Liquid-crystalline (LC) bio-inspired materials based on colloidal nanoparticles with anisotropic morphologies such as sheets, plates, rods and fibers were used as functional materials. They show stimuli-responsive behaviour under mechanical force and in electric and magnetic fields. Understanding the effects of external stimuli on the structures of anisotropic colloidal particles is important for the development of highly ordered structures. Recently, we have developed stimuli-responsive hydroxyapatite (HAP)-based colloidal LC nanorods that are environmentally-friendly functional materials. In the present study, the ordering behaviour of HAP nanorod dispersions, which show LC states, has been examined using in situ small-angle neutron scattering and rheological measurements (Rheo-SANS) under shearing force. The structural analyses and dynamic viscosity observations provided detailed information about the effects of shear force on the structural changes of HAP nanorods in D2O dispersion. The present Rheo-SANS measurements unraveled three kinds of main effects of the shear force: the enhancement of interactions between the HAP nanorods, the alignment of HAP nanorods to the shear flow direction, and the formation and disruption of HAP nanorod assemblies. Simultaneous analyses of dynamic viscosity and structural changes revealed that the HAP nanorod dispersions exhibited distinctive rheological properties accompanied by their ordered structural changes.

<p>Ion-conductive liquid-crystalline molecules with high-oxidation resistance, which were designed with density functional theory calculation, improved charge–discharge reactions in Li-ion batteries.</p>

<p>Colloidal nanodisk liquid-crystalline composites consisting of an acidic polymer and CaCO₃ are developed. Selective synthesis of nanodisk and nanorod is achieved by biomineralization-inspired approaches.</p>

Liquid crystals are mostly formed by self-assembly of organic molecules. In contrast, inorganic materials available as liquid crystals are limited. Here we report the development of liquid-crystalline (LC) hydroxyapatite (HAp), which is an environmentally friendly and biocompatible biomineral. Its alignment behavior, magneto-optical properties, and atomic-scale structures are described. We successfully induce LC properties into aqueous colloidal dispersions of rod-shaped HAp by controlling the morphology of the material using acidic macromolecules. These LC HAp nanorod materials are macroscopically oriented in response to external magnetic fields and mechanical forces. We achieve magnetic modulation of the optical transmission by dynamic control of the LC order. Atomic-scale observations using transmission electron microscopy show the self-organized inorganic/organic hybrid structures of mesogenic nanorods. HAp liquid crystals have potential as bio-friendly functional materials because of their facile preparation, the bio-friendliness of HAp, and the stimuli-responsive properties of these colloidal ordered fluids.

Conspectus The development of efficient electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices is an important sustainability issue to realize green electrical grids. Charge storage mechanisms in present EES devices, such as ion (de)intercalation in lithium-ion batteries and electric double layer formation in capacitors, provide insufficient efficiency and performance for grid use. Intercalation pseudocapacitance (or redox capacitance) has emerged as an alternative chemistry for advanced EES devices. Intercalation pseudocapacitance occurs through bulk redox reactions with ultrafast ion diffusion. In particular, the metal carbide/nitride nanosheets termed MXene discovered in 2011 are a promising class of intercalation pseudocapacitor electrode materials because of their compositional versatility for materials exploration (e.g., Ti2CTx, Ti3C2Tx, V2CTx, and Nb2CTx, where T is a surface termination group such as F, Cl, O, or OH), high electrical conductivity for high current charge, and a layered structure of stacked nanosheets for ultrafast ion intercalation. Various MXene electrodes have been reported to exhibit complementary battery performance, such as large specific capacity at high charge/discharge rates. However, general design strategies of MXenes for EES applications have not been established because of the limited understanding of the electrochemical mechanisms of MXenes. This Account describes current knowledge of the fundamental electrochemical properties of MXenes and attempts to clarify where intercalation capacitance ends and intercalation pseudocapacitance begins. MXene electrodes in aqueous electrolytes exhibit intercalation of hydrated cations. The hydrated cations form an electric double layer in the interlayer space to give a conventional capacitance within the narrow potential window of aqueous electrolytes. When nonaqueous electrolytes are used, although solvated cations are intercalated into the interlayer space during the initial stage of charging, the confined solvation shell should gradually collapse because of the large inner potential difference in the interlayer space. Upon further charging, desolvated ions solely intercalate, and the atomic orbitals of the desolvated cations overlap with the orbitals of MXene to form a donor band. The formation of the donor band induces the reduction of MXene, giving rise to an intercalation pseudocapacitance through charge transfer from the ions to MXene sheets. Differences in the electrochemical reaction mechanisms lead to variation of the electrochemical responses of MXenes (e.g., cyclic voltammetry curves, specific capacitance), highlighting the importance of establishing a comprehensive grasp of the electrochemical reactions of MXenes at an atomic level. Because of their better charge storage kinetics compared with those of typical materials used in present EES devices, aqueous/nonaqueous asymmetric capacitors using titanium carbide MXene electrodes are capable of efficient operation at high charge/discharge rates. Therefore, the further development of novel MXene electrodes for advanced EES applications is warranted.

