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Materials chemistry involves the use of chemistry for the design and synthesis of materials with interesting or potentially useful physical characteristics, such as magnetic, optical, structural or catalytic properties. It also involves the characterization, processing and molecular-level understanding of these substances.
Lattices of micrometre-sized metamaterials embedded in thermoresponsive hydrogels deform upon heating to reveal encrypted images from a blank gel canvas.
Procedures for the synthesis of physical double-network hydrogels to provide self-healing, pH-responsive, tissue-adhesive, antioxidant, photothermal and antibacterial properties. Used as wound dressings, the hydrogels can also be removed on demand.
Series of propylene (C3) and hexylene (C6)-linked tripod-shaped polyhedral octasilsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives were prepared corner-opening type POSS (COPOSS) with completely condensed POSSs (CC-POSSs). The annealed cast films of the tripodal POSSs were optically transparent, except those consisted of the phenylsubstituted CC-POSS, which were rather turbid. The tripodal POSSs showed endothermic peaks corresponding to melting (Tm) and suggest that including the phenyl-substituted CO-POSS unit reduced Tms compared with the isobutyl-substituted CO-POSS.
Due to the complexity of living systems, it is challenging to identify the factors influencing the formation of native heterogeneous structures. Here, the authors employ flexible polymer networks with embedded stiff cellulose nanocrystals to simulate heterogeneous core-sheath structures interrelated with the divergence of Deborah number.
Although amorphous calcium carbonate represents an important biomineralization precursor, its structure has been difficult to understand. Now, amorphous calcium carbonate’s structure is shown to arise from the different bridging modes available to the calcium ions. This effective multi-well potential that drives calcium arrangements creates a geometric incompatibility between preferred Ca–Ca distances and frustrates crystallization.
3D ionic covalent organic frameworks (iCOF) are used in the fabrication of membranes breaking the trade-off between ion conductivity and ion selectivity is challenging. Here, the authors report the fabrication of a 3D sulfonic acid-functionalized iCOF membrane for efficient and selective ion transport, using dual acid-mediated interfacial polymerization
Lattices of micrometre-sized metamaterials embedded in thermoresponsive hydrogels deform upon heating to reveal encrypted images from a blank gel canvas.
Emily Draper explains how to design and build electrochemical equipment for neutron scattering experiments with simple, at-hand components and techniques.
Drawing inspiration from helical structures in nature, researchers have developed a cobalt-based complex able to twist and untwist, converting between nanohelix and nanowire structures.
Photochromic molecular crystal arrays aligned in the micropores of a polymer membrane show high-performance actuation when stimulated by light. These soft composites might find applications in soft robotic devices.
