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In this paper, a facial strategy is employed to directly growing ZnO nanorods (ZnONR) on carbon fiber paper (CFP) and functionalizing with silver nanoparticles (AgNP), constructing a structural stable paper-based electrode (AgNP/ZnONR@CFP). This unique AgNP/ZnONR hierarchical nanoarchitecture provides large surface area and an easy substrate penetrable structure facilitating enhanced electrochemical features towards flavonoids oxidation. When the electrode is evaluated as a binder-free sensor for flavonoids detection, three distinct and separate differential pulse voltammetric peaks for luteolin, daidzein, and baicalein are observed, demonstrating the simultaneous and selective detection of these flavonoids possible. The AgNP/ZnONR@CFP sensor demonstrates a remarkable wide linear relationship with low detection limits for luteolin, daidzein, and baicalein detection in a mixed solution. When the sensor is employed to analyze luteolin, daidzein, or baicalein in real extracts from Japanese Honeysuckle, Soybean, and Chrysanthemum morifolium, satisfactory recovery rates (ranging from 96.3 % to 102.5 %) and low relative standard deviation (RSD) values (less than 5.0 %) are obtained. In addition, an assembled sensor device (two-electrode) based on this trimmable AgNP/ZnONR@CFP electrode exhibits remarkable quick response and excellent sensitivity for luteolin, daidzein, or baicalein detection, facilitating real-time and portable detection, highlighting its great potential in batch production of the sensor devices. [Display omitted] • A binder-free electrode is prepared for simultaneous luteolin, daidzein and baicalein detection. • The sensor exhibits high activity with wide linear range and low detection limit. • A two-electrode sensor device is assembled using the AgNP/ZnONR@CFP electrode. • The novel sensor device allows real-time, portable detection and paves the way for mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformer oil-paper insulation materials are vulnerable to insulation failure due to the influence of voltage, high temperature, and other complex conditions. Additionally, during the operation of the transformer, the generation of harmful substances such as small molecule acids and water becomes a significant concern. In this study, we employed molecular simulation technology to investigate the effect of small molecule products on natural ester-impregnated cellulose insulation paper under electric-thermal coupling field. The results show that: under the action of electric-thermal coupling, the introduction of the electric field can weaken the molecular thermal motion to a certain extent, and the higher the temperature, the more pronounced the weakening effect of the electric field. When subjected to an electric-thermal coupling field, the mean square displacement of the cellulose molecular chains inside the models doped with water and formic acid increases compared to the oil-paper composite model, with an increase of 60.13 % and 98.25 %, respectively, at 700 K. The fraction of free volume in the model increases and the cohesive energy density decreases, the diffusion ability of molecules inside the model remains strong. The weakening effect of the electric field does not diminish the hydrolysis reaction between the small molecular products and the cellulose molecular chains. This leads to a decrease in model stability and ultimately to the breakdown of the insulation paper. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface properties of melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) impregnated paper decorative panels are unsatisfactory, characterized by brittle surfaces, poor abrasion resistance, and limited flame retardancy. A modification was introduced to the MUF resin by incorporating a blend of polyelectrolyte complex polyethyleneimine (PEI)-phytic acid (PA) and Nano-Al 2 O 3 with the aim of enhancing the surface properties of the decorative panel. The modified resin underwent characterization, and subsequent analyses were conducted to investigate the properties of both the modified impregnated paper and the decorative panel. The results showed that the thermal stability of the modified resin was improved with a curing temperature of 124 °C. In comparison to the control, the modified impregnated paper showed an increase of 146.0 % in tensile strength and 154.5 % in elongation at break. The improved toughness of the modified MUF-impregnated paper resulted in a notable upsurge in both surface bond strength and cracking resistance of the decorative panel. The combustion test results indicated that the modified impregnated had a LOI value of 40.0 % and self-extinguishing behavior. In addition, due to the inclusion of Nano-Al 2 O 3 , the decorative panel exhibited a low abrasion value of only 14.1 mg/100r. Overall, the technology proposed in this study can improve the surface properties of decorative panels, increase their added value, and provide a new strategy for modifying MUF resin in the impregnated paper-decorated wood-based panels industry and for researchers. [Display omitted] • MUF resin was modified using polyelectrolyte complex (PEI-PA) and Nano-Al 2 O 3. • Modified impregnated paper exhibited superior toughness and flame retardancy. • Blockboard with modified impregnated paper showed greatly improved surface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoO 3 -based anodes for lithium storage have attracted more attentions due to the relatively high specific capacity of 1117 mAh g–1 and good chemical stability. Compound MoO 3 with other functional materials and construction of unique micromorphologies have been proved to be efficient strategies for improving the electrochemical performances of MoO 3 -based anodes. Herein, MoO 3 /TiO 2 composites were successfully biosynthesized with different micromorphologies. In the preparation processes, the hydrothermal and solvothermal treatments were carried out successively in the presence of cellulosic filter paper as the biotemplate, followed by calcination of the as-obtained composites in air, resulting in the final MoO 3 /TiO 2 composite materials. The two microstructures of the MoO 3 microfiber with entire TiO 2 nanoparticles coating and the MoO 3 microrod formed by stacking the microsheets with loosely TiO 2 nanoparticles covering were prepared under different pH values of the precursor. Compared with the bare MoO 3 materials, the corresponding MoO 3 /TiO 2 composites showed enhanced electrochemical performances as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Especially the MoO 3 /TiO 2 composite with core-shell microfibrous structure derived from cellulosic filter paper presented relatively better test results for lithium storage, delivering an initial discharge capacity of 1297.6 mAh g−1 with the first Coulombic efficiency of 65.8%, and a reversible specific capacity of 403.6 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. It is demonstrated that a well-defined TiO 2 coating layer can effectively inhibit the volume variations of MoO 3 matter in the lithiation/delithiation processes. Combined with the porous microfibrous structure that alleviates the stress, provides more reaction sites and reduces diffusion paths of lithium-ion, a promising MoO 3 -based anode material was achieved. This work provides a facile biotemplate-based strategy for the design and fabrication of metal oxide-based composites with adjustable microstructures for energy storage. [Display omitted] • Cellulosic filter paper derived MoO 3 /TiO 2 composites with variable micromorphologies were biosynthesized. • Microfibrous MoO 3 was coated by TiO 2 nanoparticles uniformly using the precursor with original pH value. • It showed enhanced reversible capacity, cycling stability and rate capability as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. • The microstructural feature of biotemplate and the entire TiO 2 coating contribute to the improved lithium storage property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the performance of recycled paper (R paper) can broaden its applicability in different fields and is conducive to saving resources. Herein, we report a simple method to prepare R paper using waste-print-paper pulp mixed with ketjenblack and ammonium polyphosphate followed by modification with polydimethylsiloxane. The R paper demonstrated good electrical conductivity of 14.83 S/m. Water contact angle (WCA) and sliding angle (SA) were used to assess the wettability of the prepared R paper. The WCA and SA of the R paper reached 152 ± 2° and 3.5°, respectively, thereby indicating excellent superhydrophobicity. Vertical flame tests and thermogravimetric analysis proved that the flame retardancy of the R paper was superior to that of the waste-print paper. These results suggested that the R paper with conductive, flame-retardant, and superhydrophobic properties can be obtained by incorporating specific fillers into waste-print paper, thereby increasing the potential for the application of R paper. A recycled paper (R paper) was successfully fabricated by wasted print paper with electrically conductive, flame-retardant and superhydrophobic properties. [Display omitted] • The recycled paper (R paper) was prepared from waste print paper. • The R paper can light the LED lamp. • The R paper can maintain the superhydrophobic property. • The R paper exhibited flame retardant performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work developed a simple, easy-to-prepare, and inexpensive indicator (R-Paper) based on rub-coating of red cabbage on readily available paper substrates to detect the freshness of fish in out-of-lab settings. A single-step rub-coating method was used to incorporate anthocyanins on paper substrates, without the extraction of the compound from red cabbage. The preparation of the indicator and its usage is quick and does not require additional chemicals, personnel expertise, or laboratory facilities. The functional colorimetric interface created by directly rubbing red cabbage on paper was used for fish quality monitoring, which displayed a naked-eye detectable color change from purple (for fresh fish) to blue (for spoiling fish) and then to blue-green (for spoiled fish), corresponding to total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and pH changes. To provide a user-friendly quantitative analysis of this color change, we used the free Android software Color Grab to quantify the color using L* , a* , b* , and RGB indices. