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Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), one of the most common types of cancers occurring in the head and neck region, is often associated with high mortality rates due to its invasiveness and morbidity. The mainstream treatment methods in clinical settings, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, may cause poor overall survival rate and prognosis, with issues such as drug resistance, damage to adjacent healthy tissues, and potential recurrences. Other treatment approaches such as immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photothermal therapy (PPT) also suffer from inefficient tumor targeting and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Early detection is vital for HNSCC patients, but it is always limited by insensitivity and confusing clinical manifestations. Hence, it is highly desirable to develop optimized therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. With the boom in nanomaterials, nanotechnology-conducted HNSCC therapy has attracted widespread attention. Nanoparticles (NPs) are distinguished by their unique morphology and superior physicochemical property, and some can exhibit direct antitumor activity, while others serve as promising candidates for drug delivery. In addition, NPs offer the potential for structural modification for drug delivery and tumor targeting, enabling specific delivery to tumor cells through conjugation with biomarker ligands and improving cargo biocompatibility. This work reviews current therapies and diagnosis methods for HNSCC, highlights the characteristics of the major NPs, surveys their uses and advantages in the treatment of HNSCC, and discusses the obstacles and prospects in clinical applications, aiming to enlighten future research directions for nanotechnology-based therapy for HNSCC., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflicts of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Pristine ZnO (Z), MnO 2 (M), CuO (C) photocatalysts and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-assisted MnO 2 -ZnO-CuO (MZC) nanocomposites were synthesized via the sol-gel method. The synthesized samples were characterized using thermal analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. The thermal analysis results of the prepared nanomaterial confirmed that the suitable calcination temperature for the synthesis of these nanomaterials is 420 °C. In addition to the morphological and elemental composition, the characteristic diffraction peaks of the MZC nanomaterial were found to align with those of the pristine Z, M, and C photocatalysts. The photocatalytic activities of the synthesized nanomaterials for methylene blue (MB) degradation were evaluated under optimized conditions. The degradation efficiencies of Z, M, C, and MZC were found to be 45%, 57%, 66%, and 93%, respectively, for MB in 180 minutes. The MZC nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine materials, which is attributed to the synergetic effect of the Z, M, and C photocatalysts. The effects of pH, initial dye concentration, and catalyst load were also explored to determine the optimum conditions. The best photocatalytic efficiency was observed at pH 8, with a 130 mg L -1 catalyst load, and a 10 mg L -1 initial dye concentration. The efficiency of the MZC nanocomposite in real textile wastewater was also tested, achieving 80% degradation of pollutants within 180 minutes. Recycling experiments were conducted for four consecutive cycles under optimal conditions. The photodegradation efficiency for the first, second, third, and fourth cycles was 93%, 91%, 90%, and 89%, respectively, demonstrating high consistency in photodegradation performance across the four cycles. Moreover, a Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was proposed as a potential mechanism for the MZC photocatalytic system., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Liquid crystal materials are well known in display applications, and their unique birefringence and electrical tunability can be utilised in microwave devices. This innovative technology modulates and filters microwave signals, replacing conventional semiconductors for a broad operational frequency band and tunable phase shift. Although isothiocyanatobiphenylacetylene-based liquid crystals exhibit low viscosity and large dielectric anisotropy, their applications in microwave communication are hampered by their broad near-crystalline phase temperature ranges. To address this limitation, this study designed and synthesized six fluorinated biphenylacetylene liquid crystal compounds with various benzene ring side-methyl substitutions ( n = 3-5). The molecular structures, liquid crystal phases, and microwave dielectric properties were evaluated. Our findings indicate that compounds with methyl substitution at the Y 2 position exhibited reduced melting points, an expanded nematic phase temperature range (Δ T n ≈ 92.3 °C), and an absence of near-crystalline phases. These compounds still maintain high microwave dielectric constants within the 9-30 GHz frequency band (Δ ε r = 0.9-1.3) and reduced maximum permittivity losses compared to their non-methyl-substituted counterparts, thereby improving the efficiency in the microwave frequency band. In contrast, the Y 1 position substitution results in a significantly narrower nematic phase temperature range (approximately 2.6 °C on average) and a substantial decrease in the dielectric constant, with a Δ ε r reduction of about 0.3 compared to the Y 2 substitution. This work shows that the side-methyl substitution can improve the performance of triphenylacetylene-based liquid crystals in microwave communication, providing valuable insight to aid the discovery of novel microwave liquid crystals., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

With the rapid development of electric vehicle technology, commercial graphite anodes (theoretical capacity of 372 mA h g -1 ) of lithium-ion batteries cannot meet the needs for high power density. Silicon has high theoretical capacity (4200 mA h g -1 ), low working voltage (about 0.4 V vs. Li/Li + ), rich resources and environmental friendly nature; hence, it is regarded as a potential negative electrode material. During repeated charging and discharging, silicon particles continuously pulverize, which leads to the volume expansion of electrode materials (up to 400%) and a decrease in conductivity. In this study, high-purity nano-silicon was prepared via a calcination-ball milling-pickling process with low-cost silicon cutting waste (SiCW) as a raw material to meet the needs of lithium-ion batteries for high-purity and nano-scale silicon-based anodes. At the same time, silicon@graphite nanocomposites with different mass ratios were prepared via a low-cost industrialized ball-milling process. The easy intercalation and softness of the graphite layer structure realized the coating and joining of nano-silicon, which improved the conductivity of nano-silicon and restrained the rapid degradation of cycling performance caused by the expansion and pulverization of the silicon-based anode. Adopting low-cost raw materials and industrialization-based preparation processes can effectively control the production cost of silicon-based anode materials and lay a solid foundation for their practicality., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Developing versatile sorption materials for radionuclides ( e.g. iodine) capture has been a critical goal in nuclear energy and environmental science. At the same time, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), on account of their high porosity and functional scaffolds, have opened up a new way to