Graphene exhibits exceptional properties, including high tensile strength, mechanical stiffness, and electron mobility. Chemical functionalization of graphene with boron and nitrogen is a powerful strategy for tuning these properties for specific applications. Molecular self-assembly provides an efficient pathway for the tailored synthesis of doped graphene, depending on the molecular precursor used. This study presents a scalable approach to synthesizing large-area boron- and nitrogen-doped graphene using two borazine precursors bearing thiol functionalities. After self-assembly on electropolished polycrystalline copper foil, the precursors undergo photopolymerization under UV irradiation, and subsequent annealing in vacuum transforms the cross-linked BN-doped layer into a graphenoid structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the integration of the borazine rings into the BNC architecture, while Raman spectroscopy reveals a red shift in the characteristic G bands along with intense and broad D bands, highlighting boron–nitrogen contributions. Transmission electron microscopy provides insight into the morphology and structural quality of the BNC films. The BNC films were successfully integrated as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells, achieving a power conversion efficiency of up to 6% under 1 sun illumination and 11.8% under low-intensity indoor ambient light. Hence, this work not only establishes a straightforward, controllable route for heteroatom doping but also introduces a novel concept of Pt-free counter electrodes for efficient indoor energy harvesting applications.

The present Protocol describes the application of the catalyst-transfer macrocyclization (CTM) reaction, focusing on the synthesis of aza[1_n]paracyclophanes (APCs). APCs are fully π-conjugated shape-persistent macrocycles with potential supramolecular chemistry and materials science applications. This method leverages the Pd-catalyzed Buchwald–Hartwig cross-coupling reaction to selectively form π-conjugated cyclic structures, a significant advancement due to its efficiency, versatility, and scalability. Overall, this Article highlights the following attributes of the CTM method: a) Efficiency and Yield: The CTM method works at mild temperatures (40 °C) and short reaction times (≥2 h), producing high yields of APCs (>75% macrocycles). It avoids the typical high-dilution conditions, making it more practical for large-scale applications. b) Versatility: The method allows the synthesis of APCs with diverse endocyclic and exocyclic functionalities and ring sizes (typically from 4- to 9-membered rings), expanding the chemical space for these compounds. This flexibility is crucial for tailoring APC properties for specific applications. c) Scalability and Reproducibility: Unlike many macrocyclization reactions, which require highly dilute conditions, CTM can perform under concentrated regimes (35–350 mM), making it more suitable for large-scale applications. d) Applications in Materials Science: APCs are noted for their potential in optoelectronic applications due to their π-conjugated structures, which are helpful in organic semiconductors, light-harvesting systems, and other advanced materials. This approach addresses the challenge of complicated multistep syntheses that have hindered the widespread integration of APCs into functional devices. A step-by-step guide to preparing exemplary APCs, including troubleshooting, is provided with photographic illustrations.

This study presents a grey-to-colourless hybrid electrochromic device combining a novel red-to-colourless polymer with blue-to-colourless Prussian blue. The device achieves a neutral tint in both the dark and bleached states, with notable changes in visible light transmittance and fast response.

Implementing novel metal-free and strongly absorbing donor–acceptorsensitizers without carboxylic acid anchoring groups are still a frontier in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Herein, the facile synthesis of a strongly absorbingsensitizer combining three 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobuta-1,3-diene (TCBD) anchoringmoieties with a borazine core instead of the classical cyano anchoring groups,such as tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), andthe dimethyl-phenyl amino donor group, is disclosed. This results in a 1.6-foldincrease in solar energy conversion efficiency compared to DSSCs with thereference sensitizers (TCBD-dimethyl-amino-phenyl core) and the prior art cyano-sensitizers with TCNE and TCNG anchors. The advantages of the TCBD-borazinedesign are twofold: 1) threefold increase in absorption extinction coefficient aswell as 2) a reduction in back electron transfer and aggregation behavior upon dyeadsorption onto the semiconducting electrode, resulting in 45% and 23%improvement in open-circuit voltage (V oc) and short-circuit current density (J sc ),respectively, compared to those of the prior art. Overall, this work highlights aneasy-to-design of cyano-sensitizer that results in a significant improvement ofsolar energy conversion when using borazine frameworks for the first time.