Valorization systems based on electrocatalytic nitrate/nitrite conversion for energy supply and valuable product synthesis.

The excessive accumulation of nitrate/nitrite (NO ) in surface and groundwater has severely disrupted the global nitrogen cycle and jeopardized public health. The electrochemical conversion of NO to ammonia (NH) not only holds promise for ecofriendly NO removal, but also provides a green alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process for NH production. Recently, in addition to the electrocatalyst design explosion in this field, many innovative valorization systems based on NO -to-NH conversion have been developed for generating energy and expanding the range of value-added products.

Isomer engineering for deep understanding of aggregation-induced photothermal enhancement in conjugated systems.

Organic photothermal materials based on conjugated structures have significant potential applications in areas such as biomedical diagnosis, therapy, and energy conversion. Improving their photothermal conversion efficiency through molecular design is critical to promote their practical applications. Especially in similar structures, understanding how the position of heteroatoms affects the conversion efficiency is highly desirable.

Two-dimensional architecture of N,S-codoped nanocarbon composites embedding few-layer MoS for efficient lithium storage.

The exploration and advancement of highly efficient anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are critical to meet the growing demands of the energy storage market. In this study, we present an easily scalable synthesis method for the one-pot formation of few-layer MoS nanosheets on a N,S dual-doped carbon monolith with a two-dimensional (2D) architecture, termed MoS/NSCS. Systematic electrochemical measurements demonstrate that MoS/NSCS, when employed as the anode material in LIBs, exhibits a high capacity of 681 mA h g at 0.

Fe-Fe bonding in the rhombic Fe cores of the Zintl clusters [FeE] (E = Sn and Pb).

We report here the synthesis and characterization of two endohedral Zintl-ion clusters, [FeSn] and [FePb], which contain rhombic Fe cores. The Fe-Fe bond lengths are all below 2.5 Å, distinctly shorter than in the corresponding Cu clusters, indicating the presence of Fe-Fe bonding.

Snap-shots of cluster growth: structure and properties of a Zintl ion with an Fe core, [FeSn].

The endohedral Zintl-ion cluster [FeSn] contains a linear Fe core with short Fe-Fe bond lengths of 2.4300(9) Å. The ground state is a septet, with significant σ and π contributions to the Fe-Fe bonds.

The influence of UHMWPE with varying morphologies on the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of HDPE.

The current study aims to examine how the morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) particles impacts the kinetics of non-isothermal crystallization in high-density polyethylene (HDPE). To prepare blends of HDPE and UHMWPE, melt blending is utilized. High-temperature melting and subsequent shearing are used to cause the morphological changes in UHMWPE particles.

Regulating the orientation of a single coordinate bond by the synergistic action of mechanical forces and electric field.

The molecular binding orientation with respect to the electrode plays a pivotal role in determining the performance of molecular devices. However, accomplishing modulation of single-molecule binding orientation remains a great challenge due to the lack of suitable testing systems and characterization approaches. To this end, by employing a developed STM-BJ technique, we demonstrate that the conductance of pyridine-anchored molecular junctions decreases as the applied voltage increases, which is determined by the repeated formation of thousands of gold-molecule-gold dynamic break junctions.

Diatomic catalysts for Fenton and Fenton-like reactions: a promising platform for designing/regulating reaction pathways.

The optimization of the single-atom catalyst (SAC) performance has been the hot spot for years. It is widely acknowledged that the incorporation of adjacent single-atom sites (diatomic catalysts (DACs)) can enable synergistic effects, which can be used in cascade catalysis, dual-function catalysis, and performance regulation of intrinsic active sites. DACs have been widely applied in the CO reduction reaction (CORR), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), ; however, their application is limited in Fenton or Fenton-like reactions.

Laves phase IrSm intermetallic nanoparticles as a highly active electrocatalyst for acidic oxygen evolution reaction.

