Valorization of rapeseed straw through the enhancement of cellulose accessibility, lignin removal and xylan elimination using an n-alkyltrimethylammonium bromide-based deep eutectic solvent.

n-Alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-based deep eutectic solvent (DESs) has potential in the efficient delignification and utilization of carbohydrates in biomass. In this research, DESs containing Brønsted acid and Lewis acid were prepared with CTAB (alkyl-chain length 12-18), organic acids and metal chlorides, and the optimal treatment conditions were acquired by pretreatment optimization. Through the pretreatment with TTAB/LCA/Fe (1:4:0.

Ball milling of mackinawite and oxalic acid to fabricate an efficient and stable reductive material for remediation of Cr(Ⅵ)-contaminated soil.

Compared with zero-valent iron, iron sulfide has more diverse reactive species and higher reductivity, but it is still prone to be gradually deactivated due to various passivation factors. In this study, a novel reductive material (BMMW@OA) was prepared by ball milling of mackinawite (MW) as raw material and oxalic acid (OA) as modifier, so as to simultaneously improve its reductivity and stability by continuous releasing reductive species and maintaining freshness of the material surface. The BMMW@OA (w/w of MW/OA = 4/1) effectively removed Cr(Ⅵ) from water with wide pH adaptability.

Synergistic design of dual S-scheme heterojunction CuO/NiAl-LDH@MIL-53(Fe) for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

The development of heterojunctions is a proven strategy to augment the photocatalytic efficiency of materials. However, the enhancement in charge transfer facilitated by a single heterojunction is inherently constrained. To overcome these limitations, we synthesized a dual S-scheme heterojunction ternary composite photocatalyst, CuO/NiAl-LDH@MIL-53(Fe), designed for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen (H) production.

Distinct Promotion of PEC Water Oxidation of TaO/α-FeO/Co-Ni PBA via Coupling Ni 3d with O 2p.

The development of robust and effective photoanodes is crucial for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production via total water splitting. Herein, the TaO/α-FeO/Co-Ni PBA (TFPB-1) photoanode was constructed by the compositing n-type TaO and n-type α-FeO followed by the deposition of p-type Co-Ni PBA. The IPCE of TFPB-1 was increased to 35.

Ultrasonic cavitation treatment of o-cresol wastewater and long-term pilot-scale study.

Acoustic cavitation is a cutting-edge and eco-friendly advanced oxidation technology with significant efficacy in removing organic pollutants from water. Despite its potential, research on the degradation of o-cresol, a common and challenging phenolic pollutant, is limited. This study systematically investigates the optimal conditions for degrading o-cresol via acoustic cavitation and evaluates its application potential through extensive pilot tests.

Single-Template Molecularly Imprinted Chiral Sensor for Enantioselective Recognition of Various Chiral Amino Acids Based on a Dummy Template Strategy.

Designing single-template molecularly imprinted chiral sensors for the enantioselective recognition of various chiral amino acids (AAs) is of great importance for chiral analysis. Here, a dummy template-based chiral sensor is developed by using l-alanine (l-Ala) as the dummy template and poly(-phenylenediamine) as the imprinting layer, which can be used for the enantioselective recognition of various chiral AAs such as Ala, tryptophan (Trp), tyrosine (Tyr), cysteine (Cys), and arginine (Arg). Compared with conventional single-template molecularly imprinted chiral sensors, the designed single-template chiral sensor shows great universality for the recognition of chiral AAs since all chiral AAs possess an Ala-analogous segment.

Affinity descriptor of metal catalysts: concept, measurement and application of oxygen affinity in the catalytic transformation of oxygenates.

Multiple oxygenate groups in biomass-based feedstocks are open to multiple catalytic pathways and products, typically resulting in low selectivity for the desired products. In this context, strategies for rational catalyst design are critical to obtain high selectivity for the desired products in biomass upgrading. The Sabatier principle provides a conceptual framework for designing optimal catalysts by following the volcanic relationship between catalyst activity for a reaction and the binding strength of a substrate on a catalyst.

Microfluidic Synthesis of miR-200c-3p Lipid Nanoparticles: Targeting ZEB2 to Alleviate Chondrocyte Damage in Osteoarthritis.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration. Chondrocyte inflammation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degradation accelerated OA progression. MicroRNA (miRNA) has the potential to be a therapeutic method for osteoarthritis.

