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Conjugated polymer‐based photocatalysts have shown great potential in H2 production via water splitting, but an intrinsic drawback of conventional hydrophobic polymer photocatalysts is their poor wettability and relatively large particle size in aqueous media, which is favorable for charge recombination with limited interfacial reaction efficiency. Herein, a well‐dispersed organic water reduction system using cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte as the photocatalyst has been reported for the first time. In comparison to a model polymer (PFBT) bearing the same conjugated backbone, the polyelectrolyte exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic efficiency due to the extended light absorption and improved charge separation of the polymer aggregates. The contribution reports for the first time a well‐dispersed organic water reduction system using cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte (PFBT‐CPE) as the photocatalyst. In comparison to a model polymer (PFBT) bearing the same conjugated backbone, the polyelectrolyte exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic H2 production efficiency due to the extended light absorption and improved charge separation of the polymer aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photocatalyst In 2 O 3 with loading Ag particles is prepared via a facile one-step annealing method in air atmosphere. The Ag/In 2 O 3 exhibits considerable photoactivity for decomposing sulfisoxazole (SOX), tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), and rhodamine B (RhB) under natural sunlight irradiation, which is much higher than that of pristine In 2 O 3 and Ag species. After natural sunlight irradiation for 100 min, 70.6% of SOX, 65.6% of TC, and 81.9% of RhB are degraded over Ag/In 2 O 3 , and their corresponding chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal ratio achieve 95.4%, 38.4%, and 93.6%, respectively. A batch of experiments for degrading SOX with adjusting pollutant solution pH and adding coexisting anions over Ag/In 2 O 3 are carried out to estimate its practical application prospect. Particularly, the as-prepared Ag/In 2 O 3 possesses a superior stability, which exhibits no noticeable deactivation in decomposing SOX after eight cycles' reactions. In addition, the Ag/In 2 O 3 coated on a frosted glass plate, also possesses a superior activity and stability for SOX removal, which solve the possible second pollution of residual powdered catalyst in water. Ag particles on In 2 O 3 working as electron accepter improve charge separation and transfer efficiency, as well as the photo-absorption and organic pollutants affinity, leading to the boosted photoactivity of Ag/In 2 O 3. The photocatalytic mechanism for degrading SOX and degradation process over Ag/In 2 O 3 has been systemically investigated and proposed. This work offers an archetype for the rational design of highly efficient photocatalysts by metal loading. [Display omitted] • In 2 O 3 with loading Ag clusters is prepared by a one-step annealing approach. • Ag/In 2 O 3 exhibit excellent activity for photodegrading diverse pollutants. • 70.6% of SOX, 65.6% of TC, and 81.9% of RhB can be removed in 100 min. • The photocatalytic pathway and mechanism of decomposing SOX are proposed. • Ag particles on In 2 O 3 working as electrons accepter improve charge separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated capture and photoreduction of diluted CO2 into energy-rich fuels represents an important challenge in renewable energy research and is attracting remarkable attention. In this study, two new benzimidazole-linked conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), namely TFPA-DAB and TFPT-DAB, have been constructed by the condensation of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) with tris(4-formylphenyl)amine (TFPA) and 2,4,6-tris(4-formylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TFPT), respectively. The abundant basic N sites within the polymer network endow both TFPA-DAB (44.82 cm3 g−1) and TFPT-DAB (53.21 cm3 g−1) with high CO2 uptake at 273 K and 1 bar. Initial slope selectivity calculations demonstrated that TFPT-DAB possessed excellent CO2/N2 selectivity of 103 in comparison with TPFA-DAB (85) at 273 K as a result of changing the polymer core from 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine to triphenylamine. Moreover, TFPT-DAB showed a narrower band gap down to 2.35 eV and better interface charge transfer than TFPA-DAB. Accordingly, under a 1% CO2/N2 atmosphere with water vapor as the electron donor, TFPT-DAB without a cocatalyst exhibited a superior CO production rate (CPR) of up to 178.45 μmol h−1 g−1 with almost 100% reaction selectivity (>420 nm), which is 5 times that of TFPA-DAB (35.31 μmol h−1 g−1) and ranks among the highest of known photocatalysts for gas–solid-phase CO2 reduction to date. This contribution indicates the bright prospect of benzimidazole-linked CMPs for highly efficient photoreduction of low-content CO2 in industrial exhaust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal ions (M = Ag+, Cu2+, Co2+, and Cr3+) are surface or homogeneously doped into ZnS via facile cation-exchange reaction, and while Ag+ and Cu2+ doping does not induce sulphur vacancies (Vs) or zinc vacancies (VZn), Co2+ and Cr3+ doping induces Vs. The surface doped catalysts exhibit greatly higher activity than the ZnS and homogenous doped catalysts for H2 evolution and CO2 reduction. The important role of the doping state on affecting the photo-absorption, carrier separation efficiency, and photoreaction kinetics has been systemically investigated and proposed. This work sheds light on the future design and fabrication of high-performance photocatalysts by element doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Both the position detection and communication functions are taken account of. [•] The electromagnetics analysis of the loop-cable system is introduced in detail. [•] The precision of the position measurement system reaches 1cm (30km/h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a simple but efficient strategy is proposed to boost the H2 production activities of polyfluorene polyelectrolyte (PFN‐Br) through doping an anionic polyelectrolyte based on Förster resonance energy transfer strategy for the first time. In this artificial photosystem, cationic PFN‐Br is used as the energy donor and a 3,4‐dithia‐7H‐cyclopenta[a]pentalene‐based polyelectrolyte (PCP‐2F‐Li) is employed as the energy acceptor. The photoexcited fluorescence of PFN‐Br is completely quenched when the energy donor/acceptor ratio of [PFN‐Br]/[PCP‐2F‐Li] = 10:1. Moreover, the addition of a low concentration of PCP‐2F‐Li enables greater charge transport rate of polyelectrolyte blends than that of PFN‐Br. As a result, compared to single PFN‐Br (549 µmol h−1 g−1) and PCP‐2F‐Li (125 µmol h−1 g−1), the polyelectrolyte blends show a significantly higher H2 evolution rate of 1346 µmol h−1 g−1, which is mainly ascribed to the reduced energy loss through fluorescence and increased photoinduced charge transport during the photocatalytic process. This work highlights the rational construction of binary polymer blends as efficient method to increase photocatalytic activity of conjugated polyelectrolytes and this also provides a new opportunity for the design of multicomponent polyelectrolyte based photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MgIn 2 S 4 , carbon-coated MgIn 2 S 4 , carbon coated and doped MgIn 2 S 4 , are synthesized. • MgIn 2 S 4 modified with carbon exhibits remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity. • The function for doped carbon and coated carbon are investigated systematically. Convert inert CO 2 into chemical fuel via photocatalytic reduction is very intriguing. However, high charge recombination rate and inadequate CO 2 absorption severely impede photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity. To address these drawbacks, we developed a strategy of MgIn 2 S 4 modification by carbon. Two types of photocatalysts with carbon modifications, carbon-coated MgIn 2 S 4 (MgIn 2 S 4 -SC); carbon coating and doping MgIn 2 S 4 (MgIn 2 S 4 -Cx), were obtained and exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic activity. The CO evolution rate of MgIn 2 S 4 -C2 and MgIn 2 S 4 -SC reached 19.5 and 7.03 times higher than that of unmodified MgIn 2 S 4 , respectively. Our experimental and theoretical results disclosed that doped carbon for MgIn 2 S 4 could prevent charge recombination in the bulk, facilitate CO 2 adsorption, and decrease photocatalytic reaction energy barrier, while coated carbon could accelerate surface carrier migration, but had smaller and greater effect on fascinating CO 2 adsorption and decreasing reaction energy barrier. The synergistic effect of surface coated and bulk doped carbon could maximize the photocatalysis efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three biomimetic CMPs photocatalyst are applied to photoreduction of U(VI). • Quinone block is photocatalytic active sites for the photoreduction. • ECUT-TQ can not only broaden the absorption spectrum, but boost e-/h+ separation. • The ECUT-TQ achieves an impressively photoreaction rate constant of 0.057 min−1. • The e- and •O 2 – radicals are main active species in the photocatalytic process. Realizing an efficient photochemical uranium reduction process using metal-free conjugated polymers is highly desirable, but is extremely challenging, as it requires a broad photo-response range and efficient electron transmission channels. Herein, three novel full-spectrum (200 ≤ λ ≤ 800 nm) responsive biomimetic donor–acceptor conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) were successfully constructed to photoreduce uranium through a molecular engineering strategy. The optical band gap and built-in electric field of the CMPs were conveniently optimized via various quinone-containing acceptors. Furthermore, the quinone-containing block exhibited outstanding redox activity, which could serve as an unique electron shuttle to rapidly transfer electrons. Consequently, ECUT-TQ with 2,6-dibromobenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-4,8-dione block exhibits a narrow band gap as low as 1.70 eV, a stronger built-in electric field and more efficient charge separation, achieving 97.4% photocatalytic U(VI) reduction efficiency with a photoreaction rate constant of 0.057 min−1. The exhaustive mechanism analysis illustrates that the dominant active species in the photocatalytic process where U(VI) is reduced to UO 2 are photoelectrons and •O 2 – radicals. This work provides a novel approach for designing high-performance green biomimetic photocatalysts for removing radioactive pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO 2) within enclosed spaces, along with volatile organic compounds, under certain humidity, temperature, and ventilation conditions is associated with detrimental human health symptoms such as fatigue. Color-based chemical sensing is a promising approach to detect CO 2 levels relevant to indoor air quality through producing fast, quantifiable output visible to the naked eye. In a prior work, a colorimetric gas sensor was fabricated through synthesizing the metal-organic framework, ZIF-8, as the adsorbent, followed by post-synthetic mixing with a dye, phenol red (PSP), and primary amine, ethylenediamine (ED). While this sensor (termed PSP-ED/ZIF-8) maintained its structural integrity in atmospheric conditions and exhibited an increasing fuchsia-to-yellow color change with increasing CO 2 levels in dry environment, the colorimetric response greatly suffered in the presence of humid CO 2. In this work, a significantly improved colorimetric CO 2 sensor (referred to as ED/PSP:ZIF-8) is accomplished through directly incorporating phenol red in the ZIF-8 metal and linker precursor solutions and then blending with ethylenediamine. MATLAB-generated color distributions and in-situ ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopic studies quantitatively demonstrate an enhanced colorimetric gas response of ED/PSP:ZIF-8 compared to that of PSP-ED/ZIF-8 across an important range of CO 2 for indoor air quality monitoring (500 – 3500 ppm) and across a range of humidity. The new sensor also exhibits high selectivity to CO 2 compared to select volatile organic compounds, such as acetone and ethanol, which contribute to human health symptoms experienced indoors. The enhanced performance is attributed to the proposed incorporation of phenol red within ZIF-8, while maintaining the chemical stability of the MOF. • PXRD and FTIR confirm the chemical stability of MOF based on dye-precursor mixing. • In-situ UV-Vis spectroscopy shows improved CO 2 response in humidity and acetone. • Enhanced gas sensing is attributed to possible dye inclusion in MOF pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three D-π-A 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives with aggregation-induced emission characteristics were synthesized. The molecules comprise of a 4-(dimethylamino)styryl group as the electron donor group and different end groups, dicyanomethylene, vinylcyanoacetate, and 2-methylene-1 H -indene-1,3(2 H )-dione, as the electron acceptor, respectively. These target compounds display different stimulus-responsive fluorescent properties in the solid state. The original samples with the dicyanomethylene and vinylcyanoacetate groups do not show fluorescence color changes in response to external force stimuli, whereas the compound containing the 2-methylene-1 H -indene-1,3(2 H )-dione unit exhibits reversible piezochromism and solvent-induced emission changes due to the transformation between the crystalline and amorphous states, which can be ascribed to their different molecular stacking mode in the solid state. Furthermore, these compounds show different acid/base-induced solid-state fluorescence switching properties due to the different sites of the protonation. Additionally, all of the derivatives can be fabricated into biocompatible fluorescent nanoparticles and used for MCF-7 cell imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction is a multi-electron process, which is greatly affected by the surface electron density. In this work, we synthesize Ag clusters supported on In 2 O 3 plasmonic photocatalysts. The Ag–In 2 O 3 compounds show remarkedly enhanced photocatalytic activity for CO 2 conversion to CO compared to pristine In 2 O 3. In the absence of any co-catalyst or sacrificial agent, the CO evolution rate of optimal Ag–In 2 O 3 -10 is 1.56 μmol/g/h, achieving 5.38-folds higher than that of In 2 O 3 (0.29 μmol/g/h). Experimental verification and DFT calculation demonstrate that electrons transfer from Ag clusters to In 2 O 3 on Ag–In 2 O 3 compounds. In Ag–In 2 O 3 compounds, Ag clusters serving as electron donators owing to the SPR behaviour are not helpful to decline photo-induced charge recomnation rate, but can provide more electron for photocatalytic reaction. Overall, the Ag clusters promote visible-light absorption and accelerate photocatalytic reaction kinetic for In 2 O 3 , resulting in the photocatalytic activity enhancement of Ag–In 2 O 3 compounds. This work puts insight into the function of plasmonic metal on enhancing photocatalysis performance, and provides a feasible strategy to design and fabricate efficient plasmonic photocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Ag–In 2 O 3 plasmonic photocatalysts are synthesized via a simple redox reaction. • Electrons transfer from Ag clusters to In 2 O 3 in Ag–In 2 O 3 compounds. • The photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity of Ag–In 2 O 3 composites are remarkedly enhanced. • The activity enhancement mechanism over Ag–In 2 O 3 photocatalysts is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing direct Z-scheme system is a promising strategy to boost the photocatalytic performance for pollution waters restoration, but it is of great challenge because of the requirement of appropriately staggered energy band alignment and intimate interfacial interaction between semiconductors. Herein, a class of core-shell structured Ag 2 S–AgIO 3 Z-scheme heterostructure photocatalysts are designed and developed. Ag 2 S is generated by the in-situ ion exchange reaction and anchored on the surface of AgIO 3 , so the intimate interface between AgIO 3 and Ag 2 S is realized. Integration of AgIO 3 and Ag 2 S extends the ultraviolet absorption of AgIO 3 to Vis-NIR region, and also promote the charge separation and migration efficiency, contributing to the enhanced photocatalysis activity for composite catalysts. The optimal Ag 2 S–AgIO 4 -4 catalyst exhibits a MO photo-degradation rate constant of 0.298 h−1, which reaches 5.77 and 11.4-folds higher than that of AgIO 3 (0.044 h−1) and Ag 2 S (0.024 h−1). The as-obtained composite catalyst exhibits universally photocatalytic activity in disintegrating diverse industrial pollutants and pharmaceuticals. Particularly, driven by natural sunlight, the Ag 2 S–AgIO 4 -4 can effectively decompose MO. A plausible Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism and reaction pathways of MO degradation over composite catalyst are systemically investigated and proposed. [Display omitted] • A direct Z-scheme Ag 2 S–AgIO 3 heterojunction was constructed and synthesized. • The intimate interfacial interaction between AgIO 3 and Ag 2 S is realized. • The photocatalytic activity of Ag 2 S–AgIO 3 composites was remarkedly enhanced. • Composites exhibit excellent photocatalytic efficiency against diverse pollutants. • The degradation mechanism of MO over Ag 2 S–AgIO 3 heterojunction was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuing of photosensitizers (PSs) with efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) especially type I ROS generation in aggregate is always in high demand for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photoimmunotherapy but remains to be a big challenge. Herein, we report a cationization molecular engineering strategy to boost both singlet oxygen and radical generation for PDT. Cationization could convert the neutral donor-acceptor (D-A) typed molecules with the dicyanoisophorone-triphenylamine core (DTPAN , DTPAPy) to their A-D-A′ typed cationic counterparts (DTPANPF 6 and DTPAPyPF 6). Our experiment and simulation results reveal that such cationization could enhance the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature, promote the intersystem crossing (ISC) processes, and increase the charge transfer and separation ability, all of which work collaboratively to promote the efficient generation of ROS especially hydroxyl and superoxide radicals in aggregates. Moreover, these cationic AIE PSs also possess specific cancer cell mitochondrial targeting capability, which could further promote the PDT efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, we expect this delicate molecular design represents an attractive paradigm to guide the design of type I AIE PSs for the further development of PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three copper(II) complexes of aminoquinoline derivatives, l-glycine-N′-8-quinolylamide (L1), l-alanine-N′-8-quinolylamide (L2), and N-(8-quinolyl) pyridine-2-carboxamide (L3) have been shown to cleave plasmid DNA pBR322 and pUC18 with or without the presence of H2O2/ascorbate. Crystallographic data reveal that the Cu(II) coordination plane in [Cu(L1)(Ac)(H2O)] (1) and [Cu(L2)(Ac)] (2) is nearly co-planar with the quinoline ring. The cleavage activity follows the order of complex 1 >complex 2 >complex 3, which is in agreement with the reverse order of the steric hindrance of the amino-substituent of the ligands. The presence of the standard radical scavengers does not have a clear effect on the cleavage efficiency of the Cu(II) complexes, suggesting the reactive species leading to DNA damage could be DNA-bound copper-centered radicals rather than the free diffusible ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A series of Sn2+ doped MgIn 2 S 4 photocatalysts were prepared. • MgIn 2 S 4 doped with Sn2+ ions exhibit significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity. • The doping effect of Sn dopant was systematically investigated and discussed. ga1 A series of Sn2+ doped MgIn 2 S 4 photocatalysts were prepared via a facial hydrothermal method. The Sn dopants substitute the sites of Mg atom in MgIn 2 S 4 unit cell, but not alter the crystal structure, demonstrated by the results of XRD and XPS. Compared to pristine MgIn 2 S 4 , Sn-doped MgIn 2 S 4 samples exhibit significantly enhanced photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity. With increasing the Sn dopant content, the CO 2 conversion rate first ascends, achieving the maximum rate at Sn-MgIn 2 S 4 -2 sample, and then decreases. After illumination for 4 h, the highest yield of CO and CH 4 for Sn-MgIn 2 S 4 -2 sample reaches about 3.35 and 3.33 times higher than that of pristine MgIn 2 S 4. The theoretical results based on density functional theory calculations reveal that Sn doping in MgIn 2 S 4 tunes the band structure from the direct-transition of MgIn 2 S 4 to indirect-transition, diminishes band gap and extends the light absorption range, reduces the effective masses of holes and promotes the migration of photoinduced carriers. The experimental results also demonstrate the positive role of Sn dopant in accelerating the separation and transportation of charges, and improving CO 2 adsorption ability. This work systematically investigates and discusses the Sn2+ doping effect in MgIn 2 S 4 on crystal structure, lattice variations, electronic band structures, CO 2 adsorption ability, and photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity, which can provide a new hint for the fabrication of efficient photocatalyst by metal ion doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we reported the development of a water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) for efficient CO 2 photoreduction under visible light ( λ > 420 nm). Bearing a fluorene-benzothiadiazole backbone and imidazolium-functionalized side chains, PFBT-Im exhibits remarkable photocatalytic activity with nearly 100% selectivity and a CO yield of 453.16 μmol g -1 within 4 h, which is 8.6 and 2.5 times larger than those of conjugated polymers grafted with octyl and trimethylammonium side chains, respectively.

