombohedral LaCoO₃ cobaltite particles distributed on the surface. The dynamic microstructure phenomena are attributed to the charge imbalance from the replacement of A‐site cations with La³⁺ and local stress on Co‐site sub‐lattice with the cubic perovskite structure.     

Photo‐ and pH‐Tunable Multicolor Fluorescent Nanoparticle‐Based Spiropyran‐ and BODIPY‐Conjugated Polymer with Graphene Oxide

We report a stimuli‐responsive fluorescent nanomaterial, based on graphene oxide coupled with a polymer conjugated with photochromic spiropyran (SP) dye and hydrophobic boron dipyrromethane (BODIPY) dye, for application in triggered target multicolor bioimaging. Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by catechol‐conjugated polymers under mildly alkaline conditions, which enabled to formation of functionalized multicolor graphene nanoparticles that can be induced by irradiation with UV light and by changing the pH from acidic to neutral. Investigation of these nanoparticles by using AFM, fluorescence emission, and in vitro cell and in vivo imaging revealed that they show different tunable colors in bioimaging applications and, more specifically, in cancer‐cell detection. The stability, biocompatibility, and quenching efficacy of this nanocomposite open a different perspective for cell imaging in different independent colors, sequentially and simultaneously.     

Quantitative determination of enzalutamide,an anti‐prostate cancer drug,in rat plasma using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry,and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

This report details a method using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) that allows one to determine the concentration of an atypical anticancer drug, enzalutamide, in rat plasma. Specifically, this method involves the addition of an acetonitrile and bicalutamide (internal standard) solution to plasma samples. Following centrifugation of this mixture, an aliquot of the supernatant was directly injected into the LC‐MS/MS system. Separation was achieved using a column packed with octadecylsilica (5 µm, 2.1 × 50 mm) with 10 mM ammonium acetate in acetonitrile as the mobile phase; detection was accomplished using MS/MS by multiple‐reaction monitoring via an electrospray ionization source. This method demonstrated a linear standard curve (r = 0.997) over a concentration range of 0.001–1 µg/mL, as well as an intra‐ and inter‐assay precision of 2.7 and 5.1%, respectively, and an accuracy range from 100.8 to 105.6%. The lower limit of quantification was 1.0 ng/mL in 50 μL of rat plasma sample. We also demonstrated that this analytical method could be successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of enzalutamide in rats. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

电极界面缓冲层对P3HT:PC61BM太阳能电池热稳定性的影响

基于溶液法加工制备的聚合物太阳能电池的高温热稳定性是决定器件能否兼容后续高温热封装工艺, 如热压封装、高温原子层沉积(ALD)等的一个关键. 本文分别利用聚(3, 4-乙烯二氧噻吩)-聚苯乙烯磺酸(PEDOT:PSS)和MoO₃作为阳极缓冲层, 以及ZnO和LiF 作为阴极缓冲层, 制备了结构为氧化铟锡(ITO)/阳极缓冲层/3-己基取代聚噻吩:(6, 6)-苯基C₆₁-丁酸甲酯(P3HT:PC₆₁BM)/阴极缓冲层/Al 的太阳能电池, 系统地比较研究了不同界面缓冲材料对器件光电转换性能及稳定性的影响, 特别是在高温煺火条件下器件的性能稳定性差异. 结果表明, 聚合物太阳能电池的热稳定性同器件的结构以及所用的缓冲层材料有密切的相关性. 其中, 利用MoO₃及ZnO分别作为阳极与阴极界面修饰层的P3HT:PC₆₁BM器件在120-150 ℃的温度范围内能够较好地保持器件的光电转换性能. 这一结果为后续需要高温封装工艺的器件提供了有意义的结构优化指导. 此外, 研究结果还表明利用ZnO作为阴极缓冲层能够改善器件的长时间稳定性.     

多色显示树枝状聚(3, 6-双噻吩咔唑)及其共聚物的电化学和电致变色性能

设计合成了一种新型的基于咔唑单元的树枝状3, 6-双噻吩咔唑衍生物(BTCPh),通过电化学聚合法制备出其均聚物及与3, 4-乙烯二氧噻吩(EDOT)的共聚物薄膜.利用电化学工作站-紫外可见光谱联用装置对两种聚合物的光谱电化学和电致变色(EC)性能进行表征.测试结果表明,均聚物(PBTCPh)薄膜在不同电压下可显示黄、绿、蓝、灰四种颜色;而EDOT单元的引入使共聚物P(BTCPh-EDOT)进一步增加了掺杂态,从而显示出更加丰富的五种颜色(橙、绿、棕绿、蓝、灰).此外,两种聚合物薄膜均具有良好的光学对比度和快速的响应速度,因而使其在智能窗及显示器方面展现了潜在的应用前景.     

Gold nanoparticles-enhanced bisphenol A electrochemical biosensor based on tyrosinase immobilized onto self-assembled monolayers-modified gold electrode

A novel electrochemical sensor based on the immobilization of tyrosinase(tyr) onto gold nanoparticles(nano-Au) and thioctic acid amide(T-NH2) self-assembled monolayers(SAMs)-modified gold electrode has been developed for the determination of bisphenol A(BPA).It was found that the nano-Au could significantly enhance the electrochemical response of tyr/nano-Au/T-NH2/Au electrode to BPA,and the enhancement effect of nano-Au on the current response was also related to the enzyme.The results indicated that the biosensor could be used as a detector for BPA determination with a linear range from3.99 ×10-7mol/L to 2.34 ×10-4mol/L and a detection limit of 1.33×10-7mol/L.In addition,this biosensor showed good reproducibility.     

Deterioration of ancient cellulose paper,Hanji: evaluation of paper permanence

Hanji paper, the paper material traditionally used in Korea, is in the focus of the present aging and mechanistic study. As raw materials and historic recipes for paper making are still available for Hanji today, specimen resembling historical material at the point of production can be prepared. While from that starting point, historical material had taken the path of natural aging, newly prepared samples—prepared according to both historic and current recipes—were artificially aged, and both aging modes can be compared. For the first time, an in-depth chemical and mathematical analysis of the aging processes for Hanji is presented. The aging of Hanji paper, resulting in hydrolysis and oxidation processes, was addressed by means of selective fluorescene labeling of oxidized groups in combination with gel permeation chromatography, providing profiles of carbonyl and carboxyl groups relative to the molar mass distribution. Starting Hanji showed the highest molecular weight (>1,400 kDa) ever reported for paper. We have defined two critical parameters for comparison of the paper samples: half-life DP (the time until every chain is split once on average) and life expectancy (the time until an average DP of failure is reached and no further mechanical stress can be tolerated). The two values were determined to be approximately 500 and 4,000 years, respectively, for the Hanji samples, provided there is no UV radiation. The rate of cellulose chain scission under accelerated aging (80 °C, RH 65 %), was about 600 times faster than under natural conditions. In addition, cellulose degradation of Hanji paper under accelerated aging condition was about 2–3 times slower than that of historical rag paper as those used in medieval Europe.