Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Abinash Gogoi, Hima Barman, Susovan Mandal, Saona Seth
Summary: Removal of dyes from industrial effluents is a challenging task, and there is a high demand for cost-effective methods and materials with high dye removal efficacy. Adsorption, nanofiltration, and photocatalytic degradation are the three major techniques that have been studied for dye removal. Polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) has shown promise for use in these techniques, due to its microporous structure, solution processibility, high chemical stability, and tunability through synthesis and postmodification. Although the number of reports on dye removal using PIMs is limited, some materials have demonstrated comparable dye separation properties to activated carbon, a state-of-the-art material. This highlight article summarizes the progress in PIMs and PIM-based composite materials for dye removal in the past decade, and discusses the challenges and key parameters for improving their dye removal properties.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Abinash Gogoi, Hima Barman, Susovan Mandal, Saona Seth
Summary: This article summarizes the recent advancement of polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) and PIM-based materials for the removal of dyes through adsorption, nanofiltration, and photocatalytic degradation. The challenges and key parameters for improving the dye removal properties of PIM-based materials are also discussed.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Francesca Portone, Mattia Amorini, Matteo Montanari, Roberta Pinalli, Alessandro Pedrini, Roberto Verucchi, Roberto Brighenti, Enrico Dalcanale
Summary: This study presents the first example of a synthetic molecular auxetic polymer obtained by embedding a conformationally expandable cavitand as a crosslinker into a rigid polymer of intrinsic microporosity. The auxetic behavior of the material is predicted and supported by a specific micromechanical model, and experimentally verified through mechanical tests. The results show that the conformational expansion of the cavitand crosslinker is responsible for the observed negative Poisson's ratio.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Kaihua Li, Qixuan Li, Zhenxiao Cai, Yatao Weng, Chao Ye, Wenhui Ji, Jianxin Li, Bowen Cheng, Xiaohua Ma
Summary: The direct fluorination technique can significantly enhance the separation performance of helium/methane and improve the helium permeability and selectivity of polyimide membranes. The fluorinated polyimide membranes demonstrate excellent potential in helium recovery applications.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xinbo Wang, Cong Yu, Hao Guo, Yongqiang Cheng, Yanwei Li, Daoyuan Zheng, Shanshan Feng, Yanxin Lin
Summary: This study describes a simple and universal method for the rapid and accurate detection of gaseous iodine using a fluorescent film sensor based on luminescent spectroscopy. The material used, PIM-1, has the ability for signal amplification and can be easily processed into desired morphologies. The sensor showed quick response time, high signal-noise ratio, low detection limit, steam tolerability, as well as high reversibility and reusability, making it a practical and efficient tool for iodine detection.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
C. Grazia Bezzu, Alessio Fuoco, Elisa Esposito, Marcello Monteleone, Mariagiulia Longo, Johannes Carolus Jansen, Gary S. Nichol, Neil B. McKeown
Summary: By incorporating Trip units into PIM-1, ultrapermeable PIMs are prepared, showing extremely high CO2 permeance after methanol treatment. These novel polymers exhibit potential applications in capturing CO2 from flue gas or upgrading biogas.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wanshuang Zhou, Cong Yu, Xinbo Wang
Summary: Rapid, sensitive, and high-fidelity detection of toxic radioiodine species is crucial for first responders in nuclear accidents. This study explores the use of a polymer-based sensor for real-time detection of iodine vapor, demonstrating excellent electrical response and selectivity.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wenhui Ji, Kaihua Li, Wenxiong Shi, Lifeng Bai, Jianxin Li, Xiaohua Ma
Summary: The relationship between the rigidity, microporosity, and ideal gas separation properties in polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) is important but understudied. Research comparing two different PIM polymers, PIM-DB-PI and PIM-PI-1, showed that both rigidity and microporosity play key roles in fine-tuning gas transport through polymer membranes. Microporosity has a dominant effect on gas diffusion selectivity, while rigidity primarily impacts the critical diffusion penetrate size of PIM-PI membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jie Chen, Mariagiulia Longo, Alessio Fuoco, Elisa Esposito, Marcello Monteleone, Bibiana Comesana Gandara, Johannes Carolus Jansen, Neil B. McKeown
