A Photoluminescent Ag10Cu6 Cluster Stablized by a PNNP Ligand and Phenylacetylides Selectively and Reversibly Senses Ammonia in Air and Water

A photoluminescent bimetallic cluster [Ag₁₀Cu₆(bdppthi)₂(C≡CPh)₁₂(MeOH)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₄ ( 1 , bdppthi=N,N’-bis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)-tetrahydroimidazole} was synthesized from the PNNP type ligand bdppthi generated in-situ. Upon excitation at 365 nm, 1 exhibited strong phosphorescent emission at 630 nm, which was selectively quenched by NH₃ in air or water. The sensing of NH₃ was rapid and recoverable, with detection limits of 53 ppm (v/v) in N₂ and 21 μmol/L (0.36 ppm, w/w) for NH₃ ⋅ H₂O in water. Cluster 1 could potentially serve as a bifunctional chemical sensor for the efficient detection of ammonia in waste-gas and waste-water.     

Photocatalytic and antifouling properties of TiO2-based photocatalytic membranes

Photocatalysis has been extensively studied due to its potential ability to avoid the excessive use of chemical reagents and reduce the energy consumption by employing solar energy. Moreover, to alleviate the reduction in the membrane permeation selectivity, separation efficiency, and membrane service life caused by the emerging micro-pollutants and membrane fouling, membrane technology is often coupled with microbial, electrochemical, and catalytic processes. However, although physical/chemical cleaning and membrane module replacement can overcome the inherent limitations caused by membrane fouling and other membrane separation processes, high operating costs limit their practical applications. In this review, common preparation methods for TiO₂ photocatalytic membranes are described in detail, and the main approaches to enhancing their photocatalytic performance are discussed. More importantly, the mechanism of the TiO₂ photocatalytic membrane antifouling process is elucidated, and some applications of photocatalytic membranes in other areas are described. This review systematically outlines future research directions in the field of photocatalytic membrane modification, including metal and non-metal doping, fabrication of heterojunction structures, control over reaction conditions, increase in hydrophilicity, and increase in membrane porosity.     

Probing nanocolumnar silver nanoparticle/zinc oxide hierarchical assemblies with advanced surface plasmon resonance and their enhanced photocatalytic performance for formaldehyde removal

Recent advances in photocatalysis focus on the development of materials with hierarchical structure and on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon exhibited by metal nanoparticles (NPs). In this work, both are combined in a material where size‐controllable Ag‐NPs are uniformly loaded onto the hierarchical microporous and mesoporous and nanocolumnar structures of ZnO, resulting in Ag‐NP/ZnO nanocomposites. The embedded Ag‐NPs slightly decrease the hydrophobicity of fibrous ZnO, improve its wettability, and increase the absorption of formaldehyde (H₂CO) onto the photocatalyst, all of this resulting in excellent photodegradation of formaldehyde in aqueous solution. Besides, we found that Ag‐NPs with optimal size not only accelerate the charge transfer to the surface of ZnO, but also strengthen the SPR effect in the intercolumnar channels of fibrous ZnO particles combining with high concentration of photo‐generated radical species. The micro‐to‐mesoporous ZnO is like a nanoarray packed Ag‐NPs. With Ag‐NPs of diameter 2.5 < ? < 6.5 nm, ZnO exhibits the most superior photodegradation rate constant value of 0.0239 min^?1 with total formaldehyde removal of 97%. This work presents a new feasible approach involving highly sophisticated Ag‐NP/ZnO architecture combining the SPR effect and hierarchically ordered structures, which results in high photocatalytic activity for formaldehyde photodegradation.     

富氮多孔有机聚合物催化制备α⁃氰基肉桂酸乙酯

α-氰基肉桂酸乙酯作为含多种官能团的缺电子烯烃, 是一种极具应用价值的有机合成反应底物, 主要通过催化Knoevenagel缩合反应获得. 本文以多聚甲醛和三聚氰胺为前驱体, 采用溶剂热法制备富氮多孔有机聚合物mPMF, 经K₂CO₃处理得到K₂CO₃-mPMF-X(X=1, 10, 50). 考察了mPMF在苯甲醛和氰乙酸乙酯Knoevenagel缩合反应中的催化性能, 通过mPMF与K₂CO₃-mPMF-X催化活性的比较, 探讨了碱性强弱对Knoevenagel缩合反应的影响, 并对催化反应机理进行了探索. 结果表明, 催化剂中丰富的氮物种为反应提供了碱性环境和大量的碱性活性位点, 催化剂碱性强弱的控制是催化合成α-氰基肉桂酸乙酯的关键因素. mPMF在甲醇溶剂中于60 ℃反应3 h后, 苯甲醛转化率为97%, 目标产物选择性在99.9%以上.     

