Extending insertion electrochemistry to soluble layered halides with superconcentrated electrolytes.

Insertion compounds provide the fundamental basis of today's commercialized Li-ion batteries. Throughout history, intense research has focused on the design of stellar electrodes mainly relying on layered oxides or sulfides, and leaving aside the corresponding halides because of solubility issues. This is no longer true.

pH-Sensitive Visible or Shortwave Infrared Quantum Dot Nanoprobes Using Conformation-Switchable Copolymeric Ligands.

Intracellular and extracellular pH are key parameters in many physiological processes and diseases. For example, the extracellular pH of the tumor micro-environment is slightly more acidic than in healthy tissue. In vivo mapping of the extracellular pH within the tumor would therefore improve our understanding of the tumor physiology.

Nanophase Segregation of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold Nanoparticles.

Nanophase segregation of a bicomponent thiol self-assembled monolayer is predicted using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and experimentally confirmed. The simulations suggest the formation of domains rich in acid-terminated chains, on one hand, and of domains rich in amide-functionalized ethylene glycol oligomers, on the other hand. In particular, within the amide-ethylene glycol oligomers region, a key role is played by the formation of interchain hydrogen bonds.

Fluorescent and Electroactive Low-Viscosity Tetrazine-Based Organic Liquids.

New fluorescent molecular liquids with a tetrazine core have been prepared. These compounds remain liquid at least down to -60 °C and display very low viscosities (28 mPa.s for liquid 1, 58 mPa.