Extrinsic hydrophobicity-controlled silver nanoparticles as efficient and stable catalysts for CO electrolysis.

To realize economically feasible electrochemical CO conversion, achieving a high partial current density for value-added products is particularly vital. However, acceleration of the hydrogen evolution reaction due to cathode flooding in a high-current-density region makes this challenging. Herein, we find that partially ligand-derived Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) could prevent electrolyte flooding while maintaining catalytic activity for CO electroreduction.

Development and In Vivo Assessment of an Injectable Cross-Linked Cartilage Acellular Matrix-PEG Hydrogel Scaffold Derived from Porcine Cartilage for Tissue Engineering.

The cartilage acellular matrix (CAM) derived from porcine cartilage, which does not induce significant inflammation and provides an environment conducive for cell growth and differentiation, is a promising biomaterial candidate for scaffold fabrication. However, the CAM has a short period in vivo, and the in vivo maintenance is not controlled. Therefore, this study is aimed at developing an injectable hydrogel scaffold using a CAM.

Toward economical application of carbon capture and utilization technology with near-zero carbon emission.

Carbon capture and utilization technology has been studied for its practical ability to reduce CO emissions and enable economical chemical production. The main challenge of this technology is that a large amount of thermal energy must be provided to supply high-purity CO and purify the product. Herein, we propose a new concept called reaction swing absorption, which produces synthesis gas (syngas) with net-zero CO emission through direct electrochemical CO reduction in a newly proposed amine solution, triethylamine.

Gold Nanopyramid Arrays for Non-Invasive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Based Gastric Cancer Detection via sEVs.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal types of cancer affecting over one million people, leading to 768,793 deaths globally in 2020 alone. The key for improving the survival rate lies in reliable screening and early diagnosis. Existing techniques including barium-meal gastric photofluorography and upper endoscopy can be costly and time-consuming and are thus impractical for population screening.

Exploring dopant effects in stannic oxide nanoparticles for CO electro-reduction to formate.

The electrosynthesis of formate from CO can mitigate environmental issues while providing an economically valuable product. Although stannic oxide is a good catalytic material for formate production, a metallic phase is formed under high reduction overpotentials, reducing its activity. Here, using a fluorine-doped tin oxide catalyst, a high Faradaic efficiency for formate (95% at 100 mA cm) and a maximum partial current density of 330 mA cm (at 400 mA cm) is achieved for the electroreduction of CO.

Electrode reconstruction strategy for oxygen evolution reaction: maintaining Fe-CoOOH phase with intermediate-spin state during electrolysis.

Computational calculations and experimental studies reveal that the CoOOH phase and the intermediate-spin (IS) state are the key factors for realizing efficient Co-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, according to thermodynamics, general cobalt oxide converts to the CoO phase under OER condition, retarding the OER kinetics. Herein, we demonstrate a simple and scalable strategy to fabricate electrodes with maintaining Fe-CoOOH phase and an IS state under the OER.

Endogenous Stem Cell-Based In Situ Tissue Regeneration Using Electrostatically Interactive Hydrogel with a Newly Discovered Substance P Analog and VEGF-Mimicking Peptide.

The use of chemoattractants to promote endogenous stem cell-based in situ tissue regeneration has recently garnered much attention. This study is the first to assess the endogenous stem cell migration using a newly discovered substance P (SP) analog (SP1) by molecular dynamics simulations as an efficient chemoattractant. Further, a novel strategy based on electrostatic interaction using cationic chitosan (Ch) and anionic hyaluronic acid (HA) to prepare an SP1-loaded injectable C/H formulation without SP1 loss is developed.

High crystallinity design of Ir-based catalysts drives catalytic reversibility for water electrolysis and fuel cells.

The voltage reversal of water electrolyzers and fuel cells induces a large positive potential on the hydrogen electrodes, followed by severe system degradation. Applying a reversible multifunctional electrocatalyst to the hydrogen electrode is a practical solution. Ir exhibits excellent catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), and hydrogen oxidation reactions (HOR), yet irreversibly converts to amorphous IrO at potentials > 0.

