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Diabetes is an important risk factor for liver cancer, but its mechanism is unknown. Corosolic acid (CA) has been proven to have both hypoglycemic and antitumor effects, so revealing the function of CA can help us understand the relationship between diabetes and liver cancer. In previous studies, we confirmed that CA can effectively inhibit the expression of YAP, an important oncoprotein in HCC cells, and the proliferation of HCC cells. In addition, we also found that O-GlcNAcylation plays an indispensable role in HCC tumorigenesis. However, it is not clear whether CA can inhibit the effect of O-GlcNAcylation on HCC cells. In this study, the antitumor ability of CA was investigated by inhibiting the O-GlcNAcylation level and its corresponding mechanism. The results showed that HG (high glucose) could promote the proliferation of liver cancer cells, while CA could inhibit cell growth under HG conditions and tumor growth in a xenotransplantation model. CA can inhibit the activation of the HBP pathway and reduce the expression of YAP and OGT under HG conditions. Importantly, we found that CA can reduce YAP expression and O-GlcNAcylation by inhibiting the activity of CDK19. Overexpression of CDK19 partially reversed the CA-induced decrease in YAP and O-GlcNAcylation. This is the first evidence that CA can reduce the proliferative capacity of cells with high glucose levels and further inhibit tumor growth by inactivating the CDK19/YAP/O-GlcNAcylation pathway, suggesting that CA is a candidate drug for the development of treatments against diabetes-associated liver cancer.

Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs)/orange peel (MOP) composite was prepared via one-step in-situ co-precipitation method as magnetic heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. The properties of MOP were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopes, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technologies. Its Fenton-like catalytic responses towards removal of methyl orange (MO) were investigated, in which the effects of initial dye concentration, pH, temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage were studied. The MO degradation ratio up to 98.0% was obtained within 20 min in optimized conditions. The catalyst showed excellent catalytic stability exhibiting nearly 90% degradation ratio in the 10th cycle within 20 min, whereas pure Fe3O4-NPs showed only 62.5% in this stage. Due to the stabilization of complexing orange peel hydroxyl to iron oxide in the composite and its magnetic separation property, MOP composite exhibits excellent Fenton-like catalytic performance, which offers great prospects for low-cost and high-efficiency organic dye wastewater treatment. Highlights Cheap raw materials like waste biomass and common Fe salts.; Fe3O4/orange peel composite as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst.; 98.0% of 30 ppm MO can be degraded within 20 min in optimized conditions.; Easy separation: fast magnetic separation from aqueous solution within 1 min.; Superior cycle catalytic stability: MO (20 ppm) degradation ratio reaches up to nearly 90% within 20 min in the 10th cycle.

Lithium sulfur batteries provide one of the most attractive opportunities for next generation energy storage devices benefiting from their particularly high energy density. However, the obstacle ma...

Nanocubic lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, N-LTO) has been synthesized by a modified solid-state reaction using H-titanate nanotubes as titanium source and lithium carbonate as lithium source. The as-prepared N-LTO was highly crystalline with size ranging from 50 nm to 200 nm. The electrochemical performance of the N-LTO was investigated and compared with commercial nanoscale lithium titanate (C-LTO). The N-LTO electrode showed an initial discharge capacity of 181.0 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C with capacity retention of 86.7% after 200 cycles. At a high rate of 10 C, the N-LTO electrode retained a high reversible capacity of 149.2 mAh g−1, considerably higher compared with the value of 117.1 mAh g−1 for C-LTO. The N-LTO electrode exhibited excellent long-term cycling stability with capacity retention of 82.6% at 5 C after 1000 cycles. A full cell of LiFePO4/N-LTO was tested, showing capacity retention of 78.7% at 1 C after 100 cycles.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors hold great promise in flexible electronics because of their intrinsic flexibility and high electrical performance. However, the lack of facile synthetic and subsequent device fabrication approaches of high-mobility 2D semiconducting thin films still hinders their practical applications. Here, we developed a facile, rapid, and scalable solution-assisted method for the synthesis of a high-mobility semiconducting oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se) thin film by the selenization and decomposition of a precursor solution of Bi(NO3)3·5H2O. Simply by changing the rotation speed in spin-coating of the precursor solution, the thicknesses of Bi2O2Se thin films can be precisely controlled down to few atomic layers. The as-synthesized Bi2O2Se thin film exhibited a high Hall mobility of ∼74 cm2 V-1 s-1 at room temperature, which is much superior to other 2D thin-film semiconductors such as transition metal dichalcogenides. Remarkably, flexible top-gated Bi2O2Se transistors showed excellent electrical stability under repeated electrical measurements on flat and bent substrates. Furthermore, Bi2O2Se transistor devices on muscovite substrates can be readily transferred onto flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substrates with the help of thermal release tape. The integration of a high-mobility thin-film semiconductor, excellent stability, and easy transfer onto flexible substrates make Bi2O2Se a competitive candidate for future flexible electronics.

