Advances in MXene-based luminescence sensing strategies.

MXenes have attracted the attention of many researchers as one of the latest two-dimensional (2D) materials over the last decade. Their great potential for biosensing has also been fully exploited after the discovery of their unique properties such as superior optical properties, excellent hydrophilicity, good thermal stability, excellent mechanical property, high electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, large surface area, and ease of surface functionalization. In the MXene-based luminescence sensing strategy, MXenes typically appear in the form of nanosheets, quantum dots and modified MXene nanocomposites, and they are utilized as different sensing platforms or as a luminescence source.

Sustainable triethylenetetramine modified sulfonated graphene oxide/chitosan composite for enhanced adsorption of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) ions.

A novel sulfonated group and triethylenetetramine modified GO/chitosan (GO-CS) adsorbent (T-SGO-CS) was successfully prepared and utilized for the adsorption of heavy metal ions from single-metal, binary-metal, and ternary-metal solutions. In a single system, the adsorption capacity was 312.28 mg/g for Pb, 260.

Size-controllable synthesis of large-size spherical 3D covalent organic frameworks as efficient on-line solid-phase extraction sorbents coupled to HPLC.

Background: Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have found promising applications in separation fields due to their large surface area and high adsorption capacity, but the exiting COFs can not be directly used as the packing materials of on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to HPLC and HPLC because their nano/submicron size or irregular shapes might cause ultrahigh column back pressure and low column efficiency. To synthesize the large-size spherical COFs larger than 3 μm as sorbents might be able to address these problems, however it is still a great challenge till now.

Results: In this work, two large-size spherical 3D COFs (COF-320 and COF-300) were size-controllably synthesized within 10-90 μm via a two-step strategy.

Large-size porous spherical 3D covalent organic framework for preconcentration of bisphenol F in water samples and orange juice.

Large-size spherical sorbents with particle size of 10-50 μm are widely applied in separation fields, however it is still a great challenge to synthesize such large-size spherical covalent organic framework (COF). In this work, a type of large-size porous 3D COF was size-controablly synthesized via a two-step strategy, in which a large-size porous 3D spherical polymer was prepared first through a Pickering emulsion polymerization using nano silica as the stabilizer, and subsequently it was converted into porous spherical 3D COF by a solvothermal method. The as-prepared porous spherical COF (COF-320 as a model) showed size-controllable uniform spherical morphology within 15-45 μm, large specific surface area, fine crystalline structure, and good chemical stability.

Application of nanomaterials decorated with cyclodextrins as sensing elements for environment analysis.

Environmental pollution has brought adverse socio-economic consequences. Organic pollutants and heavy metals are the main culprits of environmental pollution. It is of great importance to develop novel, simple, rapid, sensitive, and low-cost detection approaches for sensing trace pollutants in environmental samples.

Thiol/methylthio-functionalized porous aromatic frameworks for simultaneous capture of aromatic pollutants and Hg(II) from water.

Simultaneously capturing organic pollutants and heavy metal can greatly reduce the water remediation time and cost, however it is still a great challenge presently. Herein, two novel thiol/methylthio-functionalized porous aromatic frameworks were synthesized as sorbents via the Sonogashira-Hagihara reaction of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene and 1,3,5-tris(4-bromophenyl) benzene, the subsequent chloromethylation of the phenyl rings, and the final nucleophile substitution of -Cl groups by NaSH/NaSMe. These two sorbents were characterized by FT-IR spectra, energy dispersive X-ray spectra, scanning electron microscope, nitrogen adsorption analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and elemental analyses.

Recent advances and applications of molecularly imprinted polymers in solid-phase extraction for real sample analysis.

Sample pretreatment is essential for the analysis of complicated real samples due to their complex matrices and low analyte concentrations. Among all sample pretreatment methods, solid-phase extraction is arguably the most frequently used one. However, the majority of available solid-phase extraction adsorbents suffer from limited selectivity.

Removal of pharmaceuticals by novel magnetic genipin-crosslinked chitosan/graphene oxide-SOH composite.

A novel magnetic adsorbent genipin-crosslinked chitosan/graphene oxide-SOH (GC/MGO-SOH) composite was prepared and used as adsorbents of environmental pollutant. The GC/MGO-SOH exhibit typical superparamagnetic behavior. The adsorption characteristics of GC/MGO-SOH composite to pharmaceuticals were investigated through batch experiments.

Novel porous β-cyclodextrin/pillar[5]arene copolymer for rapid removal of organic pollutants from water.

A novel porous β-cyclodextrin/pillar[5]arene copolymer was prepared using tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile as cross-linker for rapid removal of variety of organic pollutants. The copolymer was characterized by water contact angle, scanning electron microscope, FT-IR spectrum, solid-state C NMR spectrum, thermo-gravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and elemental analysis. Results showed that the co-polymer had good water immersibility, co-existing micro-/meso-pores, and a large specific surface area (BET) of 479 m/g.

Monolith columns for liquid chromatographic separations of intact proteins: A review of recent advances and applications.

In this article we survey 256 references (with an emphasis on the papers published in the past decade) on monolithic columns for intact protein separation. Protein enrichment and purification are included in the broadly defined separation. After a brief introduction, we describe the types of monolithic columns and modes of chromatographic separations employed for protein separations.

N-Doped graphene-supported PdCu nanoalloy as efficient catalyst for reducing Cr(vi) by formic acid.

