Melting behaviours of nickel nanorods

We report the synthesis and measurement of an ultra-precise and extremely stable optical frequency in the telecommunications window around 1543 nm. Using a fibre-based femtosecond frequency comb we have phase-stabilised a fibre laser at 194 THz to an optical frequency standard at 344 THz, thus transferring the properties of the optical frequency standard to another spectral region. Relative to the optical frequency standard, the synthesised frequency at 194 THz is determined to within 1 mHz and its fractional frequency instability is measured to be less than 2×10^-15 at 1 s, reaching 5× 10^-18 after 8000 s. We also measured the synthesised frequency against a caesium fountain clock: here the frequency comparison itself contributes less than 4 mHz (2×10^-17) to the uncertainty. Our results confirm the suitability of fibre based frequency comb technology for precision measurements and frequency synthesis, and enable long-distance comparison of optical clocks by using optical fibres to transmit the frequency information.     

Interplay of negative pressure and hydrogen chemical effects in CeRhSn from first principles

Investigations within the local spin density functional theory (LSDF) of the intermetallic hydride system CeRhSnH_x were carried out for discrete model compositions in the range 0.33 ≤x_H ≤ 1.33 with the purpose of assessing the change of the cerium valence state in the neighborhood of the experimental hydride composition, CeRhSnH_0.8. In agreement with experiment, the analyses of the electronic and magnetic structures and of the chemical bonding properties point to trivalent cerium for 1 ≤x_H ≤ 1.33. In contrast, for lower hydrogen amounts the hydride system stays in an intermediate-valent state for cerium, like in CeRhSn. The influence of the insertion of hydrogen is addressed from both the volume expansion and chemical bonding effects. The latter are found to have the main influence on the change of Ce valence character. Spin polarized calculations point to a finite magnetic moment carried by the Ce 4f states; its magnitude increases with x_H in the range 1 ≤x_H ≤ 1.33.     

Polymerizable C70 derivatives with acrylate functionality for efficient and stable solar cells

Fullerene-based organic solar cells are generally suffering from severe microstructure evolution occurring in their bulk heterojunction active layers and thus are extremely stable. To address it, four polymerizable C₇₀ fullerene derivatives, [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-ethyl acrylate (PC₇₁EA), [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-propyl acrylate (PC₇₁PrA), [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-butyl acrylate (PC₇₁BA), and [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-pentyl acrylate (PC₇₁PeA), have been designed, synthesized, and investigated. These fullerene compounds have a molecular structure, shape and size very like the conventional C₇₀ fullerene acceptor, [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM), and have been found no different in their light absorption, redox potentials, and frontier orbital energy levels. Using these fullerene acrylates individually as acceptor and poly(3-hexylthiophene) as donor, organic solar cells have been fabricated and gave optimal efficiencies ranging from 3.32% to 4.16%, comparable to PC₇₁BM-based reference cells (4.06%). Owing to their acrylate functionality, these fullerene derivatives can turn into insoluble upon heating, and thus endow their solar cell devices much better thermostability than PC₇₁BM-based reference cells. The best one, coming from PC₇₁PeA devices, reported an optimal efficiency of 4.16%, and maintained 91.7% efficiency after heat treatment at 150 °C for 35 h. As a sharp contrast, the PC₇₁BM reference cell dropped its optimal efficiency from 4.06% to 0.48% only after 5 h heat treatment. X-ray diffraction, optical and atomic force microscopy, and space-charge-limited current method have been carried out to understand active layer structure, morphology, and charge mobility change during heat treatment.     

A novel carbocatalytic hydride transfer strategy for efficient reduction of structurally different aldehydes and ketones in water

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)–NaBH₄ is reported as mild and efficient catalyst-system for chemo-/regioselective reduction of structurally different aliphatic, aromatic as well as α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones in water. The rGO was prepared by reducing graphene oxide using Tulsi leaf extract as bio-reductant. Operational simplicity, ambient reaction condition, high yield of pure products (80–97%), no by-product formation, no use of column chromatography for purification are the salient features of the envisaged protocol. Furthermore, the recovered TRGO was recycled and reused for subsequent reductions up to five times without any loss in activity.     

Catalyst- and organic solvent-free synthesis of thioacids in water

Thioacids and thioamino acids were synthesized in excellent yields from readily available acyl benzotriazoles and sodium hydrosulfide in water at room temperature. The new methodology features mild reaction conditions, high yields, short reaction times, and does not involve the use of organic solvents or bases. The reaction is eco-friendly, and the workup procedure is simple and does not require chromatographic separation.     

Water-acetic acid mediated an efficient one-pot eco-friendly synthesis of novel bis-isoxazolopyrroloquinoline derivatives

An efficient, cost-effective and environmentally benign synthesis of novel tetracyclic bis-isoxazolopyrroloquinoline derivatives has been developed via one-pot four-component reaction of 4-amino-3-methyl-5-styrylisoxazoles, dimedone, aryl glyoxal monohydrates and 5-amino-3-methylisoxazole by employing water as a reaction medium and acetic acid (AcOH) as a green promoter. The advantages of this protocol are environmentally friendly, metal-free, less reaction time, operational simplicity, high yields, broad substrate scope and easy purification. Most significant of all, this method is green.     

基于水分散纳米无定形水杨酸甲酯铽配合物的三价铬离子高灵敏荧光传感器

为扩大稀土荧光配合物的应用范围,满足水溶液中微量铬的高灵敏高选择性探测要求,制备了一种基于水分散纳米无定形水杨酸甲酯铽配合物(A-MS-Tb)的高灵敏三价铬离子荧光传感器。结果表明:在水溶液中直接反应合成的配合物A-MS-Tb为无定形的纳米沉淀,其粒子尺度在50～100 nm之间,具有与报道的配合物晶体类似的组成。该配合物在494、549、591和625 nm处呈现出强的荧光发射,归属于铽离子的5D4→7FJ(J=6,5,4,3)能级跃迁。A-MS-Tb与晶体配合物的显著差别在于其在水中的悬浮稳定性和荧光稳定性更好,这对于其作为荧光材料和离子传感器非常重要。尤其突出的是,当将三价铬离子加入到它的水悬浮溶液中后,会减弱配体与铽离子之间的配位作用,导致其绿色荧光被淬灭。据此,构建了一种高灵敏测定溶液中铬离子浓度的荧光探针,并对其分析的选择性、灵敏度和抗干扰能力进行了评价。     

Self-assembly of l-tryptophan on Cu(111) studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy

The self-assembly of l-tryptophan on Cu(111) is investigated by an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at 4.4 K. When deposited onto the substrate at around 120 K with a coverage of 0.1 monolayer, molecular trimers, tetramers, hexamers, and chains coexist on Cu(111). Then almost all molecules self-assemble into chiral hexamers after being annealed at room temperature. When increasing molecular coverage to the full layer, a new type of chain is observed on the surface. Based on the high-resolution STM images at sub-molecular level, we suggest that the l-tryptophan molecules are present in neutral, zwitterionic or anionic states in these structures.     

Near-infrared dyes,nanomaterials and proteins

Taking the advantage of reduced scattering and low autofluorescence background, the NIR fluorescence probes, such as fluorescence proteins, organic molecules and nanoparticles, not only hold the promise of in vivo imaging of biological processes in physiology and pathology with high signal-to-noise ratio, but also for clinical diagnosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent progress on NIR probes, focusing on fundamental mechanisms of NIR dyes and nanoparticles, and protein engineering strategies for NIR proteins.