Xiaodong Yin

A Multianalyte Chemosensor on a Single Molecule: Promising Structure for an Integrated Logic Gate

A novel fluorescent probe that possess both BODIPY and Rhodamine moieties has been designed for the selective detection of Hg(2+) and Ba(2+) ions on the controlling by a logic gate. The characteristic fluorescence of the Ba(2+)-selective OFF-ON and the Hg(2+)-selective fluorescence bathochromic shift can be observed, and the concept has been used to construct a combinational logic circuit at the molecular level. These results will be useful for further molecular design to mimic the function of the complex logic gates on controlling.

Light Harvesting and Efficient Energy Transfer in Dendritic Systems: New Strategy for Functionalized Near‐Infrared BF2‐Azadipyrromethenes

A series of dendritic systems, which are capable of funneling energy from the periphery to the core, have been synthesized. The photophysical properties of the dendrimers, generations 0-2, have been determined. The light-harvesting ability of these compounds increases with increasing generation arising from the increase in molar extinction coefficient. Selective excitation of the donor leads to an efficient energy transfer (>90 %) to the acceptor. The approach provides a facile synthesis for modification of near-infrared BF2-Azadipyrromethene.

Synthesis of a Pentalene Centered Polycyclic Fused System

A novel pentalene-centered polycyclic 24π-electron system, IB1, was synthesized via a Pd-catalyzed homocoupling reaction. The geometry structure was studied by X-ray diffraction and theoretical method. The HOMO level of IB1 was studied by electrochemical experiment and DFT methods. The IB1 molecule shows a strong electro-donating property and can form a charge transfer complex with electro-acceptor TCNQ, indicating fascinating potential in the field of organic electronics.

Fabrication of large-area hybrid nanowires arrays as novel field emitters

A hybrid nanomaterial composed of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and CuTCNQ (copper 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) nanowires (NWs) was successfully fabricated in a simple solution method. The electron field emission properties of the hybrid NWs were dramatically improved over those of raw CuTCNQ NWs. The maximum current density of ZnO-CuTCNQ NWs was six times that of the CuTCNQ NWs array. Importantly for ZnO-CuTCNQ NWs, no obvious degradation of current density was observed and the emission current fluctuation was less than 10% during a period of over 4000 seconds. It is of significance that the coating layer of ZnO NPs produced by our approach makes a great contribution to stabilization of organic field emitters and enhancement of their field emission properties. The high emission stability can be also observed for In2O3-CuTCNQ NWs which are fabricated by the same method. It is confirmed that the moderate approach presented herein is of practical significance in stabilization of organic field emitters avoiding decomposition of the core organic materials.

Thermoreversible Covalent Self-Assembly of Oligo(p-phenylenevinylene) Bridged Gold Nanoparticles

Organic-inorganic hybrids have been fabricated through mild Diels-Alder cross-linking between maleimide bearing oligo(p-phenylenevinylene) (OPV) and furan functionalized gold nanoparticles with diameter smaller than 2 nm. The OPV ligands afford strong reaction ability toward furan group due to their maleimide moieties. These small gold nanoparticles form close-packed homogeneous hybrids with well-defined interfaces by incorporating OPV ligands in solutions. Covalent assembly and disassembly of gold nanoparticles can be achieved by repeated thermal stimuli on as-obtained hybrids, which can be monitored by fluorescence changes of OPVs and surface plasmon resonance absorption. Moreover, the dramatic photophysical properties and assembly behavior of these hybrids allow this procedure to be performed as a smart assay for monitoring the process of the Diels-Alder reaction.

Controllable growth of one-dimensional chiral nanostructures from an achiral molecule.

One achiral molecule of thioxanthone-anthracene (TX-A) is able to self-assemble into chiral nanowires by tuning the solvent with different polarity. Left- and right-handed nanowires with helix structure can be produced from chloroform and acetic ester solution of TX-A respectively. The SEM and TEM images confirm the formation of the helical nanowires. The results indicate that the solvent polarity has great influence in controlling of the self-assembly of organic molecules. The growth process demonstrates a promising pathway to investigate the self-assembling from achiral organic molecules to chiral aggregations.

The configuration, solvatochromism and metallo‐responses of two novel cyano‐containing oligo(phenylene‐vinylene) derivatives

Two novel cyano-containing oligo(phenylenevinylene) (OPV) derivatives have been designed and synthesized. Photophysical and sensing properties of the two compounds were studied. Such studies reveal the intramolecular charge transfer process between cyano groups and OPV core. The results showed that the alkyl difference of substituted OPV leads to the changes of molecular configuration and metallo-response of two compounds.

Organic crystallizable solvent served as template for constructing well-ordered PPE films

Tuning the solidification of the crystallizable solvent naphthalene, well-patterned conjugated polymer poly(phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) films with well-defined nanostructures of 0D nanodots, 1D lamellas, and 2D texture nanostructures have been prepared by several strategies. The nanostructures have been characterized and the formation mechanisms for the morphologies have been discussed.