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In the present work, magnetic nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) have been synthesised using low temperature combustion method and then modified with Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to form a magnetic composite. Prepared composite (CTAB-NiFe2O4) was used as an adsorbent for removing brilliant green dye from aqueous solution. Adsorbent was investigated by using various techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and pH of point zero charge. Different parameters such as effect of contact time, pH, adsorbent dose and initial dye concentration were studied for the adsorption of dye. The optimum values observed were 170 minutes equilibrium time at pH 6 and adsorbent dose 0.6 g. Various adsorption kinetic models such as pseudo first-order kinetic model, pseudo second-order kinetic model and Elovich model were used to determine the nature of adsorption. Pseudo second-order kinetic model fitted better with higher R2 value which indicated that the adsorption was chemical in nature. Langmuir isotherm was best fitted to experimental data for the adsorption of brilliant green dye with maximum adsorption capacity 'Qe' 250 mg/g. It revealed that the adsorption in this study takes place on homogenous surface and follows monolayer pattern. Therefore, for the removal of Brilliant green dye from wastewater using composite (CTAB-NiFe2O4) can be considered as an effective adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-line sample concentration method for capillary electrophoresis called admicelle to solvent microextraction was proposed. In this technique, analytes were trapped in the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide admicelles formed in situ on the negatively charged capillary surface. A solvent plug was then partially injected hydrodynamically to collapse the admicelles, which liberated and focused the analytes at the solvent front. Voltage was applied across the capillary, completing the stacking process. Various solvents, namely, methanol, ethanol, and acetonitrile, were investigated. The optimal solvent for solvent to admicelle microextraction was 30% acetonitrile in 24 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 9.2). Sample injection time and solvent to sample injection ratio were also optimised. For this demonstration, the optimum sample injection time and solvent to sample injection ratio were 320 s and 1:2, respectively. Using the optimum conditions, UV detection sensitivity was enhanced 132–176-fold for the model anions. The LOQ, %intra-/inter-day (n = 6/n = 12, 2 days) repeatability, and linearity (R2) of admicelle to solvent microextraction were 0.08–2 µg/mL, 1.9–3.9%, 2.8–4.9%, and 0.992, respectively. Admicelle to solvent microextraction was applied to the analysis of various fortified water samples, with good repeatability (%RSD = 0.5–3.6%), and no matrix interferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the challenges of difficulty and low penetration speed of aqueous deacidification agents in paper, we aimed to enhance the wetting performance of these agents by incorporating a surfactant. We selected four surfactants for our study: anionic sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nonionic polysorbate-80 (TW80), and polyether-modified trisiloxane (TRSE). The wetting properties of these surfactants on sodium propionate aqueous deacidification agent, the alkali stability of the solution, and the effects of moist heat aging on paper durability were explored. The results demonstrated that TRSE exhibited superior performance compared to the other three surfactants, effectively reducing the surface tension of sodium propionate solution to 21.02 mN/m. In alkaline conditions with a pH range of 8.00–10.00, the surface tension of SDBS, CTAB, and TW80 solutions remained stable for 30 days. Similarly, under weakly alkaline conditions with a pH value below 9, the surface tension of TRSE solutions exhibited stability. It should be noted that SDBS accelerated the decline of paper tensile index and whiteness during the heat and humidity aging process; at the same time, CTAB, TW80, and TRSE had no noticeable adverse effects on paper aging resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Natural zeolite's inefficiency in removing organic compounds has been a significant challenge in water treatment. To address this, this study focuses on an innovative and efficient hydrothermal process for altering the zeolitic structure. The study aimed to determine the optimal conditions for hydrothermal zeolite treatment to remove diclofenac, thereby contributing to the expansion of zeolite's potential use in water treatment. RESULTS: The study found that modification temperature significantly affected diclofenac removal, whereas cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) concentration impacted modification yield. The conditions (150 °C, 0.374 gCTAB/gzeolite, for 6 h) were selected for their mildness and effectiveness. Characterization showed a reduction in micropores, development of mesopores and an increase in clinoptilolite content while maintaining crystallinity. Fourier transform infrared analysis and zeta potential measurements confirmed the surfactant's presence. Adsorption tests indicated that pH, except at extremely basic levels, did not affect diclofenac removal, highlighting the method's industrial applicability. The kinetic study revealed slower adsorption influenced by intraparticle diffusion. Equilibrium studies indicated spontaneous, exothermic adsorption as a result of stronger interactions between the modified adsorbent and diclofenac. The maximum adsorption capacity was 11.15 mg g−1, with hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions enhancing drug removal efficiency compared to unmodified zeolite. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate the significant potential of hydrothermal modification with CTAB for using natural zeolites in wastewater treatment through adsorption. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise Methods and Results Conclusions Seaweeds are gaining substantial research interest, particularly for genomic applications, where high‐quality DNA is a prerequisite. Extracting DNA from these organisms presents challenges due to high levels of biomacromolecules resulting from their diverse cell structures. Existing protocols often lack versatility, leading to inconsistent outcomes across various materials and taxa, which highlights the need for a universal method for use with a variety of green seaweed samples.We optimized the conventional cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol for green seaweed DNA extraction. Our method, involving an initial sample treatment, lysis buffer adjustment, and enzyme incubation alterations, outperformed the conventional CTAB and commercial kits in terms of DNA yield and purity. Notably, the protocol's effectiveness was demonstrated across various green algal materials and preservation methods, and was tested with downstream applications with satisfactory results.Our optimized CTAB protocol offers a reliable solution for high‐quality genomic DNA extraction from a wide variety of green seaweed samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil resources are abundant in the second member of the Kongdian Formation, Cangdong Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, China. However, the shale oil here has high viscosity and poor fluidity, resulting in low recovery and huge difficulty in development, gathering, and transporting. This study assembled a catanionic surfactant (PSG) through electrostatic interactions between cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and α-olefin sulfonate (AOS) in an aqueous phase, which can be used as an effective emulsifying and viscosity-reducing agents for shale oils of Dagang oilfield. The interfacial activity and emulsification performance of PSG can be optimized by changing the molar ratio of CTAB to AOS. Notably, the PSG assembled at the molar ratio of 6:4 shows the best performance, with ultra-high surface activity and excellent salt resistance. At an oil/water ratio of 1:1 and 50 °C, an aqueous solution of 0.2% PSG can emulsify five types of shale oil, making it form shale oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with a viscosity of less than 35 mPa·s, thereby reducing the viscosity of shale oil and improving its flowability. Importantly, shale oil and water can be separated by simple sedimentation without adding demulsifiers. This study has important guiding significance for the efficient development and transportation of shale oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the interface of Nb 2 CT x @MoSe 2 heterojunction could be easily regulated by CTAB. The intimate contact of Nb 2 CT x /MoSe 2 not only facilitate electron/ion transport, but also assure the integrity of the hybrid electrode. As excepted, the capacity (406 mA h/g) retention is 80% from 100 to 1000 mA/g concerning rate performance. [Display omitted] Exploring robust electrode materials which could permit fast and reversible insertion/extraction of large K+ is a crucial challenge for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). Smart interfacial design could facilitate electron/ion transport as well as assure the integrity of electrode. Herein, Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was found to play bifunctional roles in construction of Nb 2 CT x @MoSe 2 heterostructure. Firstly, functionalization of CTAB on the surface of Nb 2 CT x could influence the subsequent growth of MoSe 2 by electrostatic effect, stereochemical effect and the synergetic Lewis acid-base interaction, leading to the formation of Nb 2 CT x @MoSe 2 with tiled heterostructure. Secondly, the interlayer spacing of Nb 2 CT x was expanded from 0.77 to 1.21 nm owing to the pillar effect of CTAB. As excepted, the capacity retention was 80 % from 100 mA g−1 (406 mA h g−1) to 1000 mA g−1 concerning rate capability and the specific capacity maintained at 240 mA h g−1 (at 2000 mA g−1) over 300 cycles. The calculated D K values from Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) measurement of the titled C-T-Nb 2 CT x @MoSe 2 @C electrode is two orders of magnitude larger than the traditional T-Nb 2 CT x @MoSe 2 @C electrode, further confirming intimate interface between MoSe 2 and Nb 2 CT x could provide convenient potassium-ion transport channels and fast diffusion kinetics. Finally, ex-situ characterizations at different charging and discharging voltage stages, including ex-situ XRD/Raman/HRTEM/XPS have been carried out to reveal the potassium storage mechanism. This work provides a facile strategy for the regulation of interface engineering by the assist of CTAB which could extend to other MXenes-TMDs (Transition metal dichalcogenides) hybrid electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractOur research on the functional oxides of manganese and zinc nanocomposites capped and stabilized with chitosan (CS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and extract from Gongronema latifolium (GL) using a sol-gel synthesis protocol, for hyperthermia biomedical applications is described in this paper. The obtained results were characterized with various techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed a single-phase crystalline structure with a crystallite size of 18.7 nm for the pristine sample, which decreased to 13.2, 10.6 and 10.5 nm for the CS, CTAB and GL capped samples, respectively. The SEM image analysis showed a spherical morphology of the samples. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the functional groups of the samples. The estimated energy band gap of the samples was reduced from 5.39 eV for the pristine sample to 5.20, 5.24 and 5.15 eV for the capped samples, respectively. The obtained samples were used for self-heating analyses in hyperthermia (HP) application at 185 Oe applied field. The obtained samples generated enough heating to achieve the therapeutic range within 150 sec. High specific loss power (SLP) was recorded for these samples, making the material optimized for hyperthermia applications. The CTAB-capped sample was the best sample for the hyperthermia applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The extraction of high‐quality RNA is the critical first step for the analysis of gene expression and gene space. This remains particularly challenging in plants, and especially in ferns, where the disruption of the cell wall and separation of organic compounds from nucleic acids is not trivial. Methods: We developed a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)‐based RNA extraction protocol that consistently performs well across a large phylogenetic breadth of ferns—a lineage of plants high in secondary compounds—and in an array of tissue types. Two alternative options (precipitation vs. clean‐up without intermediate precipitation) are presented, both of which yield high‐quality RNA extracts with optical density (OD) ratios of OD 260/280 = 1.9–2.1 and OD 260/230 > 1.6, and RNA integrity numbers >7. Conclusions: This study presents an efficient protocol for the extraction of high‐quality RNA from multiple tissues and across the fern phylogeny, a clade of plants that still lags behind other major lineages in the development of genomic resources. We hope that this method can be used to help facilitate the closing of this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developing the most suitable treatment against tuberculosis based on resistance profiles is imperative to effectively cure tuberculosis patients. Whole‐genome sequencing is a molecular method that allows for the rapid and cost‐effective detection of mutations in multiple genes associated with anti‐tuberculosis drug resistance. This sequencing approach addresses the limitations of culture‐based methods, which may not apply to certain anti‐TB drugs, such as pyrazinamide, because of their specific culture medium requirements, potentially leading to biased resistance culture results. Methods: Thirty‐four M. tuberculosis isolates were subcultured on a Lowenstein–Jensen medium. The genome of these bacteria was subsequently isolated using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Genome sequencing was performed with Novaseq Illumina 6000 (Illumina), and the data were analysed using the GenTB and Mykrobe applications. We also conducted a de novo analysis to compare the two methods and performed mutation analysis of other genes encoding pyrazinamide resistance, namely rpsA and panD. Results: The results revealed mutations in the pncA gene, which were identified based on the databases accessed through GenTB and Mykrobe. Two discrepancies between the drug susceptibility testing and sequencing results may suggest potential instability in the drug susceptibility testing culture, specifically concerning PZA. Meanwhile, the results of the de novo analysis showed the same result of pncA mutation to the GenTB or Mykrobe; meanwhile, there were silent mutations in rpsA in several isolates and a point mutation; no mutations were found in the panD gene. However, the mutations in the genes encoding pyrazinamide require further and in‐depth study to understand their relationship to the phenotypic profile. Conclusions: Compared to the conventional culture method, the whole‐genome sequencing method has advantages in determining anti‐tuberculosis resistance profiles, especially in reduced time and bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an attempt to increase the sterilising efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (SH) by prolonging its shelf life in gel mode through the presence of wormlike micelles. No effect was observed on the presence of SH on the ratio of highest viscosity peak of 20:80 of 3 % (w/w) sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). On the other side, the presence of SH has a relatively negative effect on transformation process from spherical (three-dimensional, 3D) micelles to wormlike (one-dimensional, 1D) micelles. The gel state of the aqueous SH solution is maintained even at a ratio of 20:80 SDS:CTAB 3 % (w/w). Measurements of the biological activity of the gel using Staphylococcus aureus bacteria show that the sterilizing efficiency of SH is enhanced by the presence of 1D micelles. In contrast, the stability of SH using the kinetic method shows a sudden decrease in its stability due to the presence of 1D micelles, and the same is the case when both SDS and CTAB micelles are present. It was concluded that the increase in the biological activity of SH due to presence of micelles in gel or liquid mode resulted from their chemical interference, which acts as an antibacterial formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permeability of ore is a key factor affecting the leaching effect of uranium ore, and the addition of surfactants can significantly improve the permeability of ore, thereby strengthening uranium ore leaching. This article simulates two infiltration leaching processes, atmospheric heap leaching and pressurized in-situ leaching, and explores the effect of surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on uranium leaching rate and ore permeability coefficient in both processes. The results showed that in the atmospheric heap leaching test, adding surfactants increased the ore leaching rate by 30.31% during the same 13 day test cycle, and the leaching process was mainly controlled by surface chemical reactions. In the pressurized in-situ leaching test, based on the results of a leaching cycle of 13 days, the average permeability coefficient increased by 72.89% and 64.07% after adding surfactants to the drained and water containing uranium deposits, respectively. In addition, the peak uranium concentration in the leaching solution appeared 2 days earlier, indicating that the addition of surfactants has a significant promoting effect on in-situ leaching of uranium, improving the leaching efficiency of uranium, and can improve the leaching rate of uranium within the same leaching cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control spontaneous combustion of sulfide ores, the compound inhibitor was prepared by selecting physical resistance raw materials(Na2CO3), chemical resistance raw materials(Melatonin), Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTMAB) and hydroxyethyl cellulose(HEC). With the help of the simultaneous thermal analyzer, different concentrations of inhibitors were prepared and the thermal behavior