Publications by authors named "Zhiming Zou"

The development of colorimetric ammonia-sensing smart packaging materials with real-time freshness detection ability are crucial for ensuring food safe. This research involved the construction of Cu-based framework (Cu-Phe) nanorods with colorimetric ammonia-sensing ability through an easy-to-perform aqueous solution method, and their subsequent utilization as nano inclusions in starch/sodium alginate (ST/SA) substrate to foster the creation of high-performance smart packaging materials. Research findings revealed that the addition of Cu-Phe nanorods (3, 6, 9 wt%) within ST/SA substrate led to the formation of compatible nanocomposite films with significantly augmented physical performance and functionality.

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Smart packaging material capable of real-time monitoring of food freshness is essential for ensuring food safe. At present, colorimetric ammonia-sensing smart film often possesses issues with complicated production, high cost, and inferior long-term colour stability. Herein, Zinc‑copper bimetallic organic framework (ZnCu-BTC, BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate acid) nanorods with colorimetric ammonia-responsiveness were synthesized by adopting facile aqueous solution method, which were then explored as nano inclusions in potato starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PS/PVA) composite film towards developing high-performance smart packaging material.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers created a new ammonia-sensitive Cu-based metal organic framework (Cu-ICA) and used it to enhance starch/polyvinyl alcohol (STA/PVA) blend for intelligent food packaging.
  • The inclusion of Cu-ICA improved the film's mechanical strength, UV protection, and moisture/oxygen barrier properties while maintaining colour stability.
  • This innovative packaging effectively monitored shrimp freshness through color changes and exhibited strong antibacterial properties, making it a promising solution for food safety.
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A spindle-like Cu-based framework (Cu-Trp, Trp = L-Tryptophan) nanocrystal with ammonia-responsiveness was fabricated via simple aqueous solution approach, and it was subsequently explored as a functional compatibilizer of carboxymethyl starch/polyvinyl alcohol (CMS/PVA) blend toward constructing high-performance intelligent packaging films. The results showed that incorporation of Cu-Trp nanocrystal into CMS/PVA blend resulted in significant promotions regarding to the compatibility, mechanical strength (42.92 MPa), UV-blocking (with UV transmittance of only 2.

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Microplastics are known to negatively affect anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste activated sludge. However, whether thermal hydrolysis (TH) pretreatment alters the impact of microplastics on sludge AD remains unknown. Herein, the effect of TH on the impact of polyethylene (PE) microplastics in sludge AD was investigated.

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The accurate detection of biogenic amines (BAs) is an important means of ensuring the quality and safety of cephalopod seafood products. In this study, the pre-column derivatization of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was optimized using dansyl chloride (Dns-Cl) to detect BAs in octopus, cuttlefish, and squid. The reasons for the formation of BAs were investigated by assessing their decarboxylase activity and the rates of decomposition.

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Ginsenoside Rb1 is the major active constituent of ginseng, which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the atherosclerosis treatment by anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and reducing lipid accumulation. We explored cellular target and molecular mechanisms of ginsenoside Rb1 based on network pharmacology and experimental validation. In this study, we predicted 17 potential therapeutic targets for ginsenoside Rb1 with atherosclerosis from public databases.

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There is at present an acute need for the construction of biopolymer-based smart packaging material that can be applied for the real-time visual monitoring of food freshness. Herein, a nano-sized substituted imidazolate material (SIM-1) with ammonia-sensitive and antibacterial ability was effectively manufactured and then anchored within corn starch/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) blend to construct biopolymeric smart active packaging material. The structure, physical and functional performances of CS/PVA-based films with different content of SIM-1 (0.

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A crucial aspect in achieving sustainable development of biomass materials is the modification of renewable polysaccharides to create various high-value functional materials. In this paper, bagasse xylan (BX) was used as a raw material to introduce benzyl methacrylate (BMA) through graft copolymerization reaction to generate the intermediate product BX-g-BMA. Subsequently, the target product (CA-BX-g-BMA) was synthesized by catalytic esterification of BX-g-BMA with citric acid (CA) in AmimCl ionic liquid.

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Currently, there is an urgent requirement for the fabrication of smart packaging materials that can be applied for the real-time visual monitoring of food freshness. In this research, cubic Co-MOF (Co-Imd) microcrystal with ammonia-sensitivity and antibacterial activity was manufactured and then anchored within sodium alginate (NaAlg) matrix to construct smart packaging materials. The structure, physical and functional performances of NaAlg-based films with different content of Co-Imd (0.

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Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for smart packaging materials capable of effectively monitoring the food freshness. In this study, new Co-based MOF (Co-BIT) microcrystals with ammonia-sensitivity and antibacterial function were constructed and then loaded within cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to create smart active packaging materials. The influences of Co-BIT loading upon structure, physical, and functional properties of the CA films were then thoroughly explored.

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Nowadays, ammonia-responsive biopolymer-based intelligent active films are of great interest for their huge potential in maintaining and monitoring the freshness of seafood. However, it is still a challenge to create biopolymer-based intelligent active films with favorable color stability, antibacterial and visual freshness indication functions. Herein, cobalt-based metal-organic framework (Co-MOF) nanosheets with ammonia-sensitive and antibacterial functions were successfully synthesized and then embedded into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) matrix to develop high performance and multifunctional CMC-based intelligent active films.

