Novel Zn0.079V2O5·0.53H2O/Graphene aerogel as high-rate and long-life cathode materials of aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted more and more attention due to their advantages of low cost, high safety and environmental protection. Unfortunately, the unsatisfactory capacity at high current density and long-term cycling performance of cathode materials hinder the development of ZIBs. Here, a novel Zn0.079V2O5·0.53H2O/graphene (ZVOH@rGO) hybrid aerogel composed of ultrathin Zn0.079V2O5·0.53H2O (ZVOH) nanoribbons and 3D continuous graphene conductive network was successfully prepared and used as cathode of ZIBs. Taking advantage of the synergistic effects associated with ion doping, morphology control and unique aerogel structure, the ZVOH@rGO electrode demonstrated ultrafast charge/discharge capability and remarkable cycling stability: A high reversible capacity of 286.7 mAh g-1 was achieved at a current density as large as 30 A g-1, and an impressive capacity retention ratio of 75.6 % was realized over 9800 ultra-long cycles at 12 A g-1. This work is of great significance for the synthesis modification of vanadium oxides and the development of high performance ultrafast charge-discharge ZIBs.

Constructing a 3D Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 direct Z-scheme heterostructure for improved photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance

Developing efficient heterojunction photocatalysts with enhanced charge transfer and reduced recombination rates of photogenerated carriers is crucial for harnessing solar energy in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction into renewable fuels. This study employed electrostatic self-assembly techniques to construct a 3D Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 direct Z-scheme heterojunctions. The unique 3D structure provided abundant active sites and facilitated CO2 adsorption. Moreover, the optimized Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 composite demonstrated an impressive CH4 yield of 19.54 μmol g-1 under 4 h of simulated sunlight irradiation, which was about 8.73 and 16.30-fold higher than pure ZnIn2S4 and Bi2WO6. The observed enhancements in photocatalytic performance are attributed to forming a direct Z-scheme heterojunction, which effectively promotes charge transport and migration. This research introduces a novel strategy for constructing photocatalysts through the synergistic effect of morphological interface modifications.

Construction of two-dimensional zinc indium sulfide/bismuth titanate nanoplate with S-scheme heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Improving the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers plays an important role in photocatalysis. In this study, two-dimensional (2D)/2D zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn2S4)/bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12) nanoplate heterojunctions were synthesized to alter the Bi4Ti3O12 morphology, modulate the bandgap of Bi4Ti3O12, and enhance the utilization of light. Meanwhile, the construction of the S-scheme heterojunction establishes an internal electric field at the ZnIn2S4/Bi4Ti3O12 heterojunctions interface and achieves the spatial separation of photogenerated charges. The hydrogen production rate of ZnIn2S4/Bi4Ti3O12 nanoplate with the optimal ratio reaches 27.50 mmol h-1 g-1, which is 1.5 times higher than that of ZnIn2S4/Bi4Ti3O12 nanoflower (18.28 mmol h-1 g-1) and 2.4 times higher than that of ZnIn2S4 (11.69 mmol h-1 g-1). The apparent quantum efficiency of ZnIn2S4/Bi4Ti3O12 nanoplate reached 57.9 % under a single wavelength of light at 370 nm. This work provides insights into the study of new materials for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Cobalt-based MOF-derived carbon electrocatalysts with tunable architecture for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction

Development of the hydrogen economy requires the design of catalysts that increase the rate of the accompanying sluggish kinetic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This is a key process in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, such as water splitting and metal-air batteries. The OER needs high overpotential and typically expensive precious metal-based catalysts. Therefore, designing low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts for OER is of paramount importance. In addition to focusing on the number of active sites or high specific surface area, the correlation between catalyst particle shape and performance should be considered. This work presents an electrocatalytic activity comparison of cobalt-containing carbons with different morphologies in the OER process. Employing metal-organic frameworks as carbon and metal precursors, the materials in the shape of polyhedrons, needles, unique spherical hedgehogs, and sea urchins were obtained. The effect of MOF template infiltration with additional carbon source on the physicochemical properties of electrocatalysts was also examined. The furfuryl alcohol-impregnated needle-shaped particles were characterized by a high content of cobalt active sites, surrounded by nitrogen-containing graphite layers. Electrochemical tests confirmed their best activity (overpotential 317 mV@10 mA/cm2), long stability (up to 20 h), as well as low reagents diffusion limitations (Tafel slope 57 mV/dec up to 24 mA/cm2). The vertically aligned structure of the catalyst contributed to improved detachment of the oxygen bubbles produced.

