Review
Polymer Science
Xiang Su, Qingqing Gao, Dong Wang, Ting Han, Ben Zhong Tang
Summary: AIE polymers, as a new class of functional luminescent materials, have attracted much attention for their efficient solid-state fluorescence, excellent processability, and multifunctionalities. Among various methods for preparing AIE polymers, multicomponent polymerizations (MCPs) stand out for their simplicity, high atom economy, good polymerization efficiency, and broad functional-group tolerance. This feature article highlights the recent progress in one-step MCPs for the synthesis of AIE polymers and discusses the challenges and future development directions in this field.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Md. Mokter Hossain, Sarah Wu, Alia Nasir, Dinithi Mohotti, Ndeddy Aka junior Robinson, Yuan Yuan, Ekow Agyekum-Oduro, Asia Akter, Kaiser Ahmed Bhuiyan, Rahate Ahmed, Van Toan Nguyen, Kyeong Hwan Yoon, Quang Hung Trinh, Young Sun Mok
Summary: Efficient superhydrophobic and superoleophilic thin films were prepared using atmospheric-pressure plasma polymerization, which can be used for oil-water separation and self-cleaning. By adjusting the operating parameters and gas flow rate, the hydrophobicity of the films can be controlled to achieve different performances.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Dibyangana Parbat, Wonhee Cho, Sang Joon Lee
Summary: A new method using acrylate click chemistry is proposed to fabricate highly durable and eco-friendly superhydrophobic surfaces. The use of long-chain acrylates provides extreme water repellency, and the resulting surfaces exhibit long-term stability under various harsh conditions. This technique results in highly robust 3D superhydrophobic surfaces that can be easily molded or sprayed onto various substrates.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
A. V. Batrakov, A. B. Markov, D. A. Zuza, V. O. Nekhoroshev, I. A. Kurzina
Summary: This study aimed to investigate hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) plasma polymerization in a low-pressure glow discharge in a gas flow. The results showed that a DC glow discharge in a gas flow can be used for localized deposition of polymer coatings under different operating conditions.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhonglong Luo, Jiulong Zhou, Zhe Lu, Hongqiu Wei, You Yu
Summary: The combination of photochemistry and 3D printing technology allows for the fabrication of tough hydrogels containing NPS, providing a new pathway for designing high-resolution and complex structures.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Kei Kiyokawa, Reiko Saito, Masato Morita, Tetsuo Sakamoto
Summary: This article investigates the impact of metal redeposition on the sputtering rate in ion sputtering and finds that redeposition significantly enhances the rate. The experimental data align with the model equation, explaining the sputtering by desorbed redeposited metal and the reduction of sublimation enthalpy by adsorbed redeposited metal. This finding provides new insights for the application of sputtering technology.
JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qianhan Han, Ying Guo, Yarong Zhang, Jing Zhang, Jianjun Shi
Summary: In this experimental study, a plasma plume generated by radio frequency atmospheric pressure glow discharge was enhanced in terms of length and intensity by pulsed discharge. The enhanced plume was used to improve the O/C ratio of carbon fiber.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qian Zhang, Yang Li, Hua Li, Yuhan Zhang, Lishan Zhang, Shan Zhong, Xiaohua Shu
Summary: Fe-based composites have been studied extensively for their ability to improve energy utilization efficiency in plasma-based contaminant removal. However, the slow transformation of Fe(III) to Fe(II) compromises the energy efficiency and catalytic activity. In this study, FeS2 was introduced into a glow discharge plasma reactor to enhance the removal efficiency of tylosin. The presence of FeS2 resulted in increased generation of radicals and nonradicals, which played a critical role in tylosin abatement. Additionally, the electron-donating ability of FeS2 accelerated the conversion of Fe(III) to Fe(II), further facilitating radical generation. Furthermore, FeS2 promoted acid solution self-adjustment and improved the heterogeneous Fenton reaction and adsorption of tylosin. The integration of glow discharge plasma with FeS2 offers a promising technique for organic wastewater treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chengbing Wang, Wenhe Zhang, Xingtao Xu, Jing Shi, Mohammed A. Amin, Junyan Zhang, Yusuke Yamauchi
Summary: In this study, an all-in-one thermal management textile was developed using a one-step magnetron sputtering process. The textile integrates multiple functions, including passive heating, Joule heating, electromagnetic interference shielding, outstanding photothermal conversion, and robust superhydrophobicity.
