High-Capacity Volumetric Methane Storage in Hyper-Cross-Linked Porous Polymers via Flexibility Engineering of Building Units.

Adsorbed natural gas (ANG) storage is emerging as a promising alternative to traditional compressed and liquefied storage methods. However, its onboard application is restricted by low volumetric methane storage capacity. Flexible porous adsorbents offer a potential solution, as their dense structures and unique gate-opening effects are well-suited to enhance volumetric capacity under high pressures.

Unlocking the Potential of Machine Learning in Co-crystal Prediction by a Novel Approach Integrating Molecular Thermodynamics.

Co-crystal engineering is of interest for many applications in pharmaceutical, chemistry and material fields, but rational design of co-crystals is still challenging. Although artificial intelligence has brought major changes in the decision-making process for materials design, yet limitations in generalization and mechanistic understanding remain. Herein, we sought to improve prediction of co-crystal by combining mechanistic thermodynamic modeling with machine learning.

Phase and Orbital Engineering Effectuating Efficient Adsorption and Catalysis toward High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The delicate construction of electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity is a strategic method to enhance the kinetics of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Adjusting the local structure of the catalyst is always crucial for understanding the structure-activity relationship between atomic structure and catalyst performance. Here, in situ induction of electron-deficient B enables phase engineering MoC, realizing the transition from hexagonal (h-MoC) to cubic phase (c-B-MoC).

Enhancing Immune Responses through Modulation of Innate Cell Microenvironments in Lymph Nodes with Virus-Mimetic Vaccines.

Nanovaccines hold significant promise for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. However, the efficacy of many nanovaccines is often limited by inadequate stimulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Herein, we explore a rational vaccine strategy aimed at modulating innate cell microenvironments within lymph nodes (LNs) to enhance the generation of effective immune responses.

Photochemistry upon Charge Separation in Triphenylamine Derivatives from fs to μs.

Quantum chemical methods and time-resolved laser spectroscopy are employed to elucidate ultrafast charge-separation processes in triphenylamine (TPA) derivatives upon photoexcitation. When changing the ambient solvent from non-electron-accepting to electron-acceptor solvents, such as chloroform, a vastly extended and multifaceted photochemistry of TPA derivatives is observed. Following initial excitation, two concurrent charge-transfer processes are identified.

A Bivalent Iridium(III) Complex Toolkit for Mitochondrial DNA G-Quadruplex-Targeted Theranostics.

The G-quadruplex (G4) is an important diagnostic and therapeutic target in cancers, but the development of theranostic probes for subcellular G4s remains challenging. In this work, we report three G4-targeted theranostic probes by conjugating a pyridostatin-derived G4 ligand to G4-specific iridium(III) complexes with desirable photophysical properties. These probes showed specifically enhanced luminescence to mitochondrial G4 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells.

A Z-Scheme Heterojunction g-CN/WO for Efficient Photodegradation of Tetracycline Hydrochloride and Rhodamine B.

The construction of heterojunctions can effectively inhibit the rapid recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes in photocatalysts and offers great potential for pollutant degradation. In this study, a Z-scheme heterojunction g-CN/WO photocatalyst was synthesized using a combination of hydrothermal and calcination methods. The photocatalytic degradation performance was tested under visible light; the degradation efficiency of Rh B reached 97.

Tribological Behavior and Mechanism of Silane-Bridged h-BN/MoS2 Hybrid Filling Epoxy Solid Lubricant Coatings.

To significantly improve the tribological performance of epoxy resin (EP), a novel h-BN/MoS composite was successfully synthesized using spherical MoS particles with lamellar self-assembly generated through the calcination method, followed by utilizing the "bridging effect" of a silane coupling agent to achieve a uniform and vertically oriented decoration of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets on the MoS surface. The chemical composition and microstructure of the h-BN/MoS composite were systematically investigated. Furthermore, the enhancement effect of composites with various contents on the frictional properties of epoxy coatings was studied, and the mechanism was elucidated.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Ciprofloxacin by GO/ZnO/Ag Composite Materials.

This study synthesized graphene oxide (GO)/zinc oxide (ZnO)/silver (Ag) composite materials and investigated their photocatalytic degradation performance for ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible light irradiation. GO/ZnO/Ag composites with different ratios were prepared via an impregnation and chemical reduction method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results demonstrated that under optimal conditions (20 mg/L CIP concentration, 15 mg catalyst dosage, GO/ZnO-3%/Ag-doping ratio, and pH 5), the GO/ZnO/Ag composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving a maximum degradation rate of 82.