Controllable carbon monoxide (CO) release simulated by light-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) represents a promising approach for cancer therapy but is hampered by low CO release rate and low ROS generation of conventional photosensitizers in hypoxia tumor microenvironments. In this study, we developed a highly efficient nanoplatform (TPyNO 2 -FeCO NPs) through co-encapsulating organic AIE photosensitizers (PSs) and CO prodrug (Fe 3 (CO) 12 ), which are capable of light-triggered robust ROS generation and CO release for synergistic photodynamic therapy (PDT) and CO gas therapy. The success of this nanoplatform leverages the design of a PS, TPyNO 2 , with exceptional type I and type II ROS generation capabilities, achieved through the introduction of the α-photoinduced electron transfer (α-PET) process. With the incorporation of a 4-nitrobenzyl unit as a typical PET donor, the intramolecular α-PET process not only suppresses the radiative decay to redirect the excited-state energy to intersystem crossing for more triplet-state formation but also promotes electron separation and transfer processes for radical-type ROS generation. The resultant TPyNO 2 demonstrates superior singlet oxygen, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radial generation capabilities in the aggregate state. Upon light irradiation, TPyNO 2 -FeCO NPs release CO via the type I and type II dual-mode ROS-mediated processes in a controlled and targeted manner, overcoming the limitations of conventional CO release systems. TPyNO 2 -FeCO NPs also demonstrate a self-accelerating ROS-CO-ROS loop as the released CO induces intracellular oxidative stress, depolarizes mitochondria membrane potentials, and inhibits ATP production, leading to further intracellular ROS generation. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments validated the excellent antitumor performance of the combined PDT and CO gas therapy. This study provides valuable insights into the development of advanced PSs and establishes TPyNO 2 -FeCO NPs as promising nanoplatforms for safe and effective antitumor applications.

