Unraveling the Synergistic Role of Sm Doped NiFe-LDH as High-Performance Electrocatalysts for Improved Anion Exchange Membrane and Water Splitting Applications.

Effective first-row transition metal-based electrocatalysts are crucial for large-scale hydrogen energy generation and anion exchange membrane (AEM) devices in water splitting. The present work describes that SmNiFe-LDH nanosheets on nickel foam are used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting and AEM water electrolyzer study. Tuning the Ni-to-Fe ratios in NiFe-LDH and doping with Sm ions improves the electrical structure and intrinsic activity.

Metal-Free Electrocatalytic Alkaline Water Splitting by Porous Macrocyclic Proton Sponges.

Macrocycles are unique as they encapsulate and transfer guest molecules or ions and facilitate catalytic processes. Although metalated macrocycles are pivotal in electrocatalytic processes, using metal-free analogs has been rare. Following the strategy of Kanbara et al.

MWCNTs-Beta-Cyclodextrin-reduced graphene oxide gel based electrochemical sensor for simultaneous detection of dopamine and uric acid in human sweat samples.

Accurate determination of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) in biological samples is crucial in diagnosing neurodegenerative disorders and gout, respectively. Here we report a highly sensitive and inexpensive, flexible screen-printed sensor for determining DA and UA in sweat samples. Beta-cyclodextrin-based (βCD) composite gel with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was synthesized by self-polymerization of βCD at an optimum ratio of "good" and "poor solvent".

Efficiently Designed Three-Dimensional Architecture of CoMnO Decorated VCT MXene for Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

The structure, morphology, stoichiometry, and chemical characterization of the VCT MXene, CoMnO, and VC@CoMnO nanocomposite, prepared by using a soft template method, have been studied. The electron microscopy studies reveal that the VC@CoMnO composite incorporates mesoporous spheres of CoMnO within the 2D layered structure of MXene. The specific capacitance of the composite electrode is ∼570 F g at 1 A g, which is significantly higher than that of the sum of the individual components.

FeO Nanoflakes - WS Nanosheets Heterojunctions for Multi-Fold Enhancement in Photoelectrochemical Solar Energy Conversion.

FeO-based photoanodes show great potential in photoelectrochemical water splitting due to their excellent stability, moderate band gap, and abundance. However, a short hole diffusion length limits its photocurrent density. Here, a multi-fold enhancement in photocurrent density from FeO nanoflakes - WS nanosheets heterojunction is reported.

Synergistic effects of calcium and zinc on bio-functionalized 3D Ti cancellous bone scaffold with enhanced osseointegration capacity in rabbit model.

The present research aims to develop a Ca-Zn ion-incorporated surface functionalized 3D Ti cancellous bone scaffold for bone defect repair. The scaffold is designed to mimic human cancellous bone architecture through selective laser melting-based additive manufacturing. The chemical-based surface modification approach employed here created a Ca and Zn ions incorporated nano-porous surface layer with enhanced surface roughness and hydrophilicity.

Nitrogen and Sulfur Doped Porous Carbon Sheet with Trace Amount of Iron as Efficient Polysulfide Conversion Catalyst for High Loading Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The major challenges in enhancing the cycle life of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are polysulfide (PS) shuttling and sluggish reaction kinetics (S to LiS, LiS to S). To alleviate the above issues, the use of heteroatom-doped carbon as a cathode host matrix is a low-cost and efficient approach, as it works as a dual-functional framework for PS anchoring as well as an electrocatalyst for faster redox kinetics. Here, the dual role of heteroatom-doped carbon sheets (CS) in the chemisorption of LiS and catalysis of its faster conversion to LiS is established.

Electrochemically grafted gallic acid-chitosan: a metal-free redox platform for regiospecific oligopeptide-viral spike protein interaction.

Electrochemical grafting of gallic acid with chitosan (EgGC) voltammetrically deposited on a multitude of substrates exhibiting reversible oxidoreduction suitable for sensor construction is reported. A bioreceptor customized from the fragment antigen binding region of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies immobilized on an EgGC matrix supported the selective/specific electrochemical signal transduction with respect to different viral loads (femtogram level) of SARS-CoV-2.

Electrified liquid - liquid interface strategy for sensing lactic acid in buttermilk extract.

Lactic acid (LA) serves as a freshness marker in certain foods. In the present work, electrified interfaces of different nature (i.e.

2D organic nanosheets of self-assembled guanidinium derivative for efficient single sodium-ion conduction: rationalizing morphology editing and ion conduction.

The resurgence of interest in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is largely driven by their natural abundance and favourable cost, apart from their comparable electrochemical performance when compared with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The uneven geographic distribution of the raw materials required for LIBs has also contributed to this. The solid-state electrolyte (SSE) is typically one of the vital components for energy storage in SIBs and for achieving high electrochemical performances.

From One-Pot to Powerhouse: Al-FeO Thin Films Coupled with Hexagonal ZnFe LDH for Water Oxidation in Alkaline Environment.

As COVID-19 profoundly affected nations worldwide, there was a significant reduction in gas and electricity consumption, contrasting with the surplus production of oil and gas by companies. This situation has ignited a growing interest in researching alternative green fuels. Electrochemical water-splitting has emerged as a promising avenue for advancing the green hydrogen economy.

Electro-responsive Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (E-MIPs) for Rapid Detection of Progesterone in Human Serum Samples.

