An albumin fluorescent sensor array discriminates ochratoxins.

A sensor array that can distinguish ochratoxins based on the fluorescence of the albumin-ochratoxin complex has been developed. This sensor array enabled the identification of ochratoxins and their mixtures in real food samples.

Bimetallic sulfides based hybrid anodes are constructed for high-performance lithium ion batteries.

Transition metal sulfides (TMSs) are considered as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in virtue of their high theoretical specific capacity, low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the intrinsic poor electron/ion transport, large volume change and the shuttle effect of polysulfides hinder their achievement of superb rate capability and cycle performance. Compared with the monometallic sulfides, bimetallic sulfides have superior electron transport capability and higher electrochemical activity.

Pectin/zinc alginate films containing anthocyanins from dragon fruit peel as intelligent pH indicators for shrimp freshness monitor.

The novel incorporation of dragon fruit peel extract (DE), rich in anthocyanins, Zn (from Zinc Alginate) and pectin was applied to create active and intelligent food packaging composite films. These films were characterized for their microstructure and properties. Various levels of anthocyanin extracts (1 %, 3 %, and 5 %) were evaluated for their impact on the films' physical and functional properties, incorporating microstructure, mechanical strength, barrier properties, pH sensitivity, and bacteriostatic effectiveness.

In situ evolved high-valence Co active sites enable highly efficient and stable chlorine evolution reaction.

The chlor-alkali process is crucial in the modern chemical industry, yet it is highly energy-intensive, consuming about 4 % of global electricity due to the significant overpotential and low selectivity of existing chlorine evolution reaction (CER) electrocatalysts. Although advanced electrocatalysts have reduced the energy demands of the chlor-alkali process, they typically incorporate precious metals. Here, we introduce a novel precious metal-free electrocatalyst, (CoZn)VO@C, with a hollow nanocube structure that exhibits outstanding CER performance.

Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Combined with Solid-Phase Extraction for Purification of Lignans.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can specifically recognize template molecules in solution with imprinted cavities. Due to their capacity for scalable production, they can be used to isolate target products from natural products for industrial production in the fields of pharmaceuticals and food. In this study, magnetic single-template molecularly imprinted polymers (St-MIPs) instead of magnetic multi-template molecularly imprinted polymers (Mt-MIPs) were prepared by surface imprinting using Schizandrol A as a template molecule and deep eutectic solvent (DES) as a functional monomer, combined with solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the adsorption and separation of Schizandrol A, Schisantherin A, Schizandrin A, and Schizandrin B from (Turcz.

Unraveling the Multifunctional Mechanism of Fluoroethylene Carbonate in Enhancing High-Performance Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries has attracted growing attentions in large-scale energy storage technology, while the serious shuttle effect and interface side reaction limit its practical application. Despite fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) has been widely used as an electrolyte additive or co-solvent to facilitate the optimization of electrode-electrolyte interphase in RT Na-S batteries, its crucial influence and mechanism have not been clearly understood. Herein, we deeply reveal the two-steps cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation by using FEC as the exclusive electrolyte solvent.

Reconfiguring FeN sites through axial FeO clusters to enhance d-orbital electronic delocalization for improved oxygen reduction reaction.

Effectively controlling the electronic configuration of metal sites within single-atom catalysts (SACs) is essential for improving their oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. Here, we construct hybrid catalysts featuring Fe single atoms and FeO clusters (Fe SACs/FeO@NHPC) to realize highly efficient ORR. Specifically, the Fe SACs/FeO@NHPC delivers a remarkable half-wave potential (E) of 0.

Computational study on two-dimensional transition metal borides for enhanced lithium-sulfur battery performance: Insights on anchoring, catalytic activity, and solvation effects.

The controlled modulation of surface functional groups, in conjunction with the intrinsic structural characteristics of MXene materials, shows great potential in alleviating the shuttle effect and improving the sluggish reaction kinetics in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). This study delves into the impact of surface functional groups (T = O, S, F, and Cl) on VB MBene concerning sulfur immobilization and kinetic catalytic properties through meticulous first-principles calculations. The results reveal that the establishment of T-Li bonds within VBT (T = O, S, F, and Cl) enhances the adsorption of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs).

Anion-Tuned Fluorinated Solvation Sheath Enables Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

Continuous side reactions between conventional carbonate-based electrolytes and electrodes lead to electrolyte consumption and the growth of lithium dendrites, which always lead to serious capacity fading or safety issues, hindering the development of lithium metal batteries. Here, a nonflammable all-fluorinated electrolyte with the anion-participating Li solvation sheath is developed and the corresponding electrochemical properties are studied. Combining theoretical calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, ethyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl carbonate (ETFEC) and methyl difluoroacetate (MDFA) as cosolvents in the all-fluorinated electrolyte, PF anions accumulate on the lithium metal anode and preferentially reduced to obtain a LiF-rich solid electrolyte layer, inducing uniform lithium metal deposition.

