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In water, the nonionic surfactant pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E5) forms multi-lamellar vesicles upon application of shear, attributed to buckling instability of the surfactant layers. In the standard setup for applying shear, a pair of solid substrates is moved in opposite directions, and a non-slip condition at the solid surface is assumed. Based on theoretical predictions, the effective viscosity of the fluid surrounding the membrane is modified in this process, and this confinement may affect membrane fluctuation. However, only a few studies have analyzed the structural changes near the substrate. From this viewpoint, the structural changes in surfactant aggregates near a solid substrate under the application of shear were investigated herein using neutron reflectometry (NR). By increasing the shear rate, shear thickening at a lower shear rate and shear thinning at a higher shear rate were observed, similar to that in the bulk. However, a discontinuous change in the lamellar structure accompanying the condensation of the surfactant was observed in the NR experiments. This study presents the first experimental evidence indicating that the ramping speed of shear rates governs the shear-induced structuring of surfactant aggregates near the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depletion interactions are thought to significantly contribute to the organization of intracellular structures in the crowded cytosol. The strength of depletion interactions depends on physical parameters such as the depletant number density and the depletant size ratio. Cells are known to dynamically regulate these two parameters by varying the copy number of proteins of a wide distribution of sizes. However, mammalian cells are also known to keep the total protein mass density remarkably constant, to within 0.5% throughout the cell cycle. We thus ask how the strength of depletion interactions varies when the total depletant mass is held fixed, a.k.a. fixed-mass depletion. We answer this question via scaling arguments, as well as by studying depletion effects on networks of reconstituted semiflexible actin in silico and in vitro. We examine the maximum strength of the depletion interaction potential U∗ as a function of q, the size ratio between the depletant and the matter being depleted. We uncover a scaling relation U∗ ∼ qζ for two cases: fixed volume fraction φ and fixed mass density ρ. For fixed volume fraction, we report ζ < 0. For the fixed mass density case, we report ζ > 0, which suggests that the depletion interaction strength increases as the depletant size ratio is increased. To test this prediction, we prepared our filament networks at fixed mass concentrations with varying sizes of the depletant molecule poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). We characterize the depletion interaction strength in our simulations via the mesh size. In experiments, we observe two distinct actin network morphologies, which we call weakly bundled and strongly bundled. We identify a mass concentration where different PEG depletant sizes lead to weakly bundled or strongly bundled morphologies. For these conditions, we find that the mesh size and intra-bundle spacing between filaments across the different morphologies do not show significant differences, while the dynamic light scattering relaxation time and storage modulus between the two states do show significant differences. Our results demonstrate the ability to tune actin network morphology and mechanics by controlling depletant size and give insights into depletion interaction mechanisms under the fixed-depletant-mass constraint relevant to living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the interstellar medium, diols and other prebiotic molecules adsorb onto icy mantles surrounding dust grains. Water in the ice may affect the reactivity and photoionization of these diols. Ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propylene glycol, and 1,3-propylene glycol clusters with water clusters were used as a proxy to study these interactions. The diol–water clusters were generated in a continuous supersonic molecular beam, photoionized by synchrotron-based vacuum ultraviolet light from the Advanced Light Source, and subsequently detected by reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The appearance energies for the detected clusters were determined from the mass spectra, collected at increasing photon energy. Clusters of both diol fragments and unfragmented diols with water were detected. The lowest energy geometry optimized conformers for the observed EG–water clusters and EG fragment–water clusters have been visualized using density functional theory (DFT), providing insight into hydrogen bonding networks and how these affect fragmentation and appearance energy. As the number of water molecules clustered around EG fragments (m/z 31 and 32) increased, the appearance energy for the cluster decreased, indicating a stabilization by water. This trend was supported by DFT calculations. Fragment clusters from 1,2-propylene glycol exhibited a similar trend, but with a smaller energy decrease, and no trend was observed from 1,3-propylene glycol. We discuss and suggest that the reactivity and photoionization of diols in the presence of water depend on the size of the diol, the location of the hydroxyl group, and the number of waters clustered around the diol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass formation and reorientational motions are widespread but often-neglected features of deep eutectic solvents although both can be relevant for the technically important ionic conductivity at room temperature. Here, we investigate these properties for two mixtures of ethylene glycol and ZnCl2, which were recently considered superior electrolyte materials for application in zinc-ion batteries. For this purpose, we employed dielectric spectroscopy performed in a broad temperature range, extending from the supercooled state at low temperatures up to the liquid phase around room temperature and beyond. We find evidence for a relaxation process arising from dipolar reorientation dynamics, which reveals the clear signatures of glassy freezing. This freezing also governs the temperature dependence of the ionic dc conductivity. We compare the obtained results with those for deep eutectic solvents that are formed by the same hydrogen-bond donor, ethylene glycol, but by two different salts, choline chloride and lithium triflate. The four materials reveal significantly different ionic and reorientational dynamics. Moreover, we find varying degrees of decoupling of rotational dipolar and translational ionic motions, which can partly be described by a fractional Debye–Stokes–Einstein relation. The typical glass-forming properties of these solvents strongly affect their room-temperature conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using deuteron spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxometry, the reorientational dynamics of ethaline (choline chloride/ethylene glycol) and reline (choline chloride/urea) are studied in a component-selective, isotope-edited manner over a wide temperature range, thereby complementing previous work on glyceline (choline chloride/glycerol). Differences in the hydrogen bond propensities effectuate that in reline and glyceline, the choline ions move faster than the hydrogen bond donors, glycerol and urea; in ethaline, the ethylene glycol molecules are reorienting faster. For glyceline and reline, the increase in the corresponding time scale ratio indicates a pronounced strengthening of the glycerol and urea networks upon cooling, while in ethaline, the time scale ratio remains essentially constant. For the three deep eutectic solvents, a comparison of the present component-selective results with the dielectric time constants shows that the latter are primarily sensitive to the dynamics of the respective hydrogen bond donors. In a Walden-type plot, the reorientation rates, selectively determined for the hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, are compared with their conductivity and fluidity, revealing that the dynamics of the choline ions relate most directly to the charge transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozonation (O3) is a widely used advanced oxidation process (AOP) for the treatment of wastewater, while its drawbacks include high energy consumption and poor solubility must be reduced or eliminated. Hence, a combined catalytic ozonation process with H2O2 and S2O82- was employed to degrade mono ethylene glycol (MEG) and eliminate ecological risks during the treatment of gas refinery wastewater. In this study, the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and MEG from wastewater by O3, O3/H2O2, O3/Na2 S2O8, O3/GAC, O3/GAC/S2O82- and O3/GAC/H2O2 oxidation treatment systems were investigated. The optimal treatment conditions were