Green synthesis of rectangular hollow tubular carbon nitride via in-situ self-assembly strategy to enhance the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride under visible light irradiation

It has been an urgent requirement for materials with remarkable performance in the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants by photocatalytic technology. Limited surface area and speedy recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers seriously restrain the application of g-C3N4. Morphology control is a powerful approach to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of g-C3N4. Herein, we reported a method to attain graphitic carbon nitride with rectangular hollow tubular morphology and asperous surface (TUM-CN-2) which is prepared from urea-melamine hydrothermal products and trithiocyanuric acid by self-assembling without using organic solvents or template agents. The specific surface area, photocatalytic activity, and photo-generated carriers migration and separation rate of the obtained photocatalyst TUM-CN-2 are vastly improved. Contrasted with pure g-C3N4, the degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) and Rhodamine B (RhB) was enhanced about 3.04 and 13.96 times in visible light irradiation, respectively. Moreover, the interference parameters, active free radicals, potential degradation mechanism, and degradation paths of TCH were researched systematically. This work provides a green way to acquire the modified g-C3N4 with splendid catalytic activity through the self-assembly method.

Degradation of dimethyl phthalate by morphology controlled β-MnO2 activated peroxymonosulfate: The overlooked roles of high-valent manganese species

Activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) processes have emerged as an efficient advanced oxidation process to eliminate refractory organic pollutants in water. This study synthesized a novel spherical manganese oxide catalyst (0.4KBr-β-MnO2) via a simple KBr-guided approach to activate PMS for degrading dimethyl phthalate (DMP). The 0.4KBr-β-MnO2/PMS system enhanced DMP degradation under different water quality conditions, exhibiting an ultrahigh and stable catalytic activity, outperforming equivalent quantities of pristine β-MnO2 by 8.5 times. Mn(V) was the dominant reactive species that was revealed by the generation of methyl phenyl sulfone from methyl phenyl sulfoxide oxidation. The selectivity of Mn(V) was demonstrated by the negligible inhibitory effects of Inorganic anions. Theoretical calculations confirmed that Mn (V) was more prone to attack the CO bond of the side chain of DMP. This study revealed the indispensable roles of high-valent manganese species in DMP degradation by the 0.4KBr-β-MnO2/PMS system. The findings could provide insight into effective PMS activation by Mn-based catalysts to efficiently degrade pollutants in water via the high-valent manganese species.

Enhancing piezocatalytic H2O2 production through morphology control of graphitic carbon nitride

Piezocatalytic H₂O₂ production has attracted significant attention as a green alternative to traditional anthraquinone methods with heavy environmental pollution and high energy consumption. However, since the efficiency of piezocatalyst in producing H₂O₂ is poor, searching for a suitable method to improve the yield of H₂O₂ is of great interest. Herein, a series of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with different morphologies (hollow nanotube, nanosheet and hollow nanosphere) are applied to enhance the piezocatalytic performance in yielding H₂O₂. The hollow nanotube g-C₃N₄ exhibited an outstanding H₂O₂ generation rate of 262 umol·g^-1·h^-1 without any co-catalyst, which is 1.5 and 6.2 times higher than nanosheets and hollow nanospheres, respectively. Piezoelectric response force microscopy, piezoelectrochemical tests, and Finite Element Simulation results revealed that the excellent piezocatalytic property of hollow nanotube g-C₃N₄ is mainly attributed to its larger piezoelectric coefficient, higher intrinsic carrier density, and stronger external stress absorption conversion. Furthermore, mechanism analysis indicated that piezocatalytic H₂O₂ production follows a two-step single-electro pathway, and the discovery of ¹O₂ furnishes a new insight into explore this mechanism. This study offers a new strategy for the eco-friendly manufacturing of H₂O₂ and a valuable guide for future research on morphological modulation in piezocatalysis.

