Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry C Emerging Investigators 2024

The Journal of Materials Chemistry C Emerging Investigators collection gathers some of the best research being conducted by materials scientists in the early stages of their independent career. Congratulations to all of the researchers featured.

Bottom-up materials innovation enables sustainable soft robots with self-healing, degradation and recycling.

Perovskite-based single-pixel imaging offers a promising alternative to traditional multi-pixel arrays, potentially revolutionizing imaging technologies for hyperspectral and remote sensing applications.

This review summarizes and discusses existing literature on reliability issues of amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors. The investigation focuses on bias stress, electro-static discharge, bending, and radiation reliability.

Recent advances in small-molecule organic fluorescent semiconductors are summarized from the aspects of aggregation structures, materials and properties, and their related optoelectronic applications.

Eight sulfur precursor moieties are reviewed to discuss and develop optimal synthetic strategies for metal sulfide synthesis.

This review highlights the recent progress on polymerizable deep eutectic solvents (PDES) and polyDES as liquid-free ionic elastomers in bioelectronics and discusses future directions on how these functional polymers can expand the field.

The development and ongoing discovery of 2D materials and their optical and electronic properties led to interest in the stacking of different 2D materials into layered heterostructures, giving rise to a number of colloidal approaches.

Understanding the components and mechanisms of dark current in metal halide perovskite-based photodiodes (MHPPDs) and implementing techniques to suppress it enable achieving significantly enhanced performance and stability.

This review introduces the response mechanism of photoresponsive lanthanide luminescent materials. In particular, various applications in luminescent actuators, photoswitches, intelligent anticounterfeiting, and theranostics are highlighted.

This article provides a comprehensive review of organic photonic synaptic transistors (OPSTs) used for artificial visual systems (AVSs). The typical structures and some innovative applications of OPSTs in AVSs were discussed.

A breakthrough to achieve high-power THz sources is needed. This review covers recent advancements in laser-based THz generation, specifically using ultrafast lasers.

This review highlights key strategies in structural engineering for achieving near-IR (NIR) optical absorption with conjugated polymers (NIR-CPs), and it details their utility in various organic electronic device applications.

This review introduced the research progress and present situation of solar blind detectors based on metal halide perovskite (MHP) in recent years from different dimensions: three-dimensional, two-dimensional, one-dimensional and zero dimensional.

ZIF-8 based poly(vinylidene) difluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were successfully prepared via post-synthetic seeded growth of the ZIF-8, demonstrating selective Li ion transport.

Using ion-exchange doping under ambient conditions, combinations of a polymeric semiconductor and dopant anions were studied to achieve high stability and work function.

An aromatic moiety-free strategy is proposed for the excited state manipulation of a neutral manganese(II) halide scintillator towards efficient X-ray imaging with high spatial resolution of 11.3 lp mm⁻¹ and low detection limit of 34.95 nGy s⁻¹.

Four pairs of chiral Ag₆L₆ nanoclusters, synthesized using ligand engineering with thiazithione and oxazinthione, exhibit enhanced luminescence quantum yield attributed to S⋯S interactions and demonstrate supramolecular chirality inversion regulated by peripheral methyl and phenyl groups.

Vertical organic electrochemical transistor platforms enable facile channel formation by electropolymerization. The improved deposition control and resulting high performance is demonstrated here with the trimer ETE-COONa.

Schematics of OECT with oxygen sensitive polymer (left) and air-stable polymer (right), showing electrochemical reaction with oxygen and cells cytotoxicity.

Vertical organic field-effect transistors based on a low-temperature-prepared reduced graphene oxide electrode.

This study utilizes a green synthesis approach for Bi₁₉S₂₇I₃ nanostructures, controlling their morphology by using PEG and adjusting the reaction time, which were used in the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). Created in BioRender.com/i89s606.

Here, we propose a nanophotonic approach in which mechanical loading alters the optical behavior of photonic nanostructures. Using direct laser writing, we fabricate three-dimensional photonic structures on flexible substrates.

All-fluorescence WOLEDs comprising a matrix-free TADF blue emitting layer simultaneously reach low efficiency roll-off and extremely color stable electroluminescence spectra.

A facile design strategy based on molecular engineering is proposed for the first time to achieve a series of PTD derivatives with tunable persistent RTP properties through substituent effects.

This paper explores the combination of screen-printing and electrogelation of PEDOT:PSS, including non-solution-processable PEDOT:PSS-copolymers, to fabricate scalable and cost-effective coated devices for bioelectronic applications.

A molecular peripheral editing approach based on tetrathiafulvalene molecules is presented to elucidate the structure–property relationship of organic molecules, toward high-performance photodetectors based on organic–graphene hybrids.

Single crystals of the topological insulator candidate Ni₃Bi₂Se₂ were grown, which exhibit a clear planar Hall effect (PHE) with π-period. The parametric plot indicates that the observed PHE primarily arises from in-plane orbital magnetoresistance.

The magnetic structure and properties were measured in a compositionally complex perovskite manganite possessing local spin disorder on the A-site and found to be similar to an undisordered control.

An alumina interlayer is developed to facilitate state-of-the-art spray coated perovskite photovoltaics. This enables deposition onto the Me4PACz self-assembled monolayer (SAMs) resulting in power conversion efficiencies >20%.

Femtosecond transient reflectance analysis suggests that the hole-filling effect due to Li intercalation and the passivation of oxygen vacancies by FeOOH jointly contribute to the significantly extended carrier lifetimes in FeOOH/Li_0.1WO₃.

