Aqueous biphasic catalysis is a convenient approach to convert organic, partially soluble molecules in water. However, converting more hydrophobic substrates is much more challenging as their solubility in water is extremely low. During the past ten years, substantial progress has been made towards improving the contact between hydrophobic substrates and a hydrophilic transition-metal catalyst....

This paper argues that Information Technology (IT) needs to be demystified, through critical consciousness, for educators to focus on IT as a means to enhance learning. It goes on to define the technical, sociohistorical and political-ideological levels of IT and to identify four theoretical constructs: tutorial, machine-as-human, tool kit and catalyst. Pervading these constructs is the underst...

Enantioselective control of the chirality of a tertiary a-carbon in the products of a Nazarov cyclization of enones is challenging because the reaction involves an enantioselective proton transfer process. We herein report the use of cooperative catalysis using Lewis acids and chiral Brønsted acids to control the stereochemistry of the tertiary a-carbon in the products of this reaction. Specifi...

A hybrid composite architecture of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), advanced fibers and a matrix is described, from CNT synthesis and characterization through to standard mechanical and electrical laminate tests. Direct growth of aligned CNTs on the surface of advanced fibers in a woven fabric enables enhancement in multifunctional laminate performance, as demonstrated by a 69% increase in interlaminar...

A freestanding H2-evolution electrode consisting of a copolymer-embedded cobaloxime integrated into a multiwall carbon nanotube matrix by π-π interactions is reported. This electrode is straightforward to assemble and displays high activity towards hydrogen evolution in near-neutral pH solution under inert and aerobic conditions, with a cobalt-based turnover number (TON(Co)) of up to 420. An an...

This research describes the preparation and sensor applications of multifunctional monodisperse, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles-embedded poly(styrene)/poly(thiophene) (Fe₃O₄-PSt/PTh), core/shell nanoparticles. Monodisperse Fe₃O₄-PSt/PTh nanoparticles were prepared by free-radical combination (mini-emulsion/emulsion) polymerization for Fe₃O₄-PSt core and oxidative seeded emulsion polymerization for PTh she...

Due to the limited amount of fossil energy carriers, the storage of solar energy in chemical bonds using artificial photosynthesis has been under intensive investigation within the last decades. As the understanding of the underlying working principle of these complex systems continuously grows, more focus will be placed on a catalyst design for highly selective product formation. Recent report...

Vascularization enables multifunctional composites capable of self-healing, thermal regulation, electrical and magnetic modulation, and damage sensing. In this study, the effect of vascular channels on the in-plane tensile properties and damage progression of three-dimensional orthogonally woven textile composites is examined. Vascular channels are manufactured by Vaporization of Sacrificial Co...

Production of lactic acid from glycerol is a cascade catalytic procedure using multifunctional catalysts combined with oxidative and acidic catalytic sites. Therefore, a series of silver-exchanged phosphomolybdic acid catalysts (AgxH3-xPMo12O40, x = 1 ~ 3, abbreviated as AgxPMo) was designed and applied in glycerol oxidation with O2 as an oxidant to produce lactic acid (LA) without adding any b...

Sequence-controlled polymers (SCPs) such as DNA and proteins play an important role in biology. Many efforts have been devoted to synthesize SCPs in the past half a century. However, to our knowledge, the artificial sequences containing independently functional groups have never been reported. Here, we present a facile and scalable approach based on radical-initiated step-growth polymerization ...