develop adsorbents in recent years. Herein, two kinds of COF materials containing thiophene (TAPT-COF and TAB-COF), as iodine sorbents, are designed and synthesized by Schiff base reaction. Among them, TAB-COF has a higher surface area (TAPT-COF: 1141 m 2 g -1 , TAB-COF: 1378 m 2 g -1 ), which is helpful for the physical iodine adsorption. More importantly, the COF backbone is rich in both N and S sites, which is advantageous to the chemical adsorption of iodine. These two features make the two COFs ideal iodine sorption materials. For example, TAB-COF has an excellent gaseous iodine adsorption capacity (2.81 g g -1 ) and is one of the most efficient iodine adsorption materials. Meanwhile, TAB-COF has an excellent adsorption effect on iodine in the cyclohexane system, which can reach 200 mg g -1 . In addition, the DFT calculations proved that both imine N and thiophene S serve as active sites during the iodine adsorption. TAB-COF exposes more active sites on the premise of having a higher surface area, thereby leading to a higher iodine adsorption capacity. The results here indicate improved sorption efficacy by introducing thiophene in COFs for sorption applications in general and especially pave the way for developing stable and effective COF sorbents for iodine capture from various environments., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Convection and diffusion are key pathways for the migration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and heavy metals (HMs) from soil to groundwater. However, the extent of their influence on pollutant migration, as well as the nonlinear relationships between these processes and pollutants, remains unclear. This study investigates the spatial distribution of TPH and HMs at a petrochemical site with complex hydrogeological conditions in southwestern China. In addition, machine learning (ML) was used to assess the effects of convection and diffusion on pollutant migration at the soil-groundwater interface. The analysis identifies and reveals TPH, Co, and Ni as the primary pollutants, with soil concentrations reaching 47.427, 7.024, and 4.766 times their respective screening values. Among various ML models, Random Forest (RF) was identified as the most effective, based on R 2 , and RMSE performance metrics. The RF model demonstrates that the concentrations of TPH and As are closely related to soil depth. Furthermore, importance indices calculated by RF indicate that the significance of convection and diffusion varies across different soil-groundwater systems. Specifically, at the soil-perched water interface, convection plays a more significant role than diffusion in influencing the migration of TPH and As. However, at the soil-pore water interface, diffusion more significantly influences the migration of all pollutants compared to convection. Additionally, a threshold or saturation effect was observed for the impact of the convection factor on pollutant concentrations in groundwater. These findings highlight the distinct roles of convection and diffusion across various water interfaces, providing new insights into the mechanisms governing contaminant migration and fate., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

A study was undertaken into the emulsification and viscosity reduction processes of crude oil originating from the Jurassic formation of the Sichuan Basin. Central to this investigation was the successful synthesis of a carbon-based nano emulsifier named GOPH, utilizing graphene oxide as substrate and hydrophilic alkyl glycidyl ether and polyoxyethylene ether as modifiers. The structural integrity of this nano-emulsifier was comprehensively characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Notably, GOPH nanofluids exhibited a remarkable merit in decreasing the oil/water interfacial tension from 31.96 mN m -1 to a low value of 9.76 mN m -1 with a critical concentration of 45 ppm. Moreover, interfacial film folding experiments revealed that GOPH nanoparticles "jammed" at the oil-water interface, forming a robust film. When Jurassic crude oil was the oil phase, and GOPH nanofluids were introduced into the water phase, the crude oil was successfully induced to form a low-viscosity oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Emulsion droplet size and viscosity measurements demonstrated that this emulsion possessed small size distributions with remarkable stability, achieving a viscosity reduction of up to 91.6% at a water content of 80%. The underlying mechanism for this phenomenon mainly lies in the interaction between the carbon-based nano-emulsifier and asphaltene, which form a composite unit, enabling the construction of a flexible interfacial film that significantly stabilizes the O/W emulsion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Essential oil of Acorus tatarinowii Schott (ATEO) have significant biological activity, but their physical and chemical properties are unstable and susceptible to interference by external factors, resulting in oxidation, decomposition, and isomerization of essential oils (EOs), ultimately diminishing the quality of EOs and escalating clinical risks. In this research, based on the concept of " combination of medicine and adjuvant, " the unsuitable stabilizer Cinnabaris in Lingzhu powder prescription was modified with a SiO 2 surface to become a stabilizer suitable for Pickering emulsion. The modified Cinnabaris was synthesized, with a focus on exploring the surface modification of Cinnabaris to facilitate its role as a stabilizer in Pickering emulsion. Thermal stability studies showed that modified Cinnabaris -stabilized emulsion had higher EOs retention and lower peroxide value and hydrogen peroxide content. GC-MS analysis showed that the volatile components in the emulsion were more stable than the EOs. In vitro dissolution experiments showed that in the dissolution medium of artificial gastric juice and artificial intestinal juice, compared with the ATEO, the release in Pickering emulsion was faster within 48 h, indicating that the ATEO had been encapsulated in Pickering emulsion, which could improve the in vitro dissolution rate of EOs. This study convincingly demonstrates the potential of modified Cinnabaris -stabilized Pickering emulsion to improve the thermal stability and in vitro dissolution rate of EOs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Staphylococcus aureus , an important human pathogen, is developing resistance against a wide range of antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance in S. aureus has created the need to identify new drug targets, and to develop new drugs candidates. In the current study, urease subunit gamma from Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA 252) was studied as a potential drug target, through protein-ligand interactions. Urease is the main virulence factor of MRSA, it catalyzes the conversion of urea into ammonia that is required for the survival of bacteria during acid stress. Its subunits and accessory proteins can serve as targets for drug discovery and development. Present study describes the cloning, expression, and purification of urease subunit gamma from MRSA 252. This was followed by screening of 100 US-FDA approved drugs against this protein using STD-NMR spectroscopy and among them, 15 drugs showed significant STD effects. In silico studies predicted that these drugs interacted mainly via non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bond, aromatic hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, π-cation interactions, salt bridges, and halogen bonding. The thermal stability of UreA in the presence of these interacting drugs was evaluated using differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), which revealed a significant effect on the T m of UreA. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of these drugs on urease activity were assessed using a urease inhibition assay with Jack bean urease. The results showed that these drugs possess enzyme inhibitory activity, potentially impacting the survival of S. aureus . These hits need further biochemical and mechanistic studies to validate their therapeutic potential against the MRSA infections., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Carbon monoxide, one of the major pollutants in the air, is mainly produced due to the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Among all the techniques developed for removing CO, catalytic oxidation has been considered one of the most effective approaches, and the commonly used catalysts include metal oxides and noble metals. Noble metal attracted extensive attention due to its good catalytic performance at low temperatures and high resistance to poisoning. The review summarizes the recent advances of noble metals including Pt, Pd, Au, Ru, Rh, and Ir in CO oxidation. The effect of support, metal doping, the particle size of noble metals, and the hydroxyl groups on CO oxidation is discussed. Besides, the metal-support interaction on the stability and activity is also involved in this review. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of supported noble metal catalysts in practical CO oxidation are proposed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Al 2 O 3 abrasive is expected to enhance chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) efficiency compared to the SiO 2 abrasive. However, Al 2 O 3 powder has dispersion issues and the material removal mechanism by Al 2 O 3 remains unclear. This study investigated the role of Al 2 O 3 abrasive in the tantalum CMP. It is revealed that (NaPO 3 ) 6 can effectively disperse Al 2 O 3 powder in water. PO 3 - improves the stability while Na + deteriorates it. The total Na + concentration should be lower than the turning point to attain high stability. With stable Al 2 O 3 -containing slurries, a relatively high material removal rate of tantalum can be obtained at an alkaline pH. The characterization results indicate that the Ta element can be adsorbed on Al 2 O 3 probably due to the chemical interaction between Al 2 O 3 and the tantalum surface. Moreover, the Al 2 O 3 microsphere tip starts to remove tantalum at 0.48 GPa, which is much lower than the yield strength of the tantalum surface film. For the mechanism, tantalum can be oxidized by H 2 O 2 at alkaline pH. When Al 2 O 3 presses and slides on the tantalum surface, tribochemical reactions occur, forming a chemical bond of Al-O-Ta at the interface. As Al 2 O 3 moves, the bond is stretched and tantalum is detached. The findings provide mechanistic insight into Al 2 O 3 abrasive in CMP., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Water treatment faces significant challenges due to the increasing complexity of pollutants and the need for more efficient, sustainable treatment methods. However, current adsorbent materials often struggle with issues such as low adsorption capacity, slow kinetics, and poor reusability, limiting their practical application. In this study, we developed a novel hierarchical porous hybrid gel (HPHG) for water treatment to address the limitations of conventional adsorbents. The HPHG features a multi-level porous structure (from 48 ± 28 nm to 4385 ± 823 nm) that significantly enhances its porosity and specific surface area. We systematically investigated the relationship between the material's structure and its adsorption performance. Kinetic studies revealed a tendency towards a pseudo-second-order adsorption model, attributed to the material's unique structural features that facilitate rapid mass exchange channels inside HPHG and provide abundant active sites for pollutant adsorption. Reusability tests demonstrated that the material retained 85.4% of its initial adsorption capacity after five adsorption-desorption cycles, highlighting its potential for practical applications. This study provides valuable insights into structure-performance relationships in advanced water treatment materials, offering a promising approach for designing next-generation adsorbents with superior efficiency and sustainability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The innovation of advanced high-rate anodes is of great significance for the development of high-power and fast-charging lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, self-supported Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 @carbon (LTO@C) nanotube arrays as a high-quality anode are fabricated via anodizing and hydrothermal processes. Owing to the structure having a high contact surface area and good stability, as well as the incorporation of carbon, the LTO@C exhibits a remarkable rate capability (a reversible capability of 290 mA h g -1 , 251.9 mA h g -1 , 228.8 mA h g -1 , and 208.7 mA h g -1 at 1C, 5C, 10C, and 20C, respectively) and cycling performance (71.7% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 10C), which is superior to LTO. These features suggest the promising application of LTO@C in high-power energy storage areas., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily caused by dental plaque, which is a significant global public health concern due to its high prevalence and severe impact on oral, and even systemic diseases. The current therapeutic plan focuses on three objectives: pathogenic bacteria inhibition, inflammation control, and osteogenic differentiation induction. Existing treatments still have plenty of drawbacks, thus, there is a pressing need for novel methods to achieve more effective treatment effects. Nanomaterials, as emerging materials, have been proven to exert their inherent biological properties or serve as stable drug delivery platforms, which may offer innovative solutions in periodontitis treatment. Nanomaterials utilized in periodontitis treatment fall into two categories, organic and inorganic nanomaterials. Organic nanomaterials are known for their biocompatibility and their potential to promote tissue regeneration and cell functions, including natural and synthetic polymers. Inorganic nanomaterials, such as metal, oxides, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, exhibit unique physicochemical properties that make them suitable as antibacterial agents and drug delivery platforms. The inorganic nanosurface provides terrain induction for cell migration and osteogenic regeneration at defect sites by introducing different surface morphologies. Inorganic nanomaterials also play a role in antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) for eliminating pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity. In this review, we will introduce multiple forms and applications of nanomaterials in periodontitis treatment and focus on their roles in addressing the key therapeutic objectives, to emphasize their promising future in achieving more effective and patient-friendly approaches toward periodontal tissue regeneration and overall health., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Owing to their nontoxicity, environmental friendliness, and high biocompatibility, physically cross-linked hydrogels have become popular research materials; however, their high water content and high free volume, along with the weak bonding interactions inherent to ordinary physically cross-linked hydrogels, limit their application in fields such as flexible devices, packaging materials, and substance transport regulation. Here, a structural barrier approach based on directional freezing-assisted salting out was proposed, and the directional structure significantly enhanced the barrier performance of the hydrogel. When the direction of substance diffusion was perpendicular to the pore channel structure of the directional freezing-PVA hydrogel (DFPVA), the Cl - transmission rate was 57.2% for the uniform freezing-PVA hydrogel (UFPVA). By adjusting the concentration of the salting-out solution and the salting-out time, the crystallinity and crystal domain size of the hydrogel could be further changed, optimizing and regulating the barrier performance of the hydrogel, with the best Cl - unit permeability being 36.02 mg mm per cm 2 per day. Additionally, DFPVA had excellent mechanical properties (stress of 6.47 ± 1.04 MPa, strain of 625.85 ± 61.58%, toughness of 25.77 ± 3.72 MPa). Due to the barrier and mechanical properties of the direct structure, DFPVA is suitable as a drug carrier for slow drug release in vitro ., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