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first report on an indicator prepared by rub-coating red cabbage onto paper-based substrates for fish spoilage monitoring through smartphone-based analysis. To verify that the R-Paper indicator performs on a par with the indicators using extracted anthocyanins, its performance was compared with indicators prepared using anthocyanins extracted from red cabbage (AR-Paper). Naked-eye analysis, simple preparation, ease of use, low cost, and free smartphone-based analysis make the R-Paper indicator an appropriate food quality indicator in resource-limited areas. [Display omitted] • A colorimetric indicator prepared by rub-coating red cabbage on paper is developed to assess the freshness of fish. • A cost-free smartphone application was employed for measuring the colorimetric response of the indicator. • The indicator displayed quantifiable colors of purple for fresh fish, blue for spoiling, and blue-green for spoiled fish. • The preparation and usage of the indicator is simple and does not require specialized laboratory equipment or expert users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flaxseed and guar gums were studied for their potential to produce in water stable viscous fluids loaded with poly(styrene sulfonate) PSSNa and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT):PSS as hydrogels or viscous ink composite materials. In case of the composite hydrogels, their contents and mechanical behaviors were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy and rheology respectively. Once dried on a glassy carbon electrode, for a sample containing PEDOT:PSS, the morphology of the thin layer was observed by FE-SEM for monitoring the quality of the coating. Later, for further practical reasons, performant working electrodes were also prepared from these hydrogels simply by casting on a small piece of carbon paper. PEDOT electropolymerization were tried using a coating made of PSSNa in mixture with one of the polysaccharides. This step showed some difficulties due to the enhancement of the hydrophilic character of the carbon paper surface. Then, a definitive improvement of a direct electropolymerization of PEDOT was permitted by using another type of coating material always involving the previous guar gum-PSSNa composite reinforced with 4 wt% of exfoliated graphite powder in order to enhance both hydrophobicity and adhesion of the electropolymerized PEDOT. Finally, additional cyclic voltammetry experiences such as Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy were carried out to identify two of our most promising candidates of PEDOT:PSS based electroconductive materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low efficiency of photocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia is determined by the low quantum efficiency photocatalyst and the configuration of the reactor.Therefore, a new method was adopted to introduce a gas-liquid-solid optofluidic microreactor with gas-liquid two-chambers into the photocatalytic nitrogen fixation reaction, and a novel and efficient TiO 2−x -Ag@HKUST-1/ carbon paper composite membrane was successfully synthesized. The porous structure of HKUST-1/carbon paper can well adsorb N 2 , and the uniformly dispersed Ag and Ti3+ in the TiO 2−x are bridged by O vacancies to form the Ti3+-Ov-Ag active center. These together improve the activity of photocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia. The experimental results show that the TiO 2−x -Ag@HKUST-1/carbon paper composite membrane can continuously reduce N 2 to ammonia under visible light, and the yield can reach 10.62 mg.h-1.g cat -1and the corresponding apparent quantum yield (AQY) under 450 nm illumination reaches 2.08%, which is much higher than that of commercial TiO 2 (P25), HKUST-1, and also higher than most of the reported TiO 2 -based photocatalysts. This shows the superiority of the gas-liquid two-chambers gas-liquid-solid optofluidic microreactor in photocatalytic nitrogen fixation.This work can also be seen as a step towards the development of high-efficiency continuous photocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia technology. [Display omitted] • The gas-liquid-solid optofluidic microreactor with gas-liquid two-chambers was introduced into the photocatalytic nitrogen fixation reaction. • The uniformly dispersed Ag and Ti3+ in the TiO 2−x are bridged by O vacancies to form the Ti3+-Ov-Ag active center. • The TiO 2−x -Ag@HKUST-1/carbon paper composite membrane can continuously reduce N 2 to ammonia, and the yield can reach 10.62 mg.h-1.gcat-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based materials are widely used in agriculture, industry and daily life because of their biodegradability, sustainability, biocompatibility and low cost. However, due to the hydrophilic nature of plant fibers in paper-based materials, the mechanical properties of paper will be reduced after absorbing water, thus limiting its application field. In this paper, carbon nanotubes/polydimethylsiloxane (CNT/PDMS) films with hydrophobicity and conductivity were prepared on filter paper by foam spraying method. Firstly, CNT and PDMS were added into water and stirred vigorously, and CNT/PDMS foam homogenate was prepared by foaming agent and stabilizer. Then, the homogenate was sprayed on the filter paper with a spray gun, and the multilevel rough structure was prepared on the paper. The results showed that the contact angle of the sample surface is greater than 150° when the spraying amount is 0.4-CNT, 0.6-CNT and 0.8-CNT, and the contact angle of 0.6-CNT is 156.33°, which is the largest. The drops on the surface of the sprayed sample have good bounce and self-cleaning performances. In addition, benefiting from the excellent conductivity of CNT, the particles composed of CNT and PDMS contact each other on the surface of the sample, forming a conductive network. The aforementioned properties will broaden the application scenarios of paper-based superhydrophobic materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of safe drinking water is a major concern, mainly in developing countries. Consequently, there is a significant need for affordable technologies to provide clean drinking water. In this paper, two approaches for drinking water disinfection using nanocellulose and the antimicrobial compound phenyl bis -diphenylphosphinato bismuth (III) complex are studied. The first approach investigates the deactivation of bacteria when contaminated water percolates through a filter paper with a microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) coating containing Bi-complex. Antibacterial activity was studied by filtering bacterial broth with a Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus as a test strain and measuring live bacteria in the filtrate. The filter composites did not show any sign of instantaneous killing of bacteria, irrespective of the Bi-complex loading or base paper substrate. However, the effluent demonstrated drastic reduction in bacterial population after resting at 37 °C. Bacteria were completely eradicated 24 h after passing through 5 wt% and 10 wt% Bi-coated filters. If also active against locally important drinking water contaminants, this approach could be used for purification of storage water. The second approach uses a Bi-complex loaded nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) membrane. Herein, complete and immediate exclusion of bacteria was achieved in the NFC membrane when bacterial broth was passed through it at 1 bar. The 2.5 wt% Bi-loaded membrane could significantly minimise the risk of biofilm formation, even after 4 days of contact with bacterial broth. The Bi-complex concentration in the filtrate (130.6 ± 1.9 ppb) from the 2.5 wt% Bi-loaded microfilter was shown to be non-toxic to murine fibroblast cells. This study outlines the proof of concept of two sustainable prototypes for stored or immediate drinking water purification, but the approach would need to be extended to a broader range of relevant contaminating pathogens of drinking water to fully understand its utility. [Display omitted] • Bi-complex coated filters show no instantaneous reduction in bacterial population. • Bi-complex leaches into the filtrate killing bacteria after storage at 37 °C. • Complete exclusion of bacteria achieved by nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) membrane. • Bi-complex in the NFC membranes minimises the risks of biofilm formation. • In-vitro studies shows the Bi-complex at or below 200 ppb is not cytotoxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose paper (CP) is an environmentally-friendly and low-cost material, but its application in petrochemical water disposal is limited by poor wet stability and oil repellency. In this work, based on the crosslinking and low-temperature hydrothermal reaction, we report a novel CP material which is crosslinked by polyethyleneimine (PEI)-glutaraldehyde (GA)-cellulose and modified by Ni-doped brochantite crosslinked CP (NB-PCCP) for the removal of emulsified oils and dyes in wastewater. The crosslinking process enhances the wet strength of CP, and the formation of the multi-slice structure of Ni-doped brochantite on PCCP surface improves the oil repellency. Results show that NB-PCCP possesses outstanding oil-in-water emulsion separation performance with high oil rejection of 99.9%, the Young's modulus of NB-PCCP is quadruple that of untreated CP in wet conditions, indicating improved wet stability in practice application. NB-PCCP also displays excellent removal performance for dyes due to the existence of high-density hydroxyl radicals, as well as excellent acid/alkali resistance. The research on CP provides significant guidance for the design of cellulose-based material with multi-slice structure as well as high wet strength and oil repellency for the purification of wastewater. The Ni-doped brochantite modified polyethyleneimine (PEI)-glutaraldehyde (GA)-cellulose crosslinked cellulose paper was designed for the removal of emulsified oils and dyes. The crosslinking process enhances the wet strength, and the formation of Ni-doped brochantite multi-slice structure on the surface of PCCP improves oil repellency, significantly. [Display omitted] • The durable and antifouling NB-PCCP was prepared by polymer crosslinking and inorganic modification. • The prominent wet strength of NB-PCCP is attributed to the crosslinking of PEI-GA-Cellulose. • The ultrahigh oil repellency of NB-PCCP is due to the multi-slice structure brought by the Ni-doped brochantite modification. • The NB-PCCP shows excellent removal efficiency of emulsified oils and dyes from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-stage method of polysulfone (PSf) membrane modification by the addition of polyacrylic acid (PAA, M n = 250 kg·mol−1) to the coagulation bath during membrane preparation via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) was proposed. The effect of PAA concentration on the membrane structure, hydrophilicity, zeta potential, separation performance and antifouling stability in ultrafiltration of lysozyme, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30, M n = 40 kg mol−1) and humic acid model solutions as well as thermomechanical pulp mill process (ThMP) water was studied. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), measurements of the tangential flow streaming potential and water contact angle were used for membrane characterization. It was found that addition of PAA into coagulation bath resulted in decreasing pore size and porosity of the selective layer as well as the formation of a thicker and denser selective layer. Water contact angle of the modified membranes was found to decrease significantly and zeta potential of the selective layer was shown to become more negative in the studied pH range 3–10, all compared to the reference membrane. It was revealed that pure water flux (PWF) decreased and lysozyme and PVP K-30 rejection increased with the increase in PAA concentration in the coagulation bath. It was found that membranes modified with PAA demonstrated better antifouling stability in ultrafiltration of humic acid solution and ThMP process water. Modified membranes were found to have higher flux, fouling recovery ratio and hemicelluloses rejection in ThMP process water ultrafiltration compared to the reference PSf membrane that allows application of these membranes for hemicelluloses concentration and purification. [Display omitted] • PSf membranes were modified via addition of PAA to the coagulation bath in NIPS. • Modification yields the decrease in pore size and porosity of the selective layer. • Hydrophilicity and negative zeta potential increased with PAA content rise. • Modified membranes feature better antifouling stability in UF of ThMP process water. • Modified membranes are efficient for hemicelluloses concentration and purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based food packaging materials have gained great interests along with increasing environmental concern and fossil energy crisis. Inspired by strong adhesion of marine mussels, we proposed a simple and facile method to prepare a durable paper-based packaging material in combination of superhydrophobicity and ethylene scavenging capability, which is first surface decoration of polydopamine (PDA) on paper surface followed by immersion into mixture solution containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and stearic acid (SA). The PDMS/SA/HNTs@PDA-coated paper with a WCA of 157.5° exhibited excellent anti-fouling, self-cleaning and potential application in liquid food packaging. The obtained functional paper not only presented improved mechanical, barrier properties and outstanding anti-bacterial adhesion, but also could effectively extend shelf-life of cherry tomatoes under ambient conditions. After suffering from various rigorous treatments, the resultant multifunctional paper still exhibited excellent superhydrophobic durability. This study provided a new insight into fabrication of multifunctional paper-based materials for food packaging applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered an effective adsorbent for VOCs adsorption due to their excellent physical properties. But the adsorption properties of CNTS are greatly weakened due to the agglomeration effect. As a new type of structural material, microfiber composite can effectively solve this problem. In this work, camphor was used as the precursor to growing carbon nanotubes directly on the surface of paper-like stainless steel fibers (PSSF) by chemical vapor deposition, and the microfiber composite carbon nanotube membrane was prepared. The effects of growth time, temperature and flow rate of carrier gas on the growth of carbon nanotubes were discussed. The mechanism of mass transfer enhancement of the adsorption process of toluene by microfiber composites was investigated by constructing a mixed fixed bed of carbon nanotubes and composites. Compared with the structured bed of 3 cm CNTs, the length of unused bed (LUB) of 1.5 cm CNTs+ 1.5 cm CNTs/PSSF decreased by 0.209 cm, and the bed utilization ∆Z increased from 59.36 % to 66.33 %. The mixed fixed bed adsorption process can be well-fitted by the Yoon-Nelson model (R2 =0.91). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalized soft materials are widely used in the field of flexible electronics devices, but there are still some challenges in preparing functionalized paper with sensitive reaction. In this paper, the functionalized paper with asymmetric wettability was developed by introducing nitrocellulose (NC) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the paper surface. This asymmetric wettability gives the paper sensitivity to relative humidity. When functionalized paper is placed in humid environment, CNTs can be folded and unfolded correspondingly in normal and reverse bending, which leads to the change of resistance on the paper surface. Therefore, the functionalized paper shows the induction to humidity factor through such bending deformation and resistance change. Interestingly, this paper can be further applied to flexible sensors for monitoring the relative humidity and breathing steam of various soils. In addition, the modifier and matrix are non-toxic, harmless and environmentally friendly, the preparation method of the coating is simple, and the functional paper can be reused for many times, which makes it possible for the functional paper to be applied in practice. We proposed a strategy of constructing hydrophobic layer on hydrophilic printing paper with hydrophobic multi-walled carbon nanotubes and nitrocellulose by a simple coating method. The functional paper can respond to the curvature and resistance of water mist due to the water transportation imitating Mimosa pudica. [Display omitted] • The prepared functional paper has asymmetry of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity. • The prepared functional paper still has excellent resistance to water after repeated many times. • The paper can make resistance response to water in various states (continuous liquid water, wet airflow and wet air). • The experiment is nontoxic, harmless, environmentally friendly and simple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan/lignin nanocomposites were coated on bagasse paper surface to improve antimicrobial packaging. A commercial softwood kraft lignin was selected and purified by fractionation process using organic solvent. The aliphatic, phenolic and carboxylic hydroxyl groups of commercial softwood lignin and fractionated lignin were investigated using 31P NMR spectroscopy. For lignin nanosphere particles (LNPs) preparation, the fractionated lignin was dissolved in organic solvent (acetone), then the deionized water was added under ultrasonic mixing. The size of LNPs were approximately 40–500 nm. Chitosan solutions were mixed with 6–33 wt% of LNPs. The mixture was then spread over the bagasse paper surface. The papers coated with chitosan/LNPs were dehydrated at 40 °C for 48 h. For food packaging applications, the antibacterial activity of the paper packaging coated with chitosan/LNPs was more successful and effective against gram-positive bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (such as Escherichia coli, E. coli) compared with the bagasse paper without any coating. The antimicrobial activity of all papers coated with chitosan/LNPs for S. aureus and E. coli was above 2 log CFU/cm2 which are acceptable for antimicrobial efficacy and the percent reduction of bacteria was nearly 100%. In addition, this evident of chitosan/LNPs nanocomposites showed a synergistic effect enhancing the antimicrobial efficiency on the paper surface. The morphology, wettability and overall migration of paper coated with chitosan/LNPs samples were also explored. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) and vegetable wax (VW) are suitable contenders for supercritical impregnation (SCI) processes, where the waxes may be deposited onto paper fiber surfaces to improve their hydrophobicity for food packaging applications. The solubility of both waxes in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2) with n-heptane cosolvent was measured (40 – 60 oC and 10 – 18 MPa). VW was two orders of magnitude more soluble in scCO 2 compared with AKD, and both sets of data were validated using the Chrastil empirical equation. SCI of AKD wax into paper matrixes was performed at pre-determined solubility conditions, and the resulting hydrophobicity was measured. Results demonstrated that annealing the samples (4 h, 140, 160, 180 oC) immediately following impregnation generally enabled a more rapid development of the CA over a 2-week period. Crucially, using impregnation temperatures and pressures that maximized AKD solubility in scCO 2 resulted in CA up to 130o. Gravimetric analysis of the impregnated samples confirmed the expected deposited wax quantities to within 25% of the solubility quantities. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging revealed better distribution of AKD in annealed samples and partially confirmed that more intricate structures were responsible for higher measured CA. These results explicitly connect the intuitive relationship that higher solute solubility in scCO 2 should lead to bulk property improvements (i.e. higher CA or hydrophobicity) after SCI. Continued research in this area will enable the development of metrics, linking solubility conditions to desired bulk material properties, and is expected to lead to innovative packaging of green materials and processes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oily wastewater and organic dye wastewater discharged from modern industry have given rise to serious environmental pollution problem. Noticeably, the integration of superhydrophobicity and photocatalysis provides a facile and efficient way to address these issues. Inspired by mussel-chemistry, we fabricated a multifunctional paper through polydopamine (PDA)-induced in situ growth of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on paper surface followed by treatment with n-dodecyl mercaptan (n-DM). The resultant paper (PDA@Ag@n-DM) not only exhibited superhydrophobicity, but also displayed excellent antibacterial activity attributing to synergetic effect from bacterial adhesion resistance and photocatalytic bactericidal action. The PDA@Ag@n-DM paper showed good oil absorption capability, excellent separation properties for oil-water mixtures and water-in-oil emulsions, and obvious photocatalytic degradation ability for organic dye under visible light irradiation. Moreover, the PDA@Ag@n-DM paper presented enhanced mechanical, environmental and chemical stability. We believed that the as-prepared multifunctional paper will have great application promising in oily wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • A multifunctional paper was successfully fabricated by mussel-inspired chemistry. • The functional paper displayed superhydrophobicity with a WCA of 159.7°. • The functional paper had excellent antibacterial activity. • The functional paper exhibited excellent oil-water separation performance. • The functional paper showed good photocatalytic degradation of dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated robust and magnetic superhydrophobic papers by a facile and scalable one-step spray-coating method for efficient oil-water separation. The coating was consisted of epoxy resin (EP), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Fe 3 O 4 and SiO 2 nanoparticles. The surface characteristics of spray-coated papers were systematically investigated. The obtained EP@PDMS@Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -coated paper possessed a water contact angle of 160º, fast magnetic response, excellent self-cleaning and anti-bacterial adhesion performance. The EP@PDMS@Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -coated paper achieved effective recovery of oil from water as a magnetic-controlled vessel and efficient gravity-driven separation of oil-water mixture and surfactant-stabilized oil-water emulsion as a filtering material. Moreover, EP@PDMS@Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -coated paper exhibited excellent mechanical and chemical stability. Overall, we believe that the robust, magnetic and superhydrophobic papers prepared by a facilely scalable one-step spray-coating method in this study will have a promising application prospect in oily wastewater treatment and oil spill cleanup. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricating low-cost and high-efficiency oil-water separation superwetting materials for the demand of oil spilling treatment remains a great challenge. Herein, a superwetting aluminosilicate fiber paper decorated by flower-like nickel-cobalt carbonate hydroxide (NiCo-CH) nanostructures was prepared via the hydrothermal method and chemical modification with stearic acid (SA) or 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluoroalkyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17). The superhydrophilic multi-layers nanoflowers combing with nanoflakes were uniformly distributed on the surface of aluminosilicate fiber. The superhydrophilic aluminosilicate fiber was then modified by the SA to obtain the superhydrophobic aluminosilicate fiber (SA-NiCo-CH@Al 2 SiO 5 FP). The SA-NiCo-CH@Al 2 SiO 5 FP revealed high separation efficiency (> 95.4%) for both light oils and heavy oils, and high oil flux (417 L m−2 h−1–71,656 L m−2 h−1). Furthermore, the SA-NiCo-CH@Al 2 SiO 5 FP can also remain superhydrophobicity under various harsh conditions, such as dust, sand impact, acid or alkali, and low-temperature environments. This study revealed an inexpensive and simple-fabricated multifunctional superwetting material, which provides promising avenue for future applications in oil-water separation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based electronics with carbon nanomaterials incorporated have several advantages including recyclability, biodegradability, non-toxicity, low cost and ease of fabrication and disposal. Herein, carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were fabricated by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL) using three different liquid mediums, i.e. deionised (DI) water, ethanol and a magnesium-based solution. The as-fabricated nanocolloids were used as conductive inks and deposited on paper substrates. The resulting nanoparticle (NP) coatings were subjected to electrical resistivity tests via 4-point probe. Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) studies were conducted to determine the presence of nanomaterials. All nanocolloids produced within DI water had three distinct UV–Vis absorbance peaks at 200, 216 and 225 nm while nanocolloids produced in ethanol exhibited more peaks and significantly higher absorbance values in the range from 210 nm to 300 nm. Dynamic Light Scattering and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to analyse samples for particle size and morphology respectively. The liquid medium in which PLAL was conducted was found to significantly affect the NP mean size, conductivity and surface chemistry of the resulting NPs. DI water produced smaller nanoparticles (NPs) (10–82 nm) than ethanol (60–143 nm) and magnesium-based solution (263–1389 nm) within the process parameters studied herein. The laser scan speed and fluence have a combined effect on the NP mean diameter. The surface chemistry of the NPs produced in the magnesium-based solution was analysed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and it was found that the Mg, Li and Si atoms are adsorbed by the carbon NPs leading to higher conductivity of the coated paper substrates. [Display omitted] • This paper studies the effect of liquid medium on nanoparticle mean size during Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL). • A complex liquid medium (magnesium-based solution) is used for the first time during PLAL of carbon targets. • The effect of laser scan speed and fluence on the nanoparticle size and conductivity is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative thermal-sensitive ink has been developed and thoroughly tested on polyester fabric. Unlike conventional methods, this new ink eliminates the need for chemical pretreatment and post-printing washing of the fabric before or after printing. It utilizes high-temperature disperse dyes and a biodegradable carrier molecule called a triblock copolymer, specifically Poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA). This remarkable copolymer comprises dihydroxy polyethylene glycol (PEG), ε-caprolactone (CL), and L‐lactide (LA). Upon contact with a heated surface, such as a fiber or textile, the ink droplets swiftly transition rapidly, transforming into a gel-like state. This transition enhances the ink's viscosity, effectively preventing undesired spreading and resulting in precise edge definition on the fabric. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of polyester fabric printed with this innovative ink, a series of meticulous evaluations have been conducted. These evaluations encompass pH levels, particle size, surface tension, viscosity, ink droplet formation, as well as real-time photo-rheological and LF‐NMR analyses conducted on the surface of the polyester fabric. The newly developed inks demonstrate exceptional effectiveness and are highly suitable for digital printing applications across various materials. Furthermore, the implementation of this new ink can significantly reduce the reliance on chemicals and minimize wastewater production during the manufacturing process. [Display omitted] • A novel thermosensitive ink has been prepared by combining a triblock compolymers (PCLA- PEG- PCLA) with high-temperature disperse dyes. • This new printing technology significantly reduces the use of chemicals by eliminating the need for pretreatment. • Fabrics printed with thermosensitive ink demonstrate excellent printing accuracy and color fastness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of micropatterned cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) free-standing films which modulate the surface hydrophobicity by controlling the dimensions of the channels are fabricated. Micropattern silicon molds are fabricated with photolithography and etching techniques. CNC and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) suspensions are vacuum dried on the molds, with a layer of nanocellulose fibers spray coated on top to create the free-standing film. Sharp 5 µm × 6 µm channels are obtained with a 2.2 wt% suspension with a 10:1 ratio of CNC:CMC. This is the smallest patterned channel size that has been achieved and is more than an order of magnitude lower than those achievable with techniques such as laser cutting. The water droplet contact angle can be tuned to resist or promote wetting, varying from 106° for 5 µm × 6 µm channels to 41° for 500 µm × 18 µm channels, without changing the surface chemistry. Dynamic advancing contact angle measurements show a slip and stick pattern, increasing linearly as the droplet volume increased and then sharply dropping, as the pinning on the channel edge is overcome by the increasing droplet volume. We demonstrate a new class of cellulose materials with finely tunable morphology to control liquid interaction and a scalable process to fabricate those at large scale. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very important to improve the situation that paper mulching film is easily affected by rain and hot air aging in the field. In this paper, stearic acid and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were used to modify zinc oxide (ZnO) and silicon dioxide (SiO 2) to obtain particles with lower surface energy. Then, the modified ZnO and SiO 2 dispersion were brushed on the surface of paper mulch film by nylon brush, and the superhydrophobic paper mulch film was successfully prepared. The changes of hydrophobicity and mechanical properties of paper mulching film before and after dry heat aging were verified by contact angle and rolling angle test, acid-base salt test, self-cleaning test and mechanical test. The surface roughness, three-dimensional morphology and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize and analyze. The test results show that the prepared paper mulch film not only has extraordinary superhydrophobic performance, acid and alkali resistance, self-cleaning performance, but also can effectively improve the mechanical properties of paper film in dry and hot environment. The research content of this paper provides technical guidance for developing high-performance paper mulch film. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of the title paper [ Colloids and Surfaces A 606 (2020) 125456] reported to have hydrothermally synthesized nanosheet-constructed porous MnMoS 4 arrays on 3D Ni foam as a binder-free electrode in high performance supercapacitors. A critical analysis of the reported results viz. X-ray powder pattern and the elemental composition reveals that the electrode material is not MnMoS 4 as it contains substantial oxygen in addition to less Mo content than Mn. In this letter to the Editor, many points of criticism concerning the hydrothermal synthesis and interpretation of the experimental data are described to prove that MnMoS 4 (I) is a dubious material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of industrial and domestic effluents possessing oily contaminated water has become a global concern as a result of environmental contamination and pollution. Newly synthesized organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with special wetting and anti-wetting properties have been adopted in recent times to address this problem. However, this method has faced a few setbacks in curbing the situation, which leaves the problem persistent. In order to realize the full potential of hybrid composites in combating oil/water contamination, we synthesize a robust organic-inorganic superhydrophobic hybrid nanocomposite containing Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and silicon hydroxide (SiO 2) to coat cellulose filter paper for effective and efficient separation of oil/water mixtures. With a simple dip-coating technique, the superhydrophobic hybrid composite obtain a superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle as high as 161˚ on the filter paper. The coated membrane possessed a robust mechanical property as well as chemical stability which withstands a sandpaper abrasion test of up to 80 cycles and could retain its superhydrophobicity in acidic, neutral and alkaline media after 24hrs of immersion respectively. Moreover, the coated surface possessed nanopores which allows it to be used in oil water separation applications both under pressure and gravity with a separation efficiency of up to 99.7 % and can also be recycled many times for use. The excellent antifouling and self-cleaning ability of the coated membrane also prevents the adhesion of contaminants from the surface. The outstanding performance of the facilely and cost-effective fabricated superhydrophobic hybrid composite reveals a great potential for curbing the problems of oil contamination while addressing some existing barriers to the full potential realization of hybrid composites. [Display omitted] • Nano-hybrid superhydrophobic composites is designed and fabricated. • Fabricated nanocomposites possess a well-defined morphological surface for self-cleaning and antifouling applications. • Superhydrophobic hybrid composites possess excellent mechanical and chemical properties. • Fabricated nanocomposites can be used to separate different oil/water mixtures with high separation efficiencies and flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper industry, adding fillers can replace plant fibers in pulp, which is beneficial to environmental protection and cost reduction. However, the large-scale use of inorganic fillers can interfere with interfiber bonding, thereby affecting the physical properties of paper. Due to the loss of fillers and paper fibers, the pollution of paper machine white water is aggravated. In order to improve the above situation, diatomite was used as the matrix and modified by Al(OH) 3 in-situ precipitation. In this study, modified diatomite was used as a papermaking filler. Paper properties, retention and the chemical oxygen demand in papermaking wastewater were also evaluated. The results show that, compared with the blank control, the modified diatomite filler could effectively improve the retention rate and reduce the pollution of paper machine white water while maintaining the physical strength of the paper. Among them, the fiber retention rate of pulp raw material could reach 98.05% and the chemical oxygen demand content of paper machine white water was 30.10 mg L−1. [Display omitted] • Modified diatomite filler for paper making was prepared by in-situ precipitation of Al(OH) 3 on the surface of diatomite. • The modified diatomite changed the electronegativity of the surface and could link with pulp fibers better. • Wastewater quality and paper properties added by the modified diatomite and CPAM were significantly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governance of dye-containing and organic solvents emitted from the textile and chemical industries faces challenges. The device designed here has a "sandwich" structure, of which the lower superhydrophobic BiOCl fabric layer is to perform selective organic solvent penetration and dye photodegradation, meanwhile the surface exhibits a superhydrophobic property with a water contact angle of 159°. It should be noted that the BiOCl can be fabricated at room temperature and after 5 cycles of degradation the BiOCl loaded on the surface of fabric does not change. The middle layer is the filter paper, which is responsible for supplying a small amount of water and avoiding direct heating of the overall water. The upper layer is a polypyrrole layer, in which the light is converted into heat for local heating. The results show that the assembled device can be used to treat brine and sewage, achieving sewage treatment and clean water steam production. [Display omitted] • Polypyrrole growing on the surface of filter paper acts as a photothermal layer. • The floating layer achieves the outdoor photodegradation performance. • Clean solar steam generation and simultaneous removal of pollutants are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale application of water electrolysis technology is limited by the slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) that cause vast energy loss. Rational design and construction of hierarchical heterostructures are helpful for developing efficient OER electrocatalysts due to their interesting morphological features and electrochemical properties. Herein, we prepared hierarchical CoS 2 @(Fe,Ni)S 2 heterostructures on carbon fiber paper (CoS 2 @(Fe,Ni)S 2 /CFP) with particle-on-wire morphology using prussian blue analogue as template and precursor. The unique hierarchical heterostructure maximizes accessible active sites and the synergistic effect between different components significantly improves electrocatalytic activity. Impressively, CoS 2 @(Fe,Ni)S 2 /CFP electrocatalyst requires a small overpotential of 237 mV to achieve a current density of 20 mA cm−2 with a low Tafel slope of 54 mV dec−1 and the corresponding voltage has no obvious change after 60 h stability test under a constant current density of 50 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH solution. This work provides a new idea for the design of efficient and stable non-noble metal-based OER electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Combining CoS 2 with (Fe,Ni)S 2 to form hierarchical CoS 2 @(Fe,Ni)S 2 heterostructures. • The exquisite hierarchical heterostructure maximizes accessible active sites. • The unique particle-on-wire nanostructure enhances electrocatalytic performance. • The synergistic effect between CoS 2 and (Fe,Ni)S 2 improves OER activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasingly refined and complex usage scenarios, the use of purely superhydrophobic surfaces/interfaces has become increasingly limited. Flexible and stretchable superhydrophobic surface with self-cleaning fine-dust deposition function is gaining popularity, but their low-cost fabrication faces multiple challenges. Herein, a flexible superhydrophobic surface was fabricated using chewing gum and SiO 2 , while being can be shapeable, stretchable, self-healable, and reusable. The apparent contact angle (APCA) increases along with the dosage of SiO 2 increase, the apparent contact angle (APCA) reaches to the maximum of 156 ± 5°, and the sliding angle (SA) reaches 3 ± 2° at the dosage of SiO 2 1.0 g, the adhesive force reaches to minimum of 0.034 mN. The study demonstrated that this composite material exhibits self-cleaning fine-dust deposition surface properties by simply pasting it onto different surfaces of metals, fabrics, paper, and plastics. The chewing gum/SiO 2 material shows robust resistance to sandpaper abrasion, tape-peeling, finger wiping, and solutions with different pH values. This material can be used on metals, fabrics, paper, and plastics for a myriad of self-cleaning fine-dust deposition applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon paper-based electrochemical sensors offer the possibility of long-term in vivo monitoring of the biomarkers due to their chemical stability and porous structure. However, the serious self-staking and aggregation of the carbon materials seriously block the diffusion of target biomolecules and limit the sensitivity and selectivity of the device. Here we report a controllable interfacial coupling strategy in which a composite paper electrode made by electrostatic self-assembling reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on carbon fiber (CF) modified with cationic polyacrylamide to avoid the self-stacking in scalable wet papermaking and thus increased accessible electrochemically active surface area and accelerate the diffusion of biomarkers. The resulting composite paper shows improved stability, high selectivity, long-durability, and excellent sensitivity in the electrochemical detection of biomarkers such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and uric acid. Our approach, which combines mature industrial paper technology with interface engineering and electrochemical reduction, offers a potential avenue for low-cost and scalable implantable electrodes for timely and long-term monitoring in the surgical and clinical applications. [Display omitted] • RGO was uniformly coupled on the CFs assisted by interfacial CPAM molecules. • Large-scale preparation of electrodes through traditional wet papermaking. • Enlarged electrochemically active surface area of composite paper electrodes. • Excellent selectivity and sensitivity in detection of biomarkers such as DA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we have synthesized amphiphilic anthraimidazoldione derivative that can form nanoassembly in the aqueous medium. The π-conjugated backbone with facile intramolecular charge transfer from the substituted aryl residue to anthraquinone unit attributed to the profound orange color. Despite having the metal ion chelating aminoethyl acetamide unit, the compound showed no interaction with metal ions in the aqueous medium. However, a highly selective color-changing response, from orange to yellow (Δλ ∼52 nm), was observed upon addition of Hg2+ ion at micellar interface. Also, a turn-on fluorescence response (∼5.2-fold) was witnessed with Hg2+. It was observed that in addition to hydrophobic microenviroment, the orientation of molecules at water-surfactant interface also responsible for the chromogenic response towards Hg2+ ion. The mechanistic investigation indicated that Hg2+ ion coordinates with the aminoethyl acetamide unit, resulting restriction in the extent of intramolecular charge transfer. Considering such highly ratiometric response, the present system has been employed for analysis of Hg2+ ion in diluted urine and blood serum samples. The high recovery values (95.4 % to 104.3 %) with relatively low standard deviations (< 4.2 %) indicated that the present system is fairly successful in screening of complex real-life