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Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    A Two-Dimensional Polyimide-Graphene Heterostructure with Ultra-fast Interlayer Charge Transfer
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Liu, Kejun; Li, Jiang; Qi, Haoyuan; Hambsch, Mike; Rawle, Jonathan; Vázquez, Adrián Romaní; Nia, Ali Shaygan; Pashkin, Alexej; Schneider, Harald; Polozij, Mirosllav; Heine, Thomas; Helm, Manfred; Mannsfeld, Stefan C.B.; Kaiser, Ute; Dong, Renhao; Feng, Xinliang
    Two-dimensional polymers (2DPs) are a class of atomically/molecularly thin crystalline organic 2D materials. They are intriguing candidates for the development of unprecedented organic–inorganic 2D van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) with exotic physicochemical properties. In this work, we demonstrate the on-water surface synthesis of large-area (cm2), monolayer 2D polyimide (2DPI) with 3.1-nm lattice. Such 2DPI comprises metal-free porphyrin and perylene units linked by imide bonds. We further achieve a scalable synthesis of 2DPI-graphene (2DPI-G) vdWHs via a face-to-face co-assembly of graphene and 2DPI on the water surface. Remarkably, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy reveals an ultra-fast interlayer charge transfer (ca. 60 fs) in the resultant 2DPI-G vdWH upon protonation by acid, which is equivalent to that of the fastest reports among inorganic 2D vdWHs. Such large interlayer electronic coupling is ascribed to the interlayer cation–π interaction between 2DP and graphene. © 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Prospects of Coupled Organic-Inorganic Nanostructures for Charge and Energy Transfer Applications
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Steiner, Anja Maria; Lissel, Franziska; Fery, Andreas; Lauth, Jannika; Scheele, Marcus
    We review the field of organic–inorganic nanocomposites with a focus on materials that exhibit a significant degree of electronic coupling across the hybrid interface. These nanocomposites undergo a variety of charge and energy transfer processes, enabling optoelectronic applications in devices which exploit singlet fission, triplet energy harvesting, photon upconversion or hot charge carrier transfer. We discuss the physical chemistry of the most common organic and inorganic components. Based on those we derive synthesis and assembly strategies and design criteria on material and device level with a focus on photovoltaics, spin memories or optical upconverters. We conclude that future research in the field should be directed towards an improved understanding of the binding motif and molecular orientation at the hybrid interface. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Plasmonic Properties of Colloidal Assemblies
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Rossner, Christian; König, Tobias A.F.; Fery, Andreas
    The assembly of metal nanoparticles into supracolloidal structures unlocks optical features, which can go beyond synergistic combinations of the properties of their primary building units. This is due to inter-particle plasmonic coupling effects, which give rise to emergent properties. The motivation for this progress report is twofold: First, it is described how simulation approaches can be used to predict and understand the optical properties of supracolloidal metal clusters. These simulations may form the basis for the rational design of plasmonic assembly architectures, based on the desired functional cluster properties, and they may also spark novel material designs. Second, selected scalable state-of-the-art preparative strategies based on synthetic polymers to guide the supracolloidal assembly are discussed. These routes also allow for equipping the assembly structures with adaptive properties, which in turn enables (inter-)active control over the cluster optical properties. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Exploiting Combinatorics to Investigate Plasmonic Properties in Heterogeneous Ag-Au Nanosphere Chain Assemblies
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Schletz, Daniel; Schultz, Johannes; Potapov, Pavel L.; Steiner, Anja Maria; Krehl, Jonas; König, Tobias A.F.; Mayer, Martin; Lubk, Axel; Fery, Andreas
