Mohamed. A. Ali, Zhihua Qiao, Wessel. M. W. Winters, Biao Cai, Moushira. A. Mohamed, Yanfei Zhang, Xiaofeng Liu, Yuanzheng Yue and Jianrong Qiu
{"title":"Vitrification of non-meltable zeolitic-imidazolate frameworks†","authors":"Mohamed. A. Ali, Zhihua Qiao, Wessel. M. W. Winters, Biao Cai, Moushira. A. Mohamed, Yanfei Zhang, Xiaofeng Liu, Yuanzheng Yue and Jianrong Qiu","doi":"10.1039/D4QM00971A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM00971A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The decomposition of porous zeolitic-imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) poses a significant challenge in discovering new melt-quenched ZIF glasses characterized by high porosity. This challenge has sparked tremendous interest among scientists, driving the pursuit of innovative methods to vitrify non-meltable ZIFs for various applications. Herein, we show a universal approach for synthesizing glasses and foams from non-meltable and porous ZIFs, such as 2D ZIF-7 and 3D ZIF-8, which stand as the most promising porous materials of the ZIF family. This approach is based on the combination of liquid-mediated sequential structure perturbation and post-heat treatment, yielding a variety of highly microporous ZIF foams like glass. The synthesized ZIF foams exhibit superior gas adsorption capacities compared to melt-quenched ones. The as-fabricated membranes based on ZIF foams demonstrate ultrahigh H<small><sub>2</sub></small> permeance and good H<small><sub>2</sub></small>/CH<small><sub>4</sub></small> selectivity. In comparison to the melt-quenching technique, our structural perturbation strategy allows for the synthesis of a significantly greater quantity of glasses and foams from a single batch. It greatly broadens the composition range of ZIFs for glass and foam formation. Consequently, this study holds significant potential for upscaling the synthesis of microporous ZIF foams like glass to address a diverse array of applications such as energy storage, gas sorption and separation. Our work provides insight into the formation mechanism of non-melt-quenched glasses.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 1031-1042"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gang Chen, Wanci Chang, Mengqing Qiu, Baiqiang Zhang, Fangfang Zhang, Guopei Li and Yanqiu Xiao
{"title":"Micromotors toward biomedicine: efforts to achieve precise drug delivery","authors":"Gang Chen, Wanci Chang, Mengqing Qiu, Baiqiang Zhang, Fangfang Zhang, Guopei Li and Yanqiu Xiao","doi":"10.1039/D4QM00847B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM00847B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Micromotors, characterized by their minute size, remarkable motility, and facile surface modification capabilities, are synthetic multifunctional devices showcasing immense potential in the biomedical field. Specifically, in drug delivery, their powerful capacity for cargo loading and efficient transportation facilitates the precise targeting and release of therapeutic agents at designated sites within the organism's microenvironment. This review outlines recent advancements in the utilization of micromotors for precise drug delivery, meticulously examining key aspects: motors’ propulsion mechanisms, precise motion control, methodologies for drug loading and controlled release, the safety profiles of these devices, and their lifespan, essentially covering every facet of the precise drug delivery process. Additionally, it meticulously explores current challenges within this realm and forecasts prospective avenues for exploration, with the intent of steering research efforts that expedite the translation of micromotor application into clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 5","pages":" 772-792"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Souad Abou Zeid, Liran Hu, Rasta Ghasemi, Matthieu Gervais, Jaspreet Kaur Randhawa, Prem Felix Siril and Samy Remita
{"title":"Gamma-induced one-step synthesis of reduced graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles with enhanced properties†","authors":"Souad Abou Zeid, Liran Hu, Rasta Ghasemi, Matthieu Gervais, Jaspreet Kaur Randhawa, Prem Felix Siril and Samy Remita","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01057D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01057D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study presents a novel gamma-induced one-pot synthesis of reduced graphene oxide–silver nanoparticle (rGO–Ag NPs) nanocomposites. Syntheses were conducted in a deoxygenated aqueous medium containing 0.2 g L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> graphene oxide (GO), silver ions (10<small><sup>−3</sup></small> or 10<small><sup>−2</sup></small> mol L<small><sup>−1</sup></small>), and 0.2 mol L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> isopropanol at ambient temperature and pressure. Multi-technique characterization confirmed the reduction of GO and silver ions, forming nanocomposites with significantly improved physicochemical and electrochemical properties compared to pristine GO, rGO alone, and rGO–Ag NPs prepared by other methods. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed tunable optical properties, while UPS measurements provided insights into the energy band structure, highlighting interactions between rGO and Ag NPs that enhance electronic properties. XPS and ATR-FTIR confirmed the successful reduction processes. SEM–EDX analyses demonstrated uniform silver nanoparticle distribution on rGO sheets. The C/O ratio significantly increased after irradiation, with values of 10.8 and 9.6 for composites synthesized with 10<small><sup>−3</sup></small> and 10<small><sup>−2</sup></small> mol L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> in silver ions, respectively, compared to 11.2 for rGO alone. Raman spectroscopy showed a lower intensity ratio (<em>I</em><small><sub>D</sub></small>/<em>I</em><small><sub>G</sub></small>) between D and G bands (1.18 for nanocomposites <em>vs.