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BiOCl has garnered considerable attention recently. However, its relatively wide bandgap and poor separation efficiency of charge carriers limit its application in the visible light range. Introducing oxygen vacancies (OVs) and constructing heterojunctions are both considered as viable modification approaches. In this study, oxygen vacancy-rich BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 heterojunctions were synthesized using glycine as the fuel by a one-pot self-propagation method. Variations in the amount of fuel led to differences in OV concentration and heterojunction composition in the prepared samples. The XRD pattern, FTIR spectra and EDS confirmed the formation of BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 heterojunctions. The XPS and ESR spectra proved the existence of oxygen vacancies. The BET results showed that the sample prepared with an appropriate amount of glycine exhibited a larger specific surface area. The most effective OVs-BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 composite demonstrated improvements in degrading rhodamine B (RhB), showing 8.09 and 17.96 times greater efficiency compared to BiOCl and Bi24O31Cl10, respectively. It achieved 93% dye degradation within 30 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical reduction of biomass-derived furfural (FF) is an advantageous route to alleviate the consumption of fossil fuels and hydrogen. However, the development of efficient catalytic systems to obtain furfuryl alcohol (FAL) with high selectivity is still challenging. Herein, a copper nitride nanowire catalyst in situ grown on copper foam (Cu3N Nw/CF) is synthesized, which achieves nearly 100% selectivity for FAL with 94.6% faradaic efficiency (FE) in the electrochemical reduction of FF. Thiol assembly and operando Raman investigations reveal an adsorptive hydrogen (Hads) dependent electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) pathway for FAL production. Moreover, electrokinetic studies have demonstrated that the FF hydrogenation on Cu3N Nw/CF follows the Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) mechanism. The much higher activity of Cu3N Nw/CF than that of copper foam (CF) is due to the promoted Hads spillover from water dissociation, which then reacts efficiently with FF via the ECH mechanism. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations verify that the superior water dissociation ability and the preferable parallel FF adsorption on Cu3N synergistically enhance the thermodynamics and kinetics of FAL production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red phosphors play an important role in improving the light quality and color rendering index of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) for lighting. In this paper, we report the transition ion Mn4+-activated deep red phosphor GdGeSbO6:x%Mn4+ and analyze its crystal structure, composition and luminescence behavior in detail. Its optimal doping concentration of Mn4+ is 0.3%. Under ultraviolet (UV) excitation, GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ produces a narrow emission peak centred at 682 nm in the range of 650–800 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 25 nm, which is attributed to the spin-prohibited 2Eg → 4A2g transition of Mn4+ ions. Notably, the optimal phosphor GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ has a high internal quantum efficiency (IQE ≈ 65%) and excellent thermal stability performance (I423 K/I303 K ≈ 62%). The synthesis of high-performance warm WLEDs and full-spectrum WLEDs was achieved by combining and coating GdGeSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ phosphors with commercial phosphors on the surface of a 365 nm UV chip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Te4+-doped Cs2ZrCl6 vacancy-ordered perovskites with excitation wavelength-dependent tunable color have been synthesised by a simple precipitation method at room temperature, with two luminescent centres originating from the Te4+ and the STE (self-trapping exciton) of the Cs2ZrCl6 itself, respectively. They exhibit two different emission characteristics at 254 nm and 365 nm excitation wavelengths. At an excitation wavelength of 254 nm, the emission characteristics allow Te4+-doped Cs2ZrCl6 to exhibit tunable emission from blue to white to yellow under the control of Te4+ doping. And the excitation wavelength of 365 nm shows yellow emission. Te4+ doped Cs2ZrCl6 phosphors were used for optical anti-counterfeiting, and the anti-counterfeiting patterns were well distinguished under 254 nm and 365 nm UV lamps, demonstrating the potential of this excitation wavelength-dependent tunable color material for optical anti-counterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrier-free nanomedicines offer advantages of extremely high drug loading capacity (>80%), minimal non-drug constituent burden, and facile preparation processes. Numerous studies have proved that multimodal cancer therapy can enhance chemotherapy efficiency and mitigate multi-drug resistance (MDR) through synergistic therapeutic effects. Upon