Optimizing Iodine Enrichment through Induced-Fit Transformations in a Flexible Ag(I)-Organic Framework: From Accelerated Adsorption Kinetics to Record-High Storage Density.

Efficient capture and storage of radioactive I2 is a prerequisite for developing nuclear power but remains a challenge. Here, two flexible Ag-MOFs (FJI-H39 and 40) with similar active sites but different pore sizes and flexibility are prepared; both of them can capture I2 with excellent removal efficiencies and high adsorption capacities. Due to the more flexible pores, FJI-H39 not only possesses the record-high I2 storage density among all the reported MOFs but also displays a very fast adsorption kinetic (124 times faster than FJI-H40), while their desorption kinetics are comparable. Mechanistic studies show that FJI-H39 can undergo induced-fit transformations continuously (first contraction then expansion), making the adsorbed iodine species enrich near the Ag(I) nodes quickly and orderly, from discrete I- anion to the dense packing of various iodine species, achieving the very fast adsorption kinetic and the record-high storage density simultaneously. However, no significant structural transformations caused by the adsorbed iodine are observed in FJI-H40. In addition, FJI-H39 has excellent stability/recyclability/obtainability, making it a practical adsorbent for radioactive I2. This work provides a useful method for synthesizing practical radioactive I2 adsorbents.

A Non-π-Conjugated Molecular Crystal with Balanced Second-Harmonic Generation, Bandgap, and Birefringence.

Traditional nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are exclusively limited to ionic crystals with π-conjugated groups and it is a great challenge to achieve a subtle balance between second-harmonic generation, bandgap, and birefringence for them, especially in the deep-UV spectrum region (Eg  > 6.20 eV). Herein, a non-π-conjugated molecular crystal, NH3 BH3 , which realizes such balance with a large second-harmonic generation response (2.0 × KH2 PO4 at 1064 nm, and 0.45 × ß-BaB2 O4 at 532 nm), deep-UV transparency (Eg > 6.53 eV), and moderate birefringence (Δn = 0.056@550 nm) is reported. As a result, NH3 BH3 exhibits a large quality factor of 0.32, which is evidently larger than those of non-π-conjugated sulfate and phosphate ionic crystals. Using an unpolished NH3 BH3 crystal, effective second-harmonic generation outputs are observed at different wavelengths. These attributes indicate that NH3 BH3 is a promising candidate for deep-UV NLO applications. This work opens up a new door for developing high-performance deep-UV NLO crystals.

High-Enantioselectivity Adsorption Separation of Racemic Mandelic Acid and Methyl Mandelate by Robust Chiral UiO-68-Type Zr-MOFs.

Mandelic acid and its analogues are highly valuable medical intermediates and play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry, biochemistry, and life sciences. Therefore, effective enantioselective recognition and separation of mandelic acid are of great significance. In this study, two of our recently reported chiral amine-alcohol-functionalized UiO-68-type Zr-HMOFs 1 and 3 with high chemical stability, abundant binding sites, and large chiral pores were selected as chiral selectors for the enantioselective separation of mandelic acid (MA), methyl mandelate (MM), and other chiral molecules containing only one phenyl. Materials 1 and 3 exhibited excellent enantioselective separation performance for MA and MM. Especially for the separation of racemate MA, the enantiomeric excess values reached 97.3 and 98.9%, which are the highest reported values so far. Experimental and density functional theory (DFT) computational results demonstrated that the introduction of additional phenyls on the chiral amine alcohol pendants in 3 had somewhat impact on the enantioselective adsorption and separation of MA or MM compared with 1, but it was not significant. Further research on the enantioselective separation of those chiral adsorbates containing only one phenyl by material 1 indicated the crucial role of the groups directly bonded to the chiral carbons of the adsorbates in the selective separation of enantiomers, especially showing higher enantioselectivity for the adsorbates with two hydrogen-bonding groups directly bonded to its chiral carbon.

Halogen-Modulated 2D Coordination Polymers for Efficient Hydrogen Peroxide Photosynthesis under Air and Pure Water Conditions.