A detailed computational investigation is executed on the reaction between NO 3 and CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH 2 OH at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level. Addition/elimination and H-abstraction mechanisms are found for the NO 3 + CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH 2 OH reaction, and they could compete with each other. The most feasible addition/elimination pathway through a series of central-C addition, 1,4-H migration to generate intermediates IM1 (CHCONO 2 CH 2 OH) and IM3 (CH 2 CONO 2 CH 2 O), and then IM3 directly decompose into product P2 (CH 2 CONO 2 CHO + H). The dominant H-abstraction pathway is abstracting the H atom of the -CH 2 - group to generate h-P1 (CHCCHOH + HNO 3 ). RRKM-TST theory was used to compute the kinetics and product branching ratios of the NO 3 + CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH 2 OH reaction at 200-3000 K. The rate constants at 298 K are consistent with the experimental values. The lifetime of CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH 2 OH is estimated to be 59.72 days at 298 K. The implicit solvent model was used to examine the solvent effect on the total reaction. Based on the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model, the toxicity during the degradation process is increased towards fish, and decreased towards daphnia and green algae., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Multifunctional flexible electronics integrated with superhydrophobicity and flexible sensing can greatly promote broader applications. However, the hierarchical roughness morphology of superhydrophobic surfaces is vulnerable to complex mechanical deformations of stretchable sensors leading to degradation of hydrophobic properties, so constructing robust superhydrophobic stretchable sensors remains challenging. Herein, we propose a facile strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic stretchable sensors based on self-assembled carbon nanotube (CNT) films at the air-water interface. The customizable functions of superhydrophobic stretchable sensors can be achieved by controlling the combination of the CNT film and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a simple and efficient interfacial transferring strategy. Even under large mechanical deformations, the developed sensors can present excellent robustness and superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 150.9° at 80% strain. As a proof-of-concept, this work demonstrates their potential application in self-sensing drag-reduction shipping, which is expected to realize greener, more sustainable and safer aquatic transportation., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The sudden change in the environment from a dark, low-oxygen, low-temperature, high-humidity underground stable environment to an environment with much-improved temperature and humidity, a high oxygen content, enhanced light exposure, and increased harmful organisms has greatly affected the stability of the ivory unearthed from the Sanxingdui site. Therefore, the implementation of an effective emergency protection strategy for ivory excavated at Sanxingdui is imperative and urgently needed. However, the current gauze technique used at many archaeological sites suffers from short timescales, poor transparency of the material, and susceptibility to reverse osmosis of the ivory. Therefore, in this study, a transparent poly(acrylamide-acrylic acid) (P(AM-AA)) hydrogel-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomer bilayer was designed for the effective protection of excavated ivory. In this system, a hydrophobic PDMS elastomer was constructed on the surface of the hydrogel by the introduction of a silane coupling agent to inhibit the loss of water from the hydrogel to the external environment, thus prolonging the preservation of ivory by the protective material. The covalent interface between the hydrogel and the elastomer allowed the double-layer composite to exhibit excellent interfacial bonding. In addition, the double-layer material demonstrated a high mechanical strength of 1.2 MPa and a water binding ratio of ∼31%, which allowed it to form strong hydrogen bonds with the silanol structure. When the hydrogel was placed in an air environment (temperature: 25 °C; relative humidity: 65% RH), the water-retention rate of the double-layer material was still more than 60% after 5 days, thus the double-layer material showed excellent performance. Meanwhile, the double-layer material had a transmittance of more than 90% and exhibited a high degree of transparency, which makes it possible to promptly observe the changes occurring on the surface of the ivory. The combination of the aforementioned properties makes the bilayer a promising material for moisturizing and protecting excavated ivory in situ . Based on these properties, we used the prepared P(AM-AA)/PDMS double-layer material directly for wrapping the K8 ivory with the highest water content at Sanxingdui. The weight retention rate of the ivory was around 70% after 50 days of placement (temperature: 25 °C; relative humidity: 60% RH), the macroscopic morphology did not change significantly and the mechanical properties of the wrapped ivory were basically unchanged, which indicated that the double-layer material has an excellent on-site protection effect on the ivory excavated from Sanxingdui. This work provides new ideas and methods for the temporary conservation of wet heritage., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Al x CoCrFeNi ( x = 0.1, 0.5 and 1) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were prepared using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique combined with aerosol powder. Their microstructure and phase constituents were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer and SEM, and their tensile properties, hardness and compactness were tested. The results show that the crystal structure of the Al x CoCrFeNi HEAs changed significantly with the Al content, from the original single face-centered cubic FCC phase (Al 0.1 CoCrFeNi) to an FCC + BCC structure (Al 0.5 CoCrFeNi), and then to FCC + BCC + sigma (σ) phase structures (AlCoCrFeNi). Chemical composition analysis showed that the crystal structure transformation was related to the segregation caused by the increased Al content. The hardness of the Al x CoCrFeNi HEAs increases with increasing Al content, and the hardness of AlCoCrFeNi reaches a maximum of 507.3 HV. The tensile properties of the alloy show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing Al content, and the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation of the Al 0.5 CoCrFeNi alloy reach maximum values of 527.4 