A Stable Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Constructed by a Nucleophilic Molecule Additive for the Zn Anode with High Utilization and Efficiency.

The solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) strongly determines the stability and reversibility of aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). In traditional electrolytes, the nonuniform SEI layer induced by severe parasitic reactions, such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), will exacerbate the side reactions on Zn anodes, thus leading to low zinc utilization ratios (ZURs). Herein, we propose to use methoxy ethylamine (MOEA) as a nucleophilic additive, which has a stronger nucleophilic characteristic than water, with the advantage of an abundance of nucleophilic atoms.

Promoting defect formation and inhibiting hydrogen evolution by S-doping NiFe layered double hydroxide for electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia.

Activation of HO cleavage for H* production by defect engineering eliminates the insufficient supply of protons in the NORR process under neutral conditions. However, it remains challenging to precisely control the defect formation for optimizing the equilibrium between H* production and H* binding. Here, we propose a strategy to boost defect generation through S-doping induced NiFe-LDH lattice distortion, and successfully optimize the balance of H* production and binding.

Dual signal amplification in ECL biosensors: A novel approach for argonaute2 detection using SAHARA CRISPR-Cas12a technology.

Argonaute 2 (Ago2) is a crucial enzyme in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, essential for gene silencing via the cleavage of target messenger RNA (mRNA) mediated by microRNA (miRNA) or small interfering RNA (siRNA). The activity of Ago2 is a significant biomarker for various diseases, including cancer and viral infections, necessitating precise monitoring techniques. Traditional methods for detecting Ago2 activity are often cumbersome and lack the necessary sensitivity and specificity for low-abundance targets in complex samples.

Nickel-Doping Induced Oxygen Vacancies in MnO Hollow Cube with Enlarged Interlayer Spacing for Stable Sodium Ions Storage.

Intrinsic low conductivity, poor structural stability, and narrow interlayer spacing limit the development of MnO in sodium-ion (Na) supercapacitors. This work constructs the hollow cubic Mn-PBA precursor through an ion-exchange process to in situ obtain a hollow cubic H-Ni-MnO composite with Ni doping and oxygen vacancies (O) via a self-oxidation strategy. Experiments and theoretical calculations show that the hollow nanostructure and the expanding interlayer spacing induced by Ni doping are beneficial for exposing more reactive sites, synergistically manipulating the Na transport pathways.

Construction of Loop Polyzwitterion Brushes on PET Sheets via the Chain-End Closure Strategy To Improve Antifouling and Hemocompatible Properties.

Steric stabilization and lubrication give loop polymer brushes enhanced antifouling properties. In the study, linear zwitterionic poly(NMASMCMS) brushes were first constructed on a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) surface through surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization. The tethered linear brushes on sheets were then thiolated with ethanolamine, followed by oxidation to form loop brushes.

Electrochemical Self-Sacrificial Label Conversion Coupled with DNA Framework Nanomachine Mediated Serotonin Sensing with Highly Minimized Background Noise.

Conventional solid/liquid electrochemical interfaces typically encounter challenges with impeded mass transport for poor electrochemical quantification due to the intricate pathways of reactants from the bulk solution. To address this issue, this work reports an innovative approach integrating a target-activated DNA framework nanomachine with electrochemically driven metal-organic framework (MOF) conversion for self-sacrificial biosensing. The presence of the target biomarker serotonin initiates the DNA framework nanomachine by an entropy-driven circuit to form a cross-linked nanostructure and subsequently release the Fe-MOF probe.

Engineering nanosystems for regulating reproductive health in women.

Reproductive health-related diseases have a significant impact on the well-being of millions of women worldwide, severely compromising their quality of life. Women encounter unique challenges in terms of reproductive health, including gynecological diseases and malignant neoplasms prior to pregnancy, as well as complications during pregnancy that greatly undermine their physical and mental health. Despite recent advancements in the field of female reproduction, substantial challenges still persist.

