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We’re very excited about thesechanges, and we hope you are too.Please visit us at http:\\Materials-Views.com to see what the siteoffers - if you have any comments orfeedback for us, then please use thecontact page to let us know what youthink.The MaterialsViews Team

Superhard B28 ShowsRich Features

Recently a new superhard high pres-sure phase of boron, g-B28, has beendiscovered and raised considerable

interest due to its partially ioniccharacter, which is quite unusual foran elemental solid. In the RapidResearch Letter by Rulis et al., theelectron energy loss near edge struc-ture (ELNES) of g-B28 (right part of thefigure), has been computed using ab-initio techniques and compared to thewell known structurally similar a-B12

crystal (left part). Various peculiarspectral features indicate certainstructural and bonding differencesbetween the two phases. /sh

P. Rulis et al., Phys. Status Solidi RRL 2009, 3,133.

Nanoscale Forces inSelf-Assembly

Bartosz A. Grzybowski and coworkersreview the various interparticle forces(e.g., van der Waals, electrostatic,magnetic, molecular, and entropic)and their importance in nanoscaleself-assembly. The magnitudes andlength scales of each force are dis-cussed with special attention to char-acteristics that are unique to thenanoscale. Besides theoretical aspects,recent experimental systems in whichspecific interaction types were used todrive nanoscopic self-assembly arediscussed. /sos

B. A. Grzybowski et al., Small., DOI: 10.1002/smll.200900358

In BriefCure Behavior of Bio-BasedResinsBiobased polymers from vegetable oils areexcellent alternatives to petroleum-basedresins. A detailed understanding of the curebehavior of biobased resins is essential tooptimize cure schedules and the final polymerproperties. In this work, M. R. Kessler et al. studythe cure behavior of newly developed modifiedlinseed oil based thermosetting resins. /acM. R. Kessler et al., Polym. Int., DOI: 10.1002/PI.2585

Nanostructured BatteriesThe components of an improved Li-ion cell, acathode (LiFePO4/C powder), anode (Ni3Sn4–Calloy), and electrolyte (gel-polymer membrane),were fabricated aiming at the production of high-performance cheap batteries fabricated fromeasily disposable reagents through simplereliable processes. /cnN. Penazzi et al., Fuel Cells DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200800086

Mesoscopic Membrane PhysicsM. Derserno from Carnegie Mellon Universitydiscusses recent advances in the booming anddiverse field of lipid membrane research – frommembrane adhesion to composition drivenprotein aggregation gained – accessed by usinghighly simplified simulation models. /ksM. Deserno et al., Macromol. Rapid Commun., DOI:10.1002/marc.200900090

Thermal Barrier CoatingsStudies on thermal barrier coatings comprisingmetallic and ceramic multilayers using impedancespectroscopy are extensively reviewed. Thistechnique was developed as a nondestructiveevaluation tool to examine the degradation ofthe coatings, which is critical for the prediction ofcoating lifetime during service. /slP. Xiao et al., Int. J. Appl. Ceram. Technol.DOI:10.1111/j.1744-7402.2008.02304.x

Nanofountain Probe andNanodiamondsHigh-fidelity delivery of functionalizednanodiamonds, a rapidly emerging material foruse as carriers in next-generation therapeutics, isdemonstrated using Nanofountain Probe, aversatile tool for the controlled delivery ofagents in nanomanufacturing and single-cellbiological studies. /cnH. D. Espinosa et al., Small DOI: 10.1002/smll.200900361

Editor: Sandra Kalveram (sk)Contributors: T. Adams (ta), L. Beltran (lb),A. Carrick (ac) M. Cavalleri (mc), S. Hilde-brandt (sh), S. Ladden (sl), A. Miller (am),C. Novo (cn), S. Oellers (sos), R. Schulz-Rheinlander (rsr), K. Severing (ks),L. Stimson (lms), C. Teutsch (ct), L.Wylie (lw)E-mail: materialsviews@wiley-vch.dehttp:// MaterialsViews.com

Materials Views 2009, July, A1–A8 � 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A1

Rod-Rod Rules!

Interest in all-conjugated rod-rodblock copolymers has recently beenon the rise because of their ability toself-assemble into layered aggregatesboth in solution and the solid state.The rigid-rod structure of the indivi-dual macromolecules favours the for-mation of low-curvature vesicular and

lamellar aggregates independent ofthe specific chemical structure andcomposition. The obtained rod-rodblock copolymers allow good controlover the resulting nanometer-sizedstructures, which suggests that futureapplications in electronic devices(organic solar cells) or as functionalmembranes for sensor applicationsshould be possible. /sos

U. Scherf et al. Macromol. Rapid Com-

mun., DOI: 10.1002/marc.200900088

InN-containing GaNHFETs.