penetration into the tumor matrix, nanoparticles (NPs) are anticipated to be uptaken by cancer cells, primarily through clathrin-meditated endocytosis pathways, leading to their accumulation in endosomes/lysosomes within cells. However, endo/lysosomes exhibit a highly degradative environment for organic NPs and drug molecules, often resulting in treatment failure. Hence, this study designed a lysosomal escape mechanism with carrier-free nanomedicine, combining the chemotherapeutic drug, curcumin (Cur), and the photothermal/photodynamic therapeutic drug, indocyanine green (ICG), for synergistic cancer treatment (ICG-Cur NPs) via a facile preparation process. To facilitate endo/lysosomal escape, ICG-Cur NPs were modified with metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) of different thickness. The results indicate that a thick MPN coating promotes rapid endo/lysosomal escape of ICG-Cur NPs within 4 h and enhances the photothermal conversion efficiency of ICG-Cur NPs by 55.8%, significantly improving anticancer efficacy in both chemo- and photo-therapies within 3D solid tumor models. This finding underscores the critical role of endo/lysosomal escape capacity in carrier-free drug NPs for therapeutic outcomes and offers a facile solution to achieve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the challenges associated with the penetration of high-viscosity crude oil into porous materials, there is a growing need for eco-friendly and highly efficient oil absorption materials in the recovery of viscous oil spills. In this study, we have developed a biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) aerogel with a dendritic structure and vertically aligned channels inside through a simple directional freezing technique. The PLA aerogel itself exhibits exceptional super-hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance, eliminating the necessity for additional modification. The incorporation of graphene endows the PLA aerogel with excellent capabilities in photothermal conversion and longitudinal heat transfer. The absorption rate of the PLA aerogel for mineral oil can be increased by 20–30% with the assistance of sunlight. This study has also systematically investigated the impact of sunlight intensity and seawater temperature on the heat transfer process of the PLA aerogel. This process, assisted by sunlight, was simulated and tested under actual outdoor sunlight conditions. Our results indicate that vertical channels and reduced oil viscosity significantly decrease the liquid absorption coefficient, enhancing the absorption rate of oil inside the aerogel. The absorption of the PLA aerogel for high-viscosity crude oil can reach up to 25 g g−1. Consequently, the super-hydrophobic biomass-based PLA aerogel exhibits promising potential for applications in high-viscosity oil spill recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigate the relationship between the conductivity effective mass and exfoliation energy of materials to assess whether automatic sampling of the electron band structure can predict the presence of and ease of separating chemically bonded layers. We assess 22 976 materials from the Materials Project database, screen for only those that are thermodynamically stable and identify the 1000 materials with the highest standard deviation for p-type and the 1000 materials with the highest standard deviation for n-type internal conductivity effective mass tensors. We calculate the exfoliation energy of these 2000 materials and report on the correlation between effective mass and exfoliation energy. A relationship is found which is used to identify a previously unconsidered two-dimensional material and could streamline the modelling of other two-dimensional materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cathode interfacial materials (CIMs) is one of the most effective ways to improve the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In inverted PSCs, CIMs lag behind in terms of the quick increase of the power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this study, we designed and synthesized two perinone-based CIMs, NX-F and NX-Cl and successfully applied them to inverted PSCs. Four fluorine and chlorine atoms were introduced into the perinone core of NX-F and NX-Cl, respectively. Compared to the NX-Cl film, the NX-F film possesses a lower LUMO level, stronger π–π stacking and higher electron mobility. The inverted PSCs with NX-F as the CIM achieve a champion PCE of 21.18%, which is higher than that of NX-Cl devices (20.25%) and control devices (19.42%). The superior PCE of the NX-F devices is accompanied by the improvement of all parameters. Further investigation demonstrates that the NX-F devices exhibit the lowest trap density and recombination and the best charge transfer and transport. The PSCs with NX-F and NX-Cl also show fine storage stabilities in nitrogen and humid air atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, tuning the luminescence characteristics of phosphors by external physical stimuli such as temperature and pressure has attracted the interest of researchers. However, the emission-tunable luminescence