</em> 1.40 for rGO), indicating fewer structural defects. Improved thermal stability was evidenced by reduced weight loss (10%) at 300–800 °C. Electrochemical studies revealed exceptional specific capacitance values of 218 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> (10<small><sup>−3</sup></small> mol L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> Ag<small><sup>+</sup></small> at 50 kGy) and 298 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> (10<small><sup>−2</sup></small> mol L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> Ag<small><sup>+</sup></small> at 70 kGy), surpassing the 125.4 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> for rGO alone. These findings highlight the potential of gamma-induced synthesis for producing rGO–Ag NPs nanocomposites for high-performance supercapacitor applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 976-1001"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/qm/d4qm01057d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dongwei Zhou, Zhanlin Yang, Shihao Wang, Guiyang Gao, Jie Zhu, Chengkun Zhang, Saichao Li, Baisheng Sa, Jie Lin, Dong-Liang Peng and Qingshui Xie
{"title":"Enhancing cycling stability of Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials via cyano functional additives†","authors":"Dongwei Zhou, Zhanlin Yang, Shihao Wang, Guiyang Gao, Jie Zhu, Chengkun Zhang, Saichao Li, Baisheng Sa, Jie Lin, Dong-Liang Peng and Qingshui Xie","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01070A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01070A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials (LRMs) have garnered considerable interest for their high specific capacity. Nevertheless, the elevated operating voltage window presents a great hurdle to the high-voltage tolerance of the conventional electrolytes, and the induced issues such as rapid capacity and structure degradation also further impede their industrial application. In this regard, an efficient method to alleviate this problem is proposed <em>via</em> a cyano functional additive. By introducing the trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMS) additive into a carbonate electrolyte to construct a complex with TM–CN bonds on the cathode surface and form a low-impedance and durable cathode/electrolyte interphase (CEI), both electrolyte decomposition and cathode degradation are suppressed effectively. Moreover, harmful substances are also removed through the reaction between TMS and HF to purify the electrolyte. Therefore, the electrochemical performance of the LRM cathode is enhanced with a discharge capacity of 224 mA h g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> after 200 cycles at 1C. A high discharge capacity of 227 mA h g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> is also achieved after 50 cycles at 0.5C under a high mass loading of 13 mg cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>. This work presents a new path to develop high-voltage electrolytes for LRM cathodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 965-975"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/qm/d4qm01070a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaoxiao Jiao, Wenlei Zhang, Jieru Zhi, Yingxin Wang, Mengyao Wang, Zhongyi Liu and Jinpeng Li
{"title":"Ultra-long organic RTP host–guest doped systems based on pure 4-(1H-imidazole-1-yl)methyl benzoate as versatile hosts†","authors":"Xiaoxiao Jiao, Wenlei Zhang, Jieru Zhi, Yingxin Wang, Mengyao Wang, Zhongyi Liu and Jinpeng Li","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01037J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01037J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Pure organic ultra-long room temperature phosphorescence (ULRTP) has attracted considerable attention due to its excellent solubility and abundant resources. Notably, trace impurities in raw organic materials obtained from commercial sources may exert an unpredictable influence on RTP. In this work, we obtained pure 4-(1<em>H</em>-imidazole-1-yl)methyl benzoate (<strong>MIBA</strong>) powder and its crystals (<strong>MIBA</strong>)<small><sub><em>n</em></sub></small> after continuous purification. Compared to the raw powder (300 ms) purchased from commercial sources and its crude crystals (<strong>MIBA</strong>)<small><sub><em>n</em></sub></small> (978 ms), the pure <strong>MIBA</strong> powder (6.89 ms) and its crystals (<strong>MIBA</strong>)<small><sub><em>n</em></sub></small> (4.99 ms) display shorter phosphorescence lifetimes, indicating that trace impurities significantly impact their RTP properties. After further isolation and purification, we fortunately obtain an impurity, 4-(1<em>H</em>-imidazole-1-yl)benzoic acid (<strong>HIBA</strong>), from the trace impurities. Based on the clear structure of <strong>HIBA</strong>, we design some guest molecules and utilize the host–guest doping method to construct a series of two-component RTP systems. Eventually, an ULRTP lifetime of up to 1.139 s is attained in the two-component RTP system. Furthermore, multi-level anti-counterfeiting is demonstrated by utilizing the time-resolved phosphorescence doped system. This research clearly illustrates that the trace impurities exert a remarkable influence on the phosphorescence properties of the aforesaid compounds and provides a practical strategy for designing new amorphous host–guest molecules for ULRTP systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 7","pages":" 1166-1173"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143688106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Weijia Liu, Min Zhou, Jingwen Zhang, Wenxian Liu, Doudou Qin, Qian Liu, Guangzhi Hu and Xijun Liu