Ferroptosis is an iron- and lipid peroxidation-dependent form of regulated cell death. The release of labile iron is one of the important factors affecting sensitivity to ferroptosis. Yes-associated protein (YAP) controls intracellular iron levels by affecting the transcription of ferritin heavy chain (FTH) and transferrin receptor (TFRC). However, whether YAP regulates iron metabolism through other target genes remains unknown. Here, we observed that the system Xc– inhibitor erastin inhibited the binding of the WW domain and PSY motif between YAP and transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2), and then suppressed the transcription of ferritin light chain (FTL) simultaneously mediated by YAP, TFCP2 and forkhead box A1 (FOXA1). Furthermore, inhibition of FTL expression abrogated ferroptosis-resistance in cells with sustained YAP expression. Unlike FTH, which exhibited first an increase and then a decrease in transcription, FTL transcription continued to decline after the addition of erastin, and a decrease in lysine acetyltransferase 5 (KAT5)-dependent acetylation of FTL was also observed. In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues, lipid peroxidation and labile iron decreased, while YAP, TFCP2 and FTL increased compared to their adjacent normal tissues, and the lipid peroxidation marker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) was negatively correlated with the level of FTL or the degree of LUAD malignancy, but LUAD tissues with lower levels of 4-HNE showed a higher sensitivity to ferroptosis. In conclusion, the findings from this study indicated that the suppression of FTL transcription through the inhibition of the YAP-TFCP2-KAT5 complex could be another mechanism for elevating ferroptosis sensitivity and inducing cell death, and ferroptotic therapy is more likely to achieve better results in LUAD patients with a lower degree of lipid peroxidation.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have tremendous energy density and are cost effective and environmentally compatible, thereby deemed one of the most promising secondary energy storage systems. However, Li-S batteries present sluggish polysulfide intermediate redox kinetics due to the unavoidable "shuttle effect", thus hindering their industrialization and resulting in low sulfur utilization, rapid capacity fading, poor Coulombic efficiency, and anode corrosion. Herein, the present study updates a one-step hydrothermal method to synthesize a highly efficient sulfur host integrating three-dimensional porous graphene aerogel (GA) with uniformly dispersed defect-rich MoS2 nanosheets (200-300 nm) (GA-DR-MoS2). The electrochemical studies reveal that these MoS2 nanosheets with abundant defects could provide strong chemical adsorption for polysulfides, as well as act as an electrocatalyst to markedly accelerate polysulfide redox reactions during the charge/discharge process. The resultant GA-DR-MoS2 composites (70 wt % of sulfur loading) present a high initial discharge capacity of 1429 mAh g-1 at 0.2C, an outstanding cycling stability with a low capacity decay rate of 0.085% per cycle over 500 cycles at 0.2C, and a superior rate performance with an improved capacity from 290 to 581 mAh g-1 at 5C. The presented strategy is effective in achieving high-energy-density Li-S batteries from the point of electrocatalysis and facilitating their practical applications.

A three-membered thorium metallaheterocycle [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th[η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2] (4) is readily prepared besides H2 from [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(PH-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2 (3) upon heating in toluene solution. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed to elucidate the 5f orbital contribution to the bonding within Th-(η2-P-P) revealing more covalent bonds between the [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th2+ and [η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2]2− fragments than those in the related thorium metallacyclopropene. Consequently, distinctively different reactivity patterns emerge, e.g., while 4 reacts with pyridine derivatives such as 4-dimethyaminopyridnie (DMAP) and forms the DMAP adduct [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th[η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2](DMAP) (5), it may also act as a [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(II) synthon when reacted with bipy, Ph2S2 or Ph2Se2. Nevertheless, no reaction of complex 4 with alkynes is observed, but it reacts as a nucleophile towards nitriles and aldehydes resulting in five- or seven-membered metallaheterocycles, respectively. DFT computations provide some additional insights into the experimental observations.

The stable base-free terminal phosphinidene thorium metallocene, [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th[double bond, length as m-dash]P-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2 (2), can be isolated from the reaction of the thorium dichloride complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2ThCl2 (1) with 2 equiv. of 2,4,6-(Me3C)3C6H2PHK in THF. The reactivity of 2 in the activation of various small organic molecules such as diselenides, phosphines, imines, ketones, phosphine oxides, thiazole, imidazole derivatives and amines was explored. For example, when complex 2 is treated with Ph2Se2, the phosphinidene is replaced, yielding diselenido compound [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th(SePh)2 (3). Moreover, E-H (E = P, N, C) bond activation occurs on exposure of 2 to 2,4,6-iPr3C6H2PH2, PhPH2, (p-tolyl)2C[double bond, length as m-dash]NH, 1-indanone, cyclohexanone, Me3PO, thiazole, 1-methylimidazole and p-toluidine, resulting in the phosphido complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2][η5,κ-C-1,2-(Me3C)2-4-(CH2CMe2)C5H2]Th(PH-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2) (4), the metallaheterocycle [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th(η2-P2Ph2) (5), the iminato phosphido complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th(PH-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2)[N[double bond, length as m-dash]C(p-tolyl)2] (6), the phosphido enolyl compound [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th(PH-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2)(κ-O-1-OC9H7) (7), the enolyl complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2][η5,κ-C-1,2-(Me3C)2-4-(CH2CMe2)C5H2]Th(κ-O-1-OC6H9) (8), the alkyl complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2][η5,κ-C-1,2-(Me3C)2-4-(CH2CMe2)C5H2]Th(κ-O,C-OPMe2CH2) (9), the phosphido thiazolyl complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th(PH-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2)(C3H2NS) (10), the bis-imidazolyl complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th[2-(1-MeC3H2N2)]2 (11), and the imido complex [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th[double bond, length as m-dash]N(p-tolyl) (12), respectively. Several spectroscopic techniques were employed for the characterisation of the new complexes 3-11, and in addition the solid-state molecular structures of compounds 3-6, 8-9 and 11 were further confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses.

The KCl-bridged phosphinidiide thorium metallocene, {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(P-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)(ClK)}2 (2), was isolated in good yield by a salt metathesis reaction of the thorium methyl chloride compound [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(Cl)Me (1) with 2,4,6-iPr3C6H2PHK in toluene. Furthermore, it was fully characterized including its molecular structure. The reactivity of 2 towards various small organic molecules was also explored, e.g., it reacts with alkynes, nitriles, CS2, quinolines, silanes, pyridine and imidazole derivatives, resulting in metallacycles, imidos, carbodithiolates, and phosphido compounds. Density functional theory (DFT) computations were conducted to supplement the experimental investigations.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to gain insight into the reaction mechanism of the Bronsted acid-catalyzed unsymmetrical 1,2,4,5-tetrazine synthesis. Various possible reaction pathways were considered, and the most favorable one can be characterized via sequential six steps, including addition of DCM to hydrazine 1 giving complex IM4, N-H bond activation in IM4 mediated by sulfur, AcOH-assisted substitution of 3 with sulfur-activated hydrazine 2, HNO2-assisted addition of nitrile to intermediate 8, cyclization, and intramolecular elimination leading to the final product 7. Among the six steps, sulfur activation of IM4 N-H bond is found to be the rate-determining step (RDS). The mechanism rationalizes the experimental observation that 2 equiv of sulfur leads to the best yield of product. Furthermore, we disclosed that the Bronsted acid additives (i.e., acetic acid and nitrous acid) served triple roles as catalyst, proton shuttle, and hydrogen bond donor and acceptor in the whole catalysis.

