Nanjing Tech University

About: Nanjing Tech University is a education organization based out in Nanjing, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Membrane. The organization has 21827 authors who have published 21794 publications receiving 364050 citations. The organization is also known as: Nangongda & Nánjīng Gōngyè Dàxúe.

Metal–organic framework composites: from fundamentals to applications

Abstract: Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of crystallized porous polymeric materials consisting of metal ions or clusters linked together by organic bridging ligands. Due to their permanent porosity, rich surface chemistry and tuneable pore sizes, MOFs have emerged as one type of important porous solid and have attracted intensive interests in catalysis, gas adsorption, separation and storage over the past two decades. When compared with pure MOFs, the combination of MOFs with functional species or matrix materials not only shows enhanced properties, but also broadens the applications of MOFs in new fields, such as bio-imaging, drug delivery and electrical catalysis, owing to the interactions of the functional species/matrix with the MOF structures. Although the synthesis, chemical modification and potential applications of MOFs have been reviewed previously, there is an increasing awareness on the synthesis and applications of their composites, which have rarely been reviewed. This review aims to fill this gap and discuss the fabrication, properties, and applications of MOF composites. The remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field, in terms of processing techniques, maximizing composite properties, and prospects for applications, have also been indicated.

A family of metal-organic frameworks exhibiting size-selective catalysis with encapsulated noble-metal nanoparticles.

Abstract: The encapsulation of noble-metal nanoparticles (NPs) in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with carboxylic acid ligands, the most extensive branch of the MOF family, gives NP/MOF composites that exhibit excellent shape-selective catalytic performance in olefin hydrogenation, aqueous reaction in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, and faster molecular diffusion in CO oxidation. The strategy of using functionalized cavities of MOFs as hosts for different metal NPs looks promising for the development of high-performance heterogeneous catalysts.

Optical nano-agents in the second near-infrared window for biomedical applications.

Abstract: The optical technology presents non-invasive, non-destructive, and non-ionizing features and has the ability to display various chemical components in tissues to provide useful information for various biomedical applications. Regarding selection of light wavelengths, second near-infrared (NIR-II, 900-1700 nm) light is a much better choice compared to both visible (380-780 nm) and traditional near-infrared (780-900 nm) light, because of its advantages including deeper penetration into biological tissues, less tissue scattering or absorption, and decreased interference by fluorescent proteins. Thus, using optical nano-agents that absorb or emit light in the NIR-II window can achieve deeper tissue optical imaging with higher signal-to-background ratios and better spatial resolution for diagnosis. What's more, some of these nano-agents can be further applied for imaging guided surgical removal, real-time monitoring of drug delivery, labeling lymphatic metastasis, biosensing, and imaging guided phototherapy. In this review, we attempt to summarize the recent advances of various NIR-II nano-agents (including single-walled carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, rare-earth doped nanoparticles, other inorganic nanomaterials, small organic molecule-based nanoparticles, and semiconducting polymer nanoparticles) in both bioimaging and therapeutic applications, and discuss the challenges and perspectives of these nano-agents for clinical practice in the near future.

Biosensors and chemosensors based on the optical responses of polydiacetylenes

Abstract: Polydiacetylenes (PDAs), a family of conjugated polymers, have very unique electrical and optical properties. Upon environmental stimulation, such as by viruses, proteins, DNAs, metal ions, organic molecules etc., the blue PDAs can undergo a colorimetric transition from blue to red, which is accompanied by a fluorescence enhancement. Since the first report on polymerized diacetylene molecules as sensors of influenza virus, the development of efficient sensory systems based on PDAs continues to be of great interest. This tutorial review highlights the recent advances in bio- and chemo-sensors derived from polydiacetylenes.