Engineering Planar Crystallinity in Nitrogen-Vacancy-Incorporated Carbon Nitride for Efficient Photoredox Catalysis.

The concurrent evolution of value-added benzimidazole compounds and hydrogen within the domain of chemical synthesis is of paramount importance. The utilization of photocatalysis enhances both the efficiency and environmental benignity of the synthetic process. However, it is profoundly challenging within a photocatalytic system to simultaneously augment the number of active sites and the internal transport rate of photogenerated charge carriers.

A tactfully designed photothermal agent collaborating with ascorbic acid for boosting maxillofacial wound healing.

Maxillofacial injuries that may cause severe functional and aesthetic damage require effective and immediate management due to continuous exposure to diverse microbial populations. Moreover, drug resistance, biofilm formation, and oxidative stress significantly impede timely bacterial removal and immune function, making the exploration of advanced materials for maxillofacial wound healing an appealing yet highly challenging task. Herein, a near-infrared photothermal sterilization agent was designed, encapsulated with liposomes and coated with ascorbic acid known for its antioxidant and immune-regulatory functions.

Phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes in the marine environment: current status and future trends.

The exploitation and utilization of resources in marine environments have ignited a demand for advanced illumination and optical communication technologies. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), heralded as "green lighting sources", offer a compelling solution to the technical challenges of marine exploration due to their inherent advantages. Among the myriad of LED technologies, phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) have emerged as frontrunners in marine applications.

Investigation of Response Characteristics and Reaction Mechanisms in Nanonickel Doped Sodium Alginate/Graphene Oxide Artificial Muscles.

To address the shortcomings of traditional actuators, such as large size, high energy consumption, and slow response, this study developed a conductive and responsive artificial muscle, exploring the operational principles and performance enhancement techniques for artificial muscles made from sodium alginate and graphene oxide. Initially, the research outlined a preparation methodology using sodium alginate, graphene oxide, and nanonickel as primary materials. Subsequent adjustments in the nanonickel content optimized critical performance metrics, including output force, lifespan, and deflection displacement.

Travertine Mineralogical Characteristics and Spatial Distribution in Huanglong, China, a World Natural Heritage: Derived from Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene Glacial U-Shaped Valley Carbonate Deposits.

In the long and complex process of geological evolution, the rise of the Himalayan movement and the strong Quaternary glacial movement 400,000 years ago have shaped the highly distinctive travertine landform landscape of Huanglong, China. The overflow of karst water in the high travertine layer has formed magnificent waterfalls and wonderful karst caves as well as the world's largest open-air travertine beaches and pools. The unique travertine landscape has entered the public's vision.

Efficient Defluorination: Application of Calcium Sulfate Precipitation Method in Zinc Sulfate Solution.

In the process of zinc hydrometallurgy, the content of fluorine in zinc sulfate solution directly affects the stripping of the zinc plate, which easily leads to the deterioration of working conditions. It not only has a serious impact on the entire zinc hydrometallurgical system but also causes huge economic losses. Especially in the process of zinc secondary resource utilization, the concentration of fluoride ions in the electrolyte exceeds the control standard of smelting enterprises, which has become a long-term technical challenge in the smelting industry.

Correction: Screening and investigation of a short antimicrobial peptide: AVGAV.

Correction for 'Screening and investigation of a short antimicrobial peptide: AVGAV' by Yang Cao , , 2023, , 10941-10955, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TB01672B.

Hierarchical Interface Enabled by a Guest-Anionic Chemistry for High-Rate Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries.

The poor reversibility of the zinc anode caused by interfacial side reactions and dendritic growth poses significant constraints on the practical application of aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Herein, a co-solute, acesulfame potassium, with strongly polar, zincophilic guest anions is introduced into a conventional low-concentration aqueous electrolyte. This regulation enhances the electrolyte's ionic conductivity and accelerates the desolvation process of zinc ions at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Core-shell hydrogel with synergistic super absorption and long-term acid resistance stability: a novel gastric retention drug delivery carrier.