Summary: Dibenzomethanopentacene (DBMP) is a useful component for making Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIMs), which can be used to create efficient gas separation membranes. Compared to the archetypal PIM-1, DBMP incorporation enhances both gas permeability and ideal selectivity. Long-term studies show that DBMP-containing PIMs have less reduction in gas permeabilities during aging, making them attractive for fabricating membranes for efficient gas separations.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Min-Hao Pai, Chien-Chieh Hu, Guey-Sheng Liou
Summary: The formation of Troger's Base configuration is beneficial for synthesizing PIM polymers, and incorporating the V-shaped TB scaffold can enhance the performance of EC polyamide, resulting in lower driving potential and shorter switching response time.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Masafumi Yamato, Ayano Imai, Hiroyoshi Kawakami
Summary: This study investigated the thermal behavior of a polymer with intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) membrane using thermomechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) remained constant below 110 degrees C, with inflection points observed between 120-150 degrees C. The CTE after the inflection point was significantly influenced by the fabrication conditions and thermal history. Cooperative molecular motion was observed below 200 degrees C.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Katarzyna Polak-Krasna, Mi Tian, Sebastien Rochat, Nicholas Gathercole, Chenggang Yuan, Zhe Hao, Min Pan, Andrew D. Burrows, Timothy J. Mays, Chris R. Bowen
Summary: A new class of actuators based on polymer composites with intrinsic microporosity and activated carbon filler have been developed, showing repeatable three-dimensional actuation through solvent evaporation and wetting. The degree of curling and actuation can be controlled by adjusting the filler amount and evaporation rate, while actuation speed can be controlled by changing the solvent type. These actuators are insensitive to humidity and water, making them potentially useful in medical applications.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Liyuan Chen, Xiaocui Han, Guannan Chen, Ruiyin Sun, Wenying Li, Ziyu Lin, Jinhui Pang, Zhenhua Jiang
Summary: A simple methyl substitution on the structural building blocks of a PIM can alter its chain stacking behavior. Nitrogen adsorption and enhanced gas permeability demonstrated the increased intrinsic microporous of the spirodifluoranthene-based PIMs. The series of polymers exhibited excellent gas separation performances, showing great potential in separation areas for CO2 capture and storage, natural gas and biogas upgrading.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Kirill M. Skupov, Elizaveta S. Vtyurina, Igor I. Ponomarev, Ivan I. Ponomarev, Rinat R. Aysin
Summary: Polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) with developed microporous structure can be converted into PIM-1 based carbon nanofibers (CNF) through nanospider electrospinning and subsequent pyrolysis. The presence of microporosity in the CNF was confirmed by CO2 adsorption. The CNF showed higher specific surface area, pore volume, and CO2 uptake compared to the initial PIM-1 polymer. Additionally, Pt/PIM-1 CNF self-supporting mat exhibited promising performance as anode in HT-PEM fuel cell.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xinbo Wang, Hao Qiu, Cong Yu, YuanJu Jing, Chun Kang, Xin Qin, Keyong Hou, Zhaojie Cui, Ben Hang Yin, Bin Shan
Summary: In this study, a thioamide incorporated polymer of intrinsic microporosity, TPIM, was synthesized and it exhibited high intrinsic microporosity and good solubility. It showed high CO2 capacity, good CO2/N2 mixture separation performance, and facile regeneration ability. The porosity and CO2 capacity of TPIM could be easily restored through a simple dissolution-separation-precipitation (DSP) approach, providing a new insight for the design of regenerable adsorbents.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yongwei Chen, Karam B. Idrees, Mohammad Rasel Mian, Florencia A. Son, Chenghui Zhang, Xingjie Wang, Omar K. Farha