A robust and confirmative method was established for the determination of six acetylgestagen residues, namely, flurogestone acetate (FGA), megestrol (MA), melengestrol acetate (MGA), chlormadinone acetate (CMA), medroxyprogesterone (MPA), and hydroxyprogesterone acetate (HPA) in animal-derived matrix samples by utilizing enhanced matrix removal lipid (EMR-lipid) clean-up in combination with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The analytes were extracted with acetonitrile, purified with a EMR-lipid cartridge, and separated with a reversed-phase C18 column. The limit of quantification (S/N ≥ 10) for CMA, FGA, HPA, MA, and MGA in all matrices was 0.5 ng/g, and for MPA, it was 1.0 ng/g; the limit of detection (S/N ≥ 3) for CMA, FGA, HPA, MA, and MGA in all matrices was 0.1 ng/g, and for MPA, it was 0.2 ng/g. The recoveries were between 61.0% and 114.8%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were below 12%. The method was calibrated in a matrix-assisted standard solution in various linear ranges for the analytes and matrices, and the correlation coefficients (R2) exceeded 0.99 for all the matrices.

The integration of high-k gate dielectrics with two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting channel materials is essential for high-performance and low-power electronics. However, the conformal deposition of a uniform high-k dielectric with sub-1 nm equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and high interface quality on high-mobility 2D semiconductors is still challenging. Here, we report a facile approach to synthesize a uniform high-k (ε

A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor was fabricated for DNA detection based on the coupling of cosensitization and peroxidase-like catalytic activity. Specifically, the surfaces of branched-TiO2 nanorods (B-TiO2 NRs) were modified with Cd2+ and S2+ to obtain B-TiO2 NRs/CdS hybrid structures, which were subsequently used as matrices to immobilize hairpin DNA (hDNA) probes. CdTe/TCPP (TCPP = meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)-porphine) used for signal amplification was labeled on the terminal of the hDNA probe. Without the target DNA (tDNA) presence, the immobilized hDNA probe with CdTe/TCPP possessed a hairpin form and was located near the B-TiO2 NRs/CdS electrode surface, forming a cosensitized structure formation and then generating strong photocurrent with H2O2 as the electron donor. During detection, the specific recognition of tDNA by the sensing hDNA probe triggered the formation of the G-quadruplex/hemin DNAzyme, which effectively catalyzed the decomposition of H2O2. Meanwhile, cosensitization disappeared when the hDNA probe hybridized with tDNA, further reducing the photocurrent. With a double-signal amplification strategy, the sensing platform designed in this work demonstrated a linear detection ability in the 0.5 fM-5 nM range with a detection limit equal to 0.14 fM. Notably, through encoding in the base sequences of the hDNA and marking it, a versatile PEC platform could be structured for the detection of various DNA targets, which could promise applications in point-of-care diagnostic fields.

Metabolic diseases have become common diseases with the improvement of living standards because of changed dietary habits and living habits, which seriously affect health. Currently, related biomarkers have been widely used as important indicators for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of metabolic diseases. Among all detection methods for biomarkers of metabolic diseases, electrochemical sensor technology has the advantages of simplicity, real-time analysis, and low cost. Carbon nanomaterials were preeminent materials for fabricating electrochemical sensors in order to enhance the performance. In this paper, we summarize the research progress in the past 3 years of electrochemical sensors based on carbon nanomaterials in detecting markers of metabolic diseases, which include carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon quantum dots, fullerene, and carbon nitride. Additionally, we discuss the future prospects for this field.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) played a short board effect on nitrogen biotransformation and pollutant metabolism. This study for the first time explored the key role of different levels of DO (covering anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic) on hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) bioconversion. HPAM was metabolized to intermediates with different chain length. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) production rose first and then descended with DO concentration (0–2 mg·L−1), and the maximum reached 92.5 mg·L−1 when DO was 0.5 mg·L−1. Total nitrogen (TN) removal increased first and then dropped with DO concentration, and the maximum (61.4%) occurred at 0.5 mg·L−1 DO. NH4+-N dipped from 42.8 to 0 mg·L−1 and NO3–-N rose from 0 to 32.8 mg·L−1 with DO concentration. The changes of enzyme activities were consistent with those of VFA production and TN removal, which were related to HPAM metabolism and N bioconversion. Microbial function was correlated to HPAM metabolism, N bioconversion and key enzyme.

The synthesis, structure, and reactivity of a base-free terminal actinide phosphinidene metallocene have been comprehensively studied. The salt metathesis reaction of the thorium methyl iodide complex Cp‴2Th(I)Me (2; Cp‴ = η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2) with Mes*PHK (Mes* = 2,4,6-(Me3C)3C6H2) in THF furnishes the first stable base-free terminal phosphinidene actinide metallocene, Cp‴2Th═PMes* (3). Density functional theory (DFT) shows that the bonds between the Cp‴2Th2+ and [PMes*]2- fragments are more covalent than those in the related thorium imido complex. While the phosphinidene complex 3 shows no reactivity toward alkynes, it reacts with a variety of heterounsaturated molecules such as CS2, isothiocyanate, nitriles, isonitriles, and organic azides, forming carbodithioates, imido complexes, metallaaziridines, and azido compounds. These experimental observations are complemented by DFT computations.

Nickel-rich layered oxide LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 suffers from severe structural instability, causing inferior electrochemical performance. For a solution to this problem, a Na2S2O8 preoxidation method is employed to modify the surface structure of precursor Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1(OH)2. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the lattice orientations of the precursor are well-ordered, and the resulted product LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 with this precursor exhibits a well-defined layered structure without a cation-mixing layer on the surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rietveld refinement results indicate that the contents of Ni2+, Co2+, and Li+/Ni2+ disordering ratio are significantly reduced at the same time. ICP-AES and titration results suggest that the average oxidation state of Ni is enhanced after Na2S2O8 preoxidation. A further electrochemical kinetic analysis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and a potentiostatic intermittent titration technique reveals that the LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 sa...