Traditional natural polysaccharide-based hydrogels, when used as drug carriers, often struggle to maintain long-term stability in the extremely harsh gastric environment. This results in unstable drug release and significant challenges in bioavailability. To address this issue, this study utilized inexpensive and safe natural polysaccharides-chitosan (CS) and high methoxyl pectin (HM)-as raw materials.

Nitrogen-Doped Porous Nanofiber Aerogel-Encapsulated Staphylo-NiS Accelerating Polysulfide Conversion for Efficient Li-S Batteries.

The low conductivity of sulfur substances and the fussy effect of lithium polysulfides (LPS) limit the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this work, NiS is in situ synthesized on N-doped 3D carbon nanofibers with an optimized pore structure as a cathode material for LSBs. The conductive carbon nanofiber skeleton with a hierarchical (micropore-mesopore-macropore) structure etched by Cd can reduce the interface resistance of the cathode and remiss volume expansion during charge-discharge progress.

Unconventional Ferroelectric-Ferroelastic Switching Mediated by Non-Polar Phase in Fluorite Oxides.

HfO/ZrO-based ferroelectrics present tremendous potential for next-generation non-volatile memory due to their high scalability and compatibility with silicon technology. Unlike the continuous polar layers in perovskite ferroelectrics, HfO/ZrO-based ferroelectrics are composed of alternating polar layers with oxygen shifts and non-polar spacers, which leads to a distinct ferroelectric switching mechanism. However, directly observing the switching process has been a big challenge due to the polymorph feature of nanoscale fluorites and the difficulty in in situ imaging on light elements.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Efficiency Through Oxygen Vacancy-Driven Molecular Epitaxial Growth of Metal-Organic Frameworks on BiVO.

Efficient charge separation at the semiconductor/cocatalyst interface is crucial for high-performance photoelectrodes, as it directly influences the availability of surface charges for solar water oxidation. However, establishing strong molecular-level connections between these interfaces to achieve superior interfacial quality presents significant challenges. This study introduces an innovative electrochemical etching method that generates a high concentration of oxygen vacancy sites on BiVO surfaces (Ov-BiVO), enabling interactions with the oxygen-rich ligands of MIL-101.

Waterborne Recoatable Transparent Superhydrophobic Coatings with Excellent Self-Cleaning and Anti-Dust Performance.

Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted tremendous attention due to their intriguing lotus-leaf-like water-repelling phenomenon and wide applications, however, most superhydrophobic coatings are prepared with environmentally unfriendly organic solvents and suffer from poor mechanical strength. To solve these issues, waterborne recoatable superhydrophobic (WRSH) coatings are developed based on a novel self-synthesized water-soluble fluorinated acrylic polymer and hydrophobic modified silica nanoparticles. The trade-off between waterborne and superhydrophobicity is well mediated by protonation and deprotonation of the fluorinated acrylic polymer.

Destabilization of Single-Atom Catalysts: Characterization, Mechanisms, and Regeneration Strategies.

Numerous in situ characterization studies have focused on revealing the catalytic mechanisms of single-atom catalysts (SACs), providing a theoretical basis for their rational design. Although research is relatively limited, the stability of SACs under long-term operating conditions is equally important and a prerequisite for their real-world energy applications, such as fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Recently, there has been a rise in in situ characterization studies on the destabilization and regeneration of SACs; however, timely and comprehensive summaries that provide the catalysis community with valuable insights and research directions are still lacking.

Development of Electrospinning Setup for Vascular Tissue-Engineering Application with Thick-Hierarchical Fiber Alignment.

Background: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge.

Methods: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring.

Insights into excitonic behavior in single-atom covalent organic frameworks for efficient photo-Fenton-like pollutant degradation.

The generation of radicals through photo-Fenton-like reactions demonstrates significant potential for remediating emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in complex aqueous environments. However, the excitonic effect, induced by Coulomb interactions between photoexcited electrons and holes, reduces carrier utilization efficiency in these systems. In this study, we develop Cu single-atom-loaded covalent organic frameworks (Cu/COFs) as models to modulate excitonic effects.

Stabilization of Alkyltin γ-Keggin Clusters by 2, 5-Dihydroxyterephthalate Ligands.

