Flow-gel approach enables rapid extraction of pure magnesium phase from seawater.

Current methods for separating critical materials from feedstock solutions remain chemistry- and energy-intensive. We demonstrate the rapid extraction of a pure magnesium phase from seawater precipitation with sodium hydroxide in a flow-gel device. Our approach is scalable, suitable for high-throughput extraction, and does not rely on specialty chemicals.

Ion Correlations Decrease Particle Aggregation Rate by Increasing Hydration Forces at Interfaces.

The connection between solution structure, particle forces, and emergent phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces remains ambiguous. In this case study on boehmite aggregation, we established a connection between interfacial solution structure, emerging hydration forces between two approaching particles, and the resulting structure and kinetics of particle aggregation. In contrast to expectations from continuum-based theories, we observed a nonmonotonic dependence of the aggregation rate on the concentration of sodium chloride, nitrate, or nitrite, decreasing by 15-fold in 4 molal compared to 1 molal solutions.

Insight into the Isoreticularity of Li-MOFs for the Design of Low-Density Solid and Quasi-Solid Electrolytes.

Isoreticularity in metal organic frameworks (MOFs) allows the design of the framework structure and tailoring the pore aperture at the molecular level. The optimal pore volume, long-range order of framework expansion, and crystallite size (grain size) could enable improving Li-ion conduction, thereby providing a unique opportunity to design high-performance solid and quasi-solid electrolytes. However, definitive understanding of the pore aperture, framework expansion, and crystallite size on the Li-ion conduction and its mechanism in MOFs remains at the exploratory stage.

Novel biodegradable low- dielectric nanomaterials from natural polyphenols.

Biodegradable natural polymers and macromolecules for transient electronics have great potential to reduce the environmental footprint and provide opportunities to create emerging and environmentally sustainable technologies. Creating complex electronic devices from biodegradable materials requires exploring their chemical design pathways to use them as substrates, dielectric insulators, conductors, and semiconductors. While most research exploration has been conducted using natural polymers as substrates for electronic devices, a very few natural polymers have been explored as dielectric insulators, but they possess high dielectric constants.

Novel dual labelled nanoprobes for nanosafety studies: Quantification and imaging experiment of CuO nanoparticles in C. elegans.

Metal oxide nanoparticles have been extensively studied for their toxicological impacts. However, accurate tracing/quantification of the nanomaterials and their biological responses are difficult to measure at low concentrations. To overcome the challenge, we developed a dual-labelling technique of CuO nanoparticles with a stable isotope of Cu, and with rhodamine dye.