    Chains of coupled metallic nanoparticles are of special interest for plasmonic applications because they can sustain highly dispersive plasmon bands, allowing strong ballistic plasmon wave transport. Whereas early studies focused on homogeneous particle chains exhibiting only one dominant band, heterogeneous assemblies consisting of different nanoparticle species came into the spotlight recently. Their increased configuration space principally allows engineering multiple bands, bandgaps, or topological states. Simultaneously, the challenge of the precise arrangement of nanoparticles, including their distances and geometric patterns, as well as the precise characterization of the plasmonics in these systems, persists. Here, the surface plasmon resonances in heterogeneous Ag-Au nanoparticle chains are reported. Wrinkled templates are used for directed self-assembly of monodisperse gold and silver nanospheres as chains, which allows assembling statistical combinations of more than 109 particles. To reveal the spatial and spectral distribution of the plasmonic response, state-of-the-art scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy accompanied by boundary element simulations is used. A variety of modes in the heterogeneous chains are found, ranging from localized surface plasmon modes occurring in single gold or silver spheres, respectively, to modes that result from the hybridization of the single particles. This approach opens a novel avenue toward combinatorial studies of plasmonic properties in heterosystems. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Long-Term Retarded Release for the Proteasome Inhibitor Bortezomib through Temperature-Sensitive Dendritic Glycopolymers as Drug Delivery System from Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Lai, Thu Hang; Keperscha, Bettina; Qiu, Xianping; Voit, Brigitte; Appelhans, Dietmar
    For the local treatment of bone defects, highly adaptable macromolecular architectures are still required as drug delivery system (DDS) in solid bone substitute materials. Novel DDS fabricated by host–guest interactions between β-cyclodextrin-modified dendritic glycopolymers and adamantane-modified temperature-sensitive polymers for the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BZM) is presented. These DDS induce a short- and long-term (up to two weeks) retarded release of BZM from calcium phosphate bone cement (CPC) in comparison to a burst release of the drug alone. Different release parameters of BZM/DDS/CPC are evaluated in phosphate buffer at 37 °C to further improve the long-term retarded release of BZM. This is achieved by increasing the amount of drug (50–100 µg) and/or DDS (100–400 µg) versus CPC (1 g), by adapting the complexes better to the porous bone cement environment, and by applying molar ratios of excess BZM toward DDS with 1:10, 1:25, and 1:100. The temperature-sensitive polymer shells of BZM/DDS complexes in CPC, which allow drug loading at room temperature but are collapsed at body temperature, support the retarding long-term release of BZM from DDS/CPC. Thus, the concept of temperature-sensitive DDS for BZM/DDS complexes in CPC works and matches key points for a local therapy of osteolytic bone lesions.
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    Multivalent Protein-Loaded pH-Stable Polymersomes: First Step toward Protein Targeted Therapeutics
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Moreno, Silvia; Boye, Susanne; Ajeilat, Hane George Al; Michen, Susanne; Tietze, Stefanie; Voit, Brigitte; Lederer, Albena; Temme, Achim; Appelhans, Dietmar
    Synthetic platforms for mimicking artificial organelles or for designing multivalent protein therapeutics for targeting cell surface, extracellular matrix, and tissues are in the focus of this study. Furthermore, the availability of a multi-functionalized and stimuli-responsive carrier system is required that can be used for sequential in situ and/or post loading of different proteins combined with post-functionalization steps. Until now, polymersomes exhibit excellent key characteristics to fulfill those requirements, which allow specific transport of proteins and the integration of proteins in different locations of polymeric vesicles. Herein, different approaches to fabricate multivalent protein-loaded, pH-responsive, and pH-stable polymersomes are shown, where a combination of therapeutic action and targeting can be achieved, by first choosing two model proteins such as human serum albumin and avidin. Validation of the molecular parameters of the multivalent biohybrids is performed by dynamic light scattering, cryo-TEM, fluorescence spectroscopy, and asymmetrical flow-field flow fractionation combined with light scattering techniques. To demonstrate targeting functions of protein-loaded polymersomes, avidin post-functionalized polymersomes are used for the molecular recognition of biotinylated cell surface receptors. These versatile protein-loaded polymersomes present new opportunities for designing sophisticated biomolecular nanoobjects in the field of (extracellular matrix) protein therapeutics.