Summary: In this study, a Zr-based MOF, NU-600, was used to demonstrate the construction of multi-component MOFs with unprecedented complexity and control by inserting two linear linkers with different lengths into distinct pockets. It was found that increasing the connectivity of Zr6 nodes remarkably reinforced the hydrolytic stability of these linker-inserted MOFs while maintaining their water uptake capacity and pore-filling pressure. Additionally, introducing hydrophilic -OH groups into the linkers effectively shifted the pore-filling step to lower partial pressures. This methodology provides a powerful strategy to enhance the structural stability of other MOF frameworks and promotes advancements in fundamental sciences and practical applications.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nutan Chaudhari, Alison D. Findlay, Andrew W. Stevenson, Tristan D. Clemons, Yimin Yao, Amar Joshi, Sepidar Sayyar, Gordon Wallace, Suzanne Rea, Priyanka Toshniwal, Zhenjun Deng, Philip E. Melton, Nicole Hortin, K. Swaminathan Iyer, Wolfgang Jarolimek, Fiona M. Wood, Mark W. Fear
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ruomeng Qiu, Feng Chen, Zaida Alvarez, Tristan D. Clemons, Suvendu Biswas, Mark R. Karver, Nozomu Takata, Hiroaki Sai, Han Peng, Steven Weigand, Liam C. Palmer, Samuel I. Stupp
Summary: This study reports a method that blocks the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 by displaying ACE2 sequence on the surface of supramolecular nanofibers, offering promising therapeutic opportunities to prevent viral infection. The results demonstrate that this method maintains the secondary structure of ACE2 and blocks the entry of pseudovirus and its variants into human cells, while enhancing the chemical stability of bioactive structures in the supramolecular environment. These findings reveal the unique advantages of supramolecular peptide therapies for preventing viral infections and other targets.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Georgina P. P. Robertson, Sara Mosca, Celia Castillo-Blas, Florencia A. A. Son, Omar K. K. Farha, David A. A. Keen, Simone Anzellini, Thomas D. D. Bennett
Summary: Recent research has shown a shift in focus from crystalline high-porosity metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to exploring their amorphous counterparts. Applying pressure to a crystalline MOF can lead to amorphization, reducing surface area. Understanding the MOFs' response to pressure is crucial. Three MOFs with varying pore sizes were investigated under high pressure, showing partial crystallinity above 10 GPa. The survival of crystallinity at extreme pressures demonstrates the importance of high-pressure characterization of known structures.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shengyi Su, Xuhao Zhou, Xinyi Gong, Karam B. Idrees, Kent O. Kirlikovali, Timur Islamoglu, Omar K. Farha, Nathan C. Gianneschi
Summary: In this study, micro-porous synthetic allomelanin (AM) was used as a porous coating on the surface of the MOF material UiO-66. The core-shell structured AM@UiO-66 nanoparticles were successfully prepared through in situ surface-constrained oxidative polymerization. Nitrogen sorption isotherms confirmed that the AM coating did not affect the pore size and porosity of UiO-66. It was demonstrated that by tuning the thickness of the AM coating, the AM@UiO-66 composites exhibited excellent hexane isomer separation selectivity and storage capacity.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Courtney S. Smoljan, Zhao Li, Haomiao Xie, Caitlin J. Setter, Karam B. Idrees, Florencia A. Son, Filip Formalik, Saman Shafaie, Timur Islamoglu, Lauren K. Macreadie, Randall Q. Snurr, Omar K. Farha
Summary: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with precise control over pore size were synthesized by installing a three-dimensional linker in an MOF with one-dimensional channels. The NU-2002 framework showed limited structural breathing compared to MIL-53, as demonstrated by variable-temperature X-ray diffraction studies. Single-component adsorption isotherms showed the efficacy of NU-2002 in separating hexane isomers based on their different sizes and shapes.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cara S. Smith, Zaida Alvarez, Ruomeng Qiu, Ivan R. Sasselli, Tristan Clemons, J. Alberto Ortega, Marcos Vilela-Picos, Haley Wellman, Evangelos Kiskinis, Samuel I. Stupp
Summary: This study reports the development of a nanofiber-shaped supramolecular mimetic of a neurotrophic factor, Netrin-1, which can promote neuronal growth and synaptogenesis through the activation of DCC receptors. The results suggest the potential use of this supramolecular structure as a therapeutic approach for promoting regenerative bioactivity in central nervous system injuries.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fanrui Sha, Haomiao Xie, Florencia A. Son, Kevin S. Kim, Wei Gong, Shengyi Su, Kaikai Ma, Xiaoliang Wang, Xingjie Wang, Omar K. Farha
