Pre-lithiation synergized with magnesiothermic reduction to enhance the performance of SiO anode for advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Due to its high theoretical specific capacity, micron-sized silicon monoxide (SiO) is regarded as one of the most competitive anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with high specific energy density. However, originating from the low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and large volume expansion, its large-scale application is seriously hindered. Herein, an easy-to-implement solid-state pre-lithiation method synergized with the magnesiothermic reduction process was performed to enhance the ICE of SiO and a common bimetallic hydride was used as a prelithiation reagent.

A hierarchical porous hard carbon@Si@soft carbon material for advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Silicon (Si) is considered as one of the most potential commercial materials for the next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to its high theoretical capacity and low voltage platform. However, the severe volume expansion and poor electric conductivity of Si anodes limit the practical application. Herein, a hierarchical porous hard carbon@Si@soft carbon (PHC@Si@SC) material was prepared by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and following calcination process.

Amorphous AlPO Layer Coating Vacuum Thermal Reduced SiO with Fine Silicon Grains to Enhance the Anode Stability.

Micrometer-sized silicon monoxide (SiO) is regarded as a high-capacity anode material with great potential for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, the problems of low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), poor electrical conductivity, and large volume change of SiO inevitably impede further application. Herein, the vacuum thermal reduced SiO with amorphous AlPO and carbon double-coating layers is used as the ideal anode material in LIBs.

Signal amplification by cyclic extension enables high-sensitivity single-cell mass cytometry.

Mass cytometry uses metal-isotope-tagged antibodies to label targets of interest, which enables simultaneous measurements of ~50 proteins or protein modifications in millions of single cells, but its sensitivity is limited. Here, we present a signal amplification technology, termed Amplification by Cyclic Extension (ACE), implementing thermal-cycling-based DNA in situ concatenation in combination with 3-cyanovinylcarbazole phosphoramidite-based DNA crosslinking to enable signal amplification simultaneously on >30 protein epitopes. We demonstrate the utility of ACE in low-abundance protein quantification with suspension mass cytometry to characterize molecular reprogramming during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition as well as the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition.

High-resolution imaging of protein secretion at the single-cell level using plasmon-enhanced FluoroDOT assay.

Secreted proteins mediate essential physiological processes. With conventional assays, it is challenging to map the spatial distribution of proteins secreted by single cells, to study cell-to-cell heterogeneity in secretion, or to detect proteins of low abundance or incipient secretion. Here, we introduce the "FluoroDOT assay," which uses an ultrabright nanoparticle plasmonic-fluor that enables high-resolution imaging of protein secretion.

Construction of magnetic covalent organic frameworks functionalized by benzoboroxole for efficient enrichment of glycoproteins in the physiological environment.

To date, the development of highly selective and efficient glycoproteins/peptides enrichment is still a challenge for mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis. In this work, we reported a novel strategy to prepare a magnetic amide-linked covalent organic framework functionalized by benzoboroxole (denoted as FeO@COF-ABB), which was then used as an adsorbent for the enrichment of glycoproteins. The physical and adsorption properties of FeO@COF-ABB were fully investigated.

Plasmonic Fluor-Enhanced Antigen Arrays for High-Throughput, Serological Studies of SARS-CoV-2.

Serological testing for acute infection or prior exposure is critical for patient management and coordination of public health decisions during outbreaks. Current methods have several limitations, including variable performance, relatively low analytical and clinical sensitivity, and poor detection due to antigenic drift. Serological methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suffer from several of these limitations and serves as a reminder of the critical need for new technologies.

The electrospun polyacrylonitrile/covalent organic framework nanofibers for efficient enrichment of trace sulfonamides residues in food samples.

In this work, the electrospun polyacrylonitrile/covalent organic frameworks Tp-BD nanofibers (PAN/Tp-BD) were synthesized and applied as an adsorbent for thin film microextraction (TFME) of seven sulfonamides in animal derived food samples. The morphology, structure, porosity, and stability of the prepared nanofibers were investigated. The PAN/Tp-BD nanofibers exhibited good chemical stability, high flexibility, porous fibrous structure, and excellent extraction efficiency.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Carbonization Incorporating Disordered Defects in Ordered Graphitic Domains for Fast and Ultrastable Potassium-Ion Battery.

