Sulfonic Groups Research Articles

Zwitterionic and vinyl-N-imidazolium ionic liquids

In this paper, we present employing our own and literature data the results of investigation of the thermal behavior and ion transport properties of vinyl and alkyl imidazolium zwitterions containing an alkane sulfonic acid group and salts on their basis. For comparison, we present the results of investigation the respective vinyl and alkyl imidazolium ILs without these functional groups. The phase behavior of zwitterionic and vinyl imidazolium ionic liquids is studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

Single-ion-conducted covalent organic framework serving as Li-ion pump in polyethylene oxide-based electrolyte for robust solid-state Li–S batteries

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes are widely used for building solid-state lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries but suffer from poor lithium-ion (Li+) transportation kinetics. Here, a lithium-sulfonated covalent organic framework (TpPa-SO3Li) was synthesized and functionalized as a Li+ pump in a PEO-based solid-state electrolyte to fabricate robust Li–S batteries. The designed TpPa-SO3, Li with its porous skeleton and abundant lithium sulfonate groups not only provided iontransport channels but also enhanced the fast migration of Li+. The PEO composite electrolyte containing 5 %-TpPa-SO3Li exhibited a notable ionic conductivity of 6.28 × 10−4 S cm−1 and an impressive Li+ transference number of 0.78 at 60 °C. As a result, Li–Li symmetric batteries with the optimized PEO/TpPa-SO3Li composite electrolyte stably cycled for 300 h, with a minimal overpotential of only 100 mV at 0.5 mA cm−2. Moreover, the customized solid-state Li–S batteries based on PEO/TpPa-SO3Li were stable for 600 cycles at 60 oC with a high Coulombic efficiency of approximately 98 %. This study provides a promising strategy for introducing covalent-organic-framework (COF)-based Li+ pumps to build robust solid-state Li–S batteries.

3D printing of lignin-based supramolecular topological shape-morphing architectures with high strength, toughness, resolution, and fatigue resistance

The design and fabrication of customized and sustainable elastomers with supramolecular frameworks remain a central focus of scientific research. 3D printing represents an advanced manufacturing technology that has garnered significant attention. Lignin, a naturally abundant polymer, fits well with 3D printing due to its unique aromatic-rich structures that can provide rigidity and structural support. However, challenges persist in developing UV-curable lignin-based inks and fabricating high-strength lignin-based composite hydrogels with tailored shapes and structures through vat photopolymerization (VPP) printing techniques, largely due to lignin’s inherent heterogeneity, fragility, and poor fluidity. Here, we successfully developed a unique lignin-based photosensitive macromonomer resin tailored for VPP 3D printing. Using an ethanol/water fractionation process, heterogeneous lignosulfonate (LS), a by-product of the pulp and paper industry, was treated to isolate highly reactive lignin fractions rich in phenolic hydroxyl and sulfonic groups. These fractions were then chemically modified to synthesize a lignin-based macromonomer known as urethane acrylated lignosulfonate (UALS). The resulting lignin-based macromonomer (15–35 wt%) exhibits excellent compatibility with photosensitive resin formulations, enabling effective VPP 3D printing. The 3D-printed lignin-based supramolecular composite hydrogels exhibit high strength (tensile strength of ∼2.12 MPa, an elongation at break of ∼220.13 %), high resolution, fatigue resistance (up to 10000 cycles), and moisture-induced responsive behavior. The development of 3D-printed lignin-based supramolecular elastomers with defined shapes and patterned structures significantly advances the discovery of robust and environmentally sustainable soft materials with potential applications in soft robotics and tissue engineering.

Corncob waste derived carbon with sulfonic acid group: An efficient heterogeneous catalyst for production of ethyl levulinate as biodiesel additives

Alkyl levulinate is a biomass-based chemical compound used as a fuel additive. This research aims to produce ethyl levulinate from levulinic acid and ethanol using esterification with the assistance of a heterogeneous sulfonated carbon catalyst. The carbon sulfonate catalyst is obtained from corncob waste that has undergone carbonization at 300 °C and sulfonation using sulfuric acid at a temperature of 150 °C for 8 h. The catalyst is used for esterification with predetermined operating variables using Box-Behnken Design (BBD) on the response surface methodology (RSM). The result shows significant variables for ethyl levulinate esterification are catalyst loading and esterification time. The FTIR analysis indicates the presence of S=O bonds in the sulfonated carbon catalyst. The XRD and SEM analysis shows that the sulfonated carbon catalyst is in amorphous and mesoporous form. Catalyst reusability demonstrates that the corncob-derived carbon sulfonate catalyst can be used up to 3 times. The optimum condition for esterification is 9 h of reaction, 10 % catalyst loading, and a molar ratio of levulinic acid to ethanol of 1:10, which has 83.15 % conversion. These results present the optimum parameter conditions for an efficient heterogeneous catalyst from corncob for producing ethyl levulinate.