Advantages and drawbacks of InN-containing GaN based heterostructurefield-effect transistors (HFETs) arereviewed in this Feature Article. Inparticular, the article focuses on thefundamental processes and experi-mental observations associated withhot-electron transport in two-dimen-sional electron gas (2DEG) channelssubjected to high electric fields. Com-plementary information is alsoobtained from fluctuations. Wheninterface roughness and alloy scatter-ing are minimized, an importanttransport limitation originates fromthe additional scattering of hot elec-trons by non-equilibrium longitudinal

optical (LO) phonons (hot phonons)governed by the hot-phonon tempera-ture and the hot-phonon decay intoacoustic phonons. The optimal 2DEGdensity for the fastest decay of hotphonons, estimated at moderatesupplied power levels, is associatedwith LO-phonon-plasmon resonance./mc

A. Matulionis et al., Phys. Status Solidi

A, DOI 10.1002/pssa.200824287

Simulations ProbeDeeper intoPolythiophenes

Thiophene-derived materials possess-ing novel electronic and optoelec-tronic properties are being widelyinvestigated for applications inorganic electronics while thiophene/peptide copolymers are bridging the

gap between the biology and materi-als science. Molecular simulationsprovide valuable insights into thephysical properties of these materials,their electrical and structural proper-ties, self-organization behavior andnovel applications. Scientists fromthe Russian Academy of Sciences havedescribed important recent develop-ments including the physical proper-ties of single molecules, self-assemblymechanisms, applications in nano-mechanics, and using molecular sim-ulations to investigate polythiophene-based nanostructures. Their findingspoint the way ahead for fine-tuningand predicting the self-organizationbehavior of these novel materials./ta

P. G. Khalatur et al., Macromol. Theor.

Simul., DOI: 10.1002/mats.200800090

Highly ReadArticlesRecent Progress in Polymer Solar Cells:Manipulation of Polymer:FullereneMorphology and the Formation of EfficientInverted Polymer Solar CellsY. Yang et al.Adv. Mater. 2009, 21, 1434

Hydrogels as Smart BiomaterialsK. Matyjaszewski et al.Polym. Int. 2009, 58, 242

Porous Polymers: Enabling Solutions for EnergyApplicationsM. Antonietti et al.Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2009, 30, 221

Recent Progress in Nonpolar LEDs as PolarizedLight EmittersH. Masui et al.phys. status solidi a 2009, 206, 203

Atomic LayerDepositionofHigh-kOxidesof theGroup 4 Metals for Memory ApplicationsJ. Niinisto et al.Adv. Eng. Mater. 2009, 11, 223

Methacryloyl and/or Hydroxyl End-FunctionalStar Polymers Synthesized by ATRP Using theArm-First MethodK. Matyjaszewski et al.Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2009, 210, 421

N,N-Dimethylformamide as a ReactionMedium for Metal Nanoparticle SynthesisLuis M. Liz-Marzan et al.Adv. Funct. Mater. 2009, 19, 679

Modeling the Loading and Unloading of Drugsinto NanotubesT. A. Hilder et al.Small 2009, 5, 300

Degradable Star Polymers with High ‘‘Click’’FunctionalityG. G. Qiao et al.J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2009, 47, 1485

Stimuli-Responsive Polymersomes asNanocarriers for Drug and Gene DeliveryW. Meier et al.Macromol. Biosci. 2009, 2, 12x9

Epitaxial Graphene: a New MaterialP. Prieto et al.phys. status solidi b 2008, 245, 1436

Materials Views 2009, July, A1–A8 � 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A3

A Glowing Response!

