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Supercritical CO2 (scCO2) extrusion foamed high-melt-strength (HMS) polypropylene (PP) often suffers from low cell density, large cell sizes, and poor cell structure uniformity due to the poor nucleation rates of CO2 in the PP. To remedy this, various inorganic fillers have been used as heterogeneous nucleation agents. Although their efficient nucleation effects have been demonstrated, the preparation of these fillers causes some adverse effects on the environment/human health or involves relatively expensive processes or non-eco-friendly chemicals. In this work, biomass-based lignin is studied as a sustainable, lightweight, and cost-effective nucleating agent. It is found that scCO2 could assist in situ dispersion of lignin in the PP in the foaming process, leading to significantly increased cell density, smaller cells, and improved cell uniformity. The Expansion Ratio is also simultaneously improved due to reduced diffusive gas loss. The PP/lignin foams with low lignin loadings exhibit higher compression moduli and plateau strengths than the PP foams with the same densities owing to the improved cell uniformity and probably also the reinforcing effect of the small lignin particles in cell walls. Moreover, the energy absorption capability of the PP/lignin foam with 1 wt% lignin could match the PP foam with similar compression plateau strengths; even the density of the former is 28% lower than the latter. Therefore, this work provides a promising approach to a cleaner and more sustainable production of HMS PP foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio‐based and biodegradable polymer composites, most notably poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), represent a promising solution to replace conventional petroleum‐based plastics. However, the brittleness and low miscibility of PLLA and PHB remain two major obstacles to practical applications. In this work, first PLLA/PHB blends are reported by melt mixing with a rigid component, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Driven by favorable entropy, PMMA forms an interfacial nanolayer, which transforms the morphology of resultant blends. The ternary blends show 55‐fold increase in elongation, 50‐fold in toughness, and metal‐like malleability (≈180° bending and twisting), while retaining its high stiffness (3.4 GPa) and strength (≈50 MPa). The mechanical improvement arises from numerous craze fibrils and shear deformation of the matrix, induced by the incorporated PMMA. Furthermore, this generic strategy can be applied to design other mechanically robust biocomposites for advanced green devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of serum elabela (ELA) and apelin with the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unknown. We determined if serum ELA and apelin levels were associated with CKD stage. This observational study involved 60 CKD patients and 20 healthy, age-, race-, and gender-matched controls. The participants were grouped according to renal function as follows: normal control group, CKD1 group (stage-1 CKD, 20 patients), CKD3 group (stage-3 CKD, 20 patients), and CKD5 group (stage-5 CKD, 20 patients) in accordance with the Kidney Disease Outcomes – Quality Initiative criteria. We recorded the demographic, clinical, and biochemical data of all participants. Serum ELA and apelin levels were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serum ELA levels gradually and significantly declined with decreases in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Serum ELA showed significant negative correlations with serum creatinine (r = −0.529, p <.001), blood urea nitrogen (r = −0.575, p <.001), systolic blood pressure (r = −0.455, p <.001), and diastolic blood pressure (r = −0.450, p <.001), and significant positive correlations with hemoglobin (r = 0.523, p <.001) and eGFR (r = 0.728, p <.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that eGFR independently influenced serum ELA levels. No significant association was found between serum apelin levels and CKD progression. In CKD patients, serum ELA levels decreased with decreasing eGFR. This finding may provide a new target for the prediction, diagnosis, and staging of CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context:In vitro and in vivo research has shown that curcumin can alleviate diabetes and the relevant complications. Objective: To investigate the effect of curcumin on gestational diabetes (GD). Materials and methods: C57 BL/KsJdb/+(db/+) mice and C57 BL/KsJ+/+ mice (10–12 weeks old) were divided into four groups (n = 15): normal pregnancy (C57 BL/KsJ+/+), GD (C57 BL/KsJdb/+), GD plus low dose curcumin (50 mg/kg, orally gavage every day) and GD plus high dose curcumin (100 mg/kg, orally gavage every day). The tolerance of glucose and insulin were measured on gestation day 10. Body weight at birth and litter size of offspring were investigated, and the expression of oxidative stress factors [thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)] and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phospho-AMPK, histone deacetylases 4 (HDAC4), pHDAC4 and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) in the livers were analyzed by ELISA and Western blot on gestation day 20. Results: High dose curcumin could partly ameliorate the intolerance of glucose and insulin, and completely restore the litter size and the body weight of GD mice through decreased TBARS expression (p < 0.05) and increased GSH, SOD and CAT expression (p < 0.05). Enhanced AMPK activation, accompanied with decreased HDAC4 and G6Pase expression (p < 0.05) were partly contributed to the alleviation of GD mediated by curcumin. Conclusions: Although further detailed mechanism needs to be deciphered, curcumin can be considered as an alternative treatment for gestational diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) are considered a good source for cell therapy. The purpose of this study was to observe whether the transplantation of human pMSCs would affect the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN)-prone MRL/lpr mice. Multiple injections (at the 16th, 18th, and 20th week of age) of 1 × 106 pMSCs were administered. Urine was collected to evaluate proteinuria and urine creatinine levels. Blood was collected for the measurement of serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody levels. Renal tissues were collected for histological staining and examination by light and electron microscopy quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot. The results confirmed that pMSC treatment reduced the severity of 24-h proteinuria, decreased the production of anti-dsDNA antibodies, and ameliorated renal pathological changes in MRL/lpr mice. Furthermore, pMSCs reduced renal inflammation by inhibiting the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and then downregulating the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Therefore, our present study demonstrated a protective effect of pMSCs against renal injury and inflammation in MRL/lpr mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common cause of primary glomerulonephritis, with complex pathogenic mechanisms involving abnormal B-cell activation. As a novel biologic agent, telitacicept inhibits both B-lymphocyte stimulating factor and a proliferation-inducing ligand. It also inhibits both B cells and plasma cells and the production of galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) and its autoantibodies, thus exerting an immunosuppressive effect. Women with IgAN are at a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia and miscarriage, especially those with uncontrolled massive proteinuria and advanced chronic kidney disease. Therefore, IgAN disease control before and during pregnancy is essential. Here, we report the case of a woman with IgAN who had a successful pregnancy with significant improvement and long-term remission after treatment with telitacicept. This is the first report of a pregnancy following exposure to telitacicept. Case report. Conclusion: This report describes the efficacy of telitacicept in patients with IgAN and explores its value in women of childbearing age, suggesting effective and safe treatment options for women who wish to conceive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mice with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) induced by transferring parental BALB/C lymphocytes into (C57BL/6 × BALB/C) F1 (CBF1) hybrids, develop a