Enhanced Reactivity in Surface-Confined Water of Hierarchically Structured Polymers

The remarkable efficiency of biological chemical reactions is the result of evolution and many of these reactions are promoted by confined water. This has inspired significant research endeavors exploiting the potential of this special water in chemistry. However, these systems are so far limited to complex artificial solids or biphasic systems and small molecules as reactants. Here, we show that the intrinsically present surface-confined water in hierarchically structured biopolymers can be used as nanomedium to promote chemical reactions. We found in the example of cellulose fibers that confined water was actively involved in the reaction mechanism and facilitated the surface acetylation of the fiber, increasing reaction kinetics, efficiency and regioselectivity. Our findings can be regarded as proof-of-principle that the hydration layer in nanoporous polymers can be exploited as medium to promote chemical reactions at their surface. This concept can likely be extended to other polymers and various reaction systems. <br>

Enhanced Reactivity in Surface-Confined Water of Hierarchically Structured Polymers

The remarkable efficiency of biological chemical reactions is the result of evolution and many of these reactions are promoted by confined water. This has inspired significant research endeavors exploiting the potential of this special water in chemistry. However, these systems are so far limited to complex artificial solids or biphasic systems and small molecules as reactants. Here, we show that the intrinsically present surface-confined water in hierarchically structured biopolymers can be used as nanomedium to promote chemical reactions. We found in the example of cellulose fibers that confined water was actively involved in the reaction mechanism and facilitated the surface acetylation of the fiber, increasing reaction kinetics, efficiency and regioselectivity. Our findings can be regarded as proof-of-principle that the hydration layer in nanoporous polymers can be exploited as medium to promote chemical reactions at their surface. This concept can likely be extended to other polymers and various reaction systems. <br>

Enhanced Reactivity in Surface-Confined Water of Hierarchically Structured Polymers

The remarkable efficiency of biological chemical reactions is the result of evolution and many of these reactions are promoted by confined water. This has inspired significant research endeavors exploiting the potential of this special water in chemistry. However, these systems are so far limited to complex artificial solids or biphasic systems and small molecules as reactants. Here, we show that the intrinsically present surface-confined water in hierarchically structured biopolymers can be used as nanomedium to promote chemical reactions. We found in the example of cellulose fibers that confined water was actively involved in the reaction mechanism and facilitated the surface acetylation of the fiber, increasing reaction kinetics, efficiency and regioselectivity. Our findings can be regarded as proof-of-principle that the hydration layer in nanoporous polymers can be exploited as medium to promote chemical reactions at their surface. This concept can likely be extended to other polymers and various reaction systems. <br>

Wafer-scale synthesis of monolayer two-dimensional porphyrin polymers for hybrid superlattices

The large-scale synthesis of high-quality thin films with extensive tunability derived from molecular building blocks will advance the development of artificial solids with designed functionalities. We report the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) porphyrin polymer films with wafer-scale homogeneity in the ultimate limit of monolayer thickness by growing films at a sharp pentane/water interface, which allows the fabrication of their hybrid superlattices. Laminar assembly polymerization of porphyrin monomers could form monolayers of metal-organic frameworks with Cu2+ linkers or covalent organic frameworks with terephthalaldehyde linkers. Both the lattice structures and optical properties of these 2D films were directly controlled by the molecular monomers and polymerization chemistries. The 2D polymers were used to fabricate arrays of hybrid superlattices with molybdenum disulfide that could be used in electrical capacitors.

Ultrafast interfacial energy transfer and interlayer excitons in the monolayer WS2/CsPbBr3 quantum dot heterostructure

The idea of fabricating artificial solids with band structures tailored to particular applications has long fascinated condensed matter physicists.

From semiconductor nanocrystals to artificial solids with dimensionality below two

Atomistic calculations predict that two-dimensional materials formed by the attachment of semiconductor nanocrystals exhibit exotic band structures.