It is desirable for catalyst supports to be biodegradable, easily-modifiable, and possessing high surface area. In this work, thiolated nanocellulose sponge was prepared from hydrolytic silane condensation of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and used as a green support to immobilize copper cations via in situ CuII to CuI reduction and complexation. The sponge featured high porosity (90.5%) and low density (29.4 mg/cm3) with regular morphology. The sponge easily recovered 94% of its original shape in water after experiencing 80% deformation under stress of 95 kPa. When used in catalyzing hydroboration of alkynes, excellent conversion and up to 99% regioselectivity were achieved with the copper-loaded sponge. The sponge-supported catalysts worked well in the absence of additional ligands, had a broad substrate scope, and retained 93% of their activity after six catalytic cycles. This simple and scalable strategy offers an efficient route for immobilizing metal catalysts on porous supports.

The type of electron acceptor was a crucial factor in regulating the methanogenic process of anaerobic hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) degradation. The combined methods of biodegradation experiments and thermodynamic calculations were applied to explore the effects of different electron acceptors on methanogenic HPAM degradation. Under the conditions of without electron acceptor, SO42-, Fe3+, SO42- and Fe3+ as electron acceptors, HPAM biodegradation ratio reached 31.56%, 41.48%, 49.4% and 61.1%, acetate production reached 0.0532, 28.28, 112.7 and 141.95mg·L-1, CH4 production reached 0.024, 0.3015, 9.446 and 11.78mg·L-1, respectively. The synergistic effect of SO42- and Fe3+ further promoted methanogenic HPAM biotransformation. Archaeal community analysis revealed that Methanobacteriales, Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales were dominant. Thermodynamic opportunity windows of methanogenesis with Fe3+ as electron acceptor are 35 times larger than that with SO42- as electron acceptor. It indicated that acetoclastic methanogenesis was dominant and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was inhibited in the methane-producing process of anaerobic HPAM degradation.

In this work, a novel electrolyte additive, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMTS), is applied to Li–O2 batteries to increase their practical discharge capacity and also their rate capability. By adding OMTS into a tetraethylene glycol dimethoxyethane (TEGDME)-based electrolyte, the solubility of oxygen increases significantly, and the ionic conductivity and viscosity remain the same. 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra show that the 7Li peak shifts downfield when adding OMTS to the electrolyte, indicating the increment of the solvation of Li+ in the electrolyte. The electrochemical tests show that, with an optimal OMTS content (10 vol% OMTS), the cell displays a high discharge capacity of 6778 mA h g−1 at 0.05 mA cm−2. Its capacity retention is more than double that of the cell with no OMTS additive at a large current density of 1 mA cm−2. Further NMR and Li2O2 yield measurements during discharge indicate that the OMTS additive does not alter the discharge product, or compromise the stability of the TEGDME electrolyte. The great increment in energy density and power density could be attributed to the high oxygen solubility and increment of solvated Li+, leading to the formation of more nodular products, as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Previous studies reported a novel danshensu derivative (R)-(3,5,6-Trimethylpyrazinyl) methyl-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-diacetoxyphenyl) propanoate (ADTM), which conferred cardioprotective, neuroprotective and anti-thrombotic effects. Here we aim to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of ADTM on acute liver injury caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and the underlying molecular mechanisms. ADTM (30 and 60 mg/kg) was given to mice by gavage for two weeks. At the last day mice were injected with 0.3% CCl4, 10 mL/kg, ip for 24 h. Clinical and histological chemistry assays were performed to assess liver injury. Moreover, hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis related markers were determined by western blotting. As a result, ADTM significantly protected against CCl4-induced liver injury by the decrease of elevated serum transaminases and liver index, and the attenuation of histopathological changes in mice. In addition, ADTM remarkably alleviated hepatic oxidative stress (MDA contents and SOD activity) and apoptosis. Further studies revealed that ADTM significantly inhibited the CCl4-induced upregulation of Bax/Bcl-2, increased the CCl4-induced decrease of AKT phosphorylation and inhibited the expression level of NF-κB p65 in CCl4-intoxicated mice. These findings suggest that ADTM possesses the potential protective effects against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice by exerting antioxidative stress and antiapoptosis.

The integration of catalyst design and process intensification in the synthesis of 5‑hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid was realized directly from fructose. A novel bifunctional catalyst derived from lignin was developed for the dehydration of fructose. Supported catalysts derived from silver was developed for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural for 5‑hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid. The product distribution both in dehydration and oxidation process would be controlled through the adjustment of solvent effect. The structure in bifunctional catalysts was adjusted to reveal the effect of molecular skeletons on the catalytic performance. The constitution of supported catalysts was investigated to illustrate the support effect. Accordingly, the mechanism and synergetic effect in the catalyst were proposed through computational studies based on density functional theory and control experiments. Microwave irradiation was applied in the dehydration reaction, requiring adequate and efficient energy supply. Flow chemistry was employed in the oxidation of HMF, improving reaction efficiency.

A poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer precursor was developed via solution polymerization with different mass ratios of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and PPC. Then, PPC/PMMA-coated Celgard PE membranes were prepared by the dip-coating method with this polymer precursor and activated to fabricate gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs). The structure and performance of the samples were characterized with FTIR, DSC, SEM, water contact angle analysis and electrochemical performance tests, such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The effect of the ratio of MMA to PPC on the performance of the as-prepared PPC/PMMA-coated Celgard PE GPEs was considered. Benefiting from the composite structure, the GPE produced from the Celgard PE coating polymer with a PPC to MMA ratio of 8:2 (by weight) had the highest ionic conductivity and showed superior electrolyte wettability with 347% electrolyte uptake. Additionally, the as-prepared GPEs displayed good compatibility with the anodes and cathodes of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and their oxidation potentials were stable to 5.0 V (vs Li/Li + ). The LiFePO 4 battery using this PPC/PMMA-coated Celgard PE GPE exhibited an excellent initial discharge capacity of 154 mAh g − 1 , cyclic stability and rate capability.