H2 O2 is a widely used eco-friendly oxidant and a potential energy carrier. Photocatalytic H2 O2 production from water and O2 is an ideal approach with the potential to address the current energy crisis and environmental issues. Three zig-zag two-dimensional coordination polymers (2D CPs), named CuX-dptz, were synthesized by a rapid and facile method at room temperature, showing preeminent H2 O2 photoproduction performance under pure water and open air without any additives. CuBr-dptz exhibits a H2 O2 production rate high up to 1874 µmol g-1 h-1 , exceeding most reported photocatalysts under this condition, even comparable to those supported by sacrificial agents and O2 . The coordination environment of Cu can be modulated by halogen atoms (X=Cl, Br, I), which in turn affects the electron transfer process and finally determines the reaction activity. This is the first time that 2D CPs have been used for photocatalytic H2 O2 production in such challenging conditions, which provides a new pathway for the development of portable in situ H2 O2 photosynthesis devices.

Ideal Cage-like Pores for Molecular Sieving of Butane Isomers with High Purity and Record Productivity.

n-C4H10 and iso-C4H10 are both important petrochemical raw materials. Considering the coexistence of the isomers in the production process, it is necessary to achieve their efficient separation through an economical way. However, to obtain high-purity n-C4H10 and iso-C4H10 in one-step separation process, developing iso-C4H10-exclusion adsorbents with high n-C4H10 adsorption capacity is crucial. Herein, we report a cage-like MOF (SIFSIX-Cu-TPA) with small windows and large cavities which can selectively allow smaller n-C4H10 enter the pore and accommodate a large amount of n-C4H10 simultaneously. Adsorption isotherms reveal that SIFSIX-Cu-TPA not only completely excludes iso-C4H10 in a wide temperature range, but also exhibits a very high n-C4H10 adsorption capacity of 94.2 cm3 g-1 at 100 kPa and 298 K, which is the highest value among iso-C4H10-exclusion-type adsorbents. Breakthrough experiments show that SIFSIX-Cu-TPA has excellent n/iso-C4H10 separation performance and can achieve a record-high productivity of iso-C4H10 (3.2 mol kg-1) with high purity (>99.95 %) as well as 3.0 mol kg-1 of n-C4H10 (>99 %) in one separation circle. More importantly, SIFSIX-Cu-TPA can realize the efficient separation of butanes at different flow rates, temperatures, as well as under high humid condition, which indicates that SIFSIX-Cu-TPA can be deemed as an ideal platform for industrial butane isomers separation.

"Whole-Body" Fluorination for Highly Efficient and Ultra-Stable All-Inorganic Halide Perovskite Quantum Dots.

Inherent "soft" ionic lattice nature of halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs), triggered by the weak Pb-X (X=Cl, Br, I) bond, is recognized as the primary culprit for their serious instability. A promising way is to construct exceedingly strong ionic interaction inside the QDs and increase their crystal cohesive energy by substituting the interior X- with highly electronegative F- , however, which is challenging and hitherto remains unreported. Here, a "whole-body" fluorination strategy is proposed for strengthening the interior bonding architecture of QDs, wherein the F- are uniformly distributed throughout the whole nanocrystal encompassing both the interior lattice and surface, successfully stabilizing their "soft" crystal lattice and passivating surface defects. This approach effectively mitigates their intrinsic instability issues including light-induced phase segregation. As a result, light-emitting devices based on these QDs exhibit exceptional efficiency and remarkable stability.

An Ultra-stable Supramolecular Framework Based on Consecutive Side-by-side Hydrogen Bonds for One-step C2H4/C2H6 Separation.

The one-step efficient separation of high-purity C2H4 from C2H4/C2H6 mixtures by hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) faces two problems: lack of strategies for constructing stable pores in HOFs and how to obtain high C2H6 selectivity. Herein, we have developed a microporous Mortise-Tenon-type HOF (MTHOF-1, MT is short for Mortise-Tenon structure) with a new self-assembly mode for C2H4/C2H6 separation. Unlike previous HOFs which usually possess discrete head-to-head hydrogen bonds, MTHOF-1 is assembled by unique consecutive side-by-side hydrogen bonds, which result in mortise-and-tenon pores decorated with orderly arranged amide groups and benzene rings. As expected, MTHOF-1 exhibits excellent stability under various conditions and shows clear separation trends for C2H6/C2H4. The IAST selectivity is as high as 2.15 at 298 K. More importantly, dynamic breakthrough experiments have demonstrated that MTHOF-1 can effectively separate the C2H6/C2H4 feed gas to obtain polymer-grade C2H4 in one step even under high-humidity conditions.

Precisely Tailoring a FAPbI3-Derived Ferroelectric for Sensitive Self-Driven Broad-Spectrum Polarized Photodetection.

