Self-assembly of perovskite nanocrystals:From driving forces to applications

Self-assembly of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals(NCs)into superlattices can exhibit unique collective properties,which have significant application values in the display,detector,and solar cell field.This review discusses the driving forces behind the self-assembly process of perovskite NCs,and the commonly used self-assembly methods and different self-assembly structures are detailed.Subsequently,we summarize the collective optoelectronic properties and application areas of perovskite superlattice structures.Finally,we conclude with an outlook on the potential issues and future challenges in developing perovskite NCs.

Alcohol solvent effect on the self-assembly behaviors of lignin oligomers

The interactions between lignin oligomers and solvents determine the behaviors of lignin oligomers self-assembling into uniform lignin nanoparticles(LNPs).Herein,several alcohol solvents,which readily interact with the lignin oligomers,were adopted to study their effects during solvent shifting process for LNPs’production.The lignin oligomers with widely distributed molecular weight and abundant guaiacyl units were extracted from wood waste(mainly consists of pine wood),exerting outstanding self-assembly capability.Uniform and spherical LNPs were generated in H_(2)O-n-propanol cosolvent,whereas irregular LNPs were obtained in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent.The unsatisfactory self-assembly performance of the lignin oligomers in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent could be attributed to two aspects.On one hand,for the initial dissolution state,the distinguishing Hansen solubility parameter and polarity between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers resulted in the poor dispersion of the lignin oligomers.On the other hand,strong hydrogen bonds between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers during solvent shifting process,hindered the interactions among the lignin oligomers for self-assembly.

Chitosan/Sodium Alginate Multilayer pH-Sensitive Films Based on Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly for Intelligent Packaging

The abuse of plastic food packaging has brought about severe white pollution issues around the world.Developing green and sustainable biomass packaging is an effective way to solve this problem.Hence,a chitosan/sodium alginate-based multilayer film is fabricated via a layer-by-layer(LBL)self-assembly method.With the help of superior interaction between the layers,the multilayer film possesses excellent mechanical properties(with a tensile strength of 50 MPa).Besides,the film displays outstanding water retention property(blocking moisture of 97.56%)and ultraviolet blocking property.Anthocyanin is introduced into the film to detect the food quality since it is one natural plant polyphenol that is sensitive to the pH changes ranging from 1 to 13 in food when spoilage occurs.It is noted that the film is also bacteriostatic which is desired for food packaging.This study describes a simple technique for the development of advanced multifunctional and fully biodegradable food packaging film and it is a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging.

Hollow tubes constructed by carbon nanotubes self-assembly for CO_(2) capture

Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have garnered significant attention in the fields of science,engineering,and medicine due to their numerous advantages.The initial step towards harnessing the potential of CNTs involves their macroscopic assembly.The present study employed a gentle and direct self-assembly technique,wherein controlled growth of CNT sheaths occurred on the metal wire’s surface,followed by etching of the remaining metal to obtain the hollow tubes composed of CNTs.By controlling the growth time and temperature,it is possible to alter the thickness of the CNTs sheath.After immersing in a solution containing 1 g/L of CNTs at 60℃ for 24 h,the resulting CNTs layer achieved a thickness of up to 60μm.These hollow CNTs tubes with varying inner diameters were prepared through surface reinforcement using polymers and sacrificing metal wires,thereby exhibiting exceptional attributes such as robustness,flexibility,air tightness,and high adsorption capacity that effectively capture CO_(2) from the gas mixture.

A Non-parametric Gradient-Based Shape Optimization Approach for Solving Inverse Problems in Directed Self-Assemblyof Block Copolymers

We consider the inverse problem of finding guiding pattern shapes that result in desired self-assembly morphologies of block copolymer melts.Specifically,we model polymer selfassembly using the self-consistent field theory and derive,in a non-parametric setting,the sensitivity of the dissimilarity between the desired and the actual morphologies to arbitrary perturbations in the guiding pattern shape.The sensitivity is then used for the optimization of the confining pattern shapes such that the dissimilarity between the desired and the actual morphologies is minimized.The efficiency and robustness of the proposed gradient-based algorithm are demonstrated in a number of examples related to templating vertical interconnect accesses(VIA).

