POE-Mediated Tunable Quantum Yield of Carbon Dots-Derived From Agapanthus Africanus (L.) Hoffmann Leaves.

The green synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from natural sources is a challenging goal. Herein CDs are produced from Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmann leaves by carbonization at 200/300 °C for 2/3 h.

Time-gated multi-dimensional luminescence thermometry carbon dots for precise temperature mobile sensing.

Luminescence thermometry presents precise remote temperature measurement capabilities but faces significant challenges in real-world applications, primarily stemming from the calibration's susceptibility to environmental factors. External factors can compromise accuracy, necessitating resilient measurement protocols to ensure dependable temperature (T) readings across various settings. We explore a novel three-dimensional (3D) approach based on time-gated (t) luminescence thermometric parameters, (,), employing physical mixtures of surface-engineered carbon dots (CDs) based on dibenzoylmethane and rhodamine B.

Corrigendum: Leaf surfaces and neolithization - the case of .

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.

Antifungal Susceptibility Assessment of Innovative and Non-Conventional Lime Mortars Incorporating Almond-Shell Powder Bio-Waste Subjected to Particle-Dispersion Technique.

A favorable environment for fungi colonization in building materials' surfaces can emerge when certain hygrothermal conditions occur. Thus, reducing fungal growth susceptibility is of major interest. Furthermore, if the integration of bio-wastes is performed in parallel with the development of innovative materials for this purpose, a more sustainable and environmentally friendly material can be obtained.

Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers Loaded with Bentonite and/or Halloysite: Composition Impact on Spectroscopic, Thermal, and Swelling Properties.

Hydrogels are characterized by their property of absorbing and releasing a high content of water and water-based liquids; thus, they can be applied in agriculture as controlled-release water and fertilizer products. The focus of this research was efficient and low-cost natural polymer-based hydrogels obtained by crosslinking gellan gum (GGLA) and starch (ST) with acetic acid (CA) and loading them with either bentonite (BET) and/or halloysite (HAL). The hydrogels were obtained by mixing 100, 75, 50, 25, and 0 wt.

High Performance Ternary Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on High Dielectric Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Copolymers for Solid State Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Renewable energy sources require efficient energy storage systems. Lithium-ion batteries stand out among those systems, but safety and cycling stability problems still need to be improved. This can be achieved by the implementation of solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) instead of the typically used separator/electrolyte system.

Influence of Solvent Evaporation Temperature on the Performance of Ternary Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) Combining an Ionic Liquid and a Zeolite.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) will allow improving safety and durability in next-generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Within the SPE class, ternary composites are a suitable approach as they provide high room-temperature ionic conductivity and excellent cycling and electrochemical stability. In this work, ternary SPEs based on poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) as a polymer host, clinoptilolite (CPT) zeolite, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([Bmim][SCN])) ionic liquid (IL) as fillers were produced by solvent evaporation at different temperatures (room temperature, 80, 120, and 160 °C).

Leaf surfaces and neolithization - the case of .

. (Arundinoideae subfamily, Poaceae family) is a sub-tropical and temperate climate reed that grows in arid and semi-arid environmental conditions, from eastern China to the Mediterranean basin, suggesting potential adaptations at the epicuticular level. A thorough physical-chemical examination of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaf was performed herein in an attempt to track such chemophenetic adaptations.

β-Ketoenamine Covalent Organic Frameworks-Effects of Functionalization on Pollutant Adsorption.

Water pollution due to global economic activity is one of the greatest environmental concerns, and many efforts are currently being made toward developing materials capable of selectively and efficiently removing pollutants and contaminants. A series of β-ketoenamine covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been synthesized, by reacting 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (TFP) with different C2-functionalized and nonfunctionalized diamines, in order to evaluate the influence of wall functionalization and pore size on the adsorption capacity toward dye and heavy metal pollutants. The obtained COFs were characterized by different techniques.

Vicariance Between L. and L. Unveiled by the Physical-Chemical Properties of the Leaves' Epicuticular Waxes.

Classically, vicariant phenomena have been essentially identified on the basis of biogeographical and ecological data. Here, we report unequivocal evidences that demonstrate that a physical-chemical characterization of the epicuticular waxes of the surface of plant leaves represents a very powerful strategy to get rich insight into vicariant events. We found vicariant similarity between L.

Biomimetic Silk Macroporous Materials for Drug Delivery Obtained via Ice-Templating.

Silk from is one of the most exciting materials in nature. The apparently simple arrangement of its two major components─two parallel filaments of silk fibroin (SF) coated by a common sericin (SS) sheath─provides a combination of mechanical and surface properties that can protect the moth during its most vulnerable phase, the pupal stage. Here, we recapitulate the topology of native silk fibers but shape them into three-dimensional porous constructs using an unprecedented design strategy.

Bioinspired Brain Vasculature Model for Nanomedicine Testing Based on Decellularized Spinach Leaves.

