Photoactive perylenediimide-bridged silsesquioxane functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilica thin films (PMO-SBA15): synthesis, self-assembly, and photoluminescent and enhanced mechanical properties

New Porous Heterostructures Based on Organo-Modified Graphene Oxide for CO2 Capture

In this work, we report on a facile and rapid synthetic procedure to create highly porous heterostructures with tailored properties through the silylation of organically modified graphene oxide. Three silica precursors with various structural characteristics (comprising alkyl or phenyl groups) were employed to create high-yield silica networks as pillars between the organo-modified graphene oxide layers. The removal of organic molecules through the thermal decomposition generates porous heterostructures with very high surface areas (≥ 500 m²/g), which are very attractive for potential use in diverse applications such as catalysis, adsorption and as fillers in polymer nanocomposites. The final hybrid products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and porosity measurements. As proof of principle, the porous heterostructure with the maximum surface area was chosen for investigating its CO₂ adsorption properties.

Light-Emitting Lanthanide Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica (PMO) Hybrid Materials

Periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) have a well ordered mesoporous structure, a high thermal and mechanical stability and a uniform distribution of organic functionalities in the pore walls. The organic groups allow PMOs to be modified and functionalized by using a wide range of organic reactions. Since their first report in 1999, PMOs have found a vast range of applications, such as for catalysis, adsorbents, low-k films, biomedical supports and also for optical applications. Optical applications are very interesting as PMOs offer the possibility of designing advanced luminescent hybrid materials comprising of organic components, yet with much higher stability and very good processability. Despite their promising possibilities, the optical properties of pristine PMOs and PMOs grafted with d-metal or f-metal ions and complexes have been explored less frequently. In this review, we aimed to overview the exciting light emitting properties of various reported lanthanide PMO hybrid materials and interest the reader in this promising application for lanthanide PMO materials.

Perylene-Grafted Silicas: Mechanistic Study and Applications in Heterogeneous Photoredox Catalysis

A mechanistic study is herein presented for the use of heterogeneous photocatalysts based on perylene moieties. First, the successful immobilization of perylene diimides (PDI) on silica matrices is demonstrated, including their full characterization by means of electronic microscopy, surface area measurements, powder XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, and FTIR, ²⁹ Si and ¹³ C solid-state NMR, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Then, the photoredox activity of the material was tested by using two model reactions, alkene oxidation and 4-nitrobenzylbromide reduction, and mechanistic studies were performed. The mechanistic insights into their photoredox activity show they have promising dual photocatalytic activity for both organic oxidations and reductions.

Synthesis of Novel Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas Containing 1,4,5,8-Naphthalenediimides within the Pore Walls and Their Reduction To Generate Wall-Embedded Free Radicals

Novel periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) containing 1,4,5,8-Naphthalenediimide (NDI) chromophores as an integral part of the pore walls were synthesized in acidic conditions, in the presence of inorganic tetraethyl orthosilicate, using triblock copolymer surfactant Pluronic P-123 as a template. The NDI precursor, the bridged silsesquioxane N, N'-bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide, was synthesized by reaction of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride with excess 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. A series of samples containing up to 19% (weight %) of NDI were prepared (the materials were labeled PMONDIs). ¹³C and ²⁹Si solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance revealed that the NDI moiety was intact in the PMONDIs and efficiently grafted to the silica network. Samples with up to 16% NDI load presented an ordered two-dimensional-hexagonal mesoscopic structure, according to small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption isotherms. Fluorescence spectra of the PMONDIs showed excimer formation upon excitation, suggesting high flexibility of the organic moieties. Reduction of PMONDIs with aqueous sodium dithionite led to the formation of wall-embedded NDI anion radicals, as observed by the appearance of new visible/near-infrared absorption bands. The PMONDIs were also shown to be efficient photocatalysts in the degradation of sulfadiazine, an antibiotic selected here as a model pollutant, which is usually present in water bodies and wastewater.

Study on the Fluorescent Activity of N²-Indolyl-1,2,3-triazole

A new type of blue emitter, N²-Indolyl-1,2,3-triazoles (NITs), with the λ_max ranging from 420–480 nm and the Stokes shift from 89–143 nm, were synthesized through the coupling reaction of indoles with triazole derivatives. The influence of different substitution patterns on the optical properties (efficiency, excitation, and emission wavelengths) of the NITs was investigated. In addition, one palladium complex were synthesized by using NITs as the ligands, which, however, exhibited no fluorescent activity, but did show the enhanced co-planarity. Lastly, two bio-active molecule derivatives were explored for the potential use of these novel dyes in related chemical and biological applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of Superhydrophobic, Self-cleaning NIR-reflective Silica Nanoparticles

Multifunctional coatings offer many advantages towards protecting various surfaces. Here we apply aggregation induced segregation of perylene diimide (PDI) to control the surface morphology and properties of silica nanoparticles. Differentially functionalized PDI was incorporated on the surface of silica nanoparticles through Si-O-Si bonds. The absorption and emission spectra of the resultant functionalised nanoparticles showed monomeric or excimeric peaks based on the amounts of perylene molecules present on the surface of silica nanoparticles. Contact angle measurements on thin films prepared from nanoparticles showed that unfunctionalised nanoparticles were superhydrophilic with a contact angle (CA) of 0°, whereas perylene functionalised silica particles were hydrophobic (CA > 130°) and nanoparticles functionalised with PDI and trimethoxy(octadecyl)silane (TMODS) in an equimolar ratio were superhydrophobic with static CA > 150° and sliding angle (SA) < 10°. In addition, the near infrared (NIR) reflectance properties of PDI incorporated silica nanoparticles can be used to protect various heat sensitive substrates. The concept developed in this paper offers a unique combination of super hydrophobicity, interesting optical properties and NIR reflectance in nanosilica, which could be used for interesting applications such as surface coatings with self-cleaning and NIR reflection properties.