Carbonaceous materials featuring both ordered graphitic structure and disordered defects hold great promise for high-performance K-ion batteries (KIBs) due to the concurrent advantages of high electronic conductivity, fast and reversible K intercalation/deintercalation, and abundant active K storage sites. However, it has been a lingering problem and remains a big challenge because graphitization and defects are intrinsic trade-off properties of carbonaceous materials. Herein, for the first time, we propose a cobalt-catalyzed carbonization strategy to fabricate porous carbon nanofibers that incorporate disordered defects in graphitic domain layers (PCNFs-DG) for fast and durable K storage.

Plasmonically-enhanced competitive assay for ultrasensitive and multiplexed detection of small molecules.

Novel methods that enable facile, ultrasensitive and multiplexed detection of low molecular weight organic compounds such as metabolites, drugs, additives, and organic pollutants are valuable in biomedical research, clinical diagnosis, food safety and environmental monitoring. Here, we demonstrate a simple, rapid, and ultrasensitive method for detection and quantification of small molecules by implementing a competitive immunoassay with an ultrabright fluorescent nanolabel, plasmonic fluor. Plasmonic-fluor is comprised of a polymer-coated gold nanorod and bovine serum albumin conjugated with molecular fluorophores and biotin.

Plasmonically Enhanced CRISPR/Cas13a-Based Bioassay for Amplification-Free Detection of Cancer-Associated RNA.

Novel methods that enable sensitive, accurate and rapid detection of RNA would not only benefit fundamental biological studies but also serve as diagnostic tools for various pathological conditions, including bacterial and viral infections and cancer. Although highly sensitive, existing methods for RNA detection involve long turn-around time and extensive capital equipment. Here, an ultrasensitive and amplification-free RNA quantification method is demonstrated by integrating CRISPR-Cas13a system with an ultrabright fluorescent nanolabel, plasmonic fluor.

Gold Nanorod Size-Dependent Fluorescence Enhancement for Ultrasensitive Fluoroimmunoassays.

Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (PEF) is a simple and highly effective approach for improving the signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity of various fluorescence-based bioanalytical techniques. Here, we show that the fluorescence enhancement efficacy of gold nanorods (AuNRs), which are widely employed for PEF, is highly dependent on their absolute dimensions (i.e.

Microneedle patch for the ultrasensitive quantification of protein biomarkers in interstitial fluid.

The detection and quantification of protein biomarkers in interstitial fluid is hampered by challenges in its sampling and analysis. Here we report the use of a microneedle patch for fast in vivo sampling and on-needle quantification of target protein biomarkers in interstitial fluid. We used plasmonic fluor-an ultrabright fluorescent label-to improve the limit of detection of various interstitial fluid protein biomarkers by nearly 800-fold compared with conventional fluorophores, and a magnetic backing layer to implement conventional immunoassay procedures on the patch and thus improve measurement consistency.

Characterization of focused ultrasound-mediated brainstem delivery of intranasally administered agents.

Focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal (FUSIN) delivery is a recently proposed technique that bypasses the blood-brain barrier to achieve noninvasive and localized brain drug delivery. The goal of this study was to characterize FUSIN drug delivery outcome in mice with regard to its dependency on several critical experimental factors, including the time interval between IN administration and FUS sonication (T), the FUS pressure, and the time for sacrificing the mice post-FUS (T). Wild-type mice were treated by FUSIN delivery of near-infrared fluorescent dye-labeled bovine serum albumin (800CW-BSA, used as a model agent).

Revealing the role of crystal orientation of protective layers for stable zinc anode.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries are a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage devices. However, their practical application is limited by the severe safety issue caused by uncontrollable dendrite growth on zinc anodes. Here we develop faceted titanium dioxide with relatively low zinc affinity, which can restrict dendrite formation and homogenize zinc deposition when served as the protective layer on zinc anodes.

Simultaneously Regulating the Ion Distribution and Electric Field to Achieve Dendrite-Free Zn Anode.

Rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage systems. However, there are many unresolved problems in commercial Zn foils such as dendrite growth and structural collapse. Herein, Cu mesh modified with CuO nanowires is constructed to simultaneously coordinate the ion distribution and electric field during Zn nucleation and growth.

Ultrabright fluorescent nanoscale labels for the femtomolar detection of analytes with standard bioassays.

The detection and quantification of low-abundance molecular biomarkers in biological samples is challenging. Here, we show that a plasmonic nanoscale construct serving as an 'add-on' label for a broad range of bioassays improves their signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range without altering their workflow and readout devices. The plasmonic construct consists of a bovine serum albumin scaffold with approximately 210 IRDye 800CW fluorophores (with a fluorescence intensity approximately 6,700-fold that of a single 800CW fluorophore), a polymer-coated gold nanorod acting as a plasmonic antenna and biotin as a high-affinity biorecognition element.