syndrome characterized by B-cell hyperactivity, autoantibody production, and immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis. In this model, we evaluated the role of leflunomide on the development of lupus nephritis in system autoimmunity. Daily administration of leflunomide (15 mg/kg/d) from 2 weeks after cGVHD induction can dramatically reduce the production of autoantibodies and immune complex deposition in the kidney, leading to relieved kidney damage and reduced mortality. The therapeutic effect of leflunomide on the lupus-prone mice was partially due to the inhibition of TLR9 signaling pathway, which was an important component of innate immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the synthesis and characterization of a quantum-confined luminescent dot with size 2-3 nm using well-defined m-octa(bromophenyl) silsesquioxane ( m-OBPS) as core. The highly regioselective bromination of octaphenylsilsesquioxane (OPS), which is an electron-deficient nanometer-sized molecule, has been synthesized using combined catalyst of iodine and zinc chloride at room temperature in dichloromethane solvent. Based on m-OBPS, a hybrid luminescent dot with well-defined structure was synthesized. UV absorption and PL spectra of this light-emitting dot remain same in dilute solution, condensed state, and solid solution. Furthermore, time-resolved PL study indicates that the exciton decay time of the light-emitting dot remains similar regardless in dilute solution, condensed state, or blended with other polymers, suggesting that the charge carriers are well confined within the individual light-emitting dot due to the unique star-like structure and shielding alkyl chain layer. The light-emitting nano-particles can be considered as isolated chromophores as both inter- and intra- molecular aggregation are prohibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous study has shown that porcine antigen-primed and CD4+ T cell-activated macrophages are capable of recognition and rejection of porcine xenografts after adoptive transfer. However, whether this is an absolute xenograft specific rejection remains to be confirmed. Methods:  Mouse islet allografts and neonatal porcine islet cell cluster (NICC) xenografts were admixed and transplanted under the left kidney capsule, and NICC xenografts alone were transplanted under the right kidney capsule of strepotozotocin-induced diabetic NOD-SCID mice. After achievement of normoglycemia, the NOD-SCID recipients were transferred with macrophages purified from NICC transplant NOD-SCID mice reconstituted with CD4+ T cells. Five weeks after macrophage transfer the left kidney with the admixed grafts were removed. Graft survival and function following macrophage transfer was assessed by blood glucose measurement and immunohistochemistry. Results and conclusions:  Adoptive transfer with activated macrophages did not affect the normalized blood glucose levels in NOD-SCID recipients of admixed grafts until left nephrectomy 5 weeks post-macrophage transfer. Insulin-positive and porcine C-peptide-negative mouse islets were detected in the admixed grafts. The surviving mouse islets in the admixed grafts were surrounded but not infiltrated by macrophages. The nephrectomized recipients demonstrated sustained hyperglycemia and completely destroyed NICC xenografts in their remaining right kidneys 8 weeks after macrophage transfer. Taken together, these data provide direct evidence of porcine islet xenograft specific rejection by activated macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the effects of polyimide (PI) structure on electrical conductivity of blends of dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid-doped polyaniline (PANI-DBSA) and PI, as well as its thermal degradation behavior. Four types of PIs with different molecular architecture were synthesized and subsequently solution blended with PANI-DBSA. Of the four types of PIs, 4-4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DADPS)-based PI provides the highest conductivity to the blends. It is attributed to the rigid nature of DADPS, which may induce more extended conformation of PANI chains, and hence result in a more ordered structure. The conductivity of the blends has significant higher thermal stability than that of PANI-DBSA. The thermal stability is, however, independent on the polyimide structure. TGA studies show that the PI matrix may have hindered the thermo-oxidative degradation and evaporation of the dopants and thus slowed down the process of thermal degradation of the conductivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There are increasing demands in recent years in manufacturing of polymer micro-components due to the worldwide trend slanting towards miniaturization. However, polymer materials specially tailored for micro-molding applications are yet to be developed. In the micro-molding industry selected commercial materials developed for the conventional molding applications have been used in micro-molding applications. There are limitations for many of these materials to be used successfully in practical applications because there are stringent requirements on both the material flowability and mechanical properties. The ease with which the part accuracy can be achieved is the decisive criterion for material selection in micro-molding process. To achieve desired part accuracy, materials with low melt viscosity are desirable. For many engineering plastics, the low flowability is the main drawback for their wide applications in the micro-molding process. In the present work, a new liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) based processing aid has been used to assist in micro-molding of a polycarbonate resin. It has been found that the viscosity of the PC resin can be greatly reduced by adding a small amount (2wt.%) of the processing aid. And the filling behavior of the blend has been greatly improved in the micro-molding process compared with the original resin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes the effect of molecular weight of dopants on thermal degradation behaviour of electrical conductivity of polyacrylic acid (PAA) doped polyaniline (PANI). Two PAA with weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 5000 and 250,000, respectively, were used as dopants to synthesise PANI–PAA complexes by in situ oxidative polymerisation. PANI doped with the low Mw PAA has lower electrical conductivity, which is attributed to its smaller size of crystal islands due to the end group effect. When annealed at 180 °C, within a period of 2 h the conductivity of PANI doped with the high Mw PAA decreases continuously with the annealing time following σ=σ0 exp[−(ta/τ)1/2] law, while the one doped with the low Mw PAA obeys this law only within 1 h of annealing. This indicates that the decrease of conducting island size is responsible for the thermal degradation of the conductivity of the complexes in a certain period and the length of this period depends on Mw of the dopants. TGA study shows that at 180 °C weight loss rates of the low and high Mw PAA doped PANI are about the same, which implies that the faster reduction of the conductivity in the low Mw PAA doped PANI is mainly due to its smaller initial crystal size. FT-IR study shows that annealing leads to de-doping, but it is less pronounced in the high Mw PAA doped PANI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polyaniline (PANI) doped with dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (DBSA) and methylbenzene sulphonic acid (MBSA) were used as model compounds to investigate thermal degradation mechanisms of electrical conductivity of PANI salts. The effects of high temperature annealing on the conductivity, thermal stability and morphology of the doped PANI were studied. Within a period of 2 h, the conductivity of the two PANI salts decreases continuously with the annealing time. The conductivity reduction also increases significantly with the annealing temperature. Both polymers show significant weight loss during the annealing, especially at 200 °C. The weight loss of PANI–MBSA is more pronounced than that of PANI–DBSA, while the conductivity reduction shows an opposite trend. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) study reveals a significant morphology change caused by the annealing. Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) results indicate that some dopants are converted to free acids due to the annealing. It is, therefore, suggested that in addition to cross-linking of PANI and evaporation and degradation of the dopants, the segregation of the dopants from the polymers is also an important mechanism responsible for the conductivity degradation observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Few studies have reported the application of vacuum‐sealing drainage of infected dialysis vascular access wounds. Herein, we present a case of buttonhole‐related arteriovenous fistula infection treated with vacuum‐sealing drainage. A 53‐year‐old female hemodialysis patient was hospitalized with an inflamed arteriovenous fistula. The patient underwent non‐tunneled catheterization for dialysis and was treated with moxifloxacin and vancomycin for staphylococcal infection. On Day 3, the skin overlying the inflamed fistula was ulcerated, resulting in severe hemorrhage. Emergency surgery was performed along with vacuum‐sealing drainage for fistula reconstruction. Vacuum‐sealing drainage accelerated the recovery of the wound without complications. No further access complications occurred during over a 3‐year follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of conjugated polymers bearing thiophene‐based donors and pyromellitic diimide (PMDI) acceptor were prepared, and their electrochromic (EC) properties were studied via using fabricated thin‐film EC devices. It was observed that structurally regular alternating polymers with fewer (1 and 2) thiophene donors do not exhibit any EC properties while increasing the number of donors eventually led to the emergence of orange‐red‐to‐green colour switching. On this basis, two more random co‐polymers containing higher donor‐to‐acceptor ratios were synthesized to further improve EC switching properties. The two polymers, which bear a PMDI‐to‐thiophene ratio of ca. 1 : 7 and 1 : 8, revealed orange red‐to‐blue colour switching and generally improved optical contrasts and switching speeds in both the visible and near infra‐red (NIR) region. In addition, the subtle modulation of polymer colour and hue via variation of the number of thiophene donors was evident through colorimetric study. This work therefore demonstrates the potential and possibility of using the PMDI acceptor unit to construct EC‐active conjugated polymers, and considerations for future tuning of colour and switching performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe–N–C catalysts are emerging as promising alternatives to Pt‐based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), while they still suffer from sluggish reaction kinetics due to the discontented binding affinity between the Fe‐N4 sites and oxygen‐containing intermediates, and unsatisfactory stability. Herein, a flexible multichannel carbon fiber membrane immobilized with atomically dispersed Fe‐N4 sites and neighboring Fe nanoclusters/nanoparticles (FeN4‐FeNCP@MCF) is synthesized. The optimized geometric and electronic structures of the Fe atomic sites brought by adjacent Fe nanoclusters/nanoparticles and hierarchically porous structure of the carbon matrix endow FeN4‐FeNCP@MCF with outstanding ORR activity and stability, considerably outperforming its counterpart with FeN4 sites only and the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Liquid and solid‐state flexible zinc–air batteries employing FeN4‐FeNCP@MCF both exhibit outstanding durability. Theoretical calculation reveals that the Fe nanoclusters can trigger remarkable electron redistribution of the FeN4 sites and modulate the hybridization of central Fe 3d and O 2p orbitals, facilitating the activation of O2 molecules and optimizing the adsorption capacity of oxygen‐containing intermediates on FeN4 sites, and thus accelerating the ORR kinetic. This work offers an effective approach to constructing coupling catalysts that have single atoms coexisting with nanoclusters/nanoparticles for efficient ORR catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast growing demand for advanced sportswear suitable for tropical countries has led to research on fabrics with both moisture wicking and anti-bacterial properties. In this work, to improve the water transport behaviour, dual-layer nanofibrous nonwoven mats composed of a hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) outer layer and a hydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) inner layer are fabricated by electrospinning. The distinct difference in surface hydrophobicity between the inner and outer layers induces a push-pull effect to transport water from the inner to the outer surface efficiently. To render an antibacterial property, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are covalently attached to the PVDF nanofibers. The good anti-wash properties and anti-bacterial function of the ZnO-PDVF/PAN dual layer mats are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Supercritical-CO 2 foaming of polypropylene (PP)/heptaisobutyl open-cage silsesquioxane (HOS) nanocomposites. • HOS, a low-cost hybrid Janus molecule, act as a surfactant during the foaming of PP/HOS nanocomposite. • HOS content at cell surface is higher than that in cell walls; stabilises growing cells and reinforces solidified cells. • Expansion ratio and compressive strength of PP/HOS-1 wt% foam are 38% and 20% higher than that of PP foam, respectively. • With ≤1 wt% HOS, it also slightly improves extensional viscosity and strength of the melt at low strain rates. High-melt-strength (HMS) polypropylene (PP) has enabled easy supercritical-CO 2 (scCO 2) foaming of PP. However, producing microcellular PP foams via simple scCO 2 extrusion foaming still remains challenging, whereas macrocellular PP foams with high expansion ratios (ER) generally exhibit poor mechanical strengths. In this study, to simultaneously enhance both ER and compressive strengths of macrocellular PP foams, a type of low-cost Janus molecules, heptaisobutyl open-cage silsesquioxane (HOS), is incorporated into HMS-PP. Since HOS has PP-philic groups and a partially condensed silsesquioxane cage that is relatively CO 2 -philic, it could diffuse like a surfactant to the PP-CO 2 interface during scCO 2 extrusion foaming to stabilise the cells in their growth stage and reinforce the cell surface upon solidification. The surfactant effect is validated via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Moreover, with 1 wt% HOS, the PP/HOS foam could offer 38 % ER improvement, 23 % density reduction, and 20 % compressive strength increase over the neat PP foam. HOS could also slightly improve the extensional viscosity and melt strength of PP at ≤1 wt% loadings and reduce the shear viscosity of PP by acting as a lubricant. This approach provides a simple and economically viable materials design guideline for alleviating ER-compression strength trade-offs for macrocellular polymer foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease that is associated with increased risk of several diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis (PsA), inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular diseases. About 20 to 30% patients with psoriasis subsequently develop PsA. IgA nephropathy is the most common primary glomerular disease world-wide. Psoriasis and IgA nephropathy appear to be associated, but the mechanism underlying this connection is unclear. Tofacitinib and leflunomide are common treatments for psoriatic arthritis. We administered tofacitinib combined with leflunomide to a 38-year-old female patient who presented with PsA and IgA nephropathy. After treatment, she experienced significant reductions in the psoriatic lesions, pain in the right knee joint, and proteinuria. Administration of tofacitinib combined with leflunomide for treatment of a patient who had PsA complicated with IgA nephropathy led to significant resolution of the symptoms of both conditions. These results suggest similarities in the pathogenesis of PsA and IgA nephropathy and a possible new treatment for IgA nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium surface was modified by anodization in phosphoric acid solution at the voltages of 100 and 250 V, respectively. Surface characteristics and corrosion behaviors of anodized titanium were investigated before and after hydrothermal exposure in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at 160 °C for 24 h. It was found that anodization at 100 and 250 V resulted in the formation of a dense and a porous TiO2 layer, respectively. The existence of anatase in the oxide layers of the 250-V samples was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis but not in the oxide layers of the 100-V samples. After the hydrothermal exposure, the surface morphology of the 100-V sample changed significantly, and discrete nanorods were formed on the surface. In contrast, the 250-V sample basically preserved their original surface structures after the exposure except that numerous closely packed nanoparticles emerged on the surface. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the exposure transformed the amorphous oxides into crystalline anatase. The corrosion behavior investigation of anodized titanium showed that the hydrothermal exposure had slight influence on the corrosion resistance of the 100-V samples but decreased the corrosion resistance of the 250-V samples significantly. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coatings have been applied widely in aerospace, biomedical, electronic, and many other industries. The performance of a coating is dictated by the adhesion between the coating and the underlying substrate. Thus, the evaluation of coating adhesion is critical for the assessment of the quality of a coating and its fitness for service. However, this evaluation is not straightforward, and various mechanical and non-mechanical evaluation methods have been developed. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the currently most widely employed mechanical methods. The interface fracture mechanics that provides the fundamental knowledge for conducting adhesion assessment and analysis is briefly introduced. Detailed discussions are presented on various sandwich specimen-based and bimaterial specimen-based testing methods, with emphasis on the principles, merits, limitations, typical applications, and recent improvements of each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Supramolecular self-assemblies involving non-covalent interactions play important roles in material science as well as living systems as they result in unique properties and/or functions. However, understanding of their self-assembly mechanism and crystallization has remained rudimentary. Here, we focus on biomolecular fatty acid and dopamine, which commonly exist in biological systems and closely related to neurodegenerative diseases, and investigate their self-assembly pathway by optical and fluorescence microscopy, DLS, SAXS, TEM, 2D-NMR, etc. It is found that they could form the crystalline plates in solution or via a metastable liquid − liquid phase separation (LLPS). The nucleation and growth of crystalline plates observed occurs in solution or the dilute phase of LLPS, and not within the concentrated coacervate phase. This is because in coacervate, dopamine intercalates into fatty acid through hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction, which hinders the rearrangement of molecules and nucleation process, whereas in solution or dilute phase, they have the mobility to arrange into ordered structures to maximize electrostatic, hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions, leading to nucleation and crystallization. Moreover, the transitions between the coacervates and crystalline phase can be realized by adjusting the temperature. Our results shed light on the multistep nucleation in the presence of LLPS, as well as molecular mechanisms involved, thus further extending the nucleation–growth mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Enhancing the deposition of fragrance delivery systems contained in personal care products on target surfaces is crucial for increasing the longevity of scent, efficiently utilizing expensive functional compounds and limiting the generation of microplastics in domestic waste water. In this work, we designed and synthesized a new type of biomimetic macromolecules, chitosan- graft - L -lysine- L -DOPA (C-L-D), as a versatile biodegradable adhesion promoter to facilitate the deposition of biodegradable fragrance carriers on diverse surfaces including hair, cotton and skin. The C-L-D has hyperbranched chain architecture with many oligopeptide adhesive tentacles, each being a simple mimic of mussel adhesive proteins. It also exhibits unique amphiphilic characteristic. As a result, it could be facilely anchored on cargo-loaded poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) nanoparticle surface via self-assembly in the particle preparation process. The C-L- D -modified nanoparticles show significantly higher deposition efficiencies than polyvinyl alcohol- and chitosan-coated particles when deposited on the target surfaces in different aqueous media as the lysine and DOPA units are capable of providing multi-noncovalent interactions, including electrostatic, polar, hydrophobic interactions, and bidentate hydrogen bonds, with the target surfaces, and possibly also inducing oxidative cross-linking. A much higher retention rate of the C-L- D -modified nanoparticles on cotton surface is also observed after washing with a soap solution, which could be attributed to the significant role played by bidentate hydrogen bonds. These findings suggest that C-L-D is a versatile biodegradable adhesion promoter and has the potential to be applied for various personal care applications and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High conductivity, good stability, and high transmittance in the visible region are the three essential requirements for the polymer electrodes used in the optoelectronic devices. It was found that with addition of diols, such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), to the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) emulsion before spin-coating could increase dramatically the conductivities of the resultant PEDOT:PSS thin films from 1 to 90 S cm while maintain the optical transparency of the modified thin films. With up to −2.4 V potential applied, the PEDOT:PSS with PEG 200 additive does not show obvious color change, indicating its good electrochemical stability as polymer electrode. Detailed studies on the structures and morphologies of these modified PEDOT:PSS thin films, in comparison to that of PEDOT:PSS without additives were carried out using AFM, Raman, and FTIR to investigate the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal kinetics of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT)/maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene (MAH-PP) composites (PPCNs) is reported here in terms of thermal stability, decomposition, and crystallization kinetics. The effects of MMT nanoclay on the thermal stability of PP in MMT/MAH-PP composites have been examined at different heating rates by means of thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Based on the TG results, the Ozawa method was applied to determine the activation energies of decomposition for MMT/MAH-PP composites and the results were then verified by the Kissinger method. It was found that the thermal stability of PP was significantly improved in the presence of MMT nanoclay. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the melting and crystallization behaviors of MMT/MAH-PP composites under various thermal conditions. Using the data from DSC, the Kissinger method was applied to estimate the activation energies of PPCNs which were required during their non-isothermal crystallization. The activation energies of crystallization showed that MMT nanoclay served as a nucleating agent in the non-isothermal crystallization of PP in the PPCNs and as a result, the crystallinity of PP was greatly enhanced. Therefore, the presence of MMT nanoclay in MMT/MAH-PP composites effectively modified the thermal kinetics of PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this article, we report novel epoxy-based hybrids prepared via incorporating 1,2-dimethyl-3-(benzyl-heptaisobutyl-POSS) imidazolium chloride (POSS-IMC) and POSS-IMC-modified clay (POSS-MMT) into the resin based on 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (ECHM) and hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA). We demonstrate that both POSS-IMC and POSS-MMT can reduce the cure temperature of the epoxy/anhydride system, and the catalyzing effect involves chemical reactions between POSS-IMC and ECHM/HHPA, which may lead to the attachment of POSS cages at chain ends. The incorporation of the POSS-IMC, free and ionically bonded in clay, gives rise to dissimilar morphologies that affect the thermo–mechanical properties of the hybrids. The ECHM/HHPA/POSS-IMC resin exhibits a slight improvement in glassy modulus as compared with the neat ECHM/HHPA resin, which is attributed to the