Toluene-Poisoning-Resistant High-Entropy Non-Noble Metal Anode for Direct One-Step Hydrogenation of Toluene to Methylcyclohexane.

The direct one-step hydrogenation of toluene to methylcyclohexane facilitated by a proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer driven by renewable energy has garnered considerable attention for stable hydrogen storage and safe hydrogen transportation. However, a persistent challenge lies in the crossover of toluene from the cathode to the anode chamber, which deteriorates the anode and decreases its energy efficiency and lifetime. To address this challenge, the catalyst-poisoning mechanism is systematically investigated using IrO and high-entropic non-noble-metal alloys as anodes in acidic electrolytes saturated with toluene and toluene-oxidized derivatives, such as benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, and benzoic acid.

Polyoxocationic antimony oxide cluster with acidic protons.

The success and continued expansion of research on metal-oxo clusters owe largely to their structural richness and wide range of functions. However, while most of them known to date are negatively charged polyoxometalates, there is only a handful of cationic ones, much less functional ones. Here, we show an all-inorganic hydroxyiodide [HSbO][HSbIO][SbI]·25HO (), forming a face-centered cubic structure with cationic SbO clusters and two types of anionic clusters in its interstitial spaces.

Oxygen Evolution Reaction Driven by Charge Transfer from a Cr Complex to Co-Containing Polyoxometalate in a Porous Ionic Crystal.

Considerable efforts have been devoted to developing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts based on transition metal oxides. Polyoxometalates (POMs) can be regarded as model compounds of transition metal oxides, and cobalt-containing POMs (Co-POMs) have received significant interest as candidates. Nanocomposites based on Co-POMs have been reported to show high OER activities due to synergistic effects among the components; however, the role of each component is unclear due to its complex structure.

Role of Pyridinic Nitrogen in the Mechanism of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Carbon Electrocatalysts.

The introduction of pyridinic nitrogen (pyri-N) into carbon-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction is considered to create new active sites. Herein, the role of pyri-N in such catalysts was investigated from a mechanistic viewpoint using carbon black (CB)-supported pyri-N-containing molecules as model catalysts; the highest activity was observed for 1,10-phenanthroline/CB. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy showed that in acidic electrolytes, both pyri-N atoms of 1,10-phenanthroline could be protonated to form pyridinium ions (pyri-NH ).

Isostructural mesoporous ionic crystals as a tunable platform for acid catalysis.

Eleven isostructural mesoporous ionic crystals (meso-PICs) are synthesized. The initial activities of the Barbier-Grignard reaction, which is a typical C-C bond formation reaction, catalyzed by the meso-PICs are dependent on the acid dissociation constant of the aqua ions of Mn+ and the types of polyoxometalates, which construct the meso-PICs.

Amorphous High-Surface-Area Aluminum Hydroxide-Bicarbonates for Highly Efficient Methyl Orange Removal from Water.

Amorphous high-surface-area aluminum hydroxide-bicarbonates were synthesized starting from AlCl, base, and bicarbonate in water. Composites with a chemical formulas of [AlO(μ-OH)(HO)(OH)](HCO) () and [AlO(μ-OH)(HO)(OH)](HCO) () were obtained by the use of NaOH/NaHCO and NH/NHHCO as base/bicarbonate, respectively. The surface area of the composites was highly dependent on the pH level of the synthetic solution, and composites with high surface areas (ca.

Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers Containing Octafluorobiphenylene Unit via Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative-Coupling Reaction.

Polycondensation via Pd-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative-coupling reaction of 2,2',3,3',5,5',6,6'-octafluorobiphenyl with thiophene analogues was studied. The synthetic protocol, in which employment of prefunctionalized starting monomers was fully avoided, allowed straightforward access to an alternating π-conjugated polymer. The addition of KCO to the catalytic system promotes the cross-coupling reaction and suppresses the undesired homocoupling reaction, producing the corresponding donor-acceptor type π-conjugated polymers with minor homocoupling defects.

Metre-long cell-laden microfibres exhibit tissue morphologies and functions.

Artificial reconstruction of fibre-shaped cellular constructs could greatly contribute to tissue assembly in vitro. Here we show that, by using a microfluidic device with double-coaxial laminar flow, metre-long core-shell hydrogel microfibres encapsulating ECM proteins and differentiated cells or somatic stem cells can be fabricated, and that the microfibres reconstitute intrinsic morphologies and functions of living tissues. We also show that these functional fibres can be assembled, by weaving and reeling, into macroscopic cellular structures with various spatial patterns.