Themed collection 2019 Journal of Materials Chemistry C HOT Papers

High performance engineering thermoplastics are being extended to high-dimensional porous materials and sustainable biomass-driven materials.

We present an overview of the latest studies on organic neuromorphic and smart sensing devices and highlight the potential of these concepts to enhance the interaction efficiency between electronics and biological substances.

This work discusses the photophysical pathways in doped quantum dots responsible for generating photons of non-exciton origin and hot electrons.

Excitons in lead halide perovskites often go unnoticed as minority species, yet they account for almost all of light emission.

Methylamine-induced defect-healing and cationic substitution was reviewed for low defect perovskite films with better crystal quality and high stability.

Biological systems contain various amazing examples that can display adaptive and active behaviors in response to external stimuli.

Time-resolved mid-infrared spectroscopy provides new opportunities to probe the structural origins of electronic and transport states in optoelectronic materials.

Luminescent films have attracted a great amount of attention due to their unique properties and various potential applications in optical displays, sensors and switches.

In this paper, various PVD techniques, such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD), evaporation decomposition (ED) and sputtering, are examined with respect to their conditions for VO₂ fabrication, film quality and the strategies for film improvements.

The recent progress and developments on perovskite photodetectors are summarized from the perspective of device physics and materials science.

The synthesis, microstructures, optical properties and promising applications of luminescent perovskite quantum dots in optoelectronic fields are systematically reviewed.

Downscaling of printable OFETs and approaches for steep subthreshold swing have been summarized and discussed.

Reactions of CuI and 5-(3-pyridyl)tetrazole in CH₃CN and n-BuOH/NH₃·H₂O gave, respectively, the dual-channel emissive coordination polymers, 1 as a conglomerate of enantiomers and 2 as a meso condensate, which exhibits thermochromic luminescence.

The first physically unclonable anti-counterfeiting label based on structural colors was enabled by interfacing amorphous photonic structures with artificial intelligence.

Two crystalline polymorphs of tPTI-Bpin display opposite mechanoluminescence activities, mainly derived from their different conformations of packing modes in crystals.

We reported an effective strategy for enhancing the piezoresistive behaviors of SiC nanowires by coupling with UV illumination.

An unclonable, colorful, and computer vision decodable anti-counterfeiting label is fabricated by self-assembly of coordination polymers on plasmonic surfaces. The physics behind the colors on the security label is surface plasmon enhanced optical interference.

Based on our deep comprehension of the unique excited state decay process of tetraphenylpyrazine derivatives, triphenylpyrazine-3-carbazole (TrPP-3C) was designed by replacing the phenyl group with a methyl group at the 3-position of pyrazine.

Laterally decorated ribbon-shaped graphene segments made of twelve benzene units self-assemble into a nematic anisotropic glass at room temperature with high birefringence and polarized fluorescence.

Defects within the halide perovskite films limit the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Introduction of the carboxyl group onto tetracene can change the singlet fission mechanism and increase the singlet fission yield in its nanoparticles.

Stretchable multicolor light-emitting fibers were realized by incorporating an ultralow content of AIEgens in polydimethylsiloxane fibers through a continuous dry–wet spinning process for applications in smart textiles.

A memristor composed of a 1D–2D nanostructure exhibits superior flexibility and stability.

We demonstrate tunable 3D light trapping (up to ∼96%) architectures based on the SnSe₂ nanoplate arrays (NPAs) via self-assembled growth and high performance (EF: 6.33 × 10⁶, LOD: 1 × 10⁻¹² M) SERS substrates based on SnSe₂ NPAs.

A dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole-cored four-arm hole transporting material has been designed to realize over 19% efficiency dopant-free perovskite solar cells.

This study will demonstrate the fabrication of binary cooperative flexible magnetoelectric materials and their application in self-powered tactile sensors.

[9-tacn-3]³⁺[BF₄]⁻2[Cl]⁻ (9-tacn-3 = 1,4,7-triazoniacyclononane) is a second-order nonlinear and dielectric switch with a phase transition temperature as high as 400 K.

(Sb, Sn) co-doping optimizes the carrier concentration of Cu_1.8S and constructs multiscale defects, leading to ZT_max of 1.2 at 773 K.

A novel information storage and visual expression device records the pre-stressed region and expresses the information via light emission.

We have synthesized highly luminescent CsPbBr₃ nanorods through an oriented-attachment mechanism assisted by the ligand-regulation at the water–oil interface.

Dissolvable and flexible light emitting fibers toward multicolor lighting are fabricated via an all-solution processing method.

The dual functions—photo-thermal therapy and fluorescent imaging—of the surface-functionalized fluorescent microdiamonds (FMDs) with hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNs) were performed when applying two distinct excitation laser wavelengths.

A novel dynamic self-adhesive and self-healable conductive hydrogel material that is applicable to highly conformal and ultrasensitive electronic skin devices.

An organic material exhibited interesting polymorphism of persistent room-temperature phosphorescence by changing its aggregated states.

We demonstrate a photo-switchable and photo-tunable microlens based on chiral liquid crystals doped with an azobenzene chiral dopant immersed in water.

Peroxidase functionalized silver–gold nanocages were developed as a type of highly sensitive signal transducer for plasmonic colorimetric sensing.

Electrospun rare-earth-doped BaWO4 nanofibers as a reversible fluorescent probe for the highly sensitive detection of nitro and peroxide organic explosives. The luminescence of the nanofibers is retained completely as fresh nanofibers upon heating.