Antibiotics-polluted wastewater, likely causing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), can be effectively remediated by photocatalytic degradation driven by endless solar energy. Herein, bimetallic Au/Ag is deposited on In 2 O 3 surface via a one-step sintering process followed by a controllable chemical reduction approach. Under natural sunlight irradiation, the optimal Au/Ag/In 2 O 3 (UGI-1.0) photocatalyst possesses a considerable norfloxacin (NOR) degradation rate constant of 0.013 min -1 , which is 3.25, 1.63, and 1.86 times higher than that of In 2 O 3 , Ag/In 2 O 3 , and Au/In 2 O 3 respectively. The effect of many water characteristics (e.g., humic acid, water bodies, pH values, and coexisting anions) on the photodegradation performance of NOR over UGI-1.0 is investigated. Moreover, other persistent organic pollutants (ofloxacin, phenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and rhodamine B) can also be degraded over UGI-1.0, suggesting its universal oxidation capacity. To settle the challenge of powder photocatalyst recovery, the UGI-1.0 photocatalyst is coated on a frosted glass sheet, which exhibits outstanding activity and stability for degrading NOR. The bimetallic Au/Ag deposited on In 2 O 3 promote its photo-absorption, and enhance its photoinduced charge separation and transfer efficiency by serving as electron accepter, leading to the boosted activity of Au/Ag/In 2 O 3 catalysts. Particularly, the cultivation of staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and cabbage seeds reveals the efficient toxicity reduction of NOR by photocatalytic degradation and the nontoxic characteristic of UGI-1.0 catalyst. This work unveils the feasibility of UGI-1.0 to remediate real wastewater with the assistance of solar energy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The widespread distribution of antibiotics in natural waters is a great threat to human health. Photocatalytic degradation is an environmentally friendly technology to remediate antibiotic-polluted waters, driven by endless solar energy. Herein, a Z-scheme Ag 2 S-Ag-In 2 O 3 heterostructure photocatalyst is prepared to remove antibiotics under environmental conditions. Under natural sunlight (light intensity: ∼78 mW/cm 2 ) irradiation, the optimal Ag 2 S-Ag-In 2 O 3 (10-ASAIO) exhibits considerable performance for decomposing diverse antibiotics, including norfloxacin (NOR), tetracycline hydrochloride, sulfisoxazole, ciprofloxacin, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and ofloxacin. The NOR photodegradation rate constant of 10-ASAIO reaches 0.025 min -1 , which is 12.50, 5.00, and 6.25 times higher than that of In 2 O 3 (0.002 min -1 ), Ag-In 2 O 3 (0.005 min -1 ), and Ag 2 S-In 2 O 3 (0.004 min -1 ), respectively. This performance of the 10-ASAIO photocatalyst for decomposing NOR under natural sunlight exceeds most of the previously reported photocatalysts under a xenon lamp. Particularly, due to the intermittency of natural sunlight, a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp (light intensity: 5.1 mW/cm 2 ) is also used as a light source, and 72.20% of NOR can be degraded with irradiation for 12 h. The effects of many water characteristics (water bodies, coexisting inorganic anions, pH, and humic acid) on the degradation performance of 10-ASAIO have been investigated, which exhibits stable degradation efficiency in variable aquatic environments. A 10-ASAIO catalyst-coated frosted glass sheet is fabricated to settle the problem of recovery of powder photocatalysts, and the immobilized catalyst shows outstanding activity and stability to decompose NOR. The photocatalytic mechanism and pathway of degrading NOR over 10-ASAIO have also been systemically investigated and proposed. The ecotoxicity (phytotoxicity and biotoxicity) of the 10-ASAIO photocatalyst and treated NOR solution have been tested by their toxic effects on cabbage seeds and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). This work provides a feasible photocatalytic system for environmental pollutant remediation under natural sunlight or an LED lamp.