{"title":"Construction of a CoP/MnP/Cu3P heterojunction for efficient methanol oxidation-assisted seawater splitting†","authors":"Weijia Liu, Min Zhou, Jingwen Zhang, Wenxian Liu, Doudou Qin, Qian Liu, Guangzhi Hu and Xijun Liu","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01067A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01067A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Methanol oxidation-assisted direct seawater electrolysis has emerged as a potent technology for efficient hydrogen (H<small><sub>2</sub></small>) production alongside high-value chemicals such as formic acid and formaldehyde. However, the large-scale application of this technology heavily relies on developing highly active and robust bifunctional electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions (MOR/HER). Herein, we report a simple hydrothermal-phosphorylation method to synthesize a heterostructured catalyst on copper foam, comprising CoP, MnP, and Cu<small><sub>3</sub></small>P (CoP/MnP/Cu<small><sub>3</sub></small>P@CF). The synergistic interaction among the heterogeneous components endowed CoP/MnP/Cu<small><sub>3</sub></small>P@CF with excellent MOR, oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and HER performance in alkaline seawater electrolytes. Notably, the MOR-assisted CoP/MnP/Cu<small><sub>3</sub></small>P@CF-based seawater electrolyzer catalyst required only 1.410 V to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>, significantly lower than the 1.681 V required for an OER–HER seawater electrolyzer. Additionally, the MOR-assisted electrolyzer exhibits high faradaic efficiency and cycling stability, offering the potential for sustainable energy-efficient H<small><sub>2</sub></small> production.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 953-964"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jialin Zeng, Shuangcheng Li, Ruibiao Fu, Zilong Geng, Yiting Luo, Senfu Lei and Zuju Ma
{"title":"A remarkable solar-blind ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystal with comprehensive performance and enhanced thermal stability†","authors":"Jialin Zeng, Shuangcheng Li, Ruibiao Fu, Zilong Geng, Yiting Luo, Senfu Lei and Zuju Ma","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01036A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01036A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are urgently demanded for their important applications in modern lasers. Herein, a remarkable solar-blind UV NLO crystal, K[H<small><sub>2</sub></small>N(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>COO)<small><sub>2</sub></small>], was rationally obtained by tuning alkali metal cations. Interestingly, it was noted that the [H<small><sub>2</sub></small>N(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>COO)<small><sub>2</sub></small>] groups were held between the helical chains in an ordered arrangement that superimposed their microscopic second-order susceptibilities. Notably, K[H<small><sub>2</sub></small>N(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>COO)<small><sub>2</sub></small>] exhibited comprehensive NLO performance, including a strong phase-matching SHG response of 1.6 × KDP at 1064 nm and 0.6 × BBO at 532 nm, a suitable birefringence of 0.124 at 1064 nm, a high LDT up to 332 MW cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>, a distinct UV cutoff edge of 216 nm, a wide high-transparency window covering 246–1554 nm, the shortest phase-matching wavelength extending to 250 nm and easy growth of centimetre-sized crystals. K[H<small><sub>2</sub></small>N(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>COO)<small><sub>2</sub></small>] remained thermally stable up to 210 °C in an air atmosphere. This research offers a new approach to further explore solar-blind UV NLO crystals.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 1013-1019"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guoqing Wang, Hao Yuan, Haiyan Zhang, Ruigang Liu, Shanhu Yue, Jiaxu Yan, Xiaoji Xie and Min Lu
{"title":"A-site cations in stannate perovskites affect their performance in catalysing CO2 electroreduction†","authors":"Guoqing Wang, Hao Yuan, Haiyan Zhang, Ruigang Liu, Shanhu Yue, Jiaxu Yan, Xiaoji Xie and Min Lu","doi":"10.1039/D4QM01042F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM01042F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Stannate perovskites (MSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small>), benefiting from their high production of HCOOH and the perovskite structure-enabled tunability of properties, are emerging as promising catalysts for electrochemical CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> reduction (CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R). However, optimizing the catalytic performance of MSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small> for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R remains largely unexplored. Here, we systematically study the catalytic performance of MSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small> with a distinct A-site cation, M (M = Ba, Sr, and Ca), for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R. Our experimental results show that the M cation dramatically affects the catalytic performance, especially the selectivity and stability. In particular, the CaSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small>-based catalyst exhibits the highest selectivity to HCOOH and stability but the lowest activity. Further theoretical investigations reveal that the A-site cation can affect the selectivity of MSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small> for the CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R reaction and may impact the stability of MSnO<small><sub>3</sub></small>. Both experimental and theoretical findings reveal that stannate perovskites can be effective and selective catalysts for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R, while their stability needs to be considered carefully. These results should shed light on the rational design of perovskite catalysts with desired performance for CO<small><sub>2</sub></small>R.