Kaolinite nanoscrolls, rolled kaolinite sheets with a tubular form, were prepared by a one-step route in which intercalation of guest species and swelling with solvent proceed at the same time. A methoxy-modified kaolinite was exfoliated by the intercalation of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride. The formation of nanoscrolls by the one-step route proceeded only by several alkyltrimethylammonium salts and 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Intercalation of primary amines caused the formation of nanoscrolls by a two-step route in which the intercalation and swelling proceed separately. The successful one-step route is ascribed to the relatively weak interactions between the head groups of guest species and the interlayer surface of methoxy-modified kaolinite, and the interaction is thought to allow the formation of a flexible array of interlayer guest species for swelling. The tubular structure was mostly retained after the heat treatment at 600 °C to form hierarchically porous aluminosilicates with amorphous frameworks. The nanoscrolls intercalated organic guests species, which are not directly intercalated into methoxy-modified kaolinite, between the scrolled layers. The formation route to nanoscrolls is quite dependent not only on the surface modification of kaolinite but also on the structure of guest species.

Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDHNPs) with exceptionally small particle sizes are synthesized using a tripodal ligand of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THAM). For example, a LDHNP with the average size of 9.7 nm (denoted as LDH(10 nm), containing CO 3 2− in the interlayer), can be synthesized using a 2.0 M THAM solution. The 13 C CP/MAS NMR and FTIR analyses show that THAM is ligated to the layer as an alkoxide species. The average particle size of LDH synthesized using L-lysine (buffering base) instead of THAM is larger (47.9 nm) than that of LDH(10 nm). Therefore, the size reduction is possibly explained by the specific interaction of THAM with the layer via its multiple coordination. In addition, it is confirmed by the 13 C CP/MAS NMR analysis that LDH(10 nm) possesses CO 3 2− species weakly interacting with the layers. LDHNPs, in particular, as-synthesized LDH(10 nm) (denoted as LDH(10 nm)-as, containing CO 3 2− and Cl − in the interlayer), possesses the extremely high anion exchange abilities, and almost all anions in LDH(10 nm)-as are potentially exchangeable with NO 3 − , even under ambient (CO 2 -existing) conditions. Furthermore, LDH(10 nm)-as can act as an efficient reusable scavenger for harmful oxyanions and remove arsenic, selenium, and boron from their dilute aqueous solutions under ambient conditions.

An Ag4 diamond is encapsulated by silicotungstate ligands in TBA8[Ag4(DMSO)2(γ‐H2SiW10O36)2]⋅2 DMSO⋅2 H2O (Ag4; DMSO=dimethyl sulfoxide, TBA=tetra‐n‐butylammonium), which was obtained by reaction of TBA4H4[γ‐SiW10O36] with AgOAc in an organic medium. Polyoxometalate Ag4 (see picture) selectively catalyzes hydrolytic oxidation of various silanes to the corresponding silanols in high yields (72–96 %).

How did the collaborationo nt his project start? This work is ac ollaboration between two research groups in Waseda University (Kuroda-Shimojima-Wada Laboratory,w ith an interest in the synthesis of inorganic solids from molecular precursors) and the University of To kyo (Mizuno-Yamaguchi Laboratory, with an interest in the catalysis of metal oxide cluster compounds like polyoxometalates). The collaboration started when one of the authors (Y.K.) moved between these groups. During many discussions , we came to the idea that several polyoxometalates can be regarded as building blocks of inorganic solids, and techniques developed specially for the chemical design of polyoxometalates can also be applied to inorganic solids like brucite-type layered metal hydroxides. Thus, we succeeded in establishing the novel synthetic concept of hybrid metal hydroxide nanosheets by combining the chemistries of layered metal hydroxides and polyoxometalates. What is the most significant result of this study? The modification reaction developed in this study can be applied to aw ide range of materials, in terms of constituent metallic elements of metal hydroxide nanosheets and those of surface functional groups. Because tripodal ligands have flexible tridentate binding sites, they can adjust their conformations to metal hydrox-ide nanosheets with different lattice constants;t his is expressed by the phrase "one-size-fits-all modifier" in the title. What was the inspiration for this cover design? The cover design was inspired by the Japanese Sushi culture. We enjoy various fishes in as tandardized style, in which as lice of af ish is placed on av inegared rice ball. In this study,w ec an provide various metal hydroxide nanosheets in as tandardized method. The future goal of this study will be the production of designed nanosheets which satisfy the demands of functional devices , in the same way as aS ushi master makes flavored Sushi that fits the customer's taste. Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Yoshiyuki Kuroda and Kazuyuki Kuroda at the Waseda University in Tokyo. The image depicts how the production of diverse metal hydroxide nanosheets can be standardized in the same way as Sushi. Read the full text of the article at

By the reaction of TBA(4)H(4)[γ-SiW(10)O(36)] (TBA = tetra-n-butylammonium) with AgOAc (OAc = acetate) using dimethylphenylsilane as a reductant in acetone, a unique polyoxometalate containing a discrete octahedrally shaped [Ag(6)](4+) cluster, TBA(8)[Ag(6)(γ-H(2)SiW(10)O(36))(2)]·5H(2)O, could be synthesized, and the molecular structure was determined.

Cage-type mesoporous Pt with tunable large mesopores possessing smooth and rough pore surfaces were prepared selectively by the deposition of Pt in the absence and presence of a block copolymer in a hard-template, respectively.

Specific crystallographic planes of binary colloidal crystals consisting of silica nanoparticles are two-dimensionally replicated on the surface of gold nanoplates. The selectivity of the surface patterns is explained by the geometrical characteristics of the binary colloidal crystals as templates. The binary colloidal crystals with the AlB(2)- and NaZn(13)-type structures are fabricated from aqueous dispersions of stoichiometrically mixed silica nanoparticles with different sizes. The stoichiometry is precisely controlled on the basis of a seed growth of silica nanoparticles. Dimpled gold nanoplates are formed by the two-dimensional growth of gold between partially cleaved surfaces of templates. The selectivity of the surface patterns is explained using the AlB(2)-type binary colloidal crystal as a template. The surface pattern is determined by the preferential cleavage of the plane with the lowest density of particle-particle connections. The tendency to form well-defined cleavage in binary colloidal crystals is crucial to formation of dimpled gold nanoplates, which is explained using the NaZn(13)-type binary colloidal crystal as a template. Its complex structure does not show well-defined cleavage, and only distorted nanoplates are obtained. Therefore, the mechanism of the two-dimensional replication of binary colloidal crystals is reasonably explained on the basis of their periodic mesoscale structures and crystal-like properties.

The efficient surface reaction and rapid ion diffusion of nanocrystalline metal oxides have prompted considerable research interest for the development of high functional materials. Herein, we present a novel low-temperature method to synthesize ultrasmall nanocrystalline spinel oxides by controlling the hydration of coexisting metal cations in an organic solvent. This method selectively led to Li–Mn spinel oxides by tuning the hydration of Li+ ions under mild reaction conditions (i.e., low temperature and short reaction time). These particles exhibited an ultrasmall crystallite size of 2.3 nm and a large specific surface area of 371 ± 15 m2 g−1. They exhibited unique properties such as unusual topotactic Li+/H+ ion exchange, high-rate discharge ability, and high catalytic performance for several aerobic oxidation reactions, by creating surface phenomena throughout the particles. These properties differed significantly from those of Li–Mn spinel oxides obtained by conventional solid-state methods.