Tunable Surface Structures Research Articles

3D Printing Polymers with Supramolecular Functionality for Biological Applications

Supramolecular chemistry continues to experience widespread growth, as fine-tuned chemical structures lead to well-defined bulk materials. Previous literature described the roles of hydrogen bonding, ionic aggregation, guest/host interactions, and π-π stacking to tune mechanical, viscoelastic, and processing performance. The versatility of reversible interactions enables the more facile manufacturing of molded parts with tailored hierarchical structures such as tissue engineered scaffolds for biological applications. Recently, supramolecular polymers and additive manufacturing processes merged to provide parts with control of the molecular, macromolecular, and feature length scales. Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, generates customizable constructs desirable for many applications, and the introduction of supramolecular interactions will potentially increase production speed, offer a tunable surface structure for controlling cell/scaffold interactions, and impart desired mechanical properties through reinforcing interlayer adhesion and introducing gradients or self-assembled structures. This review details the synthesis and characterization of supramolecular polymers suitable for additive manufacture and biomedical applications as well as the use of supramolecular polymers in additive manufacturing for drug delivery and complex tissue scaffold formation. The effect of supramolecular assembly and its dynamic behavior offers potential for controlling the anisotropy of the printed objects with exquisite geometrical control. The potential for supramolecular polymers to generate well-defined parts, hierarchical structures, and scaffolds with gradient properties/tuned surfaces provides an avenue for developing next-generation biomedical devices and tissue scaffolds.

Direct observation of tunable surface structure and reactivity in TiO2 nanopowders

Surface structure and reactivity is of primary importance in numerous metal oxide applications. Nanopowders can offer advantages both in ease of preparation and in total surface area relative to monocrystals. Although monocrystal surfaces have been characterized using a variety of spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, key features of these surfaces may not translate to nanopowders. In previous studies of alumina and zirconia, we employed nuclear reaction analysis coupled with density functional calculations to show that the atomic and electronic structures of these nanopowder surfaces are distinct from those predicted thermodynamically for macroscopic crystals. Here, we report similar findings for the technologically important metal oxide TiO2. For the first time, we extend our studies to characterize these nanopowders’ surface reactivity with oxygen and hydrogen. We observe reactivity indicative of surface states with metallic character distinct from the stoichiometric oxide. This notable behavior holds crucial implications for use of these powders as catalysts and catalyst supports.

Octahedral PtNi nanoparticles with controlled surface structure and composition for oxygen reduction reaction

Controlling the surface structure and composition at the atomic level is an effective way to tune the catalytic properties of bimetallic catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate a generalized strategy to synthesize highly monodisperse, surfactant-free octahedral Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles with tunable surface structure and composition. With increasing the Ni content in the bulk composition, the degree of concaveness of the octahedral Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles increases. We systematically studied the correlation between their surface structure/composition and their observed oxygen reduction activity. Electrochemical studies have shown that all the octahedral Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles exhibit enhanced oxygen reduction activity relative to the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst. More importantly, we find that the surface structure and composition of the octahedral Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles have significant effect on their oxygen reduction activity. Among the studied Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles, the octahedral Pt1Ni1 nanoparticles with slight concaveness in its (111) facet show the highest activity. At 0.90 V vs. RHE, the Pt mass and specific activity of the octahedral Pt1Ni1 nanoparticles are 7.0 and 7.5-fold higher than that of commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively. The present work not only provides a generalized strategy to synthesize highly monodisperse, surfactant-free octahedral Pt x Ni1−x nanoparticles with tunable surface structure and composition, but also provides insights to the structure-activity correlation.

Preparation of hollow polyurethane microspheres with tunable surface structures via electrospraying technology

For the first time, electrospraying was employed to fabricate hollow polyurethane microspheres with controlled size and tunable surface morphology.

Regioselective Atomic Rearrangement of Ag-Pt Octahedral Catalysts by Chemical Vapor-Assisted Treatment.

Thermal annealing is a common, and often much-needed, process to optimize the surface structure and composition of bimetallic nanoparticles for high catalytic performance. Such thermal treatment is often carried out either in air or under an inert atmosphere by a trial-and-error approach. Herewith, we present a new chemical vapor-assisted treatment, which can preserve the octahedral morphology of Ag-Pt nanoparticles while modifying the surface into preferred composition arrangements with site-selectivity for high catalytic activity. In situ environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM) study reveals a relatively homogeneous distribution of Ag and Pt is generated on the surface of Ag-Pt nanoparticles upon exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), whereas Pt atoms preferably segregate to the edge regions when the gas atmosphere is switched to argon. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest stabilization of Pt atoms is energetically favored in the form of mixed surface alloys when CO vapor is present. Without CO, Ag and Pt phase separate under the similar mild treatment condition. There exists a close correlation between the tunable surface structures and the catalytic activities of Ag-Pt octahedral nanoparticles.