The development of advanced 1D/2D hierarchical nanocomposites for high-performance lithium-ion batteries is important and promising. Herein, monodispersed FeCO 3 nanorods anchored on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) are prepared via a facile and efficient one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The influence of RGO content on the morphology and electrochemical performances of the mesoporous FeCO 3 /reduced graphene oxide (FeCO 3 /RGO) composites are systematically studied. Optimized FeCO 3 /RGO composite shows good cycling stability. It delivers an initial discharge capacity of 1449 mAh·g −1 at the current density of 200 mA g −1 and maintained a capacity of 789 mAh·g −1 after 80 cycles. A moderate amount of RGO sheets can not only provide more conductive channels to improve the electrode conductivity, but also effectively buffer the large volume variation of FeCO 3 during continuous charge/discharge process. The combination of FeCO 3 nanorods with RGOs synergistically contribute to enhanced capacity and durability of the composite anode. It demonstrates that RGO anchored-FeCO 3 nanorods should be an attractive candidate as anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Although dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solvent has been widely researched in rechargeable lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) batteries, high polarization voltage and low rate capability limited its application. In this work, we reported a DMSO-based electrolyte system by adding N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) to adjust its physical and electrochemical properties. The ionic conductivity, viscosity, oxygen solubility and diffusion coefficient of the mixed electrolytes as well as their electrochemical performance in Li-O 2 batteries are researched. The electrochemical tests show that the optimized DMSO/DMA volume ratio is 30 to 70 based on the rate performance and polarization voltage of the cell. Compared with that of the pure DMSO-based electrolyte, the cell with the mixed electrolyte shows improved rate capability and reduced charge-discharge over-potential. When increasing current density from 0.2 to 0.5 mA cm −2 , the capability retention improves from 32% to 59%. Meanwhile, the charge-discharge voltage gap drops from 1.4V to 0.9V at a current density of 0.2 mA cm −2 . The improved electrochemical performance could be attributed to low viscosity, high oxygen solubility and diffusion coefficient as well as the low charge-transfer resistance with the mixed electrolyte.

The Lewis base supported thorium terminal imido metallocene (η5-C5Me5)2Th═N(mesityl)(DMAP) (1) reacts with various small organic molecules such as thiazoles, silanes, internal acetylenes, nitriles, ketones, CS2, isothiocyanates, carbodiimides, lactides, organic azides, and diazoalkane derivatives. For example, while 1 forms the adduct (η5-C5Me5)2Th═N(mesityl)(OPPh3) (2) with Ph3PO, deprotonation occurs between 1 and thiazole to give the amido thiazolyl complex (η5-C5Me5)2Th(NHmesityl)(C3H2NS) (3). Moreover, the five-membered metallaheterocycle (η5-C5Me5)2Th[κ2-N,C-{N(2-CH2-4,6-Me2C6H2)(SiH2Ph)}](DMAP) (4) is isolated from a mixture of 1 and PhSiH3. In addition, treatment of 1 with PhCN, Ph2CHCN, or Me3SiCN gives the zwitterionic complex (η5-C5Me5)2Th[κ-N-{NCPh(N(mesityl))}](DMAP) (5), and iminato compounds (η5-C5Me5)2Th[N(mesityl)C(CHPh2)NH](N═C═CPh2) (6) and (η5-C5Me5)2Th[2-{N═C(SiMe3)}-4-Me2NC5H3N](NC) (7), respectively. Furthermore, reaction of 1 with PhC≡CMe and Me3SiC≡CC≡CSiMe3 afford the amido pyrid...

Addition of potassium graphite (KC8) to a solution of (η5-C5Me5)2UCl2 (1) and 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) gives the uranium bipyridyl metallocene (η5-C5Me5)2U(bipy) (2) in good yield. In complex 2 a bipy radical anion is coordinated to a U(III) atom, and it is therefore an ideal starting material for small-molecule activation: e.g., it serves as a synthetic equivalent for the (η5-C5Me5)2UII fragment on treatment with conjugated alkynes and a variety of heterounsaturated molecules such as imines, carbodiimide, organic azides, hydrazine, and azo derivatives. Alternatively, it may also react with aldehydes, ketones, nitriles, and α,β-unsaturated reagents such as p-ClPhCHO, (CH2)5CO, PhCN, and methyl methacrylate (MMA), forming the C–C bond coupling products (η5-C5Me5)2U[(bipy)(p-ClPhCHO)] (10), (η5-C5Me5)2U[(bipy){(CH2)5CO}] (11), (η5-C5Me5)2U[(bipy)(PhCN)] (12), (η5-C5Me5)2U[(bipy){CH2═C(Me)CO(OMe)] (13a), and [(η5-C5Me5)2U{OC(OMe)═C(Me)CH2–3-bipy}]2 (13b), respectively, in quantitative conversion. Furthermore, ...

Gene detection has important applications in biology, biomedical engineering, clinical, environmental, and marine fields. Rapid, sensitive, and selective recognition of specific genes is essential in practical applications. In this study, we describe a facile and sensitive DNA sensing platform for specific and quantitative detection of Heterosigma akashiwo, which is one of the causative agents of red tides. Fast and sensitive detection is achieved by using chemically synthesized graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. Probe DNA is designed according to the specific DNA fragments of harmful algae and labeled with fluorescent molecules FAM (fluorescein-based dye). GO nanosheet solution is made, in which the strong interaction between FAM-labeled probe and GO nanosheets keeps them in close proximity, facilitating the fluorescence quenching of the fluorophore by GO nanosheets. In the presence of a complementary target DNA, the FAM-labeled DNA probe and the target DNA hybridize and desorb from the surface of GO nanosheets, resulting in restoration of fluorophore fluorescence. The concentration of target DNA fragments is analyzed by the fluorescence intensity at ~ 520 nm with emission wavelength of 480 nm. The sensitive detecting platform achieved stable measurement of 1 pM specific genes from Heterosigma akashiwo. Our GO nanosheet-based DNA-sensing platform performs fast and sensitive detection of trace amount of DNA, and enables quantitative recognition of harmful algae, which has promising applications in real-time monitoring in the marine environment of red tide generative dynamics, allowing effective control, particularly in relation to marine aquaculture.