Highly Efficient Production of Furfural from Corncob by Barley Hull Biochar-Based Solid Acid in Cyclopentyl Methyl Ether–Water System

Furfural, an important biobased compound, can be synthesized through the chemocatalytic conversion of D-xylose and hemicelluloses from lignocellulose. It has widespread applications in the production of valuable furans, additives, resins, rubbers, synthetic fibers, polymers, plastics, biofuels, and pharmaceuticals. By using barley hulls (BHs) as biobased support, a heterogeneous biochar Sn-NUS-BH catalyst was created to transform corncob into furfural in cyclopentyl methyl ether–H2O. Sn-NUS-BH had a fibrous structure with voids, a large comparative area, and a large pore volume, which resulted in more catalytic active sites. Through the characterization of the physical and chemical properties of Sn-NUS-BH, it was observed that the Sn-NUS-BH had tin dioxide (Lewis acid sites) and a sulfonic acid group (Brønsted acid sites). This chemocatalyst had good thermostability. At 170 °C for 20 min, Sn-NUS-BH (3.6 wt%) was applied to transform 75 g/L of corncob with ZnCl2 (50 mM) to generate furfural (80.5% yield) in cyclopentyl methyl ether–H2O (2:1, v/v). This sustainable catalytic process shows great promise in the transformation of lignocellulose to furfural using biochar-based chemical catalysts.

The efficient oxidation of waste resins via ternary alkali carbonate: Mechanisms of the Fe3+/Co2+-catalysis for enhanced fixing organic sulfur, iron and cobalt

The development of a highly efficient and cost-effective strategy for the fixation of organic sulfur, as well as radioactive metal nuclides holds great significance in the treatment of organic contaminants. Herein, ternary molten carbonate (Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3) was used for treating simulated waste resins containing Fe3+ and Co2+ (Fe-Co-CERs). The FT-IR and XPS analysis showed that the significant conversion process of organic sulfur in molten Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 was sulfonic acid group (−SO3-) → sulfuryl group (−SO2-) → sulfur bond (−S-). The TG-DTG curves and the activation energy (E) revealed Fe3+ and Co2+ possess self-catalysis during the oxidation of Fe-Co-CERs, wherein distinctly facilitated the decomposition of −SO3- and −S- structures. The produced SO2 was further absorbed by molten carbonate to generate sulfate, which was confirmed by the observed increase in SO42- and the corresponding decrease of CO32–. The conversion of LiNaSO4 to K3Na(SO4)2 revealed that Li2CO3 is to function as a sulfur catcher at temperatures below 400 °C, which then as a crucial heat transfer medium at temperatures above 400 °C. The predominant forms of Fe and Co at 700 °C were primarily Co8FeS8, FeS, and CoS, which underwent oxidation to form CoFe2O4 and CoSO4 at 800 °C. The retention rate of S, Fe and Co reached 94.36 %, 97.48 % and 98.35 %, respectively. This molten salt oxidation (MSO) strategy exhibits promising potential for the treatment of organic contaminants containing sulfur and multiple metal elements.

Preparation of straw/PLA composites with excellent flame retardancy based on deep eutectic solvent sulfonation

There have been numerous studies on flame retardant modification of natural fiber/PLA composite materials due to the demand for applications. However, the existing flame retardant modification methods mostly involve adding flame retardants, which have a negative impact on the mechanical properties. Based on this, this study aims to introduce sulfonic groups into the cellulose of straw fibers via modification with a sulfamic acid-based deep eutectic solvent (SDES), thereby achieving flame retardance without affecting the inherent mechanical properties of the composite material. The performance enhancement of DS/PLA is manifested in the following specific aspects: the LOI reaches 36.53 %, the thermal stability is improved from 7.8 % of the residual carbon of PS/PLA to 38.4 %, and the tensile modulus is increased by 69.5 %. The preparation scheme for straw/PLA composite materials in this study is simple, economical, and efficient, and the flame retardant performance of the composite material is excellent, providing valuable references for flame retardant modification of natural fiber/plastic composite materials.

