http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/functional_materials/ Dear Colleagues, Research and development of novel functional hybrid materials and nanocomposites with extraordinary functionalities has become one of the most expanding fields in materials chemistry during recent years. One reason for this is that this class of research bridges various scientific disciplines. In an interdisciplinary manner, inorganic and organic chemistry, physical and biological sciences are united in the search for novel methods to create unique materials. The compounds formed often possess exciting new properties for future functional meterials and technological applications. The forthcoming special issues of the "International Journal of Molecular Sciences" shall meet the requirements for an actual overview over this most interesting research discipline. Prof. Dr. Helmut Rosemeyer Guest Editor   Submission All papers should be submitted to ijms@mdpi.com. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special issue website. Submitted papers should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors is available on the Instructions for Authors page. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed monthly journal published by MDPI. Open Access publication fees are 800 CHF per paper. English correction fees and/or formatting fees (250 CHF) will be added in certain cases (1050 CHF per paper for those papers that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections).   Leading Papers and Reviews Hybrid Materials - Synthesis, Characteriztion and Applications; Kickelbick, G., Ed.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2007. Rao, C.N.R.; Müller, A.; Cheetham, A.K. The Chemistry of Nanomaterials, Synthesis; Properties and Applications; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2004; Vol. 1 and 2. Nanofabrication Towards Biomedical Applications, Techniques, Tools, Applications and Impact; Challa, S.S.; Kumar, R.; Hormes, J.; Leuschner C., Eds.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2005 Functional Hybrid Materials; Gomez-Romero, P.; Sanchez, C., Eds.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2004 Bioelectronics, From Theory to Applications; Willner, I.; Katz, E.,Eds.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2005 Nanobiotechnology, Concepts, Applications and Perspectives; Niemeyer, C.M.; Mirkin, C.A., Eds.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2004 Rosemeyer, H. Nucleolipids: Natural Occurrence, Synthesis, Molecular Recognition, and Supramolecular Assemblies as Potential Precursors of Life and Bioorganic Materials. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 2005, 2, 977-1063. Storhoff, J.J.; Mirkin, C.A. Programmed Materials Synthesis with DNA. Chem. Rev. 1999, 99, 1849-1862.   http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/11/2278/ A novel co-polymer based on 2-hydroxypropyl-α-cyclodextrin cross-linked by low molecular weight polyethylenimine was synthesized as a gene delivery vector. The copolymer could bind and condense DNA tightly. It showed lower cytotoxicity than PEI 25kDa in SK-BR-3 cells. Transfection efficiency was increased over 5.5-fold higher than PEI 25 kDa in SK-BR-3 cells in complete serum medium. It is a potential candidate vector for gene therapy. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/11/2278/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CET International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2008-11-21 9 11 Article 2278 2289 1422-0067 A Novel Co-polymer Based on Hydroxypropyl α-Cyclodextrin Conjugated to Low Molecular Weight Polyethylenimine as an in Vitro Gene Delivery Vector 2008-11-21 doi: 10.3390/ijms9112278 Hongliang Huang Hai Yu Da Li Yang Liu Fenping Shen Jun Zhou Qingqing Wang Guping Tang http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/8/1527/ Even though organic light-emitting device (OLED) technology has evolved to a point where it is now an important competitor to liquid crystal displays (LCDs), further scientific efforts devoted to the design, engineering and fabrication of OLEDs are required for complete commercialization of this technology. Along these lines, the present work reviews the essentials of OLED technology putting special focus on the general working principle of single and multilayer OLEDs, fluorescent and phosphorescent emitter materials as well as transfer processes in host materials doped with phosphorescent dyes. Moreover, as a prototypical example of phosphorescent emitter materials, a brief discussion of homo- and heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes is enclosed concentrating on their synthesis, photophysical properties and approaches for realizing iridium based phosphorescent polymers. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/8/1527/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CEST International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2008-08-26 9 8 Review 1527 1547 1422-0067 Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices: Working Principle and Iridium Based Emitter Materials 2008-08-26 doi: 10.3390/ijms9081527 Stefan Kappaun Christian Slugovc Emil J. W. List http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/4/486/ The supramolecular layer-by-layer assembly of 3D multicomponent nanostructures of nanoparticles is demonstrated. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) was used as the patterning tool for making patterned β-cyclodextrin (CD) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and for the confinement of nanoparticles on the substrate. A densely packed and multilayered nanoparticle structure was created by alternating assembly steps of complementary guest- (Fc-SiO2, 60 nm) and host-functionalized (CD-Au, 3 nm) nanoparticles. The effects induced by the order of the nanoparticle assembly steps, going from large to small and from small to large nanoparticles by using Fc-SiO2, CD-Au, and CD-SiO2 (350 nm) nanoparticles, were compared. AFM height profiles revealed that the specific supramolecular assembly of nanoparticles was self-limited, i.e. one nanoparticle layer per assembly step, allowing the control over the thickness of the supramolecular hybrid nanostructure by choosing the size of the nanoparticles, irrespective of the core material of the nanoparticles. The roughness of structure, observed by AFM imaging of the top layer, was directly influenced by the size and packing of the underlying nanoparticle layers. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/4/486/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CEST International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2008-04-04 9 4 Article 486 497 1422-0067 Supramolecular Layer-by-Layer Assembly of 3D Multicomponent Nanostructures via Multivalent Molecular Recognition 2008-04-04 doi: 10.3390/ijms9040486 Xing Yi Ling In Yee Phang David N. Reinhoudt G. Julius Vancso Jurriaan Huskens http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/3/383/ A new polyacetylene derivative with electroactive thiophene substituent, namely poly(2-methylbut-2-enyl thiophene-3-carboxylate) was synthesized and characterized. For this purpose, novel acetylene monomer was synthesized by the reaction of 3- thiophenecarboxylic acid with propargyl bromide and polymerized with a Rh catalyst to give the corresponding polymer. The chemical structure of the polymer was characterized to comprise the conjugated backbone and electroactive thiophene side group. UV spectral changes of the polymer with temperature were also studied. The polymer exhibited better thermal stability than the unsubstituted polyacetylenes. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/3/383/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CET International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2008-03-18 9 3 Article 383 393 1422-0067 Synthesis and Characterization of Polyacetylene with Side-chain Thiophene Functionality 2008-03-18 doi: 10.3390/ijms9030383 Banu Koz Baris Kiskan Yusuf Yagci http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/2/120/ We report here the modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with a kind of polysaccharide, carboxymethylated chitosan (cmCs), and their potential usage as donor-acceptor nanohybrids. The modified composites (cmCs/MWNTs) were characterized by high-resolution TEM, FT-IR, TGA and time-resolved spectroscopy. The time-resolved spectroscopic experiments revealed that interfacial electron transfer readily takes place between MWNTs and surface immobilized cmCs chains. The forward electron transfer is fast (> 20 ns) while the backward recombination is slow. The recombination process strongly depends on the chain length of carboxylmethylated chitosan, i.e. a shorter recombination lifetime (~1.1 µs) for the shorter-chain cmCs coated MWNTs against that of the longer-chain cmCs coated MWNTs (~3.5 µs). The results demonstrated that the cmCs/MWNTs composite may be applied as a controllable donor-acceptor nanohybrid. http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/9/2/120/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CET International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2008-02-05 9 2 Article 120 130 1422-0067 Noncovalently Modified Carbon Nanotubes with Carboxymethylated Chitosan: A Controllable Donor-Acceptor Nanohybrid 2008-02-05 doi: 10.3390/ijms9020120 Dewu Long Guozhong Wu Guanglai Zhu