Rare earth (RE) intermetallic nanoparticles (NPs) are significant for fundamental explorations and promising for practical applications in electrocatalysis. However, they are difficult to synthesize because of the unusually low reduction potential and extremely high oxygen affinity of RE metal-oxygen bonds. Herein, intermetallic IrSm NPs were firstly synthesized on graphene as a superior acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst.

Application of 5V spinel material LiNiMnO in Li-ion batteries: single crystalline or polycrystalline?

The 5V spinel LiNiMnO cathode materials with different morphology were prepared by a solid state calcination method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Electrochemical properties of cathode material were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical performance tests. Compared with polycrystalline morphology (PLNMO), LiNiMnO material with single crystalline morphology (SLNMO) proved smaller electrochemical polarization or voltage difference, lower internal resistance, faster lithium-ion diffusivity, arising from higher Mn content.

Precisely synthesized LiF-tipped CoF-nanorod heterostructures improve energy storage capacities.

CoF, with a relatively high theoretical capacity (553 mA h g), has been attracting increasing attention in the energy storage field. However, a facile and controllable synthesis of monodispersed CoF and CoF-based nano-heterostructures have been rarely reported. In this direction, an eco-friendly and precisely controlled colloidal synthesis strategy to grow uniformly sized CoF nanorods and LiF-tipped CoF-nanorod heterostructures based on a seeded-growth method is established.

Synthesis of MoS-based nanostructures and their applications in rechargeable ion batteries, catalysts and gas sensors: a review.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS) is a two-dimensional (2D) layered material with a graphene-like structure that has attracted attention because of its large specific surface area and abundant active sites. In addition, the compounding of MoS with other materials can enhance the performance in applications such as batteries, catalysts, and optoelectronic devices, MoS is prepared by various methods, among which chemical deposition and hydrothermal methods are widely used. In this review, we focus on summarizing the applications of MoS and MoS composite nanomaterials in rechargeable ion batteries, catalysts for water splitting and gas sensors, and briefly outline the preparation methods.

Synthesis and characterisation of the ternary intermetalloid clusters {M@[As(ZnMes)]} (M = Nb, Ta) from binary [M@As] precursors.

The development of rational synthetic routes to inorganic arsenide compounds is an important goal because these materials are finding applications in many areas of materials science. In this paper, we show that the binary crown clusters [M@As] (M = Nb, Ta) can be used as synthetic precursors which, when combined with ZnMes, generate ternary intermetalloid clusters with 12-vertex cages, {M@[As(ZnMes)]} (M = Nb, Ta). Structural studies are complemented by mass spectrometry and an analysis of the electronic structure using DFT.

New insights into the NH-selective catalytic reduction of NO over Cu-ZSM-5 as revealed by spectroscopy.

To control diesel vehicle NO emissions, Cu-exchanged zeolites have been applied in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using NH as reductant. However, the harsh hydrothermal environment of tailpipe conditions causes irreversible catalyst deactivation. The aggregation of isolated Cu brings about unselective ammonia oxidation along with the main NH-SCR reaction.

Dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane over Pt-based catalysts supported on functional granular activated carbon.

Herein, we developed the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane over Pt-based catalysts supported on functional granular activated carbon. Sulphuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid and aminopropyl triethoxy silane were adopted to modify the granular activated carbon. The structural characterizations suggested that the carbon materials had a large surface area, abundant pore structure, and a high number of oxygen-containing functional groups, which influenced the Pt-based catalysts on the particle size, dispersion and dehydrogenation activity.

The inhibition of Mpro, the primary protease of COVID-19, by and its active compounds: a network pharmacology and molecular docking study.

is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that can clear dampness, promote diuresis, and strengthen the spleen and stomach. has been detected in many TCM compounds that are used for COVID-19 intervention. However, the active ingredients and mechanisms associated with the effect of on COVID-19 remain unclear.

Simultaneous manifestation of metallic conductivity and single-molecule magnetism in a layered molecule-based compound.

