Molecular cluster batteries of nano-hybrid materials between Keggin POMs and SWNTs

Nano-hybrid materials of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and polyoxometalates (POMs) with three counter cations were prepared and used as cathode-active materials of molecular cluster batteries (MCBs). The charging/discharging performances and thus battery capacity of the MCBs with hybrid materials were significantly better than those of the microcrystal-POM MCBs.     

Amycolamicin: A Novel Broad‐Spectrum Antibiotic Inhibiting Bacterial Topoisomerase

The abuse of antibacterial drugs imposes a selection pressure on bacteria that has driven the evolution of multidrug resistance in many pathogens. Our efforts to discover novel classes of antibiotics to combat these pathogens resulted in the discovery of amycolamicin (AMM). The absolute structure of AMM was determined by NMR spectroscopy, X‐ray analysis, chemical degradation, and modification of its functional groups. AMM consists of trans‐decalin, tetramic acid, two unusual sugars (amycolose and amykitanose), and dichloropyrrole carboxylic acid. The pyranose ring named as amykitanose undergoes anomerization in methanol. AMM is a potent and broad‐spectrum antibiotic against Gram‐positive pathogenic bacteria by inhibiting DNA gyrase and bacterial topoisomerase IV. The target of AMM has been proved to be the DNA gyrase B subunit and its binding mode to DNA gyrase is different from those of novobiocin and coumermycin, the known DNA gyrase inhibitors.     

Morphosynthesis of poly(ether ketone) by reaction-induced crystallization during polymerization

Morphology control of poly(ether ketone) (PEK) was examined by using the crystallization during the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of potassium salt of 4-fluoro-4′-hydroxybenzophenone. Polymerizations were carried out at 290 °C. The PEK was obtained as precipitates and its morphology was highly influenced by the polymerization condition such as the solvent, the concentration and the polymerization time. High crystalline spindle-like crystals were obtained by the polymerization in diphenyl sulfone (DPS) at a concentration of 5.0% for 2 h with the yield of 86%. The average length and width were 1.4 μm and 300 nm respectively, and the maximum thickness was 130 nm. The surface was not smooth and it was hilly. The spindle-like crystal was likely consisted of multilayered lamellae comprised of the microcrystallites. The molecules were oriented perpendicular to the lamella. The polymerization in DPS at a higher concentration of 10.0% afforded the networks of nanofibres, of which the diameter was 100–250 nm. The obtained PEK precipitates possessed excellent thermal properties.     

Utilizing photocurrent transients for dithiolene-based photodetection: stepwise improvements at communications relevant wavelengths

Photodetection based on bis-(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzil)-Ni(II) (BDN), a representative and well-studied metal dithiolene that shows strong absorption in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, has been investigated. By adopting a metal/insulator/semiconductor/metal (MISM) structure, the peak photocurrent response to an oscillating light chain is increased by up to 50 times, compared to devices without an insulating layer. The transient form of the MISM photoresponse, while unsuitable for steady-state photodetection, can be used to detect periodic light signals of frequencies up to 1 MHz, and is thus applicable for optical communication. Further improvements have been realized by nanostructuring carbon black into the dithiolene layer, improving charge collection, and yielding detectivity of up to 1.6 × 10(11) Jones at wavelengths beyond the scope of silicon photodiodes. Such an architecture may allow the favorable absorption properties of other such metal dithiolenes to be harnessed, where their low charge carrier mobilities and short excitation lifetimes have previously limited their applicability to this field.     

Coordination bond formation at charge-transfer phase transition in (BDTA)2[Co(mnt)2

The crystal structure of a charge-transfer salt, (BDTA)2[Co(mnt)2], where BDTA is 1,3,2-benzodithiazolyl and mnt is maleonitriledithiolate, consisted of an alternating stacking column of a head-to-head BDTA+ dimer and a planar [Co(mnt)2]2- dianion at 253 K. Magnetic measurements and structural analyses revealed a phase transition at 190 K, where a partial electron transfer occurred from [Co(mnt)2]2- to one of the BDTA+ cations, forming a coordination bond between the two.     

Scavenging DPPH radicals catalyzed by binary noble metal-dendrimer nanocomposites

Catalytic activity of gold-platinum, gold-palladium, and platinum-palladium dendrimer nanocomposites for scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals was investigated. The gold-platinum and gold-palladium dendrimer nanocomposites were prepared via simultaneous reduction by sodium borohydride in the presence of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with amine or carboxyl terminal groups. The particles were not mixtures of monometallic particles but alloyed bimetallic particles. Bimetallic particles exhibited higher catalytic activity than monometallic ones.