Latest ArticlesThe development of clean renewable energy and energy storage devices is of great significance under the present energy crisis and environmental pollution background. Aqueous zinc-ion battery (ZIB) has become one of the most promising energy storage devices due to its high capacity, safety and low cost. However, the application of ZIB cathode is usually limited by low capacity and poor stability. Herein, we propose a novel heterostructure MnO/MnV2O4 composite material composed of MOF derivatives and spinel with dual active components as cathode for ZIBs. Benefited from substantial framework of MOF derivatives and the synergistic effect of heterostructures, MnO/MnV2O4 exhibits excellent rate performance (342 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g, 261 mAh/g at 15 A/g) and cycling performance (198.9 mAh/g at 10 A/g after 2000 cycles) in 3 mol/L Zn(CF3SO3)2 electrolytes. This work extends the range of developing high-performance cathodes for ZIBs under high current density and is expected to enlighten the optimization of commercial energy storage devices.
With the increasing demand for high energy density energy storage device, Li metal has received intensive attention for its ultrahigh capacity and the lowest redox potential. LiNO3 is widely used as electrolyte additive for ether electrolyte, which can improve the cycle performance of Li metal anode. Compared to ethers, carbonates are more suitable for Li metal batteries with high voltage cathode because they have a wider electrochemical window. However, LiNO3 performs poor solubility in carbonate electrolyte, restricting its application in high voltage Li battery. Herein, we presented a facile method to introduce abundant LiNO3 additive to carbonate electrolyte system by introducing LiNO3-PAN es as the interlayer of the cell. LiNO3-PAN es is in sufficient contact with the electrolyte so that it can continuously releases LiNO3 to assist the formation of Li2N2O2-rich single nitrogenous component SEI layer on Li surface. With the help of LiNO3-PAN es, Li metal anode shows excellent cycle stability even at a high current density of 4 mA/cm2, so that the cycle performance of the full cells was significantly improved, whether in the anode-free Cu||LFP cell or the Li||NCM622 cell.
Theranostic carbon dots (CDs) have attracted widespread attention recently due to their tunable optical properties and diverse bioactivities. Beyond fluorescent imaging application, the photothermal property endows CDs with the potential for microbial inactivation. However, realization of the effective conversion between fluorescence and heat in one CD system has rarely been reported. Herein, we provide a simple strategy for targeted microbial theranostics based on 4-carboxyphenylboronic acid-derived CDs (PCBA-CDs) which possess concentration-dependent photoluminescence/photothermal features. At lower concentrations, PCBA-CDs show bright and stable fluorescent signals ranging from blue to green. The fluorescence intensity gradually decreases with increasing concentration, while on the contrary, the photothermal effect of PCBA-CDs ascends progressively due to the rearrangement of electronic transitions in aggregated CDs. PCBA-CDs also demonstrate high affinity to the polysaccharide structures on the surface of microbe which allows rapid microbial fluorescence imaging as well as specific photothermal ablation of pathogens in skin wounds using PCBA-CDs at lower and higher concentrations, respectively. This study supplies a facile nanotheranostic strategy for just-in-time microbial management using bioactive CDs.
Electrocatalytic water splitting is the most directly available route to generate renewable and sustainable hydrogen. Here, we report the design of a composite material in which arrays of square pillar-like NiMoO4 nanorods coated with N, P-doped carbon layers are uniformly contained in numerous nested nanoparticle structures. The catalysts have superior catalytic activity, requiring only 59 mV and 187 mV for HER and OER to attain a current density of 10 mA/cm2, respectively. The assembled two-electrode electrolytic cell required a voltage of 1.48 V to reach 10 mA/cm2, along with excellent long-term stability. Theoretical calculations reveal that electrons aggregate and redistribute at the heterogeneous interface, with the d-band centers of the Ni and Fe atoms being positively shifted compared to the Fermi level, effectively optimizing the adsorption of intermediates and reducing the Gibbs free energy, thus accelerating the catalytic process. Meanwhile, an integrated solar-driven water-splitting system demonstrated a high and stable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 18.20%. This work provides new possibilities for developing non-precious metal-based bifunctional electrocatalysts for large-scale water splitting applications.
Norovirus is an infectious disease that can cause non-bacterial gastroenteritis, which has a low infectious dose, rapid onset, and strong transmission ability; therefore, rapid and sensitive detection is essential to reduce the transmission of gastroenteritis. In the study, a norovirus GII loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed and prepared into freeze-drying microspheres, and a closed-cassette-based, integrated, reagent-ambient storage, on-site instant detection platform for norovirus GII was constructed using a commercial, fully automated nucleic acid analyzer with integrated magnetic bearing based nuclear acid extraction and nucleic acid detection, with a sensitivity of 10 copies/µL, with no cross-reactivity with other 5 viruses. For 28 simulated samples, the integrated assay platform was consistent with the experimental results of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays after conventional laboratory nucleic acid extraction. The entire process can be finished in about 1 h, which is ideal for immediate rapid detection.
