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Gossypium hirsutum L. is a worldwide economical crop; however, premature leaf senescence reduces its production and quality which is regulated by stresses, hormones, and genes. DNA binding with the one zinc finger (Dof) transcription factors (TFs) participate widely in plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, but there have been few reports of these TFs in cotton. Here, we perform a genome-wide study of G. Hirsutum L. Dof (GhDof) genes and analyze their phylogeny, duplication, and expression. In total, 114 GhDof genes have been identified and classified into nine subgroups (A, B1, B2.2, B2.1, C1, C2.1, C2.2, D1, and D2) based on phylogenetic analysis. An MCScanX analysis showed that the GhDof genes expanded due to segmental duplications. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that GhDofD9.6 was not only differentially expressed between CCRI10 (with premature senescence) and Liao4086 (without premature senescence) but also responded to salinity stress; GhDofA5.7, GhDofA7.4, GhDofA8.2, GhDof11.1, GhDofD7.2, and GhDofD11.3 significantly responded to cold (4 °C) stress. This work lays the foundation for further analysis of the function of GhDof genes in G. hirsutum, which will be helpful for improving the production and quality of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euryale ferox shells were used to prepare activated carbon (AC) by physiochemical activation using potassium hydroxide as the activation agent at 800°C for 2 h. The as-prepared AC surface area was 2028 m2 g-1, while the average pore diameter and total pore volume were 3.425 nm and 0.98 cm3 g-1, respectively. The equilibrium and kinetics for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) on E. ferox shell-based AC were investigated at 20°C. The equilibrium data for MB adsorption were in agreement with Langmuir equation, and the maximum adsorption value was 617 mg g-1. Adsorption was denoted by two simplified kinetic models, pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations, respectively. The MB adsorption was well fitted to the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamics parameters were calculated and discussed and the adsorption of MB on E. ferox shell-based AC was exothermic and spontaneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-aligned TiO2 nanotube arrays were fabricated by anodizing Ti foil in viscous F containing organic electrolytes, and the crystal structure and morphology of the TiO2 nanotube array were characterized and analyzed by XRD, SEM, and TEM, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanotube arrays was evaluated in the photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in different supporting solutions. The excellent performance of ca. 97% for color removal was reached after 90 min in the PEC process compared to that of PC process which indicates that a certain external potential bias favors the promotion of the electrode reaction rate on TiO2 nanotube array when it is under illumination. In addition, it is found that PEC process conducted in supporting solutions with lowpH and containing Cl is also beneficial to accelerate the degradation rate of MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We design a facile approach to prepare a bimetallic transition-metal-sulphide-based 3D hierarchically-ordered porous electrode based on bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (Ni–Co–MOFs) by using confinement growth and in-situ sulphurisation techniques. In the novel resulting architectures, Ni–Co–S nanoparticles are confined in bowknot-like and flower-like carbon networks and are mechanically isolated but electronically well-connected, where the carbon networks with a honeycomb-like feature facilitate electron transfer with uninterrupted conductive channels from all sides. Moreover, these hierarchically-ordered porous structures together with internal voids can accommodate the volume expansion of the embedded Ni–Co–S nanoparticles. The pseudocapacitive behaviours displayed in the NCS@CBs and NCS@CFs occupied a significant portion in the redox processes. Because of these merits, both the as-built bowknot and flower networks show excellent electrochemical properties for lithium storage with superior rate capability and robust cycling stability (994 mAh g−1 for NCS@CBs and 888 mAh g−1 for NCS@CFs after 200 cycles). This unique 3D hierarchically-ordered structural design is believed to hold great potential applications in propagable preparation of carbon networks teamed up with sulphide nanocrystals for high energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent and flexible electrodes on cost effective plastic substrates for wearable electronics have attract great attention recently. Due to the conductivity and flexibility in network form, metal nanowire is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for flexible electrode fabrication. Prior to application, low temperature joining of nanowire processes are required to reduce the resistance of electrodes and simultaneously maintain the dimensionality and uniformity of those nanowires. In the present work, we presented an innovative, robust and cost effective method to minimize the heat effect to plastic substrate and silver nanowires which allows silver nanowire electrodes been directly written on polycarbonate substrate and sintered by different electrolyte solutions at room temperature or near. It has been rigorously demonstrated that the resistance of silver nanowire electrodes has been reduced by 90% after chemical sintering at room temperature due to the joining of silver nanowires at junction areas. After ∼1000 bending cycles, the measured resistance of silver nanowire electrode was stable during both up-bending and down-bending states. The changes of silver nanowires after sintering were characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and a sintering mechanism was proposed and validated. This direct-written silver nanowire electrode with good performance has broad applications in flexible electronics fabrication and packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]