MP, 943.3 MPa and 28.2%, respectively. The fracture mechanism of the Al 0.1 CoCrFeNi and Al 0.5 CoCrFeNi alloys is typical ductile fracture, while that of the AlCoCrFeNi alloy is cleavage fracture. The compactness of the alloy increases with the Al content. The samples were also subjected to high-temperature water vapour corrosion, and corrosion products such as Al 3 Fe 5 O 12 , CoCr 2 O 4 and NiCr 2 O 4 were found in the Al 0.1 and Al 0.5 alloys, whereas no oxide peaks were detected using XRD for the Al 1 alloy. It was also presumed that a very thin alumina film was generated on the surface of the Al 1 alloy, preventing the oxidation of the sample, in combination with the analysis of SEM, EDS and XPS behaviour., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Environmental humidity profoundly influences various life activities, especially for plants that depend heavily on optimal humidity for growth. The humidity index is particularly crucial for preserving the functionality of plant leaves, notably in economically valuable plants such as cigar tobacco. This paper introduces a novel dual-layer moisturizing material, a PAS-PDMS composite, based on polyacrylamide/solketal (PAS) hydrogel and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This material features a unique hierarchical water release mechanism. Comprehensive analyses, including thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance, and dynamic water adsorption studies, confirm the water migration and humidity control mechanisms of the PAS-PDMS composite. This smart hydrogel composite regulates microenvironmental humidity bidirectionally. When applied to cigar boxes for storage, it stabilizes internal humidity at approximately 65%, maintaining this level for over 20 days. Furthermore, the PAS-PDMS composite exhibits superior mechanical properties and light transmittance, achieving an exceptional transmittance of 84%. In conclusion, the PAS-PDMS composite offers intelligent humidity control, providing a novel approach to the storage and preservation of cigars., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Long-lived photoluminescent probes are emerging as significant luminogens for biological imaging. However, currently, most long-lived luminescent materials contain expensive rare elements or cytotoxic bulky aromatic or conjugated units. Herein, a novel hyperbranched polyphosphate (HBPPE) was synthesized using triethyl phosphate (TEP) and ethylene glycol (EG) through a transesterification polycondensation reaction. The obtained HBPPE P1 can emit bright blue photoluminescence under UV light and show significant AIE character. Interestingly, the average photoluminescence lifetime of P1 is 12.82 μs. This suggests the first phosphorescent material without rare elements or aromatic structures attributed to the covalent-crystal-like structure. Besides, P1 shows an obvious red-shift along with the excitation wavelength, which emits blue, cyan, green, yellow and red photoluminescence, covering nearly all the visible light region. This study not only enriches the species of nonconventional multicolor AIE luminogens but also provides a concise method for the synthesis of HBPPE and demonstrates the possibility for phosphorescent materials without rare elements or bulky aromatic units., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

A new synthetic route for the BCDF tetracyclic ring system of C 19 -diterpenoid alkaloids (C 19 -DTAs) has been developed. The key step is a Pd-catalyzed transannular alkenylation that installs a functionalized bridged F ring. The overall strategy is concise and stereoselective, and it provides a valuable new tool for the synthesis of C 19 -DTAs. The synthesis begins with a bridged [3.2.1] ring system, which is converted to a key intermediate through a series of highly regio- and stereoselective processes. The introduction of an allylic side chain with high precision is accomplished, culminating in a Pd-catalyzed transannular alkenylation that installs a functionalized bridged F ring to yield the BCDF tetracyclic analog of C 19 -DTAs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

To treat the issue of increased resource wastage due to the higher plugging tendencies of oil-based drilling fluids (OBDF) relative to water-based drilling fluids, this study synthesized a ternary composite oil-absorbing resin and optimized its synthesis parameters. The influence of temperature variations on the resin's oil absorption capacity was assessed. Techniques such as infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, TGA-DSC measurements, crosslinking degree analysis, contact angle analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry analysis and examination of the resin's plugging mechanism were employed to investigate its molecular structure, oil absorption properties, and plugging efficiency. Additionally, the impact of various synthesis conditions on the oil absorption expansion rate of the oil-absorbing resin was examined. The findings indicate that the resin developed in this research maintains robust oil absorption capabilities at 160 °C, exhibiting an oil absorption expansion rate of 12.5 g g -1 . At this temperature, the composite resin particles effectively sealed leaks of widths 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 μm. Comparative analysis revealed that adding 3% of these resin particles to OBDF significantly enhanced the sealing of fractures. Remarkably, at 160 °C, OBDF amended with resin particles managed to completely seal fractures measuring 0.25 μm. The novelty of this study is attributed to the utilization of styrene for enhancing the resin's rigidity, coupled with the application of octadecyl methacrylate, which contains long-chain alkyl groups, to optimize the oil absorption and expansion characteristics of the oil-absorbing resin., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In the quest for sustainable and efficient synthetic methodologies within medicinal chemistry, the synthesis of carbamates and their derivatives holds a pivotal role due to their widespread application in bioactive compounds. This investigation unveils a novel methodology for the straightforward transformation of Boc-protected amines into carbamates, thiocarbamates, and ureas, utilizing tert -butoxide lithium as the sole base. This approach effectively obviates the necessity for hazardous reagents and metal catalysts, presenting marked enhancements compared to traditional synthetic pathways. Notably, the method demonstrates facile scalability to gram-level production. This study contributes to the advancement of sustainable synthetic methodologies, offering a more benign and efficient alternative for the synthesis of key chemical intermediates with implications for broad pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The operation of the Cansolv tail gas treatment device in natural gas plants generates acidic and alkaline wastewater from the venturi unit and amine purification unit (APU), respectively. The APU wastewater is complex in composition and contains hard-to-degrade organic matter, which can adversely impact the normal functioning of the water treatment system. This study assesses the efficacy of three ozone-based advanced oxidation processes (ozone (O 3 ), ozone/hydrogen peroxide (O 3 /H 2 O 2 ), and ozone/Fenton (O 3 /Fenton)) for treating Cansolv wastewater, with chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) serving as indicators of organic degradation. The findings demonstrate that all three processes effectively eliminate coloration and reducible sulfur, with O 3 /Fenton exhibiting superior performance in removing organic substances. The treated wastewater has a clarified