Chemically robust films of PDPP-DTT imbedded within a bridged silsesquioxane exhibit superior electrical transport characteristics than what are achieved from neat films of PDPP-DTT.

A nondoped device based on the PIAnTAZ emitter shows blue electroluminescence with a maximum EQE of 7.96%, a maximum luminance of 58 675 cd m⁻² and negligible efficiency roll-offs.

The influence of the solution components on the V_OC in PTB7-Th: ITIC organic solar cells was studied by several analytical techniques (AFM, GIWAXS, EL), focusing on an inside understanding to the mechanism of the active layer morphology on the V_OC.

Barnyardgrass-like CuO/Cu₂O heterostructure nanowires were rationally constructed via a synergistic approach integrating precipitation and microwave process based on porous Cu(OH)₂ nanorods and exhibit commendable glucose detection capacity.

A transparent thin film transistor of yttrium-doped CuSCN has been devised with a remarkable hole mobility of 0.99 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹.

Enantiomers with circularly polarized (CP) thermally activated delayed fluorescence were designed in a chiral-D–A architecture for solution-processed high-efficiency CP-OLEDs.

Regulation and the transient and persistent room-temperature phosphorescence of organic ionic crystals by the alteration of anions, and unique size-dependent ultralong afterglow of specific organic crystals under ambient conditions were reported.

The electrocaloric (EC) effect in ferroelectric/antiferroelectric thin films has been widely investigated due to its potential applications in solid state cooling devices.

Hollow nanoshells composed of titania and carbon have been fabricated, displaying striking colors with considerably high contrast by Mie resonance. They respond rapidly and reversibly to the changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium.

CdScInO TFTs exhibit excellent stability under NBTS at 80 °C or under NBIS with red light or green light illumination.

Two-dimensional (2D) CdX (X = Se, Te) nanosheets are potential candidates for novel optoelectronic applications.

High efficiency and enhanced lifetime of deep-blue PLEDs were achieved by blending phenoxazine-based copolymers with a hole transport molecule.

A facile strategy to recrystallize an organic semiconductor thin film to attain the desirable smooth morphology for boosting carrier mobility.

Two 42-metal lanthanide nanowheels [Ln₄₂L₁₄(OH)₂₈(OAc)₈₄] (Ln = Yb (1), Sm (2)) with a NIR luminescent response towards metal ions and nitro explosives were constructed.

A novel BaGa₂O₄:0.02Bi³⁺ phosphor with excellent thermal-quenching-resistant emission and super-long persistent luminescence has been synthesized and systematically investigated.

Hydrogenation boosts carrier mobilities in 2D pnictogens by more than 1000 times.

The theoretical calculations show that [60]fullerene-fused dihydrocarboline derivatives exhibit significant first hyperpolarizability contrasts induced by their electrochemical feature.

A self-powering feature is particularly appealing for wearable electronic devices, in particular, photodetectors (PDs), as promising candidates for health and environment monitoring, are urgently desired to be made wearable and powerless.

High-efficiency RTP of TX-Cl crystal was induced by one-dimensional π–π stacking, which significantly enhances both intersystem crossing (S₁ → T_n) and radiative rate (T₁ → S₀). SMWLE was harvested by precisely controlling aggregating degree.

A series of NIR fluorescent probes of dibenzophenazine pyridine salt with different alkyl chain were developed for the detection of LPS. BD2C with ethyl chain exhibited a significant improvement of the singlet oxygen yield and antibacterial property.

A series of triphenylene esters with two ester groups at different substituent positions was synthesized and investigated. 3,6-substituted molecule formed a helical hexagonal columnar superstructure, leading to improved charge carrier mobility.

A novel meta-linked carbazole/triazine thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) material exhibits multiple functions in OLEDs as a doped and non-doped blue emitter, as a host for other dopants, and as a host emitter in white OLEDs.

High-performance self-powered ultraviolet (UV) photodetector based on a WS₂/GaN heterojunction was demonstrated, which exhibits excellent UV photoresponse properties. Significantly, this photodetector has exhibited excellent UV imaging capability.

Micro-cavity effects were applied to acquire near-infrared emission using normal red-emitting materials through an inverted device structure.

Micro-bolometers based on VO₂ and carbon nanocoils are developed in this work. The photoresponse of the micro-bolometer is greatly enhanced by the helical structure of the device.

Fine-grain induced ultrahigh energy storage density and fast discharge speed in novel Bi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃–Ba(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ ceramics via a hot-pressing strategy.

MoS₂-like layered 2D materials have attracted attention worldwide due to their intriguing material properties.

Light scattering and absorption both contribute to the UV-vis extinction quantified with a UV-vis spectrophotometer, but they differ drastically in their causes and effects.

The mechanochromism (MC) and mechanoluminescence (ML) properties of an “old” tetraphenylethylene derivative p-NH₂ and its isomer m-NH₂ were investigated.

Herein, we demonstrate that two-dimensional (2D) CdSeS quantum dot monolayers (QDM) can strongly influence efficient charge transport and charge separation, improving the performance of inverted polymer solar cells (iPSCs).

Controlling refractive index of hybrid particles suppressed light scattering and enhanced efficiency and stability of nanocomposite film.

Clarification of thermal saturation helps to guide the design of high-brightness yellow and green components for laser lighting and displays.

Graphene quantum dot (GQD)/Co(OH)₂ composite based wire-shaped, quasi-solid-state hybrid supercapacitor device exhibits enhanced specific capacitance, a high capacitance retention rate and superior device stability.