High-Throughput Preparation and High-Throughput Detection of Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals Based on Ink-Jet Printing and Grayscale Value Analysis.

In this paper, based on high-throughput technology, polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) composed of pentaerythritol tetra (2-mercaptoacetic acid) (PETMP), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGD 600) were investigated in detail. A total of 125 PDLC samples with different ratios were quickly prepared using ink-jet printing. Based on the method of machine vision to identify the grayscale level of samples, as far as we know, it is the first time to realize high-throughput detection of the electro-optical performance of PDLC samples, which can quickly screen out the lowest saturation voltage of batch samples.

Extraction and Back-Extraction Behaviors of La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), and Nd(III) Single Rare Earth and Mixed Rare Earth by TODGA.

,,','-Tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA), as a new extraction agent, is effective for its excellent performance and low environmental hazard, and it is very welcome for the rare earth separation process. In this paper, by controlling the extraction time, diluent type, acid type and its concentration, rare earth concentration, etc., the optimum extraction and back-extraction effects of TODGA on La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), and Nd(III) and mixed rare earths were obtained.

Electrodes with Electrodeposited Water-excluding Polymer Coating Enable High-Voltage Aqueous Supercapacitors.

Aqueous supercapacitors are powerful energy sources, but they are limited by energy density that is much lower than lithium-ion batteries. Since raising the voltage beyond the thermodynamic potential for water splitting (1.23 V) can boost the energy density, there has been much effort on water-stabilizing salvation additives such as LiSO that can provide an aqueous electrolyte capable of withstanding ~1.

One-Step High-Temperature-Synthesized Single-Atom Platinum Catalyst for Efficient Selective Hydrogenation.

Although single-atom catalysts significantly improve the atom utilization efficiency, the multistep preparation procedures are complicated and difficult to control. Herein, we demonstrate that one-step synthesis of the single-atom Pt anchored in single-crystal MoC (Pt/MoC) by using facile and controllable arc-discharge strategy under extreme conditions. The high temperature (up to 4000°C) provides the sufficient energy for atom dispersion and overall stability by forming thermodynamically favourable metal-support interactions.

Broadband Reflection in Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystals via Thiol-Acrylate Chemistry.

Thiols are prone to react with a multitude of various functional groups in high yields, which has been widely used for surface- and particle-patterning, bioorganic synthesis, polymer modification, imprint nanolithography, the fabrication of optical components, hydrogel synthesis, and the curing of hard protective coatings. In this work, a chiral thiol with a high helical twisting power was synthesized through a novel synthetic route with high selectivity, yield, and cost-effectiveness. It was then used to fabricate a liquid-crystal composite film with ultra-wide broadband reflection via thiol click chemistry.

Oxygen Vacancy Induced Structural Distortions in Black Titania: A Unique Approach using Soft X-ray EXAFS at the O-K Edge.

Unknown changes in the crystalline order of regular TiO result in the formation of black titania, which has garnered significant interest as a photocatalytic material due to the accompanying electronic changes. Herein, the nature of the lattice distortion caused by an oxygen vacancy was determined that in turn results in the formation of mid-band-gap states found in previous studies of black titania. An innovative technique is introduced using a state-of-the-art silicon drift detector, which can be used in conjunction with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) to measure bulk interatomic distances.

Boron Embedded in Metal Iron Matrix as a Novel Anode Material of Excellent Performance.

Boron, the most ideal lithium-ion battery anode material, demonstrates highest theoretical capacity up to 12 395 mA h g when forming Li B. Furthermore, it also exhibits promising features such as light weight, considerable reserves, low cost, and nontoxicity. However, boron-based materials are not in the hotspot list because Li B may only exist when B is in atomically isolated/dispersed form, while the aggregate material can barely be activated to store/release Li.

Nonelectric Sustaining Bistable Polymer Framework Liquid Crystal Films with a Novel Semirigid Polymer Matrix.

In this work, a bistable polymer framework liquid crystal (PFLC) thin film by thermal curing of epoxy monomers with two different thiols, a traditional flexible-structure thiol and a novel original rigid-structure thiol, has been successfully fabricated, combining a novel mixed morphology of polymer matrix and cholesteric liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy. The polymer framework morphology has been formed by curing two types of epoxy monomers with two types of thiols, and the liquid crystals tend to be focal conic textures with large size domains at the initial state in the PFLC film so that it has a moderate light transmissivity at this state between the transparent state and the opaque state. Thus, the devices based on PFLC films can be switched reversibly between the transparent state and the opaque state by alternative electric field.