Synthesis of carrageenan/DFNS composite and its application in the esterification of levulinic acid with alcohols

The surface acidity of dendritic fibrous nano-silica (DFNS) was modified by a k-carrageenan biopolymer having sulfonic acid functional groups. The composite was used as a solid acid catalyst in the Fischer esterification reaction to convert levulinic acid (LA) to alkyl levulinates. The samples were characterized by analytical and instrumental techniques such as FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption analysis, FESEM, and TEM. By using different alcohols including a short chain (ethanol), a medium chain (n-butanol), and a long chain (n-hexanol), the impact of various parameters on the esterification reaction was investigated. Under the optimum reaction conditions including 6 h as the reaction time, 10 mg catalyst amount, 12:1 ethanol: LA ratio, and 150 °C as the reaction temperature a 61 % ethyl levulinate was obtained. The selected catalyst was recycled and regenerated for use in successive runs without worthy loss in its activity.

Facile preparation of multi-functionalized zwitterionic surfactants for the separation of water in Arabian heavy crude oil emulsions

We report an easy process to prepare new anionic and zwitterionic surfactants to break water in Arabian heavy crude oil emulsions (W/O) with different compositions (10/90, 30/70 and 50/50 vol%). Surfactants were prepared in only two stages using simple methodology. Diethylenetriamine was interacted with three moles of glycidyl 4-nonyl ether followed by the interaction with 3 and 8 mol of 1,3-propanesultone to yield TNDTS-3 and TNDTS-8 respectively. FTIR and NMR spectroscopies were carried out to substantiate the chemical structures of surfactants. Relative solubility number (RSN), surface activity and solubility properties were determined. Demulsification efficiencies and interfacial tension (IFT) of the prepared surfactants were investigated. Our findings demonstrated that increasing propyl sulfonate groups in the surfactant structure improved water solubility, IFT activity and demulsification efficiency. TNDTS-8 achieved 100 % demulsification activities in all W/O emulsions (10/90, 30/70 and 50/50 vol%).

A Supramolecular Biosensor for Rapid and High-Throughput Quantification of a Disease-Associated Niacin Metabolite.

Metabolic abnormalities play a pivotal role in various pathological conditions, necessitating the quantification of specific metabolites for diagnosis. While mass spectrometry remains the primary method for metabolite measurement, its limited throughput underscores the need for biosensors capable of rapid detection. Previously, we reported that pillar[6]arene with 12 carboxylate groups (P6AC) forms host-guest complexes with 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA), which is produced in vivo by nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). P6AC acts as a biosensor by measuring the fluorescence quenching caused by photoinduced electron transfer upon 1-MNA binding. However, the low sensitivity of P6AC makes it impractical for detecting 1-MNA in unpurified biological samples. In this study, we found that P6A with 12 sulfonate groups (P6AS) is a specific and potent supramolecular host for 1-MNA interactions even in biological samples. The 1-MNA binding affinity of P6AS in water was found to be (5.68 ± 1.02) × 106 M-1, which is approximately 700-fold higher than that of P6AC. Moreover, the 1-MNA detection limit of P6AS was determined to be 2.84 × 10-7 M, which is substantially lower than that of P6AC. Direct addition of P6AS to culture medium was sufficient to quantify 1-MNA produced by cancer cells. Furthermore, this sensor was able to specifically detect 1-MNA even in unpurified human urine. P6AS therefore enables rapid and high-throughput quantification of 1-MNA, and further improvement of our strategy will contribute to the establishment of high-throughput screening of NNMT inhibitors, diagnosis of liver diseases, and imaging of human cancer cells in vivo.

