A chemical coating strategy for assembling a boron-doped diamond anode towards electrocatalytic degradation of late landfill leachate.

The high efficiency electrocatalytic degradation of late landfill leachate is still not an easy task due to the complexity and variability of organic pollutants. A chemical coating strategy for assembling a boron-doped diamond anode (BDD) towards electrocatalytic degradation of late landfill leachate was adopted and studied. The results shows the high removal rates of organic carbon (TOC) and ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) after electrochemical oxidation for 5 h can reach 99% and 100%.

Construction of a pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular chiral polymer linked to aminophosphine salt for chiral recognition of enantiomers of mandelic acid.

In recent years, supramolecular chirality has been greatly developed in asymmetric synthesis, chiral sensing and other research fields, but its application in molecular chiral recognition has not been extensively studied. In this paper, -Boc-tyrosine methoxyester and phosphorus chloride salts were introduced into the framework of pillar[n]arene, and a pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular chiral polymer -TPP-P was constructed. The supramolecular polymer had stable supramolecular chiral properties and could be used as a chiral solvation reagent for chiral recognition of mandelic acid MA.

Accelerating carrier separation to boost the photocatalytic CO reduction performance of ternary heterojunction Ag-TiCT/ZnO catalysts.

Developing low-cost and efficient photocatalyst/co-catalyst systems that promote CO reduction remains a challenge. In this work, Ag-TiCT composites were made using a self-reduction technique, and unique Ag-TiCT/ZnO ternary heterojunction structure photocatalysts were created using an electrostatic self-assembly process. The photocatalyst's close-contact heterogeneous interface increases photogenerated carrier migration efficiency.

Efficient dye adsorption of mesoporous activated carbon from bamboo parenchyma cells by phosphoric acid activation.

In order to solve the environmental damage caused by the discharge of dyes as industrial wastewater, the development of efficient and sustainable adsorbents is the key, while most of the previous studies on bamboo parenchyma cells have focused on their microstructural, functional and mechanical properties, and few of the properties in adsorption have been investigated. To evaluate the role of the unique microstructure of bamboo parenchyma cells on adsorption after carbonization and activation, PC-based activated carbon (PPAC) was fabricated by the phosphoric acid activation method and tested for adsorption using methylene blue (MB). The effect of mesoporous structure on MB adsorption was investigated in detail using PPAC-30C impregnated with phosphoric acid at a concentration of 30%.

Flexible thermoelectric CMTs/KCl/gelatin composite for a wearable pressure and temperature sensor.

Flexible sensors have promising applications in the fields of health monitoring and artificial intelligence, which have attracted much attention from researchers. However, the design and manufacture of sensors with multiple sensing functions (like simultaneously having both temperature and pressure sensing capabilities) still present a significant challenge. Here, an ionic thermoelectric sensor for synchronous temperature and pressure sensing was developed on the basis of a carbon microtubes (CMTs)/potassium chloride (KCl)/gelatin composite consisting of gelatin as the polymer matrix, CMTs as the conductive material and KCl as the ion source.

Influence of organic matters on the adsorption-desorption of 1,2-dichloroethane on soil in water and model saturated aquifer.

1,2-Dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) is a typical organic chlorinated compound largely utilized in chemical manufacturing and industrial production and also a common pollutant in organically contaminated sites. The adsorption of 1,2-DCA on soil grains significantly influences its environmental fate and removal process. This study investigated the influence of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) on the adsorption-desorption of 1,2-DCA in solid-liquid interfaces in water or constructed porous media.

Divalent manganese stimulates the removal of nitrate by anaerobic sludge.

This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of Mn on the removal of nitrate by anaerobic sludge and changes in the microbial communities through batch experiments. The results showed that the addition of Mn promoted nitrate removal by anaerobic sludge; the nitrate was completely removed within 6 d in the treatment group with >5 mM Mn. With the increase in Mn, the concentration of nitrite and nitrous oxide increased in the first 4 d and then decreased to 0 μM after 8 d of incubation.