of the ore samples with 10, 15, and 20 wt% inhibitor at four heating rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20 K/min was determined. The Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method was applied to calculate the activation energy of sulfide ores with different concentrations. The results showed that: Gradually increasing the heating rate will increase the reaction intensity of each ore sample in the first weight loss stage of thermal decomposition, and then reduce the mass of the ore samples involved in the second weight loss stage; The thermal stability of each resisted ore sample is better than that of the original ore sample; The increase in the concentration of inhibitor can inert the reaction process of ore samples in the thermal decomposition stage, weakening the exothermic effect of ore samples; The inhibitor with 15 wt% had a better effect on preventing spontaneous combustion of sulfide ores, and its property value is higher than other concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pristine silver-doped zinc oxide (Ag–ZnO) and Plumbago zeylanica leaf extract (PZE) incorporated with Ag–ZnO, along with the additional material of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted Ag–ZnO nanorods, were synthesized and extensively characterized. The basic properties of the samples were studied and optimized. Gas sensing measurements were conducted, and the obtained results were thoroughly interpreted. The study includes demonstrating and examining pure Ag–ZnO, PZE-added Ag–ZnO, and CTAB-assisted Ag–ZnO. Notably, the presence of CTAB exhibited a favorable effect on the Ag–ZnO, indicating an enhanced isopropyl alcohol gas sensing response time of 20 s at 15 ppm within an ambient temperature. Additionally, improvements in selectivity and reduced sensor resistance in current (nanoampere - nA) were observed in CTAB-assisted Ag–ZnO. The sensing mechanism was investigated, focusing on the depletion layer of Ag–ZnO with the surfactant. The work emphasizes the sensing abilities of PZE-assisted Ag–ZnO and CTAB Ag–ZnO, highlighting the significance of these noble metals in systematic gas sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) are technologies sought to reduce the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. Industrial carbon capture is associated with energetic penalty, thus there is an opportunity to research alternatives. In this work, spectroelectrochemistry was used to analyze the electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) in CO2 saturated monoethanolamine (MEA)‐based capture solutions, in a novel CCU process. The in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy experiments show that at the Bi catalyst, the active species involved in the eCO2R is the dissolved CO2 in solution, and not carbamate. In addition, the products of eCO2R were evaluated under flow, using commercial Bi2O3 NP as catalyst. Formate and acetate were detected, with normalized FE for acetate up to 14.5 %, a remarkable result, considering the catalyst used. Acetate is formed either in the presence of cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant or at higher current density (>−100 mA cm−2) and the results enabled the proposition of a pathway for its production. This work sheds light on the complex reaction environment of a capture medium electrolyte and is thus relevant for an improved understanding of the conversion of CO2 into value‐added products and to evaluate the feasibility of a combined CCU approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional anticorrosion coatings often suffer from reduced effectiveness or even complete failure due to the formation of microcracks. Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) can form a polyurea structure without a catalyst in the presence of water, which can protect the underlying metal from corrosion. In this study, an anticorrosion coating with self-healing properties was developed by incorporating microcapsules containing IPDI into the coating formulation. Silica-based self-healing microcapsules were synthesized via interfacial polymerization, using tetraethyl orthosilicate as the precursor and IPDI as the core material. The effects of core-to-wall ratio, reaction temperature, different emulsifiers, and emulsifier ratios on the microcapsule properties were investigated. The results demonstrated that microcapsules prepared using a composite emulsifier system of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and OP-10 at a 1:1 ratio, with a core-to-wall ratio of 1:1, and a reaction temperature of 75°C, exhibited a smooth surface, spherical shape, and excellent encapsulation efficiency. The maximum core content achieved was 81.2 wt%. An epoxy coating embedded with these self-healing microcapsules was subjected to scratching damage. After applying water to the surface and allowing it to stand for 2 days, the scratches healed, and the steel plate surface remained free from corrosion, indicating excellent self-healing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper-containing diamine oxidases are ubiquitous enzymes that participate in many important biological processes. These processes include the regulation of cell growth and division, programmed cell death, and responses to environmental stressors. Natural substrates include, for example, putrescine, spermidine, and histamine. Enzymatic activity is typically assayed using spectrophotometric, electrochemical, or fluorometric methods. The aim of this study was to develop a method for measuring activity using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry based on the intensity ratio of product to product-plus-substrate signals in the reaction mixtures. For this purpose, an enzyme purified to homogeneity from pea (Pisum sativum) seedlings was used. The method employed α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid as a matrix with the addition of cetrimonium bromide. Product signal intensities with pure compounds were evaluated in the presence of equal substrate amounts to determine intensity correction factors for data processing calculations. The kinetic parameters kcat and Km for the oxidative deamination of