light-yellow appearance with residual COD levels at 43 mg L -1 . Under the optimum Fenton oxidation conditions (initial pH 5, H 2 O 2 dosage 97.8 mmol L -1 , FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O dosage 550 mg L -1 ), average TOC and COD removal rates reached 50% and 97%, respectively. After a treatment duration of 60 minutes, the wastewater demonstrated an enhanced membrane-specific flux, confirming the effectiveness of the O 3 /Fenton oxidation process in mitigating membrane fouling while ensuring the stable operation of the wastewater treatment system., Competing Interests: There are no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could affect the work reported in this article., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this work, a special multilayer structure consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) and a co-continuous PLA/polycaprolactone (PCL)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) (ALM) composite with a double-percolated conductive network was fabricated via layer-assembly coextrusion. It was revealed that PLA domains located at the layer interface could serve as rivets properly linking adjacent layers. Such a nacre-like structure with alternately stacked rigid PLA and flexible ALM increased the fracture strain to 354.4%, nearly quadruple that of the PLA/PCL/MWCNT conventional blending composite with the same composition, while maintaining an excellent strength above 46.0 MPa. In addition, the multilayer composites showed a special frequency-selective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance, with tunable shielding peak positions controlled by the layer number. Their maximum EMI shielding effectiveness almost contributed by absorption loss could reach 49.8 dB, which originated from two aspects: one was the high electrical conductivity offered by the double-percolated distribution of MWCNTs, and the other was the multiple wave attenuation effect that occurred at the interfaces between PLA and ALM layers and the blend interfaces in ALM layers. This effort paves a new way for developing composites with outstanding mechanical and EMI shielding properties that can be extended to other polymeric composite systems., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Cesium-based lead-free double perovskite materials (Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 ) have garnered significant attention in the X-ray detection field due to their environment friendly characteristics. However, their substantial ion migration properties lead to large dark currents and detection limits in Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based X-ray detectors, restricting the detection performance of the device. In terms of process technology, ultrasonic spraying is more suitable than a spin-coating method for fabricating large-area, micron-scale perovskite thick films, with higher cost-effectiveness, which is crucial for X-ray detection. This work introduces a BA + (BA + = CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 NH 3 + , n -butyl) source into the precursor solution and employs ultrasonic spraying to fabricate quasi-two-dimensional structured polycrystalline (BA) 2 Cs 9 Ag 5 Bi 5 Br 31 perovskite thick films, developing a low-cost, eco-friendly X-ray detector with low dark current density and low detection limit. Characterization results reveal that the ion migration activation energy of (BA) 2 Cs 9 Ag 5 Bi 5 Br 31 reaches 419 meV, approximately 17% higher than that of traditional three-dimensional perovskites, effectively suppressing perovskite ion migration and subsequently reducing the dark current. The (BA) 2 Cs 9 Ag 5 Bi 5 Br 31 -based X-ray detectors exhibit high resistivity (about 1.75 × 10 10 Ω cm), low dark current density (66 nA cm -2 ), minimal dark current drift (0.016 pA cm -1 s -1 V -1 ), and detection limit (138 nGy air s -1 ), holding considerable promise for applications in low-noise, low-dose X-ray detection., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Asymmetric catalytic processes promoted by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) hold great potential for the sustainable preparation of chiral molecules. However, catalyzing the reactions by manipulating the reactive intermediates is challenging. We report herein that the known NHC-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation reaction between ketimine and enal can also be turned into a [2 + 3] annulation reaction for the highly enantioselective direct synthesis of trifluoroethyl 3,2'-spirooxindole γ-lactams (4) through timely catalysis of the intermediates. DFT calculations revealed that this transformation included the key step of the nucleophilic attack of the Breslow intermediate M2 derived from NHC and enal (2) to the unattacked ketimine (1). Our study demonstrates that it is possible to tune the desired selectivities through the dynamic catalysts of the reactive intermediates., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Resulting from the solubility reduction of elemental sulfur during the development of high sulfur gas formations, sulfur deposition often occurs to reduce the gas production and threaten the safety of gas wells. Understanding the dissolution mechanism of elemental sulfur in natural gas is essential to reduce the risk caused by sulfur deposition. Because of the harsh conditions in the high-sulfur formations, it remains challenging to in situ characterize the dissolution-precipitation processes, making deficient the knowledge of sulfur dissolution mechanism. The dissolution of sulfur allotropes (S N , N = 2, 4, 6 and 8) in H 2 S, the main solvent of sulfur in natural gas, is studied in this work by means of first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. While S 6 and S 8 undergo physical interaction with H 2 S under the conditions corresponding to those at 1-6 km stratigraphic depths, S 2 and S 4 react with H 2 S and form stable polysulfides. Unravelling the mechanism would be helpful for understanding and controlling the sulfur deposition in high-sulfur gas development., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Herein, a nucleic acid assay based on autocatalytic hairpin assembly (ACHA) was proposed. In this system, two split G-quadruplex sequences were integrated into H1 and H2, respectively. And a DNA strand with the same sequence to target DNA was integrated into the assistant hairpin H3. In the presence of target DNA, the hairpin structure of H1 was opened and catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) was activated, and then a series of DNA assembly steps based on the toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement were triggered and the product H1-H2 with sticky ends on both sides was formed. On the one side of H1-H2, the split two G-quadruplex sequences were close enough to form the intact G-quadruplex for the signal readout. At the same time, two sticky ends on the other side of H1-H2 hybridized with H3 and a new sticky end with the sequence same to the target DNA was exposed, which can immediately trigger the autocatalytic hairpin assembly reaction, and then the reaction rate of CHA was effectively accelerated and the colorimetric signal was significantly amplified. This ACHA signal amplified strategy has been successfully applied for the rapid and colorimetric nucleic acid detection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