Confined cobalt single-atom catalysts with strong electronic metal-support interactions based on a biomimetic self-assembly strategy

Designing high-performance and low-cost electrocatalysts for oxygen evolu-tion reaction(OER)is critical for the conversion and storage of sustainable energy technologies.Inspired by the biomineralization process,we utilized the phosphorylation sites of collagen molecules to combine with cobalt-based mononuclear precursors at the molecular level and built a three-dimensional(3D)porous hierarchical material through a bottom-up biomimetic self-assembly strategy to obtain single-atom catalysts confined on carbonized biomimetic self-assembled carriers(Co SACs/cBSC)after subsequent high-temperature annealing.In this strategy,the biomolecule improved the anchoring efficiency of the metal precursor through precise functional groups;meanwhile,the binding-then-assembling strategy also effectively suppressed the nonspecific adsorption of metal ions,ultimately preventing atomic agglomeration and achieving strong electronic metal-support interactions(EMSIs).Experimental characterizations confirm that binding forms between cobalt metal and carbonized self-assembled substrate(Co–O_(4)–P).Theoretical calculations disclose that the local environment changes significantly tailored the Co d-band center,and optimized the binding energy of oxygenated intermediates and the energy barrier of oxygen release.As a result,the obtained Co SACs/cBSC catalyst can achieve remarkable OER activity and 24 h durability in 1 M KOH(η10 at 288 mV;Tafel slope of 44 mV dec-1),better than other transition metal-based catalysts and commercial IrO_(2).Overall,we presented a self-assembly strategy to prepare transition metal SACs with strong EMSIs,providing a new avenue for the preparation of efficient catalysts with fine atomic structures.

Layer by Layer Self-assembly Fiber-based Flexible Electrochemical Transistor

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyethiophene)-polystyrene sulfonic acid(PEDOT:PSS)/polyallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride modified reduced graphene oxide(PDDA-rGO)was layer by layer self-assembled on the cotton fiber.The surface morphology and electric property was investigated.The results confirmed the dense membrane of PEDOT:PSS and the lamellar structure of PDDA-rGO on the fibers.It has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical properties.The fiber based electrochemical transistor(FECTs)prepared by the composite conductive fiber has a maximum output current of 8.7 mA,a transconductance peak of 10 mS,an on time of 1.37 s,an off time of 1.6 s and excellent switching stability.Most importantly,the devices by layer by layer self-assembly technology opens a path for the true integration of organic electronics with traditional textile technologies and materials,laying the foundation for their later widespread application.

Combination therapy to overcome ferroptosis resistance by biomimetic self-assembly nano-prodrug

Ferroptosis has emerged as a potent form of no-apoptotic cell death that offers a promising alternative to avoid the chemoresistance of apoptotic pathways and serves as a vulnerability of cancer.Herein,we have constructed a biomimetic self-assembly nano-prodrug system that enables the co-delivery of gefitinib(Gefi),ferrocene(Fc)and dihydroartemisinin(DHA)for the combined therapy of both ferroptosis and apoptosis.In the tumor microenvironment,this nano-prodrug is able to disassemble and trigger drug release under high levels of GSH.Interestingly,the released DHA can downregulate GPX4 level for the enhancement of intracellular ferroptosis from Fc,further executing tumor cell death with concomitant chemotherapy by Gefi.More importantly,this nano-prodrug provides highly homologous targeting ability by coating related cell membranes and exhibits outstanding inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis,as well as no noticeable side-effects during treatments.This simple small molecular self-assembled nano-prodrug provides a new reasonably designed modality for ferroptosis-combined chemotherapy.

Efficient conversion of lignin waste and self-assembly synthesis of C@MnCo_(2)O_(4)for asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy density

Lignin waste from the papermaking and biorefineries industry is a significantly promising renewable resource to prepare advanced carbon materials for diverse applications,such as the electrodes of supercapacitors;however,the improvement of their energy density remains a challenge.Here,we design a green and universal approach to prepare the composite electrode material,which is composed of lignin-phenolformaldehyde resins derived hierarchical porous carbon(LR-HPC)as conductive skeletons and the self-assembly manganese cobaltite(MnCo_(2)O_(4))nanocrystals as active sites.The synthesized C@MnCo_(2)O_(4)composite has an abundant porous structure and superior electronic conductivity,allowing for more charge/electron mass transfer channels and active sites for the redox reactions.The composite shows excellent electrochemical performance,such as the maximum specific capacitance of~726 mF cm^(-2)at 0.5 mV s^(-1),due to the significantly enhanced interactive interface between LR-HPC and MnCo_(2)O_(4)crystals.The assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor,with the LR-HPC and C@MnCo_(2)O_(4)as cathode and anode,respectively,exhibits the highest volumetric energy density of 0.68 mWh cm^(-3)at a power density of 8.2 mW cm^(-3).Moreover,this device shows a high capacity retention ratio of~87.6%at 5 mA cm^(-2)after 5000 cycles.