Pd(OAc)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Imidazo[1,2-]phenanthridines via a Sequential Ullmann Coupling and Oxidative Coupling Dehydrogenation.

The Ullmann coupling and oxidative coupling dehydrogenation reactions have occurred sequentially, catalyzed by Pd(OAc), which unexpectedly yielded fused imidazo[1,2-]phenanthridine derivatives in good to high yields. Structural analysis of the intermediate and final products indicated that the protocol did not include C-H and N-H arylation.

Multienzyme Cascade Catalyzed Skeleton Rearrangement in a Caged Polyketide Biosynthesis.

Rearrangement of the skeleton is crucial for improving the structural complexity and diversity of type II polyketide natural products. In this study, we investigated the rearrangement process from a planar aromatic tetracyclic intermediate to the caged lactones, which is managed by five oxidoreductases. We chemically synthesized the proposed linear tetracyclic substrate, validated the transformation process through and experiments, and elucidated the enzyme-catalyzed mechanism using isotope labeling.

Mesoporous polydopamine composite nanoparticles for multimodal therapy based on disrupting the redox homeostasis within tumor cells.

Developing multimodal combination therapy strategies to disrupt the redox homeostasis within tumor cells is currently an important approach in cancer treatment. In this study, we designed and prepared multifunctional composite nanoparticles MPDA-PEG@MnO@2-DG (MPPMD NPs) utilizing mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDA NPs) as carriers. These carriers were coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and manganese dioxide (MnO) and loaded with 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG).

An Intermediate-Aided Perovskite Phase Purification for High-Performance Solar Cells.

In recent years, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have garnered considerable attention as a prime candidate for next-generation photovoltaic technology. Ensuring the structural stability of perovskites is crucial to the operational reliability of these devices. However, the nonphotoactive yellow phase (δ-FAPbI) of formamidine (FA)-based perovskites is more favorable in thermodynamics, making it challenging to achieve pure α phase in crystallization.

XPB: an Extendable Polymer Builder for High-Throughput and High-Quality Generation of Complex Polymer Structures.

The efficient generation of complex initial structures for polymers remains a critical challenge in the field of molecular simulation. This necessitates the development of high-quality and highly efficient modeling algorithms. Inspired by fundamental polymerization reactions, we propose a general algorithm for an efficient de novo polymer model building, resulting in the development of the eXtendable Polymer Builder (XPB) package.

Stabilizing the Fe Species of Nickel-Iron Double Hydroxide via Chelating Asymmetric Aldehyde-Containing THB Ligand for Long-Lasting Water Oxidation.

Nickel-iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe LDHs) are considered as promising substitutes for precious metals in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, most of the reported NiFe LDHs suffer from poor long-term stability because of the Fe loss during OER resulting in severe inactivation. Herein, a dynamically stable chelating interface through in situ transformation of asymmetric aldehyde-ligand (THB, 1,3,5-Tris(3'-hydroxy-4'-formylphenyl)-benzene) modified NiFe LDHs to anchor Fe and significantly enhance the OER stability is reported.

Photoelectrochemical aptasensing and fluorescence imaging co-joint detecting MCF-7 cells in whole blood via an inertial separation microfluidic chip.

The mortality rate of tumor is still very high till now. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are the major culprit of high cancer mortality. To improve survival rate of cancer patients, real-time monitoring and quantitative detection of CTCs are of indescribable value.

Structural Repair of Reduced Graphene Oxide Promoted by Single-Layer Graphene.

High-temperature graphitization of graphene oxide (GO) is a crucial step for enhancing interlayer stacking and repairing the in-plane defects of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films. However, the fine control of the structural repair and reducing the energy consumption in thermal treatment remain challenges. In this study, ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations combined with experiments are used to investigate the structural evolution of rGO upon thermal annealing, with or without the presence of single-layer graphene (SLG).

Sequential Pore Functionalization in MOFs for Enhanced Carbon Dioxide Capture.