Article
Polymer Science
Mengmeng Li, Lin Zhou, Ziqi Zhang, Qi Wang, Jiani Gao, Shiping Zhang, Lin Lei
Summary: In this study, a well-defined block copolymer was successfully synthesized using triarylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate salt as the organocatalyst for both photo-ATRP and ROP. The conversions of the two polymerizations were higher in a one-pot synthesis compared to separate polymerizations, indicating a promotion of each other. This efficient method is suitable for preparing complex block copolymers.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zhonggang Zhang, Binghe Ma, Tao Ye, Wei Gao, Guangyao Pei, Jian Luo, Jinjun Deng, Weizheng Yuan
Summary: Inspired by springtails, we proposed a simple and practical manufacturing method for flexible superomniphobic dual-T microstructure surfaces. The surfaces exhibited excellent liquid-repellent properties and demonstrated remarkable robustness and recoverability.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Yao E. Kovach, Zhehui Wang, John E. Foster
Summary: A study on the emission of luminous particles from the liquid anode surface of an atmospheric pressure DC glow discharge revealed a correlation with the plasma forming patterns on the liquid electrolyte surface. Using high-speed imaging and electron microscope technologies, the characteristics and morphology of the emitted particles were analyzed, leading to the proposal of a mechanism likely driven by the Taylor cone effect.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Spectroscopy
Brian T. Molnar, Jacob T. Shelley
Summary: Plasmas have been used as ionization sources in mass spectrometry experiments since the early days of Thomson and Aston. Plasma ion sources were chosen because they were one of the few known sources of gas-phase ions at the time and were relatively easy to set up and operate. The development of plasma ionization has led to advancements in mass spectrometry and laid the foundation for ionization approaches, mass analysis, and detection methods for very large molecules.
MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sing Wei Ng, Peng Lu, Aleksandra Rulikowska, Daniela Boehm, Graham O'Neill, Paula Bourke
Summary: The study investigated the structural modifications and antigenic response of major milk protein allergens induced by non-thermal treatment using atmospheric cold plasma. Results showed a reduction in the intensity of casein and alpha-lactalbumin bands after plasma treatment, while beta-lactoglobulin intensity remained unchanged. Changes in protein secondary structure, amino acid compositions, and antigenicity were observed post plasma treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Krzysztof Greda, Maja Welna, Anna Szymczycha-Madeja, Pawel Pohl
Summary: By combining ICP OES with a novel FIGA mode, a more sensitive determination of Hg was achieved. The proposed method showed a much higher analytical signal for Hg compared to conventional PN-ICP OES, resulting in a significantly improved detection limit (0.035 μg/L) and measurement precision (2.5%). It also offered a 4 times lower detection limit compared to CVG-ICP OES (0.15 μg/L).