Analysis on the formation principle and present situation of nano phase state of multi-component self-assembly of traditional Chinese compound medicine decoction

Traditional Chinese medicine decoction is a complex polydispersed phase system containing real solution,colloid solution,emulsion and suspension.The compound decoction of traditional Chinese medicine has complex components,including saponins,alkaloids,polysaccharides,flavonoids,amino acids and so on,which can be self-assembled to form gels,fibers,micelles,vesicles and so on.The self-assembled nano-phase not only neutralizes the single drug and reduces the toxicity and side effects,but also has its own pharmacological effects,which complement each other to achieve synergistic effect,so as to achieve the role of drug supplement,which is of research significance.The formation principle,solubilization and synergism principle and characterization method of multi-component self-assembly of traditional Chinese medicine compound decoction are discussed in this paper.

Experimental study on wax deposition of highly paraffinic oil in intermittent gas-oil flow in pipelines

Oil-gas two phase wax deposition is a fairly common and open-ended question in flow assurance of multiphase transportation pipelines.This paper investigated the two main aspects of oil-gas two phase wax deposition layer:apparent thickness and crystal structure characteristics.A typical highly paraffinic oil in Bohai Sea,China,was used as the experimental material to investigate the wax deposition thickness in oil-gas two phase under the influence of different oil temperatures,superficial gas/liquid phase velocities and gas-oil ratios by using multiphase flow loop experimental device.Just as in the classical theory of wax molecular diffusion,it showed that wax deposition thickness of oil-gas two phase increased with increasing oil temperature.Analysis of the impact of different superficial phase velocities found that the actual liquid flow heat transfer and shear stripping was the gas phase dominant mechanisms determining wax deposit thickness.In addition,the crystal structure of the wax deposition layer was characterized with the help of small-angle X-ray scattering(SAXS)for different circumferential positions,flow rates and gas-oil ratios.The bottom deposition layer had a complex crystal structure and high hardness,which were subject to change over flow rate variations.Furthermore,the SAXS results provided evidence that the indirect effect of the actual liquid velocity modified by the gas phase was the main mechanism.Our study of the effect of gas phase on the wax deposition of oil-gas two phase will help shed light onto the mechanism by which this important process occurs.Our findings address a very urgent need in the field of wax deposition of highly paraffinic oil to understand the flow security of oilgas two phase that occurs easily in multiphase field pipelines.

Paraffin–CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O dosage effects on the strength and heat transfer characteristics of cemented tailings backfill

The challenge of high temperatures in deep mining remains harmful to the health of workers and their production efficiency The addition of phase change materials (PCMs) to filling slurry and the use of the cold storage function of these materials to reduce downhole temperatures is an effective approach to alleviate the aforementioned problem.Paraffin–CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O composite PCM was prepared in the laboratory.The composition,phase change latent heat,thermal conductivity,and cemented tailing backfill (CTB) compressive strength of the new material were studied.The heat transfer characteristics and endothermic effect of the PCM were simulated using Fluent software.The results showed the following:(1) The new paraffin–CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O composite PCM improved the thermal conductivity of native paraffin while avoiding the water solubility of CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O.(2) The calculation formula of the thermal conductivity of CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O combined with paraffin was deduced,and the reasons were explained in principle.(3) The“enthalpy–mass scale model”was applied to calculate the phase change latent heat of nonreactive composite PCMs.(4)The addition of the paraffin–CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O composite PCM reduced the CTB strength but increased its heat absorption capacity.This research can give a theoretical foundation for the use of heat storage backfill in green mines.