Development of a novel hypochlorite ratio probe based on coumarin and its application in living cells.

Hypochlorous acid is a reactive oxygen species that is widely present in the body and has been found to exhibit an elevated concentration in tumors. As a result, fluorescent probes for tumor detection have recently gained significant attention. In this study, we designed and synthesized a novel ratiometric fluorescent probe, LW-1, using coumarin as a scaffold, and characterized its spectral properties.

Influence of external electric field on electronic structure and optical properties of β-GaO: a DFT study.

The influence of different electric fields on the electronic structure and optical properties of β-GaO was studied by GGA+ method. The results show that appropriate electric field intensity can regulate the band gap of β-GaO more effectively to improve the photoelectric characteristics. The band gap value of intrinsic β-GaO is 4.

The effect of composition changes on the structure and electronic properties of jamesonite: a DFT study.

Models of jamesonite with different compositions were built by different amounts of Sb or Pb substitution at Fe sites, and their structures and electronic properties were studied using the DFT method. The structure and properties of jamesonite significantly changed after Sb or Pb substitution. The lengths of the Sb-S and Pb-S bonds are larger than those of the corresponding Fe-S bonds of pure jamesonite, and the polarization of iron atoms adjacent to substitute atoms is weakened.

Enabling fast ionic transport in CeO-LaBaBiFeO nanocomposite electrolyte for low temperature solid oxide fuel cell application.

Recent studies indicate that electrolyte ionic conductivity plays a pivotal role in reducing the operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this regard, nanocomposite electrolytes have drawn significant attention owing to their enhanced ionic conductivity and fast ionic transport. In this study, we fabricated CeO-LaBaBiFeO nanocomposites and tested them as a high-performance electrolyte for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs).

Flexible cellulose-based piezoelectric composite membrane involving PVDF and BaTiO synthesized with the assistance of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils.

High-performance flexible barium titanate (BaTiO)-based piezoelectric devices have gained much attention. However, it is still a challenge to prepare flexible polymer/BaTiO-based composite materials with uniform distribution and high performance due to the high viscosity of polymers. In this study, novel hybrid BaTiO particles were synthesized with assistance of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) a low-temperature hydrothermal method and explored for their application in piezoelectric composites.

CeO-CoO nanocomposite with oxidase-like activity for colorimetric detection of ascorbic acid.

A CeO-CoO nanocomposite (NC) was prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The obtained CeO-CoO NC displayed biomimicking oxidase-like activity, which can catalytically oxidize the 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate from colorless to the blue oxidized TMB (ox-TMB) product with a characteristic absorption peak at 652 nm. When ascorbic acid (AA) was present, ox-TMB would be reduced, resulting in a lighter blue and lower absorbance.

Interfacial construction of P25/BiWO composites for selective CO photoreduction to CO in gas-solid reactions.

Photocatalysis provides an attractive approach to convert CO into valuable fuels, which relies on a well-designed photocatalyst with good selectivity and high CO reduction ability. Herein, a series of P25/BiWO nanocomposites were synthesized by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The formation of a heterojunction between BiWO, which absorbs visible light, and P25, which absorbs ultraviolet light, expands the utilization of sunlight by the catalysts, and consequently, leads to a remarkably enhanced CO selective photoreduction to CO.

Design of blueberry anthocyanin/TiO composite layer-based photoanode and N-doped porous blueberry-derived carbon-loaded Ni nanoparticle-based counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells.

P25/PBP (TiO, anthocyanins) prepared by combining PBP (blueberry peels) with P25, and N-doped porous carbon-supported Ni nanoparticles (Ni@NPC-) prepared using blueberry-derived carbon were used for the application as photoanode and the counter electrode, respectively, in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to create a new perspective for blueberry-based photo-powered energy systems. PBP was introduced into the P25 photoanode and carbonized to form a C-like structure after annealing that improved its adsorption capacity for N719 dye, contributing a 17.3% higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of P25/PBP-Pt (5.