Diacetylene-Bridged Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas with Aggregates: Synthesis and Charge/Energy-Transfer Properties

Diacetylene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilicas (DAPMOs) with aggregates were synthesized and characterized. The DAPMO-based donor-acceptor charge-transfer (CT) system was prepared under ambient conditions, in which the diacetylenic groups in the pore walls were the electron donors and the decylviologen molecules acted as electron acceptors in the pore channels. The UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectra and soft X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy showed the formation of the CT complex. Importantly, energy transfer from the diacetylene aggregates to the CT complex occurred upon excitation at 330 nm, which was demonstrated by the fluorescence spectra of the CT systems. This design of hybrid organic-inorganic materials based on PMOs is promising to construct effective electron and energy transfer systems to fabricate optoelectronic materials.

A pH-driven molecular shuttle based on rotaxane-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilicas with responsive release of guests

A pH-driven molecular shuttle was immobilized into the framework of the PMOs in which the β-CDs could shuttle mechanically.

Rhodamine B-based ordered mesoporous organosilicas for the selective detection and adsorption of Al(iii)

A novel “Off–On” solid chemosensor for Al³⁺ was constructed by combining ordered mesoporous silica with a rhodamine B derivative.

Recent advances in hybrid periodic mesostructured organosilica materials: opportunities from fundamental to biomedical applications

Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanostructures functionalized with various active functional groups: from design to biomedical applications.

Perylenediimide functionalized bridged-siloxane nanoparticles for bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics

Perylenediimide functionalized bridged siloxane nanoparticles were prepared by direct hydrolysis and condensation of a perylenediimide silane precursor in the presence of a catalytic amount of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The sizes of the particles were controlled by adjusting organotrialkoxysilane, base, and TEOS concentrations. Using this modified Stöber method, we were able to incorporate a higher load of organic content (∼70%) into the siloxane core compared to typical organically modified Stöber silica nanoparticles. The size, shape, and surface morphology of these functionalized particles were visualized using transmission electron microscopy. Their compositions were confirmed by FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis. The photovoltaic performance of these nanohybrids in the poly(3-hexylthiophene) polymer matrix was evaluated. The device made from a sample annealed at 150 °C showed reasonably good photovoltaic performance with a power conversion efficiency of 1.56% under standard test conditions of AM 1.5G spectra at an illumination intensity of 100 mW cm(-2).

Controlled formation of polyamine crystalline layers on glass surfaces and successive fabrication of hierarchically structured silica thin films

The formation of silica films on the glass plate whose surface was precoated by crystalline linear poly(ethylenimine) (LPEI) in advance was systematically investigated via controlling the surface-specific crystallization of the LPEI on the glass plate. Immersing glass substrates into a hot aqueous solution of LPEI containing additives such as transition metal ions and acidic compounds and retaining them on 30 °C for desired periods resulted in the formation of crystalline LPEI layers on the substrates. Subsequently dipping this LPEI-coated glass into silica source solutions afforded successfully hierarchically structured silica film which coated continuously the surface of the substrates. In this two-step process, we found that the formation of hierarchically structured silica films strongly depended on the LPEI layer formed from the LPEI aqueous solutions containing different additives. The LPEI layer formed by changing the kinds of additives and their concentrations provides the differently structured silica films composed of turbine-like structures flatly lying-on and/or vertically standing-on as well as ribbon network structures on the surface of the substrates. Moreover, we functionalized these silica films by the introduction of hydrophobic alkyl chains or emissive Eu(III) complexes and investigated their wettability and emission properties.

N-2-aryl-1,2,3-triazoles: a novel class of UV/blue-light-emitting fluorophores with tunable optical properties

The N-2-aryl-1,2,3-triazole derivatives (NATs) were developed as a new class of UV/blue-light-emitting fluorophores. Though both N-1-aryl-1,2,3-triazoles and N-2-aryl-1,2,3-triazoles gave strong photo absorption under excitation at 330 nm, only the N-2-analogous showed strong fluorescence emission in the UV/blue range with high efficiency in various solvents (quantum yield Φ around 0.3-0.5). Significant substituted group effects were observed, allowing tunable optical properties with emission (λ(max)) from 350-400 nm and Stokes shift from 38-93 nm. The computational studies along with X-ray crystal structures indicated the significance of the effective conjugation between triazole ring and aryl groups on the N-2 position. The planar intramolecular charge transfer (PICT) mechanism was proposed, which was supported by solvent effect studies. Simple derivatizations gave NAT-modified lysine and strong UV/blue emitting bis-NAT (Φ=0.76, λ(max)=390), which suggested the great potential of this new class of fluorophores in biological and material science research.