Synthesis Of Materials Research Articles

Perspectives Toward Damage-Tolerant Nanostructure Ceramics.

Advanced ceramic materials and devices call for better reliability and damage tolerance. In addition to their strong bonding nature, there are examples demonstrating superior mechanical properties of nanostructure ceramics, such as damage-tolerant ceramic aerogels that can withstand high deformation without cracking and local plasticity in dense nanocrystalline ceramics. The recent progresses shall be reviewed in this perspective article. Three topics including highly elastic nano-fibrous ceramic aerogels, load-bearing nanoceramics with improved mechanical properties, and implementing machine learning-assisted simulations toolbox in understanding the relationship among structure, deformation mechanisms, and microstructure-properties shall be discussed. It is hoped that the perspectives present here can help the discovery, synthesis, and processing of future structural ceramic materials that are insensitive to processing flaws and local damages in service.

Endowing Metal-Organic Coordination Materials with Chiroptical Activity by a Chiral Anion Strategy.

Recently, chiral metal-organic coordination materials have emerged as promising candidates for a wide range of applications in chiroptoelectronics, chiral catalysis, and information encryption, etc. Notably, the chiroptical effect of coordination chromophores makes them appealing for applications such as photodetectors, OLEDs, 3D displays, and bioimaging. The direct synthesis of chiral coordination materials using chiral organic ligands or complexes with metal-centered chirality is very often tedious and costly. In the case of ionic coordination materials, the combination of chiral anions with cationic, achiral coordination compounds through noncovalent interactions may endow molecular materials with desirable chiroptical properties. The use of such a simple chiral strategy has been proven effective in inducing promising circular dichroism and/or circularly polarized luminescence signals. This concept article mainly delves into the latest advances in exploring the efficacy of such a chiral anion strategy for transforming achiral coordination materials into chromophores with superb photo- or electro-chiroptical properties. In particular, ionic small-molecular metal complexes, metal clusters, coordination supramolecular assemblies, and metal-organic frameworks containing chiral anions are discussed. A perspective on the future opportunities on the preparation of chiroptical materials with the chiral anion strategy is also presented.

Wet-Chemical Synthesis of Elemental 2D Materials.

Wet-chemical synthesis refers to the bottom-up chemical synthesis in solution, which is among the most popular synthetic approaches towards functional two-dimensional (2D) materials. It offers several advantages, including cost-effectiveness, high yields,, precious control over the production process. As an emerging family of 2D materials, elemental 2D materials (Xenes) have shown great potential in various applications such as electronics, catalysts, biochemistry,, sensing technologies due to their exceptional/exotic properties such as large surface area, tunable band gap,, high carrier mobility. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in wet-chemical synthesis of Xenes including tellurene, bismuthene, antimonene, phosphorene,, arsenene. The current solvent compositions, process parameters utilized in wet-chemical synthesis, their effects on the thickness, stability of the resulting Xenes are also presented. Key factors considered involves ligands, precursors, surfactants, reaction time, temperature. Finally, we highlight recent advances, existing challenges in the current application of wet-chemical synthesis for Xenes production, provide perspectives on future improvement.

Solvothermal Guided V2O5 Microspherical Nanoparticles Constructing High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries have attracted a lot of attention owing to their cost effectiveness and plentiful resources, but less research has been conducted on the aspect of high volumetric energy density, which is crucial to the space available for the batteries in practical applications. In this work, highly crystalline V2O5 microspheres were self-assembled from one-dimensional V2O5 nanorod structures by a template-free solvothermal method, which were used as cathode materials for zinc-ion batteries with high performance, enabling fast ion transport, outstanding cycle stability and excellent rate capability, as well as a significant increase in tap density. Specifically, the V2O5 microspheres achieve a reversible specific capacity of 414.7 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, and show a long-term cycling stability retaining 76.5% after 3000 cycles at 2 A g-1. This work provides an efficient route for the synthesis of three-dimensional materials with stable structures, excellent electrochemical performance and high tap density.