Interfacial Design of Dendrite-Free Zinc Anodes for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have rapidly developed recently as promising energy storage devices in large-scale energy storage systems owing to their low cost and high safety. Research on suppressing zinc dendrite growth has meanwhile attracted widespread attention to improve the lifespan and reversibility of batteries. Herein, design methods for dendrite-free zinc anodes and their internal mechanisms are reviewed from the perspective of optimizing the host-zinc interface and the zinc-electrolyte interface.

A functionalized magnetic covalent organic framework for sensitive determination of trace neonicotinoid residues in vegetable samples.

A functionalized magnetic covalent organic framework containing the nitro groups (FeO@COF-(NO)) with core-shell structure was synthesized for magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of six neonicotinoid insecticides residue in vegetable samples. The structure of FeO@COF-(NO) was investigated by various characterization techniques. The FeO@COF-(NO) exhibits the excellent thermal and chemical stability, high surface area (254.

Biopolymeric photonic structures: design, fabrication, and emerging applications.

Biological photonic structures can precisely control light propagation, scattering, and emission via hierarchical structures and diverse chemistry, enabling biophotonic applications for transparency, camouflaging, protection, mimicking and signaling. Corresponding natural polymers are promising building blocks for constructing synthetic multifunctional photonic structures owing to their renewability, biocompatibility, mechanical robustness, ambient processing conditions, and diverse surface chemistry. In this review, we provide a summary of the light phenomena in biophotonic structures found in nature, the selection of corresponding biopolymers for synthetic photonic structures, the fabrication strategies for flexible photonics, and corresponding emerging photonic-related applications.

Single Lithium-Ion Conducting Solid Polymer Electrolyte with Superior Electrochemical Stability and Interfacial Compatibility for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries are being explored in meeting ever-increasing energy density needs. Because of serious dendritic lithium issues in liquid-state electrolytes, it is generally thought that solid-state electrolytes are potential alternatives for lithium metal batteries. Herein, we design a new single lithium-ion conducting lithium poly[(cyano)(4-styrenesulfonyl)imide] (LiPCSI) to replace the conventional dual-ion conducting salt for use in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) that successfully suppress the growth of lithium dendrites.

Refreshable Nanobiosensor Based on Organosilica Encapsulation of Biorecognition Elements.

Implantable and wearable biosensors that enable monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters over long durations are highly attractive for early and presymptomatic diagnosis of pathological conditions and timely clinical intervention. Poor stability of antibodies used as biorecognition elements and the lack of effective methods to refresh the biosensors upon demand without severely compromising the functionality of the biosensor remain significant challenges in realizing protein biosensors for long-term monitoring. Here, we introduce a novel method involving organosilica encapsulation of antibodies for preserving their biorecognition capability under harsh conditions, typically encountered during the sensor refreshing process, and elevated temperature.

Hydrophilic maltose-modified magnetic metal-organic framework for highly efficient enrichment of N-linked glycopeptides.

Biomedical sciences, and in particular disease biomarker research, demand highly selective and efficient glycoproteins/peptides enrichment platforms. In this work, a facile strategy to prepare hydrophilic maltose-functionalized magnetic metal-organic framework loaded with Au nanoparticles (denoted as magMOF@Au-maltose) for highly efficient enrichment of N-linked glycopeptides. In brief, carboxyl-functional FeO nanospheres were firstly coated with a Zr-based MOF shell, the resulting MOF was then loaded with Au nanoparticles in situ and then modified with thiol-functional maltose via Au-S bonds to obtain magMOF@Au-maltose with core-shell structure.

Plasma-Strengthened Lithiophilicity of Copper Oxide Nanosheet-Decorated Cu Foil for Stable Lithium Metal Anode.

Lithium metal is the most ideal anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, the formation of lithium dendrites and the continuous consumption of electrolyte during cycling lead to a serious safety problems. Developing stable lithium metal anode with uniform lithium deposition is highly desirable.

On-Demand Electromagnetic Hotspot Generation in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates via "Add-On" Plasmonic Patch.

Electromagnetic hotspots at the interstices of plasmonic assemblies are recognized to be the most potent sites for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). We demonstrate a novel "add-on" electromagnetic hotspot formation technique, which significantly improves the sensitivity of conventional SERS substrates composed of individual plasmonic nanostructures. The novel approach demonstrated here involves the transfer of "plasmonic patch", a transparent, flexible, and conformal elastomeric film adsorbed with plasmonic nanostructures, onto a conventional SERS substrate.