Latest ArticlesAqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have aroused significant research interest around the world in the past decade. The use of low-cost aqueous electrolytes and a metallic Zn anode with a suitable redox potential and high energy density make AZIBs a potential alternative to commercial Li-ion batteries in the development of next-generation batteries. However, owing to the narrow electrochemical stability window (ESW) of aqueous electrolytes, the choice of cathode materials is limited, because of which AZIBs exhibit a relatively low operating voltage and energy density. Hence, expanding the ESW of aqueous electrolytes is important for the development of practical AZIBs. This paper systematically reviews the electrolyte engineering strategies being explored to broaden the ESW of AZIBs. An in-depth analysis of high-voltage AZIBs is also presented. We suggest that the realization of high-voltage AZIBs depends on the synergistic development of suitable electrolytes and cathode materials. In addition, the cost associated with their fabrication as well as the use of standardized electrochemical tests should be considered during the design of high-voltage AZIBs.
Lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), which is composed of organic bridging ligands and Ln3+ ions/clusters, is an important component of luminescent MOFs. Compared with transition metal ions, lanthanide ions have a higher coordination number and abundant coordination geometry. Moreover, Ln-MOFs have special characteristics such as good porosity, topological diversity, high surface area and highly adjustable structure. The energy transfer (ET) process in Ln-MOFs could be easily affected by the interaction between host framework and guest, resulting in the change of luminescence intensity or color. Over the past few decades, the features of Ln-MOFs open the door to a range of incredibly important applications. However, there are few reviews on systemic summary of the various applications of Ln-MOFs. In this paper, we summarized the latest progress of Ln-MOFs applications, including the Ln-MOFs in chemical and biological sensors, optical information devices and catalysis, respectively, and discussed design mechanism. The possible problems in current research are briefly prospected, hoping to provide some helpful guidance for the future development of Ln-MOF materials.
Dinitrogen activation under mild conditions is important but extremely challenging due to the inert nature of the N≡N triple bond evidenced by high bond dissociation energy (945 kJ/mol) and large HOMO-LUMO gap (10.8 eV). In comparison with largely developed transition metal systems, the reported main group species on dinitrogen activation are rare. Here, we carry out density functional theory calculations on methyleneboranes to understand the reaction mechanisms of their dinitrogen activation. It is found that the methyleneboranes without any substituent at the boron atom performs best on dinitrogen activation, which could be contributed to its small singlet-triplet gap. In addition, strong correlations are achieved on dinitrogen activation between the singlet-triplet energy gap and the reaction energies for the formation of the end-on products as well as the side-on ones. The principal interacting orbital analysis suggests that methyleneboranes can mimic transition metals to cleave the NN triple bond. Our findings could be helpful for experimental chemists aiming at dinitrogen activation by main group species.
A novel metabolic chemical reporter of Ac36deoGlcNAz was developed and confirmed as an effective probe for O-GlcNAc modification. Ac36deoGlcNAz labeling predominantly occurs in intracellular O-GlcNAcylated proteins rather than cell-surface glycoproteins. Of note, it could reduce the artificial S-glyco-modification compared to Ac4GalNAz and Ac4GlcNAz. This new reporter allows to be widely used in the field of proteomic identification of O-GlcNAcylation.
Hierarchical carbon material is used as a star cocatalyst in the field of photocatalysis due to its excellent catalytic properties. In this work, mesoporous carbon nitride sheet (MCNS) photocatalyst introduced nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres assembled with cobalt nanoparticles (Co@NHC) is synthesized by electrostatic adsorption. A series of characterizations are analyzed to display the structures, morphologies and optical properties of as-prepared materials. The photocatalytic activity of Co@NHC/MCNS material is evaluated with hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation. The results indicate that 5 wt% Co@NHC/MCNS material reveals higher photocatalytic activity of hydrogen evolution rate of 3675 µmol/g with 4 h reaction time, which is 159 times than that of pure MCNS material. The carbon material with excellent charge transport properties can effectively accelerate the charge transfer from ultrathin MCNS to cobalt nanoparticles. The goal of improving the photocatalytic performance of Co@NHC/MCNS material is achieved. As a result, it provides a feasible and promised approach for doping transition metals to enhance photocatalytic activity.
