Sea Urchin-Like NiCo-LDH Hollow Spheres Anchored on 3D Graphene Aerogel for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

To enhance the inherent poor conductivity and low cycling stability of dimetallic layered double hydroxides (LDHs) materials, designing a synergistic effect between EDLC capacitors and pseudocapacitors is an efficient strategy. In this paper, we utilized a solvothermal technique employing Co-glycerate as a precursor to prepare sea urchin-like NiCo-LDH hollow spheres anchored on a 3D graphene aerogel. The unique morphology of these hollow microspheres significantly expand the specific surface area and exposes more active sites, while reducing the volume changes of materials during long-term charging and discharging processes.

Appraisal of potentially toxic metals contamination in protein supplements for muscle growth: A chemometric approach and associated human health risks.

Background: The use of protein supplements by athletes has risen due to their effectiveness in meeting dietary needs. However, there is a growing concern about the presence of potentially toxic metals (PTMs. Al, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in these supplements.

Multi-scale microstructural construction in ultralight graphene aerogels enables super elasticity and unprecedented durability for impact protection materials.

Ultralight graphene aerogels have gained extensive recognition in the impact protection field. However, attaining both elasticity and durability at low material density is challenging due to their intrinsic conflicts. Inspired by the mantis ootheca, we present a simultaneous improvement in the elasticity, durability, and density restrictions of ultralight graphene aerogels via constructing a multiscale honeycomb microstructure (MHM) within the graphene skeleton.

Study on harmless treatment of electrolytic manganese residue by low temperature thermochemical method.

The Electrolytic Manganese Residue (EMR) is a by-product of the electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) industry, containing high concentrations of potential pollutants such as NH-N and soluble Mn. These components pose a serious threat to the ecological environment. To explore accurate, efficient, and harmless treatment methods for EMR, this study proposes a low-temperature thermochemical approach.

BaCu, a Two-Dimensional Electride with Cu Anions.

The electron-rich characteristic and low work function endow electrides with excellent performance in (opto)electronics and catalytic applications; these two features are closely related to the structural topology, constituents, and valence electron concentration of electrides. However, the synthesized electrides, especially two-dimensional (2D) electrides, are limited to specific structural prototypes and anionic -block elements. Here we synthesize and identify a distinct 2D electride of BaCu with delocalized anionic electrons confined to the interlayer spaces of the BaCu framework.

Zwitterionic cellulose nanofibers-based hydrogels with high toughness, ionic conductivity, and healable capability in cryogenic environments.

Extreme environmental conditions often lead to irreversible structural failure and functional degradation in hydrogels, limiting their service life and applicability. Achieving high toughness, self-healing, and ionic conductivity in cryogenic environments is vital to broaden their applications. Herein, we present a novel approach to simultaneously enhance the toughness, self-healing, and ionic conductivity of hydrogels, via inducing non-freezable water within the zwitterionic cellulose-based hydrogel skeleton.

Thermal Emission Modulation by Electron Population in Quantum Dots.

We report an efficient temperature modulation of thermal emissivity near room temperature using quantum dots. The quantum confinement effects result in a unique feature that resembles a quasi-two-level electronic system (QTLES). The QTLES's dielectric function ϵ(ω) is shown to be dependent on the electron population difference δρ(T), which exhibits strong temperature dependence and can be tuned by adjusting the Fermi-level of the solid.

Preparation of citric acid cross-linked chitosan quaternary phosphonium/polyvinyl alcohol composite film and its application in strawberry preservation.

Chitosan quaternary phosphine salts (NPCS) were synthesized with enhanced antimicrobial properties using a two-step method. Composite films (CNSP) were prepared by incorporating NPCS and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the base material, citric acid as the crosslinker and functional additive, exhibiting antibacterial and UV-blocking properties. The composite film showed a maximum tensile strength of 20.

Cellulose nanocrystal thermal smart molecular brushes with upper critical aggregation temperature.

Grafting thermo-responsive polymers onto cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and achieving critical temperature regulation has drawn significant research interest. The thermal transition behavior of CNCs can be controlled by adjusting the polymer molecular brushes on the CNCs surface. We synthesized poly((2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) grafted CNCs via surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer, followed by modifying PDMAEMA brushes into poly-3-dimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl) ammonium propane sulfonate (PDMAPS) brushes via quaternization.

Development of lignin hydrogel reinforced polypyrrole rich electrode material for supercapacitor and sensing applications.

The preparation of natural polymer-based highly conductive hydrogels with reliable durability for applications in supercapacitors (SCs) is still challenging. Herein, a facile method to prepare alkaline lignin (AL)-based polypyrrole (PPy)-rich, high-conductive PPy@AL/PEGDGE gel was reported, where AL was used as a dopant, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as a cross-linking agent, and PPy as a conducting polymer. The PPy@AL/PEGDGE gel electrode materials with hollow structures were prepared by electrochemical deposition and chemical etching method and then assembled into sandwich-shaped SCs.

Investigation of silicon doped carbon dots/Carboxymethyl cellulose gel platform with tunable afterglow and dynamic multistage anticounterfeiting.

The remarkable optical properties of carbon dots, particularly their tunable room-temperature phosphorescence, have garnered significant interest. However, challenges such as aggregation propensity and complex phosphorescence control via energy level manipulation during synthesis persist. Addressing these issues, we present a facile gel platform for tunable afterglow materials.

Harnessing a simple ratiometric fluorescent probe for albumin recognition and beyond.

A commercially available naphthalene fluorophore serves as a ratiometric indicator for albumin, showcasing its applications in albumin-based supramolecular recognition.