MoS2 with tunable surface structure directed by thiophene adsorption toward HDS and HER

MoS2 catalysts with more active sites and larger surface areas were successfully synthesized via a simple hydrothermal reaction method, and the surface structure of MoS2 was readily tailored by simply adding thiophene during the synthesis procedure. The MoS2 samples synthesized with thiophene, especially MoS2 prepared with 200 μL of thiophene, concomitantly exhibited better activity for both hydrodesulfurization and hydrogen evolution reactions. The present work provides an efficient route to achieve highly efficient MoS2 catalysts, and may open up a new avenue for the morphological design of layered structural compounds like MoS2.

Identification of Surface Reactivity Descriptor for Transition Metal Oxides in Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

A number of important reactions such as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are catalyzed by transition metal oxides (TMOs), the surface reactivity of which is rather elusive. Therefore, rationally tailoring adsorption energy of intermediates on TMOs to achieve desirable catalytic performance still remains a great challenge. Here we show the identification of a general and tunable surface structure, coordinatively unsaturated metal cation (MCUS), as a good surface reactivity descriptor for TMOs in OER. Surface reactivity of a given TMO increases monotonically with the density of MCUS, and thus the increase in MCUS improves the catalytic activity for weak-binding TMOs but impairs that for strong-binding ones. The electronic origin of the surface reactivity can be well explained by a new model proposed in this work, wherein the energy of the highest-occupied d-states relative to the Fermi level determines the intermediates' bonding strength by affecting the filling of the antibonding states. Our model for the first time well describes the reactivity trends among TMOs, and would initiate viable design principles for, but not limited to, OER catalysts.

Tunable Internal and Surface Structures of the Bifunctional Oxygen Perovskite Catalysts

Perovskite oxide ceramics attracts significant attention as a strong candidate of bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst for the metal‐air batteries. Numerous approaches to the viability of bifunctional perovskite electrocatalyst represent that the electro­chemical performance is highly correlated with defect chemistry, surface structure, and overall polycrystalline perovskite structure. By making use of the intrinsic flexibility of internal structure and high nonstoichiometry in perovskite oxide, the heat treatment effect of the complex Ba0.5Sr0.5CoxFe1‐xO3‐δ (x = 0.2 and 0.8) perovskites in argon atmosphere at 950 °C (Ar‐BSCF5582 and Ar‐BSCF5528) on the surface structure/defect chemistry and electrocatalytic performance is intensively investigated. Upon heat‐treatment in argon atmosphere, the amorphous thickness layer increases from ≈20 to 180–200 nm in BSCF5582, while there is little change in BSCF5528 with ≈20 nm. The electrocatalytic performance of BSCF5582 catalyst both in ORR and OER deteriorates seriously, while Ar‐BSCF5528 demonstrates a significant increase of electro­chemical performance in ORR. This study demonstrates that the electrochemical performances of a perovskite catalyst can be significantly determined by the simultaneous modification of both surface structure and internal defect chemistry, which are explained with transmission electron microscopy and atomic‐selective X‐ray absorption fine structure analyses, respectively.

Shaping Single-Crystalline Trimetallic Pt–Pd–Rh Nanocrystals toward High-Efficiency C–C Splitting of Ethanol in Conversion to CO2

Atomic-scale construction and high-throughput screening of robust multicomponent nanocatalysts with tunable well-defined surface structures and associated active sites for the ethanol electro-oxidation reaction (EOR) in high activity and selectivity, referring to C–C bond cleavage and full oxidation of ethanol as a clean and sustainable energy source, has remained a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a powerful conceptual approach to design, synthesize, and optimize single-crystalline Pt–Pd–Rh nanocrystals of altered shapes and compositions for enhanced EOR performance, based on combined density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experiment study. We prepared (111)-terminated Pt–Pd–Rh nanotruncated-octahedrons (NTOs) and (100)-terminated Pt–Pd–Rh nanocubes (NCs) with varied-compositions by regulating the reduction tendency of metal precursors in a facile hydrothermal method. Aided by DFT calculations, Pt3PdRh NTOs, PtPdRh NTO, and 8.8 nm PtPdRh NCs-200 were screened to be the best performing ca...