Animal testing is often criticized due to ethical issues and complicated translation of the results obtained to the clinical stage of drug development. Existing alternative models for nanopharmaceutical testing still have many limitations and do not significantly decrease the number of animals used. We propose a simple, bioinspired model for nanopharmaceutical drug testing based on the decellularized spinach leaf's vasculature.

High-Performance Room Temperature Lithium-Ion Battery Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) Combining Ionic Liquid and Zeolite.

The demand for more efficient energy storage devices has led to the exponential growth of lithium-ion batteries. To overcome the limitations of these systems in terms of safety and to reduce environmental impact, solid-state technology emerges as a suitable approach. This work reports on a three-component solid polymer electrolyte system based on poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([BMIM][SCN]), and clinoptilolite zeolite (CPT).

Erratum: Development of Poly(l-Lactic Acid)-Based Bending Actuators. 2020, , 1187.

The authors wish to make a change to their published paper [...

Non-Newtonian Thermosensitive Nanofluid Based on Carbon Dots Functionalized with Ionic Liquids.

Non-Newtonian nanofluids present outstanding features in terms of energy transfer and conductivity with high application in numerous areas. In this work, non-Newtonian nanofluids based on carbon dots (Cdots) functionalized with ionic liquids (ILs) are developed. The nanofluids are produced using a simple, single-step method where the raw materials for the Cdots synthesis are glucose and waste biomass (chitin from crab shells).

Development of Poly(l-Lactic Acid)-Based Bending Actuators.

This work reports on the development of bending actuators based on poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA)/ionic liquid (IL) blends, through the incorporation of 40% wt. of the 1-ethyl-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Emim][TFSI]) IL. The films, obtained by solvent casting at room temperature and 50 °C, were subjected to several post-thermal treatments at 70, 90, 120 and 140 °C, in order to modify the crystallinity of the films.

Silk Fibroin Dissolution in Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide Aqueous Solution.

L. silk fibroin (SF) is widely used in different areas due to its ability to form durable and resilient materials with notable mechanical properties. However, in some of these applications the dissolution of SF is required, and this is not often straightforward due to its inability to be dissolved in the majority of common solvents.

Ionic Liquid-Assisted Synthesis of Mesoporous Silk Fibroin/Silica Hybrids for Biomedical Applications.

New mesoporous silk fibroin (SF)/silica hybrids were processed via a one-pot soft and energy-efficient sol-gel chemistry and self-assembly from a silica precursor, an acidic or basic catalyst, and the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, acting as both solvent and mesoporosity-inducer. The as-prepared materials were obtained as slightly transparent-opaque, amorphous monoliths, easily transformed into powders, and stable up to ca. 300 °C.

Preparation of Well-Dispersed Chitosan/Alginate Hollow Multilayered Microcapsules for Enhanced Cellular Internalization.

Hollow multilayered capsules have shown massive potential for being used in the biomedical and biotechnology fields, in applications such as cellular internalization, intracellular trafficking, drug delivery, or tissue engineering. In particular, hollow microcapsules, developed by resorting to porous calcium carbonate sacrificial templates, natural-origin building blocks and the prominent Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technology, have attracted increasing attention owing to their key features. However, these microcapsules revealed a great tendency to aggregate, which represents a major hurdle when aiming for cellular internalization and intracellular therapeutics delivery.

silk/titania/gold hybrid materials for photocatalytic water splitting: combining renewable raw materials with clean fuels.

The synthesis, structure, and photocatalytic water splitting performance of two new titania (TiO)/gold(Au)/ silk hybrid materials are reported. All materials are monoliths with diameters of up to ca. 4.

Novel Highly Luminescent Amine-Functionalized Bridged Silsesquioxanes.

Amine-functionalized bridged silsesquioxanes (BSs) were synthesized from bis[(3-trimethoxysilyl)propyl] amine via a solvent-mediated route. BS-1 and BS-2 were obtained at neutral pH with sub- and stoichiometric amounts of water, respectively, and high tetrahydrofuran content. BS-3 was prepared with hyperstoichiometric water concentration, high tetrahydrofuran content, and hydrochloric acid.

Silk Fibroin Separators: A Step Toward Lithium-Ion Batteries with Enhanced Sustainability.

Battery separators based on silk fibroin (SF) have been prepared aiming at improving the environmental issues of lithium-ion batteries. SF materials with three different morphologies were produced: membrane films (SF-F), sponges prepared by lyophilization (SF-L), and electrospun membranes (SF-E). The latter materials presented a suitable porous three-dimensional microstructure and were soaked with a 1 M LiPF electrolyte.

High-Performance Near-Infrared Luminescent Solar Concentrators.

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) appear as candidates to enhance the performance of photovoltaic (PV) cells and contribute to reduce the size of PV systems, decreasing, therefore, the amount of material needed and thus the cost associated with energy conversion. One way to maximize the device performance is to explore near-infrared (NIR)-emitting centers, resonant with the maximum optical response of the most common Si-based PV cells. Nevertheless, very few examples in the literature demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating LSCs emitting in the NIR region.