Novel chiral Er complexes based on both enantiomers of extended i PrPyBox (2,]pyridine) show strong near-infrared circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) within the 1400 to 1600 nm spectral region under 450 nm irradiation. CPL activity in this region, despite being particularly rare, would open the way to potential applications in the domain, e.g., of fiber-optic telecommunications and free-space long-distance optical communications employing circularly polarized light. Moreover, the long wavelength excitation is advantageous for applications in the field of (circularly polarized) microscopy and bioimaging.

We carried out a study of absorption (CD) and emission (CPL) chiroptical properties in the NIR region of two sets of Yb, Tm and Er complexes. The two complexes include...

We report the first example of very efficient NIR Circularly Polarized Luminescence (CPL) (around 970 nm) in water, obtained thanks to the combined use of a chiral Yb complex and of poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. [YbL(tta) 2 ]CH 3 COO (L = N, N'-bis(2-pyridylmethylidene)-1,2-(R,R + S,S) cyclohexanediamine and tta = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) shows good CPL in organic solvents, because the tta ligands efficiently sensitize Yb NIR lumines-cence and the readily prepared chiral ligand L endows the complex with the necessary dissymmetry. PLGA nanoparticles incorporate the complex and protect the metal ion from the intrusion of solvent molecules, while ensuring biocompatibility, water solubility and stability to the complex. Hydrophilic NIR-CPL optical probes can find applications in the field of NIR-CPL bio-assays.

Efficient near-infrared circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) between 1400 and 1600 nm of four enantiomer pairs of homo- and heteroleptic complexes have been successfully measured. Utilising inexpensive optics and a commercial...

Strongly electric fish use gradients of ions within their bodies to generate stunning external electrical discharges; the most powerful of these organisms, the Atlantic torpedo ray, can produce pulses of over 1 kW from its electric organs. Despite extensive study of this phenomenon in nature, the development of artificial power generation schemes based on ion gradients for portable, wearable, or implantable human use has remained out of reach. Previously, an artificial electric organ inspired by the electric eel demonstrated that electricity generated from ion gradients within stacked hydrogels can exceed 100 V. The current of this power source, however, was too low to power standard electronics. Here, an artificial electric organ inspired by the unique morphologies of torpedo rays for maximal current output is introduced. This power source uses a hybrid material of hydrogel‐infused paper to create, organize, and reconfigure stacks of thin, arbitrarily large gel films in series and in parallel. The resulting increase in electrical power by almost two orders of magnitude compared to the original eel‐inspired design makes it possible to power electronic devices and establishes that biology's mechanism of generating significant electrical power can now be realized from benign and soft materials in a portable size.