Free energy in vertically aligned liquid crystal mode

Vertical alignment (VA) is a widely applied operation mode for liquid crystal displays. To achieve optimum brightness, the electrode of VA is often patterned with fish-bone fine slits to generate fringe field, so the negative liquid crystal aligns along the fine slits when the electric field is applied. VA is usually simply modelled by the bend geometry along the cell gap. However, defects, domain boundaries and periodical splay induced by the fine slits also exist in real pixels and disturb the liquid crystal alignment. Polymer-stabilised VA test cells with various fine slit pitches which lead to various strength of fringe field were fabricated to observe the deformation of liquid crystal. Then the models of liquid crystal deformation nearby the defects and in the fine slit area were proposed to calculate the electromagnetic (f_EM) and elastic free energy (f_elastic). The results show that the key factor to regulate f_EM and f_elastic is the pitch of the fine slits, and the optimum liquid crystal alignment is obtained when f_EM and f_elastic are equal. The models are useful for further investigation on the dynamics of liquid crystal alignment and applications in industrial products.     

The effect of surface polarity of glass on liquid crystal alignment

The effects of the surface polarity of a glass substrate on the orientation of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) were studied using the polarised optical microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. On the surface of oxygen plasma treated glass, a homeotropic alignment of LCs was induced for LCs with negative dielectric anisotropy. This suggests that vertical orientation of LCs could be induced on a polar glass substrate without using an LC alignment layer. Upon cooling towards the isotropic–nematic transition, E7 with positive dielectric anisotropy changes its LC arrangement to isotropic, homeotropic, planar orientations in order. The nematic LC anchoring transition of E7 was interpreted by considering the competition between van der Waals forces and dipole interactions that control the alignment of LC molecules on a polar glass surface.     

Scalable Preparation of Photochromic Composite Foils with Excellent Reversibility for Light Printing

Photochromic inks for repeatable light‐printed media have attracted increasing attention owing to the fact that they may be widely applied to reduce the consumption of papers and plastics and conserve the environment. Therefore, it is of practical significance to develop convenient photochromic inks with a low cost and on a large scale. In this study, a simple one‐step hydrothermal route was used to prepare tungsten trioxide (WO₃) nanoparticles, which were further used to make photochromic inks and transparent photochromic films. The obtained transparent photochromic film could rapidly respond to UV light within tens of seconds, then return to its initial state, with different recovery times at different temperatures, and also exhibit good reversible coloration–bleaching effect. A typical polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foil coated with the photochromic ink could also be repeatedly printed with various patterns and displayed excellent rewritable performance over tens of cycles. This study proposes a simple method for widespread applications of WO₃‐based photochromic inks.     

石墨烯/CdTe量子点复合物的合成及在克伦特罗检测方面的应用

成功地合成了石墨烯/CdTe量子点复合物,并采用透射电镜、紫外吸收光谱、荧光发射光谱、荧光衰减曲线和X射线光电子能谱对产物进行了表征。透射电镜结果显示CdTe量子点被修饰于石墨烯的表面;X射线光电子能谱结果表示石墨烯在合成过程中被还原,还表明在所合材料的表面具有羧基和羟基;荧光发射光谱和荧光衰减曲线的结果显示将CdTe量子点修饰于石墨烯表面显著提高了CdTe量子点的荧光性能。此外,基于克伦特罗和石墨烯/CdTe量子点复合物之间形成的氢键,所合成材料可用于定量分析克伦特罗。克伦特罗对石墨烯/CdTe量子点复合物具有显著的猝灭作用,荧光强度的降低（F₀/F）与克伦特罗之间存在良好的线性关系,线性范围为7.22~108.30 μmol·L^-1,检出限为4 μmol·L^-1。     

Multifunctional Lanthanide‐Based Metal–Organic Frameworks with a Polyheterotopic Ligand: Doped with Ytterbium(III) for Luminescence Enhancement and Selective Dye Adsorption

The chemistry of metal–organic frameworks has been progressing fast with its exciting potential in multifunctional applications. A series of three‐dimensional lanthanide‐based metal–organic frameworks, {[Ln(HTPO)(NO₃)(H₂O)]⋅x(CH₃CN)⋅y(H₂O)}_n (Ln=Eu ( 1 ), Tb ( 2 ), Gd ( 3 ), Sm ( 4 ), Dy ( 5 ), Nd ( 6 )), {[Eu(TPO)(HCOO)_0.5]⋅(H₃O)_0.5}_n ( 7 ), {[Eu(TPO)(DMF)]⋅(solv)_x}_n ( 8 ; DMF= N,N‐dimethylformamide), and {[Eu(TPO)(DMA)]⋅(solv)_x}_n ( 9 ; DMA=dimethylacetamide) were synthesized with semirigid C₃‐symmetric ligand tris(4‐carboxylphenyl)phosphine oxide (H₃TPO). In these frameworks, the H₃TPO ligand exists in a totally different configuration. Framework 1 exhibits good breathing properties for absorbing more guest molecules through a solvent‐induced single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal (SC–SC) transformation involving a configuration transformation of the organic linker in the framework. The ytterbium ion was doped into 1 to improve the luminescent performance (lifetime and quantum yield) of the red europium emission. Among a series of Eu_1−xYb_xTPO samples, Eu_0.88Yb_0.12TPO showed enhanced luminescence intensity (≈5.1 times that of the pure europium system), and the lifetime increased from 1073.08 to 1236.57 μs. Moreover, the porosity of these frameworks allows them to efficiently adsorb dye molecules with high selectivity and efficiency.     