Reducing Cr(vi) to Cr(iii) with formic acid is desirable for environmental protection, but the sluggish kinetics limits its practical application, which currently motivates the intensive study of efficient catalysts for this redox reaction. Here bimetallic PdCu nanoalloy (∼5 nm in size) supported by N-doped graphene was synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal process. The catalytic activity of PdCu nanoalloy highly depends on the Pd/Cu atomic ratio and N-doped graphene support.

Dummy molecularly imprinted magnetic nanoparticles for dispersive solid-phase extraction and determination of bisphenol A in water samples and orange juice.

A novel dummy molecularly imprinted magnetic nanoparticle (MI-MNP) was prepared by a hybrid imprinting technique for dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) and determination of bisphenol A (BPA). 2,2'-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-hexafluoropropane was used as the template molecule and FeO nanoparticle as the magnetic core. The MI-MNPs were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, thermo- gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer.

Novel surface dummy molecularly imprinted silica as sorbent for solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A from water samples.

A novel surface molecularly imprinted silica composite was prepared by a dummy-template imprinting strategy for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of bisphenol A (BPA). 2,2-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (BPAF) was chosen as the template molecule, and a hybrid technique was used for imprinting procedure. The imprinted silica was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms.

Dummy molecularly imprinted mesoporous silica prepared by hybrid imprinting method for solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A.

A novel hybrid dummy imprinting strategy was developed to prepare a mesoporous silica for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of bisphenol A (BPA). A new covalent template-monomer complex (BPAF-Si) was first synthesized with 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (BPAF) as the template. The imprinted silica was obtained through the gelation of BPAF-Si with tetraethoxysilane and the subsequent removal of template by thermal cleavage, and then it was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms.

Rapid degradation of Congo red by molecularly imprinted polypyrrole-coated magnetic TiO2 nanoparticles in dark at ambient conditions.

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated magnetic TiO2 nanocomposite was prepared, using methyl orange (MO) as the dummy template and pyrrole as functional monomer, for degradation of Congo red (CR). The nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The imprinting efficiency of the imprinted nanoparticles was investigated by static binding test, and their degradation ability toward CR was also studied.

Miniaturized electroosmotic pump capable of generating pressures of more than 1200 bar.

The pressure output of a pump cannot be increased simply by connecting several of them in series. This barrier is eliminated with the micropump developed in this work. The pump is actually an assembly of a number of fundamental pump units connected in series.

Stacking open-capillary electroosmotic pumps in series to boost the pumping pressure to drive high-performance liquid chromatographic separations.

Numerous micropumps have been developed, but few of them can produce adequate flow rate and pressure for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) applications. We have recently developed an innovative hybrid electroosmotic pump (EOP) to solve this problem. The basic unit of a hybrid pump consists of a +EOP (the pumping element is positively charged) and a -EOP (the pumping element is negatively charged).

Flow batteries for microfluidic networks: configuring an electroosmotic pump for nonterminal positions.

A micropump provides flow and pressure for a lab-on-chip device, just as a battery supplies current and voltage for an electronic system. Numerous micropumps have been developed, but none is as versatile as a battery. One cannot easily insert a micropump into a nonterminal position of a fluidic line without affecting the rest of the fluidic system, and one cannot simply connect several micropumps in series to enhance the pressure output, etc.

Monolithic silica capillary columns with immobilized cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) for enantiomer separations in CEC.

Two types of monolithic silica capillary columns with an immobilized cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) (CDMPC) selector were prepared for enantiomer separations in CEC. The monolithic columns were prepared by a sol-gel process in fused-silica capillaries. CDMPC was then either immobilized on a silica monolith through an intermolecular polycondensation of the cellulose derivative containing a triethoxysilyl group, or on a vinylized silica monolith through radical copolymerization of the cellulose derivative, which also contained a vinyl group.

Partition of horseradish peroxidase with maintained activity in aqueous biphasic system based on ionic liquid.

Enzyme activity and partition behavior in aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) consisting of ionic liquid (IL) and salt (IL-ABSs) were investigated to increase our understanding of IL-ABSs and shed light on their application potential as enzyme extraction system. With horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as the model enzyme, several effects of alkylimidazolium chloride-K(2)HPO(4) ABSs on activity and partition behavior of enzyme were studied including alkyl chain length of ILs and concentrations of each component. High lyotropic ILs (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) and adequate water content (>40%) were both essential for the activity maintenance of HRP in IL-ABS.

Molecularly imprinted silica prepared with immiscible ionic liquid as solvent and porogen for selective recognition of testosterone.

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF(4)), an ionic liquid (IL) immiscible with water, was used as a new type of solvent and porogen for the preparation of molecularly imprinted silica. The new imprinted silica was prepared by a sacrificial spacer molecular imprinting approach with testosterone as template molecule. The new covalent monomer-template complex used in the imprinting procedure was synthesized via the reaction of 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate with testosterone.

A functionalized gold nanoparticles and Rhodamine 6G based fluorescent sensor for high sensitive and selective detection of mercury(II) in environmental water samples.

A gold-nanoparticles (Au NPs)-Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) based fluorescent sensor for detecting Hg(II) in aqueous solution has been developed. Water-soluble and monodisperse gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) has been prepared facilely and further modified with thioglycolic acid (TGA). Free Rh6G dye was strongly fluorescent in bulk solution.

Functionalized CdS quantum dots-based luminescence probe for detection of heavy and transition metal ions in aqueous solution.

Strong luminescence CdS quantum dots (QDs) have been prepared and modified with l-cysteine by a facile seeds-assistant technique in water. They are water-soluble and highly stable in aqueous solution. CdS QDs evaluated as a luminescence probe for heavy and transition metal (HTM) ions in aqueous solution was systematically studied.