Doping controlled roughness and defined mesoporosity in chemically etched silicon nanowires with tunable conductivity

By using Si(100) with different dopant type (n++-type (As) or p-type (B)), we show how metal-assisted chemically etched (MACE) nanowires (NWs) can form with rough outer surfaces around a solid NW core for p-type NWs, and a unique, defined mesoporous structure for highly doped n-type NWs. We used high resolution electron microscopy techniques to define the characteristic roughening and mesoporous structure within the NWs and how such structures can form due to a judicious choice of carrier concentration and dopant type. The n-type NWs have a mesoporosity that is defined by equidistant pores in all directions, and the inter-pore distance is correlated to the effective depletion region width at the reduction potential of the catalyst at the silicon surface in a HF electrolyte. Clumping in n-type MACE Si NWs is also shown to be characteristic of mesoporous NWs when etched as high density NW layers, due to low rigidity (high porosity). Electrical transport investigations show that the etched nanowires exhibit tunable conductance changes, where the largest resistance increase is found for highly mesoporous n-type Si NWs, in spite of their very high electronic carrier concentration. This understanding can be adapted to any low-dimensional semiconducting system capable of selective etching through electroless, and possibly electrochemical, means. The process points to a method of multiscale nanostructuring NWs, from surface roughening of NWs with controllable lengths to defined mesoporosity formation, and may be applicable to applications where high surface area, electrical connectivity, tunable surface structure, and internal porosity are required.

Electrochemical methods – important means for fabrication of fluorescent nanoparticles

Fluorescent nanoparticles have attracted much attention over the last two decades. Due to the size- and composition-dependent optical and electrical properties, fluorescent nanoparticles have been emphasized in electronic, optical and biomedical applications. Till now, many kinds of methods have been developed to fabricate diverse fluorescent nanoparticles, which include pyrolysis, template synthesis, hydrothermal synthesis, microemulsion, electrochemical methods and so on. Among them, electrochemical methods are favored for relatively good controllability, ease of operation and mild reaction conditions. By adjusting the applied potential, current, components of the electrolyte and other relevant parameters, the fluorescent nanoparticles could be electrochemically manufactured with tunable sizes, compositions and surface structure, which allows for the modification of electronic and optical properties. Therefore, electrochemical methods are regarded as important means in preparing fluorescent nanoparticles. This review focuses on the recent progress in electrochemical fabrications of fluorescent nanoparticles (together with their optical properties and some applications in optoelectronics and biomedicine).

The properties and applications of nanodiamonds

Nanodiamonds have excellent mechanical and optical properties, high surface areas and tunable surface structures. They are also non-toxic, which makes them well suited to biomedical applications. Here we review the synthesis, structure, properties, surface chemistry and phase transformations of individual nanodiamonds and clusters of nanodiamonds. In particular we discuss the rational control of the mechanical, chemical, electronic and optical properties of nanodiamonds through surface doping, interior doping and the introduction of functional groups. These little gems have a wide range of potential applications in tribology, drug delivery, bioimaging and tissue engineering, and also as protein mimics and a filler material for nanocomposites.

General Pathway toward Crystalline-Core Micelles with Tunable Morphology and Corona Segregation

We present a general mechanism for the solution self-assembly of crystalline-core micelles (CCMs) from triblock copolymers bearing a semicrystalline polyethylene (PE) middle block. This approach enables the production of nanoparticles with tunable dimensions and surface structures. Depending on the quality of the solvent used for PE, either spherical or worm-like CCMs can be generated in an easy and highly selective fashion from the same triblock copolymers via crystallization-induced self-assembly upon cooling. If the triblock copolymer stays molecularly dissolved at temperatures above the crystallization temperature of the PE block, worm-like CCMs with high aspect ratios are formed by a nucleation and growth process. Their length can be conveniently controlled by varying the applied crystallization temperature. If exclusively spherical micelles with an amorphous PE core are present before crystallization, confined crystallization within the cores of the preformed micelles takes place and spherical CCMs are formed. For polystyrene-block-polyethylene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) triblock terpolymers a patch-like microphase separation of the corona is obtained for both spherical and worm-like CCMs due to the incompatibility of the PS and PMMA blocks. The structure of the patch-like corona depends on the selectivity of the employed solvent for the PS and PMMA corona blocks, whereby nonselective solvents produce a more homogeneous patch size and distribution. Annealing of the semicrystalline PE cores results in an increasingly uniform crystallite size distribution and thus core thickness of the worm-like CCMs.

Integrated structural control of cage-type mesoporous platinum possessing both tunable large mesopores and variable surface structures by block copolymer-assisted Pt deposition in a hard-template

Cage-type mesoporous Pt with tunable large mesopores possessing smooth and rough pore surfaces were prepared selectively by the deposition of Pt in the absence and presence of a block copolymer in a hard-template, respectively.