formation of sub-micron and nano-sized POSS domains that act as physical cross-link points hindering polymer chain motions. The much enhanced reinforcing effect of POSS-MMT is ascribed to the effective stress transfer between the matrix and clay layers that may originate from the strong interactions between the pendent POSS in the network and POSS attached to the clay surfaces. Reduction in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) was also found for the hybrids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a novel method for fabrication of core-shell nanospheres with polystyrene (PS) as the core and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as the shell via hydrogen-bonding self-assembly is introduced. The PS nanospheres with carboxyl acid groups on the surface (PS–COOH nanospheres) were prepared by typical soap-free emulsion copolymerization with acrylic acid as comonomer. The MWNTs were grafted with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), in which the carbonyl oxygen can act as proton acceptors to form hydrogen bonds with the carboxyl acid groups. The results show that the functionalized MWNTs can self-assemble onto the surface of PS–COOH nanospheres rapidly via hydrogen bonding interaction, and the process is reversible and can be well controlled by adjusting pH value of the system. These core-shell nanospheres have the potential to be used as conductive and synergistic reinforcement fillers in fabricating high-performance and functional nanocomposites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The covalent incorporation of ethylenediamine ligands in the framework of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanostructure via mixed surfactants self-assembly process has been described. Propyl ethylenediamine group was employed to functionalize the pore channels of ethane-bridged PMO by co-condensation of 1,2-Bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTSE) and (trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (EDA-TES) in the presence of mixed surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and fluorosurfactant (FSN100)) under basic conditions. In order to elucidate the effect of EDA-TES concentration on their mesoscopic organization and pore structure of the final PMO structures, the morphology of PMO nanostructures was investigated in detail by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption. FTIR and NMR results have confirmed that ethane bridging groups in the final framework have not been cleaved and EDA-TES functions have been covalently anchored to the pore wall of PMO. The structural regularity of mesopore decreases with increasing concentration of EDA-TES in the initial mixtures except for the samples with 15 and 30 wt% EDA-TES concentrations, which exhibits a highly ordered two-dimensional hexagonal symmetry, supported by XRD patterns and TEM. Overall, the increase of EDA-TES contents results in the decreased surface area and total pore volume, indicating that the framework of PMO is covalently functionalized with EDA-TES function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A high-contrast complementary electrochromic device based on polyaniline (PANI) tethered polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) (POSS-PANI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) is assembled. The electrochromic properties, cyclic voltammetry behavior and coloration efficiency of the device are studied. Due to the loosely packed structure, POSS-PANI gives rise to a significantly higher electrochromic contrast, coloration efficiency and faster switching speed than PANI. Despite its high contrast, the combination of POSS-PANI with PEDOT:PSS still shows synergy in terms of contrast enhancement, which can be attributed to the additional driving force for the diffusion of dopants into PEDOT:PSS provided by the dedoping of POSS-PANI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hybrid light emitting nanoparticles with diameter range from 2 to 4 nm were prepared via grafting organic-conjugated chains directly onto an inorganic rigid cage polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS). The unique properties of these particles show evidence of quantum confinement effect on the conjugated short chains by two barriers of POSS cage and alkyl chains. The confinement effects are revealed in five aspects. First, the UV and PL spectra redshift as increasing the length of conjugated chains. This phenomenon can be considered as size effect. Second, PL spectra of these nanoparticles in solid film blueshift from that in most of organic solvents, which can be considered as limited intra- or inter-molecular interactions existed within the nanoparticles. Third, the Raman bands of the conjugated chains in these nanoparticles are redshifted and broadening with respect to their bulk counterparts. The systematic peak shifting and broadening of the Raman bands provided additional confirmation that the conjugated chains in hybrid nanoparticles at bulk state are isolated without any π–π stacking. Fourth, TEM and SEM images showed the particle size in a range of 2–4 nm and the nanoparticles in bulk state are noncrystalline materials. Lastly, the PL spectrum of the nanoparticle at low temperature was studied and found no change in PL position and intensity as temperature increasing from 4 K to 150 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Elabela is a recently identified peptide which activates the apelin receptor. • Elabela is a potential treatment target for ischemia/reperfusion injury. • Fc-ELA-21 has a long in vivo half-life and is effective in acute kidney injury. • Akt phosphorylation has a role in the anti-apoptotic effect of elabela. Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is the most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), and patients with AKI have a high rate of mortality. Apelin is a therapeutic candidate for treatment of IRI and Elabela (ELA) is a recently discovered hormone that also activates the apelin receptor (APJ). We examined the use of ELA as a preventive treatment for IRI using in vitro and in vivo models. Male mice were subjected to renal IRI, with or without administration of a stabilized form of ELA (Fc-ELA-21) for 4 days. Renal tubular lesions were measured using H&E staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using a dihydroethidium stain assay, and renal cell apoptosis was measured using the TUNEL assay and flow cytometry. Immortalized human proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells were pretreated with or without LY294002 and/or ELA-32, maintained at normoxic or hypoxic conditions, and then returned to normal culture conditions to mimic IRI. Cell apoptosis was determined using the TUNEL assay and cell proliferation was determined using the MTT assay. The levels of Akt, p-Akt, ERK1/2, p- ERK1/2, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 were measured using western blotting. Fc-ELA-21 administration reduced renal tissue damage, ROS production, and apoptosis in mice that had renal IRI. ELA-32 reduced HK-2 cell apoptosis and restored the proliferation of cells subjected to IRI. Akt phosphorylation had a role in the anti-apoptotic effect of ELA. This study of in vitro and in vivo models of IRI indicated that the preventive and anti-apoptotic effects of ELA were mediated via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of earth‐abundant oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with high catalytic activity and good stability for practical metal‐air batteries remains an enormous challenge. Herein, a highly efficient and durable ORR catalyst is reported, which consists of atomically dispersed Co single atoms (Co‐SAs) in the form of Co‐N4 moieties and small Co nanoparticles (Co‐SNPs) co‐anchored on nitrogen‐doped porous carbon nanocage (Co‐SAs/SNPs@NC). Benefiting from the synergistic effect of Co‐SAs and Co‐SNPs as well as the enhanced anticorrosion capability of the carbon matrix brought by its improved graphitization degree, the resultant Co‐SAs/SNPs@NC catalyst exhibits outstanding ORR activity and remarkable stability in alkaline media, outperforming Co‐SAs‐based catalyst (Co‐SAs@NC), and benchmark Pt/C catalyst. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the strong interaction between Co‐SNPs and Co‐N4 sites can increase the valence state of the active Co atoms in Co‐SAs/SNPs@NC and moderate the adsorption free energy of ORR intermediates, thus facilitating the reduction of O2. Moreover, the practical zinc‐air battery assembled with Co‐SAs/SNPs@NC catalyst demonstrates a maximum power density of 223.5 mW cm–2, a high specific capacity of 742 W h kg–1 at 50 mA cm–2 and a superior cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease to cause end‐stage kidney disease. This study investigated the difference in urinary exosomal circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles between patients with IgAN and healthy controls (HCs), for better understanding of gene regulation in exosomes of IgAN patients. Methods: A pairwise comparison of urinary circRNA expression profiles between IgAN patients and HCs was performed using methods, including high‐throughput sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, the potential functions of differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) in IgAN were investigated by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis; Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis; and the circRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA network. Results: We identified 450 upregulated and 26 downregulated circRNAs in the IgAN patients. GO analysis showed that these enriched circRNAs might regulate primary miRNA processing, the ability of angiotensin receptor binding, and stress fibre function. KEGG analysis suggested these DECs may be closely associated with the phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase‐protein kinase B/Akt (PI3K‐Akt) signalling pathways. Network analysis revealed the relationship between circRNAs and their target genes. Conclusion: The identified DECs may be useful for both researches on molecular aetiology of IgAN and development of potentially novel non‐invasive biomarkers of IgAN. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: An RNA‐sequence analysis of RNAs in urinary exosomes identified a number of differentially expressed circular RNAs in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) patients as compared to healthy controls. These circRNAs are associated with the regulation of pathways relevant to IgAN and may provide useful non‐invasive biomarkers for this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strength and toughness are the two most important prerequisites for structural applications. Unfortunately, these two properties are often in conflict in materials. Here, an effective and yet practical strategy is proposed to simultaneously strengthen and toughen poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA) using a simple rigid‐rubber "reinforcing element." This element consists of a rigid graphene oxide (GO) sheet covalently coupled with poly(caprolactone‐co‐lactide) (PCLLA) rubbery layers, which can be easily synthesized and incorporated into PLLA matrix to develop composites with well‐tailored GO/PLLA interfaces. It is demonstrated that by adding the "reinforcing element," i.e., GO‐graft‐rubber‐graft‐polyd‐lactide), PLLA exhibits higher strength and higher toughness, which could be attributed to the synergy of rigid GO and rubbery PCLLA working in tandem during deformation. It is further demonstrated that this strategy can also be applied to other filler systems, such as clay and particulate polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, and other polymer systems, such as poly(methyl methacrylate). The strategy could be considered as a general design principle for reinforcing materials where both strength and toughness are the key concerns. A facile way of overcoming the conflict of strength and toughness in polymer is demonstrated by using a rigid‐rubber structure unit, i.e., a rigid structure coupled with rubbery layers. The rigid‐rubber structure unit can be easily synthesized and incorporated into polymer matrices to enhance both strength and toughness. The approach can be used as a general design principle for reinforcing polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine particles (UFP) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing have received widespread attention. Here, we characterize the formation mechanisms of emissions from polymer filaments commonly used in FDM 3D printing. The temporal relationship between the amount and species of total VOC (TVOC) at any desired operating thermal condition is obtained through a combination of evolved gas analysis (EGA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to capture physicochemical reactions, in which the furnace of EGA or TGA closely resembles the heating process of the nozzle in the FDM 3D printer. It is generally observed that emissions initiate at the start of the glass transition process and peak during liquefaction for filaments. Initial increment in emissions during liquefaction and the relatively constant decomposition of products in the liquid phase are two main TVOC formation mechanisms. More importantly, low heating rate has the potential to restrain the formation of carcinogenic monomer, styrene, from ABS. A TVOC measurement method based on weight loss is further proposed and found that TVOC mass yield was 0.03%, 0.21% and 2.14% for PLA, ABS, and PVA, respectively, at 220 °C. Among TVOC, UFP mass accounts for 1% to 5% of TVOC mass depending on the type of filaments used. Also, for the first time, emission of UFP from the nozzle is directly observed through laser imaging. Unlabelled Image • Emissions occur at the start of glass transition and peak during liquefaction. • Fumes from printing are directly observed for the first time through laser imaging. • Low heating rate has potential to restrain the formation of styrene from ABS. • TVOC mass yield was 0.03%, 0.21% and 2.14% for PLA, ABS and PVA, respectively. • Among TVOC, particle mass accounts for 1% to 5% of TVOC mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• FeCo/FeCoNi alloys nanoparticles decorated N-doped CNTs-grafted porous carbon fibers are proposed. • The hybrid catalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activities and stabilities for both ORR and OER. • Zn-air batteries with self-supported FeCo/FeCoNi@NCNTs-HF show a long cycle life. The rational design and exploration of highly efficient, low-cost, and robust electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for development of rechargeable metal-air batteries. Herein, we report a novel approach for the synthesis of bifunctional electrocatalysts, where Fe 0.5 Co 0.5 and Fe 0.5 Co 0.4 Ni 0.1 alloys are encapsulated in the nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes-grafted porous polyhedron-derived hybrid fibers (FeCo/FeCoNi@NCNTs-HF). Benefiting from its hierarchically porous structure and strong synergetic coupling among FeCo, FeCoNi alloys, and N-doped carbon species. The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits a positive half-wave potential of 0.850 V for ORR and a low potential of 1.608 V to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for OER, as well as superior stability in alkaline media. As a demonstration, FeCo/FeCoNi@NCNTs-HF is employed as the electrocatalysts in the air cathode of a Zn-air battery, which shows superior discharge and charge performance, large power density, high specific capacity, and outstanding cycling stability of 240 h (360 cycles). More impressively, excellent cyclabilitiy with a lifetime of 670 h (1005 cycles) is also achieved by the Zn-air battery with FeCo/FeCoNi@NCNTs-HF as the self-supported air electrode. This work will open a novel avenue to develop advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts for the next generation of metal-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Polymer aerogels fabricated using conventional methods typically have relatively narrow mono-modal pore size distribution (PSD), and relatively thick and tight pore walls. Herein, inspired by mussel glue, cross-linked three-dimensional (3D) polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous aerogels (NFAs) with ultrahigh porosity, hierarchical porous structures, and good compression resistance are successfully fabricated via electrospinning, facile polydopamine (PDA) coating and crosslinking by ferric ions (Fe3+) followed by freeze-drying. Morphology characterization and compression tests show that both multiple hydrogen bonding facilitated by the PDA coating and Fe3+-PDA coordination bonding could effectively induce the formation of inter-fiber junctions, enhancing compression resistance of the 3D NFAs and leading to hierarchical porous structures with a very wide PSD. When a thin layer of the optimized 3D NFA with a large specific surface area (85.7 m2 g−1) is combined with a commercial air filter, the composite filter obtained exhibits high filtration efficiencies of 99.72% and 99.85% for airborne particles with sizes of <100 nm and <500 nm, respectively, at a low pressure drop of only 54.1 Pa. The results show that the cross-linked NFAs could act as a highly efficient air filter for ultrafine particles while not increasing the overall pressure-drop significantly, which are due to the good adhesive properties of PDA, electrostatic charge induced by Fe3+, and high porosity and hierarchical porous structures of the 3D NFAs. