Electrochemical reduction of CO is an efficient and novel strategy to reduce the amount of this greenhouse-effect pollutant gas in the atmosphere while synthesizing value-added products, all of it with an easy synergy with intermittent renewable energies. This study investigates the influence of different ways of combining electrodeposited Cu and Sn as metallic elements in the electrocatalyst. From there, the use of Sn alone or with a small amount of Cu beneath is investigated, and finally, the best catalyst obtained, which has Sn over a slight Cu layer, is evaluated in consecutive cycles to make an initial exploration of the catalyst durability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToday, diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases that affects the population on a worldwide scale. Patients suffering from this disease are required to control their blood-glucose levels several times a day through invasive methods such as piercing their fingers. Our NaGdF: 5% Er, 3% Nd nanoparticles demonstrate a remarkable ability to detect D-glucose levels by analysing alterations in their red-to-green ratio, since this sensitivity arises from the interaction between the nanoparticles and the OH groups present in the D-glucose molecules, resulting in discernible changes in the emission of the green and red bands.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present work, CuS nanoparticles were biorecovered from a real acid mine drainage (AMD) and its photocatalytic and antibacterial activities were studied. CuS were formed by delivering biogenic HS produced by a continuous sulfidogenic bioreactor to an off-line vessel containing the AMD. The main physico-chemical properties of CuS nanoparticles were analyzed by UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, FE-SEM, XRD and XPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of sulfidogenic bioreactors is a biotechnology trend to recover valuable metals such as copper and zinc as sulfide biominerals from mine-impacted waters. In the present work, ZnS nanoparticles were produced using "green" HS gas generated by a sulfidogenic bioreactor. ZnS nanoparticles were physico-chemically characterized by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, TEM, XRD and XPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe neurological phenotype of 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA hydrolase (HIBCH) and short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (SCEH) defects is expanding and natural history studies are necessary to improve clinical management. From 42 patients with Leigh syndrome studied by massive parallel sequencing, we identified five patients with SCEH and HIBCH deficiency. Fourteen additional patients were recruited through collaborations with other centres.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTwo new methods for covalent functionalization of GaN based on plasma activation of its surface are presented. Both of them allow attachment of sulfonated luminescent ruthenium(II) indicator dyes to the p- and n-type semiconductor as well as to the surface of nonencapsulated chips of GaN light-emitting diodes (blue LEDs). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the functionalized semiconductor confirms the formation of covalent bonds between the GaN surface and the dye.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCovalent tethering of a Ru(II) dye to gallium nitride surfaces has been accomplished as a key step in the development of innovative sensing devices in which the indicator support (semiconductor) plays the role of both support and excitation source. Luminescence emission decays and time-resolved emission spectra confirm the presence of the dye on the semiconductor surfaces, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy proves its covalent bonding. The O(2) sensitivity of the new device is comparable to those of other ruthenium-based sensor systems.
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