samples. Finally, we have designed low-cost, reusable, chemically modified paper strips for on-location, rapid analysis of mercury ions. [Display omitted] • Amphiphilic anthraimidazoldione derivatives form nanoassembly in water. • Nanomolar level detection of metal ion at micelle-water interface. • Metal ion coordination with aminoethyl acetamide unit, resulting in restricted ICT. • Analysis of Hg2+ ion in diluted urine and blood serum samples. • Chemically-modified paper strips for rapid, on-site detection of Hg2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical to understand the interaction mechanism of fiber-bubble before the foam-forming technique is used to disperse the long fiber and tailor the material microporous structure. Herein, the adhesion behavior of ionic and nonionic surfactants with different concentrations on five fibers was investigated, and the effect of electrostatic force and adhesion driving force on the interaction between fibers and bubbles was analyzed. In addition, the fiber dispersion mechanisms and the response mechanism of the fiber orientation and tensile strength of foam-formed paper on the interaction strength between fiber and bubble were clarified. The results show that the adhesion ability between hydrophobic fibers with weak surface polarity and cationic and amphoteric surfactants is more obvious. Though electrostatic repulsion weakens the interaction strength of fibers with anionic surfactants, the adhesion ability can exist when the adhesion driving force is larger than 6.6 mN/m. Furthermore, the bridge effect between ethoxylated surfactant headgroups with the acylamino on the aramid fiber surface also propels the adhesion behavior of bubble-fiber. The fiber dispersion mechanisms were proposed based on the adhesion effect of the fiber-bubble, electrostatic elimination, and high-viscosity (≥95 mPa∙s) properties of the "foam-fiber" slurry. Eventually, under the gradually decreased interaction strength between fibers and bubbles, the fiber orientation in the Z direction of foam-formed NBSKP fiber paper turned from −20°-20° to −60°-40°, and the tensile strength decreased from 693 KPa to 537 KPa. This work has implications for improving the long fiber dispersion and regulating the structure of foam-formed fiber composites. [Display omitted] • The interaction between fibers and bubbles was elucidated. • Adhesion existence when the adhesion driving force is larger than 6.6 mN/m. • Interaction strength is a key parameter affecting fiber dispersion. • Electrostatic elimination and high viscosity are key fiber dispersion mechanisms. • Interaction strength can be used to regulate fiber orientation and paper strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline (PANI) coated porous iron phosphide (PANI/p-FeP) supported on nitrogen‑doped carbon fiber/carbon paper (PANI/p-FeP/NCF/CP) is prepared as a high efficient electrocatalyst for water splitting. The synergistic effect between PANI coating and underlying porous FeP not only affords richly exposed active sites, but also modulates the electronic structure of FeP and thus accelerates the charge or mass transfer efficiency, which eventually improves the catalytic activity. The self-supported PANI/p-FeP/NCF/CP composite requires low overpotentials of 59 and 76 mV at 10 mA cm−2 current density in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and 1.0 M KOH for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Otherwise, PANI/p-FeP/NCF/CP only requires an overpotential of 355 mV at 10 mA cm–2 in 1.0 M KOH for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). PANI/p-FeP/NCF/CP exhibits good durability for HER and OER due to the protective effect of PANI coating in the electrochemical process. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN@RB-NA)-based fluorescent nanomaterial was developed for fast and selective detection of a nerve agent simulant, diethylchlorophosphate (DCP), where two chromophores, naphthalimide and rhodamine B, were co-functionalized on the surface of MSN through their silane derivatives. The successful immobilization of the two fluorescent derivatives on MSN was demonstrated by a variety of characterization methods including FT-IR, BET-BJH, XPS, TEM, TGA, and solid-state 13C NMR, etc. A filter-paper sensor based on the dual-chromophore-functionalized MSN was tested for DCP vapor detection. Fluorescence measurements revealed that DCP can induce fluorescence reduction of naphthalimide unit at 476 nm and enhanced emission of rhodamine B at 575 nm of the paper sensor. Control experiments reveal that the piperazine group connected with the naphthalimide unit is responsible for DCP recognition, and a FRET process from naphthalimide to rhodamine B is believed the reason for the observed enhanced rhodamine emission. The paper sensor exhibits high sensitivity to DCP vapor with detection limit at 4.58 ppb, excellent selectivity over other 17 interferents, and fast response speed (< 1 s). Moreover, the present work provides an easy way for fast visual detection of DCP vapor. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular gels with metal ion-responsiveness are an important kind of smart materials due to their potential application in environmental monitoring. In this study, a novel l -glutamine-contained 1,8-naphthalimide derivative (NDG) has been designed and synthesized as an organogelator. NDG could self-assemble into stable supramolecular organogels in different kind of solvents, and the gelation process showed bright blue aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The self-assembly behavior, morphology and structure of NDG gels were thoroughly studied by various techniques. Interestingly, the obtained NDG organogel exhibited a fluorescence "turn-off" response for Fe3+ and formed a stable metallogel NDG -Fe3+. The detection limit (LOD) of NDG in diluted solution and gel states for Fe3+ was calculated to be 30.8 nM and 11.5 nM, respectively, indicating high sensitivity. In addition, the blue fluorescence emission of the gel system was restored in the presence of ascorbic acid and then quenched again with oxygen, which showed reversible fluorescence sensing effect and employed as a logic gate at the molecular level. Furthermore, xerogel-based film of NDG emitted strong blue emission and could be utilized as paper-based chemosensor to detect Fe3+. And also, the NDG gel had potential application in fluorescence display material. [Display omitted] • A l -glutamine-contained 1,8-naphthalimide gelator was synthesized with AIE effect. • The organogel exhibited a fluorescence response for Fe3+ by gel-gel transition. • The gel system was potentially constructed as a molecular logic gate. • Paper-based gel film was used in Fe3+ recognition and as display material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, MOF-In 2 S 3 were modified by ZnFe-layered dioxides (LDO) with strong stability to obtain high catalytic performance composite. The successful preparation of ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 not only retains the advantages of large specific surface area of MOF-In 2 S 3 and the stability of ZnFe-LDO, but also improves its charge separation efficiency and the light absorption region through the construction of heterojunctions. As expected, the experimental results show that ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 has superior photo-electrocatalytic properties. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 for TCH and OTC reach 92.92% and 80%, respectively, within 25 min. And the corresponding degradation rate constants are up to 1.41332 and 0.45451 L·mg−1·min−1, respectively, which are accord with the pseudo-second-order kinetic constants. The intermediate of 0.6LDO/M-I degradation of TCH was proposed by liquid mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Notably, a special transient surface photovoltage (TPV) technique was used for discussing the charge transfer kinetics and the lifetime of photogenerated carriers. Based on Mott-Schottky (M-S), Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum (UV), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results, and active substance capture experiment results, a Z-scheme heterojunction system was proposed. The above research work proposed a new approach to enhance the stability of catalytic materials by using the aid of layered dioxides. In addition, the characterization of surface photovoltage provides a new way to study charge transfer. In this paper, a novel ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 composite material has been successfully prepared, and its general morphology is mainly composed of MOF-In 2 S 3 nanoparticles coated with ZnFe-LDO material. After characterization and conclusion analysis, the catalyst material conforms to Z-scheme heterostructure and has excellent charge transfer rate and catalytic efficiency. [Display omitted] • ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 Z-scheme composite was prepared successfully for the first time. • ZnFe-LDO/MOF-In 2 S 3 has excellent carrier separation efficiency, wide light absorption range and high redox capacity. • The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 0.6LDO/M-I for TCH and OTC were 92.92% and 80%, respectively. • The corresponding degradation rate constants of 0.6LDO/M-I accord with the pseudo-second-order kinetic constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning the microstructure of composite energetic materials is an effective way to improve charging, safety, and combustion performance. In this paper, boron (B)/barium chromate (BaCrO 4) composite particles with controllable microstructure were prepared using droplet microfluidic technology (DMT). Based on the theory of droplet template self-assembly, composite particles with controllable morphology, size, and composition were prepared, revealing the regulation mechanism of the particle microstructure. The composite particles prepared using DMT exhibit a uniform distribution of characteristic elements, high circularity, smooth surface, enhanced bulk density, and excellent flow properties. The thermal decomposition characteristics, safety, and combustion properties of the samples were investigated by thermal weight loss, mechanical sensitivity, and combustion tests. Thermal weight loss and mechanical sensitivity tests showed that the samples had stable thermal decomposition properties and significantly increased mechanical stability compared to the control. The combustion test results showed that the DMT-prepared samples had a short ignition response time and significantly improved delay precision. This paper presents a straightforward method for preparing B/BaCrO 4 particles with high delay accuracy, which can serve as a reference for preparing other composites. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term discharge of tetracycline (TC) in the environment exerts selective pressure on the bacteria, increasing resistance in sensitive bacteria and posing a serious threat to public health. Therefore, it is crucial to develop real-time detection of tetracycline. In this study, we reported a novel rare-earth fluorescent nanosensor FITC-GMP-Eu, based on the formation of guanosine-5′-monophosphate disodium salt (GMP) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), which enabled the real-time identification of tetracycline in the environment. When there was no TC in the environmental sample, the FITC-GMP-Eu nanosensor exhibited the green fluorescence of FITC due to the fluorescence quenching effect of water molecules on Eu3+. When the environmental samples contained TC, the red fluorescence of Eu3+ could be sensitized due to the diketone structure in the tetracycline molecule, which enabled the naked-eye visualized identification of TC. The nanosensor had high sensitivity (detection limit of 19 nM) and a wide detection range (0–30 μM) for TC. At the same time, the sensor was characterized by high visualization and anti-interference ability due to the strong fluorescence of both FITC and Eu complexes. In order to improve the practicality of the detection, this study also prepared a paper-based and sodium alginate gelated fluorescence detection platform with low background fluorescence. Combined with the common color analysis and RGB extraction procedures in mobile phones, real-time and on-site identification of TC on the surface of various fruit samples can be achieved. [Display omitted] • An innovative multicolor fluorescent nano-sensor was elaborately tailored. • The nano-sensor had high sensitivity and a wide detection range for TC. • The paper-based and sodium alginate gelated fluorescence detection platform. • Real-time and intelligent identification of TC on various fruit samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis is a reliable method to solve energy crisis and generate green energy hydrogen. ZnO@ZnS (ZOS) formed heterojunction repressed carrier complexation and thus enhanced photocatalytic performance, but its low photoresponse efficiency limited its photocatalytic performance. Therefore, in this paper, ZnO@ZnS was modified with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to form ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH composites with coupling interface. The modification of EDTA could inhibite the oxidation of FeOOH during the synthesis process, and what's more it could enhance the charge transfer at the heterojunction interface to promote the separation of electron-hole pairs and photoresponsive ability to further enhanced the hydrogen precipitation performance. The concentration of EDTA and Fe sources were regulated to investigate the photocatalytic hydrogen production capacity of the composites. The results indicated that the ternary composite ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH had the superior hydrogen evolution performance with the hydrogen evolution rate of 529.17 umol g−1 h−1, which was 2.4 times higher than that of ZOS. EDTA acts as an electron channel to enhance the inter-interfacial electron transfer capability, and the loading of FeOOH formed a heterojunction structure, which promoted carrier separation and enhanced the photoresponse. It's the synergistic effect to enhanced the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance. This paper provided a method for the construction of ternary heterojunctions and interfacial charge transport channels. [Display omitted] • EDTA was coated on ZnO@ZnS to form ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH. • EDTA facilitates the growth of FeOOH avoiding oxidation on the surface of ZnO@ZnS. • EDTA as an electron channel, enhanced the interfacial electron transport capacity. • The ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH exhibited photocatalytic activity of 529.17 umol g−1 h−1 of H 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the environmental pressure caused by SF 6 emissions, SF 6 /N 2 has been widely used in power systems as a replacement gas. In case of abnormal equipment failure, SF 6 /N 2 will decompose and produce many kinds of toxic and harmful gases, so it is necessary to place molecular sieves to safeguard the insulation performance of the equipment. Since γ-Al 2 O 3 is the main component of molecular sieves, the adsorption of N 2 O and NF 3 on the surface of γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) is systematically calculated in this paper using density functional theory to investigate the adsorption energy, charge transfer, density of states (DOS), electrons density difference (EDD), electron localization function (ELF) and frontier molecular orbital theory for their stable configurations. The calculated results show that although N 2 O adsorption on γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) is slightly stronger than NF 3 , both gases have weak interactions with γ-Al 2 O 3 (110) and thus may both be physisorbed. This paper deepens the basic understanding of adsorbent adsorption of SF 6 /N 2 decomposition gases in power equipment, and provides a theoretical basis for the optimisation study of adsorbents required for equipment with SF 6 /N 2 as the insulating medium. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, chitosan modified cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu 2 O/CTS NPs) with Cr(VI)-specific oxidoreductase-like activity were facilely synthesized via one-step reduction method. In the presence of Cr(VI), colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) was rapidly oxidized to blue colored oxTMB with the aid of Cu 2 O/CTS NPs. Systematic studies including steady-state kinetics analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) analysis, radical trapping experiments and photoluminescence spectroscopy were conducted to investigate the catalytic mechanism, which was verified to be electron transfer and active species-involved redox reaction. Based on promoted catalytic oxidation of TMB, a selective and sensitive colorimetric method for fast detection of Cr(VI) was proposed. Under the optimal conditions, this colorimetric method exhibited a wide linear range (0.01–35 μM), low limit of detection (0.5 nM) and short assay time (1 min). In addition, test strip for visual detection of Cr(VI) was constructed by processing the Cu 2 O/CTS NPs+TMB+Cr(VI) sensing system on paper. With the aid of smartphone, a detection limit of 312 nM was achieved within 5 min, showing great potential for on-site detection. Moreover, the method was applied to detect Cr(VI) in spiked tap and lake water samples, the good recoveries (96.10%−103.13%) and low relative standard deviations (1.03%−3.25%) demonstrated the feasibility of the assay. [Display omitted] • Cu 2 O/CTS NPs with specific oxidoreductase-like activity were facilely synthesized. • Photoexcited electrons and active species contributed to the redox reaction between TMB and Cr(VI). • Colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) was proposed based on promoted catalytic oxidation of TMB. • Cu 2 O/CTS NPs-modified test paper allows portable and on-site detection of Cr(VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the exposed shortcomings of steel structures containing collapse at high temperature, severe corrosion phenomenon and susceptibility to pollution have gradually restricted their widespread applications in the significant fields of national economy. Aimed at overcoming these crucial problems, this paper was inspired by the superhydrophobic phenomenon on the surface of lotus leaves that the environmental and multifunction-integrated coatings with concave-convex scale-like micro-nanostructures were fabricated via one-step spraying method. Among the chemical composition of coatings, epoxy resin (EP) and silicone resin (SR) can act as the composite binders with good adhesion and hydrophobicity for attaching the fillers to the substrates. And the fillers composed of cyclodextrin-based flame retardant (MCDPM) and expandable graphite (EG) will exert the bidirectional action in fabricating the rough surface microstructure and enhancing the fire resistance of coatings. The results have revealed that as-prepared coatings exhibit low-adhesion super-hydrophobicity with the water contact angle (WCA) of 153.9° and the water sliding angle (WSA) of 8° that will induce a series of excellent performance in self-cleaning and corrosion resistance. In addition, good chemical stability and environmental durability have been simultaneously achieved for superhydrophobic coatings. Most of all, the exceptional fire protection ability of the designed coatings has been verified. Accompanied by the advanced formation of dense, continuous and high-yield char layers, the backside temperature of coated steel plate has been reduced to 269 °C during 1 h fire burning tests, which is far less than the critical collapse temperature of bare steel structure. Accordingly, compared to EP/SR coatings, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release rate (THR) of the EP/SR-3 coatings are decreased by 68.8% and 96.6%, interpreting the intensified fire safety of coated steel structure. And the potential condensed flame-retardant mechanism has been further inferred and illustrated by systematically analyzing the combustion residue. Consequently, this paper has explored a straightforward route to address the issues of multiple defects for steel structures that extend the in-depth application in real-world fields. [Display omitted] • Superhydrophobic coatings were fabricated via spraying method. • As-prepared coatings possess good self-cleaning, anti-fouling and anti-corrosion properties. • Good durability of as-prepared coatings are achieved. • Backside temperature of coated steel is lowered to 269 °C, manifesting the excellent fire protection ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortage of drinking water and water pollution are the two major problems facing social development. Although being successful in the production of clean water, traditional interface evaporators are ineffective in the removal of dissolved and non-water-soluble pollutants. This paper follows the design of interface evaporators, with superhydrophobic canvas, filter paper and CuO/Cu 2 O/copper foam serving as the floating layer, the water transport channel and the photothermal transfer layer respectively. An evaporation rate of 1.18 kg•m−2•h−1 was obtained using the constructed interface evaporator, which had the ability to selectively adsorb floating organic solvents owing to the non-wettability of the floating layer, while the floating layer it had the performance of