Interfacial Engineering of Pillared Co(II) Metal-Organic Framework@NiMn-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomposite for Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysis.

Clean energy conversion and storage require simple, economical, and effective electrode materials to achieve promising results. The development of high-performance electrocatalysts with adequate stability and cost-effectiveness is essential to ensure low overpotentials toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a cobalt-based metal-organic framework with 4,4,4-6T14 topology in combination with various ratios of NiMn-layered double hydroxide (Co-MOF@%NiMn-LDH, = 5, 10, 20, and 40%) is applied as an effective electrocatalyst for the oxidation of water.

Water-Stable Pillared Three-Dimensional Zn-V Bimetal-Organic Framework for Promoted Electrocatalytic Urea Oxidation.

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is one of the potential routes in which urea-rich wastewater is used as a source of energy for hydrogen production. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have promising applications in electrocatalytic processes, although there are still challenges in identifying the MOFs' molecular regulation and obtaining practical catalytic systems. The current study sought to synthesize [Zn(IDC)(OH)(Hprz)] (Zn-MOF) with three symmetrically independent Zn(II) cations connected via linear N-donor piperazine (Hprz), rigid planar imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylate (IDC), and -OH ligands, revealing the topology.

Cobalt-based MOF-derived carbon electrocatalysts with tunable architecture for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction.

Development of the hydrogen economy requires the design of catalysts that increase the rate of the accompanying sluggish kinetic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This is a key process in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, such as water splitting and metal-air batteries. The OER needs high overpotential and typically expensive precious metal-based catalysts.

Water-Stable Fluorous Metal-Organic Frameworks with Open Metal Sites and Amine Groups for Efficient Urea Electrocatalytic Oxidation.

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is one of the promising alternative anodic reactions to water oxidation that has attracted extensive attention in green hydrogen production. The application of specifically designed electrocatalysts capable of declining energy consumption and environmental consequences is one of the major challenges in this field. Therefore, the goal is to achieve a resistant, low-cost, and environmentally friendly electrocatalyst.

The synergistic effect of Cu-MOF nanoparticles and immunomodulatory agent on SARS-CoV-2 inhibition.

In this work, HKUST-1 and Cu-BDC nanoparticles were used as delivery systems for the early anti-COVID-19 drug, hydroxychloroquine. The antiviral MOF/drug combinations significantly reduced the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, which can be attributed to the nanometric size of the carriers, the presence of copper in the MOF nodes, and the semi-controlled release of the drug.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of ZnO Superstructures with Controlled Morphology via Temperature and pH Optimization.

Zinc oxide, as a widely used material in optics, electronics, and medicine, requires a complete overview of different conditions for facile and easily reproducible syntheses. Two types of optimization of ZnO hydrothermal preparation from zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide solution are presented, which allowed for obtaining miscellaneous morphologies of materials. The first was a temperature-controlled synthesis from 100 to 200 °C, using citric acid as a capping agent.

Speciation of Oxygen Functional Groups on the Carbon Support Controls the Electrocatalytic Activity of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The effective use of the active phase is the main goal of the optimization of supported catalysts. However, carbon supports do not interact strongly with metal oxides, thus, oxidative treatment is often used to enhance the number of anchoring sites for deposited particles. In this study, we set out to investigate whether the oxidation pretreatment of mesoporous carbon allows the depositing of a higher loading and a more dispersed cobalt active phase.

Low-cost zeolitic carriers for delivery of hydroxychloroquine immunomodulatory agent with antiviral activity.

The coronavirus pandemic prompted scientists to look for active pharmaceutical ingredients that could be effective in treating COVID-19. One of them was hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial and immunomodulatory agent exhibiting antiviral activity. The anchoring of this drug on porous carriers enables control of its delivery to a specific place in the body, and thus increases bioavailability.

Amine-Modified Carbon Xerogels as Effective Carbon-Based Adsorbents of Anionic Dye from Aqueous Solutions.

Carbon xerogels were obtained by polycondensation of resorcinol and formaldehyde in a water medium. Their surface was oxidized by ammonium persulfate and then modified with amine groups. Four amines were used: methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, and ethylenediamine, differing in carbon chain length and number of amine groups.

Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies on Adsorption of Rhodamine B from Aqueous Solutions Using Oxidized Mesoporous Carbons.

Oxidized mesoporous carbon C, obtained by the hard method, was applied to remove rhodamine B from the aqueous system. The process of carbon oxidation was performed using 0.5 and 5 M of nitric (V) acid solution at 70 and 100 °C.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Carbon Carriers for Losartan Potassium Delivery.

Losartan potassium is most commonly used for the treatment of hypertension. In recent years, new applications of this drug have emerged, encouraging the design of novel nanoporous carriers for its adsorption and release. The purpose of this study was to synthesize ordered mesoporous carbon vehicles via a soft-templating method altered with the use of nitrogen precursors and via a hard-templating method followed by chitosan functionalization.

On the importance of physicochemical parameters of copper and aminosilane functionalized mesoporous silica for hydroxychloroquine release.

Recently, great attention has been paid to hydroxychloroquine which after promising in vitro studies has been proposed to treat the severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2. The clinical trials have shown that hydroxychloroquine was not as effective as was expected and additionally, several side effects were observed in patients cured with this medicament. In order to reduce them, it is suggested to deliver hydroxychloroquine in a controlled manner.