Benefiting from superior semiconducting properties and the angle-dependence of the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) on polarized light, the two-dimensional (2D) hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics are developed for sensitive self-powered polarized photodetection. Most of the currently reported ferroelectric-driven polarized photodetection is restricted to the shortwave optical response, and expanding the response range is urgently needed. Here we report the first instance of a FAPbI3-derived (2D) perovskite ferroelectric, (BA)2(FA)Pb2I7 (1, BA is n-butylammonium, FA is formamidinium). It exhibited a notably high thermostability and broad-spectrum adsorption extending to around 650 nm. Significantly, 1 demonstrated ferroelectricity-driven self-powered polarized photodetection under 637 nm with an anisotropic photocurrent ratio of ∼1.96, ultrahigh detectivity of 3.34 × 1012 Jones, and long-term repetition. This research will shed light on the development of new ferroelectrics for potential application in broad-spectrum polarization-based optoelectronics.

Optimizing Sieving Effect for CO2 Capture from Humid Air Using an Adaptive Ultramicroporous Framework.

Excessive CO2 in the air can not only lead to serious climate problems but also cause serious damage to humans in confined spaces. Here, a novel metal-organic framework (FJI-H38) with adaptive ultramicropores and multiple active sites is prepared. It can sieve CO2 from air with the very high adsorption capacity/selectivity but the lowest adsorption enthalpy among the reported physical adsorbents. Such excellent adsorption performances can be retained even at high humidity. Mechanistic studies show that the polar ultramicropore is very suitable for molecular sieving of CO2 from N2 , and the distinguishable adsorption sites for H2 O and CO2 enable them to be co-adsorbed. Notably, the adsorbed-CO2 -driven pore shrinkage can further promote CO2 capture while the adsorbed-H2 O-induced phase transitions in turn inhibit H2 O adsorption. Moreover, FJI-H38 has excellent stability and recyclability and can be synthesized on a large scale, making it a practical trace CO2 adsorbent. This will provide a new strategy for developing practical adsorbents for CO2 capture from the air.

Exciton Localization for Highly Luminescent Two-Dimensional Tin-Based Hybrid Perovskites through Tin Vacancy Tuning.

Exciton localization is an approach for preparing highly luminescent semiconductors. However, realizing strongly localized excitonic recombination in low-dimensional materials such as two-dimensional (2D) perovskites remains challenging. Herein, we first propose a simple and efficient Sn2+ vacancy (VSn ) tuning strategy to enhance excitonic localization in 2D (OA)2 SnI4 (OA=octylammonium) perovskite nanosheets (PNSs), increasing their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) to ≈64 %, which is among the highest values reported for tin iodide perovskites. Combining experimental with first-principles calculation results, we confirm that the significantly increased PLQY of (OA)2 SnI4 PNSs is primarily due to self-trapped excitons with highly localized energy states induced by VSn . Moreover, this universal strategy can be applied for improving other 2D Sn-based perovskites, thereby paving a new way to fabricate diverse 2D lead-free perovskites with desirable PL properties.

Optimizing Acetylene Sorption through Induced-fit Transformations in a Chemically Stable Microporous Framework.

Developing practical storage technologies for acetylene (C2 H2 ) is important but challenging because C2 H2 is useful but explosive. Here, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) (FJI-H36) with adaptive channels was prepared. It can effectively capture C2 H2 (159.9 cm3 cm-3 ) at 1 atm and 298 K, possessing a record-high storage density (561 g L-1 ) but a very low adsorption enthalpy (28 kJ mol-1 ) among all the reported MOFs. Structural analyses show that such excellent adsorption performance comes from the synergism of active sites, flexible framework, and matched pores; where the adsorbed-C2 H2 can drive FJI-H36 to undergo induced-fit transformations step by step, including deformation/reconstruction of channels, contraction of pores, and transformation of active sites, finally leading to dense packing of C2 H2 . Moreover, FJI-H36 has excellent chemical stability and recyclability, and can be prepared on a large scale, enabling it as a practical adsorbent for C2 H2 . This will provide a useful strategy for developing practical and efficient adsorbents for C2 H2 storage.

Realization of In-Plane Polarized Light Detection Based on Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in A Polar Van Der Waals Crystal.

