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Forest and co-workers report on p. 2029 that nematic polymer nanocomposite (NPNC) films can be processed in steady shear flows, which generate complex orientational distributions of the nanorod inclusions. Distribution functions for a benchmark NPNC (1.02 vol.-% of 1 nm ร 200 nm rods) are computed for a range of shear rates, yielding a bifurcation diagram with steady states at very low (logrolling) and high (flow-aligning) shear rates, and limit cycles (tumbling, wagging, kayaking) at intermediate shear rates. The orientational distributions dictate the effective conductivity tensor of the NPNC film, which is computed for all distribution functions, and extract the maximum principal conductivity enhancement (E max , averaged in time for periodic distributions) relative to the matrix. The result is a "property bifurcation diagram" for NPNC films, which predicts an optimal shear rate that maximizes E max .
An in-depth survey of the fascinating recent advances in the synthesis and functionalization of monodisperse colloidal spheres is presented by Xia and co-workers on p. 1907. This Feature Article covers three different synthetic strategies: the bottomup approach, the top-down approach, and template-directed synthesis. The colloidal spheres may have a solid, hollow, or core/shell structure, and the chemical compositions are widely variable. As an example, the fabrication of Ag 2 Se-based photonic crystals whose stop-bands can be thermally switched between two spectral positions is demonstrated.
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## Organic Light-Emitting Materials Rare red-fluorescent fluorene derivatives have been designed and synthesized, as shown on p. 231 by Chen and co-workers. The long-wavelength red fluorescence is achieved by incorporating a di(4-tolyl)amino or diphenylamino electron donor and a dicyanovinyl elect
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