Click chemistry has become a useful tool for diverse molecular linkage and modification, and the development of new click strategy that enable reversibility and multifunctionality is of high demand for the multifunction and drug release. Herein, compositionally clicking combined regioselective iridium-catalyzed azide-alkynthio cycloaddition (Ir-AAC) and disulfuration has been developed for the sequential linkage from N-acetylenethio phthalimides, naturally occurring thiols and readily available azides. This method has been successfully applied to the construction of drug hybrids, peptide modification and glycosylation. Furthermore, by the design of diacetylenethio phthalimide as a platform molecule, trifunctional conjugants were sequentially linked through independent Ir-AAC, disulfuration and Cu-AAC reaction for hydrophobic tagging ternary PROTACs.
Li metal has been regarded as the holy grail for the next-generation Li-ion battery. Li dendrites issues, however, impede its practical application. In general, prolonging the sand time of Li nucleation and regulating homogeneous Li+ flux are effective approaches to suppress the dendrites formation and growth. Regarding this view, a functional polypropylene (PP) separator is developed to regulate ion transportation via a newly designed Li-based metal-organic framework (Li-MOF) coating. The Li-MOF crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 and features a double-walled three-dimensional (3D) structure with 1D channels. The well-defined intrinsic nanochannels of Li-MOF and the steric-hinerance effect both restrict free migration of anions, contributing to a high Li+ transference number of 0.65, which improve the Sand time of Li nucleation. Meanwhile, the Li-MOF coating with uniform porous structure promotes homogeneous Li+ flux at the surface of Li metal. Furthermore, the Li-MOF coating layer helps to build solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer that comprises of inorganic LiF and Li3N, which further prohibits the dendrites growth. Consequently, a highly stable Li plating/stripping cycling for over 1000 h is achieved. The functional separator also enables high-performance full lithium metal cells, the high-rate and long-stable cycling performance of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1 (NMC811)-Li and LiCoO2 (LCO)-Li cells further demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.
To realize the handedness controllable circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) system remains challenging. Herein, the solvent-mediated CPL inversion and amplification systems were successfully constructed by camptothecin derivative (CPT-A). Due to the planar structure of N, N-dimethylformamide, it could co-assemble with CPT-A, resulting in the alteration of glum from ‒0.0082 to +0.0085 by increasing water content. While in the non-planar solvent (hexafluoroisopropanol), the glum was amplified to 0.034 with the increase in water content. Moreover, the CPT-A could react with the glutathione, resulting in the anticancer drug CPT to make it more toxic to the cancer cells. Overall, the handedness controllable CPL systems were realized by tuning the supramolecular self-assembly of a prodrug.
Waste generation from food manufacturing facilities poses a serious hazard like environmental degradation, water pollution, and land pollution due to its high nutrient composition. Specifically, solid waste (powder) disposal requires additional energy sources in terms of scientific treatment, structured collection, and disposal packaging according to the safety regulation. Thus, this research discusses the viewpoint of integrating food processing waste as an organic carbon source with BG-11 medium for Chlorella vulgaris (FSP-E) growth. The food processing waste powders investigated in this study were obtained from milk, and biscuit manufacturing facilities. The culture medium was modified by combining both BG-11 and food processing waste powders to identify the optimal algal growth and biochemical content. Compared to the microalgae grown in BG-11 alone (IBG), the combination of biscuit waste and IBG produced higher biomass concentration (44%), with increased lipid (11%), protein (20%), and carbohydrate (57%) contents. Chlorella vulgaris was able to uptake nutrients from the culture medium with combination of food processing waste and IBG thus enhancing its growth. The results obtained also indicate that an integrated culture system using food processing waste and synthetic sources can generate energy out of waste by improving the bio-composition of the microalgae biomass.
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