Nanostructured WO 3 photoanodes with crystallographic orientation along the [001] direction were fabricated via doctor blading nanoparticles synthesized through a microwave-assisted nonaqueous solgel route. Monoclinic WO 3 platelets with a size ranging from 20 to 40 nm and a thickness of 3 nm were obtained after a short reaction time of 10 minutes under microwave irradiation. The films consisted of a porous network of nanoparticles and their photoelectrochemical activity was tested. After cathodic polarization of the photoanodes in the dark which led to a significant increase of 65% of the photocurrent, the films exhibited initially a maximum photocurrent of 2.7 mA cm À2 at 1 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in 3 M H 2 SO 4 under simulated AM 1.5 G illumination (100 mW cm À2 ) comparable to the best photocurrents reported for WO 3 photoanodes. However oxygen evolution measurements showed that the faradaic efficiency dropped after the cathodic polarization and other products than O 2 might be formed. In comparison to the chemical solution growth of films from molecular precursors, the use of preformed nanoparticles in the form of powders is not only more robust and easier to up-scale, but also offers many opportunities to improve the photoelectrochemical performance by tailoring the nanoparticle size, the shape, and their arrangement on the substrate.

Sulfonated polyimide (SPI)/dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) charge‐transfer (CT) complex hybrid films were investigated as possible alternative for polymer electrolyte membranes in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. SPI/DHN CT complex hybrid films include CT complexes, which might work as electronic conductors, and sulfonic acid units, which could work as proton conductors. Therefore, the origin of the conductivity of SPI/DHN complex hybrid films was evaluated by four‐probe impedance measurements in the through‐plane direction of the films. The obtained conductivity of the CT complex hybrid films increased with the increase of ion exchange capacity of the CT films and the decrease of CT complex concentration in the films. These results indicated that proton transfer dominantly occurred in the CT complex hybrid films. Proton conductivity of the CT complex hybrid films consisting of 2,6‐ or 1,5‐DHN showed the similar values, although the molecular geometries of the CT complex were different. The activation energy values for proton conductivity in the CT films were approximately the same as that of Nafion 212. Water uptake (WU) results were also conducted and suggest that CT complex formation could control the degree of WU of the films and prevent dissolution of SPI. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 2991–2997

Undoped and doped CeO2 nanoparticles were synthesized through a combination of microwave‐assisted nonaqueous sol‐gel route and thermal treatment at 300 °C. Nanocrystals of 3 nm were obtained and characterized in detail by Rietveld refinement analysis of the X‐ray diffraction data and by electron microscopy. The refinement indicated that the doping with 3d transition metals (Co, Cu, Fe, and Ni) was successfully achieved and this result was additionally confirmed by EDX measurements. Investigation of the particle morphology by electron microscopy revealed that the nanocrystals were generally not present as primary particles, but self‐assembled into often intergrown flakes with uniform diameters of about 150 nm. In selected cases, the ceria nanocrystals are crystallographically oriented with respect to each other within one flake. BET measurements revealed a high surface area of 126 m2·g–1.

Graphical Abstract:Polymer coupling reactions are some of the most challenging chemical transformations due to low end-group concentration, steric hindrance, and decreased reactivity. Thiolyne chemistry is shown to be a near-quantitative and selective strategy for the coupling of preformed polymers to give block and graft copolymers. With aromatic alkynes under a wide range of conditions, specific monoaddition is achieved with efficiencies surpassing those of traditional thiol-ene chemistry.This text was incorrect and should be:The sulfonated polyimide (SPI) / dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) charge-transfer (CT) complex hybrid films include CT complexes, which might work as electronic conductors, and sulfonic acid units, which could work as proton conductors. From impedance results, it was confirmed that proton transfer dominantly occurred in the CT complex hybrid films. Activation energy of proton conductivity of the CT films showed approximately the same values of that of Nafion 212.The publishers apologize for any inconvenience that may have occurred.