Solution-processed near-infrared Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) photodetectors with enhanced chalcopyrite crystallization and bandgap grading structure via potassium incorporation.

Although solution-processed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) (CIGS) absorber layers can potentially enable the low-cost and large-area production of highly stable electronic devices, they have rarely been applied in photodetector applications. In this work, we present a near-infrared photodetector functioning at 980 nm based on solution-processed CIGS with a potassium-induced bandgap grading structure and chalcopyrite grain growth. The incorporation of potassium in the CIGS film promotes Se uptake in the bulk of the film during the chalcogenization process, resulting in a bandgap grading structure with a wide space charge region that allows improved light absorption in the near-infrared region and charge carrier separation.

Achieving over 15% Efficiency in Solution-Processed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) Thin-Film Solar Cells via a Heterogeneous-Formation-Induced Benign p-n Junction Interface.

Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) (CIGS) thin-film solar cells have attracted considerable interest in the field of photovoltaic devices due to their high efficiency and great potential for diverse applications. While CdS has been the most favorable n-type semiconductor because of its excellent lattice-match and electronic band alignment with p-type CIGS, its narrow optical band gap (∼2.4 eV) has limited light absorption in underlying CIGS absorber films.

The clinical significance of HERV-H LTR -associating 2 expression in cervical adenocarcinoma.

HERV-H LTR -associating 2 (HHLA2) is a recently discovered member of the B7-family of immune checkpoint molecules that is overexpressed in several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of HHLA2 in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) and the relationship between its expression and clinicopathological factors to assess its use as a potential marker for AC prognosis.This study included 76 patients diagnosed with cervical AC.

Impact of Absorber Layer Morphology on Photovoltaic Properties in Solution-Processed Chalcopyrite Solar Cells.

Solution-processed chalcopyrite solar cells can be economically produced on a large scale; however, for them to be commercially viable, their low efficiency and detrimental processing have to be overcome. To this end, extensive research efforts have been devoted to boost device efficiency and develop benign solution processes. In this review, relevant processes are categorized into molecular-based and particulate-based solution processes, and progress is evaluated in terms of device performance and processing.

Morphological-Electrical Property Relation in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) Solar Cells: Significance of Crystal Grain Growth and Band Grading by Potassium Treatment.

Solution-processed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)  (CIGS) has a great potential for the production of large-area photovoltaic devices at low cost. However, CIGS solar cells processed from solution exhibit relatively lower performance compared to vacuum-processed devices because of a lack of proper composition distribution, which is mainly instigated by the limited Se uptake during chalcogenization. In this work, a unique potassium treatment method is utilized to improve the selenium uptake judiciously, enhancing grain sizes and forming a wider bandgap minimum region.

Single-atom catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction: recent developments and future perspectives.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) possess the potential to achieve unique catalytic properties and remarkable catalytic mass activity by utilizing low-coordination and unsaturated active sites. However, smaller particles tend to aggregate into clusters or particles owing to their high surface energy. In addition, support materials that have strong interactions with isolated metal atoms, extremely large surface areas, and electrochemical stability are required.

An injectable click-crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogel modified with a BMP-2 mimetic peptide as a bone tissue engineering scaffold.

An injectable, click-crosslinking (Cx) hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel scaffold modified with a bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) mimetic peptide (BP) was prepared for bone tissue engineering applications. The injectable click-crosslinking HA formulation was prepared from HA-tetrazine (HA-Tet) and HA-cyclooctene (HA-TCO). The Cx-HA hydrogel scaffold was prepared simply by mixing HA-Tet and HA-TCO.

Preparation of a cross-linked cartilage acellular matrix-poly (caprolactone-ran-lactide-ran-glycolide) film and testing its feasibility as an anti-adhesive film.