Superaligned carbon nanotube (CNT)films can be heated to incandescenceand cooled down again in a few milli-seconds. The observed fast high-tem-perature response of the CNT filmsmay allow the development of newapplications on the basis of theobserved phenomenon. As an exam-

ple, Shoushan Fan, Liang Liu, and co-workers show that incandescentCNT film arrays fabricated by usingscreen printing and laser cuttingcan dynamically display complexsymbols such as Chinese characters. /sos

S. S. Fan et al., Adv. Mater., DOI:

10.1002/adma.200900473

Metrology UsingSynchrotron Radiationat BESSY

For more than 25 years, the Physika-lisch-Technische Bundesanstalt hasbeen strongly engaged in the field ofmetrology using synchrotron radia-tion. In Berlin, this research pro-gramme started together with theuser operation of the electron storagering BESSY I in the early 1980s. At thebeginning, the work was focused onfundamental radiometry, i.e. using thestorage ring as a primary radiationsource standard and operating beam-lines for source and detector calibra-tion in the vacuumultraviolet spectralrange. Meanwhile, at the electronstorage rings BESSY II and MetrologyLight Source in Berlin-Adlershof, theactivities have been extended to abroad range of fundamental andapplied photonmetrology in the rangefrom the far infrared to hard X-rays,

including methods like cryogenicradiometry, reflectometry and X-rayfluorescence spectroscopy. Theauthors give a short historical intro-duction to this work, describing labo-ratories and basic radiometricprinciples. /rsr

GerhardUlmet al.,Phys. Status Solidi B,

DOI: 10.1002/pssb. 200945162

Click Chemistry: Trendor Paradigm Shift

Since its introduction in 2001 bySharpless and coworkers, click chem-istry has been a hot topic in syntheticchemistry. It involvesmodular, stereo-specific reactionswith benign byprod-ucts; easily available reactants shouldsimply ‘click’ together, resulting in aneasily isolable product at high yield.Because of the fact it does not involvea new reaction or technique by defi-nition, its critics claim it is simply a

new term for what has been donein the past. Barner-Kowollik and Inglisof the Karlsruhe Institute of Technol-ogy consider some examples of clickchemistry to determine its impacton polymer design. In each case,they establish if a new structure ormaterial was produced, if the trans-formation was particularly efficientor mild, and if click chemistryinspired the production of a specificfunctional material. In doing so, theyevaluate whether click chemistry ismerely a trend resulting from arenaming exercise or a useful para-digm shift in the design of polymermaterials. /lb

C. Barner-Kowollik et al., Macromol.

Chem. Phys., DOI:10.1002/

macp.200900139

In BriefTuning AlGaN HEMT propertieswith Al-contentThe extent to which the effect of Al-content onsheet-carrier concentration affects the electricalproperties of AlGaN HEMT devices is systemati-cally studied and quantitatively described by asimple model based on polarization and straininduced effects. It is shown that by adjusting thesheet carrier density it is possible to fine-tune thedevice properties at will. /mcK. Kohler, Phys. Status Solidi A, DOI: 10.1002/pssa.200925168

Doping PolythiophenesThe electronic properties of solution-processableconjugated polythiophenes are modified by dop-ingwith alkyl silanemolecules capable of formingself-assembled monolayers, and the electricalconductivity obtained is six orders of magnitudehigher than that of the undoped polymer. /cnV. Podzorov et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. DOI:10.1002/adfm.200900120

A Portrait of Hydrogen Storage inthe Kubas StyleTo make hydrogen a viable energy source, weneed to be able to store itwithout using a freezer;oneway thismightbe achieved is byusingKubasinteractions between hydrogen and metals toimprove the binding of the hydrogen to thestorage materials’ surface. /lwD. Antonelli et al., Adv. Mater. 2009, 21, 1787.

End-Group Functionalized RAFTPolymersA versatile method for end-group functionaliza-tion for polymers preparedby the RAFTprocess ispresented by using S-3-butynyl methane thio-sulfonate (MTS) during the aminolysis which isof advantage compared to conjugations withfunctional maleimides. /ctP. Theato et al., J. Pol. Sci. A 2009, 47, 3118

A Sticky Situation–Nanoparticles for Epoxy ResinsA Bremen-based research team discusses andcompared themechanical andmaterials improve-ments that nanoparticles can give to epoxy resins;as an example, the use of ‘‘antenna particles’’ tocreate fast-setting resins is highlighted. /amA. Hartwig et al., Macromol. Mater. Eng., DOI:10.1002/mame.200800031

Microfluidic Chip FabricationThe application of silicon mold inserts by micro-hot embossing in microfluidic chip fabricationhas been explored in a detailed study investigat-ing the influence of different parameters like theembossing temperature, pressure, time, and de-molding temperature on the surface roughnessand the bonding strength. /ksY. K. Chen et al., Polym. Adv. Technol., DOI:10.1002/pat.1447

Materials Views 2009, July, A1–A8 � 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A5

Charging Ahead withPhotovoltaics!