Tuning the morphology of block copolymer-based pH-triggered nanoplatforms as driven by changes in molecular weight and protocol of manufacturing

The ability to tune size and morphology of self-assemblies is particularly relevant in the development of delivery systems. By tailoring such structural parameters, one can provide larger cargo spaces or produce nanocarriers that can be loaded by hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules starting ideally from the same polymer building unit. We herein demonstrate that the morphology of block copolymer-based pH-triggered nanoplatforms produced from poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)_m-b-poly[2-(diisopropylamino)-ethyl methacrylate]_n (PMeOx_m-b-PDPA_n) is remarkably influenced by the overall molecular weight of the block copolymer, and by the selected method used to produce the self-assemblies. Polymeric vesicles were produced by nanoprecipitation using a block copolymer of relatively low molecular weight (M_n ∼ 10 kg.mol^-1). Very exciting though, despite the high hydrophobic weight ratio (w_PDPA > 0.70), this method conducted to the formation of core-shell nanoparticles when block copolymers of higher molecular weight were used, thus suggesting that the fast (few seconds) self-assembly procedure is controlled by kinetics rather than thermodynamics. We further demonstrated the formation of vesicular structures using longer chains via the solvent-switch approach when the "switching" to the bad solvent is performed in a time scale of a few hours (approximately 3 hs). We accordingly demonstrate that using fairly simple methods one can easily tailor the morphology of such block copolymer self-assemblies, thereby producing a variety of structurally different pH-triggered nanoplatforms via a kinetic or thermodynamically-controlled process. This is certainly attractive towards the development of nanotechnology-based cargo delivery systems.

Modulation of Cerium Carbonate Crystal Growth by Polyvinylpyrrolidone using Density Functional Theory

Cerium carbonate crystal morphology is predicted using density functional theory (DFT) simulations in this paper. In the nucleation phase, the ketone group in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) will preferentially bind to Ce3+ to form complexes and provide heterogeneous nucleation sites for the system, prompting the nucleation of cerium carbonate crystals. In the growth stage, due to the adsorption of PVP, the probability of (120) crystal plane appearing in the equilibrium state is the greatest, resulting in the formation of hexagonal flake cerium carbonate crystals with (120) crystal plane as the oblique edge. Experimentally, hexagonal sheet cerium carbonate crystals were successfully prepared using PVP as a template agent. Therefore, DFT can be used to predict the morphology of cerium carbonate crystals, which not only elucidates the growth mechanism of cerium carbonate crystals, but also greatly reduces the experimental cost.

Chrysanthemum-like FeS/Ni3S2 heterostructure nanoarray as a robust bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

The development of a scalable strategy to prepare highly efficient and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts is the key to industrial electrocatalytic water splitting cycles to produce clean hydrogen. Here, a simple and quick one-step hydrothermal method was used to successfully fabricate a three-dimensional core chrysanthemum-like FeS/Ni₃S₂ heterogeneous nanoarray (FeS/Ni₃S₂@NF) on a porous nickel foam skeleton. Compared with the monomer Ni₃S₂@NF, the chrysanthemum-like FeS/ Ni₃S₂@NF heterostructure nanomaterials have improved catalytic performance in alkaline media, showing low overpotentials of 192 mV (η₁₀) and 130 mV (η_-10) for OER and HER, respectively. This study attests that integrated interface engineering and precise morphology control are effective strategies for activating the Ni³⁺/Ni²⁺ coupling, promoting charge transfer and improving the intrinsic activity of the material to accelerate the OER reaction kinetics and promote the overall water splitting performance. The scheme can be reasonably applied to the design and development of transition metal sulfide-based electrocatalysts to put into industrial practice of electrochemical water oxidation.

Synthesis of starch nanoparticles with controlled morphology and various adsorption rate for urea

Starch nanoparticles (SNPs) with different morphology and particle size can be prepared by modulating the reaction conditions over SNPs preparation. This study was to synthesize various SNPs by using ultrasound assisted nanoprecipitation method, and characterized by particle size analysis, SEM and XRD performing. SNPs were successfully produced via nanoprecipitation and the particle size were controlled in the range of 95 to 150 nm. Moreover, variously different morphologies were obtained when using corn, potato or Trichosanthes kirilowii pulp (TKP) starch to produce nanoparticles, including fiber, flake and film. Results shown film TKP SNPs demonstrated an improved urea adsorption rate to 135.60 mg/g with the highest q_m at 1.00 mg/mL. SNPs can be developed using ultrasound assisted nanoprecipitation method and the particle size together with surface morphology can be varied according to the source of starch and preparation method, while surface morphology is the key factor in altering adsorption performance.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Morphology Regulatory Mechanisms of Microparticles to Paraisaria dubia in Submerged Fermentation