Amino functionalization of porous aromatic frameworks for efficient and stable iodine adsorption

In view of the excellent stability, ultra-high specific surface area, and structural versatility, porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) have shown promising potential in gaseous iodine adsorption. Herein, PAF-1 and PAF-5 were synthesized with high specific surface areas. Amino groups as effective binding sites were introduced to these frameworks through post-modification, which facilitated a shift from simple physical adsorption of iodine vapor to a more robust chemical adsorption process. Meanwhile, PAF-6 was synthesized from nitrogen-rich monomers to demonstrate the role of N-binding site in iodine adsorption. PAF-6 exhibited the highest iodine adsorption capacity, verifying the critical role of N-adsorption active sites. The in situ synthesis of nitrogen-rich porous material show advantages over post-modification in creating effective iodine adsorbents. This work highlights the potential of PAFs as a promising material for the adsorption and fixation of radioactive iodine.

Microbial synthesis of antimony sulfide to prepare catechol and hydroquinone electrochemical sensor by pyrolysis and carbonization

The application of antimony sulfide sensors, characterized by their exceptional stability and selectivity, is of emerging interest in detection research, and the integration of graphitized carbon materials is expected to further enhance their electrochemical performance. This study represents a pioneering effort in the synthesis of carbon-doped antimony sulfide materials through the pyrolysis of the mixture of microorganisms and their synthetic antimony sulfide. The prepared materials are subsequently applied to electrochemical sensors for monitoring the highly toxic compounds catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) in the environment. Via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance testing, we concluded that the pyrolytic product at 700 °C (Sb-700) demonstrated the best electrochemical properties. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) revealed impressive separation when utilizing Sb-700/GCE for simultaneous detection of CC and HQ, exhibiting good linearity within the concentration range of 0.1–140 μM. The achieved sensitivities of 24.62 μA μM−1 cm−2 and 22.10 μA μM−1 cm−2 surpassed those of most CC and HQ electrochemical sensors. Meanwhile, the detection limits for CC and HQ were as low as 0.18 μM and 0.16 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. Additional tests confirmed the good selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability of Sb-700/GCE, which was effective in detecting CC and HQ in tap water and river water, with recovery rates of 100.7%–104.5% and 96.5%–101.4%, respectively. It provides a method that combines green microbial synthesis and simple pyrolysis for the preparation of electrode materials in CC and HQ electrochemical sensors, and also offers a new perspective for the application of microbial synthesized materials.

One-step Solid-State Synthesis of V1.13Se2/V2O3 Heterostructure as a High Pseudocapacitance Anode for Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) offer several benefits, including cost-efficiency and fast-charging characteristics, positioning them as attractive substitutes for lithium-ion batteries in energy storage applications. However, the inferior capacity and cycling stability of electrodes in SIBs necessitate further enhancement due to sluggish reaction kinetics. In this respect, the utilization of heterostructures, which can provide an inherent electric field and abundant active sites on the surface, has emerged as a promising strategy for augmenting the cycling stability and rate features of the electrodes. This work delves into the utilization of V1.13Se2/V2O3 heterostructure materials as anodes, initially fabricated via a simplified one-step solid-state sintering technique. The high pseudocapacitance and low characteristic relaxation time constant give the V1.13Se2/V2O3 heterostructure impressive properties, such as a high capacity of 328.5 mAh g-1 even after 1500 cycles at a high current density of 2 A g-1 and rate capability of 278.9 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1. Moreover, the assembled sodium-ion full battery delivers a capacity of 118.5 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 1 A g-1. These findings provide novel insight and guidance for the rapid synthesis of heterojunction materials and the advancement of SIBs.

Laser Synthesis of Catalytically Active Materials for Organic Synthesis and Sensor Technology

