Exciton polariton in an organic–inorganic multiple-quantum-well crystal (C4H9NH3)2PbBr4

Exciton polariton in an organic–inorganic multiple-quantum-well (MQW) single crystal (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbBr₄ at low temperature has been investigated by photoluminescence excitation (PLE), reflection, and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements. Since (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbBr₄ has ideal two-dimensional excitons with an extremely large oscillator strength and forms self-organized MQW with a very short well-period (d～10 Å), polaritonic coupling among excitons is strong and extends over a large number of wells. Therefore, observed MQW polariton features were the same as those of bulk polaritons. We have also investigated relaxation dynamics of the MQW polariton in the same framework as discussions on bulk polaritons.     

High ductility carbon nanoball

High compression strength and high ductility spherical nanoballs were produced by electric arc discharge with a carbon electrode containing silicon, oxygen, potassium, and sodium. Compression tests of the nanoballs were conducted by application of a load to nanoballs inserted between two polished sample stages with nanolevel surface roughness. Experimental estimation of the compression strength of nanomaterials was enabled by careful selection and polishing of the sample stage materials.     

Vertical electrical conduction in pentacene polycrystalline thin films mediated by Au-induced gap states at grain boundaries

Vertical electrical conduction in Au/(polycrystal-line pentacene)/Al diode structures and the influence of the kinetic energy of incident Au atoms on the conduction property have been comprehensively studied using current–voltage–temperature (I–V–T) measurements, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), atomic-force-microscope (AFM) current imaging, etc. In the I–V characteristics, a symmetrical ohmic current component appeared when a low voltage was applied, and a super-linear one appeared when a high positive voltage was applied to Au. The component in the high-forward-voltage region was concluded to be a thermionic emission of holes from Au with a 0.23-eV injection barrier, which is the normal hole conduction through the highest occupied molecular orbital of pentacene. On the other hand, the ohmic component was concluded to be a metal-like electron transport through high-density gap states at grain boundaries which were induced by the Au penetration into pentacene. UPS and I–V–T measurements clearly indicated the generation of the gap states and the enhancement of their density by the reduction of Au kinetic energy. For vertical-type devices with polycrystalline organic films, the ohmic conduction through the grain boundary will increase the leakage current. On the contrary, it possibly enhances the carrier injection in lateral-type transistors in the case of top-contact configuration.     

Effect of water of crystallization on aggregation-induced emission in structurally similar crystals

The 1:0.5 hydrated crystal (I) of 2,2′-(anthra[2,3-b:7,6-b′]difuran-5,11-diylidene)dimalononitrile (1) showed aggregation-induced emission (AIE). However, the structurally similar non-solvated crystal (II) did not show AIE. We found that this was because the lack of water of crystallization changed the geometry of the intermolecular π contacts from two-dimensional in I to three-dimensional in II.     

An efficient ionization method of electrospray mass spectrometry: the development of an aromatic-cored matrix that wraps labile metal complexes through molecular recognition

Compound 1a, which possesses a triphenylene core and six tetraethyleneoxide side chains, shows efficient ionization of M(II)-containing (M=Pd, Pt) complexes in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The molecular ion peaks [M]+, which are hardly detected under common ESI-MS conditions, are clearly observed as their [M x (1a)n]+ (n=1-4) adducts. UV-visible and NMR studies reveal that the electron-rich triphenylene core of 1a binds to the electron-deficient frameworks of the M(II) complexes in solution, giving rise to charge transfer (CT) complexes. We suggest that 1a stabilizes the complexes and promotes efficient ionization through unique donor-acceptor molecular recognition.     

Preparation and characterization of unique inorganic-organic hybrid mesoporous materials incorporating arenetricarbonyl complexes [-C6H4M(CO)3-] (M = Cr, Mo)

Unique inorganic-organic hybrid mesoporous materials incorporating arenetricarbonyl complexes [-C6H4M(CO)3-] (M = Cr, Mo) within their mesoporous frameworks have been successfully prepared by a simple CVD treatment of the phenylene-bridged organosilica mesoporous materials with metal hexacarbonyls [M(CO)6] (M = Cr, Mo). FT-IR and UV-vis investigations revealed that the arenetricarbonyl complexes exist stably even at temperatures above 473 K under vacuum.     

Electron and ion transfer through multilayers of gold nanoclusters covered by self-assembled monolayers of alkylthiols with various functional groups

The electrochemical characteristics of various kinds of multilayers of gold nanoclusters (GNCs) were investigated. Two types of gold nanoclusters, one covered by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA), hexanethiol (C6SH), and ferrocenylhexanethiol (FcC6SH), MHF-GNC, and the other with MUA and C6SH, MH-GNC, were used. The multilayers were constructed on a Au(111) surface based on a carboxylate/metal cation (Cu++)/carboxylate or carboxylate/cationic polymer (poly(allylamine hydrochloride):PAH)/carboxylate electrostatic interaction. While the multilayers constructed by the former method were stable only in nonaqueous solutions, those constructed by the latter method were stable even in aqueous solutions. Electrochemical measurements of the multilayers of MHF-GNCs showed a pair of waves corresponding to the redox of the ferrocene group around 350-480 mV and the charge of these peaks, i.e., the amount of adsorbed GNC, increased linearly with the construction cycle up to 6 cycles in the former and to 18 cycles in the latter. A rather reversible redox response of the ferrocene moiety was observed even at the gold electrodes with five GNC layers of two different sequences in which MHF-GNC exists as the layer closest to the gold electrode, ie., the first layer, or as the outermost layer with MH-GNC in the other layers. These results show the facile transfer of electrons and ions through the multilayers of the SAM-covered GNCs and electron transfer between the ferrocene moiety and the Au(111) electrode takes place through the GNC cores by hopping.     

Strong counteranion effects on the catalytic activity of cationic silicon Lewis acids in Mukaiyama aldol and Diels-Alder reactions

[chemical reaction: see text]. A toluene-coordinated silyl borate, [Et3Si(toluene)]B(C6F5)4, demonstrated catalytic activities significantly higher than those of Me3SiOTf and Me3SiNTf2 in Mukaiyama aldol and Diels-Alder reactions.