Construction of MoTiCT MXene as a Superior Carrier to Support Ru-CuO Heterojunctions for Improving Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation.

The sluggish anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) of the hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cell (HEMFC) is a significant barrier for practical implementation. Herein, we designed a catalyst of MoTiCT MXene-supported Ru-CuO heterojunctions (named as Ru-CuO/MXene). The XPS spectra and the d-band center data of the different amounts of Cu of the Ru-CuO/MXene suggested that there existed a strongly electronic metal-support interaction between the active species and the substrate with MXene as the excellent carrier.

Eu doped ethylenediamine functionalized UiO-66 probe for fluorescence sensing of formaldehyde.

The development of probes with selectivity and prompt detection of aldehydes molecules is of great importance for protecting human health and public security. Herein, a system based on ethylenediamine (EDA) functionalized and Eu-doped UiO-66, namely EDA-Eu@UiO-66, was designed to detect formaldehyde molecules. Based on the "antenna effect" of lanthanide elements, UiO-66 transfers the absorbed energy to Eu ions and emits characteristic fluorescence belonging to Eu.

One-Pot Hydrothermal Method Preparation of Cerium-Nitrogen-Codoped Carbon Quantum Dots from Waste Longan Nucleus as a Fluorescent Sensor for Sensing Drug Rifampicin.

Currently, the large-scale application of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is usually limited by their low quantum yield and detection limit. Herein, the abandoned longan nucleus was used as a carbon source to synthesize cerium-nitrogen-codoped carbon quantum dots (Ce/N-CQDs) with strong luminescence intensity. In this work, the fluorescent properties and fluorescent quantum yield of CQDs may be improved by the single cerium-doped carbon quantum dots (Ce-CQDs) and the single nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs).

Five Mesoporous Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks: Syntheses, Structures, and Fluorescence Sensing of Fe, CrO, and HO and Electrochemical Sensing of Trinitrophenol.

When a multicarboxylate aromatic ligand, 3,5-di(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid (HL), was employed, five structurally similar lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), {[PrL(OH)Cl(HO)]·4CHN} (), {[NdL(OH) (HO)]·4CHN} (), {[GdL(OH)(HO)]·4CHN} (), {[HoL(OH) (HO)]·4CHN} () and {[ErL(OH)(HO)]·4CHN} (), were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses disclosed that all five Ln-MOFs crystallize in the trigonal space group. They have three-dimensional mesoporous structure featuring the coexistence of binuclear and tetranuclear species as inorganic building units.

Novel Multifunctional Samarium-Organic Framework for Fluorescence Sensing of Ag, MnO , and Cimetidine and Electrochemical Sensing of -Nitrophenol in Aqueous Solutions.

A novel Sm-metal-organic framework (MOF) sensor with the molecular formula Sm(HDBA)·HO has been prepared based on a penta-carboxyl organic ligand (HDBA = 3,5-di(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid) and samarium nitrate under solvothermal conditions. Sm-MOF is characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Structural analysis shows that the dimer metal units are alternately connected to form a one-dimensional chain, and this chain is connected by the bridging carboxyl oxygen of the ligand HDBA to form a two-dimensional double-layer plane, which then expands into a three-dimensional microporous framework.

Giant improvement of performances of perovskite solar cells via component engineering.

The absorption layer is a crucial factor for high-performance perovskite solar cells. In this work, the influence of the two components, methylammonium iodide (MAI) and formamidinium iodide (FAI) on the morphology, optical absorption and photovoltaic performances was systematically investigated. The results revealed that the surface morphologies of MAI/FAI based perovskite films were rougher, and the grain sizes became larger with increasing the FAI concentration.

A Multifunctional Tb-MOF Detector for HO, Fe, CrO , and TPA Explosive Featuring Coexistence of Binuclear and Tetranuclear Clusters.

A novel three-dimensional microporous terbium(III) metal-organic framework (Tb-MOF) named as [Tb (DBA)(OH)(HO)]·(HO) (), was successfully obtained by a solvothermal method based on terbium nitrate and 5-di(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl) benzoic acid (HDBA). The Tb-MOF has been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, and fluorescence properties, and the purity was further confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Structural analysis shows that there are two kinds of metal cluster species: binuclear and tetranuclear, which are linked by HDBA ligands in two μ high coordination fashions into a three-dimensional microporous framework.

Turn-on theranostic fluorescent nanoprobe by electrostatic self-assembly of carbon dots with doxorubicin for targeted cancer cell imaging, in vivo hyaluronidase analysis, and targeted drug delivery.

