The perception of organic crystals being rigid static entities is quickly eroding, and molecular crystals are now matching a number of properties previously thought to be unique to soft materials. Here, we present crystals of a boronate ester that encompass many of the elastic and plastic mechanical properties of polymers such as bending, twisting, coiling and highly efficient self-healing of up to 67%, while they maintain their long-range structural order. The approach utilizes the concept of dynamic covalent chemistry and proves it can be applied towards ordered materials. This work expands our current understanding of the properties of crystalline molecular materials, and it could have implications towards the development of mechanically robust organic crystals that are capable of self-repair for durable all-organic electronics and soft robotics.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8157749 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9sc05640h | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Debus-Radziszewski Reaction Inspired In Situ "One-Pot" Approach to Construct Luminescent Zirconium-Organic Frameworks.
Inorg Chem
January 2025
Hoffmann Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, 7098 Liuxian Blvd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China.
Metal-organic frameworks have received extensive development in the past three decades, which are generally constructed via the reaction between inorganic building units and commercially available or presynthesized organic linkers. However, the presynthesis of organic linkers is usually time-consuming and unsustainable due to multiple-step separation and purification. Therefore, methodology development of a new strategy is fundamentally important for the construction and further exploration of the applications of MOFs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntegrative molecular and physiological insights into the phytotoxic impact of liquid crystal monomer exposure and the protective strategy in plants.
Plant Biotechnol J
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China.
Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs), the integral components in the manufacture of digital displays, have engendered environmental concerns due to extensive utilization and intensive emission. Despite their prevalence and ecotoxicity, the LCM impacts on plant growth and agricultural yield remain inadequately understood. In this study, we investigated the specific response mechanisms of tobacco, a pivotal agricultural crop and model plant, to four representative LCMs (2OdF3B, 5CB, 4PiMeOP, 2BzoCP) through integrative molecular and physiological approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtein-Guided Biomimetic Calcification Constructing 3D Nitrogen-Rich Core-Shell Structures Realizing High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.
Adv Mater
January 2025
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P. R. China.
Biomimetic calcification is a micro-crystallization process that mimics the natural biomineralization process, where biomacromolecules regulate the formation of inorganic minerals. In this study, it is presented that a protein-assisted biomimetic calcification method for the in situ synthesis of nitrogen-doped metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. A series of unique core-shell structures are created by utilizing proteins as templates and guiding agents in the nucleation step, creating ideal conditions for shell growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultifunctional Organic Molecule for Defect Passivation of Perovskite for High-Performance Indoor Solar Cells.
Materials (Basel)
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, National Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can utilize the residual photons from indoor light and continuously supplement the energy supply for low-power electron devices, thereby showing the great potential for sustainable energy ecosystems. However, the solution-processed perovskites suffer from serious defect stacking within crystal lattices, compromising the low-light efficiency and operational stability. In this study, we designed a multifunctional organometallic salt named sodium sulfanilate (4-ABS), containing both electron-donating amine and sulfonic acid groups to effectively passivate the positively-charged defects, like under-coordinated Pb ions and iodine vacancies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPreparation and Thermal Performance Study of a Novel Organic-Inorganic Eutectic Phase Change Material Based on Sodium Acetate Trihydrate and Polyethylene Glycol for Heat Recovery.
Materials (Basel)
January 2025
School of Energy and Automotive Engineering, Shunde Polytechnic, Foshan 528300, China.
A novel organic-inorganic eutectic phase change material (PCM) based on sodium acetate trihydrate (SAT) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) was developed to meet the needs of heat recovery and building heating. Three kinds of PEG with different molecular weights were selected to form organic-inorganic eutectic PCM with SAT. The thermal properties of three series of SAT-PEG eutectic PCM were compared based on DSC results, focusing on the impact of PEG addition on the phase change temperature and enthalpy of SAT, as well as the melting uniformity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!