processes by temperature or pressure in lead-free perovskite with ordered vacancy materials have not been systematically studied. In this study, Bi3+-doped Rb2SnCl6 crystals were successfully synthesized using a simple precipitation method, and these crystals demonstrated a remarkable enhancement of luminescence intensity compared with the unannealed ones at 140–200 °C, and with a red-shift in the emission peak from 450 to 500 nm. It was found that the annealing treatment increased the Bi–Cl bond length leading to emission red-shift and achieved the change in the emission intensity due to the band gap modulation of the material. Furthermore, a candidate material for the color-changing optical security strategies was obtained by combining the Bi3+-doped Rb2SnCl6 phosphor and printing ink. This work is a valuable reference for the rational design of luminescent perovskites with promising new functionalities and stimulates the great potential of luminescent perovskites in developing promising phosphors for advanced anticounterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is related to the subcellular localization of photosensitizers (PSs) because organelles are associated with many fundamental life-sustaining activities. In this work, we synthesized a PS (CN) based on curcumin (CUR) and obtained enhanced PDT efficiency by simultaneously targeting lipid droplets (LDs) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Compared with CUR, CN with a D–π–A–π–D structure possessed stronger intramolecular charge transfer features, resulting in longer absorption and emission wavelengths. In cell imaging experiments of CN using a confocal laser scanning microscope, a bright green emission in LDs and a weak orange emission in the ER were simultaneously observed due to its sensitivity to polarity. Surprisingly, CN with low singlet oxygen yields (0.13) exhibited an excellent photodynamic effect. Further experimental results showed that the phototoxicity of CN resulted in apoptosis by destroying the ER and ferroptosis by oxidizing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in LDs. This work paves the way for developing more effective photosensitizers with superior dual-targeting specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we explore the excellent performance of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor In2Te5 in photocatalytic water splitting at the theoretical level. The calculated results illustrate that 2D In2Te5 is a direct band gap semiconductor with a moderate band gap value and an ultrahigh optical absorption coefficient in the visible light region. It was found that its conduction band edge is higher than the reduction potential of water (−4.44 eV), which proves that it can split water to produce hydrogen. Furthermore, its excellent hydrogen evolution activity can be tuned under an appropriate biaxial strain. In addition, 2D In2Te5 shows a remarkable photo-generated current, suggesting that electrons and holes can be separated efficiently. Our results offer a superior candidate material for realizing photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of multifunctional hybrid crystals that have been successfully utilized in diverse ranges of applications. However, since MOFs are prone to aqueous degradation, the development of stable luminescent MOF platforms in aqueous media is still a huge challenge. Here, a novel dual-ligand Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH composite is prepared based on the luminescent DUT-52 prototype structure via a dual-ligand strategy and a post-synthetic modification (PSM) method. The functionalized Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH material exhibits dual emission and good photothermal stability in aqueous media. Thus, Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH is developed as a ratiometric luminescent sensor to achieve highly selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ and Cr2O72− in aqueous solutions and has a low detection limit of 3.43 μM and 25.7 nM, respectively. This work is one of the few cases of detecting Cu2+ and Cr2O72− in aqueous media based on a DUT-52, and the detection signals can be observed by the bare eye without using sophisticated analytical instruments. The possible sensing mechanism is discussed in detail. The results obtained in this project may provide broad prospects for developing smart sensing systems to accomplish highly efficient, easily operable and quantitative intelligent recognition of Cu2+ and Cr2O72−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of multifunctional hybrid crystals that have been successfully utilized in diverse ranges of applications. However, since MOFs are prone to aqueous degradation, the development of stable luminescent MOF platforms in aqueous media is still a huge challenge. Here, a novel dual-ligand Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH composite is prepared based on the luminescent DUT-52 prototype structure via a dual-ligand strategy and a post-synthetic modification (PSM) method. The functionalized Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH material exhibits dual emission