obtained as O3 dosage of 0.81 g h−1, H2O2 (0.15 mol L−1), S2O82- (2 g L−1), GAC (7 g L−1), pH of 11 and 60 min reaction time. The results revealed that the highest rate of degradation of MEG, COD reduction and the minimum electrical energy per order from the wastewater were 87.6%, 78.1% and 1.01 kWh/m3 respectively for O3/GAC/S2O82- process and 91.0%, 82.5% and 0.877 kWh/m3 respectively for O3/GAC/H2O2 process. The MEG degradation rate constant by O3/GAC/H2O2 system about 6.2 times and O3/GAC/S2O82- system over 5.3 times were higher than O3. After calculation, the synergy factors in O3/GAC with H2O2/S2O82- systems are more than 4.7, demonstrating that both systems have a strong synergistic effect. The finding related to the OH° trapping agent illustrates that indirect oxidation by OH° plays a vital role in the degradation of MEG. The performance of GAC stability was checked and resulted in the GAC also showing good stable catalytic activity in five consecutive cycles of use. The degradation pathways of MEG in the O3/GAC with H2O2 or S2O82- system were proposed based on intermediate analysis. The main intermediates found in MEG oxidation include glycolaldehyde, glycolic acid, glyoxal, glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid and formic acid. Finally, modification of wastewater treatment suggested that the burping phenomenon and the glycol foaming tendency were not observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyoxyalkylenes are widely studied as clay swelling inhibitors. Although many additives are available, the operations require more efficient formulations. This work synthesized and characterized two of molecules: poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) modified with hydrocarbon chains of different lengths; and poly(amidoamine) dendrimers(PAMAM) and PEG-modified PAMAM. The clay swelling inhibition efficiency was evaluated by the Foster swelling test. For the hydrophobized PEG derivatives, there is an optimum hydrocarbon chain size (C6-C10) to achieve the best performance. The best result was obtained for PEG-modified PAMAM(1:1), tested for the first time, being its performance even better than a commercial additive widely used in the petroleum industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethersulfone (PES) membranes have a high tendency to scale due to their inherent hydrophobicity, which limits their application and increases water treatment costs. To regulate the size of the pores of PES and prevent clogging, different qualities of poly(ethylene glycol)38‐block‐poly(propylene glycol)8 (PEG‐PPG) were introduced and screened for the best ratios. Further introduced synthesized nitrogen‐doped titanium dioxide (N‐TiO2), anti‐fouling and photocatalytic PES ultrafiltration membranes (N‐TiO2@M) were prepared. N‐TiO2@M3 exhibited bovine serum albumin rejection rate of 93.8% and achieved a methylene blue photocatalytic efficiency of 95.3% after 120 min of operation. Furthermore, N‐TiO2@M4 showcased a water contact angle of 41.0°. Notably, the pure water flux of N‐TiO2@M4 surged by 499.3% compared to that of PES membrane. The fouling resistance ratio for membrane flux witnessed an increase from 70.0% to 82.7%, demonstrating the enhanced durability of N‐TiO2@M4. Moreover, the comprehensive analysis for N‐TiO2@M4 revealed a total contamination rate of 40.2%. The irreversible contamination rate of N‐TiO2@M4 after 1 h of ultraviolet light (UV) cleaning was 5.7%, and the irreversible contamination rate after 1 h of visible light irradiation was 6.7%. The method for mixing N‐TiO2 and PEG‐PPG is straightforward and convenient, offering potential for the development of N‐TiO2@M with resistance to pollution and degradation in visible/UV light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halophilic Halomonas bluephagenesis , a natural producer of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), was metabolically engineered to synthesize ethylene glycol and glycolate from xylose. Xylose utilization was achieved by overexpressing either the xylonate pathway or the ribulose-1-phosphate pathway. The key genes encoding for xylonate dehydratase and 2-keto-3-deoxy-xylonate aldolase in the xylonate pathway were screened. With further overexpressing aldehyde reductase gene yjgB , ethylene glycol accumulation was improved to 0.91 g/L, accompanied with 1.48 g/L of PHB accumulation. The disruption of native glycolate oxidase was found to be essential for glycolate production, and the defective recombinant strain produced 0.80 g/L glycolate with 1.14 g/L PHB in shake flask cultures. These results indicated that H. bluephagenesis has the potential to produce diverse metabolic chemicals from xylose. • H. bluephagenesis was firstly engineered to produce ethylene glycol and glycolate. • Two xylose assimilation pathways were established in H. bluephagenesis. • Ethylene glycol and glycolate titers reached 0.91 g/L and 0.80 g/L in shake flasks, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A handheld smartphone-compatible molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based sensor was developed for the analysis of bisphenol A (BPA) in wastewater samples. Sensing elements based on ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP)-containing MIP films were designed and optimized using molecular dynamics simulations. The highly porous MIP films were synthesized via in situ polymerization, employing a fragment-based approach. The colorimetric response was based on the 4-aminoantipyrine method, while the MIP films were further utilized to detect BPA with a smartphone. The proposed sensor exhibited a wide linear range from 5 to 250 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5 μM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the designed analytical system demonstrated excellent analytical performance in terms of selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. During sensor validation, real wastewater samples were successfully tested for BPA, showcasing the feasibility of the smartphone-compatible MIP-based sensor. Recovery values of 87.1–114.6% underscored the efficacy and reliability of the developed sensor system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using citric acid, ethylene glycol, ZrOCl 2 ·8H 2 O, HfOCl 2 ·8H 2 O, NbCl 5 , and TaCl 5 as raw materials, based on the principle of Pechini coordination polymerization, the (Zr 0.25 Hf 0.25 Ta 0.25 Nb 0.25)C high-entropy ceramic precursor solution was successfully prepared, and the corresponding high-entropy ceramic powder was formed by pyrolysis at a low temperature of 1500 °C. The molecular structure of the precursor and its pyrolysis products were analyzed and characterized by different analytical and testing methods. The results show that in the precursor solution, the organic compound and the metal ions form a stable three-dimensional macromolecular structure, so that the metal ions show a uniform distribution at the molecular level, shortening the diffusion path during the carbothermal reduction reaction, thereby enabling the formation of the single-phase high-entropy carbide ceramic powders at a relatively low temperature. The obtained ceramic powders have high purity, uniform element distribution, with an average particle diameter of approximately 42 nm and an oxygen content of about 1.61 wt%. The precursor solution prepared in this study has a moderate viscosity of 20–50 mPa s and a high ceramic yield of 45 %, which is ideal for the preparation of high-entropy ceramic matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalyst for ethylene glycol electrooxidation reaction (EGEOR) is vitally important for direct ethylene glycol fuel cells. Nevertheless, the unsatisfactory EGEOR performance and high-cost of the catalysts still stands as an urgent obstacle that needs to be solved. Herein, we report a fabrication of ceria/nitrogen-doped carbon loaded Pd nanoparticles (Pd–CeO 2 /NC) as an electrocatalyst for EGEOR. During the catalyst synthesis, the renewable and abundant bioresource lignin serves as a precursor to prepare the nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NC), which can save the cost of the carbon support. Ulteriorly, the CeO 2 -doped NC acts as the support to immobilize the Pd nanoparticles by a water-phase reduction approach. Consequently, due to the synergistic effects between the highly-dispersed Pd nanoparticles, CeO 2 and NC, the resultant catalyst affords a current density of 46.39 mA cm−2, which is 2.86 times higher than that of commercial Pd/C (16.22 mA cm−2). Moreover, the developed catalyst also presents better EGEOR stability. This work not only develops a highly active EGEOR catalyst, but also provides an effective method for efficiently utilizing renewable biomass resources. • Multi-component Pd–CeO 2 /NC nanocomposites have been synthesized. • The renewable bioresource lignin serves as precursor for preparing carbon support. • The as-prepared catalysts present superior electrocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd(OAc)2 /2P(3-tol)3 in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-400) is shown to be a highly efficient catalyst for the regio- and stereoselective addition of boronic acids to ynamides. The reaction proceeds smoothly at 70 °C with Na2 CO3 as base, delivering a variety of (Z)-α,β-disubstituted enamides in good to excellent yields with high regio- and stereoselectivity. The isolation of the crude products can be facilely performed by extraction with diethyl ether and more importantly, the Pd(OAc)2 /2P(3-tol)3 /PEG-400 system could be readily recycled and reused more than six times without any significant loss of its catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical analysis is conducted using a nano-coated plate evaporator surface for fish preservation. Copper and alumina nanoparticles mixed with the base material (Steel) are considered for the evaporator material. Different brines (ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, potassium acetate, and calcium chloride) act as secondary refrigerants. Various performance parameters (pumping power, exergy rate change, irreversibility, exergic efficiency, non-dimensional exergy, and irreversibility distribution ratio) based assessment has been performed. The maximum percentage reduction in non-dimensional exergy and irreversibility, and maximum percentage rise in exergy rate change, irreversibility distribution ratio, and exergic efficiency have been acquired for propylene glycol brine. The pumping power decreased by 2.5% for alumina-copper hybrid nanoparticle-based material. The irreversibility and non-dimensional exergy have been reduced by 1.5%, whereas the exergy change rate, exergic efficiency, and irreversibility distribution ratio enhanced by 0.5%, 0.5%, and 2.5%, respectively, for PG brine (percentage-wise). The study reveals that the surface coated with nanoparticles provides better exergic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective pretreatment is essential for successfully utilizing renewable resources such as lignocellulosic biomass in the production of bioethanol. In this study, ternary deep eutectic solvents (DESs), namely choline chloride/lactic acid/glycerol (ChCl/LA/Gly), choline chloride/oxalic acid/glycerol (ChCl/OA/Gly), choline chloride/lactic acid/ethylene glycol (ChCl/LA/EG), and choline chloride/oxalic acid/ethylene glycol (ChCl/OA/EG) were prepared and employed for the pretreatment of cellulose-rich Napier grass (NG). Post treatment, the NG hydrolysate was subjected to enzymatic saccharification followed by ethanol fermentation. The results showed effective delignification of NG after treatment with the prepared ternary DESs, with ChCl/LA/EG removing a maximum of 92.89% lignin. The efficiency of the prepared DESs is attributed to their low densities, pH, and viscosity. Enzymatic saccharification of ChCl/LA/EG-treated NG resulted in a 1.68 fold increase in reducing sugar yield compared to that of untreated NG. All pretreated NG produced more bioethanol via a separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) process than untreated NG after Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation. A maximum of 0.37 g bioethanol/g of biomass was obtained from the one-pot process using ChCl/LA/Gly pretreatment. FTIR and XRD analyses of untreated and pretreated NG corroborated the efficacy of the ternary DESs on cellulose recovery and delignification. Also, enzymatic and microbial inhibition studies on the prepared DESs show their potential to be employed in a one-pot process for biorefinery. The results of the present investigation show the potential of utilizing eco-friendly DESs and renewable resources for the production of bioethanol, a viable option to fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to design novel bio-based and water-degradable polyesters with high heat resistance and good mechanical properties, we synthesized a series of poly(neopentyl glycol succinate-co-isosorbide succinate) (PNSI)-based isosorbide building blocks via melt polycondensation. The molar content of isosorbide succinate ranged from 20 to 70%. The kinetics of thermal decomposition showed that with an increase in the isosorbide molar content, the degradation activation energy (Ea) of the copolyesters significantly increased. From Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa models, the Ea of PNSI copolymer with 40% molar content of isosorbide succinate segment content was 92.7 and 104.5 kJ mol−1, respectively, which was higher than PNS copolymers (69.1 kJ mol−1 and 87.7 kJ mol−1). In addition, the isosorbide structure containing hydrophilic ether bonds increased the degradation rate of polyester. The weight loss of the PNSI40 copolymer was greater than 89% after 42 days of degradation in an alkaline solution. This study showed that the bio-based monomer isosorbide could balance thermal properties (especially Tg) and water/biodegradability. In addition, the copolymer is nontoxic; thus, the PNSI copolymer is an ideal membrane material with a wide range of packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the evaluation and the drug release characteristics of a new coated matrix membrane (CMM) system, particularly emphasizing drug delivery from porous systems that offer more precise release control, especially for drugs with narrow therapeutic indexes (NTIs), such as theophylline. The parameters affecting the delivery of theophylline from the CMM were systematically studied. In the study, ethyl cellulose (ETC) served as the coating polymer, while poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) was selected as the pore-forming agent. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was used as the base polymer in the preparation of matrix membranes, and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) was preferred as the hydrophilicity balancing guest polymer. The effects of matrix membrane (MM) thickness, heat treatment temperature (HTT), coating layer thickness, drug loading concentration and coating layer porosity on the release rate of theophylline from CMM systems were all investigated. Additionally, the impacts of pH and temperature on theophylline release from CMM systems were examined. All experiments were conducted in vitro. By the study, 150 °C was determined as optimal HTT temperature. At more acidic pH values greater release rates were obtained. The release mechanism consistent with the Case I (Fickian) diffusion model and the activation energy for the permeation of theophylline through CMM systems was found as 62.355 J mol−1. As a result of the study, it was determined that the optimized CMM system with improved release properties can control the released amount of theophylline and it was proposed as a promising material for the dermal delivery of theophylline in vivo. A new drug delivery coated matrix membrane system for theophylline delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density and viscosity of the pseudo-binary mixtures of eutectic solvent (ES) composed of choline chloride and ethylene glycol ([ChCl/EG]) with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) were measured. In order to understand the effect of the mole ratio of ChCl:EG, two ChCl/EG ESs with the mole ratio of 1:3 and 1:4 (abbreviated as [ChCl/EG](1:3) and [ChCl/EG](1:4) in this work) were prepared. The measurements were carried out by digital vibrating U-tube density meter and Ubbelohde capillary viscometer from 303.15 to 323.15 K at atmospheric pressure (98.5 kPa). The Jouyban–Acree model was applied to correlate the experimental density and viscosity data of DMSO/[ChCl/EG](1:3) and DMSO/[ChCl/EG](1:4) mixtures. In addition, based on the experimental data, the derived properties of the mixtures, such as excess molar volume and viscosity deviation, were calculated. The comparison and analysis of excess molar volume and viscosity deviation for DMSO/[ChCl/EG](1:2) reported in literature and the results obtained in this work were carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remediation of antibiotics by photocatalysis technique has been regarded as a promising route to tackle with the environmental pollution affecting human survival and development. In this work, brookite TiO2 nanorods with different oxygen vacancy have been synthesized through tailoring the volume of ethylene glycol by hydrothermally treatment with NaTiOx-nanoassembly. After constitute and morphology confirmation with different characterizations, their photocatalytic performances are evaluated via ciprofloxacin (CIP) antibiotic degradation experiments. The result shows that the TiO2-0 has the highest photocatalytic efficiency towards CIP degradation, comparing with TiO2-15 and TiO2-30 samples. Although the TiO2-30 has high concentration oxygen vacancy, it exhibits excellent adsorption ability in the dark, rather than CIP degradation rate. The photo/electrochemical tests suggest the photo-generated