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The present study sheds some light on the long‐standing debate concerning the coordination properties between uranyl ions and the amidoxime ligand, which is a key ingredient for achieving efficient extraction of uranium. Using X‐ray absorption fine structure combined with theoretical simulation methods, the binding mode and bonding nature of a uranyl–amidoxime complex in aqueous solution were determined for the first time. The results show that in a highly concentrated amidoxime solution the preferred binding mode between UO22+ and the amidoxime ligand is η2 coordination with tris‐amidoximate species. In such a uranyl–amidoximate complex with η2 binding motif, strong covalent interaction and orbital hybridization between U 5f/6d and (N, O) 2p should be responsible for the excellent binding ability of the amidoximate ligand to uranyl. The study was performed directly in aqueous solution to avoid the possible binding mode differences caused by crystallization of a single‐crystal sample. This work also is an example of the simultaneous study of local structure and electronic structure in solution systems using combined diagnostic tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Controllable and repeatable crystal imperfection modulation engineering (CIME) is important for the development of semiconductor science and technology. However, for wide band gap semiconductors (WBGSs), there still lacks universal and reliable CIME. Here, based on the general idea of chemical composition complete expression design, a well‐designed, repeatable, and feasible CIME for ZnO is introduced, making free modulation of carrier in WBGS become possible. Briefly, this extraordinary CIME is dominated by two innovative procedures: an electrochemical doping and a strong oxidizing atmosphere annealing. The proposed CIME is a repeatable and universal carrier modulation project, which holds technological promise for various WBGS‐based semiconductor devices. Benefiting from this CIME, an α particle detector which operating at a high electric field of 107 V cm−1 can be fabricated successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various types of polyoxometalates (POMs) have been synthesized since the 19th century, but their assortment has been mostly limited to Groups 5 and 6 metals. Herein, a new family of POMs composed of a carbon group element as the addenda atoms with two distinct phases, LnPbOClO4‐1 (Ln = Sm to Ho, Y) and LnPbOClO4‐2 (Ln = Er and Tm) is reported. Both structures are built from [Ln6O8] rare‐earth metal hexamers being incorporated in [Pb18O32]/[Pb12O24] polyplumbites, and unbound perchlorates as charge‐balancing anions. Impressively, YPbOClO4‐1 and ErPbOClO4‐2 exhibit exceptional uptake capacities (434.7 and 427.7 mg g−1) toward ReO4−, a chemical surrogate for the key radioactive fission product in the nuclear fuel cycle 99TcO4−, which are the highest values among all inorganic anion‐exchange materials reported until now. The sorption mechanism is clearly elucidated and visualized by single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal structural transformation from ErPbOClO4‐2 to a perrhenate‐containing complex ErPbOReO4, revealing a unique ReO4− uptake selectivity driven by specific interaction within Pb···O‐ReO3− bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover page for the February 2018 issue, Vol. 4 and issue No. 2 of the journal "Advanced Electronic Materials" is presented.