Introduction: The catalytic activity of metallic nanomaterials depends on their surface morphology. A widely known method is the laser synthesis of metal nanostructures by depositing on dielectric surfaces from aqueous solutions containing metal complexes. The article analyzes the factors that favor the production of conductive, catalytic, and sensory-active deposits by laser method. It is shown that the two main factors is the presence of a large number of charged defects on heterophase surfaces and the structure of metal-containing complexes in solution. This is typical for mono- and bimetallic alloys, the components of which interact with the laser beams according to the autocatalytic type. Using the example of laser deposition from solutions of Co, Ni, Fe, Zn, and Ag salts with homo- and heterophase dielectrics, the sensory and catalytic properties of the deposits are compared by impedance spectroscopy and voltammetry. It has been shown that heterophase precipitation significantly enhances the catalysis response. Background: It is known that the highest catalytic activity exhibits nanostructured and highly porous materials with a large specific surface area and materials containing surface heterogeneity in the form of charged acid-base centers. Such materials are necessary for the creation of new catalysts for organic synthesis and for the creation of new sensor materials for enzyme-free microbiosensors. Active development of new methods for the synthesis of such materials is underway. But not all of them give the expected result. Methods: Laser synthesis methods have the best prospects, including the method of laser-induced metal deposition. This is the laser synthesis of metal nanostructures by depositing dielectric surfaces from aqueous solutions containing metal complexes. Results: Аrticle analyzes the factors that favor the production of conductive, catalytic, and sensory-active deposits by laser method. It is shown that the two main factors are the presence of a large number of charged defects on heterophase surfaces and the structure of a metal-contained complex in solution. This is typical for mono- and bimetallic alloys, the components of which interact with the laser beam according to the autocatalytic type. Using the example of laser deposition from solutions of Co, Ni, Fe, Zn, and Ag salts with homo- and heterophase dielectrics, the sensory and catalytic properties of the deposits are compared by impedance spectroscopy and voltammetry. Conclusion: It has been shown that heterophase precipitation significantly enhances the catalysis response. It is shown that the laser deposition reaction has an autocatalytic mechanism in a dynamic mode. The results of autocatalysis can be used in a stationary mode to create a microbiosensor for glucose, as well as to create a technology for laser refining rare metals and hydrogen energy in a dynamic mode.

The Future of Chemical Sciences is Sustainable

AbstractChemistry, a vital tool for sustainable development, faces a challenge due to the lack of clear guidance on actionable steps, hindering the optimal adoption of sustainability practices across its diverse facets from discovery to implementation. This Scientific Perspective explores established frameworks and principles, proposing a conciliated set of triple E priorities anchored on Environmental, Economic, and Equity pillars for research and decision making. We outline associated metrics, crucial for quantifying impacts, classifying them according to their focus areas and scales tackled. Emphasizing catalysis as a key driver of sustainable synthesis of chemicals and materials, we exemplify how triple E priorities can practically guide the development and implementation of processes from renewables conversions to complex customized products. We summarize by proposing a roadmap for the community aimed at raising awareness, fostering academia–industry collaboration, and stimulating further advances in sustainable chemical technologies across their broad scope.

The Future of Chemical Sciences is Sustainable.

Chemistry, a vital tool for sustainable development, faces a challenge due to the lack of clear guidance on actionable steps, hindering the optimal adoption of sustainability practices across its diverse facets from discovery to implementation. This Scientific Perspective explores established frameworks and principles, proposing a conciliated set of triple E priorities anchored on Environmental, Economic, and Equity pillars for research and decision making. We outline associated metrics, crucial for quantifying impacts, classifying them according to their focus areas and scales tackled. Emphasizing catalysis as a key driver of sustainable synthesis of chemicals and materials, we exemplify how triple E priorities can practically guide the development and implementation of processes from renewables conversions to complex customized products. We summarize by proposing a roadmap for the community aimed at raising awareness, fostering academia-industry collaboration, and stimulating further advances in sustainable chemical technologies across their broad scope.

Superabsorbent Hydrogels in the Agriculture and Reclamation of Degraded Areas

Superabsorbent materials (SAPs) are crosslinked polymer networks composed of ionic and non-ionic monomers. SAPs can absorb and retain water solutions up to several hundred times their own weight. As a result of swelling, they form a gel that is insoluble in water, considered safe and decomposes over time. This review focuses on the synthesis, degradation and chemical composition of SAP materials, with particular emphasis on chemical substances that are soluble in water and can migrate into the environment. Numerous applications of natural and synthetic hydrogels in agriculture and the reclamation of degraded areas in preventing erosion, retention water, reducing leaching of colloidal soil components and plant protection products, fertilisers and mineral salts into surface waters have been described. The influence of SAPs on the microbial activity of soils is described. New trends in the search for environmentally friendly SAPs made of modified biopolymers and waste materials are presented, which not only increase yields, but also ensure sustainable agro-environmental development.

Bridging Nanomanufacturing and Artificial Intelligence-A Comprehensive Review.

Nanomanufacturing and digital manufacturing (DM) are defining the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution-Industry 4.0-as enabling technologies for the processing of materials spanning several length scales. This review delineates the evolution of nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing in the digital age for applications in medicine, robotics, sensory technology, semiconductors, and consumer electronics. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to explore nanomaterial synthesis, optimize nanomanufacturing processes, and aid high-fidelity nanoscale characterization is discussed. This paper elaborates on different machine-learning and deep-learning algorithms for analyzing nanoscale images, designing nanomaterials, and nano quality assurance. The challenges associated with the application of machine- and deep-learning models to achieve robust and accurate predictions are outlined. The prospects of incorporating sophisticated AI algorithms such as reinforced learning, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), big data analytics for material synthesis, manufacturing process innovation, and nanosystem integration are discussed.