We report advanced liquid-crystalline (LC) electrolytes for use in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). We evaluated the potential of LC electrolytes with a half cell composed of Li metal and LiFePO4 which is a conventional positive electrode for LIBs. Low-molecular-weight carbonates of ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate were incorporated into the two-dimensional (2D) nanostructured electrolyte composed of mesogen-containing carbonate and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. The incorporation of low-molecular-weight carbonates increased the ionic conductivity with maintaining 2D nanostructures in the LC state. High-power performances at relatively high current densities induced by higher ionic conductivities have been achieved by LC electrolytes with low-molecular-weight carbonates. Furthermore, room-temperature operation of LIBs using LC electrolytes is reported for the first time. In the research field of electrolytes for LIBs, we demonstrate the progress of a new category of LC electrolytes.

Biomineralization-inspired approaches are environmentally friendly processes for developing organic/inorganic hybrids with ordered structures. This study demonstrates a biomineralization-inspired approach that is expanded to form organic/inorganic hybrid thin films based on a zinc-layered compound with an organic molecule. The interactions between the acidic polymers and the zinc ions transiently inhibit crystallization in solution, thereby inducing crystallization on/in the insoluble polymer templates. In addition, poly(vinyl alcohol) provides a template for the specific crystallographic orientation of the zinc-layered compounds. The cooperative effects of the soluble and insoluble macromolecular templates lead to the structural and orientational control of organic/inorganic hybrids based on a zinc-layered compound with an organic molecule.

Pseudocapacitance is a key charge storage mechanism to advanced electrochemical energy storage devices distinguished by the simultaneous achievement of high capacitance and a high charge/discharge rate by using surface redox chemistries. MXene, a family of layered compounds, is a pseudocapacitor-like electrode material which exhibits charge storage through exceptionally fast ion accessibility to redox sites. Here, the authors demonstrate steric chloride termination in MXene Ti2CTx (T-x: surface termination groups) to open the interlayer space between the individual 2D Ti2CTx units. The open interlayer space significantly enhances Li-ion accessibility, leading to high gravimetric and volumetric capacitances (300 F g(-1) and 130 F cm(-3)) with less diffusion limitation. A Li-ion hybrid capacitor consisting of the Ti2CTx negative electrode and the LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 positive electrode displays an unprecedented specific energy density of 160 W h kg(-1) at 220 W kg(-1) based on the total weight of positive and negative active materials.

Sodium-ion batteries potentially provide the opportunities to realize the energy storage system beyond the state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries, though at present their performance is limited partly due to lack of suitable positive electrode materials. NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)(3) is a promising candidate for the positive electrode materials because of its high capacity and high operating potential, however, the electrode reaction of Na1+2xV2(PO4)(3) (0 &lt;= x &lt;= 1) including a biphasic region is not yet fully understood. Here, in order to clarify the microscopic mechanism of the biphasic reaction, the reaction entropy of the electrochemical cell including the Na1+2xV2(PO4)(3) positive electrode was measured using the potentiometric method. The temperature-dependent open-circuit voltage reveals that the reaction entropy is almost constant for 0.1 &lt;= x &lt;= 0.9. The constant reaction entropy of the electrochemical cell suggests that the electrode reaction proceeds through the boundary migration between the Na-rich and-poor phases without substantial change in the configurational entropy. (C) The Electrochemical Society of Japan, All rights reserved.

