Preparation and characterization of the octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modified sphingan WL gum as novel biopolymeric surfactants.

Combining polymer and surfactant in one agent namely polymeric surfactants with both high viscosity and surface activity has become a viable alternative for the traditional enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes. With the purpose of developing new polymeric surfactants, the biopolymer flooding agent sphingan WL gum was modified by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) through the esterification reaction. The effects of molecular weight (MW) of WL and the OSA: WL ratio on the properties of the products were investigated.

Cross-linked chitosan encapsulated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticle: A dual-functional smart nanocapsule design for targeted corrosion inhibition and controlled emulsification.

Research on stimuli-responsive micro-nanocontainers has gained attention for targeted corrosion inhibition and controlled emulsification-demulsification in oil recovery. However, existing nanocontainers face issues like irreversible drug release and limited functionality. This study presents a multi-functional nanocontainer design with reversible drug release and emulsification-demulsification capabilities.

Vacancy-Activated B-Doping for Efficient 2e- Oxygen Reduction through Suppressing H2O2 Decomposition at High Overpotential.

The production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) has emerged as a more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional anthraquinone method. Although oxidized carbon catalysts have intensive developed due to their high selectivity and activity, the yield and conversion rate of H2O2 under high overpotential still limited. The produced H2O2 was rapidly consumed by the increased intensity of H2O2 reduction, which could ascribe to decomposition of peroxide radicals under high voltage in the carbon catalyst.

Integrating L-Cys-AuNCs in ZIF-8 with Enhanced Fluorescence and Strengthened Stability for Sensitive Detection of Copper Ions.

Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been widely investigated because of their unique photoluminescence properties. However, the applications of AuNCs are limited by their poor stability and relatively low fluorescence. In the present work, we developed nanocomposites (L-Cys-AuNCs@ZIF-8) with high fluorescence and stability, which were constructed by encapsulating the water-dispersible L-Cys-AuNCs into a ZIF-8 via Zn-triggered growth strategy without high temperature and pressure.

MHTAPred-SS: A Highly Targeted Autoencoder-Driven Deep Multi-Task Learning Framework for Accurate Protein Secondary Structure Prediction.

Accurate protein secondary structure prediction (PSSP) plays a crucial role in biopharmaceutics and disease diagnosis. Current prediction methods are mainly based on multiple sequence alignment (MSA) encoding and collaborative operations of diverse networks. However, existing encoding approaches lead to poor feature space utilization, and encoding quality decreases with fewer homologous proteins.

MODE: Minimax Optimal Deterministic Experiments for Causal Inference in the Presence of Covariates.

Data-driven decision-making has become crucial across various domains. Randomization and re-randomization are standard techniques employed in controlled experiments to estimate causal effects in the presence of numerous pre-treatment covariates. This paper quantifies the worst-case mean squared error of the difference-in-means estimator as a generalized discrepancy of covariates between treatment and control groups.

Effect of Activator Type on the High-Temperature Properties of Alkali-Activated Slag Cementing Fluid.

The type of activator has a significant impact on the performance of alkali-activated slag, and there is little research on the effect of activator type on the high-temperature performance of alkali-activated slag. The effects of activator type on the thickening time, compressive strength, and rheological properties of alkali-activated slag under a high-temperature condition were studied in this article. Six activators were designed using Ca(OH), NaCO, and NaSO and their combination.

Imidazole-Functionalized Zn-MOFs for One-Step CH Purification from CH/CH/CH Ternary Mixture.

The discovery of new structures is very important for metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents and their application in gas separation, where the design of ligands and the selection of metal ions play a decisive role. Herein, we synthesized two isoreticular Zn-MOFs, UPC-250 and UPC-251, composed of imidazole-based tricarboxylic acid ligands and binuclear zinc clusters. The pore environment was regulated via modifying fluorine atoms at different positions of ligands, and one-step purification of ethylene from acetylene/ethylene/ethane ternary mixture was realized in UPC-251.

Review on natural hydrogen wells safety.

Hydrogen is a promising clean energy source with geological reserves widely distributed globally, offering an annual flow exceeding 23 trillion grams. However, natural hydrogen extraction wells face unique safety challenges compared to conventional oil and gas wells. This paper reviews well safety concerns such as tubing/casing damage, cement/sealant failure, and excessive annular pressure buildup.

Achieving Superior Thermoelectric Performance in Methoxy-Functionalized MXenes: The Role of Organic Functionalization.

Thermoelectric technology enables the direct and reversible conversion of heat into electrical energy without air pollution. Herein, the stability, electronic structure, and thermoelectric properties of methoxy-functionalized MC(OMe) (M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W) were systematically investigated using first-principles calculations and semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory. All MXenes, except those with M = Cr, Mo, and W, can be synthesized by substituting Cl- and Br-functionalized MXenes with deprotonated methanol, with stability governed by the M-O bond strength.

Comprehensive geological analysis and evaluation of the feasibility of renovating the Wanshunchang gas reservoir into a gas storage facility.

As many oil and gas reservoirs approach depletion stages in the future, alongside growing energy storage demands, constructing gas storage facilities becomes critical for ensuring a stable natural gas supply. Consequently, a comprehensive geological analysis is essential to evaluate the feasibility of converting depleted gas reservoirs into gas storage facilities. The W gas reservoir in the Sichuan Basin, China, is nearing depletion and presents potential for conversion into a gas storage facility.

A stable open-shell peri-hexacene with remarkable diradical character.