Background: The anti-inflammatory effects of budesonide (BUN) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuate acute lung injury (ALI). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of combination therapy consisting of BUN and NAC on ALI and the underlying mechanisms., Methods: In vitro and in vivo models of ALI were generated by LPS induction. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins and inflammation-related factors, and RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-381. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. ELISA was used to detect the levels of inflammation-related factors. HE staining was used to detect lung injury., Results: The results showed that LPS effectively induced pyroptosis in cells and promoted the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (Caspase1, Gasdermin D and NLRP3) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β). The combination of BUN and NAC significantly alleviated LPS-induced pyroptosis and inflammation. In addition, the combination of BUN and NAC effectively promoted miR-381 expression. Transfection of miR-381 mimics effectively alleviated LPS-induced pyroptosis and inflammation, while transfection of miR-381 inhibitors had the opposite effect. miR-381 negatively regulates NLRP3 expression. Treatment with a miR-381 inhibitor or pc-NLRP3 reversed the effects of the combination of BUN and NAC. In a mouse model of ALI, the combination of BUN and NAC effectively improved lung injury, while treatment with a miR-381 inhibitor or pc-NLRP3 effectively reversed this effect., Conclusion: Overall, this study revealed that BUN + NAC inhibits the activation of NLRP3 by regulating miR-381, thereby alleviating ALI caused by pyroptosis-mediated inflammation., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Graphene's emergence enables creating chiral metamaterials in helical shapes for terahertz (THz) applications, overcoming material limitations. However, practical implementation remains theoretical due to fabrication challenges. This paper introduces a dual-component self-assembly technique that enables creating vertically-aligned continuous monolayer graphene helices at microscale with great flexibility and high controllability. This assembly process not only facilitates the creation of 3D microstructures, but also positions the 3D structures from a horizontal to a vertical orientation, achieving an aspect ratio (height/width) of ≈2700. As a result, an array of vertically-aligned graphene helices is formed, reaching up to 4 mm in height, which is equivalent to 4 million times the height of monolayer graphene. The benefit of these 3D chiral structures made from graphene is their capability to infinitely extend in height, interacting with light in ways that are not possible with traditional 2D layering methods. Such an impressive height elevates a level of interaction with light that far surpasses what is achievable with traditional 2D layering methods, resulting in a notable enhancement of optical chirality properties. This approach is applicable to various 2D materials, promising advancements in innovative research and diverse applications across fields., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 to hydrocarbon fuel is a potential strategy to solve energy shortage and mitigate the greenhouse effect. Here, direct Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts (In 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 ) without an electron mediator are prepared by a simple hydrolysis method. The In 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 composite photocatalysts show greatly boosted photoactivity on CO 2 conversion to CO compared with the pristine In 2 O 3 and Bi 2 S 3 . The highest CO evolution rate of 2.67 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 is achieved by In 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 -3, without any sacrificial agent or cocatalyst, which is about 3.87 times that of In 2 O 3 (0.69 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 ). The boosted photocatalytic performance of In 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 composite catalysts can be ascribed to the establishment of a Z-scheme heterojunction, improving the photoabsorption and facilitating charge separation and transfer. This study provides a reference for designing and fabricating high-efficiency Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts for photocatalytic CO 2 reduction.