Protein-based therapies are potential treatments for cancer, immunological, and cardiovascular diseases. However, effective delivery systems are needed because of their instability, immunogenicity, and so on. Crosslinked negatively charged heparin polysaccharide nanoparticle (HepNP) is proposed for protein delivery. HepNP can efficiently condense vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) because of the unique electronegative sulfonic acid and carboxyl domain of heparin. HepNP is then assembled with VEGF-C (Hep@VEGF-C) or VEGF-A (Hep@VEGF-A) protein for the therapy of myocardial infarction (MI) via intravenous (iv) injection. Hep@VEGF-A-mediated improvement of cardiac function by promoting angiogenesis is limited because of elevated vascular permeability, while Hep@VEGF-C effectively promotes lymphangiogenesis and reduces edema. On this basis, a graded delivery of VEGF-C (0.5-1 h post-MI) and VEGF-A (5 d post-MI) using HepNP is developed. At the dose ratio of 3:1 (Hep@VEGF-C vs Hep@VEGF-A), Hep@VEGF functional complexes substantially reduce the scar formation (≈-39%; p < 0.05) and improve cardiac function (≈+74%; p < 0.05). Such a HepNP delivery system provides a simple and effective therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases by delivering functional proteins. Because of the unique binding ability of heparin with cytokines and growth factors, HepNP also has considerable application prospects in protein therapy for other serious diseases.

Wenlei Chen,1 Min Zhi,1 Zujian Feng,2 Pengfei Gao,1 Yuan Yuan,1 Congcong Zhang,1 Yonglan Wang,1 Anjie Dong2 1Department of Periodontology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Polymer Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China Objective: The aims of this study were to 1) encapsulate ibuprofen (IBU) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in a thermosensitive micellar hydrogel, 2) test the biological properties of this in situ drug delivery system, and 3) study the effect of hydrogel in promoting soft tissue healing after implant surgery and its anti-inflammatory function as an early local treatment of peri-implantitis.Materials and methods: A thermosensitive micellar hydrogel was prepared from amphiphilic copolymer poly(ε-caprolactone-co-1,4,8-trioxa [4.6]spiro-9-undecanone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-1,4,8-trioxa [4.6]spiro-9-undecanone) (PECT) nanoparticles and tested in vitro using a scanning electron microscope, rheometer, UV spectrophotometer, HPLC, and transmission electron microscope.Results: The bFGF + IBU/PECT hydrogel formed a stable, water-dispersible nanoparticle core shell that was injectable at room temperature, hydrogel in situ at body temperature, and provided sustained release of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. The hydrogel promoted the proliferation and adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts, upregulated the expression of adhesion factors such as vinculin proteins, and showed anti-inflammatory properties.Conclusion: In situ preparation of IBU- and bFGF-loaded PECT hydrogel represents a promising drug delivery system with the potential to provide early local treatment for peri-implantitis. Keywords: thermosensitive hydrogel, nanoparticles, dual drugs, peri-implantitis &nbsp

The salt metathesis reaction of the thorium methyl chloride complex [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(Cl)Me (3) with 2,4,6-(Me3C)3C6H2PHK in benzene furnishes an alkali-metal halide-bridged phosphinidiide actinide metallocene, {[η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(═P-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2)(ClK)}2 (4), whose structure and reactivity was investigated in detail. On the basis of density functional theory (DFT) studies, the 5f orbitals in the model complex [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(═P-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2) (4′) contribute significantly to the bonding of the phosphinidene Th═P(2,4,6-tBu3C6H2) moiety. Furthermore, compared to the related thorium imido complex, the bonds between the [η5-1,3-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Th2+ and [P-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2]2– fragments are more covalent. The reactivity of compound 4 toward alkynes and a variety of heterounsaturated molecules such as nitriles, isonitriles, carbodiimides, imines, isothiocyanates, aldehydes, ketones, thiazoles, quinolines, organic azides, pyridines, and imidazoles, forming metallacycles, phospholes, imidos, metal...

Fluorescence-based in vitro assays are highly sensitive, selective and convenient to use, which is suitable for qualitative and quantitative detection of various types of biological samples. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel fluorogenic probe TPAN-Asn for in vitro l -asparaginase detection. TPAN-Asn exhibited selective and robust response to l -asparaginase over various anions, cations and amino acids. More importantly, we have demonstrated that TPAN-Asn is able to accurately quantify the amount of l -asparaginase in patient serum samples. These results suggest that TPAN-Asn holds great potential in the benchmarking and analysis of l -asparaginase-based cancer therapy.

The biological functions of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation are mainly dependent on the reader; however, its role in lung tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here, we have demonstrated that the m6A reader YT521-B homology domain containing 2 (YTHDC2) is frequently suppressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Downregulation of YTHDC2 was associated with poor clinical outcome of LUAD. YTHDC2 decreased tumorigenesis in a spontaneous LUAD mouse model. Moreover, YTHDC2 exhibited antitumor activity in human LUAD cells. Mechanistically, YTHDC2, via its m6A-recognizing YTH domain, suppressed cystine uptake and blocked the downstream antioxidant program. Administration of cystine downstream antioxidants to pulmonary YTHDC2-overexpressing mice rescued lung tumorigenesis. Furthermore, solute carrier 7A11 (SLC7A11), the catalytic subunit of system XC−, was identified to be the direct target of YTHDC2. YTHDC2 destabilized SLC7A11 mRNA in an m6A-dependent manner because YTHDC2 preferentially bound to m6A-modified SLC7A11 mRNA and thereafter promoted its decay. Clinically, a large proportion of acinar LUAD subtype cases exhibited simultaneous YTHDC2 downregulation and SLC7A11 elevation. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models generated from acinar LUAD showed sensitivity to system XC− inhibitors. Collectively, the promotion of cystine uptake via the suppression of YTHDC2 is critical for LUAD tumorigenesis, and blocking this process may benefit future treatment., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • The m6A reader YTHDC2 is frequently suppressed in LUAD and indicates poor prognosis. • YTHDC2 suppresses the antioxidant function of system XC− via its m6A reading domain. • The mRNA encoding SLC7A11 is a direct target of YTHDC2. • YTHDC2 preferentially accelerates the decay of m6A-methylated SLC7A11 mRNA. • LUAD with YTHDC2 suppression is sensitive to system XC− inhibitors.

