Photocatalytic Dehalogenation of Aryl Halides Mediated by the Flexible Metal-Organic Framework MIL-53(Cr).

The catalytic potential of flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) remains underexplored, particularly in solution-phase reactions. This study employs MIL-53(Cr), a prototypical "breathing" MOF capable of structural adaptation via pore size modulation, as a photocatalyst for the dehalogenation of aryl halides. Powder X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function analyses reveal that organic solvents influence pore opening, while substrates and products dynamically adjust the framework configuration during catalysis.

Stöber method to amorphous metal-organic frameworks and coordination polymers.

The Stöber method is a widely-used sol-gel route for synthesizing amorphous SiO colloids and conformal coatings. However, the material systems compatible with this method are still limited. Herein, we have extended the approach to metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and coordination polymers (CPs) by mimicking the Stöber method.

The tin content of lead inclusions in ancient tin-bronze artifacts: a time-dependent process?

In antiquity, Pb was a common element added in the production of large bronze artifacts, especially large statues, to impart fluidity to the casting process. As Pb does not form a solid solution with pure Cu or with the Sn-Cu alloy phases, it is normally observed in the metal matrix as globular droplets embedded within or in interstitial positions among the crystals of Sn-bronze (normally the α phase) as the last crystallizing phase during the cooling process of the Cu-Sn-Pb ternary melt. The disequilibrium Sn content of the Pb droplets has recently been suggested as a viable parameter to detect modern materials [Shilstein, Berner, Feldman, Shalev & Rosenberg (2019).

Elucidating Structural Disorder in Ultra-Thin Bi-Rich Bismuth Oxyhalide Photocatalysts.

Advancing the field of photocatalysis requires the elucidation of structural properties that underpin the photocatalytic properties of promising materials. The focus of the present study is layered, Bi-rich bismuth oxyhalides, which are widely studied for photocatalytic applications yet poorly structurally understood, due to high levels of disorder, nano-sized domains, and the large number of structurally similar compounds. By connecting insights from multiple scattering techniques, utilizing electron-, X-ray- and neutron probes, the crystal phase of the synthesized materials is allocated as layered BiOX (X = Cl, Br), albeit with significant deviation from the reported 3D crystalline model.