In this work, a series of hydrogenated Fe-doped AgIO 3 (FAI-x) catalysts are synthesized for photodegrading diverse azo dyes and antibiotics. Under the irradiation of natural sunlight with a light intensity of ∼60 mW/cm 2 , the optimum FAI-10 exhibits a considerable rate constant for decomposing methyl orange (MO) of 0.067 min -1 , about 7.4 times higher than that of AgIO 3 (0.009 min -1 ), and 24.6% and 83.8% of MO can be decomposed over AgIO 3 and FAI-10 after irradiation for 40 min. In the amplification photodegradation experiments with using 0.5 g catalyst and 400 mL MO dye solution (10 mg/L), FAI-10 possesses greatly higher photoreactivity to common semiconductors (ZnO, TiO 2 , In 2 O 3 and Bi 2 MoO 6 ), and the photodegradation rates over FAI-10 are 92%. Particularly, the FAI-10 shows superior stability, the activity of which remains unaltered after 8 continuous cycles. Foreign ions and water bodies have slight effect on the activity of FAI-10, but the MO degradation rates are decreased by adjusting pH values, especially when pH = 11 because of the strong electrostatic repulsion between MO and FAI-10. FAI-10 can also effectively decompose another azo dye (rhodamine B (RhB)) and diverse antibiotics (sulflsoxazole (SOX), chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTC), tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) and ofloxacin (OFX)). The activity enhancement mechanism of FAI-10 has been systemically investigated and is ascribed to the promoted photo-absorption, charge separation and transfer efficiency, and affinity of organic pollutants, owing to the synergistic effect of Fe doping and oxygen vacancy (Ov). The photocatalytic mechanisms and process for decomposing MO are verified and proposed based on radical trapping experiments and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This work opens an avenue for the fabrication of effective photocatalysts toward water purification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The CO 2 photocatalytic conversion efficiency of the semiconductor photocatalyst is always inhibited by the sluggish charge transfer and undesirable CO 2 affinity. In this work, we prepare a series of K-doped In 2 O 3 catalysts with concomitant oxygen vacancies (O V ) via a hydrothermal method, followed by a low-temperature sintering treatment. Owing to the synergistic effect of K doping and O V , the charge separation and CO 2 affinity of In 2 O 3 are synchronously promoted. Particularly, when P / P 0 = 0.010, at room temperature, the CO 2 adsorption capacity of the optimal K-doped In 2 O 3 (KIO-3) is 2336 cm 3 ·g -1 , reaching about 6000 times higher than that of In 2 O 3 (0.39 cm 3 ·g -1 ). As a result, in the absence of a cocatalyst or sacrificial agent, KIO-3 exhibits a CO evolution rate of 3.97 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 in a gas-solid reaction system, which is 7.6 times that of pristine In 2 O 3 (0.52 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 ). This study provides a novel approach to the design and development of efficient photocatalysts for CO 2 conversion by element doping.