A new crane fly species of the genus Westwood, 1876 (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Jilin, China.

Background: Twenty-eight Westwood, 1876 species belonging to three subgenera have been known to occur in China, of which 13 belong to the nominotypical subgenus. Amongst the 13 Chinese (s. str.

Synthesis and bioactive evaluation of -((1-methyl-1-indol-3-yl)methyl)--(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)acetamide derivatives as agents for inhibiting tubulin polymerization.

Based on the inhibitory effect of CA-4 analogues and indoles on tubulin polymerization, we designed and synthesized a series of -((1-methyl-1-indol-3-yl)methyl)-2-(1-pyrazol-1-yl or triazolyl)--(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)acetamides. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against HeLa, MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cell lines, and some of the target compounds demonstrated effective activities towards the three tumour cell lines. Among them, compound 7d exhibited the most potent activities against HeLa (IC = 0.

Amine-functionalized MOF-derived carbon materials for efficient removal of Congo red dye from aqueous solutions: simulation and adsorption studies.

In this study, a novel polyethyleneimine (PEI) modified MOF-derived carbon adsorbent (PEI@MDC) was proposed, which exhibited significant adsorption capacity for Congo Red (CR) in aqueous solutions. FT-IR and XPS results showed that PEI was successfully grafted onto MDC, increasing the content of amine groups on the surface of MDC. The adsorption process conformed to the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model and pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, indicating that the adsorption of CR on PEI@MDC was covered by a single layer, and the adsorption process was controlled by chemical processes.

MOF-derived biochar composites for enhanced high performance photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride.

Biochar reinforced advanced nanocomposites are of interest to a wide circle of researchers. Herein, we describe a novel MOF-derived reinforced cow dung biochar composite, which was prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method to form the MOF MIL-125(Ti) onto a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped bio-carbon (NSCDBC). The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum of NSCDBC/MIL-125(Ti) exhibits an extension of light absorption in the visible region (360-800 nm), indicating its higher visible light capture capacity relative to pure MIL-125(Ti).

Solvent effects on the motion of a crown ether/amino rotaxane.

Solvents have been recognized as a significant factor for modulating the shuttle of rotaxanes and regulating their functions regarding molecular machines by a lot of published studies. The mechanism of the effects of solvents on the motion of crown ether/amino rotaxanes, however, remains unclear. In this work, a rotaxane, formed by dibenzo-24-crown-8 (C[8]) and a dumbbell-shaped axle with two positively charged amino groups, was investigated at the atom level.

Structure-based discovery of potent inhibitors of Axl: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation.

Commonly overexpressed in many cancers and associated with tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and poor overall survival, Axl has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy. However, the availability of new chemical forms for Axl inhibition is limited. Herein, we present the development and characterization of novel Axl inhibitors, including the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of a series of diphenylpyrimidine-diamine derivatives.

A novel SERS substrate of MIL-100(Fe)/AgNFs for sensitive detection of ascorbic acid in cellular media.

A novel SERS substrate of MIL-100(Fe)/AgNFs was firstly prepared for sensitive and selective detection of ascorbic acid (L-AA), with a LOD of 10 M. A spectral decrease of MIL-100(Fe)/AgNFs towards L-AA solution thanks to the efficient capture and reduction of Fe in MIL-100(Fe) constituted the assay, which was demonstrated to function well in food samples and in cellular media for L-AA sensing.

Generation of liquid metal double emulsion droplets using gravity-induced microfluidics.

Several microfluidic applications are available for liquid metal droplet generation, but the surface oxidation of liquid metal has placed limitations on its application. Multiphase microfluidics makes it possible to protect the inner droplets by producing the structure of double emulsion droplets. Thus, the generation of liquid metal double emulsion droplets has been developed to prevent the surface oxidation of Galinstan.