selected substrates were determined. These results were compared to parallel measurements using an established spectrophotometric method, which involved a coupled reaction of horseradish peroxidase and guaiacol, and were discussed in the context of data from the literature and the BRENDA database. It was found that the method provides accurate results that are well comparable with parallel spectrophotometry. This method offers advantages such as low sample consumption, rapid serial measurements, and potential applicability in assays where colored substances interfere with spectrophotometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex formation of vanadium(V) with 4-(2',3',4'-trihydroxyphenyl)-3-nitro-5-sulfoazobenzene (R) in the presence of cationic surfactants (CS), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPCl), cetylpyridinium bromide (CPBr), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMABr), is studied. Vanadium(V) and R form a colored complex at a component ratio of 1 : 2 and pH of 5.0–5.5. The absorbance maximum of the complex is at 449 nm, while the reagent under these conditions absorbs light at 395 nm. In the presence of cationic surfactants, mixed-ligand complexes with a component ratio of V(V) : R : CS = 1 : 2 : 2 are formed, which results in a bathochromic shift of the absorbance maximum. Additionally, the pH value for the maximum complex formation shifts to a more acidic medium compared to the homoligand V(V)–R complex. The absorbance of the V(V) : R : CPCl, V(V): R : CPBr, and V(V) : R : CTMABr complexes is maximal at 457, 461, and 466 nm, respectively. The yield of these complexes is the highest at pH of 3.5–4.0 for VV(V) : R : CPCl and V(V): R : CPBr, and at a pH of 2.5–3.0 for V(V) : R : CTMABr. The formation of both homoligand and mixed-ligand vanadium(V) complexes depends on the reaction time, temperature, and concentrations of the reacting components. The determined stability constants indicate the high stability of the resulting mixed-ligand complexes. The specific conductivity of the complexes under the optimal conditions of complex formation was determined using conductometric titration. Calibration curves for the determination of vanadium(V) as homoligand and mixed-ligand complexes are linear. The effect of foreign ions and masking agents on the determination of V(V) as homoligand and mixed-ligand complexes was analyzed; it was shown that the presence of cationic surfactants significantly increases the selectivity of the reaction. An analysis of water samples from Lake Khanbulan, Lankaran District, Azerbaijan Republic using the developed procedure showed the presence of small amounts of vanadium(V). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Gd-MOF based on tetrafluoro-terephthalic acid has been synthesized and its structure has been solved using X-ray single crystal diffraction data. The compound, with the formula [Gd2(F4BDC)3·H2O]·DMF, is isostructural with other Ln-MOFs based on the same ligand and has been recently reported. Its crystals were also reduced to nanometer size by employing acetic acid or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a modulator. The relaxometric properties of the nanoparticles were evaluated in solution by measuring 1H T1 and T2 as a function of the applied magnetic field and temperature. The biocompatibility of Gd-MOFs was evaluated on murine microglial BV-2 and human glioblastoma U251 cell lines. In both cell lines, Gd-MOFs do not modify the cell cycle profile or the activation levels of ERK1/2 and Akt, which are protein-serine/threonine kinases that participate in many signal transduction pathways. These pathways are fundamental in the regulation of a large variety of processes such as cell migration, cell cycle progression, differentiation, cell survival, metabolism, transcription, tumour progression and others. These data indicate that Gd-MOF nanoparticles exhibit high biocompatibility, making them potentially valuable for diagnostic and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Schiff‐base materials are known ligands for the coordination of metal ions and the synthesis of various stable and useful complexes. Therefore, herein, a novel Schiff‐base compound {2,2′‐((1E,11E)‐2,5,8,11‐tetra azadodeca‐1,11‐diene‐1,12‐diyl) bis (4‐bromophenol)} was introduced that formed from condensation of triethylenetetramine (TETA) and 5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde (5B2HB). This Schiff‐base ligand was labeled as TADDbBP. Besides, mesoporous MCM‐41 was synthesized using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), hydrolyzing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and NaOH solution (2 M), followed by calcination at 550 °C, and further, the silanol sites on the MCM‐41's surface were modified by 3‐chloropropyltriethoxysilane (3Cl‐PTES), which modified MCM‐41 was labeled as 3‐Cl‐Pr@MCM‐41. In the next step, the synthesized TADDbBP (as Schiff‐base ligand) was grafted on 3‐Cl‐Pr@MCM‐41, which was labeled as TADDbBP@MCM‐41, and further, it was coordinated with samarium ions (which was labeled as Sm‐TADDbBP@MCM‐41 nanocatalyst) using Sm (CH3COO)3. This is the first report on the production of Sm‐TADDbBP@MCM‐41 nanocatalyst, this nanocatalyst was characterized by TEM, SEM, EDX, elemental mapping, BET method, ICP, XRD, and TGA techniques. In the final step, the catalytic performance of Sm‐TADDbBP@MCM‐41 nanocatalyst has been checked in the homo‐selective producing of tetrazoles through [2 + 3] cycloaddition of benzonitriles and sodium azide (NaN3) in PEG‐400 as available, nontoxic, green, and safe solvent. This nanocatalyst provides excellent selectivity in the synthesis of tetrazoles. In addition, Sm‐TADDbBP@MCM‐41 nanocatalyst can be separated and recycled for several cycles without significant reactivation or metal leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study reports a sensor using a bimetallic metal-organic framework combined with 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTC) (ZrCuBTC MOFs) functionalized graphene oxide (GO) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to determine the concentration of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in