[n]Peri-acenes ([n]PA) have attracted great interest as promising candidates for nanoelectronics and spintronics. However, the synthesis of large [n]PA (n > 4) is extremely challenging due to their intrinsic open-shell radical character and high reactivity. Herein, we report the successful synthesis and isolation of a derivative (1) of peri-hexacene in crystalline form.

Catalytic oxidation upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity carboxylic acids.

Catalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into high-value oxygenated products is a fascinating process, yet it remains challenging. Here, we present a one-step tandem strategy to realize the thermal catalytic oxidation upcycling of PET to terephthalic acid (TPA) and high-value glycolic acid (GA) instead of ethylene glycol (EG). By using the Au/NiO with rich oxygen vacancies as catalyst, we successfully accelerate the hydrolysis of PET, accompanied by obtaining 99% TPA yield and 87.

MM-DRPNet: A multimodal dynamic radial partitioning network for enhanced protein-ligand binding affinity prediction.

Accurate prediction of drug-target binding affinity remains a fundamental challenge in contemporary drug discovery. Despite significant advances in computational methods for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction, current approaches still face substantial limitations in prediction accuracy. Moreover, the prevalent methodologies often overlook critical three-dimensional (3D) structural information, thereby constraining their practical utility in computer-aided drug design (CADD).

Optomechanical energy enhanced BF-QEPAS for fast and sensitive gas sensing.

Traditional beat frequency quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (BF-QEPAS) are limited by short energy accumulation times and the necessity of a decay period, leading to weaker signals and longer measurement cycles. Herein, we present a novel optomechanical energy-enhanced (OEE-) BF-QEPAS technique for fast and sensitive gas sensing. Our approach employs periodic pulse-width modulation (PWM) of the laser signal with an optimized duty cycle, maintaining the quartz tuning fork's (QTF) output at a stable steady-state level by applying stimulus signals at each half-period and allowing free vibration in alternate half-periods to minimize energy dissipation.

Carbon Felts Uniformly Modified with Bismuth Nanoparticles for Efficient Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries.

The integration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the energy supply has driven the need for large-scale energy storage technologies. Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are considered promising due to their long lifespan, high safety, and flexible design. However, the graphite felt (GF) electrode, a critical component of VRFBs, faces challenges due to the scarcity of active sites, leading to low electrochemical activity.

Integrated SERS-Microfluidic Sensor Based on Nano-Micro Hierarchical Cactus-like Array Substrates for the Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer.

The detection and analysis of cancer cell exosomes with high sensitivity and precision are pivotal for the early diagnosis and treatment strategies of prostate cancer. To this end, a microfluidic chip, equipped with a cactus-like array substrate (CAS) based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was designed and fabricated for the detection of exosome concentrations in Lymph Node Carcinoma of the Prostate (LNCaP). Double layers of polystyrene (PS) microspheres were self-assembled onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film to form an ordered cactus-like nanoarray for detection and analysis.

Preparation and Performance Evaluation of CO Foam Gel Fracturing Fluid.

The utilization of CO foam gel fracturing fluid offers several significant advantages, including minimal reservoir damage, reduced water consumption during application, enhanced cleaning efficiency, and additional beneficial properties. However, several current CO foam gel fracturing fluid systems face challenges, such as complex preparation processes and insufficient viscosity, which limit their proppant transport capacity. To address these issues, this work develops a novel CO foam gel fracturing fluid system characterized by simple preparation and robust foam stability.

Mechanisms of Low Temperature Thickening of Different Materials for Deepwater Water-Based Drilling Fluids.

During deepwater drilling, the low mudline temperatures and narrow safe density window pose serious challenges to the safe and efficient performance of deepwater water-based drilling fluids. Low temperatures can lead to physical and chemical changes in the components of water-based drilling fluids and the behavior of low temperature gelation. As a coarse dispersion system, water-based drilling fluid has a complex composition of dispersed phase and dispersing medium.

Discrimination of normal/cancer cells in bioimaging through a rolling circle amplification-enhanced red carbon dots-embedded multivalent aptamers nanoplatform.

Glutathione (GSH) is a key biomarker closely associated with cancer, and its content varies greatly between normal cells and cancer cells. However, intracellular detection of GSH was challenging because existing probes not only have a long detection time but also have fluorescence in the blue-green region that overlaps with the biological matrix's spontaneous fluorescence, thus affecting the detection accuracy. Therefore, a new red fluorescent nano-probe was needed to rapidly and accurately detected GSH within the biological matrix.

Multiscale modifications of carbon nitride to strengthen reaction kinetics and lower thermodynamic barriers for efficient photocatalytic oxygen evolution.

Photocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for sustainable energy systems yet lacks high-performance catalysts capable of strong visible light absorption, robust charge dynamics, fast reaction kinetics, and high oxidation capability. Herein, we report the multiscale optimization of carbon nitride through the construction of porous curled carbon nitride nanosheets (CNA-B30) incorporating boron center/cyano group Lewis acid-base pairs (LABPs). The unique chemical and structural features of CNA-B30 extended the photoabsorption edges of π → π* and n → π* electronic transitions to 470 nm and 715 nm, respectively.

Improved HO Photogeneration on KBr Doped-Polymeric Carbon Nitride Via Optimize the Oxygen Reduction Path.

The photosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (HO) from oxygen (O) represents a promising catalytic pathway, the limited efficiency of the oxygen reduction constitutes a primary barrier to enhancing production. In this content, alkali metal potassium (K) and Br-doped g-CN photocatalysts (K-CN) were successfully constructed by one-pot method. The introduction of K is not only beneficial to the transmission of space charge and the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, but also promotes the efficient production of HO by 2e oxygen reduction reaction.