Investigation on solvent casting films of surfactant-encapsulated clusters

Multicomponent hybrids of surfactant-capped lanthanide polyoxometalates and ZIF-8 with tuneable luminescence

Two kinds of surfactant-functionalized lanthanide polyoxometalates and ZIF-8 nanoparticles were diffused together in polymer hosts, whose luminescence colour can be tuned by adjusting the composing units to provide useful data for multicomponent hybrids.

Differential functional effects of biomaterials on dendritic cell maturation

The immunological outcome of dendritic cell (DC) treatment with different biomaterials was assessed to demonstrate the range of DC phenotypes induced by biomaterials commonly used in combination products. Immature DCs (iDCs) were derived from human peripheral blood monocytes, and treated with different biomaterial films of alginate, agarose, chitosan, hyaluronic acid (HA), or 75:25 poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and a comprehensive battery of phenotypic functional outcomes was assessed. Different levels of functional changes in DC phenotype were observed depending on the type of biomaterial films used to treat the DCs. Treatment of DCs with PLGA or chitosan films supported DC maturation, with higher levels of DC allostimulatory capacity, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and expression of CD80, CD86, CD83, HLA-DQ and CD44 compared with iDCs, and lower endocytic ability compared with iDCs. Alginate film induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release from DCs at levels higher than from iDCs. Dendritic cells treated with HA film expressed lower levels of CD40, CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR compared with iDCs. They also exhibited lower endocytic ability and CD44 expression than iDCs, possibly due to an insolubilized (cross-linked) form of high molecular weight HA. Interestingly, treatment of DCs with agarose film maintained the DC functional phenotype at levels similar to iDCs except for CD44 expression, which was lower than that of iDCs. Taken together, these results can provide selection criteria for biomaterials to be used in immunomodulating applications and can inform potential outcomes of biomaterials within combination products on associated immune responses as desired by the application.

Preparation and characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett films of wheel-shaped Cu-20 tungstophosphate and DODA by two different strategies

A novel surfactant-encapsulated organic-inorganic hybrid compound (DODA)(24)Li[Cu(20)Cl(OH)(24)(P(8)W(48)O(184))] x 18 H(2)O (DODA-Cu20) has been prepared from the wheel-shaped tungstophosphate salt K(12)Li(13)[Cu(20)Cl(OH)(24)(H(2)O)(12)(P(8)W(48)O(184))] x 22 H(2)O (Cu20) and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODA), and it has been characterized by elemental analysis (EA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), (1)H NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Monolayer and multilayer films of DODA-Cu20 were fabricated on different substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique using H(2)O as the subphase. Another type of organic-inorganic hybrid film, DODA/Cu20, was also deposited on the same substrates as used for the film containing DODA-Cu20 under the same conditions by the LB technique using a Cu20 aqueous solution as the subphase and DODA as the cationic amphiphile for comparison. Both thus-prepared organic-inorganic hybrid films were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, transmission and polarized FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results indicate that stable monolayers at the air-water interface for DODA-Cu20 and at the air-Cu20 solution interface for DODA can be formed and that two LB films containing DODA-Cu20 and DODA/Cu20 constructed by two different methods both exhibit well-ordered lamellar structures. It is proposed that Cu20 exhibits different packing modes in the two LB films depending on the deposition strategy used.

Self-assembled monolayers of CH3COS- terminated surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate complexes

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold surfaces based on three kinds of acetylthio-surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate clusters (thio-SECs) terminated with multiple CH(3)COS- groups, (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(6)H(2)[Co(H(2)O)CoW(11)O(39)], (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(13)H(3)[Co(4)(H(2)O)(2)(P(2)W(15)O(56))(2)], and (NC(26)H(55)S(CO)CH(3))(13)[Fe(4)(H(2)O)(2)(P(2)W(15)O(56))(2)]Br, have been prepared, which is representative of a general methodology to fabricate polyoxometalate-based SAMs. Thio-SECs self-assembled into monolayers on gold surfaces through the hydrolysis of CH(3)COS- groups and the subsequent formation of S-Au bonds, which was confirmed by grazing angle infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ellipsometric and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements. Furthermore, the SAMs of the thio-SECs possess closely packed structures, and the local short-range order is clearly observed in the magnified STM image. We have also investigated the electrochemical behavior of SAMs of thio-SECs by cyclic voltammetry in detail, and the redox potential of the original polyoxometalates has been well retained. The electrochemical signals of the SAMs are very weak because of the small moiety of thio-SECs that are electrochemically accessible in the cyclic voltammetry experiments. The polyoxometalate-modified electrodes that we prepared are not only highly ordered in the local short range but also stable in electrochemical cycling because of the multiple S-Au bonds of thio-SECs on the gold substrates that aid in the construction of functional materials such as electrochemical and electrocatalytic devices.

