A Universal Approach to Determine the Atomic Layer Numbers in Two-Dimensional Materials Using Dark-Field Optical Contrast.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials possess unique properties primarily due to the quantum confinement effect, which highly depends on their thicknesses. Identifying the number of atomic layers in these materials is a crucial, yet challenging step. However, the commonly used optical reflection method offers only very low contrast.

Ir-CoO Active Centers Supported on Porous Al O Nanosheets as Efficient and Durable Photo-Thermal Catalysts for CO Conversion.

Photo-thermal catalytic CO hydrogenation is currently extensively studied as one of the most promising approaches for the conversion of CO into value-added chemicals under mild conditions; however, achieving desirable conversion efficiency and target product selectivity remains challenging. Herein, the fabrication of Ir-CoO/Al O catalysts derived from Ir/CoAl LDH composites is reported for photo-thermal CO methanation, which consist of Ir-CoO ensembles as active centers that are evenly anchored on amorphous Al O nanosheets. A CH production rate of 128.

Transition metal elements-doped SnO for ultrasensitive and rapid ppb-level formaldehyde sensing.

Pristine SnO, Fe-doped SnO and Ni-doped SnO were synthesized using facile hydrothermal method. Analysis based on XRD, TEM and UV-Vis DRS measurements demonstrated the successful insertion of Fe and Ni dopants into SnO crystal. Formaldehyde-detection measurements revealed that transition metal-doped SnO exhibited improved formaldehyde-sensing properties compared with that of pristine SnO.

NIR-Ⅱ window Triple-mode antibacterial Nanoplatform: Cationic Copper sulfide nanoparticles combined vancomycin for synergistic bacteria eradication.

The widespread use of antibiotics leads to the increasing drug resistance of bacteria and poses a threat to human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new antibacterial strategies. Herein, based on the good photothermal properties of Copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles under near infrared (NIR) laser, we developed a NIR-Ⅱ window triple-mode synergetic antibacterial cCuS (cationic CuS) @Vancomycin (Van) nanoplatform.

Recent Advancements on Photothermal Conversion and Antibacterial Applications over MXenes-Based Materials.

Highlights: Fabrication, characterizations and photothermal properties of MXenes are systematically described. Photothermal-derived antibacterial performances and mechanisms of MXenes-based materials are summarized and reviewed. Recent advances in the derivative applications relying on antibacterial properties of MXenes-based materials, including in vitro and in vivo sterilization, solar water evaporation and purification, and flexible antibacterial fabrics, are investigated.

A ratiometric fluorescent biosensor based on self-fluorescent MOF and target-triggered rolling circle amplification for sensitive detection of exosome-derived miRNA.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered as biomarkers and display great potential in the diagnosis of diseases. As a colorectal cancer (CRC)-associated miRNA biomarker, miR-92a-3p possesses higher concentration in exosomes than in serum, causing it more feasible to diagnose CRC by measuring the concentration of miR-92a-3p inside exosomes. Herein, a rationally-engineered ratiometric fluorescent biosensor is proposed to detect the concentration of exosomal miR-92a-3p.

Synergistic photodynamic/photothermal bacterial inactivation over heterogeneous quaternized chitosan/silver/cobalt phosphide nanocomposites.

Globally, drug-resistant bacteria are a potential threat to human society owing to the overuse of antibiotics and thus, non-antibiotic bactericides are urgently needed. Herein, an innovative antibacterial nanoplatform based on quaternized chitosan (QCS)/ silver (Ag)/ cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanocomposites is envisaged for achieving near-infrared (NIR) laser-inducible rapid sterilisation. In the core-shell hybrids, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with a size of ∼ 25 nm were uniformly deposited on CoP nanoneedles, upon which a layer of QCS (approximately 10 wt%), is coated.

Shining light on transition metal sulfides: New choices as highly efficient antibacterial agents.

Globally, millions of people die of microbial infection-related diseases every year. The more terrible situation is that due to the overuse of antibiotics, especially in developing countries, people are struggling to fight with the bacteria variation. The emergence of super-bacteria will be an intractable environmental and health hazard in the future unless novel bactericidal weapons are mounted.

Enhanced magnetic anisotropy and Curie temperature of the NiI monolayer by applying strain: a first-principles study.

Two-dimensional (2D) intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductors with high magnetic anisotropy (MA) and Curie temperature (TC) are desirable for low-dimensional spintronic applications. We present here the structural stability, MA and TC of the semiconducting NiI2 monolayer under strain from -4% to 4% using first-principles calculations. The unstrained NiI2 monolayer exhibits an in-plane magnetic anisotropy energy of -0.