and good photothermal stability in aqueous media. Thus, Eu3+/DUT-52-COOH is developed as a ratiometric luminescent sensor to achieve highly selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ and Cr2O72− in aqueous solutions and has a low detection limit of 3.43 μM and 25.7 nM, respectively. This work is one of the few cases of detecting Cu2+ and Cr2O72− in aqueous media based on a DUT-52, and the detection signals can be observed by the bare eye without using sophisticated analytical instruments. The possible sensing mechanism is discussed in detail. The results obtained in this project may provide broad prospects for developing smart sensing systems to accomplish highly efficient, easily operable and quantitative intelligent recognition of Cu2+ and Cr2O72−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of Mn4+-activated phosphors are heavily affected by the host and the related data are difficult to obtain, which makes quantitative design of novel phosphors with required wavelength particularly challenging. In the era of big data, computation is emerging as a vital complement to materials development. Compared with traditional calculation routes, machine learning (ML) models provide better solutions for the problems wherein understanding the underlying physics is complicated with sparse data. In this study, we developed six ML models based on a sparse and small data set to rapidly predict the peak emission wavelength of novel phosphors and use Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) to select the best features. Among them, the K-nearest neighbors regression (KNN.r) algorithm using non-parametric regression technology can predict the value of the target variable based on the similarity between the target value and its spatial neighbors, which can tackle sparse data sets with no obvious linear relationship well and has the best prediction accuracy. These models were then used to predict 278 potential Mn4+-activated phosphor hosts extracted from the inorganic crystal structure database (ICSD), and 19 samples were selected to validate these methods. In order to overcome the lack of physical and chemical insight of KNN, a visual data analysis was carried out based on hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and the rule between the peak emission wavelength and the structure of host was proposed. Guided by the results of KNN and HCA, six samples were selected for the synthesis and characterization to verify our conclusions. The measured values of all these phosphors exhibit good agreement with the predicted results, suggesting the success of our methodology. Thus, the model established and the rule proposed in this paper provide a new pathway for the rapid discovery of novel phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ubiquitous cyan gap in the white light emitting diode (WLED) emission spectrum, especially at 490–500 nm, has long hindered our quest for natural sunlight. In this paper, abundant cyan broadband emissions (peak at 496 nm) is first achieved in CsCd(Cl1−yBry)3 metal halide perovskites (MHPs) via a simple precipitation method to address this challenge. The Mn2+ ions are then doped in CsCd(Cl1−yBry)3 to supplement the yellow component. The resulting single-component white emitter CsCd1−x (Cl1−yBry)3:xMn2+ phosphors possess an ultra-wide band emission from 350 nm to 750 nm, a pair of independent cyan and yellow emission peaks, and tunable color temperature (from 3000 K to 8000 K). The CsCd0.65 (Cl0.9Br0.1)3 : 0.35Mn2+ possesses excellent CIE 1931 color coordinates of (0.328, 0.348), a corresponding color temperature of 5690 K and a color rendering index of 90.96. In addition, this composites still has stable luminescence properties after 4 months of immersion in water. These results may stimulate the research on MHP-based single-component white emitter for the next generation of white light illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable photochromic molecules both in solutions and solid states (amorphous, films, and crystals) are valuable nascent optical materials. In this work, we report a facial route to design multi-state photochromic molecules by incorporating oligosilane chains into photoactive triphenylvinylthiophene (TPT) luminogens. The flexibility, bulkiness, and unique σ–π conjugation brought by silane chains enable different intramolecular interactions between two TPT units. A longer silicon chain bridge facilitates efficient electron delocalization and reduced structural constraint, thus resulting in reversible photochromism even in crystals with high-contrast color differences. This work provides a general method for developing novel multi-state photochromic materials for application in data encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the "fourth-largest energy source" and the "only renewable organic carbon source", biomass and its derived platform molecules (BDPMs) are widely used for selective upgrading to high-value-added chemicals and fuels, which can alleviate the energy crisis caused by the shortage of traditional fossil fuels. Electrocatalysis is emerging as a promising "biorefinery technology" for