electron lifetime, charge transfer ability, and the effective active sites on the material's surface are inversely proportional to the concentration of oxygen vacancies. It also concludes that rational fabrication conditions tailoring of the photocatalyst could optimize the corresponding capability in the antibiotic degradation process. In addition, the possible degradation pathway is also proposed based on the high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and the acute toxicity changes in the degradation process are also predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pt-based catalysts are quite promising for ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) due to their superior catalytic activity and their high cost, low reserves and poor stability of precious metals greatly limit the further large-scale application. Developing low-Pt and high-performance anode electrocatalysts is urgent to direct ethylene glycol fuel cells. At present, a high-entropy alloy (HEA) of PtPdNiCoBi/C has been developed for EGOR, and its catalytic performance has been verified by electrochemical and physical methods. Notably, the EGOR peak current density on PtPdNiCoBi/C (0.782 A mg−1PtPd) reaches 3.54 times of Pt/C (0.221 A mg−1Pt), and the residual current on PtPdNiCoBi/C (0.092 A mg−1PtPd) is superior to that of Pt/C (0.076 A mg−1Pt) after 3000 s. Moreover, the current density retention (84.0%) of it after 500 cycles, is also superior to that of the Pt/C (78.8%). This work would support the future practical use of HEA catalyst for fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the problem of time- and space-dependent thin film thickness, specifically focusing on the flow of a Carreau–Yasuda (CY) ternary nanofluid over a porous stretching and rotating disk. The study examines how the thin film thickness varies under partial slip conditions. The CY-ternary nanofluid is composed of silver, alumina, and carborundum nanocombination in ethylene glycol. Also, the study takes into account the effect of thermal radiation with the extension of a magnetic field. To solve the unsteady nonlinear problem, it is transformed into a nonlinear problem and solved using the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The acquired data, together with the CY-ternary nanofluid percentage heat transfer augmentation, are shown visually and quantitatively. The results demonstrate that the CY-ternary nanofluid thin film thickness is influenced by the flow parameters. Moreover, a decrease in thin film thickness is facilitated by rotation, magnetic field, and porosity, which significantly boosts heat transfer rates. These findings are practical applications and offer opportunities for improved thermal management in engineering, biomedical, and industrial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the thermal behavior of Ethylene Glycol (EG) and nano particles of Al2SiO5 immersed water based cutting fluid as coolants experimentally for the application of radiator used in automobile. In this regard, forced convective heat transfer coefficient has been equated for base fluid i.e. EG and water-based nanoparticles (NPs) of Al2SiO5 immersed nanofluids (NFs). For NFs, nano particles of Al2SiO5 have been mixed at concentration of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4% considering the vol% /vol%. The base fluid has been prepared by mixing the 40% EG and 60% pure water based on vol% / vol%. To have a laminar flow, all the experiments have been performed for Reynolds number ranging from 500 to 1500. For all experimental trials, the NFs were allowed to flow across the tubes of radiator made in elliptical cross section. Besides, the air is allowed to pass at constant speed in the direction of perpendicular to the flow of coolant at the passage between the tube bundles. The obtained experimental results suggest that the increment in flow rate can enhance the heat transfer. However, negligible impact has been observed for the change in inlet temperature of radiator. The increment in heat transfer upto 47% has been observed when NPs having low concentration has been immersed in base fluid. To compare the heat transfer, a non-dimensional coefficient of heat transfer i.e. Nusselt Number (Nu) has been calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To achieve high‐performance indoor organic photovoltaics (OPVs), it is important to match the photoactive layer optical absorption with the light‐source emission. This can be accomplished by developing organic photoactive materials that can efficiently absorb visible light and thus minimize energy losses. While indoor OPVs have achieved efficiencies above 33% under low light intensities, the power output is limited by low open circuit voltages (VOC), often well below 1 V. In this study, we present a series of visible‐light absorbing (energy gap >1.90 eV) non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) based on perylene diimide dimers, which have been systematically modified with side chains of varying polarity and steric bulk (trimethyl benzyl, ethyl adamantane, trialkoxyl phenyl, and oligo ethylene glycol). Our results show that the incorporation of sterically bulky side chains such as ethyl adamantane and trimethyl benzyl, blended with the common widegap polymer PTQ10, provides photoactive layers with absorption greater than 2.0 eV, and consequently, VOCs higher than 1.2 V are achieved under AM 1.5 G illumination. Importantly, we found that the NFA with ethyl adamantane based side chains (tPDI2N‐ethyl adamantane, compound 4) exhibited the best performance, with minimized energy loss. As a result, devices using PTQ10:tPDI2N‐ethyl adamantane photoactive layers demonstrated excellent indoor efficiencies of over 16% and 18 μW cm−2 power output under a 2700 K LED lamp at 300 lux, and showed better repeatability compared to other systems. The PTQ10:tPDI2N‐ethyl adamantane based devices maintained a high VOC (>1.0 V) across a wide range of indoor lighting conditions, including 2700 K and 6500 K LED lamps. Overall, this work provides a sidechain engineering method to create NFAs for efficient indoor OPV devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape-stable phase change materials (SSPCMs) are excellent for thermal energy storage applications. This study presents the first novel fluorescent switchable bio-smart SSPCMs incorporating waste. We used poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the phase change material combined with leather waste (LW) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA). These composites achieved a relatively high shape fixity ratio (62–70%) and 100% shape recovery in both air (70 °C) and water (37 °C). They remained stable over a wide temperature range (−28.2 to 220 °C) and had high phase change enthalpies (86.8–149.7 J g−1). Composite PGL721 fully healed at 70 °C within 1.5 hours. By adding fluorescein and rhodamine B to PGL721, we created smart fluorescent SSPCMs, namely, FSSPCM1 and FSSPCM2. FSSPCM1 exhibited ON–OFF–ON fluorescence with heating, while FSSPCM2 showed ON–OFF fluorescence in the presence of Fe3+ ion (0.7 M). These smart fluorescent materials have promising applications in biomedical, textile, and soft robotic sensors and thermal storage application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic utilization of methanol and nitrate as carbon and nitrogen sources for the direct synthesis of amino acids could provide a sustainable way for the valorization of green "liquid sunlight" and nitrate waste. In this study, we develop an efficient photochemical method to synthesize glycine directly from methanol and nitrate, which cascades the C−C coupling to form glycol, nitrate reduction to NH3, and finally C−N coupling to generate glycine. Interestingly, the involved photocatalytic tandem reactions show a synergistic effect, in which the presence of nitrate is the dominant factor to enable the overall reaction and reach high synthetic efficiency. Ba2+−TiO2 nanoparticles are confirmed as a feasible and efficient catalyst system for the photosynthesis of glycine with a remarkable glycine photosynthesis rate of 870 μmol gcat−1 h−1 under optimal conditions. This work establishes a novel catalytic system for amino acid synthesis from methanol and nitrate under mild conditions. These results also allow us to further suppose the formation pathways of amino acids on the primitive earth, as an extension to proposals based on the Miller‐Urey experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furfuryl alcohol (FA) is an important chemical and has extensive applications in varied fields. To realize the highly selective hydrogenation of furfural (FF) to produce FA, the key is the preparation of the catalysts with excellent performance. Herein, a very simple wet chemical method is developed for the one-step preparation of PdAg nanosponges (NSs). Specifically, with Pd(OAc) 2 and AgNO 3 as precursors, and ethylene glycol (EG) as both solvent and reducing