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Flexible polymer-based dielectric capacitors with superior power density and stability are irreplaceable components in modern electrical devices. Among all dielectrics, ferroelectric relaxor materials are the most competitive candidates due to their high discharged energy density Ue and efficiency arising from their reversible polar nanodomains at high electric field. Poly(vinylidenedifluoride – trifluoroethylene - chlorotrifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)), one of the most well-known ferroelectric relaxor polymers, suffers from some limitations, including, poor processability, relatively low breakdown strength and high cost, which inhibit its potential commercial use. In this work, these restrictions have been effectively addressed via a low-cost binary polymer blending route. Owing to the high compatibility and strong interactions between P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) and Poly(vinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)), the nanostructure of blends can be modulated, which significantly enhanced the reversible polarization Pin-max to 0.132 C/m2 at the breakdown strength Eb of 600 kV/mm, leading to a high energy density of 21.9 J/cm3 in oriented P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)/P(VDF-HFP) (50/50 wt%) blended films. The simplicity of the blending approach and the industrial viability of the processing technique, melt-extrusion, combined with high discharged energy density make oriented P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)/P(VDF-HFP) (50/50 wt%) blended films a potential candidate for advanced energy storage applications.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based dielectric materials are prospective candidates for high power density electric storage applications because of their ferroelectric nature, high dielectric breakdown strength and superior processability. However, obtaining a polar phase with relaxor-like behavior in poly(vinylidene fluoride), as required for high energy storage density, is a major challenge. To date, this has been achieved using complex and expensive synthesis of copolymers and terpolymers or via irradiation with high-energy electron-beam or γ-ray radiations. Herein, a facile process of pressing-and-folding is proposed to produce β-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (β-phase content: ~98%) with relaxor-like behavior observed in poly(vinylidene fluoride) with high molecular weight > 534 kg mol−1, without the need of any hazardous gases, solvents, electrical or chemical treatments. An ultra-high energy density (35 J cm−3) with a high efficiency (74%) is achieved in a pressed-and-folded poly(vinylidene fluoride) (670-700 kg mol−1), which is higher than that of other reported polymer-based dielectric capacitors to the best of our knowledge., Dielectric materials are candidates for electric high power density energy storage applications, but fabrication is challenging. Here the authors report a pressing-and-folding processing of a dielectric with relaxor-like behavior, leading to high energy density in a polymer-based dielectric capacitor.

During infection, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase of innate immune cells generates important microbicidal reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to kill the invading pathogens. However, excess amounts of HOCl induce oxidative damage of functional biomolecules such as DNA and proteins, which may cause chronic inflammatory diseases. Herein, we outline protocols for the preparation of a rhodamine-based HOCl probe, as well as applications thereof, with which to detect HOCl in living cells and organisms. The probe (R19S) can be prepared from a commercially available rhodamine, rhodamine 6G, in two steps. When R19S is treated with HOCl, the sulfur atom is replaced by an oxygen atom, resulting in opening of the lactone ring; thus, nonfluorescent R19S is converted to highly fluorescent rhodamine 19 (R19). R19S exhibits high selectivity for HOCl over other ROS and high sensitivity in a weakly acidic environment. In addition, we describe fluorescence imaging assays of HOCl in mouse neutrophils and Drosophila targeted using this probe. The approximate amount of time required to synthesize the probe is 2-3 d, after which it can be used for up to 5 h in the bioimaging of living cells.

In this paper, highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe 1 for GSH is designed and synthesized based on modulation of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process of 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′-ethoxyphenyl)benzothiazole. Upon introducing GSH in neutral solution containing CTAB micelles, dinitrophenyl, the protecting group of the probe, is removed via the nucleophilic substitution, thereby retrieving the ESIPT process of 2-(2′-hydroxy-3′-ethoxyphenyl)benzothiazole, which results in a fluorescence enhancement at 485 nm. Additionally, the fluorescence intensity of the probe is linearly proportional to GSH concentration ranging from 0 to 100 μM and the obtained detection limit is as low as 0.81 μM. The enhanced selectivity toward GSH over Cys and Hcy is also attributed to one more carboxyl group in GSH. Importantly, the probe is successfully utilized for monitoring GSH in living HeLa cells.

High power dielectric capacitors with high energy density are needed in order to develop modern electronic and electrical systems, including hybrid vehicles, telecommunication infrastructures and portable electronic devices. Relaxor ferroelectric polymers (RFP) are considered to be the most promising candidates for the next generation of capacitors owing to their relatively high energy storage density. However, the commercialization of RFP capacitors in power systems is hindered by their high cost and low dielectric breakdown strength. In this study, inexpensive, free-standing nano-crystalline (~3.3 nm) poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films with high β phase content (~98%), “relaxor-like” ferroelectric behaviour and high breakdown strength (880 kV/mm) were fabricated using the facile Press & Folding (P&F) technique. An internal stress dominated polarization switching model is proposed to explain the origin of the relaxor-like ferroelectric behaviour. The internal stress generated during pressing alters the intermolecular chain distance of the (200) plane of β-PVDF from 4.24 A in internal stress free films to 4.54 A in P&F films, corresponding to a tensile strain and residual stress of 7.11% and 142 MPa, respectively. The internal stress acts to partially reverse the polarization on reversal of the applied electric field. This, combined with preferred in-plane orientation of the crystallites, results in a polar nanostructure with high polarization reversibility at high electric fields. A giant discharged energy storage density of 39.8 J/cm3 at 880 kV/mm was achieved for P&F films, which surpasses all previously reported polymer-based materials.

Reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species cause oxidative and nitrosative stresses, respectively. These stresses are implicated not only in diverse physiological processes but also in various pathological processes, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, some ROS and RNS in the environment are pollutants that threaten human health. As a consequence of these effects, sensitive methods, which can be employed to selectively monitor ROS and RNS in live cells, tissues and organisms as well as in environmental samples, are needed so that their biological roles can be understood and their concentrations in environmental samples can be determined. In this review, fluorescent, luminescent and colorimetric ROS and RNS probes, which have been developed since 2011, are comprehensively discussed.