Superoleophobic micro-nanostructure surface formation of PVDF membranes by tannin and a condensed silane coupling agent.

A tannin-based hybrid coating was coated on the PVDF membrane surface through a simple one-step co-deposition of tannin and KH550. A micro/nano hierarchical structure was formed on the PVDF membrane surface through hydrolysis/condensation of KH550 and Michael addition reaction between oxidized tannin and an amino group revealed by the field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which established a harsh surface. Abundant hydrophilic groups and high surface roughness endowed the modified membranes with high hydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity.

SOF mediated cascade dehydrogenative Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of the C(sp)-H of primary alcohols with the C(sp)-H of electron-deficient olefins for the assembly of allylic alcohols.

A cascade dehydrogenative Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of the C(sp)-H of primary alcohols with the C(sp)-H of electron-deficient olefins for forming allylic alcohols mediated by SOF was developed. This method provides a mild process for the preparation of allylic alcohol moieties without the requirement of transition metals.

Enhanced hydrogen evolution from water splitting based on ZnO nanosheet/CdS nanoparticle heterostructures.

As environmental and energy problems have worsened worldwide, research for developing renewable energy has become urgent. Presently, the primary focus of such research is directed towards the photocatalytic decomposition of water to produce hydrogen as an energy source. Herein, ZnO nanosheet/CdS nanoparticle heterostructures were synthesized by a mild wet chemical reaction and displayed a high photocatalytic efficiency (1040 μmol g h) without Pt loading under visible light radiation.

Vanadium occupation and its leachability differences in trioctahedral and dioctahedral mica.

Vanadium in black shale is found mainly in aluminosilicate minerals such as mica. Vanadium occupation in mica directly determines the vanadium leaching rate from black shale. The essential difference of leachability is demonstrated on the basis of quantum chemical simulation methods and experimental verification.

Synthesis of a photocurable acrylated poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(xylitol sebacate) copolymers hydrogel 3D printing ink for tissue engineering.

Photocurable hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering must have excellent biocompatibility, tunable mechanical characteristics, and be biodegradable at a controllable rate. Hydrogels developed as ink for 3D printing require several other properties such as optimal viscosity and shorter photocrosslinking time to ensure continuous extrusion and to avoid untimely collapse of the printed structure. Here, a novel photocurable hydrogel made of acrylated poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(xylitol sebacate) (PEXS-A) is developed for tissue engineering and 3D printing applications.

Correction: Large-scale and fast synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite powder by a microwave-hydrothermal method.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C9RA00091G.].

Facile one-pot synthesis of sulfonyl fluorides from sulfonates or sulfonic acids.

A facile cascade process for directly transforming the abundant and inexpensive sulfonates (or sulfonic acids) to the highly valuable sulfonyl fluorides was developed. This new protocol features mild reaction conditions using readily available and easy-to-operate reagents. A diverse set of sulfonyl fluorides was prepared facilitating the enrichment of the sulfonyl fluoride library.

Large-scale and fast synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite powder by a microwave-hydrothermal method.

A microwave-hydrothermal (M-H) method assisted with ultrasonic atomization precipitation was developed for large-scale and fast synthesis of nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAP) powder. This technology combines the uniform mixing effect of ultrasonic atomization precipitation at high concentration with the rapid and uniform heating effect of the M-H method, aiming to obtain a high quality product with low agglomeration, homogeneous size distribution, accurate stoichiometry, and high purity while improving the yield. The influences of reaction temperature, reaction time and reactant concentration on the formation of nano-HAP were investigated.

A general method to fabricate MoO/C composites and porous C for asymmetric solid-state supercapacitors.

MoO is one of the most promising electrodes for high energy density supercapacitors due to its layered structure, which facilitates the insertion/removal of small ions. However, the commercial recognition of MoO-based electrodes has been hampered by their low electronic conductivity, poor structural stability and narrow working potential window. A MoO/C composite (MCs) has been synthesized by a polymerization method followed by calcination of the obtained hydrogel.

