Nitrogen doped graphene with diamond-like bonds achieves unprecedented energy density at high power in a symmetric sustainable supercapacitor.

Supercapacitors have attracted great interest because of their fast, reversible operation and sustainability. However, their energy densities remain lower than those of batteries. In the last decade, supercapacitors with an energy content of ∼110 W h L at a power of ∼1 kW L were developed by leveraging the open framework structure of graphene-related architectures.

Environmental implications of one-century COPRs evolution in a single industrial site: From leaching impact to sustainable remediation of Cr polluted groundwater.

The Stoppani factory manufactured chromium for more than one century, dumping millions of tons of Chromite Ore Processing Residues (COPRs) over decades. The massive presence of COPRs resulted in an intense Cr leaching and consequent contamination of percolating groundwater. The site offers a unique opportunity to follow COPRs evolution from the primary roasting process to the aged Cr-bearing mineral phases.

Enhancing Magnetic Cooperativity in Fe(II) Triazole-based Spin-crossover Nanoparticles by Pluronic Matrix Confinement.

Polymeric one-dimensional (1D) triazole-based Fe spin crossover nanoparticles have been entrapped in pluronic P123 matrix, forming nanorods in which the interaction between host (P123) and guest (Fe complex) promoted high reproducibility of the spin crossover process, significant shifts of the transition temperatures (T↑=370 K, T↓=338 K for the P123 entrapped material vs the literature values of T↑=358 K, T↓=341 K for the neat/polymer free system) and larger magnetic hysteresis width.

Nano-immobilized flumequine with preserved antibacterial efficacy.

Flumequine was nano-immobilized by self-assembly on iron oxide nanoparticles, called surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs). The binding process was studied and the resulting core-shell nanocarrier (SAMN@FLU) was structurally characterized evidencing a firmly immobilized organic canopy on which the fluorine atom of the antibiotic was exposed to the solvent. The antibiotic efficacy of the SAMN@FLU nanocarrier was tested on a fish pathogenic bacterium (Aeromonas veronii), a flumequine sensitive strain, in comparison to soluble flumequine and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were assessed.

Formic Acid, a Ubiquitous but Overlooked Component of the Early Earth Atmosphere.

Terrestrial volcanism has been one of the dominant geological forces shaping our planet since its earliest existence. Its associated phenomena, like atmospheric lightning and hydrothermal activity, provide a rich energy reservoir for chemical syntheses. Based on our laboratory simulations, we propose that on the early Earth volcanic activity inevitably led to a remarkable production of formic acid through various independent reaction channels.

Enzyme Immobilization on Maghemite Nanoparticles with Improved Catalytic Activity: An Electrochemical Study for Xanthine.

Generally, enzyme immobilization on nanoparticles leads to nano-conjugates presenting partially preserved, or even absent, biological properties. Notwithstanding, recent research demonstrated that the coupling to nanomaterials can improve the activity of immobilized enzymes. Herein, xanthine oxidase (XO) was immobilized by self-assembly on peculiar naked iron oxide nanoparticles (surface active maghemite nanoparticles, SAMNs).

Biologically safe colloidal suspensions of naked iron oxide nanoparticles for in situ antibiotic suppression.

A category of naked maghemite nanoparticles (γ-FeO), named surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs), is characterized by biological safety, high water colloidal stability and a surface chemistry permitting the binding of ligands. In the present study, the interaction between SAMNs and an antibiotic displaying chelating properties (oxytetracycline, OxyTC) was extensively structurally and magnetically characterized. OxyTC emerged as an ideal probe for providing insights into the colloidal properties of SAMNs.

Self-assembly of chlorin-e6 on γ-FeO nanoparticles: Application for larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti.

Aedes aegypti mosquitos are widespread vectors of several diseases and their control is of primary importance for biological and environmental reasons, and novel safe insecticides are highly desirable. An eco-friendly photosensitizing magnetic nanocarrier with larvicidal effects on Aedes aegypti was proposed. The innovative core-shell hybrid nanomaterial was synthesized by combining peculiar magnetic nanoparticles (called Surface Active Maghemite Nanoparticles - SAMNs, the core) and chlorin-e6 as photosensitizer (constituting the shell) via self-assembly in water.

Stealth Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Organotropic Drug Targeting.

The ability of peculiar iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) to evade the immune system was investigated in vivo. The nanomaterial was provided directly into the farming water of zebrafish ( Danio rerio) and the distribution of IONPs and the delivery of oxytetracycline (OTC) was studied evidencing the successful overcoming of the intestinal barrier and the specific and prolonged (28 days) organotropic delivery of OTC to the fish ovary. Noteworthy, no sign of adverse effects was observed.