Design towards recyclable micron-sized NaS cathode with self-refinement mechanism.

Sodium sulfide (NaS) as an initial cathode material in room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries is conducive to get rid of the dependence on Na-metal anode. However, the micron-sized NaS that accords with the practical requirements is obstructed due to poor kinetics and severe shuttle effect. Herein, a subtle strategy is proposed via regulating NaS redeposition behaviours.

Efficacy of chondroitin sulfate as an emerging biomaterial for cancer-targeted drug delivery: A short review.

The global increase in cancer incidence over the past decade highlights the urgent need for more effective therapeutic strategies. Conventional cancer treatments face challenges such as drug resistance and off-target toxicity, which affect healthy tissues. Chondroitin sulfate (CHDS), a naturally occurring bioactive macromolecule, has gained attention because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity, positioning it as an ideal candidate for cancer-targeted drug delivery systems.

Boosted the thermal conductivity of liquid metal via bridging diamond particles with graphite.

The liquid metal (LM) composite is regarded as having potential and wide-ranging applications in electronic thermal management. Enhancing the thermal conductivity of LM is a crucial matter. Herein, a novel LM composite of eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn)/diamond/graphite was developed.

Broad-Spectrum Bactericidal Multifunctional Tiny Silicon-Based Nanoparticles Modified with Tannic Acid for Healing Infected Diabetic Wounds.

Infected chronic wounds, in particular, diabetic wounds, are hard to heal, posing a global health concern with high morbidity and mortality rates. Diabetic full-thickness wounds infected with belong to the most difficult to heal chronic infected wounds. Here, we introduced tannic acid-modified silicon-based nanoparticles (TA-SiNPs) with broad-spectrum bactericidal activity that bacteria develop minimal resistance to, and they can effectively treat full-thickness wounds in diabetic mice infected with .

Preparation of N-(2-hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride)-O-dodecylylpyridine chitosan quaternary ammonium salt and its antibacterial activities.

Chitosan derivatives, including O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), N-(2-hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride)-O-carboxymethyl chitosan (QCMC), and N-(2-hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride)-O-dodecylylpyridine chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (DQCMC), were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, H nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and element analysis (EA). The antibacterial activities of chitosan and chitosan derivatives against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.

DFT-Based Mechanistic Exploration and Application in Photocatalytic Heterojunctions.

Density functional theory (DFT) is one of the most widely used methods in the field of computational materials and has become an important research method for photocatalytic heterojunctions. Based on the research progress of DFT in the field of photocatalytic heterojunctions, this review introduces three kinds of heterojunction modeling in detail as well as the problems encountered in the construction process and the solutions. It provides a comprehensive review of the calculation methods of important parameters related to photocatalytic heterojunctions.

Exploring lithium ion interactions in graphite electrodes through non-equilibrium molecular dynamics and density functional theory.

In molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, selecting an appropriate potential function is a crucial element for accurately simulating the kinetic properties of lithium ion intercalation, storage, and diffusion in graphite systems. This work employed a combination of non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and density-functional theory (DFT) for simulation and analysis. The findings indicate that the AIREBO potential function precisely describes the motion of ordered lithium ions between graphite layers, consistent with the models proposed by Rüdorff and Hofmann (R-H) and Daumas and Hérold (D-H).

pH-controlled acetic acid pretreatment for coproduction of low degree of polymerization xylo-oligosaccharides and glucose from corncobs.

Acetic acid (HAc) pretreatment has been widely used for the production of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), requiring harsh reaction conditions because XOS are intermediates during the xylan degradation process. This complexity makes the pretreatment process difficult to regulate. In this study, a pH-controlled HAc pretreatment using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was proposed to enhance the yield of XOS and to reduce its degree of polymerization (DP) from corncobs (CC).

Double-layer carboxymethyl chitosan/sulfoethylated cellulose/cellulose nanofiber foams with a photothermally enhanced ionic concentration gradient for hydrovoltaic energy harvesting.

The generation of electricity from water, which contains enormous amounts of energy, has attracted significant attention in recent years. However, the development of devices consisting of materials with the required mechanical stability, suitable structures, and wide ion concentration gradients for operation in direct contact with water remains challenging. Herein, we report the preparation of three-dimensional foam structures based on covalent cross-linking and freeze-drying using cellulose and chitosan derivatives as raw materials.