Liquid submerged fermentation is an effective strategy to achieve large-scale production of active ingredients by macrofungi, and controlling mycelium morphology is a key factor restricting the development of this technology. Mining for superior morphological regulatory factors and elucidation of their regulatory mechanisms are vital for the further development of macrofungal fermentation technology. In this study, microparticles were used to control the morphology of Paraisaria dubia (P. dubia) in submerged fermentation, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms were revealed by transcriptomic. The relative frequency of S-type pellet diameter increased significantly from 7.14 to 88.31%, and biomass increased 1.54 times when 15 g/L talc was added. Transcriptome analysis showed that the morphological regulation of filamentous fungi was a complex biological process, which involved signal transduction, mycelium polar growth, cell wall synthesis and cell division, etc. It also showed a positive impact on the basic and secondary metabolism of P. dubia. We provided a theoretical basis for controlling the mycelium morphology of P. dubia in submerged fermentation, which will promote the development of macrofungal fermentation technology.

"Toolbox" for the Processing of Functional Polymer Composites

The processing methods of functional polymer composites (FPCs) are systematically summarized in “Toolbox”. The relationship of processing method-structure-property is discussed and the selection and combination of tools in processing among different FPCs are analyzed. A promising prospect is provided regarding the design principle for high performance FPCs for further investigation.

ABSTRACT

Functional polymer composites (FPCs) have attracted increasing attention in recent decades due to their great potential in delivering a wide range of functionalities. These functionalities are largely determined by functional fillers and their network morphology in polymer matrix. In recent years, a large number of studies on morphology control and interfacial modification have been reported, where numerous preparation methods and exciting performance of FPCs have been reported. Despite the fact that these FPCs have many similarities because they are all consisting of functional inorganic fillers and polymer matrices, review on the overall progress of FPCs is still missing, and especially the overall processing strategy for these composites is urgently needed. Herein, a “Toolbox” for the processing of FPCs is proposed to summarize and analyze the overall processing strategies and corresponding morphology evolution for FPCs. From this perspective, the morphological control methods already utilized for various FPCs are systematically reviewed, so that guidelines or even predictions on the processing strategies of various FPCs as well as multi-functional polymer composites could be given. This review should be able to provide interesting insights for the field of FPCs and boost future intelligent design of various FPCs. [Image: see text]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40820-021-00774-5.

Morphology-dependent sensing performance of CuO nanomaterials

The morphology of nanomaterials affects their properties and further their applications. Herein, CuO nanomaterials with different morphologies are synthesized, including CuO nanostrips, nanowires and microspheres. After their characterization by means of electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, these CuO nanomaterials are further mixed with graphene nanoplates (GNP) to explore their performance towards electrochemical detection of glucose and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Among three composites, the composite of CuO nanostrips and GNP exhibits the largest active surface area, the lowest charge transfer resistance, and the highest accumulation efficiency toward TBBPA. Meanwhile, this composite based non-enzymatic sensor shows superior performance for the glucose monitoring. Since these sensors for the monitoring of both glucose and TBBPA possesses long-term stability, high reproducibility, and wide linear ranges and low detection limits, this work provides a strategy to tune the sensing performance of nanomaterials by means of tailoring the morphologies of nanomaterials.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the enhancement of the photo-oxidation of Hg0 by CeO2-modified morphology-controlled anatase TiO2

This study aims to investigate the coeffects of predominantly exposed anatase TiO₂{001} and {101} and CeO₂ loading on the photo-oxidation of Hg⁰ to relieve the adverse effects caused by higher temperatures of 50-250 °C. The effect of loading CeO₂ on the photocatalytic activity of morphology-controlled TiO₂ was not only investigated using DFT with U correction but also experimentally analyzed by characterizing the electrochemical properties and the formation of free radicals. The theoretical calculation showed that CeO₂ loading on TiO₂{101} was more stable than that on TiO₂{001}. Accordingly, a larger portion of CeO₂ was observed to anchor to the (101) plane than to the (001) plane. CeO₂ loading is more beneficial for increasing the distribution of photo-induced electrons and holes on the surface of 7%CeTi than on the surface of TiO₂ and increases the energy difference between the conduction band edge of 7%CeTi and the standard redox potential of O₂/·O₂^-. Correspondingly, the photocatalytic removal efficiencies (PREs) of Hg⁰ by 7%CeTi were significantly enhanced compared with those of pristine TiO₂. The effect of CeO₂ was highly morphologically dependent on the photocatalytic activity. This study provides valuable insight into surface engineering strategies for morphology-controlled photocatalysts for air pollution control technology.