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    Freestanding Nanolayers of a Wide-Gap Topological Insulator through Liquid-Phase Exfoliation
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Lê Anh, Mai; Potapov, Pavel; Wolf, Daniel; Lubk, Axel; Glatz, Bernhard; Fery, Andreas; Doert, Thomas; Ruck, Michael
    The layered salt Bi14Rh3I9 is a weak three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator (TI), that is, a stack of two-dimensional (2D) TIs. It has a wide non-trivial band gap of 210 meV, which is generated by strong spin-orbit coupling, and possesses protected electronic edge-states. In the structure, charged layers of (Formula presented.) (Bi4Rh)3I]2+ honeycombs and (Formula presented.) Bi2I8]2− chains alternate. The non-trivial topology of Bi14Rh3I9 is an inherent property of the 2D intermetallic fragment. Here, the exfoliation of Bi14Rh3I9 was performed using two different chemical approaches: (a) through a reaction with n-butyllithium and poly(vinylpyrrolidone), (b) through a reaction with betaine in dimethylformamide at 55 °C. The former yielded few-layer sheets of the new compound Bi12Rh3I, while the latter led to crystalline sheets of Bi14Rh3I9 with a thickness down to 5 nm and edge-lengths up to several ten microns. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy proved that the structure of Bi14Rh3I9 remained intact. Thus, it was assumed that the particles are still TIs. Dispersions of these flakes now allow for next steps towards the envisioned applications in nanoelectronics, such as the study of quantum coherence in deposited films, the combination with superconducting particles or films for the generation of Majorana fermions, or studies on their behavior under the influence of magnetic or electric fields or in contact with various materials occurring in devices. The method presented generally allows to exfoliate layers with high specific charges and thus the use of layered starting materials beyond van der Waals crystals. © 2020 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    MALDI Matrices for the Analysis of Low Molecular Weight Compounds: Rational Design, Challenges and Perspectives
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Qiao, Zhi; Lissel, Franziska
    The analysis of low molecular weight (LMW) compounds is of great interest to detect small pharmaceutical drugs rapidly and sensitively, or to trace and understand metabolic pathways. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) plays a central role in the analysis of high molecular weight (bio)molecules. However, its application for LMW compounds is restricted by spectral interferences in the low m/z region, which are produced by conventional organic matrices. Several strategies regarding sample preparation have been investigated to overcome this problem. A different rationale is centred on developing new matrices which not only meet the fundamental requirements of good absorption and high ionization efficiency, but are also vacuum stable and “MALDI silent”, i. e., do not give matrix-related signals in the LMW area. This review gives an overview on the rational design strategies used to develop matrix systems for the analysis of LMW compounds, focusing on (i) the modification of well-known matrices, (ii) the search for high molecular weight matrices, (iii) the development of binary, hybrid and nanomaterial-based matrices, (iv) the advance of reactive matrices and (v) the progress made regarding matrices for negative or dual polarity mode. © 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - An Asian Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Mesoporous Coatings with Simultaneous Light‐Triggered Transition of Water Imbibition and Droplet Coalescence
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Khalil, Adnan; Rostami, Peyman; Auernhammer, Günter K.; Andrieu‐Brunsen, Annette
    A systematic study of gating water infiltration and condensation into ceramic nanopores by carefully adjusting the wetting properties of mesoporous films using photoactive spiropyran is presented. Contact angle measurements from the side reveal significant changes in wettability after irradiation due to spiropyran/merocyanine-isomerization, which induce a wetting transition from dry to wet pores. The change in wettability allows the control of water imbibition in the nanopores and is reflected by the formation of an imbibition ring around a droplet. Furthermore, the photoresponsive wettability is able to overcome pinning effects and cause a movement of a droplet contact line, facilitating droplet coalescence, as recorded by high-speed imaging. The absorbed light not only effectuates droplet merging but also causes flows inside the drop due to heat absorption by the spiropyran, which results in gradients in the surface tension. IR imaging and particle tracking is used to investigate the heat absorption and temperature-induced flows, respectively. These flows can be used to manipulate, for example, molecular movement inside water and deposition inside solid mesoporous materials and are therefore of great importance for nanofluidic devices as well as for future water management concepts, which include filtering by imbibition and collection by droplet coalescence. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Materials Interfaces published by Wiley-VCH GmbH