Rapid and reagent-free detection of progesterone (P4) is crucial in point-of-care (POC) measurement due to its important role in the human endocrine and central nervous system. Currently available technologies for P4 detection are often not rapid or require reagents, limiting their use in POC settings. In this work, a self-signaling electrochemical sensing platform for rapid detection of P4 is developed by using electroactive molecularly imprinted polymers (E-MIPs).

Tuning the shell thickness of N-doped interconnected hollow carbon sphere for the electrochemical sensing of antibiotic drug chloramphenicol.

N-doped hollow carbon spheres (NHCSs) with different shell thicknesses are constructed using various amounts of SiO precursor. An interconnected framework with diminished wall thickness ensures an efficient and continuous electron transport which helps to enhance the performance of NHCS. Improvement of the electrocatalytic performance was shown in the determination of antibiotic drug chloramphenicol (CAP) due to the unique hollow thin shell morphology, ample defect sites, accessible surface area, higher surface-to-volume ratio and an synergistic effect.

Ceria-Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for Electro-oxidation of Urea: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation.

This study explores the potential of ceria-graphene oxide (CeO-GO) nanocomposites as efficient electrocatalysts for urea electro-oxidation (UOR). This work combines experimental and theoretical investigations and characterization techniques confirm the successful formation of the CeO embedded on graphene oxide sheets. UOR activity was found to be dependent on both OH and urea concentrations.

Improved electrochemical reduction of CO to syngas with a highly exfoliated TiCT MXene-gold composite.

Transforming carbon dioxide (CO) into valuable chemicals electroreduction presents a sustainable and viable approach to mitigating excess CO in the atmosphere. This report provides fresh insights into the design of a new titanium-based MXene composite as a catalyst for the efficient conversion of CO in a safe aqueous medium. Despite its excellent electrocatalytic activity towards CO reduction and high selectivity for CO production, the high cost of Au and the decline in catalytic activity on a larger scale hinder its large-scale CO conversion applications.

Poly (lactic acid)/ amine grafted mesoporous silica-based composite for food packaging application.

The present study focuses on the development of environmentally friendly bio-composite films using poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a biopolymer matrix. This is achieved by incorporating amine functionalized green mesoporous silica (GMS) and employing a solution casting method for film fabrication. The motivation behind the work is to improve the compatibility between PLA and green mesoporous silica sourced from rice husk by functionalizing GMS with APTES (3-Aminopropyltriethoxy silane).

Nitrogen-Rich Covalent Organic Polymer for Metal-Free Tandem Catalysis and Postmetalation-Actuated High-Performance Water Oxidation.

Development of high-performing catalytic materials for selective and mild chemical transformations through adhering to the principles of sustainability remains a central focus in modern chemistry. Herein, we report the template-free assembly of a thermochemically robust covalent organic polymer (COP: ) from 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarbonyl dichloride and 2,4,6-tris(4-aminophenyl)triazine as [2 + 3] structural motifs. The two-dimensional (2D) layered architecture contains carboxamide functionality, delocalized π-cloud, and free pyridyl-N site-decked pores.

Heterobimetallic Synergism in Triple-Redox 2D Framework for Largely Boosted Water Oxidation and Flanked Carboxylic-Acid-Triggered Unconventional Tandem Catalysis.

A fish-bone-shaped and thermochemically stable 2D metal-organic framework (MOF) with multimodal active center-decked pore-wall is devised. Redox-active [Co(COO)] node and thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole functionalization benefit this mixed-ligand MOF exhibiting electrochemical water oxidation with 375 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm current density and 78 mV per dec Tafel slope in alkaline medium. Pair of oppositely oriented carboxylic acids aids postmetalation with transition metal ions to engineer heterobimetallic materials.

Synergistic Bactericidal Effect of Zn Ions and Reactive Oxygen Species Generated in Response to Either UV or X-ray Irradiation of Zn-Doped Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation TiO Coatings.

Zn-containing TiO-based coatings with Na, Ca, Si, and K additives were obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of Ti in order to achieve an effective and broad bactericidal protection without compromising biocompatibility. A protocol has been developed for cleaning the coating surface from electrolyte residues, ensuring the preservation of the microstructure and composition of the surface layer. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, three characteristic microstructural zones in the PEO-Zn coating are well documented: zone 1 with a TiO-based nanocrystalline structure, zone 2 with an amorphous structure, and zone 3 around pores with an amorphous-nanocrystalline structure.

Adsorbed Carbon Monoxide-Enabled Self-Terminated Au-Grafting on Pt Nanoclusters for Enhanced Methanol Electrooxidation.

The study presents the first example of an adsorbed carbon monoxide (CO) enabled self-terminated Au-grafting on triphenylphosphine (PPh) stabilized Pt nanoclusters (NCs) (Pt (PPh)Cl NCs or Pt NCs). Adsorbed PPh ligands weaken the Pt-CO bond enabling the self-terminated Au-grafting on Pt NCs. The Au-grafted Pt NCs exhibit enhanced methanol electrooxidation (MOR) in acidic solutions.

Tailoring Mott-Schottky RuO/MgFe-LDH Heterojunctions in Electrospun Microfibers: A Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Water Electrolysis.

Hydrogen is a fuel of the future that has the potential to replace conventional fossil fuels in several applications. The quickest and most effective method of producing pure hydrogen with no carbon emissions is water electrolysis. Developing highly active electrocatalysts is crucial due to the slow kinetics of oxygen and hydrogen evolution, which limit the usage of precious metals in water splitting.