MXene, a family of layered compounds consisting of nanosheets, is emerging as an electrode material for various electrochemical energy storage devices including supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and sodium-ion batteries. However, the mechanism of its electrochemical reaction is not yet fully understood. Herein, using solid-state Na-23 magic angle spinning NMR and density functional theory calculation, we reveal that MXene Ti3C2Tx in a nonaqueous Na+ electrolyte exhibits reversible Na+ intercalation/deintercalation into the interlayer space. Detailed analyses demonstrate that Ti3C2Tx undergoes expansion of the interlayer distance during the first sodiation, whereby desolvated Na+ is intercalated/deintercalated reversibly. The interlayer distance is maintained during the whole sodiation/desodiation process due to the pillaring effect of trapped Na+ and the swelling effect of penetrated solvent molecules between the Ti3C2Tx sheets. Since Na+ intercalation/deintercalation during the electrochemical reaction is not accompanied by any substantial structural change, Ti3C2Tx shows good capacity retention over 100 cycles as well as excellent rate capability.

Biomineralization-inspired processing is attractive for the preparation of functionalized inorganic/organic polymer hybrid materials because the materials are obtained under mild conditions and by using organic templates. As for the formation processes of ordered nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HAP), the preparation of self-standing hybrid films based on HAP has not yet been established. In the present study, self-standing thin-film hybrids composed of HAP and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) are obtained by rapid and topotactic transformation of thin films based on octacalcium phosphate (OCP) as a precursor in the organic polymer matrix. Bioinspired crystallization of calcium phosphate on the PVA matrix in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) leads to the formation of nanocomposite structures with oriented OCP nanorod crystals 2-4 nm in width and 10-30 nm in length. The nanostructures allow the composites to transform rapidly into a HAP/PVA hybrid thin film in water. The transformation proceeds without a change in the original OCP/PVA nanostructures, resulting in the formation of a HAP/PVA hybrid thin film with oriented HAP nanorod crystals 5-6 nm in width and 20-50 nm in length. The HAP/PVA hybrids have been obtained as self-standing films with submicrometer scale thickness. The ratio of organic to inorganic components in the self-standing hybrid thin films is similar to that in bones of vertebrates.

Chitin/CaCO3 hybrids with helical structures are formed through a biomineralization-inspired crystallization process under ambient conditions. Liquid-crystalline chitin whiskers are used as helically ordered templates. The liquid-crystalline structures are stabilized by acidic polymer networks which interact with the chitin templates. The crystallization of CaCO3 is conducted by soaking the templates in the colloidal suspension of amorphous CaCO3 (ACC) at room temperature. At the initial stage of crystallization, ACC particles are introduced inside the templates, and they crystallize to CaCO3 nanocrystals. The acidic polymer networks induce CaCO3 crystallization. The characterization of the resultant hybrids reveals that they possess helical order and homogeneous hybrid structures of chitin and CaCO3, which resemble the structure and composition of the exoskeleton of crustaceans.

High-power Na-ion batteries have tremendous potential in various large-scale applications. However, conventional charge storage through ion intercalation or double-layer formation cannot satisfy the requirements of such applications owing to the slow kinetics of ion intercalation and the small capacitance of the double layer. The present work demonstrates that the pseudocapacitance of the nanosheet compound MXene Ti2C achieves a higher specific capacity relative to double-layer capacitor electrodes and a higher rate capability relative to ion intercalation electrodes. By utilizing the pseudocapacitance as a negative electrode, the prototype Na-ion full cell consisting of an alluaudite Na2Fe2(SO4)(3) positive electrode and an MXene Ti2C negative electrode operates at a relatively high voltage of 2.4V and delivers 90 and 40 mAh g(-1) at 1.0 and 5.0 Ag-1 (based on the weight of the negative electrode), respectively, which are not attainable by conventional electrochemical energy storage systems.

Liquid-crystalline CaCO3 has been prepared for the first time. The nanorods of CaCO3 calcite are obtained by bio-inspired crystallization through aqueous colloidal precursors of amorphous CaCO3 stabilized by poly(acrylic acid). The synthesized calcite nanocrystals have well-tuned morphologies that are preferable for formation of liquid-crystalline phases in concentrated aqueous colloidal solution. The one-dimensional alignment of calcite crystals is achieved by mechanical shearing of the aqueous colloidal solution showing liquid-crystalline phases. These CaCO3-based liquid crystals formed by a self-organization process in mild conditions may have great potential for use as environmentally friendly materials.