This paper reports a turn-on theranostic fluorescent nanoprobe P-CDs/HA-Dox obtained by electrostatic assembly of polyethylenimine (PEI)-modified carbon dots (P-CDs) and Hyaluronic acid (HA)-conjugated doxorubicin (Dox) for hyaluronidase (HAase) detection, self-targeted imaging and drug delivery. P-CDs/HA-Dox show weak emission in a physiological environment. By utilizing the high affinity of HA to CD44 receptors overexpressed on many cancer cells, P-CDs/HA-Dox are capable of targeting and penetrating into cancer cells, where they are activated by HAase.

Fabrication of Nanochannels.

Nature has inspired the fabrication of intelligent devices to meet the needs of the advanced community and better understand the imitation of biology. As a biomimetic nanodevice, nanochannels/nanopores aroused increasing interest because of their potential applications in nanofluidic fields. In this review, we have summarized some recent results mainly focused on the design and fabrication of one-dimensional nanochannels, which can be made of many materials, including polymers, inorganics, biotic materials, and composite materials.

A visual and organic vapor sensitive photonic crystal sensor consisting of polymer-infiltrated SiO2 inverse opal.

A photonic crystal (PC) sensor that can selectively detect organic vapors through visual color changes has been proposed. The sensor was fabricated by infiltrating a tetraphenylethene polymer (TPEP) into the voids of SiO2 inverse opal photonic crystal. When the sensor was exposed to tetrahydrofuran or acetone vapor, a red shift of the stopband of more than 50 nm could be clearly observed; meanwhile, the film's color changed from violet to cyan.

A bio-inspired, sensitive, and selective ionic gate driven by silver (I) ions.

By grafting specific response DNA on the interior surface of ion track-etched conical nanochannels, a highly sensitive and selective ionic gate that can be driven by silver (I) ions is demonstrated. The switches between the OFF-state and the ON-state are mainly dependent on silver (I) ions and cysteine. Such a biomimetic nanodevice shows potential for application in sensing, pharmaceuticals, and sterilization.

Silole-infiltrated photonic crystal films as effective fluorescence sensor for Fe3+ and Hg2+.

We develop a highly effective silole-infiltrated photonic crystal (PC) film fluorescence sensor with high sensitivity, good selectivity and excellent reproducibility for Fe(3+) and Hg(2+) ions. Hexaphenylsilole (HPS) infiltrated PCs show amplified fluorescence due to the slow photon effect of PC because the emission wavelength of HPS is at the blue band edge of the selected PC's stopband. The fluorescence can be quenched significantly by Fe(3+)/Hg(2+) ions owing to electron transfer between HPS and metal ions.

Highly sensitive, selective and reusable mercury(II) ion sensor based on a ssDNA-functionalized photonic crystal film.

We have developed a highly sensitive, selective and reusable fluorescence sensor with photonic crystal (PC) films for mercury(II) ion detection, based on the Bragg reflection of PCs and formation of thymine-Hg(2+)-thymine (T-Hg(2+)-T) complexes. The T-rich single stranded DNA (ssDNA) labeled by a fluorophore was self-assembled on the surface of Au-sputtered PCs through Au-thiol binding, in which the DNA exists in a single stranded chain. The obtained ssDNA-functionalized PC films show a strong fluorescence emission derived from the Bragg reflection of PCs, because the fluorescence wavelength of ssDNA is in the range of the selected PC stopband.

Thermoresponsive wettability of photonic crystals fabricated by core-shell poly(styrene-acrylamide) nano/microspheres.

The photonic crystals (PCs) films with tunable wettability were fabricated from self-assembly of an amphiphilic latex nano/microspheres poly(styrene-acrylamide) at different temperatures. The results demonstrate that the surface wettability of the PCs film can be tuned from high hydrophilic (CA, 17 degrees) to high hydrophobic (CA, 127.8 degrees) by controlling the assembly temperature from 30 degrees C to 90 degrees C, while the position of the photonic stopbands of the PCs films unchanged virtually.

μ-4,4'-Bipyridine-bis-[aqua-(4-hy-droxy-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ato)copper(II)].

The title compound, [Cu(2)(C(7)H(3)NO(5))(2)(C(10)H(8)N(2))(H(2)O)(2)], exhibits a centrosymmetric binuclear molecule. Each completely deprotonated 4-hy-droxy-pyridine-2,6-dicarb-oxy-lic acid mol-ecule assumes a tridentate chelating coordination mode. The square-pyramidal coordination geometry around the Cu(II) ion is completed by the bridging bipyridine ligand and an apical water molecule.