agent, PdAg NSs can be grown and assembled at mild temperature of 40 °C. Throughout the reaction, no any surfactants and additional reducing agents are applied. The as-prepared PdAg NSs possess 3D self-supported alloy structures, "clean" surface, abundant pores, high specific surface area and rich defects. In the FF hydrogenation reaction at 60 °C under 1.5 MPa H 2 pressure in the mixed solvent of ethanol and water (1 : 4 in volume ratio), the self-supported PdAg-1 NSs (1 : 1 in Pd/Ag molar ratio) exhibit superior catalytic performance than other PdAg NSs, pure Pd sample and commercial Pd/C (10%). With PdAg-1 NSs as catalyst in the absence of support, 100% FF can be converted and the selectivity toward FA is as high as 97.1% at 36.0 h of reaction. After 4 cycles, PdAg-1 NSs still maintain the high catalytic activity in FF hydrogenation and high selectivity toward FA, which may originate from the 3D self-supported structures, high specific surface area, "clean" surface, rich defects and electronic synergistic effect between Pd and Ag. This simple fabrication of PdAg NSs introduces new ideas for the synthesis of other nanostructured bi- and multi-metallic catalysts for highly selective FF hydrogenation to FA and other advanced applications. The defect-rich PdAg nanosponges are one-step synthesized in ethylene glycol at 40 °C without the uses of any surfactants, additional reducing agents and supports, and exhibit highly catalytic activity and selectivity for furfural hydrogenation to produce furfuryl alcohol under mild conditions. [Display omitted] • PdAg nanosponges (NSs) were one-step grown in ethylene glycol at 40 °C. • The synthesis was achieved without any seed, surfactant and additional reductant. • The PdAg NSs have rich defects and self-supported structures. • PdAg NSs has excellent catalytic performance for furfural (FF) hydrogenation. • 100.0% conversion of FF and 97.1% selectivity to furfuryl alcohol can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnMo–NiS were synthesized for electro-oxidizing ethylene glycol (EG), glycerol (GLY), and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), achieving faradaic efficiencies of 97.5%, 98.6%, and 99.2%, and yield rates of 615.7, 475.5, and 333.9 μmol h−1 cm−2. In situ Raman spectroscopy and multi-step chronoamperometry reveal that Ni3+–O is the active site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our investigation revolves around probing into the entropy generation and heat transfer phenomena within the context of an unsteady flow of variable magnetic hybrid nanofluid confined between parallel disks. This incorporation of carbon nanotubes (both single‐walled and multi‐walled) as nano‐particles dispersed within a blend of water and ethylene glycol (50%W + 50% EG). To gain a comprehensive understanding of the physical behavior exhibited by hybrid nanofluids, we have introduced innovative models tailored explicitly for this fluid classification. This research also investigates a swirling flow generated by the rotational movement of circular disks along the z‐direction. Employing the Buongiorno model, specifically a two‐phase nanofluid model, allows for a detailed examination of the thermal behavior of nanoparticles. This analysis highlights the impact of Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis on temperature and concentration distributions within the system. The numerical outcomes and results derived from this analysis have been computed through the HAM and for accuracy is compared with bvp4c program, providing valuable insights into the thermal behavior and distinctive characteristics of these hybrid nanofluids. The novelty of this work has never been shared or compared with any other method. Hybrid nanofluid as Ethylene Glycol cum water transferring heat and mass in SWCNT and MWCNT respectively observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn the present article, the thermophysical properties of an EG-H2O dispersed with GNP nanofluid are studied. The graphene nanoplatelets were dispersed in a 50:50 volume ratio (1113.2:1000 by mass in g per litre) of EG and H2O along with Gum Arabic surfactant to create the stable nanofluid dispersions by varying vol% of GNP from 0.1% to 0.5% in steps of 0.1%. The stability of proposed GNP-EG/H2O nanofluid was found using the zeta potential distribution method. A thermal properties analyzer, densitometer and rheometer were used to measure the thermal conductivity (k) (heat conduction), specific heat capacity (Cp), density (ρ) and viscosity (µ) of the nanofluid. All the properties were measured with various temperatures ranging from −15 °C to 15 °C with interval of 5 °C. The outcomes of steadiness test performed and reveal that the GNP-EG/H2O nanofluid was stable and exhibits a zeta potential distribution of −33.7 mV at 0.5 vol% of GNP. The thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of nanofluid enhanced by about 8.6% and 10.43% respectively when compared to the base fluid while the specific capacity decreased by 8.96% at 15 °C for 0.5 vol%. The proposed nanofluid favorable for all volume concentration under laminar flow regime while it was favorable up to 0.1% under turbulent regime which observed from the predicted effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical oxidization of crude ethylene glycol (EG) to fine chemicals driven by sustainable energy is an eco‐friendly solution to the upcycling of end‐of‐life polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wastes. Here, pseudo Agx‐PtyPdz core–shell electrocatalyst capable of hybrid oxidation of EG to formate (FA) is designed and synthesized. The trimetallic system consists of Ag nanowire and ultrathin PtPd alloy skin with defects, such as holes and grooves. The defects expose the Ag core to the surroundings and convert Ag0 to Ag2+ active species at appropriate potential (> 1.2 V vs RHE). Thus, hybrid EG oxidization reaction is realized on the Agx‐PtyPdz electrocatalyst, where PtPd skin catalyzes EG oxidization through conventional Faradaic electrode process owing to inherent activities of Pt and Pd, while Ag2+ serves as auxiliar oxidant to oxidize EG/intermediates (non‐Faradaic reaction). Such a hybrid oxidization strategy reinforces the removal of adsorbates on Agx‐PtyPdz electrocatalyst and refresh the active sites timely. Eventually, ultrahigh specific activity (24.45 A mg−1PtPd) and long‐term stability (> 3000 h at current density ≥ 400 mA cm−2) are delivered by the system. The finding of Ag2+‐enhanced alcohol oxidization reactions introduces a new paradigm for designing high‐performance electrocatalysts for energy and environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous one-dimensional Pt-based alloys with outstanding specific surface areas, short electron transport paths, and accessible Pt atoms are potential electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR); however, their simple one-step synthesis for MOR remains a challenge. In this study, a simple one-step method is presented for the rational fabrication of PtPb porous nanowires (PNWs) by the direct autoclave of binary metal precursors in the mixed solvent of ethylene glycol and N,N -dimethylformamide at 170 °C. The formation of PtPb PNWs is driven by the autocatalytic and Ostwald ripening growth mechanism with the assistance of ethylene glycol and N,N -dimethylformamide as a solvent, in situ template, and reducing agent. This method forms PtPb porous ultra-long (∼1.5 μm) neural PNWs with an average width of 20 nm enriched with abundant pores (5–10 nm), high Pb content (29 wt%), and decreased d-band level of Pt. These unique structural features enhanced the MOR mass (specific) activity of PtPb PNWs of 4.39 mA/μg Pt (49.3 mA/cm2) by 4.5 (9.6) and 5.5 (35.0) times than those of Pt PNWs and Pt/C catalyst, respectively besides higher durability and CO-tolerance. The MOR activity of PtPb PNWs was among the highest reported binary porous Pt-based catalysts, which may promote the preparation of other Pt alloys PNWs for MOR. [Display omitted] • Porous PtPb neural nanowires (PNWs) were prepared by a simple one-step method. • The formation mechanism of PtPb PNWs was underlined using various analyses. • The methanol oxidation performance of PtPb PNWs was superior to other PtPb. • The mass activity of PtPb PNWs was higher than Pt PNWs and Pt/C catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores application of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based hydrogel to improve the antifouling properties and performance of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) membrane. The modification of PPSU membrane was performed via coating different ratio of polydopamine (PDA) to 3‐(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) as interlayer on surface of PPSU membrane followed by grafting of PEG‐NH2 hydrogel. The as‐prepared membranes were characterized and results confirmed the successful coating of interlayer and hydrogel. The performance of