Understanding the role of charge-transfer states in photovoltaic mecha-nisms at work in organic solar cells iscrucial to the development and opti-mization of photovoltaic technology.Work carried out at the University ofEindhoven into the charge-transferenergy associated with ground-state

absorption and electrochemical mea-surement in electron donor–acceptorblends, using UV/Vis absorption inthin films and electrochemical meas-urements, has provided valuableinsights into energetic losses andefficiency in solar cells. Using thestudy a comprehensive picture of theinfluence of charge-transfer and trip-let states, and how they might bemanipulated, in the operation oforganic photovoltaics can be formu-lated. /lms

R. A. J. Janssen et al.,Adv. Funct.Mater.,

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200900090

An Industrial View ofNTCR Thermistors

Semiconducting ceramics exhibiting anegative temperature coefficient ofresistance (NTCR) are often used astemperature sensors in automobiles,household appliances, and healthcareapplications. Although NTCR behaviorwas first observed in the 1830’s, thefirst NTCR devices were only reportedin the 1930’s. Since then, a great deal ofresearch has resulted in the improve-ment of device stability and thereproducibility of processing techni-ques. Due to the fact that the perform-ance of these thermal resistors (i.e.,thermistors) depends on processingconditions, much of the research has

been driven by industry. AntonioFeteira of EPCOS (Austria) provides anindustrial perspective of NTCRceramic thermistors. After an over-view of their historical developmentand a review of their structural char-acteristics and physical properties, heoutlines the progress in their process-ing and design, applications, andfuture prospects. /lb

A. Feteira, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 2009, 92,

967

Green PolymerChemistry

The use of enzymes as catalysts fororganic synthesis has become anincreasingly attractive alternative toconventional chemical catalysis.Although enzymes offer severaladvantages including high selectivity,ability to operate under mild condi-tions, catalyst recyclability, and bio-compatibility very little had beendone in the area of polymer modifica-tion so far. In this highlight J. E. Puskas

and co-workers presented an alterna-tive, quantitative, cost affective, andenvironmentally benign way of pro-ducing functionalized polymers forbiomedical and other applications viaenzyme-catalyzed transesterificationand Michael addition. It can be shownthat the use of enzymes as catalysts inpolymer science is a powerful method-ology for the preparation of novelpolymeric structures, which are eitherdifficult or impossible to synthesize byclassical synthetic pathways. /ct

J. E. Puskas et al., J. Poly. Sci. A. 2009, 47,

2959

MaterialsTop TitlesH.-G. EliasMacromolecules, 4 Volume SetISBN 978-3-527-31171-2Macromolecules provides a broad survey of theentire subject; integrated representations ofchemistry, physics, and technology; precisedescriptions and definitions of basic phenomena;and balanced treatments of facts and theory. Thebook series thus intends to bridge the gapbetween introductory textbooks and the highlyspecialized texts and monographs that coveronly part of polymer science and technology.

M.-C. Hong, L. ChenDesign and Construction of CoordinationPolymersISBN 978-0-470-29450-5Bridging the gap between textbooks andresearch- and data-oriented monographs andhandbooks, Design and Construction of Coordi-nation Polymers provides a comprehensiveintroduction to coordination polymers, focusingon the synthetical strategies, structures, proper-ties, and potential applications. Each chapterprovides a unique perspective on coordinationpolymers, offering a dedicated approach as wellas deeper insights of the most important facets ofthis interdisciplinary area.

J. R. Lead, E. SmithEnvironmental and Human Health Impacts ofNanotechnologyISBN 978-1-4051-7634-7This book addresses the generic chemical aspectsof nanoparticle properties, fate, behaviour, lifecycle analysis, ecotoxicity and modelling as theserelate to their effects in the environment -aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric. This infor-mation is critical for the development of appro-priate evidence-based policy and guidelines forrisk assessment of nanotechnology.

L. Cademartiri, G. A. OzinConcepts of NanochemistryISBN 978-3-527-32626-6 (Hardcover), 978-3-527-32597-9 (Softcover)Authored by a rising star in the field and one of itspioneers, this textbook is ideal for interdiscipli-nary courses, bridging chemistry, materialsscience, physics and biology. Adopting a com-pletely new and visionary approach, this is aunique learning tool, focusing on just six con-cepts crucial for understanding nanochemistry:surface, size, shape, self-assembly, defects andthe interface of biology and nanochemistry. Witha foreword by Jean-Marie Lehn

Materials Views 2009, July, A1–A8 � 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A7