Pickering emulsion stabilized by egg derived reconstituted lipid nanoparticles for encapsulation and oral delivery of curcumin.

The demand for high-quality, nutritious, and sustainable food products has led to a significant interest in the development of durable and effective emulsions. Pickering emulsions are promising candidates but the currently adopted stabilizers still have limitations. Here in this study, we introduce a novel egg derived reconstituted lipid nanoparticles (E-rLNPs) as stabilizer for Pickering emulsions.

Insights into tumor-derived exosome inhibition in cancer therapy.

Exosomes are critical mediators of cell-to-cell communication in physiological and pathological processes, due to their ability to deliver a variety of bioactive molecules. Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs), in particular, carry carcinogenic molecules that contribute to tumor progression, metastasis, immune escape, and drug resistance. Thus, TDE inhibition has emerged as a promising strategy to combat cancer.

Effects of hydrogen on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of TB8 titanium alloy.

The influence of varying hydrogen content on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of the metastable β titanium alloy TB8 after hydrogen charging has been investigated in this study. Several characterization methods, including optical microscopy (OM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), were employed to comprehensively analyze the alloy. The results show that with the addition of hydrogen, hydrogen mainly accumulated at grain boundaries in the form of hydrides.

Modulating Built-In Electric Field Via N-Doped Carbon Dots for Robust Oxygen Evolution at Large Current Density.

Constructing a built-in electric field (BIEF) within heterostructures has emerged as a compelling strategy for advancing electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Herein, the p-n type nanosheet array heterojunction NiP-NCDs-Co(OH)-NF are successfully prepared. The variation in interaction affinity between nitrogen within N-doped carbon dots (NCDs) and Ni/Co induces charge redistribution between Co and Ni in the NiP-NCDs-Co(OH)-NF-3 heterostructure, thereby enhancing the intensity of the BIEF, facilitating electron transfer, and markedly improving OER activity.

A Chiral Sensing Platform Based on a Starfish-Shaped AuCu Alloy for Chiral Analysis.

Designing alloys with intrinsic chirality for chiral analysis is an interesting subject, since most alloys are achiral. Here, a starfish-shaped AuCu alloy is facilely prepared through simultaneous reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl) and copper chloride (CuCl) by l-ascorbic acid (l-AA). The resultant AuCu alloy exhibits fascinating chirality due to the chiral lattice distortion generated in the alloy.

High-entropy layered double hydroxides tailor Pt electron state for promoting acidic hydrogen evolution reaction.

Despite the advancement of the Pt-catalyzed hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) through oxophilic metal-hydroxide surface hybridization, its stability in acidic solutions remains unsatisfactory. This is primarily due to excessive aggregation of active hydrogen, which hinders subsequent hydrogen desorption, coupled with the poor operational stability of metal hydroxides. In this study, we have designed Pt nanoparticles-modified NiFeCoCuCr high-entropy layered double hydroxides (Pt/HE-LDH) that exhibit exceptional catalytic activity toward HER in acidic electrolytes.

Agricultural amendments enhanced the redox cycling of iron species and hydroxyl radical formation during redox fluctuation of paddy soil.

Hydroxyl radical (OH) plays a critical role in accelerating organic contaminant attenuation during water-table decline in paddy soil, but the impacts of widely applied agricultural amendments (e.g., organic manure, rice straw, and biochar) on these processes have been rarely explored.

Design of a graphene-based chiral trifunctional tunable terahertz metasurface.

Driven by the pressing demand for integration and miniaturization within the terahertz (THz) spectrum, this research introduces an innovative approach to construct chiral structures using dichroism as the target function. This initiative aims to tackle the prevalent issues of single-functionality, narrow application scope, and intricate design in conventional metasurfaces. The proposed multifunctional tunable metasurface employs a graphene-metal hybrid structure to address the critical constraints found in existing designs.

Ionic Liquid-Functionalized Defective MOFs for Membrane-Based CO Separation: A Dual Optimization Approach for Interface and Transport.

