In recent years, metallopolymers have attracted much attention as precursors to generate magnetic metal/metal alloy nanoparticles (NPs) through pyrolysis or photolysis because they offer the advantages of ease of solution processability, atomic level mixing and stoichiometric control over composition. The as-generated NPs usually possess narrow size distributions with precise control of composition and density per unit area. Moreover, patterned NPs can be achieved on various substrates in this way owing to the good film-forming property of metallopolymers and such work is important for many applications based on metal nanostructures. By combining the merits of both the solution processability of metallopolymers and nanoimprint lithography (NIL), a new platform can be created for fabricating bit-patterned media (BPM) and the next-generation of nanoscale ultra-high-density magnetic data storage devices. Furthermore, most of these metallopolymers can be used directly as a negative-tone resist to generate magnetic metallic nanostructures by electron-beam lithography and UV photolithography. Self-assembly and subsequent pyrolysis of metalloblock copolymers can also afford well-patterned magnetic metal or metal alloy NPs in situ with periodicity down to dozens of nanometers. In this review, we highlight the use of metallopolymer precursors for the synthesis of magnetic metal/metal alloy NPs and their nanostructures and the related applications.

We investigated the wavelength dependence of the focusing properties of a germanium-cylinder-based two-dimensional (2D) decagonal Penrose-type photonic quasicrystal (PQC) flat lens for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. We found that near the second bandgap and in the high-frequency side (between the bandgap boundary and the first light intensity peak) of the pass band, the flat lens can exhibit a focusing effect for a point light source and that the focusing wavelengths can directly be drawn from the photonic band structure. For all the focusing wavelengths, the summation of the object distance and the image distance is less than the thickness of the flat lens when the object distance is half the thickness of the flat lens. As the wavelength increases, the image distance, the image quality, and the effective refractive index of the flat lens increase, whereas the image power of the point light source decreases. The effective refractive index of the flat lens is less than -1.

Tuber indicum is an ectomycorrhizal ascomycete that produces edible ascocarps. Based on a number of specimens with known exact origin, we investigate the speciation of the Tuber indicum complex in southwest China. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used in the study. Phylogeography and population genetics analyses were combined to detect 31 wild populations of the T. indicum complex. Two distinct lineages, Tuber cf. indicum and Tuber cf. himalayense, were identified in the T. indicum complex that exhibited significant phylogeographic structures and genetic differentiation. The characteristics of haplotypes distributing along the river demonstrate that the diffusion and modern distribution pattern of species was influenced by river expansion. These findings are critical for the protection of the diversity of truffles in this region.

High performance Alq3-based organic light emitting diodes are achieved by using magnetic nanoparticles/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) as the composite hole-injection layer through the advantageous combination of light-scattering, localized surface plasmon resonance and magnetic effect.