The capture of carbon dioxide (CO) is crucial for reducing greenhouse emissions and achieving net-zero emission goals. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) present a promising solution for carbon capture due to their structural adaptability, tunability, porosity, and pore modification. In this research, we explored the use of a copper (Cu(II))-based MOF called .

In Situ Growth of Covalent Organic Frameworks on Carbon Nanotubes for High-Performance Potassium-Ion Batteries.

Redox-active covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been demonstrated as promising organic electrodes in many electrochemical devices. However, their inherently low conductivity significantly hinders the full utilization of their internal redox-active sites. To address this issue, a simple solvothermal method is used to in situ polymerize 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (TP) and p-phenylenediamine (PA) on the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), generating a nanocable-like COF-based nanocomposite, TpPa-COF@CNT nanocables, which contain abundant β-ketoenamine groups.

A Flexible Yet Robust 3D-Hybrid Gel Solid-State Electrolyte Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks for Rechargeable Lithium Metal Batteries.

Compared to traditional liquid electrolytes, solid electrolytes have received widespread attention due to their higher safety. In this work, a vinyl functionalized metal-organic framework porous material (MIL-101(Cr)-NH-Met, noted as MCN-M) is synthesized by postsynthetic modification. A novel three-dimensional hybrid gel composite solid electrolyte (GCSE-P/MCN-M) is successfully prepared via in situ gel reaction of a mixture containing multifunctional hybrid crosslinker (MCN-M), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethylene glycol monomethyl ether methacrylate (EGM) and polyethylene (vinylidene fluoridee) (PVDF).

Electronic Structure Modulation Induced by the Synergy of Cobalt Low-Nuclearity Clusters and Mononuclear Sites for Efficient Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

The development of high-performance bifunctional single-atom catalysts for use in applications, such as zinc-air batteries, is greatly impeded by mild oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER). Herein, we report a bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst designed to overcome these limitations. The catalyst consists of well-dispersed low-nuclearity Co clusters and adjacent Co single atoms over a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix (Co/NC).

Unraveling the C-C Coupling Mechanism on Dual-Atom Catalysts for CO/CO Reduction Reaction: The Critical Role of CO Hydrogenation.

The electrochemical reduction reaction (RR) of CO to high value multicarbon products is highly desirable for carbon utilization. Dual transition metal atoms dispersed by N-doped graphene are able to be highly efficient catalysts for this process due to the synergy of the bimetallic sites for C-C coupling. In this work, we screened homonuclear dual-atom catalysts dispersed by N-doped graphene to investigate the potential in CO reduction to C products by employing density functional theory calculations.

Challenges and Strategies of Low-Pressure All-Solid-State Batteries.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are regarded as promising next-generation energy storage technology owing to their inherent safety and high theoretical energy density. However, achieving and maintaining solid-solid electronic and ionic contact in ASSBs generally requires high-pressure fabrication and high-pressure operation, posing substantial challenges for large-scale production and application. In recent years, significant efforts are made to address these pressure-related challenges.

Entropy-Repaired Solvation Structure Strategy for High-Efficiency Phosphate-Based Localized High-Concentration Electrolytes in Potassium Batteries.

The safety and cycling stability of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are deeply associated with potassium-ion electrolytes. However, due to the weak Lewis acidity of potassium ions, localized high-concentration electrolytes in PIBs are prone to excessive weak solvation. Herein, we propose an entropy repair strategy for the solvation structure of potassium ions and systematically design a moderately weakly solvated high-entropy localized high-concentration electrolyte.

Amplified growth and heavy metal toxicity of Chlorococcum sp. from exposure to low-dose lanthanum(III).

Rare earth elements (REEs) are extensively utilized in industry, agriculture, advanced materials and other fields, leading to their dispersion in water bodies as emerging contaminants. Meanwhile, the coexistence of REEs and heavy metals (HMs) has become a novel form of water contamination (REE-HM co-contamination), though scientists have limited understanding of its hazards. Here, Chlorococcum sp.