In recent years, the rapid advancements in laser technology have garnered considerable interest as an efficient method for synthesizing electrocatalytic nanomaterials. This review delves into the progress made in laser-induced nanomaterials for electrocatalysis, providing a comprehensive overview of the synthesis strategies and catalytic mechanisms involved in defect engineering, morphology tuning, and heterostructure formation. The review highlights the various laser-induced synthesis techniques in producing nanomaterials with enhanced electrocatalytic properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFe-N-C materials are emerging catalysts for replacing precious platinum in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for renewable energy conversion. However, their potential is hindered by sluggish ORR kinetics, leading to a high overpotential and impeding efficient energy conversion. Using iron phthalocyanine (FePc) as a model catalyst, we elucidate how the local strain can enhance the ORR performance of Fe-N-Cs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
February 2025
The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) to methane (CH) presents a promising solution for mitigating CO emissions while producing valuable chemical feedstocks. Although single-atom catalysts have shown potential in selectively converting CO to CH, their limited active sites often hinder the realization of high current densities, posing a selectivity-activity dilemma. In this study, we developed a single-atom cobalt (Co) doped copper catalyst (CoCu) that achieved a CH Faradaic efficiency exceeding 60 % with a partial current density of -482.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBoron dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based zirconium metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) possess strong light-harvesting capabilities and great potential for artificial photosynthesis without the use of sacrificial reagents. However, their direct preparation has not yet been achieved due to challenges in synthesizing suitable ligands. Herein, we reported the first successful direct synthesis of BODIPY-based Zr-MOFs, utilizing CO as a feedstock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStrain engineering has emerged as a powerful approach in steering material properties. However, the mechanism and potential limitations remain poorly understood. Here we report that subtle changes in molecular configurations can profoundly affect, conducively or adversely, the catalytic selectivity and product turnover frequencies (TOFs) of CO reduction reaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered significant attention in the realm of large-scale and sustainable energy storage, primarily owing to their high safety, low cost, and eco-friendliness. Aqueous electrolytes, serving as an indispensable constituent, exert a direct influence on the electrochemical performance and longevity of AZIBs. Nonetheless, conventional aqueous electrolytes often encounter formidable challenges in AZIB applications, such as the limited electrochemical stability window and the zinc dendrite growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiVO is an attractive photoanode material for water oxidation, but requires surface treatment to improve the energy efficiency and stability. Herein, we investigate the role of borate buffer in activating the BiVO photoanode. We found that trace iron impurities in the borate buffer play a critical role in activating the photoanode.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActivity-based detection of γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) using near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes is a promising strategy for early cancer diagnosis. Although NIR pyridinium probes show high performance in biochemical analysis, the aggregation of both the probes and parental fluorochromes in biological environments is prone to result in a low signal-to-noise ratio (SBR), thus affecting their clinical applications. Here, we develop a GGT-activatable aggregate probe called OTBP-G for two-photon fluorescence imaging in various biological environments under 1040 nm excitation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR) has emerged as a promising approach for sustainable carbon cycling and valuable chemical production. Various methods and strategies have been explored to boost CORR performance. One of the most promising strategies includes the construction of stable ionic interfaces on metallic or molecular catalysts using organic or inorganic cations, which has demonstrated a significant improvement in catalytic performance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltrahigh dose-rate (FLASH) radiotherapy is an emerging technology with excellent therapeutic effects and low biological toxicity. However, tumor recurrence largely impede the effectiveness of FLASH therapy. Overcoming tumor recurrence is crucial for practical FLASH applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe rising global population and improved living standards have led to an alarming increase in non-communicable diseases, notably cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, posing a severe threat to human health. Wearable sensing devices, utilizing micro-sensing technology for real-time monitoring, have emerged as promising tools for disease prevention. Among various sensing platforms, graphene-based sensors have shown exceptional performance in the field of micro-sensing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe advancement of laser-induced graphene (LIG) technology