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Electrospun PAN nanofibers are first cross-linked by polydopamine (PDA) and Fe3+. • PDA and Fe3+ facilitate the formation of inter-fiber junctions. • Fe3+-PDA@PAN nanofibrous aerogels are highly porous yet mechanical robust. • The optimized filter shows high efficiency for PM 0.1 and low pressure drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the most widely used organic electrode materials for supercapacitors. It has advantages such as good environmental stability and low cost, whereas it is difficult to achieve high capacitance, good rate capability and long cycle life simultaneously. In this work, a series of porous polyaniline/carbon nanotube (PANI/CNT) composite materials are prepared by chemically grafting PANI on CNTs and creating interpenetrating pores via templating using CaCO 3 nanoparticles, and then studied as electrode materials for supercapacitors. As PANI is covalently grafted on CNT networks formed in the electrode, the delocalization of electrons improves electron transport in the electrode and the stability of PANI in redox cycling process. The porous morphology created provides sufficient channels for the transport of ions. As a result, the optimized PANI/CNT composite exhibits a high capacitance of 1266 F g−1 at a specific current of 1 A g−1, and even at a specific current of 128 A g−1 the specific capacitance could reach 864 F g−1. Moreover, after cycling tests of 10,000 cycles, it remains 83% of its capacitance at the first cycle. The excellent rate performance and cycle stability of the porous PANI/CNT composite makes it a promising high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this article, we report a thin film of polyaniline (PANI)-grafted single-walled/double-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a transparent electrode for highly bendable electrochromic films. Our results show that the high conductivity of the PANI-CNT/PET electrode brought by its conductive CNT network, as well as the strong conjugation between CNTs and PANI, can be well retained even after 9000 cycles of bending with a bending radius of 0.6 cm, which is superior to that of the most widely used transparent electrode, indium tin oxide (ITO) on PET. By electrodeposition of PANI on the PANI-CNT/PET electrode, the overall electrochromic performance of the PANI-deposited PANI-CNT/PET (PANI/PANI-CNT/PET) is comparable to its PANI/ITO/PET counterpart, whereas after 100 cycles of bending, PANI/PANI-CNT/PET can much better retain its initial electrochromic performance than PANI/ITO/PET. The mechanism for the enhanced bendability is studied via impedance analysis. It shows that the enhancement is mainly due to the robust interface between the PANI-based electrode and active layer. The findings provide a new avenue for rational design of highly bendable electrodes for flexible electrochromic devices. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Polyaniline-grafted carbon nanotubes (PANI-CNT) as a transparent flexible electrode. • The electrode retains its conductivity after 9000 cycles of bending. • PANI can be electrodeposited on PANI-CNT to form PANI/PANI-CNT electrochromic film. • Superior bendability of PANI/PANI-CNT than its PANI/indium tin oxide counterpart. • The strong interface between the active layer and electrode is the key mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanostructures containing binary transition metal compounds have shown great potential for applications such as electrocatalysis. In this article, we report a one-pot synthesis of Co(ii)–Fe(iii)–polydopamine (PDA) complex nanospheres as a facile approach to binary metal-doped carbon nanostructures. The complex nanospheres were prepared simply by polymerization of dopamine (DOPA) in a basic aqueous solution containing both types of transition metal ion. Results show that cobalt(ii) ions do not form complexes with DOPA, whereas can form coordination bonds with PDA oligomers after the initiation of polymerization, leading to irregular shaped complex particles. When both cobalt(ii) and Fe(iii) ions are present in the polymerization system, Fe(iii) ions, which are able to form complexes with DOPA before the initiation of polymerization, play a dominant role in determining the morphology of the complex nanostructure, leading to hybrid complex nanospheres. Furthermore, the Co(ii)–Fe(iii)–PDA complex nanospheres can be easily converted to mesoporous N-doped carbon nanospheres with embedded CoFe2O4/CoFe nanoparticles. Electrochemical studies suggest that these nanospheres exhibit enhanced bifunctional electrocatalytic performance over commercial Pt/C towards ORR and OER. They also show good stability with steady cycling performance for over 300 cycles when used as a bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst in a rechargeable zinc–air battery cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Honeycomb-like lignin-derived carbon (LC) foams doped with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) are fabricated via unidirectional ice-templating followed by freeze-drying and carbonization. The dimensions, constituent contents, and density of the foams could be easily adjusted. By manipulating the density, high electrical conductivity and good mechanical properties could be achieved at relatively low RGO contents. In addition to the high conductivity and interfaces between LC and RGO, aligned pores also boost electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of the foams owing to induced multiple reflections. X-band EMI SE of the LC-based foams with 2-mm thickness could reach 28.5–70.5 dB at very low densities. Furthermore, the normalized surface specific SE (SE divided by density and thickness) could be as high as 28750 dB cm2/g, which is much higher than those of other types of carbon foams and most shielding materials ever reported. With the outstanding EMI shielding performance, good mechanical properties and more sustainable raw material, the biomass-based carbon foams offer promising prospects for lightweight, robust and high-performance EMI shielding materials. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While approaches have been successfully devised to optimize the power factor of inorganic thermoelectric (TE) materials, the understanding and control of TE performance of organic composite materials are however still rudimentary due to their complicated structures and weak interfacial interactions. We report a facial method to tailor the interfacial interaction of amine-functionalized carbon nanotubes (A-CNT)/polyaniline (PANI) composites, which results in composites exhibiting high conductivity (2012 S cm −1 ) and excellent power factor (273 μW m −1  K −2 ) with A-CNT content of 94 wt%. By tuning PANI/camphor sulfonic acid mole ratios, the power factor is further improved to 401 μW m −1  K −2 , which is higher than that of most reported organic TE materials. Beside the optimum carrier concentration, we attribute the outstanding TE property to the existence of amine functional groups on CNT that facilitate the formation of highly conductive network and a unique PANI interlayer of up to ∼10 nm that interacts strongly with A-CNT, facilitates charge transfer and endows the composites with high electrical conductivity, as evident by TEM, Raman, XRD, and solubility studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report graphene nanoscrolls bridged by crumpled graphene nanosheets as an effective conductive framework for confining SnS 2 nanosheets for lithium-ion battery (LIB) applications. The nanoscroll/nanosheet hybrid aerogels (GNAs) with confined SnS 2 nanosheets are facilely prepared via fast quenching, freeze-drying and thermal annealing. During quenching, wrapping SnS 2 nanosheets in the nanoscrolls and bridging the one-dimensional nanoscrolls by the two-dimensional nanosheets occur simultaneously, and the ratio of