石墨二炔及其电子转移增强特性

石墨二炔是由sp和sp²杂化的碳原子构成的新的碳同素异形体。由于石墨二炔具有独特的拓扑结构和电子结构、较高的电荷迁移率及优异的电子传输性能,使其与其他材料相互作用,可表现出独特的电子转移增强特性。本文基于石墨二炔的电子转移增强特性,概述了石墨二炔及其电子转移增强特性的最新研究进展,包括金属氧化物/石墨二炔、金属纳米颗粒/石墨二炔、聚合物/石墨二炔以及染料分子/石墨二炔等多种石墨二炔基材料。本文从理论和实验研究两个方面详细阐述了石墨二炔的电子转移增强特性、石墨二炔与不同材料的相互作用以及相关的应用。希望该综述能对石墨炔化学的发展起到一定的积极作用。     

Basic principles,recent trends and future directions of microextraction techniques for the analysis of aqueous environmental samples

Microextraction-based sample preparation techniques have exhibited remarkable importance in analytical chemistry since they were first developed in the 1980s. The application of these techniques involves efficient and, at the same time, environmentally-friendly analytical methodologies. They are also generally faster when compared with classical sample preparation techniques, requiring low solvent and sample volumes, and also allowing for automated or semi-automated procedures. This paper provides an overview of the basic principles of sample preparation techniques and the important applications and developments that have taken place in this area over the past five years. These procedures include solid-phase microextraction (SPME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), bar adsorptive microextraction (BAμE), rotating disk sorptive extraction (RDSE), micro solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE) and liquid-phase microextraction (LPME). The main variations are discussed with a focus on recent applications in the analysis of environmental water samples. Lastly, some of the trends and perspectives associated with these outstanding microextraction sample preparation approaches are highlighted.     

Direct Observation of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides in Liquid with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

We present atomic-resolution images of TiSe\begin{document}$_2$\end{document}, MoTe\begin{document}$_2$\end{document} and TaS\begin{document}$_2$\end{document} single crystals in liquid condition using our home-built scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). By facilely cleaving of single crystals in liquid, we were able to keep the fresh surface not oxidized within a few hours. Using the high-stable home-built STM, we have obtained atomic resolution images of TiSe\begin{document}$_2$\end{document} accompanied with the single atom defects as well as the triangle defects in solution for the first time. Besides, the superstructure of MoTe\begin{document}$_2$\end{document} and hexagonal charge-density wave domain structure in nearly commensurate phase of TaS\begin{document}$_2$\end{document} were also obtained at room temperature (295 K). Our results provide a more efficient method in investigating the lively surface of transition metal dichalcogenides. Besides, the high stable liquid-phase STM will support the further investigations in liquid-phase catalysis or electrochemistry.     

Cross‐linking and properties of rubber magnetic composites cured with different curing systems

Rubber magnetic composites were prepared by incorporation of strontium ferrite into rubber compounds based on acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber. The sulfur, peroxide, and mixed sulfur/peroxide curing systems were introduced as cross‐linking agents for rubber matrices. The aim was to investigate the influence of curing system composition on curing process and cross‐link density of composite materials. Then, static and dynamic mechanical properties and thermal and magnetic characteristics were investigated in relation to the cross‐link density of rubber magnetic composites and structure of the formed cross‐links. The changes of dynamical and physicomechanical properties were in close correlation with the change of cross‐link density, whereas the tensile strength of magnetic composites showed increasing trend with increasing amount of peroxide in mixed curing systems. On the other hand, thermal conductivity and magnetic characteristics were found not to be dependent on the curing system composition.     

g-C3N4/Bi2O2CO32D纳米片复合材料的制备及可见光催化性能研究

采用自组装和化学沉淀法分别制得两种可见光驱动复合材料石墨相氮化碳/碳酸氧铋(g-C_3N_4/Bi_2O_2CO_3).采用X射线衍射光谱(XRD),紫外可见光谱、扫描电镜(SEM)、N_2吸附、电化学阻抗谱(EIS)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)等分析手段对制备的催化剂进行了表征.结果表明,制备方法对纳米复合材料的晶相、形态及光学性能没有影响,但是影响g-C_3N_4和Bi_2O_2CO_3之间的相互作用力,导致光生电子-空穴对的分离速率存在显著差异.以可见光驱动苯酚和罗丹明B的降解实验为探针反应检测催化剂的光催化性能.实验结果表明自组装法得到的异质结催化剂中相互作用力更强,催化效果最高.O_2-是罗丹明B降解反应的主要活性物种,染料的光敏化、Bi_2O_2CO_3与g-C_3N_4综合效应,导致光生载流子电荷分离效率更高.