An Isolated Molecule of Iron(II) Phthalocyanin Exhibits Quintet Ground-State: A Nexus between Theory and Experiment.

Iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) is an important member of the phthalocyanines family with potential applications in the fields of electrocatalysis, magnetic switching, electrochemical sensing, and phototheranostics. Despite the importance of electronic properties of FePc in these applications, a reliable determination of its ground-state is still challenging. Here we present combined state of the art computational methods and experimental approaches, that is, Mössbauer spectroscopy and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetic measurements to identify the ground state of FePc.

Emerging chemical strategies for imprinting magnetism in graphene and related 2D materials for spintronic and biomedical applications.

Graphene, a single two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms with an arrangement mimicking the honeycomb hexagonal architecture, has captured immense interest of the scientific community since its isolation in 2004. Besides its extraordinarily high electrical conductivity and surface area, graphene shows a long spin lifetime and limited hyperfine interactions, which favors its potential exploitation in spintronic and biomedical applications, provided it can be made magnetic. However, pristine graphene is diamagnetic in nature due to solely sp2 hybridization.

Reactivity of fluorographene is triggered by point defects: beyond the perfect 2D world.

Preparation of graphene derivatives using fluorographene (FG) as a precursor has become a key strategy for the large-scale synthesis of new 2-D materials (e.g. graphene acid, cyanographene, allyl-graphene) with tailored physicochemical properties.

Room temperature organic magnets derived from sp functionalized graphene.

Materials based on metallic elements that have d orbitals and exhibit room temperature magnetism have been known for centuries and applied in a huge range of technologies. Development of room temperature carbon magnets containing exclusively sp orbitals is viewed as great challenge in chemistry, physics, spintronics and materials science. Here we describe a series of room temperature organic magnets prepared by a simple and controllable route based on the substitution of fluorine atoms in fluorographene with hydroxyl groups.

Anodic Oxidation of 18 Halogenated and/or Methylated Derivatives of CBH.

Anodic oxidation of [CBH] and 18 of its halogenated and/or methylated derivatives was examined. Reversible oxidation was found for four of the anions in liquid SO and for four more in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol. The oxidation occurred at ∼1 V (for [CBMe]) up to more than 4 V (for [1-H-(2-6)-F-(7-12)-(CF)-CB]) relative to ferrocene/ferricinium.

Photochemical isomerisation of boryl-substituted silole derivatives.

Bis(alkynyl)silanes (1a,b) react with bis(pentafluorophenyl)-borane to 3-boryl-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl) substituted siloles 3a,b. Subsequent irradiation of 3 with Pyrex filtered UV light resulted in the complete conversion to the new 5-boryl-2,3-bis(trimethylsilyl) substituted siloles 4a,b.

Nitrile insertion into a boryl-substituted five-membered zirconacycloallenoid: unexpected formation of a zwitterionic boratirane product.

Nitrile insertion into a zirconacycloallenoid complex leads to the formation of a seven-membered ring product with an attached boratirane unit.

Five-membered zirconacycloallenoids: synthesis and characterization of members of a unique class of internally metal-stabilized bent allenoid compounds.

Treatment of the bis-acetylide zirconocene complexes (RCp)2Zr(C[symbol: see text]C-SiMe3)2 (8a, R = CH3; 8b, R = tert-butyl) with HB(C6F5)2 results in the formation of the five-membered organometallic zirconacycloallenoid products (9a, 9b). Both were characterized by X-ray diffraction, and the special bonding features of 9a were studied by DFT calculation. The overall reaction was followed by NMR experiments at variable temperature.

Synthesis and characterisation of luminescent fluorinated organoboron compounds.

The reaction of 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) with B(C(6)F(5))(3) leads to the formation of the zwitterionic compound (C(6)F(5))(3)BQH (1), involving a proton migration from O to N. Compound 1 can be converted thermally to (C(6)F(5))(2)BQ (2), which can also be prepared from (C(6)F(5))(2)BCl and HQ. The reaction of HQ with (C(6)F(5))B(OC(6)F(5))(2) generates initially (C(6)F(5))(OC(6)F(5))BQ (3), which easily hydrolyses to give the diboron compound ((C(6)F(5))BQ)(2)O (4).

Bis(diphenylphosphino)acetonitrile: synthesis, ligand properties and application in catalytic carbon-carbon coupling.

Treatment of acetonitrile (1 equiv.) with n-butyllithium (0.95 equiv.

Lewis and Brønsted multifunctionality: an unusual heterocycle from the reaction of bis(pentafluorophenyl)borinic acid with nitriles.

The combination of Lewis and Brønsted acidity as well as Lewis basicity in (C6F5)2BOH results in a remarkable reactivity towards organonitriles to give novel heterocyclic compounds containing a BOBOCN six-membered ring.