A Solar-Heated Phase Change Composite Fiber with a Core-Shell Structure for the Recovery of Highly Viscous Crude Oil.

Due to the high viscosity and low fluidity of viscous crude oil, how to effectively recover spilled crude oil is still a major global challenge. Although solar thermal absorbers have made significant progress in accelerating oil recovery, its practical application is largely restricted by the variability of solar radiation intensity, which is influenced by external environmental factors. To address this issue, this study created a new composite fiber that not only possesses solar energy conversion and storage capabilities but also facilitates crude oil removal.

Structural Modifications for Tuning Performance and Operational Modes in n-Type Organic Electrochemical Transistors.

Organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) are crucial in defining the operational modes and performance of organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). However, studies on the design and structure-performance correlations of small-molecule n-type OMIECs remain scarce. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based n-type small molecules by extending π-conjugation and increasing the number of electron-withdrawing groups, achieving performance optimization and even changes in operational modes through structural regulations.

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Natural Decanolides Bellidisin C and Pinolidoxin.

A divergent total synthesis of bioactive, naturally occurring decanolides, pinolidoxin and bellidisin C, was accomplished by taking advantage of chiral templates -ribose and -malic acid. In particular, bellidisin C, which is the first total synthesis so far, was achieved through a cascade reaction of reductive elimination and nucleophilic addition in a one-pot process and a sodium-alkoxide-promoted intramolecular lactonization as the key steps.

Controlled Chemical Vapor Deposition and Modification of Carbon Layers inside Quartz Nanopipettes.

Carbon nanopipettes (CNPs) have attracted much attention in nanoscale electrochemical applications recently, while the carbon structure and surface oxygen-containing groups limit its applications. Herein, we grow the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) inside the quartz nanopipet via the chemical vapor deposition method, and the fabricated carbon nanotube nanopipettes (CNT-NPs) exhibit better electrochemical responses toward biomolecules such as glutathione and ascorbic acid, compared to the conventional CNPs. In addition, the carbon nanopipette can also be easily doped by a chemical reaction with urea, to display positive surface charges and high electrochemical activity for HO oxidation/reduction.

Lateral intercalation-assisted ionic transport towards high-performance organic electrochemical transistor.

Efficiently mixed conduction between ionic and electronic charges stands to revolutionize the studies in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). However, inefficient ion transport due to the long-range injection and migration process in the bulk film presents challenges for enhancing the steady and transient performance of OECTs. In this work, we proposed a lateral intercalation-assisted ion transport strategy to assist volumetric ion charging, by introducing a striped microstructure in the conductive channel.

A novel selenoglycoside compound GlcSeCys alleviates diets-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunctions with the modulation of Galectin-1 and selenoproteins.

Selenium, an essential trace element in human, has been shown to play protective roles in obesity and metabolic disorders despite insufficient understanding of mechanisms. Moreover, it's well known that biological actions of selenium compounds differed greatly due to divergent chemical forms. Selenoglycoside is a type of organoselenium compounds with excellent hydrophilicity, but biological activity of which in vivo are almost unknown.

Efforts toward the Total Synthesis of Thuggacin A.

Thuggacin A () is a 17-membered-ring-polyketide antibiotic compound with excellent antituberculosis activity. The total synthesis of thuggacin A has not yet been reported so far. Herein, we disclose our efforts toward the convergent total synthesis of thuggacin A.

Effects of photo-oxidation and transition metals on the formation of reactive oxygen species from aromatic compounds using spectroscopic method.

Particulate matter (PM) can cause adverse health effects by overproducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although the ability of PM to induce ROS generation depends on its composition and environmental factors. This study explores how photo-oxidation affects ROS generation from aromatic compounds (ACs, including catechol (CAT), phthalic acid (PA), and 4,4'-oxydibenzoic acid (4,4'-OBA)) and their mixtures with transition metals (TMs, including Fe(II), Mn(II), and Cu(II)) using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis).

Radical Replacement Process for Ligated Boryl Radical-Mediated Activation of Unactivated Alkyl Chlorides for C(sp)-C(sp) Bond Formation.

The ligated boryl radical (LBR) has emerged as a potent tool for activating alkyl halides in radical transformations through halogen-atom transfer (XAT). However, unactivated alkyl chlorides still present an open challenge for this strategy. We herein describe a new activation mode of the LBR for the activation of unactivated alkyl chlorides to construct a C(sp)-C(sp) bond.

The mechanism of UV accelerated aging of polyvinyl chloride in marine environment: The role of free radicals.

This study systematically investigated the photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in deionized water, estuary water, and seawater. As the concentration of Cl increases, the carbonyl index (CI) of PVC during photo aging also increases, indicating that Cl plays a dominant role in PVC photoaging in the environment, which enhance carbonyl index and •OH radical accumulation. Unlike previous studies, this study discovered that halogen radicals were also generated during PVC aging.

Bioinspired Intelligent Ferrofluid: Old Magnetic Material with New Optical Properties.

Fine-tuning of microstructures enables the modulation of optical properties at multiple scales from metasurfaces to geometric optics. However, a dynamic system with a significant deformation range and topology transformation remains challenging. Owing to its magnetic controllability, ferrofluid has proven to be fertile ground for a wide range of engineering and technological applications.

Near-Infrared-Light-Induced Iron(I) Dimer-Enabled Radical Cascade Reactions of Fluoroalkyl Bromides for the Synthesis of Ring-Fused Quinazolinones.