A rarely discussed phenomenon in the realm of photocatalytic materials involves the presence of gradient distributed dopants and defects from the interior to the surface. This intriguing characteristic has been successfully achieved in the case of ZnS through the incorporation of atomic monovalent copper ions (Cu + ) and concurrent sulfur vacancies (V s ), resulting in a photocatalyst denoted as G-CZS 1- x . Through the cooperative action of these atomic Cu dopants and Vs, G-CZS 1- x significantly extends its photoabsorption range to encompass the full spectrum (200-2100 nm), which improves the solar utilization ability. This alteration enhances the efficiency of charge separation and optimizes Δ(H*) (free energy of hydrogen adsorption) to approach 0 eV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It is noteworthy that both surface-exposed atomic Cu and V s act as active sites for photocatalysis. G-CZS 1- x exhibits a significant H 2 evolution rate of 1.01 mmol h -1 in the absence of a cocatalyst. This performance exceeds the majority of previously reported photocatalysts, exhibiting approximately 25-fold as ZnS, and 5-fold as H-CZS 1- x with homogeneous distribution of equal content Cu dopants and Vs. In contrast to G-CZS 1- x , the H adsorption on Cu sites for H-CZS 1- x (Δ G (H*) = -1.22 eV) is excessively strong to inhibit the H 2 release, and the charge separation efficiency for H-CZS 1- x is relatively sluggish, revealing the positive role of a gradient distribution model of dopants and defects on activity enhancement. This work highlights the synergy of atomic dopants and defects in advancing photoactivity, as well as the significant benefit of the controllable distribution model of dopants and defects for photocatalysis.

