Dual Stimuli-Responsive [2]Rotaxanes with Tunable Vibration-Induced Emission and Switchable Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

Aiming at the construction of novel stimuli-responsive fluorescent system with precisely tunable emissions, the typical 9,14-diphenyl-9,14-dihydrodibenzo[a, c]phenazine (DPAC) luminogen with attractive vibration-induced emission (VIE) behavior has been introduced into [2]rotaxane as a stopper. Taking advantage of their unique dual stimuli-responsiveness towards solvent and anion, the resultant [2]rotaxanes reveal both tunable VIE and switchable circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). Attributed to the formation of mechanical bonds, DPAC-functionalized [2]rotaxanes display interesting VIE behaviors including white-light emission upon the addition of viscous solvent, as evaluated in detail by femtosecond transient absorption (TA) spectra.

C-SuFEx linkage of sulfonimidoyl fluorides and organotrifluoroborates.

Sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange, a new type of linkage reaction, has excellent potential for application in functional molecule linkage to prepare pharmaceuticals, biomolecules, and polymers. Herein, a C-SuFEx reaction is established to achieve fast (in minutes) linkage between sulfonimidoyl fluorides and aryl/alkyl organotrifluoroborates. Potassium organotrifluoroborates are instantaneously activated via a substoichiometric amount of trimethylsilyl triflate to afford organodifluoroboranes, releasing BF as an activating reagent in situ.

Boosting the catalytic performance of AlO-supported Pd catalysts by introducing CeO promoters.

Maintaining the stability of noble metals is the key to the long-term stability of supported catalysts. In response to the instability of noble metal species at high temperatures, we developed a synergistic strategy of dual oxide supports. By designing and constructing ceria components with small sizes, we have achieved unity in the ability of catalytic materials to supply oxygen and stabilize metal species.

A Stable Extra-Large Pore and High-Silica Zeolite Derived from Ge-Rich Precursor.

A multidimensional extra-large pore zeolite with highly hydrothermal stability, denoted as -IRT-HS, has been developed successfully, starting from Ge-rich germanosilicate precursor hydrothermally directed by a small and commercially available piperidinium-type organic structure-directing agent (OSDA). -IRT-HS, with the supermicropores, is structurally analogues to 28-membered ring -IRT topology as confirmed by various spectroscopic techniques. And it is the high-silica (Si/Ge=58) zeolite with the largest pore size as well.

Induced Decomposition and Slip Interface Transformation of Oleic Acid Enables Ultralow Wear in Boundary Lubrication.

The tribological behavior of carboxylic acids, especially oleic acid, in boundary lubrication conditions is a subject of interest. This study presents the results of four-ball tribological tests conducted under varying contact pressures and sliding speeds. The findings reveal a critical turning speed within a confined zone, which causes a significant change in the frictional performances of oleic acid, leading to the formation of an ultralow wear tribofilm.

Mechanistic studies of HF/BF-catalyzed anthracene polymerization to prepare mesophase pitch.

Context: The mesophase pitch prepared by acid catalytic method typically had the advantages of low softening point and high solubility. To fully understand the mechanism of acid-catalyzed reactions and gain a deeper understanding of the microstructure of mesophase pitch, this article studied the mechanism of hydrofluoride/boron trifluoride (HF/BF)-catalyzed anthracene using molecular simulation methods. The results showed that there might be two types of carbocations present in the system: classical and non-classical carbocations, and five reactions might occur, protonation reaction, chain elongation reaction, intramolecular cyclization reaction, deprotonation reaction, and dehydrogenation reaction.

Crystal-Plane-Engineered TiO-Anchored Vanadium Single Atoms and Clusters for Boosting Ultradeep Aerobic Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel.

The crystal plane effect has gained extensive attention in heterogeneous catalysis reactions; however, it is far from being systematically probed in titanium dioxide (TiO)-supported vanadium catalysts. Herein, a series of vanadium (V) single atoms and clusters anchored on TiO with different crystal planes was fabricated by an improved "top-down" protocol. The dispersion state, electronic structure, and redox properties of the V single-atom and VO cluster-supported catalysts were systematically analyzed by a series of characterization methods, including X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and their catalytic performances were examined for aerobic oxidative desulfurization (AODS) of 4,6-dimethyl-dibenzothiophen (4,6-DMDBT) with O as the oxidant.

Construction and characterization of a magnetic nanoparticle-supported Cu complex: a stable and active nanocatalyst for synthesis of heteroaryl-aryl and di-heteroaryl sulfides.