To purify water polluted by tetracycline antibiotics, a new visible light-driven magnetically recoverable photocatalyst, g-C 3 N 4 /CoFe 2 O 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 , was prepared in this study, and it effectively removed tetracycline antibiotics. Its rapid recycling was achieved by external magnets, which greatly increased material utilization. After four repeated uses, the degradation rate of tetracycline antibiotics by the g-C 3 N 4 /CoFe 2 O 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 composite photocatalyst remained at a high level, and the magnetic separation performance remained stable. Subsequently, it was further discovered that the degradation mechanism of this photocatalytic system was consistent with a double Z-type mechanism, which enabled two transport channels for photogenerated electrons, and was favorable for the separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and prolonged the lifetime of the photogenerated carriers. The active substances playing an important role in the photocatalytic system were ˙O 2 - and h + . In addition, the possible intermediates in the photocatalytic process were detected by GC-MS analysis, and a degradation mechanism was proposed. The ecotoxicity of the degradation products and intermediates was evaluated using the Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST), and the mung bean seed cultivation test was carried out to visually and efficiently illustrate that the g-C 3 N 4 /CoFe 2 O 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 photocatalyst can effectively degrade antibiotics, with low ecotoxicity of the degradation products. This provides a new idea for the removal of organic pollutants using light energy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The high-fidelity reduced mechanism is one of the key elements in the combustion simulation of scramjet combustors to reveal their combustion and flow phenomena. In the present work, the hierarchically constructed NUIGMech1.2 (2857 species and 11 814 reactions) is applied to the combustion simulation of an ethylene-fueled scramjet combustor using the method of static integrated skeletal reduction and tabulation of dynamic adaptive chemistry (TDAC). The integrated skeletal reduction strategy successively consists of species elimination using the revised directed relation graph with error propagation method of fixed species scheme and improved sensitivity analysis method, and reactions elimination based on computational singular perturbation importance index. A preferred ethylene skeletal mechanism (26 species and 117 reactions) is obtained through the integrated skeletal reduction strategy under target working conditions of temperature range of 900-1800 K, pressure range of 1-4 atm, and equivalence ratio range of 0.25-5.0. The compact skeletal mechanism is comprehensively validated against the experimental results of ignition delay times, laminar flame speeds, and key species concentration profiles. Meanwhile, it shows consistent results with the detailed mechanism on the adiabatic flame temperature profiles and "S"-curves. When applying this skeletal mechanism to combustion simulations of ethylene-fueled scramjet combustor with double parallel cavities, the path flux analysis method and in situ adaptive tabulation algorithm of TDAC is further utilized to speed up the chemical reaction solution process at run-time. Under the scramjet and ramjet modes, the corresponding simulation results in terms of flame luminosity images, schlieren images, and static pressure distributions, coincide well with those of experimental measurements. The combustion and flow characteristics of the two modes are investigated and analyzed comparatively based on above results and combustion performance parameters. Present work contributes to the application of fuel kinetic mechanisms in scramjet combustor combustion simulation., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this work, gallic acid was successfully grafted onto quaternary aminated chitosan to prepare a high efficiency cationic flocculant. The mechanism of flocculation and different influencing factors were studied in detail. The prepared flocculant only needs 60 mg L -1 to achieve a 98.7% and 94.5% removal rate on methyl blue (MB) and Congo red (CR), respectively. The high removal rate (93.2%) of a CR-MB mixed dye also confirms the universality of flocculation. In addition, kaolin as a simulated suspended solid was removed at a rate of 97% in the experiment at a dosage of 3 mg L -1 . A zeta potential test showed that it worked best when the potential of the flocculation system was zero; this was because an electrostatic balance was reached between the flocculant and pollutant. Importantly, the three-functional molecules can provide more possibilities to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, which is conducive to the stretching of flocculant molecular chains in salt water. The flocculant maintained a high stability in four different salt environments and has a positive industrial application significance. Furthermore, the flocculation experiment of the actual wastewater of the printing and dyeing plant found that the dye wastewater changed obviously from turbidity to clarification, which proved the practical application potential of the flocculant. This work provides a feasible idea for the preparation of bio-based flocculants., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Two CuO nanostructures, namely, nanospheres (CuONSs) and nanochains (CuONCs) with different shapes but similar diameters, were synthesized and characterized. With these two nanomaterials as electrode modifiers, a systematic comparative study was conducted to examine their electrochemical sensing of catechol (CT) using a dual-working electrode system. The results suggest that for CuONS- and CuONC-modified glassy carbon electrodes, the electrode process for the CT redox is diffusion-controlled, and the modification amount and electrolyte pH have a similar effect on the response. However, the CuONCs showed a higher peak current and lower peak potential, as well as a lower detection limit for the electrochemical oxidation of CT. This is explained by the lower charge transfer impedance and higher electroactive surface area of the CuONCs. Notably, an unexpected peak appeared in the cyclic voltammograms when the pH was <4 for the CuONCs and <3 for the CuONSs. For this phenomenon, UV-Vis spectra, zeta potential, and size distribution experiments demonstrated changes in the two CuO nanostructures at lower pH, illustrating that CuONSs can tolerate a higher pH as compared to CuONCs. The multiple comparisons between the two nanomaterials presented here can provide references for the selection of electrochemical sensing materials., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Moxifloxacin (MFX) has attracted increasing public concern recently, and the development of a simple and effective analysis method has become a research focus. In this work, a simple, sensitive and ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on Ag-MOF@curcumin was designed and investigated. Ag-MOF@curcumin displays emission at 410 nm and 475 nm under excitation at 330 nm. When MFX is added, a new emission peak appears at 500 nm, and the F 500 / F 410 ratio has a linear relationship with the MFX concentration in the range 0-35 μmol L -1 with a low LOD (0.179 μmol L -1 ). Finally, the developed sensor was used for the determination of MFX in milk. This work provides an excellent fluorescent sensor for highly selective and rapid detection of MFX residues., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

