Latest ArticlesWith the rapid development of electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and smart grids, people's demand for large-scale energy storage devices is increasingly intense. As a new type of secondary battery, potassium ion battery is promising to replace the lithium-ion battery in the field of large-scale energy storage by virtue of its low price and environmental friendliness. At present, the research on the anode materials of potassium ion batteries mainly focuses on carbon materials and the design of various nanostructured metal-based materials. Problems such as poor rate performance and inferior cycle life caused by electrode structure comminution during charge and discharge have not been solved. Quantum dots/nanodots materials are a new type of nanomaterials that can effectively improve the utilization of electrode materials and reduce production costs. In addition, quantum dots/nanodots materials can enhance the electrode reaction kinetics, reduce the stress generated in cycling, and effectively alleviate the agglomeration and crushing of electrode materials. In this review, we will systematically introduce the synthesis methods, K+ storage properties and K+ storage mechanisms of carbon quantum dots and carbon-based transition metal compound quantum dots composites. This review will have significant references for potassium ion battery researchers.
Photoheranostics have emerged as a promising tool for cancer theranostics owing to their real-time feedback on treatment and their precise diagnosis. Among them, how to improve the photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of phototheranostic agents (PTAs) is the key factor for phototheranostic systems. Herein, we provided an efficient method to improve PCE and constructed a biocompatible nano-material ICR-Qu@NH2-Fe3O4@PEG (QNFP) by combing near-infrared second region (NIR-Ⅱ) molecular dye ICR-Qu and amino-modified magnetic nanoparticles and then encapsulated by DSPE-mPEG2000. QNFP exhibited excellent performance for photothermal therapy with a high PCE of 95.6%. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that QNFP could inhibit the growth of tumors under laser irradiation with low toxicity and realized real-time NIR-Ⅱ fluorescent imaging of tumors. In general, we realized a simple but efficient method to improve the PCE of NIR-Ⅱ molecular dye without reduce its quantum yield, which is an ideal choice for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
A strategy for copper-catalyzed and biphosphine ligand controlled boracarboxylation of 1,3-dienes and CO2 with 3,4-selectivity was developed. The CuCl coupled with DPPF (1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) was assigned to be the best catalyst, with 84% yield and exclusive 3,4-selectivity. The ligand effect on both catalytic activity and regioselectivity of boracarboxylation was disclosed, which is rarely reported in any copper catalyzed boracarboxylation. The borocupration process is revealed to be a vital step for the biphosphine participated boracarboxylation of 1,3-dienes with CO2. The minimal substrate distortion occurring in 3,4-borocupration favors the 3,4-regioselectivity of boracarboxylation. The “pocket” confinement and suitable βn (92°–106°) of bisphosphine ligands are demonstrated to be in favour of the interaction between LCu-Bpin complex (the catalytic precursor) and 1,3-diene substrate to decrease their interaction energy ∆Eint(ζ) in 3,4-borocupration, thus promoting the 3,4-boracarboxylation.
A decomposable and sono-enzyme co-triggered nanoparticle (pTCP-CR NP) with “AND gate” logic was synthesized, combining a meso‑carboxyl-porphyrin-based sonosensitizer (5,10,15,20-tetrakis(carboxyl)porphyrin, TCP) and a thiophenyl-croconium (2,5-bis[(2-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethyl-4-carboxylate-piperidylamino)thiophenyl]-croconium, CR) via ester groups. TCP releases carbon monoxide (CO) under ultrasound (US) irradiation, offering both sonodynamic and gas therapy. CR decomposes into stronger reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to oxygen-based radicals. The Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect between TCP and CR inhibits ROS and CO generation until triggered by tumor cell overexpressed carboxylesterase (CEs). pTCP-CR NPs “AND gate” logic ensures activation only in the presence of both CEs and US, targeting tumor cells while safety in normal tissues. The ROS and CO generation abilities, as well as the releasing of SO4•− have been systemically examined. pTCP-CR can be thoroughly decomposed into low-toxic molecules post the treatment, showing the safety with negligible phototoxic reactions. In vivo anti-cancer therapy has been evaluated using mice bearing hepatocellular carcinoma.
The hydration state of amphiphilic block copolymers during the self-assembly transition is closely related to the structure and properties of copolymers. In this study, the temperature-induced self-assembly of copolymer poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-poly(diacetone acrylamide) (PDMAA30-PDAAM60)2 in aqueous solution was monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy with water as a probe. The wavelet packet transform was employed to improve the spectral resolution. The spectral information of hydrated water surrounding the hydrophilic PDMAA and hydrophobic PDAAM blocks was then extracted, revealing the significant roles of water in morphological transition of the copolymer from spherical to worm-like micelles. Specifically, water molecules interacting with N atoms and C=O groups of the hydrophilic block gradually decrease during the morphological transition, while hydrogen-bond structures NH-CO of the hydrophobic block gradually break, bringing more water molecules into contact with the hydrophobic block. This work provides a foundation for exploring the role of water molecules during the self-assembly transition of complex block copolymers.