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Wil Gardner, David A. Winkler, Suzanne M. Cutts, Steven A. Torney, Geoffrey A. Pietersz, Benjamin W. Muir, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: Feature extraction algorithms are important for reducing data dimensionality, but most methods do not consider spatial information. This study introduces a convolutional autoencoder (CNNAE) specifically designed for hyperspectral ToF-SIMS imaging data, which incorporates pixel neighborhood information through convolutional layers. Compared to other methods, the CNNAE produces features with higher contrast and autocorrelation, accurately representing histologically recognizable features in the data. Additionally, the extension of CNNAE to 3D ToF-SIMS images provides a proof of principle for analyzing more complex 3D datasets.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biophysics
Wil Gardner, David A. Winkler, Benjamin W. Muir, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) imaging is a powerful label-free method for exploring organic, bioorganic, and biological systems. However, the complexity of the data produced by ToF-SIMS experiments makes interpretation and analysis challenging. Research has focused on applying multivariate analysis and machine learning techniques to find meaningful patterns and relationships in these datasets.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wil Gardner, David A. Winkler, Ruqaya Maliki, Suzanne M. Cutts, Sarah Ellis, Robin L. Anderson, Benjamin W. Muir, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: This study applies a convolutional neural network (CNN) fusion method to fuse ToF-SIMS hyperspectral data sets, achieving resolution-enhanced data with high spatial and mass resolution. The method is applied to ToF-SIMS images of a gold mesh sample and a tumor tissue section, and the improvement is compared to another linear fusion method used in the broader MSI community.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sarah E. Bamford, Dilek Yalcin, Wil Gardner, David A. Winkler, Thomas M. Kohl, Benjamin W. Muir, Shaun Howard, Eric A. Bruton, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: The self-organizing map with relational perspective mapping (SOM-RPM) is an unsupervised machine learning method used for visualizing and interpreting high-dimensional hyperspectral data. In this study, SOM-RPM was applied to stitched ToF-SIMS datasets to provide a direct comparison in both 2D and 3D. The quantitative assessment of annealing-induced chemical breakdown trends was conducted on spin-coated polyaniline (PANI) films, revealing differences in peak intensity ratios.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
U. Martin, N. Birbilis, D. D. Macdonald, D. M. Bastidas
Summary: The passivity breakdown and subsequent stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of Type 2001 lean duplex stainless steel (UNS S32001) reinforcement in a highly alkaline environment containing chlorides at a low temperature were investigated. Through electrochemical analysis, mechanical testing, and fractographic analysis, it was found that the chloride threshold for passivity breakdown in this environment is below 4 wt% Cl-. Stress higher than σy triggers pit initiation and crack nucleation, resulting in a low-frequency peak of the cracking process. The importance rating for the steel is 9 out of 10.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Baojie Dou, Xuejie Li, Junsoo Han, Nick Birbilis, Kevin Ogle
Summary: Hydrogen evolution, magnesium dissolution, and electron exchange were monitored in real time during anodic and cathodic polarization of magnesium in 0.1 M NaCl. The anodic charge correlated with magnesium dissolution, while hydrogen formation was independent and led to insoluble magnesium(II) formation. Increased iron impurity promoted hydrogen evolution but was not necessary for the negative difference effect. Electrochemical dissolution occurred across an intact magnesium(II)-based film, while hydrogen evolution occurred in regions where the film breaks down induced by anodic polarization.
Review
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
A. Caldarelli, F. Filleul, R. W. Boswell, C. Charles, N. J. Rattenbury, J. E. Cater
Summary: Retarding field energy analyzers and Langmuir probes are commonly used for measuring ion and electron-energy distribution functions (IEDF and EEDF). However, the presence of noise from the plasma environment and measurement circuits poses challenges for differentiating noisy signals. This article presents a review of commonly used filtering and differentiation techniques for evaluating the distribution functions.
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
See Yoong Wong, Andrew L. Hook, Wil Gardner, Chien-Yi Chang, Ying Mei, Martyn C. Davies, Paul Williams, Morgan R. Alexander, Davide Ballabio, Benjamin W. Muir, David A. Winkler, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: Biofilm formation is a major problem in hospitals, and researching biofilm-resistant materials is critical. Polymer microarrays can efficiently discover new biofilm-resistant polymers. This study investigates bacterial attachment and surface chemistry on a polymer microarray to better understand Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation. Analyzing the data using linear multivariate analysis and a nonlinear self-organizing map reveals fragment ions associated with bacterial biofilm formation. Considering these insights, a second analysis is conducted that explicitly considers interactions between key fragments. This improved model provides chemical insights for designing materials that prevent pathogen attachment.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ninad Bhat, Amanda S. Barnard, Nick Birbilis
Summary: The widespread use of aluminium alloys in aerospace, transport and marine industries can be attributed to their desirable physical properties. Understanding the relationship between alloy composition, microstructure and mechanical properties is complex. Machine learning has proven to be a valuable tool in designing new alloys. This study utilizes a data-driven partitioning scheme to train individual regressors, which outperforms traditional domain knowledge-based partitioning, leading to increased model accuracy and interpretability.
COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
A. R. Mukurumbira, R. A. Shellie, R. Keast, E. A. Palombo, B. W. Muir, S. R. Jadhav
Summary: Foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms pose a threat to public health and the food industry. Synthetic antimicrobials face challenges due to antimicrobial resistance, thus essential oils offer a potential natural alternative. This study found that essential oils from lemon myrtle, thyme, and Tasmanian mountain pepper showed antimicrobial activity against common food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria and fungi, with lemon myrtle and thyme exhibiting stronger activity. The vapor phase of the oils also showed antimicrobial activity and potential as antifungals for specific microorganisms.
Article
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Wil Gardner, David A. Winkler, David L. J. Alexander, Davide Ballabio, Benjamin W. Muir, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: In this study, two different ToF-SIMS imaging datasets were used to evaluate the impact of data preprocessing methods and SOM hyperparameters on the performance of SOM. It was found that preprocessing is generally more important than hyperparameter selection, and there are complex interactions between different parameters. The results of this study are important for understanding the effects of data processing on hyperspectral imaging data.
JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Dilek Yalcin, Sarah Bamford, Maria Espiritu, Nick Rigopoulos, Ivan Martinez-Botella, David Alexander, Yesim Gozukara, Mark Greaves, Eric A. Bruton, Patrick J. Kinlen, Shaun Howard, Paul J. Pigram, Benjamin W. Muir, Thomas M. Kohl
Summary: A novel polymer blend formulation was developed by adding polyurethane (PU) and sulfonyldiphenol (SDP) to a dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (DNNSA)-doped polyaniline (PANI) matrix. The results showed that the inclusion of PU and SDP remarkably improved the thermal stability of the films, maintaining desirable conductivity levels over a week. This study provides insights into the functionality, optimization, and deployment of these new film types.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiangfeng Lai, Seong Hoong Chow, Anton P. Le Brun, Benjamin W. Muir, Phillip J. Bergen, Jacinta White, Heidi H. Yu, Jiping Wang, Jill Danne, Jhih-hang Jiang, Francesca L. Short, Mei-Ling Han, Richard A. Strugnell, Jiangning Song, Neil R. Cameron, Anton Y. Peleg, Jian Li, Hsin-Hui Shen
Summary: This study successfully developed a lipid nanoparticle based on monolaurin that can effectively eliminate the polysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria. When used in conjunction with polymyxin B, these nanoparticles have a synergistic antimicrobial effect through multiple mechanisms.
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
M. Ghorbani, M. Boley, P. N. H. Nakashima, N. Birbilis
Summary: This work proposes a new approach that utilizes data science to analyze the existing data in the field of Mg-alloy design. Through the development of a consolidated alloy database and the implementation of clustering using machine learning, the effects of alloying and thermomechanical processing on mechanical properties were explored, and the relationships between microstructure and mechanical properties were understood. This work introduces an invaluable open-source database and provides insights for future accelerated digital Mg-alloy design.