Surface atom knockout for the active site exposure of alloy catalyst

The fine regulation of catalysts by the atomic-level removal of inactive atoms can promote the active site exposure for performance enhancement, whereas suffering from the difficulty in controllably removing atoms using current micro/nano-scale material fabrication technologies. Here, we developed a surface atom knockout method to promote the active site exposure in an alloy catalyst. Taking Cu3Pd alloy as an example, it refers to assemble a battery using Cu3Pd and Zn as cathode and anode, the charge process of which proceeds at about 1.1 V, equal to the theoretical potential difference between Cu2+/Cu and Zn2+/Zn, suggesting the electricity-driven dissolution of Cu atoms. The precise knockout of Cu atoms is confirmed by the linear relationship between the amount of the removed Cu atoms and the battery cumulative specific capacity, which is attributed to the inherent atom-electron-capacity correspondence. We observed the surface atom knockout process at different stages and studied the evolution of the chemical environment. The alloy catalyst achieves a higher current density for oxygen reduction reaction compared to the original alloy and Pt/C. This work provides an atomic fabrication method for material synthesis and regulation toward the wide applications in catalysis, energy, and others.

Unveiling the potential of vanadium-doped CVD-grown p-type MoS2 in vertical homojunction UV–Vis photodiodes

2D materials are a popular choice for the fabrication of p-n diodes for applications in integrated optoelectronics owing to their outstanding properties such as strong light-matter interactions, high mobility, and tunable band gap. The synthesis of monolayer and few-layer 2D materials with both p-type and n-type behavior is thus essential for the design and fabrication of such devices. However, the large-scale direct synthesis of p-type 2D materials is still a challenge as most of these materials are either n-type or ambipolar. Here, we report the successful synthesis of large-area, p-type MoS2 layers doped with vanadium on SiO2/Si substrates, achieving flake sizes >100 μm. By varying the concentration of the vanadium precursor, we precisely controlled the doping level, achieving vanadium atomic percentages ranging from 0.70 % to 1.57 %. Back gate field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated, enabling the tuning of device characteristics to exhibit ambipolar or p-type behavior. Moreover, a vertical p-n MoS2 homojunction was fabricated for rectification and optoelectronic applications, demonstrating a high responsivity of up to 978.1 A/W and a specific detectivity (D*) of 1.06 × 1012 Jones at λ = 365 nm with varied powers of the incident light source. This work demonstrates the role of vanadium as a dopant for tunable electrical transport behavior as well as for the fabrication of a photodiode, which can be used for high-performance optoelectronic devices in the future.

Mechanochemistry: A Green and Fast Method to Prepare a New Generation of Metal Supported Catalysts

In this review, we report on recent advances in the use of mechanochemistry to synthesise new catalytic materials. We report recent results obtained by our groups where a rational design of the milling parameters led to the synthesis of advanced materials with novel properties such as unconventional arrangements of metals on the surface of oxide support materials, highly dispersed metals or the stabilisation of species in particular oxidation states. These properties resulted in superior catalytic performances of the mechanochemically-synthesised catalysts compared to their counterparts prepared by traditional impregnation methods. To illustrate these advances, we review the progress made in two important fields of catalysis where noble metals are used: (i) emission control catalysis using palladium-based materials; (ii) the development of photocatalysts to produce hydrogen based on gold and palladium materials.

Diazananographene with Quadruple [5]Helicene Units: Synthesis, Optical Properties, and Supramolecular Assembly

A helical diazananographene (1) was successfully synthesized by employing sterically hindered t-butyl groups to inhibit further dehydrocyclization of [5]helicene units. These t-butyl groups stabilized the conformation of [5]helicene units, thus resulting in three stable conformers of 1, comprising a pair of enantiomers (1-(P, P, P, P) and 1-(M, M, M, M)) and a mesomer (1-(P, P, M, M)). In comparison to its planar analogs, helical 1 exhibited broadened peaks in both its absorption and emission spectra, leading to an increase in the emission quantum yield from 0.3 to 0.6. The significantly enhanced radiative decay rate (k r) accounted for the increase in the quantum yield of 1. Additionally, it was observed that the compound could be fully protonated upon the addition of an equivalent acid. Furthermore, 1 assembled into a chiral trimeric metallosupramolecular complex upon coordination with the PdII units. Both protonated 1 and the metallosupramolecular complex exhibited an enhanced circular dichroic response. These findings revealed that the incorporation of a helical structure and pyridinic nitrogen-doping into the nanographene can allow the synthesis of responsive chiroptical graphenic materials, which could serve as fundamental components for constructing chiral hierarchical metallosupramolecular structures.