Defective MOFs have been identified as promising candidates for efficient membrane-based separation applications. However, the utilization of defective MOFs in membrane gas separation is still in its infancy due primarily to the inefficient molecular differentiation induced by structural defects. Herein, we report a strategic combination of ionic liquid (IL) and defective UiO-66-NH MOF to ameliorate the CO/N selectivity within the highly permeable PIM-1 polymer.

Phosphorus-doped nickel-iron hydroxides/MXene for efficient electrochemical water oxidation.

Herein, NiFeP/TiC@NF was synthesized from a hydrothermal process and chemical conversion, and exhibited a low overpotential of 177 mV at = 50 mA cm, a low Tafel slope of 56 mV dec, and a very competitive stable activity in alkaline electrolyte, proposing a strategy for efficient OER and overall water splitting.

Impact of Heat Treatment and Building Direction on Selective Laser-Melted 316L Stainless Steel: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties.

Variations in the microstructural morphology with building direction during selective laser melting (SLM) result in the anisotropic mechanical properties of the specimens, while heat treatment effectively reduces this anisotropy. The degree of anisotropy of the material can be assessed by calculating the variance (σ) of the mechanical properties (strength, hardness) at different building directions at different temperatures. In this work, the effects of heat treatment temperatures (450°, 750 °C, and 1050 °C) and building directions (0°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) on the microstructure, hardness, and tensile properties of selective laser melting (SLM) SS316L were investigated.

Stable RuIr Nanoalloy Catalyst for Levulinic Acid Hydrogenation Reaction.

Hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) represents a significant approach for producing the high-value biomass-based platform compound γ-valerolactone (GVL). In this study, an efficient RuIr alloy bimetallic catalyst supported on SiC was synthesized and applied for the aqueous hydrogenation of LA into GVL under mild conditions. The RuIr/SiC catalyst exhibited high LA conversion and GVL selectivity (both > 99%) in water at 0.

Lignin-Derived Activated Carbon as Electrode Material for High-Performance Supercapacitor.

Utilizing lignin-derived activated carbon in supercapacitors has emerged as a promising approach to alleviating environmental pollution and promoting the high-value utilization of byproducts in the papermaking industry. In this study, activated carbons (LACs) were prepared using a simple one-step KOH activation approach and by employing enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL). The impact of the KOH activation parameters on the microstructure and capacitive performance of the LACs was investigated by varying the KOH/EHL ratio and activation temperature.

Recombinant collagen microneedles for transdermal delivery of antibacterial copper-DNA nanoparticles to treat skin and soft tissue infections.

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) include bacterial infections of the skin, muscles, and connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons. SSTI in patients with immunocompromising diseases may lead to chronic, hard-to-heal infected wounds, resulting in disability, amputation, or even death. To treat SSTI and rebuild the defensive barrier of the skin, here we utilize recombinant type XVII collagen protein (rCol XVII) to construct biodegradable, regenerative collagen microneedles (rCol-MNs) for transdermal delivery of antibacterial agents.

Visible-light-promoted azidation/arylation of unactivated alkenes with Togni-N electron donor-acceptor complexes.

A visible-light-promoted azidation/arylation of unactivated alkenes with Togni-N has been achieved, leading to a series of azidated pyrrolo[1,2-]indoles under photocatalyst-free conditions. Notably, an EDA complex derived from the electron-rich indole derivatives and Togni-N served as the key intermediate in this reaction.

Biodegradable chitosan-based films decorated with biosynthetic copper oxide nanoparticle for post-harvest tomato preservation.

Postharvest fruit decay caused by pathogens is an important factor leading to product waste and economic losses, and fruit coating is considered an effective strategy to solve this problem due to its simple operation and effectiveness. In this study, nano modified chitosan film (CSC) was created by mixing chitosan (CS) and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) synthesized using abandoned Ficus carica fruit. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated the formation of intermolecular interactions between CS and CuO NPs in the composite film.

Different types of anions mediated the formation of rice glutelin fibrils: Aggregation behaviors and structural characteristics.

Anions have more pronounced effect on the aggregation power of proteins than cations. Herein, the effect of different types of anions on rice glutelin (RG) based fibrils formation was investigated. The fibrils yield and growth rate of RG were enhanced with various anions, due to the specific ions effect and intermolecular interaction.