A new diarylethene with an antipyrine unit was synthesized and its multi-controllable photochromic and fluorescent behaviors induced by stimulation of light, acid/base, and metal ions were investigated in detail. The diarylethene showed favorable photochromism by photoirradiation, but its photochromism was entirely inhibited by the stimulation of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. Its fluorescence showed sequence-dependent responses through efficient interaction of salicylaldehyde-linked antipyrine unit with light, base, and specific metal ions. Its fluorescence intensity was enhanced sharply with a notable color change from bright orange to bright yellow as a naked-eye fluorescent chemosensor for recognition of Al 3+ with high selectivity. Finally, two logic circuits were constructed on the basis of the multi-responsive photochromic and fluorescent behaviors of the unimolecular platform.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a crucial signal molecule plays a vital part in the growth and development of various cells under normal physiological conditions. The development of H2O2 sensors has received great research interest because of the importance of H2O2 in biological systems and its practical applications in other fields. In this study, a H2O2 electrochemical sensor was constructed based on chalcogenide molybdenum disulfide–gold–silver nanocomposite (MoS2-Au-Ag). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were utilized to characterize the nanocomposites, and the electrochemical performances of the obtained sensor were assessed by two electrochemical detection methods: cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results showed that the MoS2-Au-Ag-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has higher sensitivity (405.24 µA mM−1 cm−2), wider linear detection range (0.05–20 mM) and satisfactory repeatability and stability. Moreover, the prepared sensor was able to detect the H2O2 discharge from living tumor cells. Therefore, this study offers a platform for the early diagnosis of cancer and other applications in the fields of biology and biomedicine.

Fully flexible piezoelectric tactile sensors with low power consumption and high sensitivity play an important role in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and smart wearable devices. Herein, we constructed a high-performance, energy-efficient, and fully flexible piezoelectric tactile sensor based on piezotronic effect through the integration of piezoelectric materials with the mechanical-to-electrical conversion function of β polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanorod arrays and the signal amplification function of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. PVDF nanorod arrays, which considerably improve the piezoelectric properties of materials, transform the external mechanical force into piezoelectric voltage to drive the OFET. Further, the piezoelectric voltage can be effectively amplified using an OFET to improve the sensitivity of the tactile sensor. Enabled by the unique structure of sensing devices and well-defined active materials, the fabricated tactile sensor exhibited excellent pressure sensitivity, detection limit, and response time of 5.17 kPa⁻1, 175 Pa, and 150 ms, respectively. In addition, using a sophisticated fabrication process, we demonstrated a flexible integrated tactile sensor array with a 3 × 3 cell on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate to detect the bending angle of the user's wrist on which the fabricated device was mounted. This study uses piezotronic transistors to convert pressure into electrical signals without applying a gate voltage, which can substantially simplify circuit models and sensor distribution; additionally, the fabricated device provides technical support for flexible electronic skin (e-skin).

Main obstacles from the shuttle effect and slow conversion rate of soluble polysulfide compromise the sulfur utilization and cycling life for lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In pursuit of a practically viable high performance Li-S battery, a separator configuration (CoS2 /HPGC/interlayer) as efficient polysulfide trapping barrier is reported. This configuration endows great advantages, particularly enhanced conductivity, promoted polysulfide trapping capability, accelerated sulfur electrochemistry, when using the functional interlayer for Li-S cells. Attributed to the above merits, such cell shows excellent cyclability, with a capacity of 846 mAh g-1 after 250 cycles corresponding to a high capacity retention of 80.2% at 0.2 C, and 519 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 1C (1C = 1675 mA g-1 ). In addition, the optimized separator exhibits a high initial areal capacity of 4.293 mAh cm-2 at 0.1C. Moreover, with CoS2 /HPGC/interlayer, the sulfur cell enables a low self-discharge rate with a very high capacity retention of 97.1%. This work presents a structural engineering of the separator toward suppressing the dissolution of soluble Li2 Sn moieties and simultaneously promoting the sulfur conversion kinetics, thus achieving durable and high capacity Li-S batteries.

Silicon-containing compounds such as silica are effective heavy metal sorbents which can be employed in many applications. This is attributed to the porous nature of hydrothermally-stable silica, endowing such materials with high surface area and rich surface chemistry, all responsible for improving adsorption and desorption performance. However, to this day, the wide application of silica is limited by its skeletal brittleness and high production cost coupled with a risky traditional supercritical drying method. To solve the named problems, herein, precipitated silica agglomerates (referred to as PSA) was crosslinked with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TO-CNF) as a reinforcement in the presence of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), via a facile dual metal synthesis approach, is reported. The resultant new silica-based sponges (TO-CNF PSA) showed desirable properties of flexibility, porosity and multifaceted sorption of various heavy metals with re-usability. The experimental results showed maximum adsorption capacities of 157.7, 33.22, 140.3 and 130.5 mg g−1 for Pb(II), Hg(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II) ions, respectively. Such a facile approach to modify silica materials by attaching active groups together with reinforcement can provide improved and reliable silica-based materials which can be applied in water treatment, gas purification, thermal insulation etc.

Potential of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) biodegradation to final products was studied through regulating its own nitrogen transformation. Under the conditions of 2, 3 and 4 mg/L of DO, HPAM removal ratio reached 16.92%, 24.51% and 30.78% and the corresponding removal ratio reached 49.15%, 60.25% and 76.44% after anaerobic biodegradation. NO3−-N concentration was 9.43, 14.10 and 17.99 mg/L in aerobic stages and the corresponding concentration was 0.17, 0.07 and 0.008 mg/L after anaerobic biodegradation. Oxygen as electron acceptors stimulated the activities of nitrification bacteria and other functional bacteria, thus further enhanced nitrification and HPAM biodegradation. NO3− (from HPAM oxidation) as electron acceptors stimulated the activities of nitrate-reducing, acetate-producing and methanogenic microorganisms and they could form a synergistic effect on denitrification and methanogenesis. Thermodynamic opportunity window revealed that NOx− could accelerate anaerobic HPAM bioconversion to methane. Aerobic and anaerobic growth-process equations of cells verified that the metabolism on HPAM was feasible.

