Biochar/struvite composite as a novel potential material for slow release of N and P.

For soil and environmental remediation, biochar/struvite composites are prepared by the crystallization-adsorption method. The recovery rates of N, P, and Mg in the solution increase to 99.02%, 97.

Molecularly Selective Regulation of Delivery Fluxes by Employing Supramolecular Interactions in Layer-by-Layer Films.

The molecularly selective regulation of molecular fluxes in a biomaterial that delivers multiple chemical species simultaneously is still beyond the reach of materials scientists. A delivery material was developed by means of the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. This material discriminatively regulates the delivery flux of bioactive small molecules, as represented by a peptide containing the RGD fragment and the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX).

Controlled Interfacial Permeation, Nanostructure Formation, Catalytic Efficiency, Signal Enhancement Capability, and Cell Spreading by Adjusting Photochemical Cross-Linking Degrees of Layer-by-Layer Films.

Interfacial properties including permeation, catalytic efficiency, Raman signal enhancement capabilities, and cell spreading efficiencies are important features that determine material functionality and applications. Here, we propose a facile method to adjust the above-mentioned properties by controlling the cross-linking degrees of multilayer using a photoactive molecule. After treating the cross-linked films in basic solutions, films with different cross-linking degrees presented varying residue thicknesses and film morphologies.

Bio-inspired Dynamic Gradients Regulated by Supramolecular Bindings in Receptor-Embedded Hydrogel Matrices.

The kinetics of supramolecular bindings are fundamentally important for molecular motions and spatial-temporal distributions in biological systems, but have rarely been employed in preparing artificial materials. This report proposes a bio-inspired concept to regulate dynamic gradients through the coupled supramolecular binding and diffusion process in receptor-embedded hydrogel matrices. A new type of hydrogel that uses cyclodextrin (CD) as both the gelling moiety and the receptors is prepared as the diffusion matrices.

Fuzzy, copper-based multi-functional composite particles serving simultaneous catalytic and signal-enhancing roles.

Multifunctional plasmonic particles serving simultaneously as catalysts and label-free reporting agents are highly pursued due to their great potential in enhancing reaction operational efficiencies. Copper is an abundant and economic resource, and it possesses practical applicability in industries, but no dual-functional copper-based catalytic and self-reporting particles have been reported so far. This study proposes a facile strategy to prepare high-performance dual-functional copper-based composite particles that catalyze reactions and simultaneously serve as a SERS (surface enhanced Raman spectra) active, label-free reporting agent.

Combined Photothermal and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Effect from Spiky Noble Metal Nanoparticles Wrapped within Graphene-Polymer Layers: Using Layer-by-layer Modified Reduced Graphene Oxide as Reactive Precursors.

To fabricate functionally integrated hybrid nanoparticles holds high importance in biomedical applications and is still a challenging task. In this study, we report the first reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-nobel metal hybrid particles that present simultaneously the photothermal and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) effect from the inorganic part and drug loading, dispersibility, and controllability features from LbL polyelectrolyte multilayers. The hybrid particles where spiky noble metal particles were wrapped within rGO-polyelectrolyte layers were prepared by a facile and controllable method.

Achieving significantly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic efficiency using a polyelectrolyte: the composites of exfoliated titania nanosheets, graphene, and poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride).

A high-performance visible-light-active photocatalyst is prepared using the polyelectrolyte/exfoliated titania nanosheet/graphene oxide (GO) precursor by flocculation followed by calcination. The polyelectrolyte poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride) serves not only as an effective binder to precipitate GO and titania nanosheets, but also boosts the overall performance of the catalyst significantly. Unlike most titania nanosheet-based catalysts reported in the literature, the composite absorbs light in the UV-Vis-NIR range.

PAH/DAS covalently cross-linked layer-by-layer multilayers: a "nano-net" superstratum immobilizes nanoparticles and remains permeable to small molecules.

A "nano-net" superstratum strategy is developed to stabilize layer-by-layer (LbL) films that incorporate nanoparticles. The superstratum immobilizes silica, gold, or magnetic nanoparticles and at the same time is permeable to small molecules. Unlike most strategies to stabilize LbL multilayers reported in the literature, our strategy does not directly cross-link the nanoparticles and polymers in the adjacent layer, thus circumventing the tedious processes of (surface) modification of the nanoparticles or polymers.

A facile method to fabricate functionally integrated devices for oil/water separation.

In this paper, we present a facile method for the fabrication of a functionally integrated device, which has the multi-functions of the oil-containment boom, oil-sorption material, and water/oil-separating film, through a single immersion step in an ethanol solution of stearic acid. During the simple immersion process, the two dominant factors of superhydrophobicity, surface roughness and low-surface-energy coatings, could be accomplished simultaneously. The as-prepared functionally integrated device with superhydrophobicity/superoleophilicity displayed a lower density than that of water, such that it could float on water and act as an oil-containment boom; an efficient oil-absorbing property, which was attributed to the capillary effect caused by micrometer-sized pore structures and could be used as oil-sorption materials; a high oil/water separating efficiency which was suitable for water/oil-separating film.