Well-Dispersed Ruthenium in Mesoporous Crystal TiO as an Advanced Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

TiO mesoporous crystal has been prepared by one-step corroding process via an oriented attachment (OA) mechanism with SrTiO as precursor. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms confirm its mesoporous crystal structure. Well-dispersed ruthenium (Ru) in the mesoporous nanocrystal TiO can be attained by the same process using Ru-doped precursor SrTiRu O.

Charge-Transfer-Promoted High Oxygen Evolution Activity of Co@CoS Core-Shell Nanochains.

Co@CoS nanochains with core-shell structures are prepared by a direct-current arc-discharge technique and followed sulfurization at 200 °C. The nanochains, which consist of uniform nanospheres connecting each other, can range up to several micrometers. The thickness of CoS shell can be changed by regulating the sulfurization time.

Oxygen Evolution Activity of Co-Ni Nanochain Alloys: Promotion by Electron Injection.

Metal alloy nanoparticles have shown promising applications in electrocatalysis. However, the nanoparticles usually suffer from limited charge-transfer efficiency, which can be solved by preparing one-dimensional materials. Herein, Co-Ni alloy nanochains are prepared by a direct-current arc-discharge method.

Efficient Reduction of CO to CO Using Cobalt-Cobalt Oxide Core-Shell Catalysts.

The route of converting CO to CO by reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction is of particular interest due to the direct use of CO as feedstock in many significant industrial processes. Here, an engineered cobalt-cobalt oxide core-shell catalyst (Co@CoO) with nanochains structure has been made for the efficient reduction of CO to useful CO. Owing to the excellent performance for H activation of metal nanoparticles and the enhanced absorption and activation for CO molecule of defective metal oxides, the unique synergistic effect of metallic Co and encapsulating coordinatively unsaturated CoO species shows high performance for clean generation of CO under moderate and practical conditions.

A Robust and Conductive Black Tin Oxide Nanostructure Makes Efficient Lithium-Ion Batteries Possible.

SnO -based lithium-ion batteries have low cost and high energy density, but their capacity fades rapidly during lithiation/delithiation due to phase aggregation and cracking. These problems can be mitigated by using highly conducting black SnO , which homogenizes the redox reactions and stabilizes fine, fracture-resistant Sn precipitates in the Li O matrix. Such fine Sn precipitates and their ample contact with Li O proliferate the reversible Sn → Li Sn → Sn → SnO /SnO cycle during charging/discharging.

Isolation and characterization of a high-efficiency erythromycin A-degrading Ochrobactrum sp. strain.

In this work, Erythromycin A(EA)- degrading bacteria was isolated from the contaminated soil obtained from a pharmaceutical factory in China. The isolate designated as strain WX-J1 was identified as Ochrobactrum sp. by sequence analysis of its 16S rDNA gene.

Ti-Promoted High Oxygen-Reduction Activity of Pd Nanodots Supported by Black Titania Nanobelts.

One-dimensional nanocrystals favoring efficient charge transfer have attracted enormous attentions, and conductive nanobelts of black titania with a unique band structure and high electrical conductivity would be interestingly used in electrocatalysis. Here, Pd nanodots supported by two kinds of black titania, the oxygen-deficient titania (TiO) and nitrogen-doped titania (TiO:N), were synthesized as efficient composite catalysts for oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR). These composite catalysts show improved catalytic activity with lower overpotential and higher limited current, compared to the Pd nanodots supported on the white titania (Pd/TiO).

[DSC and temperature-dependent infrared spectroscopic study of hydrogen-bonded liquid crystal complexes].

The hydrogen-bonded liquid crystalline complexes based on 4', 4-bipyridine and 4-(trans-4-propylcyclohexyl) benzoic acid and trans-4-(trans-4-propylcyclohexyl)cyclohexyl carboxylic acid assigned as PCBA-BPy and PCCA-BPy were prepared and measured by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and temperature-dependent FTIR It was found that PCBA-BPy and PCCA-BPy exhibited both smectic and nematic phase while all of their predecessors showed no smectic phase. The temperature-dependent FTIR studies revealed that the hydrogen bonding in complex PCBA-BPy was very different from that in PCCA-BPy. The wave number of C=O band had an obvious change at the crystal 1-crystal 2 transition but almost didn't change at smectic-nematic and nematic-isotropic transition; while in PCCA-BPy, it showed no sudden changes but shift to 1 709 cm(-1) gradually with the increase in temperature.