photodegradable soluble dyes due to the existence of Bi 2 WO 6. [Display omitted] • An interface evaporator with a sandwich structure was constructed. • The presence of Bi 2 WO 6 endowed the floating layer with photodegradation ability. • CuO/Cu 2 O/copper foam was used as the photothermal layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing adsorbent materials based on biomass that can be easily recycled and reused to remove water pollutants has received widespread attention. A novel method for the preparation of calcium alginate/poly (vinyl alcohol)/boric acid (as–synthesized Ca-APB) aerogel fibers for highly efficient adsorption of methylene blue by directed freezing wet–spinning was presented in this paper. The Ca-APB-0.5 aerogel fibers exhibited a hierarchical structure consisting of a honeycomb micron pore structure with mesopores walls, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 508.99 mg/g in 5 h at 293 K. Meanwhile, the experimental data for Ca-APB-0.5 aerogel fibers showed the best fit to the Freundlich model and pseudo–second–order model. Moreover, the adsorption capacity was investigated for three consecutive cycles, with 469.37, 457.19, and 439.77 mg/g in the first, second, and third cycles, respectively. This paper proves that the hierarchical structure of alginate-based aerogel fiber is an effective dye adsorption material with high efficiency, reusability, and eco-friendliness. [Display omitted] • Robust alginate–based aerogel fibers via directed freezing–wet spinning. • Restriction of Ca2+ complexation by boric acid reduces the consumption of active groups. • Efficient adsorbent based on multi-active groups and hierarchical structure. • Micron macropores for channeling and nanopores for adsorption, inspired by soil pores. • Aerogel fibers realized high efficiency, reusability, and eco-friendliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longer detection times and low sensitivities are the two main drawbacks of applying colorimetric detection methods in field applications where rapid and sensitive detection is required. A discovery of the enhancement of nanozymatic activity via electrochemical means which significantly reduces the analyte detection time and enables ultra-low detection levels has been reported in this paper. A novel, simple and facile approach for the synthesis of carbon quantum dot-gold nanoparticles (CQD-AuNPs) has been developed. The CQD-AuNPs showcased catalytic activity through the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and followed the characteristic Michaelis-Menten equation. Surprisingly, the catalytic activity of CQD-AuNPs nanohybrids enhanced considerably while the reaction was completed under an electrochemical process and assisted the detection of H 2 O 2 and Dopamine (DA) with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 240 nM, and 0.75 μM, respectively. Most importantly, the detection time decreased by 60-fold compared to conventional nanozymatic reactions. The work covered in this paper provides a novel approach to develop the nanocomposite and a new detection technique that can be utilized across various fields of science and engineering to improve and exploit enzymatically dependent reactions. [Display omitted] • Nanozymatic activity of CQD-AuNPs to detect H 2 O 2 and dopamine has been presented. • Electrochemically enhanced nanozymatic activity of CQD-AuNPs has been reported. • The LOD value for H 2 O 2 and dopamine was 240 nM and 0.75 µM, respectively. • The proposed method was 60 times faster than the conventional nanozymatic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of liquid marbles is critical to their application in sensors, microfluidic control, microreactors, and other fields. A more comprehensive understanding of the rupture kinetics of liquid marble is instructive for studies in improving the stability of liquid marble. However, the mechanism of rupture of liquid marbles is not clear at present, therefore, this paper addressed this issue by calculating the displacement of particles on the surface of a liquid marble using the DIC (Digital Image Correlation) algorithm. The distribution characteristics of the particles on the surface of the liquid marble and their movement patterns were clarified, the causes of cracks on the marble surface were analyzed, the mechanism of liquid marble rupture was derived, and the effect of volume on rupture kinetics was analyzed. Based on the obtained data, a method was proposed to control the maximum compression that the liquid marble can withstand by spraying different sizes of superhydrophobic coatings. This paper contributes to the study of the stability of liquid marble, allowing its wider application in industrial production. [Display omitted] • Particle displacements on the surface of liquid marbles were accurately measured by the DIC algorithm. • The displacement patterns of particles on the surface of liquid marbles and the causes of their cracks were analyzed. • The effect of the volume of the liquid marbles on the cracking mechanism was analyzed. • The maximum compression that liquid marble can withstand was controlled by different sizes of superhydrophobic coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodochrosite and calcite have similar physicochemical characteristics and floatability, making it difficult for conventional flotation collectors to effectively separate the two minerals. In this paper, a novel 3-tetradecylamine propyl amidoxime (TPA) collector with selective and excellent collection capability for rhodochrosite has been investigated. The micro-flotation experiments showed that the flotation performance of TPA is superior to that of the commonly used sodium oleate (NaOL) collector, and the separation of rhodochrosite and calcite can be achieved under neutral conditions. At a slurry pH of 7 and a dosage of 2.0 × 10−4 mol/L, TPA provided a recovery of 88.5% for rhodochrosite and only 15.0% for calcite. The mechanism of interaction between TPA and minerals was examined by contact angle, Zeta potential tests and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, which indicated that TPA selectively adsorbed on the surface of rhodochrosite rather than calcite. Finally, the adsorption behavior of TPA molecules on the surface of rhodochrosite was confirmed by Density functional theory (DFT) calculation to be through electrostatic interaction. This paper provides a novel collector for the flotation separation of rhodochrosite from calcite with excellent collecting ability and selectivity, which is significant for the efficient utilization of manganese ore resources. [Display omitted] • A amidoxime collector TPA was prepared and introduced in rhodochrosite flotation. • The adsorption mechanism of TPA on the surface of pure rhodochrosite was studied. • TPA has better flotation performance and selectivity than NaoL for rhodochrosite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aimed at getting rid of the complicated preparation procedure, multi-functional superhydrophobic coatings inspired by natural plants have been successfully constructed on different matrix via a facile and effective spraying technology in this paper. The innovation of this paper lies in directly employing the unmodified fillers to establish the superhydrophobic coatings system with high performance. The results have revealed that the water contact angle (WCA) and water sliding angle (WSA) of as-prepared coatings can reach 155.4° and 8°, confirming the superhydrophobicity with low surface adhesion is achieved. And the potential superhydrophobic mechanism can be ascribed to the enrichment of low surface energy components on the homogeneous and rough grain structure of as-prepared coatings. Simultaneously, as-prepared coatings have exhibited the good self-cleaning property, anti-fouling property, and anti-icing property. Surprisingly, the mechanical stability of superhydrophobic coatings can be maintained after 50 cycles during the friction experiments. And the oil-water separation ability for the coated metal meshes was also obtained with high separation efficiency of 95%. Moreover, the anti-corrosion ability was also systematically investigated and its potential anti-corrosion mechanism of superhydrophobic coatings is primarily deduced. Therefore, the multifunctional and robust superhydrophobic coatings with biomimetic structure were established via a simple strategy, which is expected to be applied in field of metal corrosion and protection and multi-functional surface material in the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a "process-based" 3-phase model is applied to explore how multiphase fluid flow behaviour in two non-uniform wettability systems, named weakly oil-wet (WOW) and mixed-wet large (MWL), change when gas and oil move towards miscibility (σ go → 0). In the course of the theoretical development, we indicate how parts of the theory have been validated and confirmed satisfactorily by summarising experimental data from the literature. To demonstrate how the complexities of the three-phase physics interact with the system wettability, we use a capillary bundle (CB) model for the porous medium. This is sufficient to show the main processes which occur in the transition from immiscible to miscible behaviour. Even although the CB model is the simplest possible case for a porous medium, the results demonstrate a high level of unpredictable complexity which cover key parameters of the physics of 3-phase flow within porous media. In addition, for each case, the results point to the specific physical parameter that controls the phase separation lines. In some cases, gas injection or oil injection in a WOW system, the phase displacement changes quite radically as the system goes towards miscibility since there is a transition in wetting order from O/W/G to O/G/W. The differences and similarities between saturation paths in WOW and MWL are described in detail. For a given pore size distribution (PSD), the 3-phase displacements are controlled by the parameters of the rock wettability structure (see text) and the 3 interfacial tensions. Moving towards miscibility, 3-phase fluid displacement for gas injection and oil invasion are controlled by IFTs, while for water flooding, wettability structure plays the key role at all miscibility conditions. Although the simple CB model cannot describe all phenomena, such as phase trapping, the phase displacement paths, still the pore occupancies are qualitatively correct. Results of various phase injection in WOW are broadly consistent with pore occupancy sequences observations from pore scale X-Ray image analysis in literature despite simplicity of the theory which is validated in terms of its underling physics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]