as‐prepared membranes was measured using pure water flux, humic acid (HA), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) separation. The PDA‐APTES (50:50) was selected as the optimal interlayer to graft hydrogel with respect to their superior effect on properties of resultant membrane. The permeate flux and HA rejection increased from 35.2 LMH and 55% for pristine PPSU membrane to 83 LMH and 96% for optimal membrane. For optimal membrane the flux recovery ratio (FRR) value of 96% and 93% determined for BSA and HA separation, respectively. Chemical stability examined and the results confirmed that the hydrogel‐coated membrane was more stable in acidic media compared with alkali media. In summary, the simultaneous presence of the interlayer and the grafted hydrogel had a great impact on the morphology, performance, anticlogging properties, and acid resistance of the modified membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis constitutes approximately 75% of nephrolithiasis cases, resulting from the supersaturation and deposition of CaOx crystals in renal tissues. Despite their prevalence, precise biomarkers for CaOx nephrolithiasis are lacking. With advances in high-throughput sequencing, we aimed to identify biomarkers of CaOx nephrolithiasis by combining two CaOx nephrolithiasis datasets (GSE73680 and GSE117518). Utilizing weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and four machine learning, we identified six hub genes (DLK2, BHLHA15, C12orf5, ICMT, LOXHD1, and TP73) as potential biomarkers. Additionally, CIBERSORT immune infiltration analysis suggested that these core genes may influence immune cell recruitment and infiltration in CaOx nephrolithiasis. Then, TP73 emerged as a significant hub gene in CaOx nephrolithiasis via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis (AUC = 0.885). Furthermore, the role of TP73 was validated in CaOx nephrolithiasis rat models induced by 1% ethylene glycol, as well as clinical samples and renal tubular epithelial cell models treated with 1 mM oxalate. Immunohistochemistry, RNA-Sequencing, and RT-qPCR experiments demonstrated an increased expression of TP73 in CaOx nephrolithiasis rat models and clinical samples. After transfection with TP73 lentivirus, CCK-8 assays suggested that TP73 could inhibit the proliferation of HK-2 and NRK-52E cells. In oxalate-induced cell models, dihydroethidium staining and flow cytometry apoptosis assays indicated that TP73 could enhance ROS levels and cell apoptosis. In summary, our study preliminarily identified TP73 as a diagnostic biomarker and elucidated the promoting role of TP73 in CaOx nephrolithiasis, providing a deeper understanding of the clinical diagnosis and pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis and evaluation of a new polymeric adsorbent for adsorbing methylene blue (MB) from these economical aqueous solutions were investigated. In the first step of the study, N‐(1‐cyclohexylethyl)acrylamide (CEA) monomer was synthesized using S‐(+)‐1‐cyclohexylethylamine and acryloyl and the obtained CEA was analyzed by FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and 13C‐NMR. Then, a poly(CEA‐co‐Styrene‐co‐EGDMA) copolymer was obtained by cross‐linking CEA monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and styrene monomers by subsequent radical polymerization episodes. FTIR, solid‐NMR, and elemental analysis methods were used for the characterization of this copolymer. In the last step of the study, the obtained poly(CEA‐co‐Styrene‐co‐EGDMA) copolymer was used as an adsorbent to adsorb MB from aqueous solutions. In the study, various factors such as adsorption properties, adsorbent dose, contact time, initial concentration, and solution pH were investigated. In the study, the most suitable adsorbent dose was determined as 0.1 g, initial solution concentration as 500 mg/L, contact time as 70 min, and pH as 7. Adsorption capacity was determined as 256.4 mg/g at 25 °C. As a result of the analysis of kinetic data, it was found that the model with the highest regression coefficient and the best fit with the experimental data was the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphoryl podands of neutral type with a flexible ethylene glycol chain and diphenylphosphorylmethyl end groups are known for their complexation properties towards various cations. In this work, the complexation process between 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphoryl)-2-oxapropane (L) and lanthanide ions was studied. Namely, the stability constants of lanthanide complexes with L in acetonitrile were estimated by the method of spectrophotometric titration. It was found that the stability constants of Ln3+ complexes with L increase in the lanthanide series, which is consistent with the extraction and ion-selective properties of L. The extraction ability of L and this ligand in the presence of ionic liquids (ILs) such as methyltrioctylammonium nitrate (MTOAN) and bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (C4mimTf2N) was studied. It was found that in the presence of ILs, L extracts the elements of the yttrium subgroup of lanthanides much better than those of the cerium subgroup: SFLu/Ce(L–MTOAN) = 2.29; SFLu/Ce(L–C4mimTf2N) = 110.38. The use of the L–C4mimTf2N mixture in the processes of lanthanide separation into subgroups is much more efficient than the use of L without the addition of ILs or the use of the L–MTOAN mixture. The ion-selective properties of L towards Ln3+ ions were studied. Podand L exhibits potentiometric selectivity to Lu3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene glycol (EG) is a widely used material, but its vapor is harmful to human health already in low concentrations. Thus, highly sensitive EG gas sensors are urgently needed. Herein, a series samples of ZnO and carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized at different ratios through a simple mechanical grinding method. The senor made using ZnO/CDs2 exhibits an ultra-high response (Ra/Rg) to 100 ppm EG up to 2798, 1378 and 467, and extremely low detection limit as low as 21 ppb, 13 ppb and 2 ppb, under UV light, visible light, and infrared light, respectively, as well as excellent repeatability and long-term stability. Especially, under UV light irradiation, the response of ZnO/CDs2 to 100 ppm EG is 24 times that of pure ZnO (Ra/Rg = 114.7), and more than 71 times that of 9 other gases. The outstanding gas sensing performance of ZnO/CDs2 can be attributed to the excellent light response ability of CDs at first, which greatly enriches the electron concentration in ZnO/CDs under light irradiation. Furthermore, the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) property of CDs and the p-n heterojunction formed at the interface between ZnO and CDs play a key role in rapid electron transport and transfer, avoiding a large number of electron hole recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel nanocomposite material consisting of Bi 2 O 3 and Bi 2 MoO 6 , named as Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 , was successfully fabricated by co-precipitation method in ethylene glycol solvent. Morphological analysis of the heat-treated sample at 400 °C for 12 h in Ar atmosphere (Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C) showed that it contained nano-sized particles of Bi 2 O 3 and Bi 2 MoO 6 ; in addition, an amorphous phase along with a crystalline structure was also observed. When used as an anode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs), Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C anode exhibits excellent electrochemical properties such as high Coulombic efficiency, high specific capacity, excellent capacity retention, and outstanding rate capacity. Specifically, the Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C anode presented a reversible capacity of 786 mAh g−1 at the beginning cycle at 0.1 A g−1 and retained about 90 % of the charging capacity value after 80 cycles. The advanced electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite anode are related to the combination of many aspects such as nanostructure, existence of amorphous phase, and pseudo-behaviour of metal-based components. The structural stability and electrochemical performance of the anode material, therefore, are improved. These results demonstrate Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C as a promising material for establishing high-performance LIB anodes. [Display omitted] • Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 powders are prepared by a facile method. • Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 powders contain amorphous and crystalline phases. • Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 materials possess nanostructures (from 20 nm to 50 nm). • Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C anode displays high initial coulombic efficiency (>80 %). • Bi 2 O 3 @Bi 2 MoO 6 _400 °C anode shows a reversible capacity of 701 mAh g−1 after 