Self-assembly and UV-curing Property of Polymerized Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Monomer of Sodium 3,4,5-tris（ll-acryloxyundecyloxy）benzoate

A polymerized lyotropic liquid crystal monomer of sodium 3,4,5-tris（11-acryloxyundecyloxy）- benzoate was synthesized by a convenient route starting from 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid via esterification followed by etherification, acylation and finally neutralization. The chemi- cal structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared （FT-IR） and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis. The self-organization behavior of the monomer with deionized water in methanol at room temperature was also demonstrated. The assemblies were char- acterized by polarized optical microscope and X-ray diffraction. The results show that a solution containing 80：20 of the monomer to water was found to be able to self-organize into Lamellar （La） phase and 92：8 with inverted hexagonal （H]I） phase, which was in ac- cordance with the theoretical calculation of critical packing parameter. It suggests that the concentration of the monomer was the key factor to influence assembly structure. Addi- tionally, the acrylate conversion with different photoinitiators and nanostructure retention after polymerization were investigated. The research shows that the acrylate conversion of the monomer with Darocur2959 could reach up to 78% when irradiated by 30 mW/cm2 UV light of 365 nm for 30 min characterized by Real-time FT-IR as well as the sol-gel method. Meanwhile, the La and HII phase nanostructures were both retained after polymerization.

Tailoring the Self-assembly of Melamine on Au（111） via Doping with Cu Atoms

The doping effect of Cu on the self-assembly film of melamine on an Au（111） surface has been investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）. The evaporated Cu adatoms occupy the positions underneath the amino groups and change the hydrogen bonding pat- tern between the melamine molecules. Accordingly, the self-assembly structure has changed stepwise from a well-defined honeycomb into a track-like and then a triangular structure depending on the amount of Cu adatoms. The interaction between Cu adatom and melamine is moderate thus the Cu adatoms can be released upon mild heating to around 100 ℃. These findings are different from previous observations of either the coordination assembly or the physically trapped metal adatoms.

Self-assembly of Binary Particles with Electrostatic and van der Waals Interactions

Nanoparticles with competitive interactions in solution can aggregate into complex structures. In this work, the synergistic self-assembles of binary particles with electrostatic and van der Waals interactions are studied with the particle Langevin dynamics simulation using a simple coarse-grained particle model. Various aggregations such as spherical, stacking-disk and tube structures are observed by varying the particles size and the interaction strength. The aggregation structures are explained with the packing theories of amphiphilic molecules in solution and dibolck copolymers in bulk. When the opposite ions are introduced into solution, the distribution of structures in the phase diagram appears an obvious offset. The simulation result is helpful to deeply understand the formation mechanism of complex nanostructures of multicomponent particles in solution.

Intermolecular Interactions in Self-Assembly Process of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate by Vertically Polarized Raman Spectra

Molecular self-assembly is extremely important in many fields, but the characterization of their corresponding intermolecular interactions is still lacking. The C-H stretching Raman band can reflect the hydrophobic interactions during the self-assembly process of sodium dodecyl sulfate （SDS） in aqueous solutions. However, the Raman spectra in this region are seriously overlapped by the OH stretching band of water. In this work, vertically polarized Raman spectra were used to improve the detection sensitivity of spectra of C-H region for the first time. The spectral results showed that the first critical micelle concentration and the second critical micelle concentration of SDS in water were 8.5 and 69 mmol/L, respectively, which were consistent with the results given by surface tension measurements. Because of the high sensitivity of vertically polarized Raman spectra, the critical micelle concentration of SDS in a relatively high concentration of salt solution could be obtained in our experiment. The two critical concentrations of SDS in 100 mmol/L NaCl solution were recorded to be 1.8 and 16.5 mmol/L, respectively. Through comparing the spectra and surface tension of SDS in water and in NaCl solution, the self-assembly process in bulk phase and at interface were discussed. The interactions among salt ions, SDS and water molecules were also analyzed. These results demonstrated the vertically polarized Raman spectra could be employed to study the self-assembly process of SDS in water.

High-performance self-assembly MnCo2O4 nanosheets for asymmetric supercapacitors

In this study,MnCo2O4 nanosheets were proposed to be utilized as an electrode material for supercapacitors.A two-step hydrothermal method with post-annealing treatment was employed in preparation of the nanostructures.MnCo2O4 electrode delivered a high specific capacitance of 2000 F g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1,remarkable high-rate capability of 1150 F g^-1 at 20 A g^-1,and an excellent cycling stability of 92.3%at 5 A g^-1 after 5000 cycles.It is found that a three-electrode supercapacitor based on MnCo2O4 exhibits a promising electrochemical performance,better than the other similar materials,benefited from the synergistic effects of MnCo2O4 nanosheets.In fact,the self-assembly of nanosheets structure with high specific surface area and mesoporous structure can potentially enhance the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors.