Photothermal and Hydrophobic Surfaces with Nano-Micro Structure: Fabrication and Their Anti-Icing Properties.

The formation of ice due to global climate change poses challenges across multiple industries. Traditional anti-icing technologies often suffer from low efficiency, high energy consumption, and environmental pollution. Photothermal and hydrophobic surfaces with nano-micro structures (PHS-NMSs) offer innovative solutions to these challenges due to their exceptional optical absorption, heat conversion capabilities, and unique surface water hydrophobic characteristics.

Dual Defect-Engineered BiVO Nanosheets for Efficient Peroxymonosulfate Activation.

Defects and heteroatom doping are two refined microstructural factors that significantly affect the performance of photocatalytic materials. Coupling defect and doping engineering is a powerful approach for designing efficient photocatalysts. In this research, we successfully construct dual defect-engineered BiVO nanosheets (BVO-N-OV) by introducing N doping and oxygen vacancies through ammonium oxalate-assisted thermal treatment of BiVO nanosheets.

Progress in the Development of Flexible Devices Utilizing Protein Nanomaterials.

Flexible devices are soft, lightweight, and portable, making them suitable for large-area applications. These features significantly expand the scope of electronic devices and demonstrate their unique value in various fields, including smart wearable devices, medical and health monitoring, human-computer interaction, and brain-computer interfaces. Protein materials, due to their unique molecular structure, biological properties, sustainability, self-assembly ability, and good biocompatibility, can be applied in electronic devices to significantly enhance the sensitivity, stability, mechanical strength, energy density, and conductivity of the devices.

Designing Polar Covalent Hybrid Cadmium-Based Chalcohalides Ultraviolet Nonlinear Optical Crystal with Strong Optical Anisotropy via Double-Site Dual FBUs Tailoring.

The pressing demand for both established and innovative technologies to expand laser wavelengths has rendered high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals with large optical anisotropy indispensable. Here, centrosymmetric [SHC(NH)]CdBr (1) and pseudo-2D layered [SC(NH)]CdBr (2), as well as pseudo-3D noncentrosymmetric [SC(NH)]CdCl (3) are successfully synthesized through the introduction of π-conjugated SC(NH) groups. Compared to ionic compound 1 containing full-halogen coordination tetrahedra, covalent compounds 2 and 3 featuring novel polar [SC(NH)]CdX (X = Br, Cl) tetrahedral units demonstrate enhanced bandgaps (>4 eV) and birefringences (>0.

A Unified Approach to Lactonization/Lactamization by Leveraging Tether-Tunable Distonic Radical Anions.

We report using visible-light-induced generation of tether-tunable distonic radical anions for the general catalytic lactonization/lactamization of aromatic carboxylic acids and benzamides. Its success relies on the specific cyclic diacyl peroxide and catalytic amount of CsI, enabling the generation of electrophilic heteroatom-centered radicals via a philicity regulation strategy. Key features include operational simplicity, excellent functional group tolerance, broad substrate scope, high chemo- and regioselectivity, gram-scale scalability, and application to synthesis of urolithin derivatives and 3--butylphthalide.

Adhesives That Contains Ionic Liquids Segment: From Synthesis to Applications.

As technology has developed by leaps and bounds over decades, the development of high-performance supramolecular adhesives has become crucial in both scientific and industrial fields. Ionic liquids (ILs)-based adhesives, containing ILs segment, utilizing ILs chemical structure as either the primary adhesive component or key functional group, have materialized as a highly transformative subject matter for cutting-edge and emerging applications. Rational adhesive design strategies, carefully balancing adhesion and cohesion behavior, are also required when constructing ILs-based adhesives.

Mechanistic insights into the stereocontrolling non-covalent π interactions in Pd-catalyzed redox-relay Heck arylation reaction.

The mechanism and origin of enantioselectivity of palladium-catalyzed redox-relay Heck arylation of 1,1-disubstituted homoallylic alcohols were investigated computationally. The computed mechanism consists of an initial migratory insertion, followed by a β-hydride elimination, and a subsequent re-insertion/elimination process to yield an enol intermediate, which tautomerizes to the more stable carbonyl product. Results from DFT calculations suggest that the key enantiodetermining step is the reinsertion of an alkene intermediate into the Pd-H bond, but not the initial migratory insertion of the substrate into the Pd-Aryl species.