A binder-free electrode architecture design for lithium-sulfur batteries: a review.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered to be one of the most promising next-generation electrochemical power sources to replace commercial lithium-ion batteries because of their high energy density. However, practical application of LSBs is hindered by two critical drawbacks: "redox shuttle reactions" of dissolved polysulfides at the cathode side and Li dendrites at the Li anode side. Therefore, various approaches have been proposed to break down technical barriers in LSB systems.

One-step ultra-rapid fabrication and thermoelectric properties of CuSe bulk thermoelectric material.

CuSe is a promising material for high temperature thermoelectric energy conversion due to its unique combination of excellent electronic properties and low thermal conductivity owing to its ionic liquid characteristics at high temperature. In this paper, fully dense single-phase bulk CuSe material was prepared by the combination of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) with quick pressing (QP) for the first time. This new approach shortens the duration of the synthesis from days to hours compared to conventional preparation methods.

Room-temperature synthesized SnO electron transport layers for efficient perovskite solar cells.

Tin oxide (SnO) is widely used as electron transport layer (ETL) material in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Numerous synthesis methods for SnO have been reported, but they all require a proper thermal treatment for the SnO ETLs. Herein we present a simple method to synthesize SnO nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature.

Preparation and characterization of a novel positively charged composite hollow fiber nanofiltration membrane based on chitosan lactate.

A positively charged composite hollow fiber nanofiltration (NF) membrane was prepared interfacial polymerization (IP) between chitosan lactate (CL) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on a polyether sulfone (PES) hollow fiber ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. The chemical structure and the morphologies of the resultant NF membranes were characterized with attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rejection of NF membrane for different inorganic salt aqueous solutions followed the order: MgCl > ZnCl > MgSO > NaCl > NaSO.

Morphology controlling of 〈111〉-3C-SiC films by HMDS flow rate in LCVD.

Morphology of 〈111〉-oriented 3C-SiC films was transformed from mosaic to whisker to cauliflower-like with the increased flow rate () of hexametyldisilane (HMDS) in the process of laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD). The SiC whiskers were naturally sharp hexagonal pyramids with average height of 250 nm and an aspect ratio in the range of 5 to 10, with a density of 1.3 × 10 mm.

Ultranarrow Graphene Nanoribbons toward Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions.

Identification of catalytic sites for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR/OER) is critical to rationally develop highly efficient bifunctional carbon-based metal-free electrocatalyst. Here, a unique defect-rich N-doped ultranarrow graphene nanoribbon with a high aspect ratio that exhibits excellent ORR/OER bifunctional activities and impressive long-term cycling stability in Zn-air batteries is successfully fabricated. Density functional theory calculations indicates that the topological defects (e.

Aggregation prevention: reduction of graphene oxide in mixed medium of alkylphenol polyoxyethylene (7) ether and 2-methoxyethanol.

Graphene has attracted great interest due to its extensive applications in optoelectronic and electronic circuits and devices. However, reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to graphene is a process in which hydrophilic GO converts to hydrophobic graphene. Very little is known about the aggregation of graphene and the cause of performance degradation by general chemical reduction methods as the single reaction medium presents difficulty in satisfying the good dispersion of hydrophilic GO and hydrophobic graphene simultaneously.

Removal of Pb(ii) and Cr(vi) from aqueous solutions using the prepared porous adsorbent-supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles.

In this study, Fe/Ni nanoparticles supported by a novel fly ash-based porous adsorbent (FBA-Fe/Ni) for Cr(vi) and Pb(ii) removal were investigated. In order to enhance the reactivity of zero-valent iron (ZVI), ZVI particles were deposited on the surface or in the inner pores of FBA as a support material and Ni nanoparticles were introduced. FBA was prepared with the solid waste such as , bentonite and fly ash.