Metallo-supramolecular modules as a paradigm for materials science

Metal ion coordination in discrete or extended metallo-supramolecular assemblies offers ample opportunity to fabricate and study devices and materials that are equally important for fundamental research and new technologies. Metal ions embedded in a specific ligand field offer diverse thermodynamic, kinetic, chemical, physical and structural properties that make these systems promising candidates for active components in functional materials. A key challenge is to improve and develop methodologies for placing these active modules in suitable device architectures, such as thin films or mesophases. This review highlights recent developments in extended, polymeric metallo-supramolecular systems and discrete polyoxometalates with an emphasis on materials science.

Temperature dependence of interfacial fluctuations of polymerized fatty acid salt multilayers

X-ray scattering was used to study the temperature dependence of the profile structure of polymerized 10,12-tricosadiynoic acid salt multilayers. The stacking periodicity of the multilayers was found to decrease with increasing temperature due to the conformational changes of the alkyl chains. When the samples were fully hydrated in water, the reflectivity measurement showed that the thermal fluctuations of the interfaces are enhanced with temperature, resulting in reduced ordering. Meanwhile, the diffuse scattering indicated that the thermal fluctuations renormalize the elasticity of the multilayers; both the bending and the compression moduli are reduced. Similar measurements performed in air, however, do not show this thermal enhancement although the stacking periodicity decreases in the same manner. It is implied that water might weaken the interaction between the carboxyl groups and the metal ions so that the polymerized bilayers are softened in water.

Highly Photoluminescent Polyoxometaloeuropate-Surfactant Complexes by Ionic Self-Assembly

Facile organization of the inorganic sandwiched heteropolytungstomolybdate K13[Eu(SiW9Mo2O39)2] (E) into highly ordered supramolecular nanostructured materials by complexation with a series of cationic surfactants is achieved by the ionic self-assembly (ISA) route. The structure and phase behavior of the complexes were examined by IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy, and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering. This class of materials shows a number of interesting physicochemical properties, namely liquid-crystalline phases (both thermotropic and lyotropic) and strong photoluminescence. The photophysical behavior (fluorescence spectra, fluorescence lifetimes, fluorescence quantum yield) of the complexes differs widely in solid powders, films, and solutions. The amphiphilic cationic surfactants not only play a structural role but also have a strong influence on the photophysical properties of E. The photophysical behavior of E can in this way be easily modified by its organizational motifs.

Surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalloeuropate: polarized Eu3+ emission in the highly ordered self-organizing film

An organic/inorganic composite, (DODA)(9)EuW(10)O(36).9H(2)O, can form a highly ordered self-organizing film with a layered structure and almost fully interdigitated alkyl chains at solid supports. EuW10O36(9-) is deduced to be oriented in its self-organizing film, resulting in its polarized emission, which offers an accessible approach to fabricating the functional thin films containing polyoxometalates.

Polyoxometalates matrixed into surfactants: synthesis, characterizations, and conformations of surfactants

We synthesized two surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate (POM) clusters (SECs), (DODA)(15)[H(3)Mo(57)V(6)(NO)(6)O(189)(H(2)O)(12)(VO)(6)].13H(2)O (SEC-2, DODA: dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium) and (DODA)(12)[Eu(H(2)O)P(5)W(30)O(110)].28H(2)O (SEC-3). SECs were characterized in detail by elemental analysis, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, FTIR, 1H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, Langmuir isotherms, and powdered X-ray diffractions. SEC-2 can form a stable monolayer at the air-water interface. SEC-2 and SEC-3 possess a layered structure with periodicities of 3.8 and 5.05 nm, respectively. Alkyl chains in SEC-2 are disordered, but SEC-3 is indicative of well-ordered alkyl chains. According to the simplified structural analysis for SEC-2 and SEC-3, DODAs occupy areas of 1.12 and 0.589 nm(2) on the surface of the POMs, which are characteristic of the liquid-like and crystalline-like phases for DODA, respectively. The different conformations of DODAs then lead to the different packing structures of SECs. This work is aiming to control the organizational structures of the POM-based materials by selecting the appropriate POMs.