Removal of Fluoride by Modified Adsorbents: A Review of Modification Methods and Adsorption Mechanisms.

Fluoride is ubiquitously present in the natural environment, and its excessive levels can pose serious threats to human health and industrial production. Among various fluoride pollution control methods, adsorption is recognized for its optimal cost-effectiveness and adaptability. The mechanism of fluoride adsorption and the adsorption capacities of various modified adsorbents have been comparatively analyzed:natural minerals, biomass materials, metal oxides, and several emerging types of adsorbents, among which metal-based adsorbents show the best performance.

2,9-Diaryl-6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene derivatives: synthesis and application in cancer sonodynamic therapy.

Four 2,9-aryl substituted 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene derivatives were synthesized as sonosensitizers. Their extensive delocalized π-electron conjugation system facilitated the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under ultrasound irradiation. Therapeutic results validate that the as-prepared compounds have significant advantages in sonodynamic therapy.

Lipid oxidation and lipidomic profiles of raw and thermal-extracted yak fat under hydroxyl radical-induced oxidative stress.

The lipid profiles in raw fat (RF) and thermal-extracted fat (TF) from yak under hydroxyl radical-induced oxidative stress were investigated. Both hydroxyl radical and thermal extraction accelerated lipid oxidation. A total of 1168 lipids were identified and classified into 18 lipid categories.

Near-infrared light-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels loaded with epidermal growth factor for diabetic wound healing.

In diabetic wounds, the presence of hyperglycemia is often accompanied by a persistent inflammatory response, oxidative stress damage, impaired angiogenesis and bacterial infections around the wound, resulting in impaired proliferation of dermal and epidermal cells and impaired skin regeneration in diabetic wounds. To solve the above problems, this study designed a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive multifunctional poloxamer hydrogel (EGF/PDA-MXene Gel). The Gel is composed of two-dimensional nanomaterials (2D NMs) MXene as the core, modified by polymer, further loaded with epidermal growth factor (EGF), and has antibacterial, antioxidant, photothermal properties.

Copper-catalyzed chemoselective C-H functionalization/dearomatization sequence: direct access to indole-based spirocyclic scaffolds.

Herein, a copper-catalyzed intermolecular [4+1] spiroannulation of indoles with alkynyldiazoketones affording various indole-based spirocyclic molecules a chemoselective C-H functionalization/dearomatization sequence was developed.

Water Transportation through Nano/Microsized Lipid Protocells with a Significant Deviation from the van't Hoff Osmotic Rule.

Osmotic pressure is known to be an important driving force that induces water transport through membranes, which is crucial for many biophysical processes. Here, we observed that under a relatively low osmotic pressure induced by sugars' protocells (vesicles) with a diameter of ∼110 nm barely shrank. However, NaCl and CaCl at lower concentrations induced a rapid decrease in the vesicle size as evidence of water transportation through the membrane.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Remote Site-Selective Hydroboration of Unactivated Alkenes via Chain-Walking Strategy.

An expedient synthesis of α-aminoboronic acid derivatives via cobalt-catalyzed remote site-selective hydroboration of unactivated alkenes is described herein. The strategy is characterized by its simplicity, site-selectivity, and wide substrate scope, as both terminal and internal alkenes could undergo the reaction smoothly, affording the corresponding products in good yields. According to the mechanism, Co-H is generated from Co(acac) in the presence of HBpin, which starts the chain-walking strategy via a series of alkene insertion and β-H elimination process.

Low-Voltage Electrooxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzoic Acid Enhanced by PtZn-ZnO Interface.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid is a process that often requires high voltage, leading to increased energy consumption, side reactions (oxygen evolution reaction (OER)), and catalyst degradation. Herein, our study introduces a novel approach. We demonstrate that a PtZn-ZnO catalyst featuring a PtZn intermetallic structure with abundant PtZn-ZnO interfaces on the surface allows for the electrocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid with an impressive selectivity of 99.

Self-assembly of short peptides activates specific ER-phagy and induces pyroptosis for enhanced tumor immunotherapy.

Developing specific endoplasmic reticulum-autophagy (ER-phagy) inducers is highly desirable for discovering new ER-phagy receptors, elucidating the detailed ER-phagy mechanism and potential cancer immunotherapy. However, most of the current ER-phagy-inducing methods cause non-selective autophagy of other organelles. In this work, we report the design and synthesis of simple and stable short peptides (D-FFxFFs) that could specifically trigger ER-phagy, which further induces pyroptosis and activates immune response against tumor cells.