Quasi-waffle solar distiller for durable desalination of seawater.

Water purification via interfacial solar steam generation exhibits promising potential. However, salt crystallization on evaporators reduces solar absorption and obstructs water supply. To address it, a waffle-shaped solar evaporator (WSE) has been designed.

Design of Multifunctional Electrocatalysts for ORR/OER/HER/HOR: Janus Makes Difference.

Multifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have broad application prospects; However, realization of such kinds of materials remain difficulties because it requires the materials to have not only unique electronic properties, but multiple active centers to deal with different reactions. Here, employing density functional theory (DFT) computations, it is demonstrated that by decorating the Janus-type 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) of TaSSe with the single atoms, the materials can achieve multifunctionality to catalyze the ORR/OER/HER/HOR. Out of sixteen catalytic systems, Pt-V (i.

PdPt@SnS Nanosheets for a Novel Ultrasensitive Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor for miRNA-21 Assay.

PdPt nanosheets decorated on SnS nanosheets (i.e., PdPt@SnS NSs) were fabricated for a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of miRNA-21 based on catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) cycles.

Variant-Localized High-Concentration Electrolyte without Phase Separation for Low-Temperature Batteries.

Dual-ion batteries (DIBs) present great application potential in low-temperature energy storage scenarios due to their unique dual-ion working mechanism. However, at low temperatures, the insufficient electrochemical oxidation stability of electrolytes and depressed interfacial compatibility impair the DIB performance. Here, we design a variant-localized high-concentration solvation structure for universal low-temperature electrolytes (ν-LHCE) without the phase separation via introducing an extremely weak-solvating solvent with low energy levels.

Anti-cancer drug axitinib: a unique tautomerism-induced dual-emissive probe for protein analysis.

A commercial anti-cancer drug, axitinib, exhibits very stable dual emissions for discrimination of human serum albumin.

Inhibition Studies of Expansion Damage in Medium-Low Reactivity Limestone by Fly Ash.

Expansion damage in medium-low reactivity dolomite limestone poses significant challenges in construction and engineering projects. This study investigates the potential of fly ash in inhibiting expansion damage in such limestone formations based on RILEM AAR-5 method. Through a series of laboratory experiments, various proportions of fly ash instead of cement, respectively, were prepared and subjected to varying alkali content conditions immersion tests to simulate expansion conditions.

Plane-Stress Deformation Behavior of CoCrFeMnNi High-Entropy Alloy Sheet under Low Temperatures.

High-entropy alloys are promising candidates expected to be applied in transportation equipment serving in extreme environments due to their excellent properties. CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy is a typical representative of them, and its low temperature performance is excellent. In this study, to evaluate the feasibility of forming HEA shells, the deformation behavior of CoCrFeMnNi under a plane-stress state at lower temperatures was thoroughly studied.

Silicon-Doped Carbon Dots Crosslinked Carboxymethyl Cellulose Gel: Detection and Adsorption of Fe.

The excessive emission of iron will pollute the environment and harm human health, so the fluorescence detection and adsorption of Fe are of great significance. In the field of water treatment, cellulose-based gels have attracted wide attention due to their excellent properties and environmental friendliness. If carbon dots are used as a crosslinking agent to form a gel with cellulose, it can not only improve mechanical properties but also show good biocompatibility, reactivity, and fluorescence properties.

Preparation and property studies of ferric sulfoaluminate cement based on Bayer red mud and phosphogypsum.

The Bayer red mud (RM) and phosphogypsum (PG) accumulation have caused significant environmental contamination. However, practical and effective resource utilization technologies are still lacking currently. This work aims to develop ferric sulfoaluminate cement (FSAC) employing low-cost materials including Bayer red mud, phosphogypsum, and other materials.

Cage-rearranged and cage-intact syntheses of azido-functionalized larger T and T POSSs.

Herein, we investigate the product type and distribution during the synthesis of azido-functionalized larger polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) using 3-chloropropyl- and chloromethyldimethylsilylethyl-functionalized T, T, and T POSSs as precursors. Our findings indicate that cage rearrangement occurs for the 3-chloropropyl-functionalized POSS cages with a stability order of T > T > T, while the chloromethyldimethylsilylethyl-functionalized POSS cages remain structurally intact after the nucleophilic substitution.

Overcoming strength-ductility tradeoff with high pressure thermal treatment.

Conventional material processing approaches often achieve strengthening of materials at the cost of reduced ductility. Here, we show that high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) treatment can help overcome the strength-ductility trade-off in structural materials. We report an initially strong-yet-brittle eutectic high entropy alloy simultaneously doubling its strength to 1150 MPa and its tensile ductility to 36% after the HPHT treatment.

A density correction method for radioactive waste drum based on SRGS technology.

The segmented ringed gamma scanning (SRGS) technique represents an advancement in segmented gamma scanning (SGS) technology used for detecting the density of radioactive waste drums, offering enhanced measurement accuracy. However, significant occur errors in the reconstruction of matrix densities due to the non-uniform distribution of density in radioactive waste and the conical beam emitted from the transmission source collimator. This paper proposes a density correction method based on dichotomy to address this issue.

Sustainable, super-stable thermochromic material by coupling hydroxypropyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) is a green thermochromic material in energy-saving buildings, anti-counterfeiting, and data security fields. However, the high lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of HPC, around 42 °C (higher than the human thermal comfort temperature), limits its thermochromic sensitivity, poor stability, and short lifespan. Herein, we developed a durable, high-performance cellulose-based thermochromic composite with a lower LCST and easy preparation capability by combining HPC with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).