A new crystal phase of N,N,N′,N′-tetra­phenyl-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine

The complete molecule of the title compound, C36H28N2, is generated by a crystallographic centre of inversion. The biphenyl unit is forced by symmetry to be essentially flat (r.m.s. deviation = 0.008 Å); the dihedral angles between it and the two terminal phenyl rings are 69.39 (5) and 59.53 (5)°

Possible Luttinger liquid behavior of edge transport in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide crystals.

In atomically-thin two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, the nonuniformity in current flow due to its edge states may alter and even dictate the charge transport properties of the entire device. However, the influence of the edge states on electrical transport in 2D materials has not been sufficiently explored to date. Here, we systematically quantify the edge state contribution to electrical transport in monolayer MoS2/WSe2 field-effect transistors, revealing that the charge transport at low temperature is dominated by the edge conduction with the nonlinear behavior. The metallic edge states are revealed by scanning probe microscopy, scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and first-principle calculations. Further analyses demonstrate that the edge-state dominated nonlinear transport shows a universal power-law scaling relationship with both temperature and bias voltage, which can be well explained by the 1D Luttinger liquid theory. These findings demonstrate the Luttinger liquid behavior in 2D materials and offer important insights into designing 2D electronics

Ultrafast gigantic photo-response in (EDO-TTF)2PF6 initiated by 10-fs laser pulses

We photo-exited a charge-ordered organic salt (EDO-TTF)2PF6 with sub-10-fs optical pulses. The photo-induced metallic phase appeared within 80-fs after pumping, characterized by large changes in reflectivity (DELTA R/R~0.8) followed by strong coherent phonon modulatio

Donor–acceptor type co-crystals of arylthio-substituted tetrathiafulvalenes and fullerenes

A series of donor–acceptor type co-crystals of fullerene (as the acceptor) and arylthio-substituted tetrathiafulvalene derivatives (Ar-S-TTF, as the donor) were prepared and their structural features were thoroughly investigated. The formation of co-crystals relies on the flexibility of Ar-S-TTF and the size matches between Ar-S-TTF and fullerene. Regarding their compositions, the studied co-crystals can be divided into two types, where types I and II have donor:acceptor ratios of 1:1 and 1:2, respectively. Multiple intermolecular interactions are observed between the donor and acceptor, which act to stabilize the structures of the resulting co-crystals. In the type I co-crystals, the fullerene molecule is surrounded by four Ar-S-TTF molecules, that is, two Ar-S-TTF molecules form a sandwich structure with one fullerene molecule and the other two Ar-S-TTF molecules interact with the fullerene molecule along their lateral axes. In the type II co-crystals, one fullerene molecule has the donor–acceptor mode similar to that in type I, whereas the other fullerene molecule is substantially surrounded by the aryl groups on Ar-S-TTF molecules and the solvent molecules

Copper ion salts of arylthiotetrathiafulvalenes: synthesis, structure diversity and magnetic properties

The combination of CuBr2 and arylthio-substituted tetrathiafulvalene derivatives (1–7) results in a series of charge-transfer (CT) complexes. Crystallographic studies indicate that the anions in the complexes, which are derived from CuBr2, show diverse configurations including linear [Cu(I)Br2]–, tetrahedral [Cu(II)Br4]2–, planar [Cu(II)2Br6]2–, and coexistence of planar [Cu(II)Br4]2– and tetrahedral [Cu(II)Br3]– ions. On the other hand, the TTFs show either radical cation or dication states that depend on their redox potentials. The central TTF framework on most of TTFs is nearly planar despite the charge on them, whereas the two dithiole rings on molecule 4 in complex 4·CuBr4 are significantly twisted with a dihedral angle of 38.3°. The magnetic properties of the complexes were elucidated. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility of complex 5·Cu2Br6 shows the singlet–triplet transition with coupling constant J = −248 K, and that of 3·(CuBr4)0.5·CuBr3·THF shows the abrupt change at 270 K caused by the modulation of intermolecular interactions. The thermo variation of magnetic susceptibility for the other complexes follows the Curie–Weiss law, indicating the weak antiferromagnetic interaction at low temperature

Analyzing carbon source-sink nexus for green and sustainable transition at the local scale

The pursuit of green and sustainable transition at the local level holds great significance for achieving high-quality development, particularly in developing countries and regions. An in-depth understanding of the intricate relationship between carbon sources and sinks can assist in identifying the key influencing factors of low carbon development. Therefore, this study takes Chongming District of Shanghai in China as an example and proposes a novel methodology to assess the relationship between carbon sources and sinks from the nexus perspective. Our results reveal that: 1) From 2000 to 2020, the overall carbon sink level in Chongming has increased gradually, but its growth rate lags behind its carbon emissions level. Both the intensity of carbon emissions and the extent of high-carbon emission areas have significantly increased. And the trend of carbon balance change is consistent with the original planning goals. 2) In order to achieve a dynamic balance between carbon sources and sinks in temporal and spatial scales, integrated source-sink plan and associated measures must be taken. Additionally, to promote the green, low-carbon, and sustainable transition, it’s crucial to maintain a dynamic equilibrium between the natural ecological interface and the socio-economic interface. 3) This study aims to enhance our understanding of regional carbon peaking and neutrality from the perspective of source-sink nexus and can serve as a decision-support tool for other developing countries and regions seeking to achieve net-zero carbon transition within the constraints of local energy-resource endowments

Impacts of birth weight on plasma, liver and skeletal muscle neutral amino acid profiles and intestinal amino acid transporters in suckling Huanjiang mini-piglets.

Genetic selection strategies towards increased prolificacy have resulted in more and more increased littler size and incidences of impaired fetal development. Low birth weight (LBW) piglets, with long-term alterations in structure, physiology and metabolism, have lower survival rates and poor growth performance. The aim of the study was to compare the plasma, liver and skeletal muscle contents of neutral amino acids (NAA) and the intestinal expression of NAA transporters between LBW and high birth weight (HBW) suckling Huanjiang mini-piglets. Forty piglets with either LBW or HBW (20 piglets per group) were sampled on day 0, 7, 14 and 21 of age to give 5 observations per day per group. The contents of NAA in plasma, liver and skeletal muscle were measured, and jejunal expression of transporters for NAA, including Slc6a19 (B(0)AT1) and Slc1a5 (ASCT2), were determined by real-time RT-PCR and Western Blot, respectively. Results showed that the suckling piglets with LBW had higher contents of Thr, Ser, Gly, Ala, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Tyr, Phe and Pro in liver, and Gly in skeletal muscle, whereas lower contents of Met, Ser and Ala in plasma when compared with the HBW littermates. Consistent with the content differences in plasma NAA, the jejunal expression profiles of both Slc6a19 (B(0)AT1) and Slc1a5 (ASCT2) in the LBW piglets were lower in compared with the HBW littermates during the early suckling period. These findings suggested that intestinal dysfunction in the LBW piglets may be one of the reasons in altered physiology and metabolism states of other organs, which result in lower survival and growth rate