The engineering of atomically-precise nanopores in two-dimensional materials presents exciting opportunities for both fundamental science studies as well as applications in energy, DNA sequencing, and quantum information technologies. The exceptional chemical and thermal stability of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) suggest that exposed h-BN nanopores will retain their atomic structure even when subjected to extended periods of time in gas or liquid environments. Here we employ transmission electron microscopy to examine the time evolution of h-BN nanopores in vacuum and in air and find, even at room temperature, dramatic geometry changes due to atom motion and edge contamination adsorption, for timescales ranging from one hour to one week. The discovery of nanopore evolution contrasts with general expectations and has profound implications for nanopore applications of two-dimensional materials., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Rigid, solid-state components represent the current paradigm for electronic systems, but they lack post-production reconfigurability and pose ever-increasing challenges to efficient end-of-life recycling. Liquid electronics may overcome these limitations by offering flexible in-the-field redesign and separation at end-of-life via simple liquid phase chemistries. Up to now, preliminary work on liquid electronics has focused on liquid metal components, but these devices still require an encapsulating polymer and typically use alloys of rare elements like indium. Here, using the self-assembly of jammed 2D titanium carbide (Ti 3 C 2 T x ) MXene nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces, "all-liquid" electrically conductive sheets, wires, and simple functional devices are described including electromechanical switches and photodetectors. These assemblies combine the high conductivity of MXene nanosheets with the controllable form and reconfigurability of structured liquids. Such configurations can have applications not only in electronics, but also in catalysis and microfluidics, especially in systems where the product and substrate have affinity for solvents of differing polarity., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The efficient removal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in natural waters is vital for human survival and sustainable development. Photocatalytic degradation is a feasible and cost-effective strategy to completely disintegrate POPs at room temperature. Herein, we develop a series of direct Z-scheme BiOIO 3 /AgIO 3 hybrid photocatalysts via a facile deposition-precipitation method. Under natural sunlight irradiation, the light intensity of which is ∼40 mW/cm 2 , a considerable rate constant of 0.185 min -1 for photodecomposing 40 mg/L MO is obtained over 0.5 g/L Bi@Ag-5 composite photocatalyst powder, about 92.5 and 5.3 times higher than those of pristine AgIO 3 and BiOIO 3 . The photoactivity of Bi@Ag-5 for photodecomposing MO under natural sunlight illumination surpasses most of the reported photocatalysts under Xe lamp illumination. After natural sunlight irradiation for 20 min, 95% of MO, 82% of phenol, 78% of 2,4-DCP, 54% of ofloxacin, and 88% of tetracycline hydrochloride can be photodecomposed over Bi@Ag-5. Relative to the commercial photocatalyst TiO 2 (P25), Bi@Ag-5 exhibits greatly higher photoactivity for the treatment of MO-phenol-tetracycline hydrochloride mixture pollutants in the scale-up experiment of 500 mL of solution, decreasing COD, TOC, and chromaticity value by 52, 19, and 76%, respectively, after natural sunlight irradiation for 40 min. The photodegradation process and mechanism of MO have been systematically investigated and proposed. This work provides an archetype for designing efficient photocatalysts to remove POPs.

The colour centre platform holds promise for quantum technologies, and hexagonal boron nitride has attracted attention due to the high brightness and stability, optically addressable spin states and wide wavelength coverage discovered in its emitters. However, its application is hindered by the typically random defect distribution and complex mesoscopic environment. Here, employing cathodoluminescence, we demonstrate on-demand activation and control of colour centre emission at the twisted interface of two hexagonal boron nitride flakes. Further, we show that colour centre emission brightness can be enhanced by two orders of magnitude by tuning the twist angle. Additionally, by applying an external voltage, nearly 100% brightness modulation is achieved. Our ab initio GW and GW plus Bethe-Salpeter equation calculations suggest that the emission is correlated to nitrogen vacancies and that a twist-induced moiré potential facilitates electron-hole recombination. This mechanism is further exploited to draw nanoscale colour centre patterns using electron beams., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

The low mass density and high mechanical strength of graphene make it an attractive candidate for suspended-membrane energy transducers. Typically, the membrane size dictates the operational frequency and bandwidth. However, in many cases it would be desirable to both lower the resonance frequency and increase the bandwidth, while maintaining overall membrane size. We employ focused ion beam milling or laser ablation to create kirigami-like modification of suspended pure-graphene membranes ranging in size from microns to millimeters. Kirigami engineering successfully reduces the resonant frequency, increases the displacement amplitude, and broadens the effective bandwidth of the transducer. Our results present a promising route to miniaturized wide-band energy transducers with enhanced operational parameter range and efficiency.

Curved fluidic channels with a circular cross-section play an important role in biology, chemistry, and medicine. However, in nanofluidics, a problem that is largely unsolved is the lack of an effective fabrication method for curved circular nanotubes (10-1000 nm). In this work, an electron-beam-induced self-assembly process was applied to achieve fine curved nanostructures for the realization of nanofluidic devices. The diameter of the tube could be precisely controlled by an atomic layer deposition process. Fluid transported through the nanochannels was verified and characterized using a dark-field microscope under an optical diffraction limit size. The fluid flow demonstrates that the liquid's evaporation (vapor diffusion) in the nanochannel generates compressed vapor, which pumps the liquid and pushes it forward, resulting in a directional flow behavior in the ∼100 nm radius of tubes. This phenomenon could provide a useful platform for the development of diverse nanofluidic devices.

Developing highly efficient semiconductor photocatalysts for H 2 evolution is intriguing, but their efficiency is subjected to the following three critical issues: limited light absorption, low carrier separation efficiency, and sluggish H 2 evolution kinetics. Element surface doping is a feasible strategy to synchronously break through the above limitations. In this study, we prepared a series of Co-surface-doped ZnS photocatalysts to systematically investigate the effects of Co surface doping on photocatalytic activity and electronic structure. The implantation of Co results in the emergence of the impurity level above the valence band (VB) and the upshifted conduction band (CB) and enhances its visible light absorption. Co gradient doping inhibits the combination and facilitates the migration of carriers. S atoms are proven to be reactive active sites for photocatalytic H 2 evolution over both ZnS and Co-doped ZnS. Co doping alters the surface electronic structure and decreases the absolute value for the hydrogen binding free energy (Δ G H ) of the adsorbed hydrogen atom on the catalyst. As a consequence, Co-surface-doped ZnS shows boosted photocatalytic H 2 evolution activity relative to the undoped material. This work provides insights into the mechanistic understanding of the surface element doping modification strategy to developing efficient photocatalysts.