Unravelling the Relationship between Raman Enhancement and Photocatalytic Activity on Single Anisotropic Au Microplates

Anisotropic noble‐metal structures are attracting increasing attention because of interesting size‐ and shape‐dependent properties and have emerging applications in the fields of optics and catalysis. However, it remains a significant challenge to overcome chemical contributions and acquire molecular insight into the relationship between Raman enhancement and photocatalytic activity. This study gives visualized experimental evidence of the anisotropic spatial distribution of Raman signals and photocatalytic activity at the level of single nanometer‐thin Au microtriangles and microhexagons. Theoretical simulations indicate an anisotropic spatial distribution and sharpness‐dependent strength of the electric‐field enhancement. Analysis by using statistical surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) supports this view, that is, Raman enhancement is on the order of corner>edge>face for a single microplate, but SERS measurements at different depths of focus also imply a concentration‐dependent feature of SERS signals, especially at the corners and edges. Similarly, the SERS signals of product molecules in plasmonic photocatalysis also exhibit asymmetrical strengths at different corners of the same microplate. However, by examining the variations in the relative intensities of the SERS peaks, the difference in the photocatalytic activities at the corners, edges, and faces has been successfully calculated and is highly consistent with electric‐field simulations, thus indicating that an increased number of molecules adsorbed at specific sites does not necessarily lead to a higher conversion ratio in noble‐metal photocatalysis. Our strategy weakens the assumed impact of plasmonic local heating and, to a certain extent, excludes the influence of concentration effects and chemical contributions in noble‐metal photocatalysis, thus clearly profiling plasmon‐related characteristics. This study also promises a new research direction to understand the enhancement mechanism of SERS‐active structures.     

Designed synthesis of ZnO/PEDOT core/shell hybrid nanotube arrays with enhanced electrochromic properties

Designed growth of zinc oxide (ZnO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) core/shell hybrid nanotube arrays has been achieved by electropolymerization technique. The ZnO/PEDOT hybrid nanotubes electropolymerized for 2000-second display enhanced electrochromic properties of the contrast ratio up to 31.3%, a lot higher than those of the pure PEDOT and ZnO/PEDOT hybrid nanorods. Moreover, the coloring efficiency of the hybrid nanotubes increases from 105.2 cm² C⁻¹ of ZnO/PEDOT hybrid nantotube with the electrodeposition time of 1000 seconds to 122.2 cm² C⁻¹ of 2000 seconds at 520 nm. Therefore, the hybrid composite nanotubes fabricated by the in situ electrodeposition techniques may demonstrate huge potential applications in energy-saving technologies such as smart windows.     

有机电极材料固定化策略

有机电极材料因其理论比容量高、低成本、环境友好以及分子结构可设计性强等特点,有望成为下一代可持续和多功能能量储存设备的有效电极材料。然而,根据“相似相溶”原理,该类材料极易溶解在有机电解液中,导致电池容量衰减快、循环稳定性和倍率性能也较差。目前已有许多研究致力于通过“固定化”过程解决有机电极材料的溶解问题。本综述针对有机电极材料的固定化策略展开评述,介绍了有机电极材料的固定化机理,以及各种固定化策略在不同种类有机电极材料中所起的作用,指出了有机电极材料面临的挑战,并对未来的研究和改进方向进行展望。     

简易法制备高量子产率荧光材料及其应用

选用柠檬酸和三乙烯四胺作为原料,在相对低温下(80 ℃),制备量子产率高达78%的荧光材料。 通过紫外吸收、荧光、傅里叶变换红外光谱仪(FTIR)、核磁共振波谱仪(NMR)等技术手段对该体系进行表征。 结果表明,该荧光材料属于非典型性荧光材料,其强荧光性可能源于体系中大量羰基的聚集。 这种高量子产率材料满足制备隐形墨水的要求,在图案化、防伪和光电子设备等领域具有潜在的应用前景。     

Improving the cycleability of Si anodes by covalently grafting with 4-carboxyphenyl groups

In this study, the lithium storage capacity of Si nanoparticles is significantly enhanced by grafting with 4-carboxyphenyl groups via diazonium salts. The modified Si anodes exhibit reversible capacities of 1173 and 527 mA h g^?1 at the 1st and 50th cycle, while those of the bare Si electrodes are only 56 and 62 mA h g^?1, respectively. The improved electrochemical performance is supposed to arise from the formation of a robust and flexible solid electrolyte interface on the surfaces of the modified Si nanoparticles.