Nanoscale

doi: 10.1039/D2NR90035Apmid: N/A

doi: 10.1039/D2NR90036Jpmid: N/A

doi: 10.1039/D2NR90037Hpmid: N/A

Vezzoli, Andrea

doi: 10.1039/d1nr06891apmid: 35166744

Single-molecule junctions – devices fabricated by electrically connecting a single molecule to two electrodes – can respond to a variety of stimuli, that include electrostatic/electrochemical gating, light, other chemical species, and mechanical forces. When the latter is used, the device becomes mechanoresistive which means that its electrical resistance/conductance changes upon application of a mechanical stress. The mechanoresistive phenomenon can arise at the metal-molecule interface or it can be embedded in the molecular backbone, and several strategies to attain high reproducibility, high sensitivity and reversible behaviour have been developed over the years. These devices offer a unique insight on the process of charge transfer/transport at the metal/molecule interface, and have potential for applications as nanoelectromechanical systems, integrating electrical and mechanical functionality at the nanoscale. In this review, the status of the field is presented, with a focus on those systems that proved to have reversible behaviour, along with a discussion on the techniques used to fabricate and characterise mechanoresistive devices.

Kapuria, Nilotpal; Patil, Niraj Nitish; Ryan, Kevin M.; Singh, Shalini

doi: 10.1039/d1nr06990jpmid: 35156983

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanocrystals display unconventional physical and opto-electronic properties due to their ultrathin and unique electronic structures. Since the success of Cd-based photoemissive nanocrystals, the development of sustainable and low-cost nanocrystals with enhanced electronic and physical properties has become a central research theme. In this context, copper-based semiconductor 2D nanocrystals, the cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative, exhibit unique plasmonic resonance, transport properties, and high ionic conductivity beneficial for sensing, energy storage, conversion, and catalytic applications. This review summarizes recent progress in the colloidal synthesis, growth mechanisms, properties, and applications of 2D copper-based nanostructures with tunable compositions, dimensions, and crystal phases. We highlight the growth mechanisms concerning their shape evolution in two dimensions. We analyse the effectiveness of cation exchange as a tool to synthesize multinary nanocrystals. Based on the preparation of Cu-based chalcogenide and non-chalcogenide compositions, we discuss synthesis control achieved via colloidal approaches to allow dimension tunability, phase engineering, and plasmonic and thermoelectric property optimization. Furthermore, their potential in various applications of catalysis, energy storage, and sensing is reviewed. Finally, we address the current challenges associated with 2D Cu-based nanocrystal development and provide an outlook pertaining to unexplored research areas.

Zhang, Chenghui; Liu, Wendong; Chen, Chuanxia; Ni, Pengjuan; Wang, Bo; Jiang, Yuanyuan; Lu, Yizhong

doi: 10.1039/d1nr06570jpmid: 35138321

Palladium (Pd)-based nanomaterials have been identified as potential candidates for various types of electrocatalytic reaction, but most of them typically exhibit unsatisfactory performances. Recently, extensive theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that the interstitial/substitutional modification of Pd-based nanomaterials with nonmetallic atoms (H, B, C, N, P, S) has a significant impact on their electronic structure and thus leads to the rapid development of one kind of promising catalyst for various electrochemical reactions. Considering the remarkable progress in this area, we highlight the most recent progress regarding the innovative synthesis and advanced characterization methods of nonmetallic atom-doped Pd-based nanomaterials and provide insights into their electrochemical applications. What's more, the unique structure- and component-dependent electrochemical performance and the underlying mechanisms are also discussed. Furthermore, a brief conclusion about the recent progress achieved in this field as well as future perspectives and challenges are provided.

Zhang, Weiqi; Shi, Yuhong; Shukor, Shazwan Abd; Vijayakumaran, Aaran; Vlatakis, Stavros; Wright, Michael; Thanou, Maya

doi: 10.1039/d1nr07882hpmid: 35166273

Nanodroplets – emerging phase-changing sonoresponsive materials – have attracted substantial attention in biomedical applications for both tumour imaging and therapeutic purposes due to their unique response to ultrasound. As ultrasound is applied at different frequencies and powers, nanodroplets have been shown to cavitate by the process of acoustic droplet vapourisation (ADV), causing the development of mechanical forces which promote sonoporation through cellular membranes. This allows drugs to be delivered efficiently into deeper tissues where tumours are located. Recent reviews on nanodroplets are mostly focused on the mechanism of cavitation and their applications in biomedical fields. However, the chemistry of the nanodroplet components has not been discussed or reviewed yet. In this review, the commonly used materials and preparation methods of nanodroplets are summarised. More importantly, this review provides examples of variable chemistry components in nanodroplets which link them to their efficiency as ultrasound-multimodal imaging agents to image and monitor drug delivery. Finally, the drawbacks of current research, future development, and future direction of nanodroplets are discussed.

Konidakis, I.; Karagiannaki, A.; Stratakis, E.

doi: 10.1039/d1nr07711bpmid: 35142770

This article reviews the tremendous advancement of the optoelectronic and photonic properties of inorganic oxide glasses upon the incorporation of metallic, perovskite, and two-dimensional nanocrystals within their matrix. In the first part, we present the exploitation of typical inorganic oxide glasses as hosting platforms for the incorporation of metallic nanoparticles. Such a method offers tremendous advantages in terms of inducing plasmonic features that enable the tunability of the photonic properties of the embedded materials. Along similar lines, due to their exceptional photoluminescence properties all inorganic lead halide perovskites show enormous potential for next generation light-emitting, optoelectronic and photonic devices. To date, however, their usage is limited significantly by their poor chemical stability upon exposure to moisture, and lead toxicity issues. A recent and highly promising approach for overcoming these important challenges is the encapsulation of perovskite nanocrystals within inorganic oxide glasses. Based on this, in the second section we focus on the recent advancements in perovskite glasses in terms of the developed fabrication procedures and the resulting optoelectronic features, while considering the production limitations. In the last part, we consider the development of composite two-dimensional materials glass architectures in terms of the available synthesis routes and the novelty of their optical and emission features. Finally, future perspectives on the described composite glass systems in terms of potential applications are summarized.

Wei, Yunxia; Jiang, Wenjun; Liu, Yang; Bai, Xiaojuan; Hao, Derek; Ni, Bing-Jie

doi: 10.1039/d2nr00198epmid: 35166288

The traditional synthesis of ammonia is an industrial process with high energy consumption that is not environmentally friendly; thus, it is urgent to develop cost-effective approaches to synthesize ammonia under ambient conditions. In recent years, the photochemical synthesis of ammonia has become a hot research frontier. In this mini review, we summarize the recent advances in materials sciences for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. Beyond nitrogen fixation, we talk about an alternative for artificial ammonia synthesis and coupling reactions with other reactions for the synthesis of other high-value chemicals. The results and findings of this review will help the development of ammonia synthesis and the synthesis of other high-value chemicals.

Maisano, Domenico; Mimmi, Selena; Dattilo, Vincenzo; Marino, Fabiola; Gentile, Massimo; Vecchio, Eleonora; Fiume, Giuseppe; Nistic, Nancy; Aloisio, Annamaria; de Santo, Maria Penelope; Desiderio, Giovanni; Musolino, Vincenzo; Nucera, Saverio; Sbrana, Francesca; And, Sebastiano; Ferrero, Simone; Morandi, Andrea; Bertoni, Francesco; Quinto, Ileana;