The occurrence, development, and metastasis of tumors often entail abnormal expression of genetic substances. Monitoring and regulating changes in intracellular nucleic acid substances hold promise for achieving accurate tumor diagnosis and effective treatment. However, the effectiveness of integrated tumor diagnosis and treatment based on functional nucleic acids still needs to be improved. In this study, we engineered a multifunctional nucleic acid delivery system grounded in a cationic covalent organic framework carrier. This system not only showcases effective gene silencing but also boasts high sensitivity in detecting miR21 levels within tumor cells, enabling real-time monitoring of tumor gene therapy efficacy. The construction of this integrated functional nucleic acid delivery platform provides new ideas for precise tumor detection and effective tumor treatment.
ZnIn2S4, a typical n-type semiconductor, has received intensive attention due to its suitable bandgap, excellent visible light absorption performance, and simple and flexible preparation methods. However, its application is curbed by photo-generated carrier recombination and photo corrosion. Although constructing S-scheme heterojunctions by combining ZnIn2S4 with other semiconductors can solve these problems, the photocatalytic activity of S-scheme heterojunctions can be further improved. Therefore, this short review summarizes modification strategies of ZnIn2S4-based S-scheme heterojunctions. This article also introduces the concept, design principles, and characterization methods of ZnIn2S4-based S-scheme heterojunction. Finally, current challenges and future research focuses related to ZnIn2S4-based S-scheme heterojunctions are discussed and summarized, including the utilization of advanced in-situ characterization techniques to further illuminate the photocatalytic mechanism, the DFT-assisted design of catalysts to increase the selectivity of products during photocatalytic CO2 reduction, and extending the photo-response of ZnIn2S4-based S-scheme heterojunction to near-infrared range, etc.
Degrading volatile organic compounds at low temperatures and active sites aggregation are still challenging. In this study, a novel mesoporous zeolite silicalite-1 (S-1-meso) enveloped Pt–Ni bimetallic catalysts (noted as Pt1Ni1@S-1-meso) were synthesized via a facile in situ mesoporous template-free method. The Pt–Ni bimetallic nanoparticles were uniformly distributed and displayed a large specific surface area and enriched mesopores to facilitate the deep oxidation of toluene. The presence of the Pt–NiO interface both increased the dispersion of the catalyst and improved its catalytic performance, thereby reducing the consumption of Pt. The Mars-van Krevelen mechanism and density function theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the Pt–NiO interface effect changed the electronic structure of Pt and Ni species, reduced the activation potential for oxygen, formed reactive oxygen species, and facilitated the adsorption and activation of reactants in the direction favorable to the toluene oxidation. This study provides a guideline for minimizing the proportion of precious metals used in practical applications and a promising method for toluene elimination at low temperatures.
Tuning the nanozyme′s activity and specificity is very crucial for developing highly sensitive sensors for various applications. Herein, selenium-doped porous N-doped carbon skeletons (Se/NC) nanozymes with highly specific peroxidase-like activity were synthesized by a MOF-pyrolysis-doping protocol. Se doping adjusted the electronic structure of NC by introducing more vacancies, defective carbon and graphitic N, and endowed the resultant Se/NC enhanced charge transfer and substrate affinity. The Se/NC exhibited specific peroxidase-mimicking activity and could catalyze 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine oxidation by H2O2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental trials indicated that both Se=O and C–Se–C species were the main active sites of Se/NC. The C–Se–C bond is the main catalytic active site endowing Se/NC with the property of nanozyme, while the Se=O bond effectively enhances its affinity to H2O2 and accelerate H2O2 dissociation. The Se/NC showed an approximately 185-fold increase in peroxidase-like activity compared to NC. Based on the inhibition of the peroxidase-like activity of Se/NC by methimazole, a colorimetric sensor was developed to achieve its sensitive detection with 2 nmol/L of limit of detection. It was successfully used for detecting methimazole in real samples. Current Se doping strategy simplifies the fabrication process of high performance specific nanozyme and promises great potential for environmental analysis.
The widespread occurrence of antibiotics in wastewater aroused serious attention. UV-based advanced oxidation processes (UV-AOPs) are powerful technologies in removing antibiotics in wastewater, which include UV/catalyst, UV/H2O2, UV/Fenton, UV/persulfate, UV/chlorine, UV/ozone, and UV/peracetic acid. In this review, we collated recent advances in application of UV-AOPs for the abatement of fluoroquinolones (FQs) as widely used class of antibiotics. Representative FQs of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and enrofloxacin were most extensively studied in the state-of-art studies. The evolvement of gas-state and solid-state UV light sources was presented and batch and continuous flow UV reactors were compared towards practical applications in UV-AOPs. Generally, degradation of FQs followed the pseudo-first order kinetics in UV-AOPs and strongly affected by the operating factors and components of water matrix. Participation of reactive species and transformation mechanisms of FQs were compared among different UV-AOPs. Challenges and future prospects were pointed out for providing insights into the practical application of UV-AOPs for antibiotic remediation in wastewater.
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