80 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective removal of organic and inorganic impurities by adsorption technique requires the preparation of new materials characterized by low production costs, significant sorption capacity, and reduced toxicity, derived from natural and renewable sources. To address these challenges, new adsorbents have been developed in the form of polymer microspheres based on ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and vinyl acetate (VA) (EGDMA/VA) containing starch (St) modified with boric acid (B) and dodecyl-S-thiuronium dodecylthioacetate (DiTDTA) for the removal of dyes: C.I. Basic Blue 3 (BB3) and C.I. Acid Green 16 (AG16) and heavy metal ions (M(II)): Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) from water and wastewater. The adsorbents were characterized by ATR/FT-IR, DSC, SEM, BET, EDS, and pHPZC methods. These analyses demonstrated the successful modification of microspheres and the increased thermal resistance resulting from the addition of the modified starch. The point of zero charge for EGDMA/VA was 7.75, and this value decreased with the addition of modified starch (pHPZC = 6.62 for EGDMA/VA-St/B and pHPZC = 5.42 for EGDMA/VA-St/DiTDTA). The largest specific surface areas (SBET) were observed for the EGDMA/VA microspheres (207 m2/g), and SBET value slightly decreases with the modified starch addition (184 and 169 m2/g) as a consquence of the pores stopping by the big starch molecules. The total pore volumes (Vtot) were found to be in the range from 0.227 to 0.233 cm3/g. These materials can be classified as mesoporous, with an average pore diameter (W) of approximately 55 Å (5.35–6.10 nm). The SEM and EDS analyses indicated that the EGDMA/VA microspheres are globular in shape with well-defined edges and contain 73.06% of carbon and 26.94% of oxygen. The microspheres containing modified starch exhibited a loss of smoothness with more irregular shape. The adsorption efficiency of dyes and heavy metal ions depends on the phases contact time, initial adsorbate concentration and the presence of competing electrolytes and surfactants. The equilibrium data were better fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model than by the Langmuir, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. The highest experimental adsorption capacities were observed for the BB3 dye which were equal to 193 mg/g, 190 mg/g, and 194 mg/g for EGDMA/VA, EGDMA/VA-St/B, EGDMA/VA-St/DiTDTA, respectively. The dyes and heavy metal ions were removed very rapidly and the time required to reach system equilibrium was below 20 min for M(II), 40 min for BB3, and 120 min for AG16. 50% v/v methanol and its mixture with 1 M HCl and NaCl for dyes and 1 M HCl for M(II) desorbed these impurities efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The covalent attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGylation) to materials minimizes non‐specific fouling of the material surface with biocomponents. While the PEGylation reaction on polar surfaces is widely used and regarded as a common technique, the PEGylation on less polar polymers and elastomers is extremely difficult due to the absence of reactive points with PEG terminus. Herein, the design and synthesis of an orthogonal agent with a nitrile N‐oxide and a phenyl carbamate that can mediate between an alkene and an amine are reported. The ligation capacity of the orthogonal agent is demonstrated through the model reaction to connect between 1‐hexene and 4‐methoxybenzylamine and the grafting reaction of PEG onto poly(styrene‐co‐butadiene) (SB) resin. The surface characteristics of PEGylated SB film are evaluated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. Because SB resin is frequently used as a 3D‐printing polymer, the present study indicates that the orthogonal agent can be applicable to the surface modification of 3D‐printed objects precisely manufactured by using a computer‐aided design (CAD) file in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self‐assembled "caging" strategy is presented for the safe delivery of potent cationic antimicrobials that suffer from non‐specific toxicity for the effective treatment of in vivo systemic bacterial infection. The key development here is a new block copolymer consisting of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) stealth block and an anionic and lipase‐degradable block of poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) (PCL) and phosphonic acid‐bearing methacrylate copolymer, synthesized by hybrid copolymerization of methacrylate and cyclic esters. The anionic blocks electrostatically interact with cationic antimicrobials to form neutrally charged polyion complexes with the PEG blocks on the surface. The PCL component imparts the nanocomplex with biodegradability by bacterial secretory lipase. In the proof‐of‐concept study, cationic polyimidazolium that shows excellent antibacterial activity but severe toxicity is packaged by the block copolymer into nanocomplexes, which are stable in complex environments of high salt and protein concentrations and released the antimicrobials upon degradation of the copolymer by bacteria‐secreted lipase. The "caging" formulation of polyimidazolium eliminated its toxicity and led to highly effective bactericidal performance comparable to free polyimidazolium. This caging strategy does not require sophisticated chemical modification of cationic antimicrobials, offering a broadly applicable formulation strategy to overcome their common toxicity issue that has become a primary translational barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel‐based wearable strain sensors have recently gained considerable interest due to their promising applications in real‐time health monitoring and motion detection. However, achieving integrated high‐stretchability, self‐adhesiveness, and long‐term water‐retaining property simultaneously in hydrogel systems remains a big challenge, which limits their applications in wearable electronics. Herein, a multifunctional hydrogel material designed is proposed for wearable strain sensors that can be manufactured by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology. By tailoring the composition of chemically cross‐linked networks (ploy(acrylamide)/poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate), physically cross‐linked networks (ploy(acrylamide)/poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate/silk fibroin/glycerol/water) and microstructures on the surface, the 3D printed hydrogel exhibits promising superior and adjustable mechanical properties, tunable adhesion and good water‐retaining property simultaneously. In addition, through adding conductive ions, high ionic conductivity can also be achieved for stretchable sensing applications. Based on these integrated multifunctionalities, the 3D printed hydrogel is suitable for wearable strain sensors to detect various body motions. This work provides a prospect for 3D printable hydrogel systems with broad applications in wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) require high ionic conductivity and dense contact with the electrodes for high‐performance lithium‐metal solid‐state batteries. However, massive challenges such as poor ionic migration ability, low antioxidant ability, and lithium dendrite formation still remain unresolved. These issues severely restrict its practical applications. Herein, a new type of solid‐state polymer electrolyte with a molecular crowding feature is rationally designed by in situ polymerization of a precursor containing poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and 1,2‐dimethoxyethane (DME). Noticeably, the prepared SPE expands the electrochemical window to 4.7 V with a high lithium‐ion transfer number of 0.55 and a superior ionic conductivity of 3.6 mS cm−1 at room temperature. As a result, the lithium symmetrical batteries achieve stable cycles with more than 3000 h with no lithium dendrites at a current density of 0.5 mA cm−2. Importantly, this design provides dense contact of solid‐state polymer electrolytes with the porous cathode and lithium anode, allowing the assembled winding‐type solid‐state pouch cells with outstanding cycling stability of 81.7% retention for more than 340 cycles at room temperature. It shows excellent adaption to widely practical technology with large‐scale battery production, offering a new solution for the future development of solid‐state polymer lithium‐metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propylene glycol is a potential fuel additive with high oxygen-contained. Propylene glycol has two isomers, 1,2-propylene glycol and 1,3-propylene glycol. In order to comprehend the combustion behavior of propylene glycol, the autoignition properties were investigated experimentally behind reflected shock waves. The Ignition delay times were obtained at the temperature range of 1100–1550 K, pressures of 2, 4 and 10 atm, equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0, as well as fuel concentrations of 1.0% and 1.5%. The effects of temperature, pressure, fuel and oxygen concentrations on the ignition delay time were studied, and the corresponding quantitative relationships were obtained through linear regression analysis. A detailed oxidation mechanism of propylene glycol was proposed and verified by ignition data and species profiles. Kinetic analyses were carried out to investigate the propylene glycol oxidation. Pathway analysis indicated that H-abstraction reactions are the main consumption channels of propylene glycol. Rate of production analysis illustrated that H-abstraction reactions by H and OH radicals dominate the fuel consumption. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that besides H-abstraction reactions, C–C bond dissociation reactions express strong promoting effects on fuel ignition. Comparisons of the ignition delay time of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and propanol were conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, poly(lactic acid)‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐tetra‐n‐butylammonium hydrogen sulfate (PLA‐PEG‐HS) electrospun mats were fabricated by electrospinning as effective wound dressings against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), which are the most prevalent species of gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria, respectively. PLA is a polymer with high biocompatibility and biodegradability, but its structure is fragile. Therefore, we aimed to improve its structural properties using PEG as a plasticizer and to provide antibacterial properties with HS salt. The nanofibers characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and drying time tests. The addition of HS eliminated the beads in the PLA‐PEG nanofiber and improved the homogeneity of the fiber distribution. Concerning this result, when the liquid absorption capacity (LAC) test was evaluated, PLA‐PEG‐HS nanofiber production was achieved with the highest rate of 480.95%. The thermal properties of nanofibers increased with the addition of HS. Cytotoxicity test results of PLA‐PEG‐HS wound dressings showed high cell viability of 129.05% in L292 mouse fibroblast cells at the end of the 24th hour. PLA‐PEG‐HS nanofibers with 99.99% antibacterial activity against tow bacteria. Considering the modern wound dressing requirements, antibacterial wound dressing production has been successfully achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), capable of converting near-infrared (NIR) light into high-energy emission, hold significant promise for bioimaging applications. However, the presence of tissue barriers poses a challenge to the effective delivery of nanoparticles (NPs) to target organs. In this study, we demonstrate the core–shell UCNPs modified with cationic biopolymer, i.e., N, N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), can overcome endothelial barriers. The core–shell UCNP is composed of NaGdF4: Yb3+,Tm3+ (16.7 ± 2.7 nm) as core materials and silica (SiO2) shell. The average particle size of UCNPs@SiO2 is estimated at 26.1 ± 3.7 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and element mapping shows the formation of hexagonal crystal structure of β-NaGdF4 and elements doping. The surface of UCNPs@SiO2 has been modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to enhance water dispersibility and colloidal stability, and further modified with TMC with the zeta potential increasing from -2.1 ± 0.96 mV to 26.9 ± 12.6 mV. No significant toxic effect is imposed to HUVECs when the cells are treated with core–shell UCNPs with surface modification up to 250 µg/mL. The transport ability of the core–shell UCNPs has been evaluated by using the in vitro endothelial barrier model. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and immunofluorescence staining of tight junction proteins have been employed to verify the integrity of the in vitro endothelial barrier model. The results indicate that the transport percentage of the UCNPs@SiO2 with PEG and TMC through the model is up to 4.56%, which is twice higher than that of the UCNPs@SiO2 with PEG but without TMC and six times that of the UCNPs@SiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of sustainable energy technologies has led to considerable interest in waste heat harvest from various energy sources. Thermocells (TECs), using the thermogalvanic effect, hold high potential in converting low‐grade heat directly into electricity. Optimizing thermopower and ensuring adaptability in low or sub‐zero temperature conditions are crucial for the advancement of next‐generation TECs. To address these challenges, in this work, a composite hydrogel electrolyte incorporating ethylene glycol (EG) and Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets is rationally engineered. EG boosts thermopower by increasing solvation entropy change and concentration ratio difference of redox ions; it also prevents freezing by disrupting hydrogen bonds among water molecules. Meanwhile, hydrophilic MXene nanosheets facilitate gelation process, improve mechanical strength, and further bond to water molecules to enhance anti‐freezing and moisture‐retaining capabilities. The TECs fabricated on this composite hydrogel electrolyte exhibit a notably increased thermopower of 2.04 mV K−1 and can be continuously operated at sub‐zero temperatures down to −40 °C. Electricity‐generating TEC windows are further demonstrated to harvest all‐day low‐grade heat via utilizing the temperature difference between the indoor and the outdoor. This study proposes an electrolyte engineering strategy for long‐lasting and reliable TECs that are suitable for low‐grade heat harvesting in extreme low‐temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐enzymatic cascade reaction provides a new avenue for C─C coupling directly from CO2 under mild conditions. In this study, a new pathway with four enzymes including formate dehydrogenase (PaFDH), formaldehyde dehydrogenase (BmFADH), glycolaldehyde synthase (PpGALS), and alcohol dehydrogenase (GoADH) is developed for directly converting CO2 gas molecules to ethylene glycol (EG) in vitro. A rhodium‐based NADH regeneration electrode is constructed to continuously provide the proton and electron of this multi‐enzymatic cascade reaction. The prepared electrode can reach the Faradaic Efficiency (FE) of 82.9% at −0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and the NADH productivity of 0.737 mM h−1. Shortening the reaction path is crucial for multi‐enzymatic cascade reactions. Here, a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (HOF) nano‐reactor is successfully developed to immobilize four enzymes in one pot with a striking enzyme loading capacity (990 mg enzyme g−1 material). Through integrating and optimization of NADH electro‐regeneration and enzymatic catalysis in one pot, 0.15 mM EG is achieved with an average conversion rate of 7.15 × 10−7 mmol CO2 min−1 mg−1 enzymes in 6 h. These results shed light on electro‐driven multi‐enzymatic cascade conversion of C─C coupling from CO2 in the nano‐reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been used as a potential nanocarrier for photosensitizers (PSs), which have demonstrated a great deal of promise in achieving an effective photodynamic therapy (PDT) for deep-seated tumors. However, overcoming biological barriers to achieve mitochondria-targeted PDT remains a major challenge. Herein, CD44- and mitochondria-targeted photodynamic nanosystems were fabricated through the self-assembly of hyaluronic acid-conjugated-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-diethylenetriamine-grafted-(chlorin e6-dihydrolipoic acid-(3-carboxypropyl)triphenylphosphine bromide) polymeric ligands (HA-c-mPEG-Deta-g-(Ce6-DHLA-TPP)) and NaErF4:Tm@NaYF4 core–shell UCNPs (termed CMPNs). The CMPNs presented ideal physiological stability, a good drug loading capacity and an improved capacity for the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) based on the FRET mechanism. Significantly, confocal images revealed that CMPNs not only facilitated cellular uptake through CD44-receptor-targeted endocytosis, subsequently enabling rapid evasion from endo-lysosomal sequestration, but also specifically targeted mitochondria, ultimately inducing a profound disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, which triggered apoptosis upon laser irradiation, thereby significantly enhancing the therapeutic effect. Furthermore, in vitro antitumor experiments further confirmed the substantial enhancement in cancer cell killing efficiency achieved by treating with CMPNs upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. This innovative approach holds promise for the development of NIR-laser-activated photodynamic nanoagents specifically designed for mitochondria-targeted PDT, thus addressing the limitations of the current PDT treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]