Thermoresponsive supramolecular nanocontainers from ionic complexes of amphiphilic wedge-shaped mesogens and polybases

Multi-responsive polymeric nanocontainers attract significant attention for their potential applications in biotechnology, drug delivery, catalysis, and other fields. By incorporating a liquid-crystalline (LC) mesogenic ligand with an alkyl tail length ranging from 8–12 carbons, ionically linked to the polymer backbone, we generate vesicles with walls significantly thinner than those of conventional polymersomes, approaching the thickness of a lipid bilayer. These LC vesicles, ranging in size from 50–120 nm, are designed to be mechanically robust due to the alignment of the hydrophilic polymer backbone within the plane of the vesicle wall. Additionally, incorporating a temperature-sensitive block into the polymer structure imparts thermoresponsiveness to the nanocontainers, enhancing their functionality and adaptability for various applications. Ionic complexes of hydrophilic polybases, specifically poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and PDMAEMA-b-PNIPAM (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)) block copolymers, with amphiphilic wedge-shaped mesogens bearing a sulfonic acid group at the focal point were synthesized. The designed nanocontainers, in the form of either vesicles or nanotubes, exhibit a well-defined wall thickness of 5 nm, dictated by the organization of a smectic LC phase. The constructed coarse-grained models elucidate the mechanism of self-assembly, demonstrating that the balance between the hydrophilicity of the main polymer chain and the hydrophobicity of the wedge-shaped pendant groups determines both the internal and external structure of the vesicles.

Zwitterionic hydrogels with high interfacial affinity for zinc metal batteries

Zinc metal batteries are expected to be the next generation of energy storage devices due to their high safety, but their application is hampered by irreversible hydrogen evolution reaction and surface side reactions of zinc anodes. Here, a zwitterionic hydrogel electrolyte is reported based on polymerization of acrylamide and 1-(3-Sulfopropyl)-2-Vinylpyridinium betaine, and it exhibits the following advantages: the sulfonic acid group of 1-(3-Sulfopropyl)-2-Vinylpyridinium betaine can be preferentially adsorbed on metal Zinc to avoid side reactions and refine the affinity at the zinc-electrolyte interface; and the coordination of the negatively charged sulfonic acid group with Zn2+ alters the solvation structure of Zn2+, which further improves the restriction ability of side reactions. Consequently, Zn||Zn symmetric batteries can be stabilized for 1, 200 h of plating stripping at 1 mA cm−2. Zn||Cu batteries exhibit an impressive average coulombic efficiency of 99.8 % over a remarkable span of 1, 800 cycles at a current density of 15 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the Zn||MnO2/Carbon nanotube batteries have been cycled more than 2, 000 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, and the zinc hybrid capacitors for more than 18, 000 cycles at 1 A g−1. And an ionic skin (i-skin) based on acrylamide and 1-(3-Sulfopropyl)-2-Vinylpyridinium betaine of polymer hydrogel electrolyte is assembled and it can stably detect physiological signals.

Biodegradability of oxidized films of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers containing 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyrate unit in seawater

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate, 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyrate (2H4MTB), and 2-hydroxy-4-methylvalerate were biosynthesized by recombinant Escherichia coli using L-methionine as the 2H4MTB precursor. The 2H4MTB unit contains a sulfide group in its side chain that can be oxidized to sulfoxide and sulfone groups by oxidants, thereby increasing the hydrophilicity of the polymer. The PHAs were biosynthesized at 3.9, 9.2, and 13.9 mol% 2H4MTB, and their polymer films were oxidized with hydrogen peroxide. The surface of the oxidized film was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle analysis. The oxidized films with 13.9 mol% 2H4MTB showed a 30° lower water contact angle than the non-oxidized films. To assess their marine biodegradability, the PHA films were immersed for 114 days in seawater continuously pumped from two depths (24 and 397 m) in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka, Japan. The weight loss of the films immersed in deep seawater was higher than that of those immersed in surface seawater. Additionally, there was a tendency for higher degradation of the oxidized films than that of the non-oxidized films, which was also confirmed by the biochemical oxygen demand test. In the surface morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy, irregularities were observed in the degraded films, but their morphologies differed between the oxidized and non-oxidized films. Based on these observations, the biodegradation of the PHA films in seawater is discussed.

A robust amphiphilic ionic covalent organic framework intercalated into functionalized graphene oxide hybrid membranes for ultrafast extraction uranium from wastewater

The efficient capture of uranium from wastewater is crucial for environmental remediation and the sustainable development of nuclear energy, yet it poses considerable challenges. In this study, amphiphilic ionic covalent organic framework intercalated into graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets functionalized with polyethyleneimine (PEI) were used to construct hybrid membranes with ultrafast uranium adsorption. These hybrid membranes achieved equilibrium in just 10 min and the adsorption capacity was as high as 358.8 mg g−1 at pH = 6. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) analyses revealed that the strong interaction between sulfonic acid groups and uranyl ions was the primary reason for the high adsorption capacity and selectivity. The extended transition state and natural orbitals for chemical valence (ETS–NOCV) analysis revealed that the interaction between the 7 s and 5f orbitals of uranyl and the 2p orbitals of S and O in the sulfonate was the primary reason for the strong interaction between the sulfonate and the uranyl ion. This research presents an effective method for the rapid extraction of uranium from wastewater.

