Self-Promoted Hydroxyl Radical Releasing Magnetic Zn@Fe Particles.

Semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO and ZnO, have garnered significant attention for their ability to generate hydroxyl radicals, offering various practical applications. However, the reliance on UV light to facilitate electron-hole separation for hydroxyl radical production poses limitations. In this study, a novel approach is presented utilizing Zn@Fe core/shell particles capable of generating hydroxyl radicals without external energy input.

Redox Active Zn@MOFs as Spontaneous Reactive Oxygen Species Releasing Antimicrobials.

The rapid development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among infectious pathogens has become a major threat and challenge in healthcare systems globally. A strategy distinct from minimizing the overuse of antimicrobials involves the development of novel antimicrobials with a mode of action that prevents the development of AMR microbial strains. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed as a natural byproduct of the cellular aerobic metabolism.

Evaluation of the ZnO Nanopillar Surface for Disinfection Applications.

Much attention has been devoted to the synthesis and antimicrobial studies of nanopatterned surfaces. However, factors contributing to their potential and eventual application, such as large-scale synthesis, material durability, and biocompatibility, are often neglected in such studies. In this paper, the ZnO nanopillar surface is found to be amenable to synthesis in large forms and stable upon exposure to highly accelerated lifetime tests (HALT) without any detrimental effect on its antimicrobial activity.

Nanostructured Surfaces with Multimodal Antimicrobial Action.

Self-disinfecting surfaces are a current pressing need for public health and safety in view of the current COVID-19 pandemic, where the keenly felt worldwide repercussions have highlighted the importance of infection control, frequent disinfection, and proper hygiene. Because of its potential impact upon real-world translation into downstream applications, there has been much research interest in multiple disciplines such as materials science, chemistry, biology, and engineering. Various antimicrobial technologies have been developed and currently applied on surfaces in public spaces, such as elevator buttons and escalator handrails.

Nanostructured Copper Surface Kills ESKAPE Pathogens and Viruses in Minutes.

In the search for a fast contact-killing antimicrobial surface to break the transmission pathway of lethal pathogens, nanostructured copper surfaces were found to exhibit the desired antimicrobial properties. Compared with plain copper, these nanostructured copper surfaces with Cu(OH) nano-sword or CuO nano-foam were found to completely eliminate pathogens at a fast rate, including clinically isolated drug resistant species. Additionally these nanostructured copper surfaces demonstrated potential antiviral properties when assessed against bacteriophages, as a viral surrogate, and murine hepatitis virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2.

Recent Advances of Zinc-based Antimicrobial Materials.

Zinc has been widely utilized as an antimicrobial material, often in the form of complexes or zinc oxide nanoparticles. The efficacy of zinc complexes are often due to the synergistic effect of both the zinc ions and the attached organic ligands. In contrast, the nanoparticle effect of ZnO, and the photocatalytic generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been postulated to be the effective mechanism of ZnO as a biocide.

Antibiotic resistance mitigation: the development of alternative general strategies.

Antibiotic resistance has become one of the major, deadly threats to public health worldwide. This paper highlights several recent works, which may initiate the development of comprehensive approaches to mitigate antibiotic resistance. The new strategies demonstrate efficiency and efficacy, with very little probability of inducing drug resistance, paving the way for further breakthroughs in drug discovery for infection control.

Nitrogen-Linked Hexaazatrinaphthylene Polymer as Cathode Material in Lithium-Ion Battery.

Nitrogen-linked hexaazatrinaphthylene polymer (N -HATN) as organic cathode material with low HOMO-LOMO gap was synthesized and was observed to possess reversible high capacity and unexpected long-term cycling stability. The pre-treated N -HATN and pRGO combination demonstrated good structure compatibility and the resultant cathode exhibited a constant increment of capacity during the redox cycles. The initial capacity at 0.

Microbicide surface nano-structures.

The prevention of infectious diseases is a global challenge where multidrug-resistant bacteria or "superbugs" pose a serious threat to worldwide public health. Microtopographic surfaces have attracted much attention as they represent a biomimetic and nontoxic surface antibacterial strategy to replace biocides. The antimicrobial effect of such natural and biomimetic surface nanostructures involves a physical approach which eradicates bacteria via the structural features of the surfaces without any release of biocides or chemicals.

A nanoporous sulfur-bridged hexaazatrinaphthylene framework as an organic cathode for lithium ion batteries with well-balanced electrochemical performance.

Some inherent drawbacks of organic cathode materials include low conductivity and high solubility in electrolytes, which lead to low rate capability and low cycling stability. Herein, a novel nanoporous sulfur-bridged hexaazatrinaphthylene (NSHATN) framework has been developed. The sulfur-bridged aromatic framework has good electrical conductivity and is insoluble in electrolytes.