JOURNAL OF MAGNESIUM AND ALLOYS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sevvandi Kandanaarachchi, Wil Gardner, David L. J. Alexander, Benjamin W. Muir, Philippe A. Chouinard, Sheila G. Crewther, David J. Scurr, Mark Halliday, Paul J. Pigram
Summary: This study investigated six different computational methods for tiling artifact removal in ToF-SIMS imaging. The results show that there is no universally acceptable method and the effectiveness of the artifact removal method depends on the specific characteristics of the data set analyzed.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dan He, Yawen Li, Fuwen Zhao, Yuze Lin
Summary: High trap density in organic solar cells leads to localized charge carriers and reduced carrier lifetime, limiting device efficiency. This feature article summarizes the recent advances of trap suppression by material design and device engineering.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Olivier Monfort, Arshitha Madhusudhan, Martin Motola
Summary: This article presents the advantages of coupling photocatalysis and Fenton-based processes for environmental remediation and discusses their synergy. It critically examines the simultaneous triggering of these two processes and provides insights into research approaches. The study aims to enhance understanding of this complex process and highlight the potential integration of new catalysts in current wastewater treatment technology.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Manideepa Dhar, Chittaranjan Mishra, Avijit Das, Uttam Manna
Summary: An approach of 'polymerization of monomers in its aggregated form' has been introduced to tailor the water wettability of fibrous and porous substrates, achieving hydrophobicity to superhydrophobicity transition, as well as patterned wettability. This facile chemical method provides a durable coating with adjustable and patterned wettability for various potential applications.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Saswat Ranjan Bhoi, Chhanda Debnath, Shikha Gandhi
Summary: In this article, a novel catalytic reaction using Pd(0) and Bronsted acid is reported for the synthesis of biologically important imidazolidinone-fused N-heterocycles through redox-neutral intramolecular N-allylation of indoles and pyrroles with alkynes. This atom-economical method is applicable to a wide range of substrates and eliminates the need for leaving groups or oxidizing agents commonly used in traditional allylation reactions.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Longkun Chen, Mingshuai Zhang, Meichen Liu, Zhuoyuan Liu, Yuetong Qiu, Zhilai Zhang, Fuchao Yu, Jiuzhong Huang
Summary: In this study, an efficient Rh(III)-catalyzed selective mono- and dual-C-H bond functionalization/cyclization with iodonium ylide as the sole coupling partner was demonstrated. Fused benzodiazepine skeletons were obtained in excellent yields, providing an improved approach to dual C-H unsymmetrical functionalization.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alice Kennett, Sven Epple, Gabriella van der Valk, Irene Georgiou, Evelyne Gout, Romain R. Vives, Angela J. Russell
Summary: This study presents the design and synthesis of sulfated disaccharide inhibitors based on IdoA(2S)-GlcNS(6S), which showed potent inhibition of Sulf-2. The results suggest that IdoA(2S)-GlcNS(6S) is the shortest fragment size required for effective inhibition of Sulfs, and a trisulfated disaccharide is identified as the minimal fragment size of heparan sulfate for effective endosulfatase inhibition.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mauro Garbini, Andrea Brunetti, Riccardo Pedrazzani, Magda Monari, Massimo Marcaccio, Giulio Bertuzzi, Marco Bandini
Summary: The self-adaptability of galvanostatic electrolysis was found to be helpful in a multistage chemo- and diastereoselective electrochemically promoted cyclodimerization of chalcones. Through a series of reductive events, densely functionalized cyclopentanes with five contiguous stereocenters were obtained (25 examples, yields up to 95%, dr values up to >20:1). Further experimental and electrochemical investigations indicated the crucial role of dynamic kinetic resolution of the aldol intermediate in the reaction mechanism.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dhananjay S. Nipate, Neha Meena, Prakash N. Swami, Krishnan Rangan, Anil Kumar
Summary: In this study, the synthesis of functionalized benzo[a]phenazines and indazolo[2,3-a]quinolines was achieved through Rh(III)-catalyzed oxidative annulation of 2-arylquinoxalines and 2-aryl-2H-indazoles with allyl alcohols. The method showed a wide substrate scope, excellent functional group tolerance, good to high yields of annulated products, and the capability for scaled-up synthesis. A tentative mechanism of the annulation reaction was proposed based on a preliminary mechanistic investigation.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruonan Zhang, Abudukadi Tudi, Xia Yang, Xuping Wang, Zhihua Yang, Shujuan Han, Shilie Pan
Summary: A new lead tellurium borate material with a unique fundamental building block [B4O10] was synthesized and found to exhibit high birefringence. The structure-property relationship was discussed using first-principles calculations.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Amresh Kumar Singh, Baishali Thakurta, Anupam Giri, Monalisa Pal
Summary: This study introduces three key concepts for the quick synthesis of large-scale high-quality 2D materials films and their utilization in device fabrication.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Reina Hagiwara, Shun Nishimura, Kosuke Okeyoshi
Summary: A copolymer-conjugated nanocatalytic system has been developed to improve electron transfer and enhance photoinduced H2 generation.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2024)