industrial wastewater. ZrCuBTC/GO was cast on a bare glassy carbon electrode followed by CTAB for analyte adsorption to produce the CTAB/ZrCuBTC/GO@GCE. The ZrCuBTC/GO was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N2 adsorption–desorption analysis. The electrochemical properties of these materials and 2,4-DCP on the CTAB/ZrCuBTC/GO were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The ZrCuBTC/GO had particle sizes from 20 to 40 nm, a pore diameter of 2.71 nm, a pore volume of 0.793 cm3 g−1, and a surface area of 1227 m2 g−1. Under the optimized conditions, the sensor had excellent electrocatalytic activity and high selectivity for 2,4-DCP. Linear ranges from 0.01 to 0.1, 0.1 to 1.5, and 1.5 to 30 µM were obtained with a low detection limit of 8 nM and excellent reproducibility of 2.71%. Wastewater before and after spiking was analyzed using the sensor and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results were comparable with recoveries from 94.9 to 110.3 and 88.6 to 100.2%, respectively. Therefore the developed approach was suitable for the determination of 2,4-DCP in environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by nepenthes pitcher plants, the slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces have received extensive attention. In its practical application, good oil storage and oil-locking ability are important guarantee for the surface to maintain the interface performance for a long time. In this paper, mesoporous silica (KCC-1) was obtained by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as template agent, urea as a hydrolyzing agent, and TEOS as silicon source reagent, then modified with (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane. Then combined with the breath figures, amino-modified mesoporous silica, 3,3'-4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (S-BPDA), 2,2'-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxyphenyl)]propane (BAPP) were used as raw materials to prepare polyimide SLIPS with good stability by a two-step method. The wettability and stability of SLIPS were investigated, and the results show that the introduction of mesoporous silica inorganic nanoparticles enhanced the performance of SLIPS. Among them, the sliding angle of polyimide SLIPS with a nanoparticle content of 10% is 2°, which has good self-cleaning performance, antifouling performance, and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study attempts to explore the crystallographic, rheological and, dynamic mechanical properties of the submicron‐treated cenosphere (t‐ CSF) particles and sisal fiber (SF) reinforced Styrene‐(Ethylene‐Butylene)‐Styrene (SEBS) toughened PP hybrid composites. Moreover, the composites reinforced with 25 wt.% of SF and 5 wt.% of CSF (Treated 6 wt.% cetrimonium bromide (CTAB)) demonstrated the most significant storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E"), and lowest damping (tan δ) factor throughout the temperature range. Likewise, X‐ray diffraction techniques were used to assess the samples' crystallographic properties. The composites reported an enhanced β phase (responsible for high impact strength and reduced α phase of the base matrix compared to pristine PP. Likewise, all the composites' rheological properties showed an improved complex viscosity (η*) compared to the BM but lower than that of the pristine PP. Overall processing parameters of the BM and composites were improved due to the decrement in the η* of all the composites. The rheological properties confirmed the easy processing of the fabricated composites due to the improved flowability. The storage (G′) and loss (G") modulus of all the composites were desirably higher than that of the BM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of caesium radionuclides from an aqueous solution by flotation using rice straw (RS) agricultural waste as a low-cost and eco-friendly adsorbent in the presence of potassium ferrocyanide (KFC) was investigated. The influence of many adsorption parameters and flotation was evaluated on the removal efficiency of 137Cs. The adsorption results demonstrated that the concerned radionuclide was efficiently removed in the presence of 2 × 10−4 mol/L KFC using 10 g/L RS at pH ≥ 7. The double exponential kinetic model and the Freundlich model were the best models for fitting the adsorption kinetic and isotherm data, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of RS, calculated from the Langmuir model, was 280.405 mg/g. after being transferred to the flotation cell, 137Cs loaded onto ferrocyanide-modified rice straw (FMRS) was successfully floated at pH 7 using 3 × 10−4 mol/L cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant in the presence of 4% ethanol. Removal percentages of 56% and > 99.5% were achieved for 137Cs-loaded FMRS within 5 min using sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and CTAB, respectively. The results obtained in this investigation indicate the efficiency of the suggested strategy and hence its applicability for the removal of 137Cs+ from radioactive liquid wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics of Os(VIII) accelerated L-Leucine (L-Leu) oxidation in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) by hexacyanoferrate(III) [HCF(III)] was investigated by registering the decline in absorbance at 431 nm. Employing the pseudo-first-order condition, the reaction's advancement has been examined as an indicator of [CTAB], [Os(VIII)], [OH−], [L-Leu], [HCF(III)], temperature, and ionic strength. The results show that [OH−], [CTAB], and [L-Leu] are the critical parameters with a discernible influence on reaction rate. L-Leu interacts with HCF(III) in a 1:2 ratio. The rate constant is independent of the [HCF(III)] and is merely used up to regenerate the Os(VIII) during the reaction. In the investigated concentration ranges of Os(VIII), [OH−], and [L-Leu], the reaction demonstrates first-order kinetics, but follows less than unit order at higher concentrations of L-Leu (more than 6.0 × 10−3 mole dm−3) and alkali (more than 0.4 mole dm−3). A positive salt effect is indicated by the linear rise in reaction rate with additional electrolytes. CTAB catalyzes