Structural and morphological control is an effective approach for improvement of electrochemical properties in rechargeable batteries. One-dimensionally assembled ,structure composed of NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)(3) nanoparticles were fabricated through an electrospinning method to meet the requirements for the development of efficient electrode materials in Na-ion batteries. High-temperature treatment of electrospun precursor fibers under an argon flow provides a nonwoven fabric of nanowires comprising crystallographically oriented nanoparticles of NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)(3) within a carbon sheath. The mesostructure comprising NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)(3) and carbon give a short sodium-ion transport pass and an efficient electron conduction pass. Electrochemical properties of NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)(3) are improved on the basis of one-dimensional nanostructures designed in the present study.

Nanostructured inorganic/polymer hybrid thin films comprising aragonite nanorods derived from aqueous suspensions of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) are prepared. For the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3)/polymer hybrids, spincoated and annealed films of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) that function as polymer matrices are soaked in aqueous colloidal solutions dispersing ACC stabilized by poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In the initial stage, calcite thin films form on the surface. Subsequently, aragonite crystals start to form inside the PVA matrix that contains PVA crystallites which induce aragonite nucleation. Nanostructured hybrids composed of calcite thin films consisting of nanoparticles and assembled aragonite nanorods are formed in the matrices of PVA.

Phase separation and transformation induced by electrochemical ion insertion are key processes in achieving efficient energy storage. Exploration of novel insertion electrode materials/reactions is particularly important to unravel the atomic/molecular-level mechanism and improve the electrochemical properties. Here, we report the unconventional phase separation of a cyanide-bridged coordination polymer, Eu[Fe(CN)(6)]center dot 4H(2)O, under electrochemical Na-ion insertion. Detailed structural analyses performed during the electrochemical reaction revealed that, in contrast to conventional electrochemical phase separation induced by the elastic interaction between nearest neighbors, the phase separation of NaxEu[Fe(CN)(6)]center dot 4H(2)O is due to a long-range interaction, namely, cooperative rotation ordering of hexacyanoferrates. Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami analysis showed that the activation energy for the phase boundary migration in NaxEu[Fe(CN)(6)]center dot 4H(2)O is lower than that in other conventional electrode materials such as Li1-xFePO4.

The formation of rectangular plate-like alpha-MnOOH and sheet-like gamma-MnOOH crystals has been achieved under ambient conditions. A gradual crystallization of manganese compounds with the diffusion of ammonia vapor inhibits random oxidization of divalent manganese ions and the formation of aggregates of Mn3O4 crystals. The simple method using ammonia vapor is applicable to the development of manganese-based compounds with ordered structures.

Functional peptides play an important role in the formation of biominerals. Here we focus on peptides involved in mineralization of the exoskeleton of a crayfish. New recombinant peptides are designed and synthesized on the basis of an acidic functional peptide, CAP-1, derived from the exoskeleton of a crayfish. We have examined the effect of these peptides on the hybrid formation of calcium carbonate and organic molecules in aqueous solution. In the presence of these recombinant peptides having chitin binding moieties, platelike tripodal calcite crystals are formed on the chitin matrix with unidirectional crystallographic orientation. Two kinds of interactions, (1) interactions between an acidic part of the peptides and calcium ions and (2) specific binding interactions of the peptides to chitin, are essential for the formation of the oriented crystals and the induction of specific morphologies. Moreover, the sizes of crystallites decrease with increasing the number of acidic parts of mutational peptides. The bioinspired design of peptides that control the interface of inorganic and organic domains may pave the way for an opportunity to build new hybrid structures.

Transparent and stable composites of calcium carbonate and an acidic macromolecule are obtained at mild conditions. The nanosegregated structure is formed in the amorphous composite materials in the bulk and thin-film states. The transparent, stable, and crack-free thin films might be beneficial for coating of materials. Transparent and stable composites

An approach inspired by biomineralization leads to the selective formation of highly crystalline alpha-Co(OH)(2) and its oriented thin films in the presence of organic molecules under mild conditions.