Chlorfenapyr Crystal Polymorphism and Insecticidal Activity.

Four crystalline polymorphs of the proinsecticide chlorfenapyr [4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-ethoxymethyl-5-trifluoromethyl-1-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile] have been identified and characterized by polarized light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron diffraction. Three of the four structures were considered polytypic. Chlorfenapyr polymorphs show similar lethality against fruit flies () and mosquitoes () with the least stable polymorph showing slightly higher lethality.

Emergent Self-Assembly of Sustainable Plastics Based on Amino Acid Nanocrystals.

Development of biodegradable plastic materials is of primary importance in view of acute environmental and health problems associated with the accumulation of plastic waste. We fabricated a biodegradable composite material based on hydroxyethyl cellulose polymer and tyrosine nanocrystals, which demonstrates enhanced strength and ductility (typically mutually excluding properties), superior to most biodegradable plastics. This emergent behavior results from an assembly pattern that leads to a uniform nanoscale morphology and strong interactions between the components.

Real-Space Crystal Structure Analysis by Low-Dose Focal-Series TEM Imaging of Organic Materials with Near-Atomic Resolution.

Structural analysis of beam-sensitive materials by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) represents a significant challenge, as high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) requires high electron doses that limit its applicability to stable inorganic materials. Beam-sensitive materials, e.g.

Cation-Ligand Complexation Mediates the Temporal Evolution of Colloidal Fluoride Nanocrystals through Transient Aggregation.

Colloidal inorganic nanofluorides have aroused great interest for various applications with their development greatly accelerated thanks to advanced synthetic approaches. Nevertheless, understanding their colloidal evolution and the factors that affect their dispersion could improve the ability to rationally design them. Here, using a multimodal approach that combines DLS, NMR, and cryogenic-TEM, we elucidate the formation dynamics of nanofluorides in water through a transient aggregative phase.

Adsorption-Inhibition of Clathrate Hydrates by Self-Assembled Nanostructures.

The mechanism by which safranine O (SFO), an ice growth inhibitor, halts the growth of single crystal tetrahydrofuran (THF) clathrate hydrates was explored using microfluidics coupled with cold stages and fluorescence microscopy. THF hydrates grown in SFO solutions exhibited morphology changes and were shaped as truncated octahedrons or hexagons. Fluorescence microscopy and microfluidics demonstrated that SFO binds to the surface of THF hydrates on specific crystal planes.