NPG Asia Materials Review Collection 2015-2016

Content

• 

  Colloidal lead halide perovskite nanocrystals: synthesis, optical properties and applications

  This review summarizes recent developments in the direct synthesis and ion exchange-based reactions leading to hybrid organic–inorganic and all-inorganic lead halide perovskite nanocrystals. Optical properties related to quantum confinement effects, single emission spectroscopy and lasing are considered. Perovskite nanocrystals have been employed as an active material in several applications such as light-emitting devices, solar cells and photodetectors.

  • He Huang
  • Lakshminarayana Polavarapu
  • Andrey L Rogach

  ReviewOpen Access18 Nov 2016 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Revisiting the classification of NIR-absorbing/emitting nanomaterials for in vivo bioapplications

  A huge interest shows that optical contrast agents to probe biological specimen both functionally and structurally with deeper action depth and better spatial resolution is closely related with the development of near-infrared (NIR) light excitation and nonlinear optics and new imaging methods. This review will go beyond the state-of-the-art by revisiting the up-to-date progress in developing smart NIR-to-NIR and upconverted nanomaterials for in vivo bioapplications. The latest advances in the development of novel NIR-to-NIR linear and nonlinear optical nanomaterials and their potential applications in cancer targeting, diagnosis and therapeutics and deep-tissue imaging are described.

  • Tzu-Ming Liu
  • João Conde
  • Chih-Chia Huang

  ReviewOpen Access5 Aug 2016 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Polyhydroxyalkanoates: opening doors for a sustainable future

  PHAs are natural biodegradable polyesters synthesized by microorganisms. However, several disadvantages such as their poor mechanical properties and limited functionalities limit their competition with traditional synthetic plastics or their application as ideal biomaterials. To circumvent these drawbacks, PHAs need to be modified to ensure improved performance in specific applications. Well-established modification methods of PHAs are summarized and discussed. The improved properties of PHA that blends with natural raw materials or other biodegradable polymers are summarized. The functionalization of PHAs by block copolymerization and graft copolymerization is described. The expanded utilization of the modified PHAs as (bio)engineering materials is addressed.

  • Zibiao Li
  • Jing Yang
  • Xian Jun Loh

  ReviewOpen Access22 Apr 2016 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Computational studies of solid-state alkali conduction in rechargeable alkali-ion batteries

  The facile conduction of alkali ions in a crystal host is of crucial importance in rechargeable alkali-ion batteries. This review provides a comprehensive survey of the various computational approaches, such as transition state, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo methods, to study solid-state alkali diffusion, discusses how these methods have provided useful insights into the design of crystalline materials that form the main components of a rechargeable alkali-ion battery, namely the electrodes, superionic conductor solid electrolytes and their interfaces, and provides our perspective on the future challenges and directions in computational alkali diffusion studies.

  • Zhi Deng
  • Yifei Mo
  • Shyue Ping Ong

  ReviewOpen Access25 Mar 2016 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  The search for efficient electrocatalysts as counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells: mechanistic study, material screening and experimental validation

  This review highlights the recent advances in utilizing a combinatorial strategy of mechanistic investigation, theoretical prediction and experimental validation to develop cheap and earth-abundant high-performance electrocatalysts as counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells. The effectiveness of the combinatorial strategy over the conventional ‘trial-and-error’ tactic is illustrated with plentiful successful examples of earth-abundant materials. Perspectives are given to elucidate the opportunities and challenges.

  • Lulu Wang
  • Mohammad Al-Mamun
  • Huijun Zhao

  ReviewOpen Access20 Nov 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Recent progress of optical functional nanomaterials based on organoboron complexes with β-diketonate, ketoiminate and diiminate

  The synthesis and application of organoboron complexes are a topic with high relevance owing to their unique characteristics. This manuscript introduces the results primarily from recent studies of boron diketonates, ketoiminates and diiminates containing polymers and particularly focuses on their optical properties.

  • Kazuo Tanaka
  • Yoshiki Chujo

  ReviewOpen Access6 Nov 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Nanoparticle biosynthesis using unicellular and subcellular supports

  Formation of nanoparticles have shown significant improvement in quality of size, shape and dispersity based on recent advanced biosynthesis approaches by understanding the natural mechanisms underlying nanoparticles synthesis. Considering the biocompatibility, cost effectiveness and eco-friendliness, bio-associated synthesis of nanoparticles may provide the promising solutions to the challenge faced in the applications of industry and biomedicine.

  • Cheng-Hung Luo
  • Vijayakumar Shanmugam
  • Chen-Sheng Yeh

  ReviewOpen Access14 Aug 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Advanced analytical electron microscopy for lithium-ion batteries

  This review highlights the recent developments and contributions of advanced electron microscopy studies to the research of lithium-ion battery materials. Both static, ex situ studies and newly developed in situ AEM techniques are emphasized, and future directions are also proposed.

  • Danna Qian
  • Cheng Ma
  • Miaofang Chi

  ReviewOpen Access26 Jun 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Chemically converted graphene: scalable chemistries to enable processing and fabrication

  The development of scalable chemistries for the production and processing of graphene is essential if its potential in structures and devices is to be realized. This review is a chemist’s perspective on the methods developed for the production of processable graphene and graphene precursors dispersion, their integration into polymers and fabrication into a variety of structures.

  • Sanjeev Gambhir
  • Rouhollah Jalili
  • Gordon G Wallace

  ReviewOpen Access5 Jun 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  CeO₂-encapsulated noble metal nanocatalysts: enhanced activity and stability for catalytic application

  The most recent developments in the synthesis and structure engineering of CeO₂-encapsulated noble metal hybrids for catalytic applications are critically discussed.

  • Shuyan Song
  • Xiao Wang
  • Hongjie Zhang

  ReviewOpen Access8 May 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Rational synthesis and the structure-property relationships of nanoheterostructures: a combinative study of experiments and theory

  Nanoheterostructures (NHSs) have fostered structural diversity and functional multiplicity owing to a combination of two nanosegments and the consequent charge carrier redistribution. In this article, we review the recent progress in the combinative study of the NHSs from both the experimental and theoretical perspectives in terms of the growth mechanisms down to the atomic level and the electronic structure from ab initio.

  • Biao Xu
  • Gang Zhou
  • Xun Wang

  ReviewOpen Access13 Mar 2015 NPG Asia Materials
• 

  Spatial regulation of synthetic and biological nanoparticles by DNA nanotechnology

  Recent progress in spatial regulation of synthetic and biological nanoparticles by DNA nanotechnology has been summarized, including not only the static arrangement of inorganic nanoparticles but also the dynamic regulation of organic and biological units at a nanometer scale.

  • Zhongqiang Yang
  • Huajie Liu
  • Dongsheng Liu

  ReviewOpen Access27 Feb 2015 NPG Asia Materials