Current graphene-based plasmonic devices are restricted to 2D patterns defined on planar substrates; thus, they suffer from spatially limited 2D plasmon fields. Here, 3D graphene forming freestanding nanocylinders realized by a plasma-triggered self-assembly process are introduced. The graphene-based nanocylinders induce hybridized edge (in-plane) and radial (out-of-plane) coupled 3D plasmon modes stemming from their curvature, resulting in a four orders of magnitude stronger field at the openings of the cylinders than in rectangular 2D graphene ribbons. For the characterization of the 3D plasmon modes, synchrotron nanospectroscopy measurements are performed, which provides the evidence of preservation of the hybridized 3D graphene plasmons in the high precision curved nanocylinders. The distinct 3D modes introduced in this paper, provide an insight into geometry-dependent 3D coupled plasmon modes and their ability to achieve non-surface-limited (volumetric) field enhancements., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Reversible self-assembly that allows materials to switch between structural configurations has triggered innovation in various applications, especially for reconfigurable devices and robotics. However, reversible motion with nanoscale controllability remains challenging. This paper introduces a reversible self-assembly using stress generated by electron irradiation triggered degradation (shrinkage) of a single polymer layer. The peak position of the absorbed energy along the depth of a polymer layer can be modified by tuning the electron energy; the peak absorption location controls the position of the shrinkage generating stress along the depth of the polymer layer. The stress gradient can shift between the top and bottom surface of the polymer by repeatedly tuning the irradiation location at the nanoscale and the electron beam voltage, resulting in reversible motion. This reversible self-assembly process paves the path for the innovation of small-scale machines and reconfigurable functional devices.

Plasmonic sensors are commonly defined on two-dimensional (2D) surfaces with an enhanced electromagnetic field only near the surface, which requires precise positioning of the targeted molecules within hotspots. To address this challenge, we realize segmented nanocylinders that incorporate plasmonic (1-50 nm) gaps within three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures (nanocylinders) using electron irradiation triggered self-assembly. The 3D structures allow desired plasmonic patterns on their inner cylindrical walls forming the nanofluidic channels. The nanocylinders bridge nanoplasmonics and nanofluidics by achieving electromagnetic field enhancement and fluid confinement simultaneously. This hybrid system enables rapid diffusion of targeted species to the larger spatial hotspots in the 3D plasmonic structures, leading to enhanced interactions that contribute to a higher sensitivity. This concept has been demonstrated by characterizing an optical response of the 3D plasmonic nanostructures using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), which shows enhancement over a 22 times higher intensity for hemoglobin fingerprints with nanocylinders compared to 2D nanostructures.

A gradient cobalt-doped MgIn 2 S 4 (MgIn 2 S 4 -Co) homojunction photocatalyst was reported, creating an oriented built-in electric field for efficient extraction of photogenerated carriers from the inside to the surface of the photocatalyst. The MgIn 2 S 4 -Co photocatalysts showed remarkably enhanced photocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity compared with pristine MgIn 2 S 4 .

Sequence plays an important role in self-assembly of 3D complex structures, particularly for those with overlap, intersection, and asymmetry. However, it remains challenging to program the sequence of self-assembly, resulting in geometric and topological constrains. In this work, a nanoscale, programmable, self-assembly technique is reported, which uses electron irradiation as "hands" to manipulate the motion of nanostructures with the desired order. By assigning each single assembly step in a particular order, localized motion can be selectively triggered with perfect timing, making a component accurately integrate into the complex 3D structure without disturbing other parts of the assembly process. The features of localized motion, real-time monitoring, and surface patterning open the possibility for the further innovation of nanomachines, nanoscale test platforms, and advanced optical devices.

Within a total residence time of 9 min, the sodium salt of ciprofloxacin was prepared from simple building blocks via a linear sequence of six chemical reactions in five flow reactors. Sequential offline acidifications and filtrations afforded ciprofloxacin and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. The overall yield of the eight-step sequence was 60 %. No separation of intermediates was required throughout the synthesis when a single acylation reaction was applied to remove the main byproduct, dimethylamine., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Grain coalescence has been applied in many areas of nanofabrication technology, including modification of thin-film properties, nanowelding, and self-assembly of nanostructures. However, very few systematic studies of self-assembly using the grain coalescence, especially for three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures, exist at present. Here, we investigate the mechanism of plasma triggered grain coalescence to achieve the precise control of nanoscale phase and morphology of the grain coalescence induced by exothermic energy. Exothermic energy is generated through etching a silicon substrate via application of plasma. By tuning the plasma power and the flow rates of reactive gases, different etching rates and profiles can be achieved, resulting in various morphologies of grain coalescence. Balancing the isotropic/anisotropic substrate etching profile and the etching rate makes it possible to simultaneously release 2D nanostructures from the substrate and induce enough surface tension force, generated by grain coalescence, to form 3D nanostructures. Diverse morphologies of 3D nanostructures have been obtained by the grain coalescence, and a strategy to achieve self-assembly, resulting in desired 3D nanostructures, has been proposed and demonstrated.

A novel D-A conjugated polymer backbone containing silole and 9-octyl-9H-carbazole units was synthesized via Sonogashira reaction. This silole-containing polymer (SCP) was further used to prepare SCP dots with a nanoprecipitation method, which showed an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission at relatively low potential in aqueous solution. The strong anodic ECL emission could be observed at +0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl) with a peak value at +0.78 V in the presence of tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) as a co-reactant, which came from the band gap emission of the excited SCP dots. The ECL emission could be quenched via resonance energy transfer from the excited SCP dots to an acceptor. Thus, a low-potential anodic ECL sensing strategy was proposed for ECL detection of the acceptor-related analytes. Using dopamine as the analyte, whose electro-oxidation product could act as the energy acceptor to quench the ECL emission of SCP dots, the ECL detection method showed a detection limit of 50 nM and high anti-interference ability. This work demonstrates an example of polymer dots as an ECL emitter and its potential application in ECL detection methodology.