Shape controllable MoS nanocrystals prepared by the single precursor route for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

MoS has attracted great attention as a prospective electrocatalyst for generating hydrogen water electrolysis due to its abundant and inexpensive sources. However, bulk MoS has weak electrocatalytic activity because of its low electrical conductivity and few edge-active sites. Controllable synthesis of MoS with ultrasmall size or complex morphology may be an available strategy to boost its conductivity and edge-active sites.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-assisted synthesis of highly water-stable cadmium-based metal-organic framework nanosheets for the detection of metronidazole.

Recently, much effort has been dedicated to ultra-thin two-dimensional metal-organic framework (2D MOF) nanosheets due to their outstanding properties, such as ultra-thin morphology, large specific surface area, abundant modifiable active sites, However, the preparation of high-quality 2D MOF nanosheets in good yields still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we report 2D cadmium-based metal-organic framework (Cd-MOF) nanosheets prepared in a one-pot polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted synthesis method with high yield. The Cd-MOF nanosheets were characterized with good stability and dispersion in aqueous systems, and were highly selective and sensitive to the antibiotic metronidazole (MNZ) with low limit of detection (LOD: 0.

Rhodamine-based chemosensor for Sn detection and its application in nanofibrous film and bioimaging.

A simple rhodamine-based compound CK was designed and synthesized as a fluorescent chemosensor for Sn based on Sn-mediated cyclization. The optical investigation indicated that the probe could quantitatively detect Sn in a concentration range of 10-30 μM, with a detection limit of 118 nM. Moreover, probe CK, with low cytotoxicity, was successfully applied for imaging of Sn in HeLa cells and mice, exhibiting excellent biocompatibility and cell membrane permeability.