nanoscrolls/nanosheets can be controlled by simply adjusting quenching conditions. The optimized SnS 2 /GNA is highly porous with a large specific surface area of 127.1 m 2  g −1 and multi-scale pore structure, which can effectively prevent SnS 2 aggregation to provide abundant lithiation/delithiation sites, and buffer volumetric change and pulverization of SnS 2 nanosheets. Moreover, the three-dimensional conductive network formed in the hybrid aerogels can remarkably improve its electrical conductivity while providing sufficient channels for the transportation of lithium ions and charges. As a result, the optimized SnS 2 /GNA nanocomposite exhibits enhanced electrochemical performance with a high initial reversible capacity (1514.8 mAh g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 ), excellent rate capacity (665.4 mAh g −1 at 5 A g −1 ) and good cyclic stability (1050 mA h g -1 at the 50 th cycle). This may provide an efficient generic approach for encapsulation of transition metal dichalcogenide materials in conductive nano/micro confined spaces for fabrication of high-performance LIB anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, metallic 1T-MoS 2 /polyaniline (PANI) heterostructures with unique alternating arrangement are fabricated via an electrostatic attraction-induced self-assembly approach. Negatively charged metallic 1T-MoS 2 monolayers are first obtained by chemical exfoliation, followed by the mixing with PANI and acidification. The neutralization of surface charges triggers spontaneous self-assembly, leading to the formation of alternating stacked 1T-MoS 2 /PANI heterostructures. Such unique architecture maximizes the interfacial contact between metallic 1T-MoS 2 and PANI and enhances synergistic effect between them. The close atomic contact not only greatly improves the electron and ion transport of the nanocomposites, but also gives rise to good structural stability due to the strong interactions between the intimately contacted 1T-MoS 2 and PANI. Furthermore, the compatibility of the nanocomposites with the aqueous electrolyte is also greatly improved. As a result, high specific capacitance and excellent cycling stability are achieved when the heterostructures are studied as electrode materials in supercapacitors. The capacitance retention is up to 91% at 10 A/g after 2000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the surface of stacked-cup carbon nanofibers (CNFs) was coated with polydopamine (PDA) via a facile biomimetic method based on catecholic chemistry. The modified CNFs (D-CNFs) were incorporated into an epoxy resin in a solvent-free manner. In addition to hydrogen bonding, covalent bonding is also present between amino groups in PDA and epoxy, as verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Owing to the strong interfacial interactions brought by PDA, D-CNFs show significantly improved dispersibility in epoxy matrix. Consequently, the reinforcing effects of D-CNFs clearly outperform those of pristine CNFs (P-CNFs), especially in terms of fracture toughness. Dynamic thermo-mechanical studies show that the addition of D-CNFs can increase storage modulus more effectively without deteriorating the thermal stability of epoxy matrix. This study confirms that enhancing interfacial interactions in polymer composites by coating nanofillers with PDA is a useful strategy to obtain simultaneous stiffening and toughening in rigid thermoset polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstable crack propagation behavior of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites has a significant impact on the safety and reliability of structures in practical applications. Herein, we reported a method to improve the stability of crack growth by coating polydopamine (PDA) and graphene oxide (GO) on the surface of carbon fabric. The Mode I and Mode II tests were performed to study the delamination and crack behaviors of pure CFRP and modified CFRP. The crack propagation behavior can be tuned from unstable to stable manner without sacrificing the crack initiation during the opening mode test. It was revealed that the crack tended to fracture through the GO sheets, leading to the tearing and peeling of GO. The PDA&GO coated layers contributed to improving the load transfer between carbon fibers and polymer matrix, reducing the crack blunting degree, minimizing the unstable crack growth, and thus dissipating more energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high therapeutic efficiency and minimum damage towards normal tissues, phototherapy has drawn a great deal of attention in recent decades. Herein, we reported the synthesis of novel phosphopeptide-decorated magnetic nanoparticles (peptide-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles), and their usages in photothermal therapy against solid tumor. By using a classical coprecipitation method and a facile ligand exchange route, these peptide-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were prepared with inexpensive inhesion. Upon the irradiation of a near-infrared (NIR) light, these nanoagents exhibited great photothermal effect with high photo-stability. In vitro biocompatibility studies of these peptide-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles indicated their low cytotoxicity, negligible hemolysis, and no effect on blood coagulation. As expected, 4T1 murine breast cancer cells could be effectively damaged by these light-mediated nanoagents. Significantly, animal experiments demonstrated that these nanoagents held great solid tumor ablation effect with the assistance of a NIR laser irradiation. Additional studies focused on the long-term toxicity of these nanoagents indicated their high bio-compatibility. Thus, these peptide-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles could bring more opportunities to a new generation of photothermal agents in the field of biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aqueous suspension of WO3/poly(4-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b]-[1,4]dioxin-2-yl-methoxy)-1-butanesulfonic acid) (PEDTS) hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared by air-assisted oxidative polymerization and simultaneous attachment of PEDTS on WO3-NPs, and used for electrochromic (EC) film fabrication via air-brush spraying. The hybrid EC device exhibits enhanced EC properties compared to the ones based on WO3-NP or PEDTS alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture toughness of carbon fiber reinforced plastic laminates was investigated in term of modifying the epoxy matrix with the pristine and functionalized stacked-cup carbon nanofibers. The results showed that the highest enhancements in Mode I (13.6%) and Mode II (45.3%) fracture toughness were achieved by adding 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% functionalized nanofibers, respectively. The toughening mechanism was analyzed based on the morphology evaluations of the fracture surfaces. The evidence of bridging, pull-out, peeling-off and unravelling of nanofibers were clearly observed, which contributed to dissipating more energy for crack propagation, resulting in the improvement of fracture toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 4,9-dihydro- s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b′]dithiophene-based conjugated polymers with 3,4-bis(dodecyloxy)thiophene, 3,3-bis((dodecyloxy)methyl)-3,4-dihydro-2 H-thieno[3,4- b] [, ] dioxepine and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene as co-monomers were synthesized via Stille coupling reaction in more than 50 % yields. These polymers possess relatively high number-average molecular weights of 14,900-21,000 g mol and exhibit good solubility in common organic solvents. The physical and electrochemical properties of these polymers were studied, and the polymers showed optical bandgap between 2.04 and 2.08 eV. Electrochromic devices showed a rare and reversible colour change between dark red at neutral state and black at oxidized state with optical switching contrast ratios of up to 50 % at λ and 90 % at 1500 nm in the visible and NIR regions, respectively. Graphical abstract: 4,9-dihydro- s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene-based conjugated polymers showing rare and reversible colour change between dark red at neutral state and black at oxidized state were synthesized via Stille coupling. These polymers possess high optical contrast in both the visible and NIR regions.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]