has streamlined the fabrications of flexible graphene devices. However, the ultrafast kinetics triggered by laser irradiation generates intrinsic amorphous characteristics, leading to high resistivity and compromised performance in electronic devices. Healing graphene defects in specific patterns is technologically challenging by conventional methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElectrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CORR) toward value-added chemicals/fuels has offered a sustainable strategy to achieve a carbon-neutral energy cycle. However, it remains a great challenge to controllably and precisely regulate the coordination environment of active sites in catalysts for efficient generation of targeted products, especially the multicarbon (C) products. Herein we report the coordination environment engineering of metal centers in coordination polymers for efficient electroreduction of CO to C products under neutral conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are high-performance adsorbents for atmospheric water harvesting but have poor water-desorption ability, requiring excess energy input to release the trapped water. Addressing this issue, a Janus-structured adsorbent with functional asymmetry is presented. The material exhibits contrasting functionalities on either face - a hygroscopic face interfaced with a photothermal face.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBipolar membranes (BPMs) have emerged as a promising solution for mitigating CO losses, salt precipitation and high maintenance costs associated with the commonly used anion-exchange membrane electrode assembly for CO reduction reaction (CORR). However, the industrial implementation of BPM-based zero-gap electrolyzer is hampered by the poor CORR performance, largely attributed to the local acidic environment. Here, we report a backbone engineering strategy to improve the CORR performance of molecular catalysts in BPM-based zero-gap electrolyzers by covalently grafting cobalt tetraaminophthalocyanine onto a positively charged polyfluorene backbone (PF-CoTAPc).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines emerge as popular building blocks to develop covalent organic nanosheets (CONs) for CO reduction reaction (CORR). However, existing CONs predominantly yield CO, posing a challenge in achieving efficient methanol production through multielectron reduction. Here, ultrathin, cationic, and cobalt-phthalocyanine-based CONs (iminium-CONs) are reported for electrochemical CO-to-CHOH conversion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer (BC) remains a significant global health challenge for women despite advancements in early detection and treatment. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine, has shown potential as an anti-BC therapy, but its low bioavailability and poor water solubility restrict its effectiveness. In this study, we created theranostic nanoparticles consisting of ISL and a near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizer, TBPI, which displays aggregation-induced emission (AIE), with the goal of providing combined chemo- and photodynamic therapies (PDT) for BC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
September 2023
Solar-driven photocatalysis is a promising approach for renewable energy application. HO photocatalysis by metal-free graphitic carbon nitride has been gaining attention. Compared with traditional thermal catalysis, metal-free graphitic carbon nitride photocatalysis could lower material cost and achieve greener production of HO.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLaser-induced graphene (LIG) has gained popularity for electrochemical water disinfection due to its efficient antimicrobial activity when activated with low voltages. However, the antimicrobial mechanism of LIG electrodes is not yet fully understood. This study demonstrated an array of mechanisms working synergistically to inactivate bacteria during electrochemical treatment using LIG electrodes, including the generation of oxidants, changes in pH-specifically high alkalinity associated with the cathode, and electro-adsorption on the electrodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConstructing a reliable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is imperative for enabling highly reversible zinc metal (Zn ) electrodes. Contrary to conventional "bulk solvation" mechanism, we found the SEI structure is dominated by electric double layer (EDL) adsorption. We manipulate the EDL adsorption and Zn solvation with ether additives (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOptogenetics has been plagued by invasive brain implants and thermal effects during photo-modulation. Here, two upconversion hybrid nanoparticles modified with photothermal agents, named PT-UCNP-B/G, which can modulate neuronal activities via photostimulation and thermo-stimulation under near-infrared laser irradiation at 980 nm and 808 nm, respectively, are demonstrated. PT-UCNP-B/G emits visible light (410-500 nm or 500-570 nm) through the upconversion process at 980 nm, while they exhibit efficient photothermal effect at 808 nm with no visible emission and tissue damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmmonia is an indispensable commodity in the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries. Direct nitrate-to-ammonia electroreduction is a decentralized route yet challenged by competing side reactions. Most catalysts are metal-based, and metal-free catalysts with high nitrate-to-ammonia conversion activity are rarely reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF