Tailoring Pore Size and Catalytic Activity in Cobalt Iron Layered Double Hydroxides and Spinels by Microemulsion-Assisted pH-Controlled Co-Precipitation.

Cobalt iron containing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and spinels are promising catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Towards development of better performing catalysts, the precise tuning of mesostructural features such as pore size is desirable, but often hard to achieve. Herein, a computer-controlled microemulsion-assisted co-precipitation (MACP) method at constant pH is established and compared to conventional co-precipitation.

3D atomic-scale imaging of mixed Co-Fe spinel oxide nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction.

The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of individual atoms on the surface of catalyst nanoparticles plays a vital role in their activity and stability. Optimising the performance of electrocatalysts requires atomic-scale information, but it is difficult to obtain. Here, we use atom probe tomography to elucidate the 3D structure of 10 nm sized CoFeO and CoFeO nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Single CoO Nanocubes Electrocatalyzing the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Nano-Impact Insights into Intrinsic Activity and Support Effects.

Single-entity electrochemistry allows for assessing electrocatalytic activities of individual material entities such as nanoparticles (NPs). Thus, it becomes possible to consider intrinsic electrochemical properties of nanocatalysts when researching how activity relates to physical and structural material properties. Conversely, conventional electrochemical techniques provide a normalized sum current referring to a huge ensemble of NPs constituting, along with additives (e.

Unexpectedly High Capacitance of the Metal Nanoparticle/Water Interface: Molecular-Level Insights into the Electrical Double Layer.

The electrical double-layer plays a key role in important interfacial electrochemical processes from catalysis to energy storage and corrosion. Therefore, understanding its structure is crucial for the progress of sustainable technologies. We extract new physico-chemical information on the capacitance and structure of the electrical double-layer of platinum and gold nanoparticles at the molecular level, employing single nanoparticle electrochemistry.

Electrodeposited metal-organic framework films as self-assembled hierarchically superstructured supports for stable omniphobic surface coatings.

Superhierarchically rough films are rapidly synthesised on metal substrates via electrochemically triggered self-assembly of meso/macroporous-structured metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals. These coatings are applied to immobilise a functional oil with low surface energy to provide stable coatings repellent to a wide range of hydrophobic as well as hydrophilic fluids. Such omniphobic surfaces are highly interesting for several applications such as anti-fouling, anti-icing, and dropwise condensation, and become easily scalable with the presented bottom-up fabrication approach.

Trace element associated reduction of norleucine and norvaline accumulation during oxygen limitation in a recombinant Escherichia coli fermentation.

Background: Norleucine and norvaline belong to a group of non-canonical amino acids which are synthesized as byproducts in the branched chain amino acid metabolism of Escherichia coli. The earlier observed misincorporation of these rare amino acids into recombinant proteins has attracted increasing attention due to the rising use of protein based biopharmaceuticals in clinical application. Experimental data revealed pyruvate overflow inducing conditions, which typically occur in oxygen limited zones of large-scale fermentations as a major reason leading to norvaline and norleucine synthesis during E.

Chemical and enzymatic characterization of recombinant rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase.

The stepwise synthesis of thymidine triphosphate (TTP) requires a kinase for phosphorylation in the last step. Because pyruvate kinase (PK) using phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) as substrate can regenerate adenosine triphosphate and phosphorylate thymidine diphosphate as well, we chose this enzyme for the synthesis of TTP via an enzymatic cascade reaction. The metalloenzyme PK shows pronounced promiscuity and therefore fits well to the conditions of this reaction.

Simultaneous analysis of the non-canonical amino acids norleucine and norvaline in biopharmaceutical-related fermentation processes by a new ultra-high performance liquid chromatography approach.

In this study, a precise and reliable ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of non-canonical (norvaline and norleucine) and standard amino acids (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, histidine, glycine, threonine, arginine, tyrosine, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine) in biopharmaceutical-related fermentation processes was established. After pre-column derivatization with ortho-phthaldialdehyde and 2-mercaptoethanol, the derivatives were separated on a sub-2 μm particle C18 reverse-phase column. Identification and quantification of amino acids were carried out by fluorescence detection.