Synthesis of Lead-Free Cs2AgBiX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) Double Perovskite Nanoplatelets and Their Application in CO2 Photocatalytic Reduction

Morphology control represents an important strategy for the development of functional nanomaterials and has yet to be achieved in the case of promising lead-free double perovskite materials so far. In this work, high-quality Cs₂AgBiX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) two-dimensional nanoplatelets were synthesized through a newly developed synthetic procedure. By analyzing the optical, morphological, and structural evolutions of the samples during synthesis, we elucidated that the growth mechanism of lead-free double perovskite nanoplatelets followed a lateral growth process from mono-octahedral-layer (half-unit-cell in thickness) cluster-based nanosheets to multilayer (three to four unit cells in thickness) nanoplatelets. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Cs₂AgBiBr₆ nanoplatelets possess a better performance in photocatalytic CO₂ reduction compared with their nanocube counterpart. Our work demonstrates the first example with two-dimensional morphology of this important class of lead-free perovskite materials, shedding light on the synthetic manipulation and the application integration of such promising materials.

Controlled Synthesis and Properties of 3d-4f Metals Co-doped Polyoxometalates-Based Materials

It is challenging to explore and prepare polyoxometalates-based nanomaterials (PNMs) with controllable morphologies and diversiform components. Herein, 3d-4f metals are introduced into isopolyoxometalates and Anderson-type polyoxometalates, CeCdW₁₂ nanoflower and EuCrMo₆ microflaky have been fabricated respectively. A series of control experiments are carried out to identify the impact factors on the rare morphologies in PNMs. Furthermore, upon excitation at 396 nm, the emission spectrum of EuCrMo₆ displays five prominent f - f emitting peaks at 674, 685, 690, 707, and 734 nm that are assigned to Eu^{3+ 5}D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions. Meanwhile, the VSM results show that the Cr⁺³ ions in EuCrMo₆ display anti-ferromagnetic interactions when the temperature is lower than - 17.54 K. After rising temperature, this material exhibits paramagnetic property. This work opens up strategies toward the brand new morphologies and components of PNMs, endowing this kind of material with new functions.

Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Compact, Smooth FA0.1MA0.9PbI3 Film with Efficiency Exceeding 22

The utilization of mixed cations is beneficial for taking the advantages of cations and achieving highly efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, the precisely small incorporation of CH(NH₂)₂ (FA) cations in methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) enables the formation of compact, smooth perovskite film with high crystallinity. Consequently, the short-circuit current and the fill factor of the PSCs based on FA_xMA_1-xPbI₃ perovskite are greatly improved, leading to the enhanced device efficiency. The champion PSC based on FA_0.1MA_0.9PbI₃ exhibits a remarkably high efficiency of 22.02%. Furthermore, the PSCs based on FA_0.1MA_0.9PbI₃ perovskite also show improved device stability. This work provides a simple approach to fabricate high-quality perovskite films and high-performance PSCs with better stability.

High-Performance Quasi-2D Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Via Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) Treatment

In this work, we fabricate poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-treated Ruddlesden-Popper two-dimensional (quasi-2D) PPA₂(CsPbBr₃)₂PbBr₄ perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) and achieved a peak brightness of 10,700 cd m^-2 and peak current efficiency of 11.68 cd A^-1, threefold and tenfold higher than that of the pristine device (without PVP), respectively. It can be attributed that the additive of PVP can suppress the pinholes of perovskite films owing to the excellent film-forming property, inhibiting the leakage current. Besides, PVP treatment facilitates the formation of compact perovskite films with defect reduction. Our work paves a novel way for the morphology modulation of quasi-2D perovskite films.