The Current Status of MOF and COF Applications.

The amalgamation of different disciplines is at the heart of reticular chemistry and has broadened the boundaries of chemistry by opening up an infinite space of chemical composition, structure, and material properties. Reticular design has enabled the precise prediction of crystalline framework structures, tunability of chemical composition, incorporation of various functionalities onto the framework backbone, and as a consequence, fine-tuning of metal-organic framework (MOF) and covalent organic framework (COF) properties beyond that of any other material class. Leveraging the unique properties of reticular materials has resulted in significant advances from both a fundamental and an applied perspective.

Amine-Grafted Mesoporous Carbons as Benzocaine-Delivery Platforms.

Smart porous carriers with defined structure and physicochemical properties are required for releasing the therapeutic drug with precise control of delivery time and location in the body. Due to their non-toxicity, ordered structure, and chemical and thermal stability, mesoporous carbons can be considered modern carriers for active pharmaceutical ingredients whose effectiveness needs frequent dosing algorithms. Here, the novel benzocaine delivery systems based on ordered mesoporous carbons of the cubic structure were obtained with the use of a hard template method and functionalization with amine groups at 40 °C for 8 h.

Overcoming the paracetamol dose challenge with wrinkled mesoporous carbon spheres.

Paracetamol is the most commonly used antipyretic and analgesic drug in the world. The key challenge in paracetamol therapy is associated with the frequency of the dosing. Depending on the gastric filling within 10-20 min paracetamol is released and rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.

The Influence of Carbon Nature on the Catalytic Performance of Ru/C in Levulinic Acid Hydrogenation with Internal Hydrogen Source.

The influence of the nature of carbon materials used as a support for Ru/C catalysts on levulinic acid hydrogenation with formic acid as a hydrogen source toward gamma-valerolactone was investigated. It has been shown that the physicochemical properties of carbon strongly affect the catalytic activity of Ru catalysts. The relationship between the hydrogen mobility, strength of hydrogen adsorption, and catalytic performance was established.

Design of Paracetamol Delivery Systems Based on Functionalized Ordered Mesoporous Carbons.

The oxidized ordered mesoporous carbons of cubic and hexagonal structure obtained by two templating methods (soft and hard) were applied for the first time as delivery systems for paracetamol-the most common antipyretic and analgesic drug in the world. The process of carbon oxidation was performed using an acidic ammonium persulfate solution at 60 °C for 6 h. The functionalization was found to reduce the specific surface area and pore volume of carbon materials, but it also led to an increasing number of acidic oxygen-containing functional groups.

Controlling the morphology of metal-organic frameworks and porous carbon materials: metal oxides as primary architecture-directing agents.

Owing to their large ratio of surface area to mass and volume, metal-organic frameworks and porous carbons have revolutionized many applications that rely on chemical and physical interactions at surfaces. However, a major challenge today is to shape these porous materials to translate their enhanced performance from the laboratory into macroscopic real-world applications. In this review, we give a comprehensive overview of how the precise morphology control of metal oxides can be transferred to metal-organic frameworks and porous carbon materials.

Hydrothermal-assisted synthesis of highly crystalline titania-copper oxide binary systems with enhanced antibacterial properties.

Binary oxide systems containing TiO and CuO were synthesized using hydrothermal treatment and shown to have enhanced antibacterial properties. A detailed investigation was made of the effect of the molar ratio of components (TiO:CuO = 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 1:9) on the physicochemical parameters and antibacterial activity. Analysis of morphology (SEM, TEM and HRTEM) confirmed the presence of spherical and sheet-shaped particles.

TiO₂-ZnO Binary Oxide Systems: Comprehensive Characterization and Tests of Photocatalytic Activity.

A series of TiO₂-ZnO binary oxide systems with various molar ratios of TiO₂ and ZnO were prepared using a sol-gel method. The influence of the molar ratio and temperature of calcination on the particle sizes, morphology, crystalline structure, surface composition, porous structure parameters, and thermal stability of the final hybrids was investigated. Additionally, to confirm the presence of characteristic surface groups of the material, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was applied.

Removal of phosphate from water by lanthanum-modified zeolites obtained from fly ash.

The possibility and effectiveness of removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions with the use of new low-cost synthetic zeolites obtained from fly ash and modified with lanthanum, was studied. Physicochemical properties of the zeolites were characterized by different techniques such as X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen sorption and scanning electron microscopy. It has been established that lanthanum is preferentially located in the zeolites channels and cages, which is related to the ion-exchange method of modification.

Adsorption of solophenyl red 3BL polyazo dye onto amine-functionalized mesoporous carbons.

Mesoporous carbon of cubic structure was functionalized with ethylamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine and triethylenetetramine at 40°C for 8h. The mesostructure and textural parameters of the new materials were determined by X-ray diffraction and low-temperature nitrogen sorption techniques. The functional groups present on the surface of the samples were identified by FT-IR and thermogravimetric studies.

Adsorption of dyes on the surface of polymer nanocomposites modified with methylamine and copper(II) chloride.

Polymer nanocomposite was prepared by the conventional sol-gel method using formaldehyde and resorcinol. The surface of the nanocomposite was functionalized with methylamine. Some of the samples were additionally impregnated with copper(II) chloride.