One-Pot Conversion of Biomass Saccharides to γ-Valerolactone over a Versatile Tin-Containing Material.

The synthesis of biofuel γ-valerolactone (GVL) from accessible biomass is an attractive and challenging goal. Here, we report an efficient, one-pot, and mild strategy for the efficient production of GVL from various biomass saccharides without using any homogeneous acid as a co-catalyst and molecular hydrogen as a hydrogen donor. A versatile porous tin-containing material (Sn(M)-S) was designed as an individual heterogeneous catalyst. As high as 68.4% yield of GVL form glucose was achieved in the presence of ammonia borane as a solid hydrogen donor under mild conditions, with GVL yields of 76.2%, 68.9%, 62.5%, and 52.2% being obtained from fructose, sucrose, cellobiose, and cellulose, respectively. The synergistic effect of Sn and sulfonic acid group in Sn(M)-S not only provides appropriate Lewis acid sites to promote the isomerization of glucose into fructose but also affords abundant Brønsted sites for the following conversion steps. Moreover, Sn(M)-S(1) showed good stability and reusability during consecutive recycles.

Solvent-free CO2 cycloaddition by one- and two-dimensional sodium coordination polymers based on hydrazonic ligands

We successfully synthesized and characterized four new coordination polymers of sodium: sodium 4-hydroxy-3-{[2-(pyridine-4-carbonyl)hydrazinylidene]methyl}benzene-1-sulfonate (NaL4-Py), sodium 3-[(2-benzoylhydrazinylidene)methyl]-4-hydroxybenzene-1-sulfonate (NaLPh), sodium 3-[(2-acetylhydrazinylidene)methyl]-4-hydroxybenzene-1-sulfonate (NaLMe), and sodium 3-[(2-carbamoylhydrazinylidene)methyl]-4-hydroxybenzene-1-sulfonate (NaLNH2). These polymers were synthesized through a 1:1 condensation reaction of hydrazide derivatives with sodium salicylaldehyde-5-sulfonate monohydrate (NaSalSO3) and were thoroughly characterized using various analytical techniques. The compounds NaLMe and NaLPh, crystallized in the P 1‾ and P21/n space groups, respectively, forming one-dimensional polymers. On the other hand, NaLNH2 and NaL4-Py crystallized in the Cmca and P 1‾ space groups, respectively, forming two-dimensional coordination polymers. The coordination environment of the sodium cation differed among the compounds, with the imine nitrogen atom interfering in NaL4-Py and NaLPh. The sulfonate group exhibited various coordination modes, resulting in the different dimensionalities of the polymers. Compounds NaL4-Py and NaLPh acted as heterogeneous Lewis acid catalysts for the solvent-free cycloaddition reaction of epichlorohydrine and CO2 into valued cyclic carbonate. High selective conversion (68 %) of epichlorohydrin to cyclic carbonate was obtained at mild conditions, 60 °C and 1 bar CO2, after 24 h of reaction.

Efficient biodiesel production by sulfonated carbon catalyst derived from waste glycerine pitch via single-step carbonisation and sulfonation

Glycerine pitch is a highly alkaline residue from the oleochemical industry that contains glycerol and contaminants, such as water, soap, salt and ash. In this study, acidic heterogeneous glycerol-based carbon catalysts were synthesised for biodiesel production via single-step partial carbonisation and sulfonation using pure glycerol and glycerine pitch, producing products labelled as SGC and SGPC, respectively. Carbon materials were obtained by heating glycerol and concentrated sulfuric acid (1:3) at 200℃ for 1 h. The produced SGC and SGPC displayed high densities of sulfonic group (–SO3H), i.e. 1.49 and 1.00 mmol·g−1, respectively, alongside carboxylic (–COOH) and phenolic (–OH) acid. In the catalytic evaluation, excellent oleic acid conversions of 96.0 ± 0.4 % and 92.4 ± 0.5 % were achieved using SGC and SGPC, respectively, under optimised reaction conditions: 1:10 M ratio of oleic acid to methanol, 5 % (w/w) catalyst, 64℃ and 5 h. SGPC was found to be recyclable with 68.5 % conversion after the 6th cycle, which was attributed to the loss of –SO3H and catalyst deactivation by the deposition of oleic acid on its surface. Remarkably, despite the impurities present in the glycerine pitch, the obtained results demonstrated that the reactivity of SGPC is comparable to SGC and superior to that of commercial solid acid catalysts, which demonstrated that the presence of impurities appears to have minimal impact on the production of carbon materials and their properties.

