Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) was performed for the first time in G4 research in which chirality transfer from G4 to the achiral dye. Opposite CPL signals are obtained on mirror d-/l-enantiomers and parallel/antiparallel G4 changes.

Surfactant-free rose-like copper sulfide (CuS) microflowers were prepared by a simple one-pot solvothermal method in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Large-scale rose-like products with uniform morphology can be obtained when the reaction time was 60 min. When polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was added as a surfactant, rose-like CuS microflowers cannot be obtained while CuS microspheres or multiplates can be achieved with different mole ratios of sulfur and copper ions. The growth mechanism of the rose-like CuS microflowers was proposed. The low-viscosity DMF is believed to play an important role in the formation of the rose-like microflowers which were self-assembled by nanosheets. It was found that these rose-like CuS microflowers have enhanced photocatalytic behaviors in decoloring organic dyes compared with the CuS microspheres and multiplates because of their mesoporous structure, high optical absorption in the visible-light region and large specific surface area.

Chiral CuS NPs were prepared through a ligand-exchange process and CPL-controlled photothermal performance was realized.

Hexagonal CuS nanosheets and microspheres composed of numerous flakes were successfully prepared by sonochemical and solvothermal methods, respectively. Ultrasonic radiation and templates of Cu(OH)₂ nanoribbons play important roles in the growth of CuS nanosheets. The surfactant PVP restricts the diffusion and growth process, inducing the formation of CuS microspheres under solvothermal conditions. Their better crystallinity, larger interlayer distance and incompact structure made the CuS nanosheets more conducive to the transport of sodium ions. Electrochemical studies showed that the nanosheet electrode exhibits better sodium storage performance compared to the CuS microspheres. The higher specific surface area (25.209 m² g⁻¹) of the CuS nanosheets provides a larger electrode/electrolyte contact area in the sodiation–desodiation process. The first discharge capacity of the CuS nanosheets could reach 398.6 mA h g⁻¹ which is 71.18% of the theoretical capacity (560 mA h g⁻¹). These results indicate that incompact structures have an advantage in storing sodium ions compared with compact structures.