Recent reports on the production of hydrogen peroxide (HO) on the surface of condensed water microdroplets without the addition of catalysts or additives have sparked significant interest. The underlying mechanism is thought to be ultrahigh electric fields at the air-water interface; smaller droplets present larger interfacial areas and produce higher (detectable) HO yields. To gain insights into this phenomenon, we performed condensation experiments and quantified HO formation as a function of the vapor source. Specifically, we compared the HO concentration in water microdroplets condensed from the vapor realized via (i) heating water in the range of 50-70 °C and (ii) ultrasonic humidification (as exploited in the original report). Experimental results revealed that the HO level inside water microdroplets condensed via heating water was below our detection limit (≥0.25 μM), regardless of the droplet size or the substrate wettability. In contrast, water droplets condensed via ultrasonic humidification contained significantly higher (∼1 μM) HO concentrations. We conclude that the ultrasonic humidifiers contribute to HO production, not droplet interfacial effects.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02953 | DOI Listing |
J Am Chem Soc
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Nitrogen fixation is essential for the sustainable development of both human society and the environment. Due to the chemical inertness of the N≡N bond, the traditional Haber-Bosch process operates under extreme conditions, making nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions highly desirable but challenging. In this study, we present an ultrasonic atomizing microdroplet method that achieves nitrogen fixation using water and air under ambient conditions in a rationally designed sealed device, without the need for any catalyst.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Agric Food Chem
January 2025
Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technical Science, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000Aarhus,Denmark.
Cello-oligosaccharides (COS) are gaining great attention for their prebiotic-like properties, e.g., boosting gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria and improving digestion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemistry
December 2024
School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology (WeiHai), Weihai, 264209, China.
Disulfide bonds (S-S) play a critical role in modern biochemistry, organic synthesis and prebiotic chemistry. Traditional methods for synthesizing disulfide bonds often rely on oxygen, alkali, and metal catalysts. Herein, thiol groups involved in amino acids and peptides were spontaneously converted into symmetrical and unsymmetrical disulfide bonds within water microdroplets, without the need for catalysts or oxygen, and under room temperature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQRB Discov
December 2024
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India.
We describe a simple, cost-effective, green method for producing capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using a handheld portable mesh nebulizer. The precursor solution containing a 1:1 mixture of silver nitrate (AgNO) and ligand (glycerol or sodium alginate) was sprayed using the nebulizer. The Ag NPs were generated in the water microdroplets within a few milliseconds under ambient conditions without any external reducing agent or action of a radiation source.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQRB Discov
August 2024
Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Water droplets containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for coronavirus 2019 transmission, were introduced into a controlled-temperature and -humidity chamber. The SARS-CoV-2 virus with green fluorescent protein tag in droplets was used to infect Caco-2 cells, with viability assessed through flow cytometry and microscopic counting. Whereas temperature fluctuations within typical indoor ranges (20°C-30°C) had minimal impact, we observed a notable decrease in infection rate as the surrounding air's relative humidity increased.
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