the process substantially, and once at its peak at 7.0 × 10−4 mole dm−3, the rate remains constant as [CTAB] grows up to 8.5 × 10−4 mole dm−3. With anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate, the reaction rate was significantly reduced even in the presence of Os(VIII). Reduced repulsion between surfactant molecule's positive charge heads brought on by the negative-charged HCF(III), OH−, and [OsO5(OH)]3− molecules may be responsible for the witnessed drop in CTAB critical micellar concentration (CMC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permanganate–H2SO4 redox reaction, useful in oxidative treatments under aqueous conditions, was studied spectrophotometrically in the absence and presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The decolorization reactions were influenced by the [MnO4−], [H2SO4], and temperature. Permanganate reduction follows first‐, and complex–order kinetics with permanganate, and H2SO4 concentrations, respectively. The reduction of permanganate (Mn(VII)) proceeds through a complex formation between MnO4− and H2SO4. The characteristic absorption peaks for MnO42− (λmax = 439 and 606 nm), MnO43− (λmax = 667 nm), and MnO2 (λmax = 400–418 nm) were not appeared during the redox reaction. The KMnO4 degradation efficiency remains unaffected with sodium pyrophosphate and sodium fluoride. The results of this study demonstrated the formation of Mn(II) as the stable product in acidic reaction media. The degradation efficiency increases drastically from 15 to 100% with 2.0 × 10−4 to 16.0 × 10−4 mol/L CTAB concentration under sub‐, and post‐micellar reaction conditions, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters (activation energy = 98.8 and 43.2 kJ/mol), activation of enthalpy (96.3, and 39.0 kJ/mol), activation of entropy (16.2 and −149.5 J/K/mol), free energy of activation (93.1 and 83.5 kJ/mol) were calculated without and with CTAB, respectively. Hence, CTAB can be exploited for its multifunctional applications, and specifically for the catalytic role in the permanganate‐assisted redox reactions in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, mild steel as a substrate was coated by electrodeposition in a bath mixed with nickel sulfate (NiSO4·6H2O), nickel chloride (NiCl4·6H2O), and boric acid (H3BO3) using nanocomposite cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, hBN, and epoxy with hardener. The experiments were designed using the Taguchi method through the L9 orthogonal array to reduce the number of experiments. The input parameters for the design of experiments were taken: the time (min), voltage (V), and the hBN concentration (wt-%). The coated samples were tested for their tribological, corrosion, and adhesion performance using pin-on-disc, electro-impedance spectroscopy, and cross hatch tester, respectively. The tribological results reveal that the coated sample of 3 wt-% hBN concentration at 3 mV voltage and 30-minute deposition time shows the lowest friction coefficient (∼0.42) among all the samples, indicating its superior wear resistance and corrosion resistance. Further, the same sample also outperformed the others, demonstrating the high adhesion (adhesion scale of 5 B) of coating with the substrate. Moreover, the surface was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared, goniometer, and scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel approach for transforming the cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), into fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) capable of detecting cadmium ions at ultralow concentrations. The current approach involves preparing CDs through hydrothermal process at various pH levels. The CDs synthesized using pH 10, CTAB-CDs-10, exhibited the highest fluorescence quantum yield (QY), 14.22%. UV-Vis spectroscopy helped identify specific peaks between 210 and 300 nm, corresponding to the π–π* transitions of the aromatic C=C bonds. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis verified the uniform spherical morphology with a particle size < 2.45 nm. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of C=C stretching vibrations. The Box–Behnken (BB) Design was used to reconnoiter the influence of three variables on the response parameter: the F0/F ratio. The best performance could be achieved at a pH of 9, after only 300 s, and a temperature of 50 °C. The developed CTAB-CDs-based nanoprobe showed an ON–OFF behavior when came in contact with cadmium (II) and demonstrated high sensitivity with a limit of detection as low as 0.06 µM (0.007 ppm) over a wide linear range of 2–103 µM. Validation tests confirmed the applicability of the CTAB-CDs-based nanoprobe for detecting cadmium (II) in tap and drinking waters with high accuracy and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three strategies were applied to design efficient SnS 2 -based anode materials for the sodium-ion battery (SIB), including precursor solvent optimization, utilization of structure-directing agent and incorporation of carbon, UlrapheneTM. After 100 cycles, the anode still attains specific capacities of 308.7 and 438.9 mAh/g at 1.0 and 0.1 A/g, respectively. [Display omitted] • Three strategies are used to design SnS 2 anode material for sodium ion battery (SIB). • Two precursor solvents of deionized water and ethanol are applied to synthesize SnS 2. • Structure-directing agent of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide is used to make SnS 2. • UlrapheneTM is mixed with SnS 2 to design composites (U/s-SnS 2) with varied ratios. • U/s-SnS 2 shows capacities of 308.7 and 438.9 mAh/g at 1.0 and 0.1 A/g, respectively. Sodium-ion battery (SIB) with abundant resources has been intensively developed as the efficient energy storage device. Tin disulfide (SnS 2) is one of the attractive anode materials due to its high capacity and two-dimensional structure. Nevertheless, volume expansion and low conductivity result in the poor rate performance and stability. In this study, three strategies are applied to design efficient SnS 2 -based anode materials for the SIB. Two precursor solvents of deionized water (DIW) and ethanol and one structure-directing agent