2D van der Waals materials are widely explored for in-plane polarized light detection owing to their distinctive in-plane anisotropic feature. However, most of these polarized light-sensitive devices root in their low symmetry of in-plane structure and work depending on external power sources, which greatly impedes the simplification of integrated devices and sustainable development. Bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), which separates photoexcited carriers via built-in electric field without an external power source and shows an angle-dependence on light polarization, is promising for self-powered polarized light detection to break through the restriction of in-plane anisotropy. Herein, a 2D lead-free van der Waals perovskite (Cl-PMA)2 CsAgBiBr7 (1, Cl-PMA = 4-Chlorobenzylamine) is successfully designed through the dimension reduction strategy. 1 exhibits BPVE with an open-circuited photovoltage up to ≈0.5 V. Driven by the BPVE, self-powered in-plane polarized light detection with a large polarization ratio of 1.3 is obtained for 1. As far as it is known, the first in-plane polarized light detection in hybrid perovskites based on BPVE is realized here. This work highlights the strategy of designing lead-free hybrid perovskite with BPVE and opens an avenue for exploiting in-plane highly sensitive polarized light detection in 2D van der Waals materials.

Stable Fluorinated Hybrid Microporous Material for the Efficient Separation of C2-C3 Alkyne/Alkene Mixtures.

The separation of C2-C3 alkyne/alkene mixtures is important but difficult work thanks to their similar physical and chemical properties. Crystalline porous materials with high alkyne adsorption and prominent separation selectivity of alkyne/alkene mixtures have been extensively investigated because of their energy-saving merits. Herein, we report a fluorinated hybrid microporous material (FJI-W1) that exhibits unexpected water and thermal stability. Gas sorption isotherms show that FJI-W1 has ultrahigh C2H2 and C3H4 adsorption capacities of 150 and 159 cm3/g, respectively. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments indicate that the intervals of breakthrough time between the two gases for 1:99 (v/v) C2H2/C2H4 and 1:99 (v/v) C3H4/C3H6 can be up to 230 and 600 min/g, respectively. Additionally, the tests with different flow rates and three-cycle breakthrough tests demonstrate that FJI-W1 has a remarkable C2-C3 alkyne/alkene separation performance.

Combinatorial Self-Assembly of Coordination Cages with Systematically Fine-Tuned Cavities for Efficient Co-Encapsulation and Catalysis.

Controllable arrangement of different ligands in a single assembly will not only bring increased complexity but also offers a new route to fine-tune the function of the designed architecture. We report here a combinatorial self-assembly with enPd(NO3 )2 and three different ligands (L1-3 ), which gave rise to a family of six palladium-organic cages (C1-6) with systematically varied shapes and cavities, including three new heteroleptic (Pd5 L1 2 L2 , Pd5 L1 2 L3 , Pd4 L2 L3 ), one new homoleptic (Pd4 L3 2 ) cages, and two known homoleptic (Pd6 L1 4 , Pd4 L2 2 ) cages. Emergent functions due to the fusion of two half cavities on the heteroleptic cages from their parent homoleptic cages have been observed: the heteroleptic cages can form ternary complexes by co-encapsulation of both aromatic and aliphatic guests, while their homoleptic counterparts can only form binary complexes. Such a forced co-encapsulation effect endows the heteroleptic cages with enhanced catalytic power for the Knoevenagel condensation.

A Noncovalent π-Stacked Porous Organic Molecular Framework for Selective Separation of Aromatics and Cyclic Aliphatics.

Selective separation using porous adsorbents is an energy-efficient alternative to traditional separation techniques. Stacked porous organic molecular frameworks (POMFs) capable of noncovalent π⋅⋅⋅π interactions are emerging as a new kind of adsorbents that facilitate green separation. Here we report a robust porous molecular crystal (TAPM-1), which is stabilized by multiple intermolecular π⋅⋅⋅π interactions. With its long-range π-stacking, TAPM-1 has excellent hydrophobicity, thermostability, recyclability, and high selectivity for aromatics over the corresponding cyclic aliphatics. This enables TAPM-1 to serve as the stationary phase in the high-resolution gas chromatographic separation of benzene and cyclohexane or toluene and methylcyclohexane.

A Hybrid Halide Perovskite Birefringent Crystal.

Birefringent crystals that can modulate the polarization of light play a significant role in modern optical devices including polarizing microscopes, optical isolators, and achromatic quarter-wave plates. To date, commercial birefringent crystals are exclusively limited to purely inorganic compounds. Here we report a new organic-inorganic hybrid halide, MLAPbBr4 (MLA=melamine), which features a (110)-oriented layered perovskite structure. Although the 6s2 lone-pair electrons of Pb2+ cations are stereochemically inert, MLAPbBr4 exhibits a birefringence of 0.322@550 nm, which exceeds those of all commercial birefringent crystals. The first-principles calculations reveal that this birefringence should be ascribed to the highly dislocated π-conjugation of MLA cations and high distortion of PbBr6 octahedra. This work highlights the persistently neglected great potential of hybrid halide perovskites as birefringent crystals.