A new diarylethene derivative containing an aminoquinoline unit was synthesized and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its properties such as photochromism, fluorescent switches and detection for metal ions were measured. The results indicated that the closed-ring of the diarylethene was highly selective toward Cu2+ with an obvious absorption decrease and color changes from blue to colorless, even in the presence of other metal ions. The binding constant for the closed isomer of this new diarylethene and Cu2+ was 2.0×104 L·mol−1 and the limit of detection for Cu2+ was calculated to be lower than that in drink water. Finally, a logic circuit was constructed by using the absorption intensity as the output signal with the inputs of the combinational stimuli of light and Cu2+.

One-dimensional (1D) solid-state supramolecular structures based on porphyrin chromophores arouse numerous expectations from the interdisciplinary scientific communities of supramolecular chemistry and advanced soft materials science. This stems from the intrinsic assembly capability of porphyrins to form various well-defined 1D assemblies, which have broad opportunities in the fields of advanced soft matter. A brief review on 1D porphyrin micro-/nanoassemblies constructed via surfactant-assisted self-assembly is presented here, in terms of addressing new ideas recently developed for controlled assembly, hierarchical organization, and new-type functional surfactants etc. The functionalization of the as-assembled 1D structures with regard to supramolecular photocatalysis, non-linear optics, nanoelectronic gas sensors, photoelectrochemical solar cells, etc. is highlighted.

Three new asymmetrical diarylethenes containing an azaindole moiety and a variable heteroaryl ring have been synthesized. Their properties, such as photochromism, fatigue resistance, thermal stability, acidichromism, and fluorescence, were systematically investigated to elucidate the effects of aromatic stabilization energies (ASE) of the heteroaryl moieties. The results indicated that thermal stability decreased with the increment of the aromatic stabilization energies of the variable heteroaryl rings in the order of thiazyl

Cross-dipole stacking has been addressed as a preferred motif for solid state emission, but inefficient for charge transport. Here we synthesize a new anthracene derivative, which adopts cross-stacking in the solid state with a solid state fluorescence up to 77.3% and a hole mobility of 1.47 cm2 V−1 s−1, integrating optical and electrical properties successfully. As far as we know, it is the first report of organic field-effect transistors based on cross-dipole stacking molecules.

A facile and quick route for the chemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using In powder as a reductant has been established. The reduction of GO by In powder is traced by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, and the obtained reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is analyzed. The In 3+ ions produced during the reaction between the GO and the In powder are chemically transformed to In 2 O 3 and then form In 2 O 3 /rGO hybrids. The In 2 O 3 /rGO hybrids are used as electrode materials and their electrochemical performance are studied using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge. The In 2 O 3 /rGO hybrids demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance and their highest specific capacitance is 178.8 F g −1 which is much higher than that of either In 2 O 3 or rGO. In addition, the In 2 O 3 /rGO hybrids are also very stable.

Room temperature highly selective oxidation of organosilanes to organosilanols and organosilyl ethers is achieved in liquid-phase with dealloyed nanoporous silver catalysts. In both cases, aromatic and aliphatic silanes can be effectively converted into the corresponding silanols and silyl ethers by using water and alcohols as oxidant, respectively. Moreover, hydrogen gas is the only by-product and the catalyst can be recycled for several times without evident loss of activity and selectivity.

The cathode−electrolyte interface (CEI) is a key factor that affects the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries. However, considerable ambiguity still exists with regard to the composition and properties of the CEI at different potentials during cycling. In this study, we investigate the dynamic evolution behavior of the CEI between the LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode and organic carbonate electrolytes by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and synchrotron soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (soft XAS). XPS results reveal the continuous formation and decomposition of the CEI components during the initial charge and discharge process. Lithium alkyl carbonates and lithium fluoride (LiF) form during charging at low voltages, decompose at high voltages, and regenerate during discharging. In addition, soft XAS highlights the formation of electrochemically inactive species on the cathode surface, which generates extra barrier for Li+ diffusion and also decreases active sites for Li+ intercalation. The surface Ni undergoes incomplete oxidation during the charging process and exhibits partial reduction after discharging. These results are consistent with impedance variation in the first cycle and morphology changes on the cathode surface. These findings underscore the value of investigating and regulating the interfacial properties of lithium-ion batteries.

Although transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are attractive for the next-generation nanoelectronic era due to their unique optoelectronic and electronic properties, carrier scattering during the transmission of electronic devices, and the distinct contact barrier between the metal and the semiconductors, which is caused by inevitable defects in TMDs, remain formidable challenges. To address these issues, a facile, effective, and universal patching defect approach that uses a nitrogen plasma doping protocol is developed, via which the intrinsic vacancies are repaired effectively. To reveal sulfur vacancies and the nature of the nitrogen doping effects, a high-resolution spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy is used, which confirms the N atoms doping in sulfur vacancies. In this study, a typical TMD material, namely tungsten disulfide, is employed to fabricate field-effect transistors (FETs) as a preliminary paradigm to demonstrate the patching defects method. This doping method endows FETs with high electrical performance and excellent contact interface properties. As a result, an electron mobility of up to 184.2 cm2 V-1 s-1 and a threshold voltage of as low as 3.8 V are realized. This study provides a valuable approach to improve the performance of electronic devices that are based on TMDs in practical electronic applications.

A facile approach to prepare SnO2/rGO (reduced graphene oxide) hybrid nanoparticles by a direct redox reaction between graphene oxide (GO) and tin powder was developed. Since no acid was used, it is an environmentally friendly green method. The SnO2/rGO hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The microstructure of the SnO2/rGO was observed with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The tin powder efficiently reduced GO to rGO, and the Sn was transformed to SnO2 nanoparticles (∼45 nm) that were evenly distributed on the rGO sheets. The SnO2/rGO hybrid nanoparticles were then coated on an interdigital electrode to fabricate a humidity sensor, which have an especially good linear impedance response from 11% to 85% relative humidity.