Two dendritic organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials with eight silole units covalently bonded to a POSS core were prepared via a one-step hydrosilylation reaction. These hybrid nanomaterials exhibited aggregation-enhanced emission phenomenon, and displayed outstanding thermal stability and high fluorescence quantum yield. The emissions of these nanoaggregates were selectively quenched by 2,4,6-trinitrophenol. The high selectivity of the sensors was attributed to the combined effects of electron and energy transfer processes. These novel hybrid nanomaterials have the potential to prepare sensitive, selective, and stable sensors for the detection of explosives in aqueous media.

•Functionalized silole was synthesized by convenient hydrosilylation reaction.•The new functionalized silole is aggregation-induced emission luminogen and shows chiral character.•The designed compound demonstrates highly potential to detect explosive in aqueous suspension.Functionalized silole with chiral structure was synthesized by convenient hydrosilylation reaction of 1-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetraphenyl-1H-silole with 1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diol (BINOL) derivative. The new functionalized silole is aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen and shows chiral character of BINOL. The designed compound demonstrates highly potential to detect explosive in aqueous suspension because of its special steric structure.

New silicon-containing phenyleneethynylene hybrid oligomers P2, P3, and P4 were synthesized via Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions of ethynyl-terminated silazane monomer N,N′-bis(4-ethynylphenyl)-1,1-diphenylsilazane (M1) and corresponding bis-(4-bromo-phenyl)-ended organosilicon unit containing monomers, respectively. These new oligomers were easily soluble in common solvents. The incorporation of flexible organosilicon units in the oligomers leads to blue-shift in both the UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectra similarly. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicate that the flexible units relieve the rigidity of oligomeric chain and provide favorable conformation for thermal cross-linking reactions. The oligomers show good thermal and thermal-oxidative stability from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), with their decomposition temperature at 10% weight loss (T10%) higher than 400 °C under both nitrogen and air atmosphere.

Two nano-hybrid dendrimers were synthesized by grafting tetraphenylethene (TPE) units onto a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) core through a one-step hydrosilylation reaction. The two dendrimers demonstrated typical aggregation-induced emission (AIE), and they exhibited outstanding thermal stability and high fluorescence quantum yields. The emissions of their nanoaggregates can be quenched by picric acid or selectively by Ru3+ ions with a superamplification effect. The quenching constants of the dendrimers for picric acid and Ru3+ ions are as high as 560000 and 473640 M−1, respectively, suggesting that they are highly sensitive chemosensors for explosives and metal ions.

A sensitive nano-device for D-glucose detection is prepared by modifying a single conical polymer nanochannel with GOx enzymes. The current–voltage (I–V) characterization suggests that the nano-device responds to D-glucose rather than its enantiomer at concentrations down to 1 nM (10−9 mol L−1). Moreover, the nano-device exhibits good reproducibility and specificity for D-glucose and is an ideal candidate for commercial non-invasive blood glucose meters in the future.

The reduction of diphenylacetylene with lithium naphthalenide produced two kinds of intermediates, 1 or 2, depending on the ratio of diphenylacetylene to lithium naphthalenide. A series of polyaryl substituted ethylene/diene derivatives were synthesized by reaction of electrophiles with the corresponding intermediates produced in situ. All new compounds were fully characterized, and their single crystal structures were determined.

A series of new silicon-containing poly(p-arylene vinylene)s (PAVs) with anthracene units in the main chain were synthesized by hydrosilylation reaction. The introduction of organosilicon units improved the solubility of the polymers, and the π-π conjugation of polymeric chains was interrupted. These polymers behaved as blue-green light emitters with their fluorescence maximum at 447–499 nm and quantum yields in the range of 0.28–0.30 in solution.

The polycarbosilane microspheres were fabricated using polycarbosilane as precursor by nano-precipitation technology. The effect of operating conditions on the size and surface morphology of the polycarbosilane microspheres was studied using SEM and TEM. The polycarbosilane microspheres were then converted to the silicon oxycarbide microspheres through oxidative curing treatment and followed pyrolyzing at 1000 °C. The silicon oxycarbide microspheres were characterized by FTIR and SEM.Highlights► Polycarbosilane (PCS) as precursor. ► PCS microspheres were fabricated by nano-precipitation. ► The size and surface morphology of PCS microspheres could be adjusted. ► Pyrolysis of the PCS microspheres produce silicon oxycarbide ceramic microspheres. ► Ceramic microspheres remain the morphology of PCS microspheres.

A series of new rigid rod-like molecules consisting of a dibenzosilole core, ethynylene linkages, and different aryl end-groups has been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. These compounds exhibit intense blue to green emissions with high quantum efficiencies and good thermal stabilities.

Two dendritic organic–inorganic hybrid nanomaterials with eight silole units covalently bonded to a POSS core were prepared via a one-step hydrosilylation reaction. These hybrid nanomaterials exhibited aggregation-enhanced emission phenomenon, and displayed outstanding thermal stability and high fluorescence quantum yield. The emissions of these nanoaggregates were selectively quenched by 2,4,6-trinitrophenol. The high selectivity of the sensors was attributed to the combined effects of electron and energy transfer processes. These novel hybrid nanomaterials have the potential to prepare sensitive, selective, and stable sensors for the detection of explosives in aqueous media.

A sensitive nano-device for D-glucose detection is prepared by modifying a single conical polymer nanochannel with GOx enzymes. The current–voltage (I–V) characterization suggests that the nano-device responds to D-glucose rather than its enantiomer at concentrations down to 1 nM (10−9 mol L−1). Moreover, the nano-device exhibits good reproducibility and specificity for D-glucose and is an ideal candidate for commercial non-invasive blood glucose meters in the future.