Summary: Proteins play important roles in various industries, but their fragility outside of cells limits their potential. Encapsulating proteins in solid materials can enhance their stability, but there is still room for improvement in understanding their interactions with synthetic hosts.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Farbod Shirinichi, Chetna Karkera, Tarek Ibrahim, Hayat Khan, Tristan Clemons, Alireza G. Senejani, Hao Sun
Summary: This study presents a new class of near-infrared-sensitive nanoparticles by conjugating indocyanine green (ICG) to glycogen. The resulting ICG-glycogen conjugates imbue the ICG with two critical properties otherwise not inherent to the free ICG: significantly enhanced hydrolytic stability and improved cellular uptake. These unique properties of ICG-glycogen conjugates lead to an improved NIR-triggered anti-cancer performance in breast cancer cells.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Dauren Biyashev, Zofia E. Siwicka, Ummiye V. Onay, Michael Demczuk, Dan Xu, Madison K. Ernst, Spencer T. Evans, Cuong V. Nguyen, Florencia A. Son, Navjit K. Paul, Naneki C. McCallum, Omar K. Farha, Stephen D. Miller, Nathan C. Gianneschi, Kurt Q. Lu
Summary: The topical application of synthetic melanin particles (SMPs) has been shown to effectively reduce edema, shorten eschar detachment time, and accelerate wound healing. SMPs achieve their scavenging effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) through mechanisms such as increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, suppressing specific gene expression, and inhibiting signaling pathway phosphorylation. Furthermore, SMP application increases the population of anti-inflammatory immune cells in the skin and enhances antioxidant capacity for improved wound healing.
NPJ REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hannah G. Abernathy, Jhinuk Saha, Lisa K. Kemp, Parvesh Wadhwani, Tristan D. Clemons, Sarah E. Morgan, Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
Summary: Proteinaceous amyloids have important roles in pathology and are also key components in biological functions. Amyloid fibers have robust enzymatic and structural stabilities due to their ability to form tightly packed conformations. Understanding the sensitivity of peptide sequence to subtle changes is crucial for designing customizable amyloid nanomaterials. Small changes in the sequence can affect the aggregation and nanomechanical properties of the fibrils formed by the amyloid peptides. Therefore, considering the tolerance of amyloid peptides to sequence changes is essential for effective design of customizable amyloid nanomaterials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chuang Li, Qinsi Xiong, Tristan D. D. Clemons, Hiroaki Sai, Yang Yang, M. Hussain Sangji, Aysenur Iscen, Liam C. C. Palmer, George C. C. Schatz, Samuel I. I. Stupp
Summary: Supramolecular-covalent hybrid polymers are interesting systems to generate robotic functions in soft materials in response to external stimuli. Recent work found that supramolecular components enhance the speed of reversible bending deformations and locomotion when exposed to light. This study reports on supramolecular-covalent hybrid materials that incorporate high-aspect-ratio peptide amphiphile (PA) ribbons and fibers, or low-aspect-ratio spherical peptide amphiphile micelles into photo-active spiropyran polymeric matrices. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the high-aspect-ratio supramolecular polymers effectively facilitate the transport of trapped water molecules by functioning as channels and therefore enhancing actuation of the hybrid system.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Cao, Haochuan Mao, Naneki C. McCallum, Xuhao Zhou, Hao Sun, Christopher Sharpe, Joanna Korpanty, Ziying Hu, Qing Zhe Ni, Michael D. Burkart, Matthew D. Shawkey, Michael R. Wasielewski, Nathan C. Gianneschi
Summary: In this study, we explored different synthetic routes to create a mimic of natural pheomelanin. Among the three attempted oxidative polymerization routes, the one using 5-cysteinyl-dihydroxyphenylalanine (5-CD) as a monomer proved to be the closest analogue to extracted pheomelanin from humans and birds. The resulting synthetic pheomelanin was compared to natural pheomelanin using various techniques, showing a close resemblance in structure. This research contributes to our understanding of the important biological pigment by revealing the role of cation-pi interactions in pheomelanogenesis.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kent O. Kirlikovali, Sylvia L. Hanna, Florencia A. Son, Omar K. Farha
Summary: This article provides an overview of the design strategies for metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and discusses how fundamental chemistry concepts are used to synthesize highly crystalline MOFs. It also explores the future possibilities of advanced structures with tailored properties in the MOF field.
ACS NANOSCIENCE AU
(2023)