A Metal-Organic Framework with Nonpolar Pore Surfaces for the One-Step Acquisition of C2 H4 from a C2 H4 and C2 H6 Mixture.

Because C2 H4 plays an essential role in the chemical industry, economical and energy-efficient separation of ethylene (C2 H4 ) from ethane (C2 H6 ) is extremely important. With the exception of energy-intensive cryogenic distillation, there are few one-step methods to obtain polymer-grade (≥99.95 % pure) C2 H4 from C2 H4 /C2 H6 mixtures. Here we report a highly stable metal-organic-framework (MOF) FJI-H11-Me(des) (FJI-H=Hong's group in Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter) which features one-dimensional hexagonal nonpolar pore surfaces constructed by aromatic rings and alkyl groups. This FJI-H11-Me(des) adsorbs C2 H6 rather than C2 H4 between 273 and 303 K. Practical breakthrough experiments with C2 H4 containing 1 % C2 H6 have shown that FJI-H11-Me(des) can realize the acquisition in one-step of polymer-grade, 99.95 % pure C2 H4 under various conditions including different gas flow rates, temperatures and relative humidity.

A Hybrid Antiperovskite with Strong Linear and Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Responses.

Antiperovskites have been studied since the 1980s because of their rich physical and chemical properties, but their linear and second-order nonlinear optical responses remain largely unknown. Here we report a new polar crystal, Cs3 Cl(HC3 N3 S3 ) (I), which features a quasi-one-dimensional antiperovskite structure composed of ClCs6 polyhedra and A-site [HC3 N3 S3 ]2- rings. To our best knowledge, this kind of antiperovskite structure is reported for the first time. Remarkably, I exhibits a very strong nonlinear optical response up to 11.4 times that of the benchmark KH2 PO4 and exceptionally large birefringence of 0.52. The first-principles calculations and structural analyses reveal that [HC3 N3 S3 ]2- is the "material gene" while the antiperovskite structural feature making it in a favorable arrangement. This work provides a new structural platform for the rational design of integrated optoelectronic materials with linear and second-order nonlinear optical responses.

An Optically Anisotropic Crystal with Large Birefringence Arising from Cooperative π Orbitals.

Birefringent materials are highly demanded for high-performance polarized optics. As compared with artificial anisotropic metamaterials, anisotropic crystals have advantages of low optical losses and easy processing, but their birefringence is still limited. Herein, based on first-principles studies, we identified a new type of functional anion units, (Hx C6 N9 )(3-x)- (x=0, 1, 2), and then successfully synthesized a new anisotropic crystal, namely, CsH2 C6 N9 ⋅H2 O (I), whose crystal structure consists of (H2 C6 N9 )- anions. Remarkably, I is ultraviolet transparent and exhibits very large birefringence of about 0.55@550 nm, which is much larger than those of commercial birefringent crystals. These results make I a candidate for highly efficient manipulation of optics and light in optical modulation devices. Theoretical calculations reveal that large birefringence mainly arises from the cooperative π orbitals in (H2 C6 N9 )- anions. This work provides a new insight on the underlying structure-property relationships of anisotropic crystals.

White-Light Emission and Circularly Polarized Luminescence from a Chiral Copper(I) Coordination Polymer through Symmetry-Breaking Crystallization.

Achieving white-light emission, especially white circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) from a single-phase material is challenging. Herein, a pair of chiral CuI coordination polymers (1-M and 1-P) have been prepared by the asymmetrical assembly of achiral ligands and Cu2 I2 clusters. The compounds display dual emission bands and can be used as single-phase white-light phosphors, achieving a "warm"-white-light-emitting diode with an ultra-high color rendering index (CRI) of 93.4 and an appropriate correlated color temperature (CCT) of 3632 K. Meanwhile, corresponding CPL signals with maximum dissymmetry factor |glum |=8×10-3 have been observed. Hence, intrinsic white-light emission and CPL have been realized simultaneously in coordination polymers for the first time. This work gains insight into the nature of chiral assembly from achiral units and offers a prospect for the development of single-phase white-CPL materials.