Utilizing X-ray diffraction in conjunction with competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and principal component analysis for the discrimination of medicinal pearl powder and nacre powder.

Nacre powder, often utilized to counterfeit medicinal pearl powder due to their similar chemical composition and appearance, poses a challenge in product authentication. This study introduces a rapid and efficient method for distinguishing between medicinal pearl powder and nacre powder using X-ray diffraction in conjunction with principal component analysis (PCA). The X-ray diffraction pattern underwent preprocessing techniques including smoothing denoising (Savitzky-Golay filter, 5-point) and second-order derivative analysis.

Nickel-Ion Activating Discarded COVID-19 Medical Surgical Masks for Forming Carbon-Nickel Composite Nanowires and Using as a High-Performance Lithium Battery Anode.

With the prevalence of COVID-19, wearing medical surgical masks has become a requisite measure to protect against the invasion of the virus. Therefore, a huge amount of discarded medical surgical masks will be produced, which will become a potential hazard to pollute the environment and endanger the health of organisms without our awareness. Herein, a green and cost-effective way for the reasonable disposal of waste masks becomes necessary.

Synthesis, properties and photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells of three -diphenylbacteriochlorins bearing a dual-function electron-donor.

Bacteriochlorins are crucial to photosynthesis in bacteria. Studies of air-stable, -substituted bacteriochlorins are rare. We herein report the synthesis, properties, and photovoltaic performance of three new air-stable, -substituted bacteriochlorins bearing a dioctylfluorenylethyne (denoted as LS-17), a dioctylaminophenylethynylanthrylethyne (LS-43), and a diarylaminoanthrylethyne (LS-45) as the electron-donating groups.