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 5","pages":" 856-865"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Young Un Jin, Bernd Marler, Andrei N. Salak, Marianela Escobar-Castillo, Niels Benson and Doru C. Lupascu
{"title":"Perovskite-inspired low-dimensional hybrid azetidinium bismuth halides: [(CH2)3NH2]3Bi2X9 (X = I, Br, Cl)†","authors":"Young Un Jin, Bernd Marler, Andrei N. Salak, Marianela Escobar-Castillo, Niels Benson and Doru C. Lupascu","doi":"10.1039/D4QM00878B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM00878B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Bi-based halide perovskites have been considered as alternatives to Pb-based perovskites with the intention of avoiding the use of lead in the field of photovoltaics. Over the last few years, novel Bi-based halide perovskites have shown potential in reaching good photovoltaic performance, as suggested by their similar electronic structure to Pb-based perovskites. Nevertheless, their lower dimensionality entails poor charge carrier transport. It has been consistently stated that the role of the A-site should be further studied. To explore this proposition, we have synthesized three different Bi-based halides with substitution on the A-site by azetidinium cations. In this contribution we report fundamental observations of azetidinium bismuth halides, [(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>)<small><sub>3</sub></small>NH<small><sub>2</sub></small>]<small><sub>3</sub></small>Bi<small><sub>2</sub></small>I<small><sub>9</sub></small>, [(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>)<small><sub>3</sub></small>NH<small><sub>2</sub></small>]<small><sub>3</sub></small>Bi<small><sub>2</sub></small>Br<small><sub>9</sub></small>, and [(CH<small><sub>2</sub></small>)<small><sub>3</sub></small>NH<small><sub>2</sub></small>]<small><sub>3</sub></small>Bi<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cl<small><sub>9</sub></small> with prospects in optoelectronics and photovoltaics. These new materials exhibit 0D and 2D crystal structures at a molecular level and the optical feature of an excitonic band state.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 6","pages":" 1002-1012"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/qm/d4qm00878b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143583315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tzu-Yu Tseng, Yao-Chun Yeh, Wei Hsing, Lien-Chen Fu and Mei-Yu Yeh
{"title":"Multi-stimuli responsive smart materials: cyanine amphiphile self-assembly for photochromic and pH-switching applications†","authors":"Tzu-Yu Tseng, Yao-Chun Yeh, Wei Hsing, Lien-Chen Fu and Mei-Yu Yeh","doi":"10.1039/D4QM00931B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QM00931B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Smart hydrogels, known for their stimuli-responsive properties in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and sensors, are typically created using a top-down approach, which limits precise molecular control. In this study, we employ a bottom-up strategy to achieve greater molecular precision, enabling the development of innovative, multi-stimuli-responsive hydrogels. We designed and synthesized asymmetric cyanine amphiphiles incorporating diphenylimidazole as the donor and indole as the acceptor to create molecules with intramolecular charge transfer characteristics. These diphenylimidazole-indole amphiphiles, DPIIH and DPIIF, differ in that DPIIH lacks a fluorine atom at the indole terminal, while DPIIF includes this substitution. Additionally, diphenylimidazole reveals nonplanar conformations and twisted dihedral angles between the phenyl rings at the 4,5-position of imidazole, giving it aggregation-induced emission properties. In contrast to DPIIH, DPIIF can self-assemble into a hydrogel in water, probably due to the hydrogen bonding interactions between DPIIF and water molecules. Through detailed exploration of DPIIF, it was found to exhibit a reversible photochromic effect in polar solvents and can undergo reversible acid–base reactions. The photoisomerization and pH stimulus-response behaviors of DPIIF can be observed <em>via</em> colorimetric and fluorescence changes, making it suitable for applications such as invisible ink and pH sensors. In its hydrogel state, DPIIF reveals reversible photoswitching and pH-switching features, enabling reversible sol–gel transitions. These properties suggest potential applications in both cell culture (gel state) and cell recovery (solution state), offering versatile functionality in biomedical and research settings. Furthermore, the fluorescent properties of the hydrogel can be used to study and visualize cell–material interactions in detail, providing valuable insights for various biological studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":86,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry Frontiers","volume":" 5","pages":" 828-837"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}