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There is a growing demand for the development of intelligent active packaging films to maintain and monitor the freshness of meat food. Herein, nano Co-based MOF (ZIF67) with ammonia-sensitive and antimicrobial functions was successfully synthesized and then integrated into cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to prepare intelligent active films. The impacts of ZIF67 incorporation on the structure, physical and functional characteristics of CA film were fully investigated.

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Polycarbonate (PC) microplastics are frequently detected in waste activated sludge. However, understanding the potential impact of PC microplastics on biological sludge treatment remains challenging. By tracking the changes in methane production under different concentrations of PC microplastics, a dose-dependent effect of PC microplastics on anaerobic digestion of sludge was observed.

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As a biocompatible biomaterial, bagasse xylan (BX) has been widely used in the biomedical field. The low biological activity of andrographolide (AD) restricts its development, so AD with certain anticancer activity is introduced. We use chemical modification methods such as grafting and esterification to improve the biological activity and make a novel anticancer nanomaterial.

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SiC-based components are sometimes susceptible to aqueous dissolution in LWR coolant environments. To address this issue, ~10 m thick Cr coatings was deposited on reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) plates by magnetron sputtering. Corrosion behavior of Cr-coated SiC and -uncoated SiC coupons was studied by immersing in autoclave (345°C and 16.

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In the in-depth research that has been conducted on nanometer biomaterials, how to use the biomass resources with high activity and low toxicity to prepare nanomaterials for biomedical applications has attracted much attention. To realize efficient and comprehensive utilization of biomass, bagasse xylan/andrographolide (BX/AD) was ued as a raw material and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) as an esterification agent to synthesize bagasse xylan/andrographolide esterified derivative (GA-BX/AD). Then, the bagasse xylan/andrographolide grafted and esterified derivative (GA-BX/AD-g-IA) was synthesized by the graft crosslinking reactions using itaconic acid (IA) as graft monomer.

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Biomass materials are high-quality raw materials for the preparation of natural, green and highly active functional materials due to their rich active groups, wide sources and low toxicity. Bagasse xylan (BX) and resveratrol (Res) were used as raw materials to introduce ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) via grafting reaction to obtain the intermediate product BX/Res-g-EGDMA. The intermediate was esterified with 3-carboxyphenylboronic acid (3-CBA) to obtain the target product 3-CBA-BX/Res-g-EGDMA.

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Bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles were synthesized and explored as functional compatibilizers in polyvinyl alcohol/starch (PVA/ST) matrix to develop high-performance multifunctional packaging film. The effect of the addition of PDA on the microstructural, mechanical, thermal, water vapor barrier, ultraviolet (UV)/high-energy blue light (HEBL) blocking, thermal insulating and antioxidant properties of PVA/ST composite films was fully investigated. Results demonstrated that the added PDA nanoparticles were evenly dispersed in the PVA/ST matrix, providing compact and dense nanocomposite films due to their compatibilization effect.

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This work explored biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol/starch (PVA/ST) film compatibilized by rod-like ZnO nanofillers as multifunctional food packaging materials. The influence of rod-like ZnO nanofillers on the microstructural, UV-shielding, antibacterial, mechanical, thermal, together with water barrier performances of PVA/ST composite films was fully studied. Results revealed that rod-like ZnO nanofillers could be uniformly distributed into the PVA/ST matrix, playing the role of compatibilizers to provide compact and dense nanocomposite films.

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The development of natural biomass materials with excellent properties is an attractive way to improve the application range of natural polysaccharides. Bagasse Xylan (BX) is a natural polysaccharide with various biological activities, such as antitumor, antioxidant, etc. Its physic-chemical and biological properties can be improved by functionalization.

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Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has drawn attention for broad applications. We successfully fabricated highly effective SERS structures via evaporation-induced self-assembly of blend nanoparticles containing sliver nanospheres (Ag NSs) and gold nanorods (Au NRs) on a super-hydrophobic (SH) substrate. On the SH substrate, the droplets of the mixed aqueous solution of silver nanospheres (Ag NSs), gold nanorods (Au NRs), and probe molecules can preserve their spherical shape during the evaporation process, and the probe molecules (R6G) are confined into extremely small areas after solvent removal due to hydrophobicity-enhanced concentration effects.

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Flower-like metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOF) nanoparticles are successfully synthesized and incorporated into cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to prepare CA-based functional nanocomposite films via a simple solution-casting method. The effect of the incorporation of flower-like Cu-MOF on the morphological, mechanical, thermal, surface wettability, water vapor barrier, cytotoxicity, photostability and UV-shielding properties of CA films is fully investigated. Results reveal that the flower-like Cu-MOF has good compatibility with CA, providing uniform and compact nanocomposite films.

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Metal-organic framework (HKUST-1) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/HKUST-1 nanocomposite films were fabricated by a simple solution casting method. Our results showed that the addition of HKUST-1 caused a remarkable enhancement in both thermal stability and mechanical properties of the PVA nanocomposites, due to the homogeneous distribution of HKUST-1 and the strong interfacial interactions between PVA and HKUST-1. With incorporation of 2 wt% HKUST-1, the degradation temperature of the nanocomposites was about 33 °C higher than that of pure PVA.

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