Crystal-to-crystal transformation from a 3D interpenetrated-type MOF {[Cu(BF(4))(2)(bpy)(H(2)O)(2)] (bpy)} (1) to a 2D square-grid-type [Cu(BF(4))(2)(bpy)(2)] (2) (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) was observed. It was derived from dehydration and confirmed by in situ FT-IR, TG, and elemental analysis. Moreover, we elucidate the novel expansion/shrinkage dynamic modulation of 2 triggered by clathrate formation with gas molecules.

The synthesis, structural changes, and nitrogen gas sorption isotherm of a porous metal−organic framework (PMOF) comprising stacked two-dimensional sheets are reported. This compound easily loses guest molecules and shrinks its interlayer distance. The guest-free species show a unique double-step sorption isotherm. Sorption and X-ray structural analyses have clarified that the first uptake is a micropore filling, while the second uptake originates from a clathrate formation. This explains the total sorption amount corresponding to about the double of the original void volume of the crystals.

Fatigue failures create enormous risks for all engineered structures, as well as for human lives, motivating large safety factors in design and, thus, inefficient use of resources. Inspired by the excellent fracture toughness of bone, we explored the fatigue resistance in metastability-assisted multiphase steels. We show here that when steel microstructures are hierarchical and laminated, similar to the substructure of bone, superior crack resistance can be realized. Our results reveal that tuning the interface structure, distribution, and phase stability to simultaneously activate multiple micromechanisms that resist crack propagation is key for the observed leap in mechanical response. The exceptional properties enabled by this strategy provide guidance for all fatigue-resistant alloy design efforts.

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The crystal structure of [Cu(4,4'-bipyridine) 2(CF 3SO 3) 2] n metal-organic framework (CuBOTf) of one-dimensional pore networks after pre-evacuation at 383 K was determined with synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction measurement. Effective nanoporosity of the pre-evacuated CuBOTf was determined with N 2 adsorption at 77 K. The experimental H 2 and D 2 adsorption isotherms of CuBOTf at 40 and 77 K were measured and then compared with GCMC-simulated isotherms using the effective nanoporosity. The quantum-simulated H 2 and D 2 isotherms at 77 K using the Feynman-Hibbs effective potential coincided with the experimental ones, giving a direct evidence on the quantum molecular sieving effect for adsorption of H 2 and D 2 on CuBOTf. However, the selectivity for the 1:1 mixed gas of H 2 and D 2 was 1.2. On the contrary, experimental H 2 and D 2 isotherms at 40 K had an explicit adsorption hysteresis, originating from the marked pore blocking effect on measuring the adsorption branch. The blocking effect for quantum H 2 is more prominent than that for quantum D 2; the selectivity for D 2 over H 2 at 40 K was in the range of 2.6 to 5.8. The possibility of the quantum molecular sieving effect for H 2 and D 2 adsorption on [Cu 3(benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) 2(H 2O) 3] n of three-dimensional pore networks was also shown at 77 K.

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Communications to the Editor Thermoselective Permeation from a Polymer-Grafted Capsule Membrane1,2 Permeability of microcapsules has been investigated rather extensively because of its importance in the design and construction of sustained drug release devices and artificial cells.3,4 In spite of its potential usefulness, the reversible, signal-receptive permeation control of the capsule has not been fully investigated.

We measured adsorption and desorption isotherms of methane on [Cu(4, 4'-bipyridine)2(BF4)2] (LPC) at 258, 273, and 303 K. Adsorption proceeds almost vertically at a definite pressure, which is named gate pressure. The lower the measurement temperature, the smaller the gate pressure. The temperature dependence of the gate pressure is expressed by the Clapeyron-Clausius equation, giving a thermodynamic evidence on the clathrate formation between the Cu complex and methane.