Diaryl and di-heteroaryl sulfides exist in the structure of many drugs and important biological compounds, also these compounds are well-known in medicinal chemistry due to important biological and pharmaceutical activities. Therefore, the development of novel, ecofriendly and efficient catalytic systems for the preparation of diaryl and di-heteroaryl sulfides is a very attractive and important challenge in organic synthesis. In this attractive methodology, we wish to introduce FeO-supported 3-amino-4-mercaptobenzoic acid copper complex (FeO@AMBA-CuI) nanomaterials as a novel and efficient magnetically recoverable catalyst for the preparation of heteroaryl-aryl and di-heteroaryl sulfides with high yields through reaction of heteroaryl halides with aryl or heteroaryl boronic acids and S as the sulfur source under ecofriendly conditions.

Theoretical Study of the Photocyclization Reaction-Induced Dual Aggregation-Induced Emission Phenomenon.

Photochromic molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effects are of great value and prospective in various practical applications. To explore its inherent mechanism, the open isomer ap-BBTE and the closed isomer c-BBTE were chosen to perform the theoretical calculation using the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics model combined with thermal vibration correlation function formalism. The calculations show that the photocyclization (PC) reaction from ap-BBTE to c-BBTE facilitates an improvement in the AIE effect.

Selective and Efficient CO Electroreduction to Formate on Copper Electrodes Modified by Cationic Gemini Surfactants.

Electroreduction of CO into valuable chemicals and fuels is a promising strategy to mitigate energy and environmental problems. However, it usually suffers from unsatisfactory selectivity for a single product and inadequate electrochemical stability. Herein, we report the first work to use cationic Gemini surfactants as modifiers to boost CO electroreduction to formate.

Enhanced activity of Co-Mo-S catalysts towards hydrodesulfurization and hydrogen evolution reaction NaBH assisted formation.

Co-Mo-S based catalysts have promising applications in both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrodesulfurization (HDS). Herein, Co-Mo-S catalyst and Co-Mo-S catalyst with and without NaBH modification have been successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal synthesis method. Co-Mo-S catalysts with NaBH modification show better catalytic activity towards both HDS and the HER.

Bioleaching of metals from spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst using adapted Acidithiobacillus caldus.

In this study, an adapted bioleaching strain of Acidithiobacillus caldus UVS10 was successfully developed. Batch tests and tests in bioreactor were conducted to evaluate the metals bioleaching performance of A. caldus UVS10 to spent FCC catalyst (SFCCC).

Study on the Performance of Ni-MoS Catalysts with Different MoS Structures for Dibenzothiophene Hydrodesulfurization.

Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is an important process for the production of clean fuel oil, and the development of a new environmentally friendly, low-cost sulfided catalyst is key research in hydrogenation technology. Herein, commercial bulk MoS and NiCO·2NiOH·4HO were first hydrothermally treated and then calcined in a H or N atmosphere to obtain Ni-MoS HDS catalysts with different structures. Mechanisms of hydrothermal treatment and calcination on Ni-MoS catalyst structures were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

A TiCT@PANI core-shell heterostructure assembled into a 3D porous hydrogel as a free-standing electrode for high-energy supercapacitors.

Although TiCT MXenes have attracted attention in electrochemical energy storage devices due to their excellent electronic conductivity, controllable layer structure, and huge redox active surface area, the application of TiCT as supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials is severely limited by the ineffective chemical ion transport kinetics caused by self-restacking. In order to increase the interlayer spacing of TiCT, the intercalation method is hailed as an effective process. Herein, polyaniline (PANI) nanorods as intercalators were synthesized by the polymerization of an aniline (ANI) monomer chemisorbed onto TiCT wrinkled nanosheets, and the formation of a TiCT@PANI heterostructure is conducive to the large interlayer voids.

Promoting Syngas to Olefins with Isolated Internal Silanols-Enriched Al-IDM-1 Aluminosilicate Nanosheets.

Selective conversion of syngas to value-added olefins has attracted considerable research interest. Regulating product distribution remains challenging, such as achieving higher olefin selectivity, propylene/ethylene (P/E) and olefin/paraffin (O/P) ratios. A new pentasil zeolite Al-IDM-1 with recently approved -ION structure, composed of 17-membered-ring (MR) extra-large lobed pores and intersected 10-MR medium pores, shows a C selectivity up to 85 % and a high O/P value of 14 in the conversion of syngas when being combined with Zn Al O oxide.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Cyclopamine, a Hedgehog (Hh) Signaling Pathway Inhibitor.

