Robust Immobilization and Activity Preservation of Enzymes in Porous Frameworks by Silica-Based "Inorganic Glue".

The development of novel methods to enhance enzyme-carrier interactions in situ, at a feasible cost, and on a large scale is crucial for improving the stability and durability of current immobilized enzyme systems used in industrial settings. Here, a pioneering approach termed "silica-based inorganic glue" is proposed, which utilizes protein-catalyzed silicification to fix enzyme within porous matrix while preserving enzyme activity. This innovative strategy offers several key benefits, including conformational stabilization of enzymes, improved interactions between enzymes and the matrix, prevention of enzyme leakage, and mitigation of pore blocking.

Heating Efficiency of Different Magnetotactic Bacterial Species: Influence of Magnetosome Morphology and Chain Arrangement.

Magnetotactic bacteria have been proposed as ideal biological nanorobots due to the presence of an intracellular chain of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which allows them to be guided and controlled by external magnetic fields and provides them with theragnostic capabilities intrinsic to magnetic nanoparticles, such as magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment. Here, we study three different bacterial species, (MSR-1), (AMB-1), and (MV-1), which synthesize magnetite nanoparticles with different morphologies and chain arrangements. We analyzed the impact of these parameters on the effective magnetic anisotropy, , and the heating capacity or Specific Absorption Rate, SAR, under alternating magnetic fields.

Multivariate Silicification-Assisted Single Enzyme Structure Augmentation for Improved Enzymatic Activity-Stability Trade-Off.

The ability to finely tune/balance the structure and rigidity of enzymes to realize both high enzymatic activity and long-term stability is highly desired but highly challenging. Herein, we propose the concept of the "silicazyme", where solid inorganic silica undergoes controlled hybridization with the fragile enzyme under moderate conditions at the single-enzyme level, thus enabling simultaneous structure augmentation, long-term stability, and high enzymatic activity preservation. A multivariate silicification approach was utilized and occurred around individual enzymes to allow conformal coating.

Microfluidic Processing of Piezoelectric and Magnetic Responsive Electroactive Microspheres.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) combined with cobalt ferrite (CFO) particles is one of the most common and effective polymeric magnetoelectric composites. Processing PVDF into its electroactive phase is a mandatory condition for featuring electroactive behavior and specific (post)processing may be needed to achieve this state, although electroactive phase crystallization is favored at processing temperatures below 60 °C. Different techniques are used to process PVDF-CFO nanocomposite structures into microspheres with high CFO dispersion, with microfluidics adding the advantages of high reproducibility, size tunability, and time and resource efficiency.

Tuning the Magnetic Response of Magnetospirillum magneticum by Changing the Culture Medium: A Straightforward Approach to Improve Their Hyperthermia Efficiency.

Magnetotactic bacteria AMB-1 have been cultured using three different media: magnetic spirillum growth medium with Wolfe's mineral solution (MSGM + W), magnetic spirillum growth medium without Wolfe's mineral solution (MSGM - W), and flask standard medium (FSM). The influence of the culture medium on the structural, morphological, and magnetic characteristics of the magnetosome chains biosynthesized by these bacteria has been investigated by using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. All bacteria exhibit similar average size for magnetosomes, 40-45 nm, but FSM bacteria present slightly longer subchains.

Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Cluster Transformation in a Microporous Molybdoarsenate(V)-Metalorganic Framework.

The hybrid compound [Cu(cyclam)(HO)][{Cu(cyclam)}{-HAsMoO(HO)}]·9HO () (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) was synthesized in aqueous solution by reacting the {Cu(cyclam)} complex with a mixture of heptamolybdate and an arsenate(V) source. Crystal packing of exhibits a supramolecular open-framework built of discrete covalent molybdoarsenate/metalorganic units and additional [Cu(cyclam)(HO)] cations, the stacking of which generates squarelike channels parallel to the axis with an approximate cross section of 10 × 11 Å where all the hydration water molecules are hosted. Thermal evacuation of solvent molecules yields a new anhydrous crystalline phase, but compound does not preserve its single-crystalline nature upon heating.

Degradation Behavior, Biocompatibility, Electrochemical Performance, and Circularity Potential of Transient Batteries.

Transient technology seeks the development of materials, devices, or systems that undergo controlled degradation processes after a stable operation period, leaving behind harmless residues. To enable externally powered fully transient devices operating for longer periods compared to passive devices, transient batteries are needed. Albeit transient batteries are initially intended for biomedical applications, they represent an effective solution to circumvent the current contaminant leakage into the environment.

Dye sensitized photoelectrolysis cells.

To advance the progress of photoelectrolysis, various promising devices integrated with p- and n-type photocatalysts and dye sensitized photoelectrodes have been systematically studied. This review discusses, from theory to practice, an integration strategy for state-of-the-art dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with potential p- and n-type photo-electrocatalysts or directly with dye sensitized photoanodes and cathodes for hydrogen and oxygen production through water splitting. Thorough insight into the theoretical approach which systematically drives the photoelectrolysis reaction directly or in a coupled mode, with diverse configurations of DSSCs and other photovoltaic (PV) cells, is crucial to understand the underlying fundamental concepts and elucidate trends in such reactions, and will serve as a guide to design new electrocatalysts and their integration with new PV devices, while simultaneously underlining major gaps that are required to address the challenges.

Reusable Photocatalytic Optical Fibers for Underground, Deep-Sea, and Turbid Water Remediation.

An approach for underground, deep, and turbid water remediation is presented based on optical fibers with a photocatalytic coating. Thus, photocatalytic TiO P25 nanoparticles immobilized in a poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) matrix are coated on polymeric optical fibers (POFs) and the photocatalytic performance of the system is assessed under artificial sunlight. To the best of our knowledge, poly(methyl methacrylate)-POF coated with TiO/PVDF and the reusability of any type of POF for photocatalytic applications are not previously reported.