BDPM valorization, in which various high-value-added chemicals and fuels can be produced under green and mild conditions. However, the development of electrocatalytic upgrading of BDPMs is hugely lopsided due to a limited understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Herein, we comprehensively review the electrocatalytic upgrade of the top 14 BDPMs (classified into three main groups: alcohols, furans, and carboxylic acids) into high value-added chemicals and fuels, concentrating on the reaction pathways and the mechanisms. Thereafter, we emphasize the recent development of advanced electrode materials and focus on the principles for enhanced electrochemical activity and product selectivity. Afterward, a detailed analysis of advanced electrocatalyst synthesis and modification strategies is described to inspire more research attention and bring forward the practical application of the technique. Finally, we highlight the opportunities, identify the challenges, and propose perspectives for the future development of this flourishing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel hierarchical copper cobalt layered double hydroxide (CuxCoCo-LDH) nanosheet networked with tunable stoichiometry are designed and synthesized for the first time by in situ pseudomorphic transformation of heterometallic CuxCo-MOFs as electrocatalysts for the methanol-oxidation-to-formate reaction (MOFR). The incorporation of trace Cu with a strong Jahn–Teller effect induces collective impacts on the morphology and electronic structure, leading to a superior MOFR performance (i.e., an overpotential of only 50 mV at 10 mA cm−2, and a faradaic efficiency of nearly 100% for formate production). Density functional theory (DFT) reveals that Cu incorporation initiates lattice distortion and charge redistribution and further finely tunes the surface adsorption properties of the catalyst for reactants and intermediates (i.e., Cu doping enhances the adsorption of methanol and weakens the adsorption of formic acid on the catalyst surface). Based on the successful synthesis of high-efficiency MOFR electrocatalysts, we present a valuable approach to optimize the electrolysis voltage through replacing the conventional anodic water oxidation with the thermodynamically more favorable MOFR, and thus realize the energy match between the photovoltaic cell and electrolysis cell, further achieving spontaneous and efficient co-generation of formate and hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potential phosphorus (P) pool, the enzymatic hydrolysis of organic phosphorus (Po) is of fundamental importance due to the release of bioavailable inorganic phosphate (Pi) for agronomic P sustainability. However, little is known about the role of soil organic matter (SOM) in the hydrolysis process of phytate by phytase and the subsequent chemical behaviors involving the hydrolysis product (Pi) at different soil interfaces. Here, by using liquid-cell atomic force microscopy (AFM), we present a model system to in situ quantify the nucleation kinetics of phytase-released Pi when precipitating with representative soil multivalent cations (Ca2+/Fe3+) on typical soil mineral/organic interfaces in the presence/absence of humic acid (HA), which involves complex phytase–interface–HA interactions. We observed that a higher HA concentration resulted in a faster nucleation rate of amorphous calcium/iron phosphate (ACP/AIP) on bare and organically-coated (–OH/–COOH) mica surfaces compared with the HA-free control. Besides, the nucleation rate of ACP/AIP induced by organic interfaces was much more significant than that induced by clay mineral interfaces. By combining enzyme activity/stability experiments and AFM-based PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping (PF-QNM) measurements, we directly quantified the contribution of noncovalent phytase–HA interaction to the increase in enzymatic activity from complex phytase–interface–HA interactions. Furthermore, the direct complexation of phytase–HA resulted in the stabilization of a conserved active catalytic domain (ACD) in phytase through the enhanced formation of both an ordered, stereochemically-favored catalytic domain and an unordered non-catalytic domain, which was revealed by Raman secondary structure determination. The results provide direct insights into how HA regulates the catalytic activity of phytase controlling Po fates and how soil interfaces determine the behaviors of released Pi to affect its availability, and thereby contribute to P sustainability in soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron transport materials (ETMs) play an important role in organic solar cells (OSCs) and the rapidly evolving non-fullerene acceptors have higher demands for ETMs. A novel naphthalene diimide-based conjugated polymer (PNDI-NN) with aliphatic amino side chains at the N-position of naphthalene diimide was synthesized and introduced as an ETM in non-fullerene OSCs. The only N-substituted aliphatic amino side chains endow PNDI-NN with good solubility in alcohol and an intense self-doping effect, which can not only reduce the work function of the metal electrode (Ag), but also have a good coverage on the active layer and promote electron transport. The device with PNDI-NN showed the best power conversion efficiency of 15.6% with an improved open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). The device also exhibited good long-term stability in an inert atmosphere, in a humid environment and under continuous heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted great attention due to their rapidly improved power conversion efficiency (PCE), which is up to 25.5%, comparable to commercial Si-based solar cells. Currently, stability is one of the key obstacles to their commercialization. Compared with organic–inorganic PSCs with volatile organic components, all-inorganic PSCs exhibit excellent thermal stability, and thus have attracted more and more attention in recent years. Among them, PSCs based on CsPbI3 perovskite are the most eye-catching because of its ideal bandgap (1.73 eV) and excellent light absorption. Here, we systematically review strategies to improve the efficiency and stability of CsPbI3 PSCs from their early days to recent advances. The improvement mechanisms are discussed from the aspects of film formation technology, additive engineering, dimensionality engineering, doping engineering and quantum dot technology. In the end, the future development direction and obstacles of CsPbI3 PSCs are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-efficiency hydrogen production using nonprecious electrocatalysts is considered a feasible solution for solving energy and environmental crises. Herein, we first develop a novel, simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly plasma-induced transformation approach to in situ engineer MOF-derived heterointerface catalyst. The plasma engineered MOF-derived Co4N–Co3O4–C has a well-defined interface structure and exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic performance for alkaline hydrogen evolution with a very low overpotential of 46 mV at 10 mA cm−2. Theory calculation verifies that the formation of heterointerface induces electron redistribution mainly in the interface region, particularly to the side of Co4N, triggering interface Co as active sites, in which there is stronger water capture capability, decreasing the energetic barrier of water dissociation, and optimal hydrogen absorption. This work presents a feasible and ingenious strategy to design and synthesize diverse electrocatalysts with MOF-derived heterointerface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell fusion is an essential event in many biological processes and has gained increasing attention in the field of biotechnology. In this study, we demonstrate an effective and convenient strategy for cell capture, pairing, and fusion based on oscillating bubbles within an acoustofluidic device. Multirectangular structures of the same size were fabricated at the sidewall of polydimethylsiloxane to generate monodisperse microbubbles. These microbubbles oscillated with a similar amplitude under single-frequency acoustic excitation. Cells were simultaneously captured and paired on the surface of the oscillating bubbles within 40 ms, and the efficiency reached approximately 90%. Homotypic or heterotypic cell membrane fusion was achieved within 15 and 20 min, respectively. More importantly, the homotypic fused cells enabled migration and proliferation at 24 h, indicating that the important biological functions were not altered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the secondary structure of phytase, particularly the conserved active catalytic domain (ACD, SRHGVRAPHD) are extremely important for the varied catalytic activity during hydrolyzing phytate in the presence of humic acid (HA). However, little is known about the molecular-scale mechanisms of how HA influences the secondary structure of ACD found in phytase. First, in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) results show the secondary structure transformation of ACD from the unordered random coil to the ordered β-sheet structure after treatment with HA. Then, we use an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) technique that can in situ directly probe the single-molecule interaction of ACD with HA and underlying changes in ACD secondary structure in the approach-retraction cycles in real time. Based on the SMFS results, we further detect the HA-enhanced formation of H-bonding between amide groups in the ACD backbone after noncovalently interacting with HA in the absence of phytate. Following the addition of phytate, the calculated contour length (Lc) and the free energies (ΔGb) of functional groups within ACD(−1/2) binding to mica/HA collectively demonstrate the formation of the organized intermediate structural state of ACD following its covalent binding to phytate. These spectroscopic and single-molecule determinations provide the molecular-scale understanding regarding the detailed mechanisms of HA-enhancement of the ordered β-sheet secondary structure of ACD through chemical functionalities in ACD noncovalently interacting with HA. Therefore, we suggest that similar studies of the interactions of other soil enzymes and plant nutrients may reveal predominant roles of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in controlling elemental cycling and fate for sustainable agriculture development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-invasive treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) is of great significance and can greatly reduce the complications of craniotomy. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is an emerging tumor therapeutic strategy that overcomes some fatal flaws of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Different from PDT, SDT has deep tissue penetration and can be applied in the non-invasive treatment of deep-seated tumors. However, effective sonosensitizers that can be used for SDT of GBM are still very rare. Herein, we have prepared a suitable assembly based on a hypocrellin derivative (CTHB) with good biocompatibility. Excitedly, the hypocrellin-based assembly (CTHB NPs) can effectively produce reactive oxygen species under ultrasound stimulation. The inherent fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging characteristics of the CTHB NPs are conducive to the precise positioning of the tumors. It has been proved both in subcutaneous and in intracranial tumor models that CTHB NPs can be used as an effective sonosensitizer to inhibit tumor growth under ultrasound irradiation. This hypocrellin-based assembly has a good clinical prospect in the non-invasive treatment of GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single matrix white luminescent materials are relatively rare. Here, we report an excitation wavelength-dependent Cs2HfCl6:xSb (CHC:xSb) vacancy-ordered double perovskite where, by adjusting the excitation wavelength, different types of white light emission can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaGdF5:Yb,Er/Tm materials with dual-mode luminescence were synthesized using oleic acid and a simple one-pot hydrothermal method. The as-obtained materials show different colors under different excitation light wavelengths, showing red, green and blue up-conversion luminescence under irradiation with a 980 nm laser, and blue down-conversion luminescence when excited at 324 nm. The blue down-conversion color might originate from the defects or electron centers produced by the oleic acid molecules adsorbed on the material's surface. BaGdF5:Yb,Er/Tm materials are used to prepare fluorescent ink, and a series of patterns obtained by screen printing can display different colors under different ambient light wavelengths. This work provides simple and promising fluorescent materials for anti-counterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NaMnF3:Yb,Er and NaMnF3:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:xEu (x = 0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9) samples were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The as-obtained NaMnF3:Yb,Er particles show a single red emission under the irradiation of infrared light (980 nm), due to the energy exchange transfer process between Mn2+ ions and Er3+ ions. Notably, further growth of NaGdF4:Eu on the basis of NaMnF3:Yb,Er enhanced the green up-conversion luminescence of Er3+ ions, which gradually shifted from red to green with the increase of the Gd3+ ion doping amount. In addition, NaMnF3:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Eu exhibits red color under ultraviolet excitation (397 nm). These results provide a possible means for controlling the luminescence properties of the lanthanide doped up-conversion system. The luminescent film synthesized with NaMnF3:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Eu can show different luminescent colors under different light irradiation (near infrared and ultraviolet), which indicates that they have potential applications in multi-mode anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple method to prepare carbon-coated spinel nickel–cobalt–sulfide metal hollow spheres with excellent electrochemical properties, which can be considered as promising materials for supercapacitors. A type of Ni–Co coordination polymer sphere is identified as a precursor metal template as well; the prepared coordination polymer precursor sphere is vulcanized to obtain the NiCo2S4 hollow metal sphere. After that, glucose modified on the surface of the hollow metal sphere is the source of carbon. After hydrothermal sulfuration treatment the carbon-coated NiCo2S4 hybrid material is obtained, which is sintered in a tube furnace to improve the crystallinity of the materials. The compound materials reveal advanced specific capacitance (1367 F g−1 at 1 A g−1) and advantageous cycling stability (approximately 89.2% maintained after 6000 cycles at 10 A g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced luminescent materials with simple synthesis and a high safety factor is still a great challenge for anti-counterfeiting applications. Herein, multi-mode emission NaYF4:Ln (Ln = Er/Tm, Yb/Er, Yb/Tm)/NaYF4:Ce,Mn composites were synthesized by employing a hydrothermal method. These materials show an excitation source-dependent color change, and could show red, green