Reflective mode of deformed-helix ferroelectric liquid crystal cells for sensing applications

We present a detailed theoretical and experimental study of the reflectance response of a deformed-helix ferroelectric (DHF) liquid crystal (LC) cell to an applied voltage under cross-polarisers. Using a model based on the effective dielectric tensor approximation, we derive simple analytical formulas to design a LC cell with maximum modulation depth and optimal linearity of the electro-optical response intensity versus the electric field. Our experimental results show that the cell works at frequencies up to 10 kHz and exhibits excellent linearity, with a total harmonic distortion as low as ?70 dB. These findings suggest that DHF-LCs can be exploited to develop simple and accurate optical sensors.     

Crystal structure of meso‐substituted pyrazolyl porphyrin complexes and their highly active catalyst for oxidation of alkylbenzenes

During the past few years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to the anchoring of catalytic oxidation. In this work, three new catalysts CuPp, MnPp and ZnPp by solvothermal methods with 5, 10, 15, 20‐tetrakis(4‐N‐pyrazolyl)‐phenyl porphyrin (H₂Pp) and the corresponding metal salts have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The single crystal structures determined by X‐ray diffraction show the bond distances of M‐N in porphyrin cores determined the conformation of porphyrin rings. We explored the catalytic activity of CoPp, CuPp, MnPp and ZnPp for oxidation of alkylbenzenes. The experimental results display these products exhibit high catalytic activities and selectivities for oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone, and can be reused by filtration without appreciable decrease in catalytic activity and selectivity.     

Metal-Organic Frameworks with Novel Catenane-like Interlocking: Metal-Determined Photoresponse and Uranyl Sensing

The assembly of two tripyridinium-tricarboxylate ligands and different metal ions leads to seven isostructural MOFs, which show novel 2D→2D supramolecular entanglement featuring catenane-like interlocking of tricyclic cages. The MOFs show tripyridinium-afforded and metal-modulated photoresponsive properties. The MOFs with d¹⁰ metal centers ( 1-Cd , 1-Zn , 2-Cd , 2-Zn ) show fast and reversible photochromism and concomitant fluorescence quenching, 1-Ni displays slower photochromism but does not fluoresce, and 1-Co and 2-Co are neither photochromic nor fluorescent. It is shown here that the network entanglement dictates donor-acceptor close contacts, which enable fluorescence originated from interligand charge transfer. The contacts also allow photoinduced electron transfer, which underlies photochromism and concomitant fluorescence response. The metal dependence in fluorescence and photochromism can be related to energy transfer through metal-centered d-d transitions. In addition, 1-Cd is demonstrated to be a potential fluorescence sensor for sensitive and selective detection of UO₂²⁺ in water.     

Structural,magnetic and optical properties of vanadium doped zinc oxide: Systematic first-principles investigations

The electronic structural, magnetic and optical properties of pure and V-doped ZnO are investigated by first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory. With the introduction of V atoms, the spin-splitting near the Fermi level leads to a net magnetic moment of the system. A significant possibility of room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) originated from the Ruderman–Kittel–Kassuya–Yosida (RKKY) exchange is predicted. Oxygen vacancy is positive to enhance the ferromagnetism while zinc vacancy is negative. With respect to the optical properties, the presence of V atoms was found to have an obvious influence on the transmittivity, especially in the low energy region. A slight V-doping can keep a high optical transmission and smoothly modulate the optical bandgap.     

Fullerene‐Catalyzed Reduction of Azo Derivatives in Water under UV Irradiation

Metal‐free fullerene (C₆₀) was found to be an effective catalyst for the reduction of azo groups in basic aqueous solution under UV irradiation in the presence of NaBH₄. Use of NaBH₄ by itself is not sufficient to reduce the azo dyes without the assistance of a metal catalyst such as Pd and Ag. Experimental and theoretical results suggest that C₆₀ catalyzes this reaction by using its vacant orbital to accept the electron in the bonding orbital of azo dyes, which leads to the activation of the N?N bond. UV irradiation increases the ability of C₆₀ to interact with electron‐donor moieties in azo dyes.     

A new near-infrared fluorescent chemodosimeter for discrimination of sulfide from disulfide

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A new near-infrared fluorescent “turn-on” chemodosimeter (probe 1) based on dicyanomethylene-4H-chromene fluorophore for sulfide was developed....