Current Status of Outdoor Lifetime Testing of Organic Photovoltaics.

Performance degradation is one of the key obstacles limiting the commercial application of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. The assessment of OPV stability and lifetime are usually based on simulated degradation experiments conducted under indoor conditions, whereas photovoltaic devices experience different environmental conditions under outdoor operation. Besides the intrinsic degradation of OPV devices due to the evolution of optoelectronic and morphological structure during long-term operation, outdoor environmental changes can impose extra stresses and accelerate the degradation of OPV modules.

Exploring the Interactions of Oxygen with Defective ZnO.

Exploring the interactions of oxygen with defective oxide is of importance to understand the microscopic process and performance of ZnO-based oxygen sensors. The interactions of environmental oxygen with vacuum-annealed defective ZnO have been studied by electrical methods, vacuum Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and in situ adsorption experiments. It was found that the vacuum-annealed defective ZnO exhibits varied electrical response at different temperatures, which, by vacuum IR investigation, was ascribed to the subtle balance between formation of oxygen vacancies and their interactions with environmental oxygen.

The fundamental roles of monovalent and divalent cations with sulfates on molybdenite flotation in the absence of flotation reagents.

Due to regional shortage of freshwater, the use of saline/seawater for Cu-Mo sulfide ore flotation has received considerable attention. However, the effects of various salts, especially the cations present in seawater, on molybdenite flotation and the mechanisms involved remain unclear due to the complexity of the solutions applied. In this work, the influence of some common cations (, Na, K, Ca and Mg) with sulfate (SO ) anions on molybdenite flotability was investigated in the absence of flotation reagents (, frothers and collectors) at pH 10.

Painful Terminal Neuroma Prevention by Capping PRGD/PDLLA Conduit in Rat Sciatic Nerves.

Neuroma formation after amputation as a long-term deficiency leads to spontaneous neuropathic pain that reduces quality of life of patients. To prevent neuroma formation, capping techniques are implemented as effective treatments. However, an ideal, biocompatible material covering the nerves is an unmet clinical need.

Mechanical behaviour and microstructural evolution of Ni-based single crystal alloys under shock loading.

Engine turbine blades are subjected to high-temperature and high-speed fragment impacts during use, and the ability of the blades to resist shocks affects their reliability. At present, there are few studies on the ability to withstand shocks of Ni-based single crystal alloys, especially with regards to their mechanical behaviour and microstructural evolution under shock loading. The solutions to the above problems can further help us understand the mechanisms of the mechanical responses and microstructural evolution of Ni-based single crystal alloys under shock loading.

Structural study of epitaxial NdBaCuO films by laser chemical vapor deposition.

Epitaxial NdBaCuO films were prepared on (100) LaAlO single crystal substrates by laser chemical vapor deposition (laser CVD). The effect of deposition temperature on preferred orientation, crystallinity, microstructure, deposition rate of films was investigated. The preferred orientation of the NdBCO films changed from , -axis to -axis, then back to , -axis, as the deposition temperature was increased from 993 to 1093 K.

Preparation of poly(lactic acid)/graphene oxide nanofiber membranes with different structures by electrospinning for drug delivery.

Nanofiber membranes display promising potential in biomedical fields, especially as scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue engineering. The structures and components of nanofibers play crucial roles in improving the mechanical properties and drug-releasing performance of nanofiber membranes. In this work, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/graphene oxide (GO) nanofiber membranes with different structures (single-axial and co-axial structure) were prepared by electrospinning.

Magnetically targeted co-delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs with hollow mesoporous ferrite nanoparticles.

A magnetically targeted drug delivery system (DDS) is developed to solve the delivery problem of hydrophobic drugs by using hollow mesoporous ferrite nanoparticles (HMFNs). The HMFNs are synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method based on the Ostwald ripening process. The biocompatibility of the synthesized HMFNs was determined by MTT assay, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assay and hemolyticity against rabbit red blood cells.