The development of high-precision sensors using flexible piezoelectric materials has the advantages of high sensitivity, high stability, good durability, and lightweight. The main problem with sensing equipment is low sensitivity, which is due to the mismatch between materials and analysis methods, resulting in the inability to effectively eliminate noise. To address this issue, we developed the denoising analysis method to motion signals captured by a flexible piezoelectric sensor fabricated from poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) materials. Experimental results demonstrate that this improved denoising method effectively removes noise components from neck muscle motion signals, thus obtaining high-quality, low-noise motion signal waveforms. Wavelet decomposition and reconstruction is a signal processing technique that involves decomposing a signal into different scales and frequency components using wavelets and then selectively reconstructing the signal to emphasize specific features or eliminate noise. The study employed the sym8 wavelet basis for wavelet decomposition and reconstruction. In the denoised signals, a high degree of stability and periodic peaks are distinctly manifested, while amplitude and frequency differences among different types of movements also become noticeably visible. As a result of this study, we are enabled to accurately analyze subtle variations in neck muscle motion signals, such as nodding, shaking the head, neck lateral flexion, and neck circles. Through temporal and frequency domain analysis of denoised motion signals, differentiation among various motion states can be achieved. Overall, this improved analytical approach holds broad application prospects across various types of piezoelectric sensors, such as healthcare monitoring, sports biomechanics.
The catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is of considerable significance for the sustainable development of the chemical industry; thus, considerable efforts have been devoted to the exploration of efficient catalysts for use in this reaction. In this regard, the development and utilization of single-atom catalysts (SACs) in VOCs decomposition is a rapidly expanding research area. SACs can be employed as potential catalysts for oxidizing VOC molecules due to their optimal utilization efficiency, unique atomic bonding structures, and unsaturated orbits. Progress has been achieved, while the challenges surrounding precise regulation of the microstructures of SACs for improving their low-temperature efficiency, stability, and product selectivity under practical conditions are remaining. Therefore, elucidating structure-performance relationships and establishing intrinsic modulating mechanisms are urgently required for guiding researchers on how to synthesize effective and stable functional SACs proactively. Herein, recent advances in the design and synthesis of functional SACs for application in the catalytic oxidation of VOCs are summarized. The experimental and theoretical studies revealing higher efficiency, stability, and selectivity of as-prepared functional SACs are being highlighted. Accordingly, the future perspectives in terms of promising catalysts with multi-sized composite active sites and the illustration of intrinsic mechanism are proposed. The rapid intelligent screening of applicable SACs and their industrial applications are also discussed.
X-ray detection plays a crucial role across various aspects of our daily lives, encompassing medical diagnoses, security screenings, and non-destructive examinations in industrial settings. Given the wide array of application contexts, a wealth of opportunities is entailed with the practical utilization of both organic and inorganic X-ray detection materials. A novel and promising contender in this realm is the emergence of metal-free organic halide perovskites (O-PVSKs), offering great opportunities and tremendous potential in X-ray detection. This potential can be attributed to the distinct crystalline configuration of O-PVSKs, where organic constituents are structured into an ABX3 perovskite arrangement. Consequently, O-PVSKs exhibit captivating characteristics reminiscent of organic materials, such as lightweight nature and modifiability, all while retaining the distinctive traits associated with halide perovskites ranging from diverse structures to tunable optoelectronic properties. This review article delves into the intrinsic attributes of O-PVSKs and critically examines the viability of O-PVSKs in X-ray detection, through which key features that distinguish O-PVSKs from traditional organic semiconductors and perovskites are outlined. This is followed by a perspective given on their future avenues for exploration.
Membrane will inevitably reach the end of its lifespan due to the irrecoverable fouling accumulation in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) during long-term operation. Herein, we developed an eco-friendly membrane regeneration strategy with triethyl phosphate (TEP), which successfully prolonged the lifespan of end-of-life (EOL) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes in a large-scale MBR. The regenerated (Rg) membrane exhibited a water permeance of 534.8 ± 45.7 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, along with stable rejection rate, which was comparable with that of the new membrane. Furthermore, compared to the membrane subjected solely to preliminary cleaning, the Rg membrane presented a more hydrophilic surface due to the combination of preliminary cleaning and solvent-based processing. Besides, the Rg membrane presented less fouling propensity with the critical flux of 15.2 L m−2 h−1, significantly higher than that of the EOL membrane (4.0 L m−2 h−1). Importantly, the membrane regeneration strategy was capable of guaranteeing the effluent quality in MBR systems for treating real municipal wastewater. This study provides an eco-friendly membrane regeneration strategy for effectively removing the irrecoverable foulants, thereby promoting the advancement of sustainable membrane-based wastewater treatment technology.
Exosomes as authigenous nanovesicles secreted by living cells represent a significant class of biomaterials. By virtue of their unique roles in intercellular communication, exosomes can mediate intercellular information/cargoes exchange as messenger and facilitate drug delivery as smart vehicles. Oral medication is the most clinically relied upon route of administration and can achieve both topical and systemic therapeutic effects after absorption. Exosomes and exosome-derived vectors have shown to be of high value in oral drug delivery, since they enable efficient oral delivery of therapeutic molecules by targeting intestinal epithelial cells. In recent years, exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers have emerged as an important catalyzer in innovating oral drug delivery systems. In this work, we roundly reviewed the biogenesis and functions of exosomes, their extraction and characterization methods, resources available for exosomes harvest, and design philosophy of exosome-derived vehicles, particularly highlighting the oral delivery application of exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers for diverse medicines. Accumulating evidence suggests that exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers hold great promise for oral delivery of intractable drugs with potential biopharmaceutic issues.
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