Morphology and internal structure control over PLA microspheres by compounding PLLA and PDLA and effects on drug release behavior

The applications of Polylactide (PLA) microspheres in biomedical areas are greatly determined by the size, morphology and internal structure. Taking advantage of the formation of stereocomplex (SC) crystallites between poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(D-lactide) (PDLA), we propose a facile strategy to prepare PLA microspheres with tunable morphology and crystalline structure by compounding PLLA and PDLA. With increasing PDLA content, the crystallinity of SC-PLA rose gradually until the ratio of PLLA and PDLA reached 1:1 and then fell. Correspondingly, the morphology of the microspheres were varied (smooth, porous, golf-ball like, guava like) and higher crystallinity of SC-PLA would lead to a more coarse and porous structure. Finally, three typical kinds of Rifampicin-loaded microspheres with different ratio of PLLA and PDLA (7:3, 3:7, 10:0, sorted by porosity from high to low) were prepared and the release behavior was compared. At 30 h, the cumulative release of 7:3, 3:7 and 10:0 microspheres were 32.6%, 17.8% and 6.0% respectively, indicating that the release profiles were generally determined by the porosity of the microspheres. Our findings not only provide a new strategy to prepare PLA microspheres with controllable morphology but offer additional possibilities for the applications of SC-PLA products in biomedical area.

Tunable Wetting Property in Growth Mode-Controlled WS2 Thin Films

We report on a thickness-dependent wetting property of WS₂/Al₂O₃ and WS₂/SiO₂/Si structures. We prepared WS₂ films with gradient thickness by annealing thickness-controlled WO₃ films at 800 °C in sulfur atmosphere. Raman spectroscopy measurements showed step-like variation in the thickness of WS₂ over substrates several centimeters in dimension. On fresh surfaces, we observed a significant change in the water contact angle depending on film thickness and substrate. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that differences in the surface roughness of WS₂ films can account for the contrasting wetting properties between WS₂/Al₂O₃ and WS₂/SiO₂/Si. The thickness dependence of water contact angle persisted for longer than 2 weeks, which demonstrates the stability of these wetting properties when exposed to air contamination.

The role of ether-functionalized ionic liquids in the sol-gel process: effects on the initial alkoxide hydrolysis steps

The ether-functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids (IL) applied in the silica sol-gel process demonstrated a defined coordination potential. These IL display the capacity to control the system organization from the reactions' first moments through a dynamic system-assembling ability, being the sum of ionic and physical interactions, i.e. Coulomb forces, H-bonding and London forces. The initial hydrolysis steps of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the presence of these IL were followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), both in time-resolved experiments, in an attempt to correlate the structuring and the bonding dynamics of these systems.

Morphology-controlled self-assembly and synthesis of photocatalytic nanocrystals

Abilities to control the size and shape of nanocrystals in order to tune functional properties are an important grand challenge. Here we report a surfactant self-assembly induced micelle encapsulation method to fabricate porphyrin nanocrystals using the optically active precursor zinc porphyrin (ZnTPP). Through confined noncovalent interactions of ZnTPP within surfactant micelles, nanocrystals with a series of morphologies including nanodisk, tetragonal rod, and hexagonal rod, as well as amorphous spherical particle are synthesized with controlled size and dimension. A phase diagram that describes morphology control is achieved via kinetically controlled nucleation and growth. Because of the spatial ordering of ZnTPP, the hierarchical nanocrystals exhibit both collective optical properties resulted from coupling of molecular ZnTPP and shape dependent photocatalytic activities in photo degradation of methyl orange pollutants. This simple ability to exert rational control over dimension and morphology provides new opportunities for practical applications in photocatalysis, sensing, and nanoelectronics.

One-step nanomorphology control of self-organized projection coronas in uniform polymeric nanoparticles

Uniform polymeric nanoparticles with various morphologies of projection coronas like the viruses in the coronavirus group have been formed by the self-organization of macromolecular chains polymerizing in a dispersion system of styrene (St), acrylonitrile (AN) and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethoxymonomethacrylate (PEGm) in a polar solvent (water/ethanol). An increase in the water composition reduced the crystallization degree of AN units, resulting in a variety of the nanoparticle morphology such as the increased particle size, the reduced projection size, the increased projection number, and the decreased inter-projection distance. The difference in the projection morphology strongly affected a dispersibility in water.