Cyclopamine is a teratogenic steroidal alkaloid, which inhibits the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway by targeting the Smoothened (Smo) receptor. Suppression of Hh signaling with synthetic small molecules has been pursued as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer. We report herein the asymmetric synthesis of cyclopamine based on a two-stage relay strategy.

Correction: Strengthening Pt/WO interfacial interactions to increase the CO tolerance of Pt for hydrogen oxidation reaction.

Correction for 'Strengthening Pt/WO interfacial interactions to increase the CO tolerance of Pt for hydrogen oxidation reaction' by Daojun Long , , 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cc03990k.

Short-chain chlorinated paraffin (SCCP) exposure and type 2 diabetes risk: A population-based case-control study in East China.

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants may be associated to type 2 diabetes, but the studies on associations between short-chain chlorinated paraffin (SCCP) exposure and type 2 diabetes risk in humans are still scarce. Here, we conducted a case-control study involving 344 participants in Shandong Province, East China, to explore the effects of SCCPs on type 2 diabetes risk and their correlations with glycemic biomarker and serum lipid parameters. SCCPs were detected in all serum samples with a median concentration of 24 ng mL in cases and 19 ng mL in controls.

Thermochromic Photonic Crystal Paper with Integrated Multilayer Structure and Fast Thermal Response: A Waterproof and Mechanically Stable Material for Structural-Colored Thermal Printing.

Thermochromic photonic crystals are promising materials for thermal printing due to their unfaded colors under chemical/illuminated environments and the absence of toxic chemicals. However, the slow thermochromic response, the multistep printing procedures, the use of inks or developing liquids, and the requirement of expensive parts in printers limit their applications. Here, a thermochromic polyurethane/hydrophobic-SiO photonic crystal/paraffin (PU/HPO-SiO -PC/Para) film with an integrated multilayer structure is fabricated for all-solid-state and single-step thermal printing that is fully compatible with commercial printers.

Challenges of suppressing nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in membrane aerated biofilm reactors by low dissolved oxygen control.

Membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) and shortcut nitrogen removal are two types of solutions to reduce energy consumption in wastewater treatment, with the former improving the aeration efficiency and the latter reducing the oxygen demand. However, integrating these two solutions, i.e.

Strengthening Pt/WO interfacial interactions to increase the CO tolerance of Pt for hydrogen oxidation reaction.

Here, the modulation of the Pt electronic structure by the formation of an amorphous WO overlayer on Pt nanoparticles is proposed. The resulting Pt/WO@NC electrode shows exceptional CO oxidation potential (0.24 V .

Effects of crystal structure and electronic properties on lithium storage performance of artificial graphite.

Graphite is nowadays commonly used as the main component of anode materials of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). It is essential to deeply investigate the fundamentals of artificial graphite to obtain excellent anode, especially crystal structure and electronic properties. In this report, a series of graphite with different crystal structure were synthesized and used for anodes of LIBs.

Decomposition of SO on Ni(111) Surface and the Effect of Metal Doping: A First-Principles Study.

Sulfides poisoning of metallic Ni is an important issue in catalyst deactivation. SO, similar to HS and other sulfides, is an impurity presented in reactants or during the regeneration steps. Herein, spin-polarized density functional theory calculations were used to study the adsorption and decomposition of SO on a pristine and metal-doped Ni(111) surface.

Expanded Vermiculite/D-Mannitol as Shape-Stable Phase Change Material for Medium Temperature Heat Storage.

Aiming to promote the application of D-mannitol in the field of phase change thermal storage, obstacles, including low thermal storage efficiency and high supercooling, should be properly disposed of. The adoption of adaptable and low-cost supporting materials to make shape-stable phase change materials (ss-PCMs) affordable is a primary solution to solve the above shortcomings. In this study, high-performance ss-PCM for effective medium-temperature heat storage was prepared using expanded vermiculite as the support for D-mannitol preservation.

Defluorination and directional conversion to light fuel by lithium synergistic vacuum catalytic co-pyrolysis for electrolyte and polyvinylidene fluoride in spent lithium-ion batteries.

To overcome the drawbacks of current recycling technologies and achieve clean utilization of toxic substances in spent lithium-ion batteries, a lithium synergistic vacuum catalytic co-pyrolysis method was proposed to defluorinate electrolyte and polyvinylidene fluoride with directional conversion to light fuel. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results indicated, compared to the control group, that adding CaO-ZSM-5 catalyst increased the light fuel (alcohols and hydrocarbons) content of the pyrolysis gas from 61.8 % to 91.