Ultrafast transient absorption microscopy of CZTSSe kesterites.

Thianthrene derivatives demonstrate reversible photochromism and photoinduced RTP, with TN-2Nap showing significant thermal control due to low reorganization energy and π-conjugation.

An edible thermogalvanic gel patch with adaptive adhesion has been invented, which couples thermogalvanic and piezoresistive effects to acquire physiological signals, thereby achieving self-powered accurate surveillance of fatigue status.

Stimuli-responsive luminescent antimony-based halides are obtained by designing and synthesizing tunable functionalized organic cations.

A magnetic alloy film/graphite composite is developed for shielding electromagnetic waves in the X-band and extremely low frequency regimes, using a scalable electrodeposition process. Enhanced thermal and mechanical properties are also achieved.

This work proposes a general strategy for constructing efficient and red-emissive salicylaldehyde Schiff bases with both AIE and stimuli-responsive properties for multi-scenario information decryption.

Mesoporous silica channels of different sizes are used to stabilize γ-Ga₂O₃:Cr³⁺ spinel nanocrystals with phase stability up to 1000 °C. Their optical properties are deeply investigated.

A new method to regulate the growth of OLPL-doped materials, focusing on easily crystallizable doping systems for in situ anti-counterfeiting ‘paper-ink’ strategy applications.

A new surface engineering approach that allows for enhanced control over ligands by decoupling colloidal-stabilization and property-engineering ligands was developed.

Understanding electronic excitations and their dynamics in non-fullerene acceptors is crucial for enhancing opto-electronic properties. Using a Frenkel-exciton Hamiltonian and non-adiabatic dynamics, we reveal design strategies to achieve this goal.

A self-trapped excition emission in alkali iodide nanocrystals performance a broad yellow emitting via Sn(II) doping.

The chiral deep-blue dyes containing tetraphenylpyrazine exhibit high brightness to light-up the white light emissions.

Upon repeated electrochemical doping and thermal annealing, regiorandom P3HT undergoes a disorder-to-order structural change.

Fabrication of organic heterojunction memristor with controlled ion migration enables precise synaptic behavior simulation.

Near-infrared circularly polarized organic room temperature phosphorescence is achieved by doping a naphthalimide derivative guest into a tartaric acid derivative host.

This study presents an approach for developing sleep monitoring sensors with excellent satisfactory softness, sensitivity and stability by embedding three-dimensional graphene conductive network patterns onto sponges.

Simplified pictorial representation of the ultra-cheap photoresistor-based CPL setup we designed and data obtained from it in comparison with CPL acquired with a conventional instrument.

The advanced synthetic methodologies for discrete chiral Au nanorods promote understanding the effect of structure parameters, intrinsic chirality and extrinsic chirality on the chiral plasmonic couplings.

Polarity determination, analogously to solvent-polarity, of various solid porous materials was performed by utilizing a solvatochromic phthalimide as sensor dye.

Tri-layered heterojunction devices based on oxide thin films are attracting significant attention for ultra-fast visible photodetection.

This work presents that the recrystallization of the electrode plays an important role in the stability of the organic transistors.

This study highlights that an appropriate selenium content should be evaluated to balance the trade-off between charge transfer and volumetric capacitance, paving the way for the optimal product of electronic mobility and volumetric charge storage.

A novel MOF floating-gate optical memory transistor was engineered using 2D molecular crystals as the active layer, and it exhibited an excellent electron capture ability, good current retention characteristics, and multi-level memory functionalities.

As presented in the manuscript the K₂Ge₄O₉:Mn⁴⁺ can be used as a luminescent pressure and temperature sensor. The pressure sensing can be achieved based on the kinetics of the 2E state luminescence and the spectral position of the R line can be used for temperature sensing.

The fine balance between enhanced processability and decreased device performance in donor–acceptor polymeric semiconductors is elucidated using discrete siloxane side chains.

This study introduces a new molecular design for long-wavelength TADF emitters featuring multi-donor arms and a π-extended acceptor core, which can simultaneously mitigate solid-state emission quenching and promote reverse intersystem crossing.

Unveiling the lanthanides selectivity in aqueous media from the molecular structures bias was demonstrated which could potentially contribute to establish the structure-function relationship for intragroup lanthanides discrimination and extractions.

Organic photodetectors have great potential in near-infrared applications. Here we develop new non-fullerene acceptors with detection above 800 nm and demonstrated large area devices with record performances.

Two green multiple resonance (MR) emitters were developed via internal-structure modification of CzBN, which not only extends the π-conjugated backbone towards red-shifted emission, but also improves the MR characteristics for narrowband features.

Here, flexible defective Zr/TiO_2−x nanofiber film was prepared, and the rather high selectivity for the photoreduction of CO₂ to CH₄ could be achieved due to the synergetic effect of OVs and nanofiber structure.

The SubPc-12H-12F cocrystal was constructed with almost identical packings of SubPc-6F(β). This study proved that the super-exchange coupling can both improve the charge carrier mobility and expand the charge transport channels in cocrystals.

The miscibility and crystallinity of fused ring electron acceptors is regulated to study the effects on the morphology and energy loss of organic solar cells (OSCs). BTP-C8 based OSCs juggle multiple impacts to gain the best efficiency.

An emergent liquid ferroelectric material is dispersed into polydimethylsiloxane as microdroplets, realizing a stretchable and ferroelectric high-κ elastomer.

High-quality TAGG75 single crystals are obtained by the Czochralski method for the first time. They exhibit excellent magneto-optical performance beyond TGG.