Facile synthesis of phenazine-conjugated polymer material with extraordinary proton-storage redox capability

Facile synthesis of phenazine-conjugated polymer material with extraordinary proton-storage redox capability

Preparation and performance analysis of polycarboxylate superplasticizer modified with fluorine-containing monomer and silicon dioxide nanoparticles

With the development of technology, the performance requirements for building materials in the modern construction industry are increasing. Nanomaterials and polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCE) have good applicability in this field. Therefore, we develop a composite material by incorporating a fluorocarbon surfactant (FS) as a shrinkage-reducing agent into the PCE and modifying it with silicon dioxide nanoparticles (nano-SiO2) (SiO2-FS-PCE). Moreover, we investigate the preparation, dispersity, flowability, rheological properties, adsorption performance, and microstructure of the SiO2-FS-PCE composite. We observe that introducing an appropriate concentration of fluorine-containing monomer can effectively reduce surface tension in the solution and inhibit the shrinkage of the slurry. The rheological properties of the SiO2-FS-PCE1 slurry decrease significantly with time. When the dosage of nano-SiO2 exceeds 20%, the silicon hydroxyl groups on the material’s surface tend to polymerize, which affects the adsorption and dispersion of the superplasticizer, thereby reducing its fluidity. As the dosage of nano-SiO2 increases, there is a trend of increasing friction of SiO2-FS-PCE, followed by a decrease. This change is closely related to changes in the adsorption and morphology of SiO2-FS-PCE, providing higher adsorption sites than other materials. In conclusion, these findings provide insights for a deeper understanding of the synthesis and properties of nanocomposite materials, thereby offering a theoretical basis for further optimization of their preparation and performance.

First-principles study of superconducting transition temperature of niobium and vanadium as a function of pressure

Ultra-high pressure has recently led to the observation of high Tc superconductors. The exploration of superconducting properties under high pressure conditions offers valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms governing superconductivity and opens avenues for the synthesis of novel materials with enhanced superconducting properties. In this study, the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, for niobium and vanadium has been investigated to maximum pressures of 250.0 and 70.0 GPa, respectively. Density functional theory and density functional perturbation theory were used to undertake first-principles computations to investigate the variations of superconducting properties under pressure. For both the metals niobium (Nb) and vanadium (V), we observed that the density of states at the Fermi level decreased, while the overall phonon frequency generally increased with pressure. For Nb, we find that the electron–phonon coupling constant (λ) and the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) decrease steadily with pressure; however, for V, we find that λ and Tc decrease smoothly up to 26.0 GPa, and then gradually increase to 70.0 GPa pressure. The observed phonon spectrum nature for both Nb and V is in good agreement with the neutron scattering approach’s output.

Analysis of CNT and rGO Mediation for an Efficient Super-Capacitive Response in Cr-Doped Co3O4 Based Composites

The synthesis of novel and high capacitance electrode materials has attracted much attention over the last few decades to meet the needs of electrode materials in supercapacitors. Cobalt oxide, one of several vanadium oxides, has recently gained popularity due to its unique layered structure, phase transition, and applications in supercapacitors. Here, we present structural, morphological, and electrochemical analysis of Cr-doped Co3O4 nanostructures and their carbon nanotubes/reduced graphene oxide (CNT/rGO) based composites. Hydrothermal and solvothermal routes are followed to prepare the samples. The active material is developed via a polymer-based binder and is used as the electrode in a three-electrode electrochemical system. X-ray diffraction confirms the spinel-type cubic crystal structure, while the stoichiometric elemental contents are verified via an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Well-shaped layered growth of the nanocomposites is revealed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical analysis is performed using a 2 M KOH electrolyte solution and a three-electrode electrochemical setup. The pure and Cr-doped nanocomposite samples reveal a pseudo capacitive behavior in all samples. The systematic capacitive and resistive response of the samples has also been presented in this report. The aforementioned attributes make the synthesized specimen a potential candidate for an electrode material.