The Keggin clusters are one kind of the most representative molecular structures in the field of metal-oxo clusters. Although the different types of Keggin clusters with various components were reported, the research about γ-Keggin isomer remains less developed. This is ascribed to the difficulty in obtaining the stable pure γ-Keggin cluster for the structural isomerization.

Manipulating Charge Distribution at Organic-inorganic Interface via Optimizing Substituents for Sustainable Water Electrolysis.

The space charge effect induced by high-quality heterojunctions is essential for efficient electrocatalytic processes. Herein, we delicately manipulate intermolecular charge transfer by modifying substituents (-g=-CH, -H, -NO) with various electron donating/withdrawing capabilities in CoPc-g/CoS organic-inorganic heterostructures. CoPc-CH, as a typical electron donor, transfers more electrons to CoS due to the presence of -CH, forming the strongest space electric field and thus regulating the dual active sites at the interface.

Polybutylene succinate/lignin composites with tunable optical, mechanical, and thermal properties based on fractionation treatment.

The inherent heterogeneity, poor compatibility with polymers, and dark color of lignin limit its application in composites. In this study, original lignin (OL) was fractionated sequentially using four green organic solvents to obtain lignin fractions with different chemical structures. These well-defined lignin fractions were then blended with polybutylene succinate (PBS) to fabricate biocomposites.

Excellent acetone sensing enabled by tunable metal organic framework derived TiO nanodisks.

Annealing plays a crucial role for in enhancing the gas sensing properties of MOF-derived TiO (MIL-125). Generally, TiO transforms into different polymorphs (anatase, rutile, and brookite) during annealing, each with unique crystal structures and gas sensing properties. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of annealing (500-650 °C) on the properties of MIL-125, which had not been previously studied.

Nano-fibrous biopolymers as building blocks for gel networks: Interactions, characterization, and applications.

Biopolymers derived from natural resources are highly abundant, biodegradable, and biocompatible, making them promising candidates to replace non-renewable fossil fuels and mitigate environmental and health impacts. Nano-fibrous biopolymers possessing advantages of biopolymers entangle with each other through inter-/intra-molecular interactions, serving as ideal building blocks for gel construction. These biopolymer nanofibers often synergize with other nano-building blocks to enhance gels with desirable functions and eco-friendliness across various applications in biomedical, environmental, and energy sectors.

Inserted-B atoms modulating electronic structure of Pt enhancing hydrogen evolution under Universal-pH.

The development of high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in different pH conditionsis pivotal in producing green hydrogen, but remains challenging. Herein, we regulate the p-d orbitals hybridization between B and Pt for effective and durable HER at all pH ranges by controlling the inserted B atom. Consequently, the optimized B-doped Pt catalysts with 20 at.

An emodin-mediated multifunctional nanoplatform with augmented sonodynamic and immunoregulation for osteomyelitis therapy.

Emodin (ED), as a traditional Chinese medicine, possesses a variety of biological activities and is also one of natural sonosensitizer. Whether emodin could react with titanium dioxide to enhance the sonodynamic activity for safely treating osteomyelitis remains to be explored. Hence, an ED-conjugated Mn-doped titanium dioxide (TOM) nanorod array is designed and prepared on titanium to eliminate bacterial infections under ultrasound (US) treatment.

A Paper-Based Sensor for the Detection of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Utilizing a Cleavable Fluorescent Polymer.

Nowadays, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has emerged as one of the major hazards to the health of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and there is an urgent need for a low-cost, user-friendly, and non-invasive detection method. Herein, a paper-based sensor (CP sensor) for the non-invasive screening of GERD is proposed. The sensor is structured as a specially shaped cellulose paper strip embedded with fluorescent colloids, which are self-assembled from a cleavable synthetic fluorescent polymer (P4).

Breaking Anionic Solvation Barrier for Safe and Durable Potassium-ion Batteries Under Ultrahigh-Voltage Operation.

Ultrahigh-voltage potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) with cost competitiveness represent a viable route towards high energy battery systems. Nevertheless, rapid capacity decay with poor Coulombic efficiencies remains intractable, mainly attributed to interfacial instability from aggressive potassium metal anodes and cathodes. Additionally, high reactivity of K metal and flammable electrolytes pose severe safety hazards.