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Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) is a versatile signal transduction strategy widely used in the fabrication of chem/biosensors. However, this technique has not yet been applied in visualized imaging analysis of intracellular species due to the insulating nature of the cell membrane. Here, we construct a ratiometric ECL-RET analytical method for hypochlorite ions (ClO−) by ECL luminophore, with a luminol derivative (L-012) as the donor and a fluorescence probe (fluorescein hydrazide) as the acceptor. L-012 can emit a strong blue ECL signal and fluorescein hydrazide has negligible absorbance and fluorescence signal in the absence of ClO−. Thus, the ECL-RET process is turned off at this time. In the presence of ClO−, however, the closed-loop hydrazide structure in fluorescein hydrazide is opened via specific recognition with ClO−, accompanied with intensified absorbance and fluorescence signal. Thanks to the spectral overlap between the ECL spectrum of L-012 and the absorption spectrum of fluorescein, the ECL-RET effect is gradually recovered with the addition of ClO−. Furthermore, the ECL-RET system has been successfully applied to image intracellular ClO−. Although the insulating nature of the cell itself can generate a shadow ECL pattern in the cellular region, extracellular ECL emission penetrates the cell membrane and excites intracellular fluorescein generated by the reactions between fluorescein hydrazide and ClO−. The cell imaging strategy via ECL-RET circumvents the blocking of the cell membrane and enables assays of intracellular species. The importance of the ECL-RET platform lies in calibrating the fluctuation from the external environment and improving the selectivity by using fluorescent probes. Therefore, this ratiometric ECL sensor has shown broad application prospects in the identification of targets in clinical diagnosis and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A Keggin-type polyoxometalate-based crystalline complex, [(SiMo12O40)Cu6(2,2′-bipy)6(Mo6O22)] (complex 1), has been prepared by using a Waugh-type polyoxometalate building block [MnMo9O32]6−, and for the first time, Waugh-type polyoxometalate was converted to a Keggin-type structure under hydrothermal conditions by using a Teflon-lined reactor with glass vials. The synthesized complex was characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Structural characterization results show that complex 1 comprises Keggin-type [SiMo12O40]4− anions and [Cu6(2,2′-bipy)6(Mo6O22)]4+ cation moieties composed of isopolymolybdates with 2,2′-bipy-coordinated copper ions, leading to a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular network. This polyoxometalate assembly exhibits excellent photocatalytic properties and good cyclic stability for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. In addition, the experimental results demonstrate that complex 1 also possesses outstanding electrocatalytic activity for nitrite reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of a naturally rich and effective bifunctional substance for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction is crucial to enhance hydrogen fuel production efficiency via the electrolysis process. Herein, facile and scalable hydrothermal synthesis of bifunctional electrocatalyst of polyoxometalate anchored zinc cobalt sulfide nanowire on Ni‐foam (NF) for overall water splitting is reported for the first time. The electrochemical analysis of POM@ZnCoS/NF displays significantly low HER and OER overpotentials of 170/337 and 200/300 mV to attain a current density of 10/40 and 20/50 mA cm−2, respectively, demonstrating the notable performance of POM@ZnCoS/NF toward H2 and O2 evolution reaction in alkaline medium. Additionally, the electrolyzer consisting of the POM@ZnCoS/NF anode and cathode shows an appealing potential of 1.56 V to deliver 10 mA cm−2 current density for overall water splitting. The high electrocatalytic activity of the POM@ZnCoS/NF is attributed to modulation of the electronic and chemical properties, increment of the electroactive sites and electrochemically active surface area of the zinc cobalt sulfide nanowires due to the anchorage of polyoxometalate nanoparticles. These results demonstrate the advantage of the polyoxometalate incorporation strategy for the design of cost‐effective and highly competent bifunctional catalysts for complete water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly active, durable and economical noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a crucial role in the future hydrogen economy. Herein, ultrafine cable-like WC/W2C heterojunction nanowires (NWs) covered by few-layer N-doped graphite-like carbon (labeled WC/W2C@C NWs) have been firstly accomplished via a simple two-step pyrolysis treatment of W18O49 NWs precursor, exhibiting tunable phase composition, excellent HER activity, fast kinetic metrics and remarkable stability along the entire pH range. With the optimized phase composition, WC/W2C@C NWs (WC : W2C ≈ 1 : 1.3) display the low overpotentials of 69 mV and 56 mV at the cathodic current density of 10 mA cm−2 and small Tafel slopes of 52 and 59 mV dec−1 in 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1 M KOH, respectively. DFT calculations and experimental results demonstrate that such prominent performance towards the HER was mainly attributed to abundant interfaces between WC and W2C phases in the cable-like heterojunction nanowires which may exert both the high HER activity of W2C and the excellent electrochemical stability and conductivity of WC. Furthermore, the one-dimensional (1D) nanowire morphology and graphite-like carbon shells also promote the conductivity of the whole electrocatalytic material. This work presents a new route to accomplish the morphology control, composition and electronic regulation so as to boost the HER performance of tungsten-carbide-based electrocatalysts, providing new guidance for exploring efficient noble-metal-free electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]