and blue up-conversion (UC) luminescence under the irradiation of a 980 nm laser and exhibit green and blue down-conversion (DC) luminescence at 254 nm and 365 nm, respectively. The energy transfer mechanism of the UC and DC luminescence of the samples was discussed in detail. Moreover, the composite materials were further fabricated into fluorescent anti-counterfeit inks, and various multi-mode fluorescent patterns were created by screen printing technology. This work provides a simple and promising material with outstanding fluorescence properties for security and anti-counterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional photodetectors are usually "color blind" and require additional dispersive components or complicated structures to recognize colors. In this work, an organic photodetector (OPD) is designed with a layer of molybdenum(VI) oxide (MoO3) stacked on an organic donor/acceptor charge transfer interface. The band structure of the OPD is designed with multiple charge separation channels that can be activated/deactivated under reverse and forward biases. The combination of a high or low photocurrent under reverse and forward biases determines the colors of the received light, and that forms the heart of "non-color blind" ability to recognize light colors in the OPD. The energy structure and charge collection pathways in the OPD are investigated with biased external quantum efficiency (EQE), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and current density–voltage (J–V) studies. The OPD with the ability of color and wavelength determination demonstrates its potential to recognize colors without using additional components and the dual mode operation enables it to work under different conditions via switching its detection ranges with bias voltages. This design principle can be utilized to fabricate multifunctional devices by simply selecting different donor–acceptor materials according to the desired detection ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organo–mineral interactions have long been the focus in the fields of biomineralization and geomineralization, since such interactions not only modulate the dynamics of crystal nucleation and growth but may also change crystal phases, morphologies, and structures. The utilization of an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) technique makes it possible to quantify the single-molecule scale organo–mineral binding free energy (ΔGb) correlated with interfacial free energy (γ) and the nucleation energy barrier (ΔG). In this highlight, we briefly review theories of force spectroscopy (FS) and DFS, indicating that single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) can be distinguished with the worm-like chain (WLC) model, and linear and nonlinear DFS data can be analyzed with the Bell–Evans and Friddle–Noy–De Yoreo models to derive noncovalent binding information through the introduction of detailed procedures for DFS experiments from AFM tip modification to FS collection. Moreover, we present some application cases of DFS in unraveling the mechanisms underlying organo-modified nucleation rates, nucleus critical sizes, and phase transformations as well as facet-dependent organo–mineral interactions. The use of an AFM-based DFS technique will improve the fundamental understanding of organo–mineral interactions that affect organo-modified crystal nucleation and growth in both biomineralization and geomineralization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose sensors are vital devices for blood glucose detection in the diabetes care. Different from traditional electrochemical devices based on glucose oxidase, the glucose sensor based on the glucose-responsive hydrogel is more robust owing to its enzyme-free principle. However, integrating the high sensitivity, fast response, wide measuring range and low-cost fabrication into a hydrogel sensor is still challenging. In this study, we present a physical capacitive sensor, which consists of interdigital carbon electrodes (ICEs) fabricated by a direct laser writing technology and glucose-responsive hydrogel (DexG-Con A hydrogel) built by UV curing in situ. The dielectric property of DexG-Con A hydrogel changes accordingly with the change in environmental glucose concentration. Experimental results demonstrate that in a glucose concentration range of 0–30 mM, the proposed hydrogel sensor is capable of measuring the glucose level in a repeatable and reversible manner, showing a short responsive time of less than 2 min and a high sensitivity of 8.81 pF mM−1 at a glucose range of 0–6 mM. Owing to its simple fabrication process, low-cost and high performance, the proposed glucose sensor shows great potential on batch production for continuous glucose monitoring application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A GGT-activated two-photon fluorescent probe (4F-2CN–GSH) was developed based on a cascade reaction. 4F-2CN–GSH could selectivily detect GGT with low detection limit and distinguish ovarian cancer cells from normal cells using both one-photon and two-photon fluorescence imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]