Redox Active Metal- and Covalent Organic Frameworks for Energy Storage: Balancing Porosity and Electrical Conductivity.

Porous redox-active metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as electrode materials for energy storage devices. These porous frameworks have different levels of intrinsic properties such as low solubility, high ionic conductivity (porosity) and low electrical conductivity, all of which are critical parameters when utilised as electrode materials. This Minireview focuses on recent developments of using porous MOFs/COFs as redox active electrode materials for energy storage and strategies to improve their electrochemical performance.

Ultrafast Killing and Self-Gelling Antimicrobial Imidazolium Oligomers.

Infectious diseases and the increasing threat of worldwide pandemics have underscored the importance of antibiotics and hygiene. Intensive efforts have been devoted to developing new antibiotics to meet the rapidly growing demand. In particular, advancing the knowledge of the structure-property-activity relationship is critical to expedite the design and development of novel antimicrobial with the needed potential and efficacy.

Imidazolium salts and their polymeric materials for biological applications.

Imidazolium salts, distinct from their parent imidazoles, are made up of a discrete cation and anion pair, and have found widespread utility as ionic liquids. A lesser known function of such imidazolium salts includes the application of these salts in biological systems, and several areas of bio-applications, including antitumour, antimicrobial, antioxidant and bioengineering applications, will be presented and discussed in this review. The wide-ranging applications and versatility of these imidazolium salts stem from the ease of their structural variation, in which properties such as amphiphilicity, lipophilicity and solubility can be tuned.

Short imidazolium chains effectively clear fungal biofilm in keratitis treatment.

Fungal keratitis is a leading cause of ocular morbidity throughout the world. However, current therapies against fungal keratitis are often ineffective. Herein, we have developed the amphiphilic main-chain imidazolium polymer (PIM-45) and oligomer (IBN-1) materials that can efficiently inhibit the growth of fungi with low minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) values and clear the fungal biofilm, while displaying minimal hemolysis.

Main-chain imidazolium oligomer material as a selective biomimetic antimicrobial agent.

Human health has been challenged by multi-drug-resistant microorganisms for several decades. Herein, we have developed a main-chain imidazolium oligomer (IBN-1) material to combat broad spectrum of pathogenic strains, including drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and fluconazole-resistant yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, while displaying minimal hemolysis (HC(50)/MIC values over 3000) and a very high therapeutic index of 37 for killing S. aureus under inflammatory conditions in vivo.

Magnetic nanoparticles entrapped in siliceous mesocellular foam: a new catalyst support.

γ-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles were formed inside the cage-like pores of mesocellular foam (MCF). These magnetic nanoparticles showed a uniform size distribution that could be easily controlled by the MCF pore size, as well as by the hydrocarbon chain length used for MCF surface modification. Throughout the entrapment process, the pore structure and surface area of the MCF remained intact.

Carbon dioxide mediated stereoselective copper-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkynes and thiols.

A simple protocol for the stereoselective copper-catalyzed hydrothiolation of alkynes under a CO(2) atmosphere has been developed. The stereoselectivity is determined by the presence/absence of a CO(2) atmosphere. The reaction system is robust and utilizes inexpensive, readily available substrates.

Functional porous organic polymers for heterogeneous catalysis.

Porous organic polymers (POPs), a class of highly crosslinked amorphous polymers possessing nano-pores, have recently emerged as a versatile platform for the deployment of catalysts. The bottom-up approach for porous organic polymer synthesis provides the opportunity for the design of polymer frameworks with various functionalities, for their use as catalysts or ligands. This tutorial review focuses on the framework structures and functionalities of catalytic POPs.

Metal-free imidazolium salts inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in a mouse model.

Imidazolium salts (IMSs) are precursors to N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), which are routinely used as ligands or organo-catalysts in synthetic chemistry. We recently identified several IMSs as anti-fibrotic agents in liver fibrosis, which often has a consequence in the oncogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we investigate the potential anti-tumor property of three IMSs (named IBN-1, IBN-9, and DPIM) in HCC cell lines and in a xenograft mouse model.

Recent developments in carbon dioxide utilization under mild conditions.

The use of carbon dioxide as a renewable and environmentally friendly source of carbon is highly attractive. This article focuses on recent developments in important new reactions and new catalysts for homogeneous CO(2) transformations under mild reaction conditions. Other than traditional organometallic catalysts, organocatalysts have also been applied in the chemical conversion of CO(2) and have demonstrated very promising ability in this field.

Conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol with silanes over N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts.

Activate and reduce: Carbon dioxide was reduced with silane using a stable N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalyst to provide methanol under very mild conditions. Dry air can serve as the feedstock, and the organocatalyst is much more efficient than transition-metal catalysts for this reaction. This approach offers a very promising protocol for chemical CO(2) activation and fixation.