The use of an earth-abundant and inexpensive iron complex as a catalyst, coupled with near-infrared (NIR) light as the energy source, for radical reactions with alkyl halides has been far less developed. In this study, we report NIR light-mediated iron(I) dimer-catalyzed radical cascade reactions of fluoroalkyl bromides for the synthesis of ring-fused quinazolinones bearing a difluoromethyl group. In this process, the 3-bromo-1,10-phenanthroline ligand facilitates the reactivity of [CpFe(CO)], thereby improving the efficiency of the reaction.

Research progress on elemental mercury (Hg) removal in flue gas using non-thermal plasma technology.

Elemental mercury (Hg) removal is a crucial target for mercury pollution control in flue gas. This article focuses on Hg removal in flue gas using corona discharge (CD) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) technologies, and provides a mechanistic perspective on the development and influencing factors of non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology for Hg removal. The influence factors include reactor configurations, power supplies, energy density, residence time, oxidation methods, gas composition, and the synergy between NTP and catalysis/adsorption, etc.

Synthesis of benzothiazole compounds based on 2D graphene oxide membrane nanoreactors.

The nanoconfinement effect plays an important role in chemical reactions. Inspired by enzymes, this work presents a new way to conduct the rapid flow synthesis of benzothiazoles in the two-dimensional (2D) nanoconfined space created by a graphene oxide membrane. The conversion reaches 96.

Photoinduced Single Electron Reduction of the 4-O-5 Linkage in Lignin Models for C-P Coupling Catalyzed by Bifunctional N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

Catalytic activation of C-O bonds is considered as a powerful strategy for the production of aromatics from lignin. However, due to the high reduction potentials of diaryl ether 4-O-5 linkage models, their single electron reduction remains a daunting challenge. This study presents the blue light-induced bifunctional N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed one-electron reduction of diaryl ether 4-O-5 linkage models for the synthesis of trivalent phosphines.

Liquid-Like Surfaces with Enhanced De-Wettability and Durability: From Structural Designs to Potential Applications.

Liquid-like surfaces (LLSs) with dynamic repellency toward various pollutants (e.g., bacteria, oil, and ice), have shown enormous potential in the fields of biology, environment, and energy.

Efficient elimination of antibiotic resistome in livestock manure by semi-permeable membrane covered hyperthermophilic composting.

Livestock manure is a hotspot for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and an important contributor to antibiotic resistance in non-clinical settings. This study investigated the effectiveness and potential mechanisms of a novel composting technology, semi-permeable membrane covered hyperthermophilic composting (smHTC), in removal of ARGs and MGEs in chicken manure. Results showed that smHTC was more efficient in removal of ARGs and MGEs (92% and 93%) compared to conventional thermophilic composting (cTC) (76% and 92%).

Effects of laptop screen height on neck and shoulder muscle fatigue and spine loading for office workers.

Background: Due to the unfavourable neck-shoulder muscle loads caused by poor posture, the people who use the laptop for a long time may face the risk of neck and shoulder injuries.

Objective: The purpose of this study investigates the impact of the screen height on the muscle activation of head flexion, neck and shoulder, and the cervical spine torque to provide the favorite screen height for laptop user.

Methods: Twelve healthy young participants completed a 15-minute task of the reading at the four different screen heights.

Bioinspired radiative cooling coating with high emittance and robust self-cleaning for sustainably efficient heat dissipation.

To overcome the overheating phenomena of electronic devices and energy components, developing advanced energy-free cooling coatings with promising radiative property seem an effective and energy-saving way. However, the further application of these coatings is greatly limited by their sustainability because of their fragile and easy contamination. Herein, it is reported that a bioinspired radiative cooling coating (BRCC) displayed sustainably efficient heat dissipation by the combination of high emittance and robust self-cleaning property.

Tibetan Plateau grasslands might increase sequestration of microbial necromass carbon under future warming.

Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) can reflect soil carbon (C) sequestration capacity. However, changes in the reserves of MNC in response to warming in alpine grasslands across the Tibetan Plateau are currently unclear. Based on large-scale sampling and published observations, we divided eco-clusters based on dominant phylotypes, calculated their relative abundance, and found that their averaged importance to MNC was higher than most other environmental variables.

MXene-Based Soft Humidity-Driven Actuator with High Sensitivity and Fast Response.

Soft actuators possessing notable mechanical deformations, high sensitivity, and fast response speed play a crucial role in various applications, such as artificial muscles, soft robots, and intelligent devices. In this study, a smart humidity-driven actuator was successfully fabricated by utilizing MXene/cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/LiCl (MCL) through vacuum-assisted filtration with fast response speed and high sensitivity. Utilizing the excellent humidity responsiveness of MXene/CNF and the robust hygroscopicity of LiCl, the synergistic effect of these materials enhances the hygroscopic properties and response speed of the actuator.

LM-Gel Plasticine Based on Binary Cooperative with Kneadable Shaping and Conductivity.

Liquid metal (LM)-based polymers have received growing interest for wearable health monitoring, electronic skins, and soft robotics. However, fabricating multifunctional LM-based polymers, in particular, featuring a convenient shaping ability while offering excellent deformability and conductivity remains a challenge. To overcome this obstacle, here, we propose a strategy to prepare LM-Gel "plasticine" (LGP) with great deformability, which is composed of a PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) soft network and an LM conductive phase.

Understanding Salinity-Driven Modulation of Microbial Interactions: Rhizosphere versus Edaphic Microbiome Dynamics.

Soil salinization poses a global threat to terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microorganisms, crucial for maintaining ecosystem services, are sensitive to changes in soil structure and properties, particularly salinity. In this study, contrasting dynamics within the rhizosphere and bulk soil were focused on exploring the effects of heightened salinity on soil microbial communities, evaluating the influences shaping their composition in saline environments.