To protect unwanted tissue adhesions occurring after surgeries, we aimed to fabricate an anti-adhesive film using cartilage acellular matrix (CAM) with anti-vascular inhibition activity. Additionally, to fabricate anti-adhesive films with tunable swelling, mechanical, and biodegradation properties, a biodegradable polyester (PEP) with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) in the chain end position was synthesized as a cross-linker. CAM/PEP (CP) films were prepared with various CAM: PEP ratios in the wide size with repeatable reproducibility, and then, cross-linked CP (Cx-CP) were obtained by the interpenetrating cross-linking reaction between the amine group on CAM and the NHS group on PEP cross-linkers under thermal treatment.

Boosting Solar Cell Performance via Centrally Localized Ag in Solution-Processed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) Thin Film Solar Cells.

Fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) (CIGSSe) absorber films from environmentally friendly solutions under ambient air conditions for use in solar cells has shown promise for the low-cost mass production of CIGSSe solar cells. However, the limited power conversion efficiency (PCE) of these solar cells compared with their vacuum-processed counterparts has been a critical setback to their practical applications. This study aims to fabricate solution-processed CIGSSe solar cells with high PCEs by incorporation of Ag into the precursor layer of the CIGSSe absorber films.

Electroactivation-induced IrNi nanoparticles under different pH conditions for neutral water oxidation.

Electrochemical oxidation processes can affect the electronic structure and activate the catalytic performance of precious-metal and transition-metal based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Also there are emerging requirements to develop OER electrocatalysts under various pH conditions in order to couple with different reduction reactions. Herein, we studied the effect of pH on the electroactivation of IrNi alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon (IrNi/C) and evaluated the electrocatalytic activities of the activated IrNiO/C for water oxidation under neutral conditions.

Injectable In Situ-Forming Hydrogels for Protein and Peptide Delivery.

Injectable in situ-forming hydrogels have been used clinically in diverse biomedical applications. These hydrogels have distinct advantages such as easy management and minimal invasiveness. The hydrogels are aqueous formulations, and a simple injection at the target site replaces a traditional surgical procedure.

Electrochemical β-Selective Hydrocarboxylation of Styrene Using CO and Water.

The carboxylation of hydrocarbons using CO as a one-carbon building block is an attractive route for the synthesis of carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Until now, chemical carboxylation catalyzed by organometallic nucleophiles and reductants has been generally adopted particularly for the precise selectivity control of carboxylation sites. As another approach, electrochemical carboxylation has been attempted but these carboxylation reactions are limited to only a few pathways.

Synthesis of V-doped InO Nanocrystals via Digestive-Ripening Process and Their Electrocatalytic Properties in CO Reduction Reaction.

The development of synthetic methods for monodisperse nanomaterial is of great importance in science and technology related to nanomaterials. The strong demands to prepare exceptionally monodisperse nanocrystals have made digestive-ripening one of the most sought-after size-focusing processes. Although digestive-ripening processes have been demonstrated to produce various metals and semiconductors, their applicability to oxides has rarely been studied despite various unique properties and applications of oxide nanomaterials.

Nitramine-Group-Containing Energetic Prepolymer: Synthesis, and Its Properties as a Binder for Propellant.

A composite solid propellant which generates high propulsive force in a short time is typically composed of an oxidizer, a metal fuel powder and a binder. Among these, the binder is an important component. The binder maintains the mechanical properties of propellant grains and endures several thermal and mechanical stresses in the engine.

Substance P-loaded electrospun small intestinal submucosa/poly(ε-caprolactone)-ran-poly(l-lactide) sheet to facilitate wound healing through MSC recruitment.

In this work, we prepared an electrospun small intestinal submucosa/poly(ε-caprolactone)-ran-poly(l-lactide) (SIS/PCLA) sheet onto which substance P (SP) was loaded, and this was employed as a cell-free scaffold for wound healing through the mobilization of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). SP release from the SP-loaded scaffold was 42% at 12 h and 51% at 24 h due to an initial burst of SP, but after 1 day, it exhibited a linear release profile and was released at a sustained rate for 21 days. The SP-loaded SIS/PCLA sheet exhibited higher in vitro and in vivo hMSC migration than did the PCLA and SIS/PCLA sheets.