Comparative Study of Autogenic and Allogenic Chondrocyte Transplants on Polyethersulfone Scaffolds for Cartilage Regeneration.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chondrogenic potential of chondrocyte transplants cultured in vitro on polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. Forty-eight rabbits (96 knee joints) were used in the project. The synthetic, macro-porous PES membranes were used as scaffolds. Fragments of articular cartilage were harvested from non-weight-bearing areas of the joints of the animals. Chondrocytes were isolated and then cultivated on PES scaffolds for 3 weeks. The animals were divided into four groups. All the lesions in the articular cartilage were full thickness defects. In Group I, autogenic chondrocytes on PES membranes were transplanted into the defect area; in Group II, allogenic chondrocytes on PES membranes were transplanted into the defect area; in Group III, pure PES membranes were transplanted into the defect area; and in Group IV, lesions were left untreated. Half of the animals from each group were terminated after 8 weeks, and the remaining half were terminated 12 weeks postoperatively. The samples underwent macroscopic evaluation using the Brittberg scale and microscopic evaluation using the O'Driscoll scale. The best regeneration was observed in Groups II and I. In Group I, the results were achieved with two surgeries, while in Group II, only one operation was needed. This indicates that allogenic chondrocytes do not require two surgeries, highlighting the importance of further in vivo studies to better understand this advantage. The success of the study and the desired properties of PES scaffolds are attributed mainly to the presence of sulfonic groups in the structure of the material. These groups, similar to chondroitin sulfate, which naturally occurs in hyaline cartilage, likely enable mutual affinity between the scaffold and cells and promote scaffold colonization by the cells.

Solving the Contradiction of Work Function and Conductivity in PEDOT:PSS to Achieve High‐Performance Perovskite Light‐Emitting Diode via Aniline Interface Modification

AbstractPoly (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is one of the most widely used functional materials for hole transport layer in perovskite light‐emitting diode (LED). Tuning its work function (WF) and conductivity (κ) is a key issue for promoting perovskite LED performance. While decreasing its WF always reduces its κ and vice versa. Solving such contradiction is quite significant for promoting the development and commercialization of perovskite LED. Herein, the aniline (Ani) is employed for PEDOT:PSS interface modification. Ani inserted between PEDOT and PSS to weaken electrostatic interaction between sulfonic acid group in PSS chain and thiophene group in PEDOT chain, which results in increased delocalized electrons to enhance its κ. More importantly, the acid–base reaction decreases high acidity of PEDOT:PSS, which is an effective way to increase its WF and decrease its interface defects density. Meanwhile, such interface modification avoids PEDOT:PSS phase separation and ensures the uniformity of film. After Ani modification, the WF of PEDOT:PSS increase from 5.16 to 5.31 eV, the κ increases from 0.30 to 8.62 S cm−1, and the hole mobility enhances from 0.716 × 10−6 to 1.306 × 10−6 cm2 V−1 s−1. Modified PEDOT:PSS boost CsPbI3 LED achieving a maximum external quantum efficiency of 17.70%.

Influence of the Crystal Forms of Calcium Carbonate on the Preparation and Characteristics of Indigo Carmine-Calcium Carbonate Lake

In this study, indigo carmine (IC)-calcium carbonate lakes with different crystalline forms of calcium carbonate were prepared through co-precipitation methods, and the properties of these lakes and their formation mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) exhibited the smallest particle size and the largest specific surface area, resulting in the highest adsorption efficiency. Vaterite, calcite, and aragonite followed after ACC in decreasing order of adsorption efficiency. Kinetic analysis and isothermal analysis revealed the occurrence of chemisorption and multilayer adsorption during formation of the lakes. The FTIR and Raman spectra suggested participation of sulfonic acid groups in chemisorption. Appearance of IC significantly altered TGA curves by changing weight loss rate before decomposition of calcium carbonate. EDS analysis revealed the adsorption of IC predominantly happened on the surface of calcium carbonate particles rather than the interior.