The separation of toluene (Tol) and pyridine (Py) azeotropes is significant in the chemical industry.

The complexation and separation of industrially important cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethene (cis- and trans-DCE) isomers using perethylated pillar[5]arene (EtP5) are described. EtP5 exhibits considerable binding capability for the trans-DCE isomer over the cis-DCE in organic solution. Furthermore, nonporous adaptive crystals (NACs) of EtP5 can efficiently separate trans-DCE from a 50 : 50 (v/v) cis/trans-isomer mixture.

Organic co‐crystal engineering offers a convenient and efficient platform for preparing photothermal conversion (PTC) materials. However, current donor–acceptor (D–A) co‐crystals generally have medium photothermal performance. Here, an inclusion co‐crystal strategy is presented, i.e., host–guest encapsulation of small acceptor inside donor‐type macrocycle's cavity, to enhance PTC efficiency through the promotion of D–A binding. A naphthyl‐sidewall Tröger's base (TB[2]) molecular box donor is elaborately designed, which can encapsulate electron‐deficient 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) to form a 1:2 ternary inclusion charge‐transfer (CT) co‐crystal via the synergism of multiple noncovalent forces. Under 808 nm laser irradiation (0.7 W cm ⁻² ), the PTC efficiency of co‐crystals is as high as 94.3%. The co‐crystals are further introduced into the porous polymer of polyurethane (PU) to prepare an interfacial evaporator (TB‐TCNQ@PU) for solar‐driven water evaporation. Under 1 Sun irradiation, a high‐water evaporation rate of 1.746 kg m ⁻² h ⁻¹ and a prominent solar‐to‐vapor efficiency of 93.8% are achieved. This work opens new avenues for the efficient PTC materials.

A phosphorescence enhancement of pyridinium macrocycles/monomers phosphors are realized with up to 14.7-fold prolonging of phosphorescence lifetimes and visible afterglow by doping into poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA) matrix.