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) show superparamagnetic behaviour below blocking temperature at the molecular scale, so they exhibit large magnetic density compared to the conventional magnets. Combining SMMs and molecular conductors in one compound will bring about new physical phenomena, however, the synergetic effects between them still remain unexplored. Here we present a layered molecule-based compound, β''-(BEDO-TTF) [Co(pdms)]·3HO (), (BEDO-TTF (BO) and Hpdms are bis(ethylenedioxy)tetrathiafulvalene and 1,2-bis(methanesulfonamido)benzene, respectively), which was synthesized by using an electrochemical approach and studied by using crystal X-ray diffraction.

Colorectal Cancer Stem Cell States Uncovered by Simultaneous Single-Cell Analysis of Transcriptome and Telomeres.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) presumably contribute to tumor progression and drug resistance, yet their definitive features have remained elusive. Here, simultaneous measurement of telomere length and transcriptome in the same cells enables systematic assessment of CSCs in primary colorectal cancer (CRC). The in-depth transcriptome profiled by SMART-seq2 is independently validated by high-throughput scRNA-seq using 10 × Genomics.

Nano-MOF@defected film CN Z-scheme composite for visible-light photocatalytic nitrogen fixation.

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation has attracted extensive attention in recent years. Studies have shown that catalytic materials with O, N and other defects can effectively reduce the bond energy of N[triple bond, length as m-dash]N triple bond when N is adsorbed on the defects. As an outstanding non-metallic catalyst, g-CN has been widely studied in the field of photocatalytic catalysis, and the nitrogen-defected CN shows promoted photocatalytic activity.

High Volumetric Energy Density Sulfur Cathode with Heavy and Catalytic Metal Oxide Host for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

For high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries, the poor volumetric energy density is a bottleneck as compared with lithium-ion batteries, due to the low density of both the sulfur active material and sulfur host. Herein, in order to enhance the volumetric energy density of sulfur cathode, a universal approach is proposed to fabricate a compact sulfur cathode with dense materials as sulfur host, instead of the old-fashioned lightweight carbon nanomaterials. Based on this strategy, heavy lanthanum strontium manganese oxide (LaSrMnO), with a high theoretical density of up to 6.

Asymmetric Oxygen Vacancies: the Intrinsic Redox Active Sites in Metal Oxide Catalysts.

To identify the intrinsic active sites in oxides or oxide supported catalysts is a research frontier in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis and material science. In particular, the role of oxygen vacancies on the redox properties of oxide catalysts is still not fully understood. Herein, some relevant research dealing with M-O-M or M-□-M linkages as active sites in mixed oxides, in oxide supported single-atom catalysts, and at metal/oxide interfaces of oxide supported nanometal catalysts for various reaction systems is reviewed.

Noble Metal Particles Confined in Zeolites: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications.

Noble metal nanoparticles or subnanometric particles confined in zeolites, that is, metal@zeolite, represent an important type of functional materials with typical core-shell structure. This type of material is known for decades and recently became a research hotspot due to their emerging applications in various fields. Remarkable achievements are made dealing with the synthesis, characterization, and applications of noble metal particles confined in zeolites.

Hofmann-like metal-organic-framework-derived Pt Fe/C/N-GC composites as efficient electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation.

Pt Fe/C/N-GC electrocatalysts were prepared using a composite of Hofmann-like Pt/Fe-based metal-organic frameworks and two-dimensional oxidized graphene. The Pt Fe/C/N-GC-700 composite (annealed at 700 °C) exhibited an enhanced mass activity in the electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction, which was ten times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (20%) catalysts.

Solar-Driven Rechargeable Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Solar cells and rechargeable batteries are two key technologies for energy conversion and storage in modern society. Here, an integrated solar-driven rechargeable lithium-sulfur battery system using a joint carbon electrode in one structure unit is proposed. Specifically, three perovskite solar cells are assembled serially in a single substrate to photocharge a high energy lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery, accompanied by direct conversion of the solar energy to chemical energy.