With the ever-growing widespread use of lithium-ion batteries in heavy machinery and daily life, the demand for improved longevity and high-rate performance is escalating. While Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) batteries excel in safety and cycling performance, their full potential for long-term, high-rate cycling still yet remains unrealized. In this paper, we present an analysis of a pouch battery with an LTO anode system that was cycled for an extended period at high rates. We compared the performance changes and internal component properties between fresh and cycled batteries. Our results reveal that, after tens of thousands of high-rate cycles, microcracks emerged on the cathode electrode material (NCM622) particles of the battery, whereas the LTO remained largely unchanged. Additionally, we observed significant electrolyte reduction, characterized the separator surface, and measured its properties. Our findings indicate that the electrolyte reactions are the primary cause of battery failure, leading to capacity fading and impedance increase. This research provides valuable insights into the failure mechanisms of lithium-ion batteries at high rates, thus contributing to the improvement of high-rate lithium-ion batteries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Freezing is a serious problem that affects the power, transport, and transmission industries and is a major concern for the national economy and safety. Currently, several engineering de-icing methods, such as thermal, mechanical, and chemical de-icing, have shown problems related to energy consumption, efficiency, and the environment. Superhydrophobic materials have high droplet contact and roll angles, which can reduce the droplet residence and ice adhesion on their surfaces and have unique advantages in the self-cleaning and anti-icing fields. This paper introduces the development of infiltration theory and superhydrophobic materials and their principles of anti-icing and de-icing. Herein, the preparation and coating methods of superhydrophobic materials in applications are summarised, the performance and lifetime issues of superhydrophobic materials in applications are clarified, and the research progress on superhydrophobic materials in different fields is reviewed. Prospects for the application of superhydrophobic materials in electrified railways are also presented. A feasibility study was conducted to solve some of the existing problems of electrified railways, providing a theoretical basis for the development of electrified railways., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

A novel sustained chlorine-releasing polydimethylsiloxane/Ca(ClO) 2 (PDMS/Ca(ClO) 2 ) material was fabricated by encapsulating Ca(ClO) 2 in a PDMS matrix due to its high hydrophobicity and high chemical stability, which showed immediate-responsive and long-lasting antibacterial capabilities in aqueous conditions. Free chlorine could be released from the PDMS/Ca(ClO) 2 after immersion in water for 2 min and could also be sustainedly released for 2 weeks, while the released concentration is negatively related to the duration time and positively with the initial Ca(ClO) 2 contents. Additionally, Ca(ClO) 2 powder as a filler significantly affects the crosslinking and pore size of PDMS. The PDMS/Ca(ClO) 2 materials exhibited enduring antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) in both planktonic and multispecies-biofilm status. It is expected that this PDMS/Ca(ClO) 2 material and its similar composite would be promising candidates for wide sustainable disinfection applications in biomedical and industrial fields., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Prussian blue analogues possess numerous advantages as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries, including high energy density, low cost, sustainability, and straightforward synthesis processes, making them highly promising for practical applications. However, during the synthesis, crystal defects such as vacancies and the incorporation of crystal water can lead to issues such as diminished capacity and suboptimal cycling stability. In the current study, a Y-tube assisted coprecipitation method was used to synthesize iron-based Prussian blue analogues, and the optimized feed flow rate during synthesis contributed to the successful preparation of the material with a formula of Na 1.56 Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ] 0.90 □ 0.10 ·2.42H 2 O, representing a low-defect cathode material. This approach cleverly utilizes the Y-tube component to enhance the micro-mixing of materials in the co-precipitation reaction, featuring simplicity, low cost, user-friendly, and the ability to be used in continuous production. Electrochemical performance tests show that the sample retains 69.8% of its capacity after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.5C (1C = 140 mA g -1 ) and delivers a capacity of 71.9 mA h g -1 at a high rate of 10C. The findings of this research provide important insights for the development of high-performance Prussian blue analogues cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Despite the rapid development of computational methods, including density functional theory (DFT), predicting the performance of a catalytic material merely based on its atomic arrangements remains challenging. Although quantum mechanics-based methods can model 'real' materials with dopants, grain boundaries, and interfaces with acceptable accuracy, the high demand for computational resources no longer meets the needs of modern scientific research. On the other hand, Machine Learning (ML) method can accelerate the screening of alloy-based catalytic materials. In this study, an ML model was developed to predict the CO 2 and CO adsorption affinity on single-atom doped binary alloys based on the thermochemical properties of component metals. By using a greedy algorithm, the best combination of features was determined, and the ML model was trained and verified based on a data set containing 78 alloys on which the adsorption energy values of CO 2 and CO were calculated from DFT. Comparison between predicted and DFT calculated adsorption energy values suggests that the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm has excellent generalization performance, and the R -squared ( R 2 ) for CO 2 and CO adsorption energy prediction are 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. The errors of predicted adsorption energy are 0.138 eV and 0.075 eV for CO 2 and CO, respectively. This model can be expected to advance our understanding of structure-property relationships at the fundamental level and be used in large-scale screening of alloy-based catalysts., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) is a highly suitable technology for energy storage and conversion in the application of decoupling energy and power generation. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics of redox couples is one of the bottlenecks hindering the commercialization of VFFBs. Developing efficient electrode is a promising method to improve the battery performance. In this work, a reduced graphene oxide/Mxene hybrid-decorated graphite felt (rGO/Mxene@GF) is designed to facilitate the kinetics of redox reaction. The electrocatalytic activity and mass transfer of the prepared electrode are investigated through experiment and simulation methods. The results indicate that the favorable mass transfer and the synergistic effect between rGO and Ti 3 C 2 T x Mxene remarkably improve the performance of electrode. The flow cell with rGO/Mxene@GF delivers a good stability up to 100 cycles with a coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiency of 91.6%, 82.7%, and 75.8%, respectively, at a current density of 80 mA cm -2 . These findings suggest that the as-prepared rGO/Mxene@GF holds a good application potential in VRFB and provides a promising approach to design efficient electrode for electrochemical devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)