Self-assembly of α-6T Molecule on Ag（100） and Related STM Induced Luminescence

We have investigated the self-assembly and light emission properties of organic α- sexithiophene （α-6T） molecules on Ag（100） under different coverage by scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）. At very low coverage, the α-6T molecules form a unique enantiomer by grouping four molecules into a windmill supermolecular structure. As the coverage is increased,α-6T molecules tend to pack side by side into a denser stripe structure. Further increase of the coverage will lead to the layer-by-layer growth of molecules on Ag（100） with the lower-layer stripe pattern serving as a template. Molecular fluorescence for α-6T molecules on Ag（100） at a coverage of five monolayers has been detected by light excitations, which indicates a well decoupled electronic states for the top-layer α-6T molecules. However, the STM induced luminescent spectra for the same sample reveal only plasmonic-like emission. The absence of intramolecular fluorescence in this case suggests that the electronic decoupling is not a sufficient condition for generating photon emission from molecules. For intramolecular fluorescence to occur, the orientation of the dynamic dipole moment of molecules and the energy-level alignment at the molecule-metal interface are also important so that molecules can be effectively excited through efficient dipolar coupling with local plasmons and by injecting holes into the molecules.

Experimental Study on Self-assembly of KLD-12 Peptide Hydrogel and 3-D Culture of MSC Encapsulated within Hydrogel In Vitro

To synthesize KLD-12 peptide with sequence of AcN-KLDLKLDLKLDL-CNH2 and trigger its self-assembly in vitro, to encapsulate rabbit MSCs within peptide hydrogel for 3-D culture and to evaluate the feasibility of using it as injectable scaffold for tissue engineering of IVD. KLD-12 peptide was purified and tested with high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） and mass spectroscopy （MS）. KLD-12 peptide solutions with concentrations of 5 g/L, 2.5 g/L and 1 g/L were triggered to self-assembly with 1 xPBS in vitro, and the self-assembled peptide hydrogel was morphologically observed. Atomic force microscope （AFM） was employed to examine the inner structure of self-assembled peptide hydrogel. Mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） were encapsulated within peptide hydrogel for 3-D culture for 2 weeks. Calcein-AM/PI fluorescence staining was used to detect living and dead cells. Cell viability was observed to evaluate the bioactivity of MSCs in KLD-12 peptide hydrogel. The results of HPLC and MS showed that the relative molecular mass of KLD-12 peptide was 1467.83, with a purity quotient of 95.36%. KLD-12 peptide at 5 g/L could self-assemble to produce a hydrogel, which was structurally integral and homogeneous and was able to provide sufficient cohesion to retain the shape of hydrogel. AFM demonstrated that the self-assembly of KLD-12 peptide hydrogel was successful and the assembled material was composed of a kind of nano-fiber with a diameter of 3040 nm and a length of hundreds of nm. Calcein-AM/PI fluorescence staining revealed that MSCs in KLD-12 peptide hydrogel grew well. Cell activity detection exhibited that the A value increased over the culture time. It is concluded that KLD-12 peptide was synthesized successfully and was able to self-assemble to produce nano-fiber hydrogel in vitro. MSCs in KLD-12 peptide hydrogel grew well and proliferated with the culture time. KLD-12 peptide hydrogel can serve as an excellent injectable material of biological scaffolds in tissue engineering of IVD.

Preparation of Bentonite Supported Nano Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts by Electrostatic Self-assembly Method

Electrostatic self-assembly method （ESAM） was used to prepare bentonite supported-nano titanium dioxide photocatalysts. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Methyl orange was used to estimate the photocatalytic activity of the materials. The effects of the calcination temperature and silane dosage on the photocatalytic activity of the samples were investigated. The experimental results show that the bentonite facilitates the formation of anatase and restrains the transformation of anatase to rutile. Part of nano-size TiO2 particles insert into the galleries of bentonite. The photocatalysts exhibit a synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis on methyl orange. Photocatalysts prepared by ESAM method exhibit higher photocatalytic activity and better recycle ability than those of the traditional method.