Latest ArticlesWhite quinoa protein isolates (WQPI), red quinoa protein isolates (RQPI) and black quinoa protein isolates (BQPI) were isolated and extracted from white, red and black quinoa, respectively, after degreasing with n-hexane, alkaline dissolution with NaOH and precipitation with hydrochloric acid. The effects of pH (2.0~10.0) and NaCl concentration (0~0.6 mol/L) on the physicochemical properties and functional characteristics of WQPI, RQPI and BQPI were evaluated through polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Zeta potential and particle size determination, as well as surface hydrophobicity, protein solubility, water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, emulsifying activity, foaming property and gelation property tests. The results showed that the main components of WQPI, RQPI and BQPI were all 11S globulin and 7S globulin cross-linked via acidic subunits and basic subunits through disulfide bonds, but with significant difference in their contents. The average particle size and surface charge of the three proteins were highly dependent on pH, and their surface hydrophobicity significantly decreased as pH increased. The pH far from the isoelectric point (about 5.0) could significantly improve the solubility, emulsification and foaming property of the protein, but reduce the stability of the foam. Under neutral conditions, WQPI and RQPI exhibited better gelation and interfacial properties than BQPI. The influence of NaCl on the solubility, emulsification and foaming properties of proteins was correlated to its concentration. The gelation properties of WQPI and RQPI were significantly better than those of BQPI. The gel structures formed by WQPI and RQPI with a mass concentration of 120 g/L were complete and had good standing properties, while only BQPI with a mass concentration of 180 g/L could form a gel with standing properties.
Ni-based supported catalyst was prepared by supercritical carbon dioxide deposition method using NiCl2 as precursor and carbon nanotubes (CNT) as carrier, and characterized by XRD, Raman, SEM, TEM, EDS and BET for its crystal structure, microstructure and pore structure. The effects of reaction temperature (55~75 ℃) and pressure (9~18 MPa) on the Ni loading (the mass fraction of Ni measured by ICP, the same below) of S-Ni-CNT were evaluated. The S-Ni-CNT was further used as cathode of Li-CO2 battery, followed by analysis on the electrochemical performance of the battery. The results showed that the S-Ni-CNT had a Ni loading of 3.61% under the optimal synthesis conditions of temperature 65 ℃ and pressure 18 MPa, showing excellent single-atom dispersion, with a specific surface area of 220.14 m2/g, which was only reduced by 13.6% compared with that of the CNT carrier (254.74 m2/g). The mesoporous structure of S-Ni-CNT accounted for 90%. At a current density of 100 mA/g, the discharge specific capacity of S-Ni-CNT battery could reach 16427 mA·h/g, at a current density of 300 mA/g, the discharge voltage platform was 2.67 V and the charge voltage platform was 3.85 V. At a density current of 500 mA/g, after the battery undergone 100 charge-discharge cycles, the voltage retention rate was 94%.
A nitrogen-doped carbon-coated lithium iron manganese phosphate (LMFP) composite (N-C@LMFP) was synthesized from ball-milling glucose, as carbon source, and urea, as nitrogen source, with LMFP precursor, and characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and TEM. The effect of nitrogen doping content (that is, the percentage of the amount of substance of nitrogen in urea accounting for that of carbon in glucose, the same below) on the electrochemical performance of N-C@LMFP electrode was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, while the mechanism through which the nitrogen-doped carbon layer enhanced the rate capability of LMFP cathode material was also investigated. The results indicated that the 5% N-C@LMFP electrode with 5% nitrogen doping content exhibited the best electrochemical performance, achieving a discharge specific capacity of 133.6 mA·h/g. Even under a high discharge rate of 5 C, the specific capacity remained at 98.7 mA·h/g, significantly outperforming that of the undoped C@LMFP. Furthermore, after 300 cycles at 1 C, the 5% N-C@LMFP electrode exhibited a capacity retention rate of 95.3%, surpassing that of C@LMFP (93.9%), demonstrating enhanced cycling stability. The improved performance was attributed to the strong interaction between the nitrogen-doped carbon layer and the LMFP matrix. Specifically, chemical bonds such as N—Mn and N—Fe formed at the interface effectively reduced the charge transfer resistance and enhanced the lithium ion diffusion coefficient, thereby improving both structural stability and ion transport kinetics.
Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped activated carbon-supported iron catalyst (Fe/AC-NP) was synthesized from dicyandiamide, NaH2PO4 and FeCl3•6H2O via two-step impregnation-evaporation method, and subsequently employed for the catalytic degradation of piperazine in aqueous solution. The microstructure, chemical composition and textural properties of Fe/AC-NP were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and BET. The effects of raw materials ratio and heteroatom doping type on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen contents of the catalytic piperazine oxidation degradation by Fe/AC-NP were investigated, while the possible reaction mechanism was analyzed through radical quenching experiments, water contact angle measurements and XPS analyses. The results showed that the Fe/AC-NP prepared with n(C2H4N4)∶n(NaH2PO4)=2∶1 displayed the best properties, with a high specific surface area of 699.647 m2/g, a crystal lattice spacing of 0.0169 nm, and a uniform distribution of iron species without the formation of large agglomerates. The Fe species were successfully loaded and coordinated with N and P atoms, predominantly existing in the forms of Fe(Ⅱ) and Fe(Ⅲ). The optimal reaction conditions of Fe/AC-NP for piperazine degradation were temperature 230 ℃, pressure 1.2 MPa, catalyst dosage (mass concentration, the same below) 1.25 g/L, under which, COD was completely removed within 70 min, and the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency reached > 88.7% after 150 min. Even after five successive recycles, the COD and ammonia nitrogen removal efficiencies remained high at 96.3% and 84.2%, respectively. The synergistic contribution of graphitic and pyrrolic nitrogen functionalities enhanced oxygen adsorption. The catalytic degradation process was primarily driven by hydroxyl radical chain reactions and facilitated by electron transfer between the carbon support and metal sites. Furthermore, phosphorus doping modulated the surface acidity/basicity and stabilized Fe—N bonds, enabling the N-P co-doped carbon matrix to maintain catalytic activity via electronic regulation throughout the reaction cycles.
In order to explore the application of photodynamic antimicrobial technology in the field of personal health protection, PCL/D-M/BSA membranes were synthesized from bovine serum albumin (BSA) modification on PCL/D-M membranes, which were prepared via electrospinning technology using polycaprolactone (PCL) as base material and 4′,5′-bis(2,6-dimethyl-4-pyranylidene malononitrile)-2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein (DCF-MPYM) as photosensitizer, and characterized by SEM. The effects of DCF-MPYM and BSA mass fraction on the hydrophilicity, mechanical properties and antimicrobial properties of nanofiber membranes were investigated by contact angle measurement, electronic fabric strength tester and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) antimicrobial test. The optimized PCL/D-M/BSA membrane was finally compounded with activated carbon mask to obtain functional textile with good breathability and antibacterial performance. The results indicated that the PCL/15D-M membrane with a mass fraction of 0.034% DCF-MPYM displayed ideal fiber diameter, excellent mechanical properties and good hydrophilicity, showing an average fiber diameter of (120±56) nm, a maximum breaking strength of 252.35 cN, a maximum elongation at break of 46.74%, and a water contact angle of 123.13°. The PCL/D-M/BSA membrane prepared with a mass fraction of 0.166% BSA exhibited an average diameter of (96±26) nm, a maximum breaking strength of 382.39 cN, a maximum elongation at break of 84.18%, and a water contact angle of 62.07°. The bacterial inhibition rates of PCL/D-M/BSA membrane against E. coli and S. aureus reached 95.0%±2.0% and 99.0%±1.0%, respectively, while the prepared composite functional textile exhibited a gas permeability of 113.45 nm/s and an antibacterial rate of 95.0%±1.0%.