of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) are incorporated to synthesize SnS 2. The commercial UlrapheneTM is further mixed with SnS 2 to design composites (U/s-SnS 2) with different ratios. The optimal SnS 2 and U/s-SnS 2 anodes respectively show the specific capacities of 187.7 and 326.3 mAh/g at 1.6 A/g. After 100 cycles, the U/s-SnS 2 anode still attains specific capacities of 308.7 and 438.9 mAh/g at 1.0 and 0.1 A/g corresponding to capacity retentions of 74.5% and 80.1%, respectively. The excellent rate performance and cycling stability of the U/s-SnS 2 anode are attributed to the smaller charge-transfer resistance and the larger Na+ diffusion coefficient. This work successfully brings a blueprint for adopting several useful strategies to improve the electrochemical performance of SnS 2. The effects for all parameters are also carefully explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypothesis: Lipid nanoparticle self-assembly is a complex process that relies on ion pairing between nucleic acids and hydrophobic cationic lipid counterions for encapsulation. The chemical factors influencing this process, such as formulation composition, have been the focus of recent research. However, the physical factors, particularly the mixing protocol, which directly modulates these chemical factors, have yet to be mechanistically examined using a reproducible mixing platform comparable to the industry standard. We here utilize Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP), a scalable rapid mixing platform, to isolate and systematically investigate how mixing factors influence this complexation step, first by using a model polyelectrolyte-surfactant system and then generalizing to a typical RNA lipid nanoparticle formulation. Experiments: Aqueous polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) solutions are rapidly homogenized using reproducible FNP mixing and controlled flow rates at different stoichiometric ratios and total solids concentrations to form polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESCs). Then, key mixing factors such as total flow rate, inlet stream relative volumetric flow rate, and magnitude of flow fluctuation are studied using both this PESC system and an RNA lipid nanoparticle formulation. Findings: Fluctuations in flow as low as ± 5 % of the total flow rate are found to severely compromise PESC formation. This result is replicated in the RNA lipid nanoparticle system, which exhibited significant differences in size (132.7 nm vs. 75.6 nm) and RNA encapsulation efficiency (34.0 % vs. 82.8 %) under fluctuating vs. steady flow. We explain these results in light of the chemical variables isolated and studied; slow or nonuniform mixing generates localized concentration gradients that disrupt the balance between the hydrophobic and electrostatic forces that drive complex formation. These experiments contribute to our understanding of the complexation stage of lipid nanoparticle formation and provide practical insights into the importance of developing controlled mixing protocols in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a reagent- and catalyst-free approach, a series of 2-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolines is synthesized by cyclocondensation between aldehydes and 2-aminobenzylamines via dehydration in water. The reactions are complete in 2 minutes under microwave irradiation and proceed well under stirring at room temperature, affording tetrahydroquinazolines in high to excellent yields. The products are water-insoluble and are isolated by simple filtration, avoiding a conventional work-up step and offering an organic-solvent-free process. Furthermore, the tetrahydroquinazolines are efficiently oxidized in a micellar medium derived from cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) using a cheap commercial bleaching solution (4% NaOCl in water) to give quinazolines in high yields. This sustainable protocol has a near zero E-factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biomimetic nanoreactor that can mimick the chloroplasts in green plants is constructed through the self-assembly of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) bilayer on the surface of a gold nanorod (GNR) electrocatalyst. The CTAB bilayer of the nanoreactor imitates the chloroplast membrane to allow the selective transport of CO 2 and protons to the GNR core and the GNR core functions like Rubisco enzymes in chloroplast to catalyze CO 2 reduction reaction. Consequently, selective and efficient electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to CO is achieved on the chloroplast-like nanoreactor. Schematic structures of chloroplast and our chloroplast-mimicking nanoreactor for CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). (a) The ingenious structure of chloroplast allows the selective transport of different species through phospholipid bilayer (chloroplast membrane) and subsequent photosynthetic CO 2 fixation via Rubisco enzyme catalysis occurring in chloroplast stroma. (b) Illustrations of our biomimetic design that employ cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) bilayer-modified gold nanorod catalysts for CO 2 RR in aqueous solution. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the formation of single‐chain polymer dots (Pdots) via ultrasonic emulsification of nonionic donor‐acceptor‐donor type (D–A–D) alkoxy thiophene–benzobisthiadiazole‐based conjugated polymers (Poly BT) with amphiphilic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The methodology yields Pdots with a high cationic surface charge (+56.5 mV ± 9.5) and average hydrodynamic radius of 12 nm. Optical characterization reveals that these Pdots emit near‐infrared (NIR) light at a maximum wavelength of 860 nm owing to their conjugated polymer backbone consisting of D–A–D monomers. Both colloidal and optical properties of these Pdots make them promising fluorescence emissive probes for bioimaging applications. The significant advantage of positively charged Pdots is demonstrated in diffusion‐limited mediums such as tissues, utilizing human epithelial breast adenocarcinoma, ATCC HTB‐22 (MCF‐7), human bone marrow neuroblastoma, ATCC CRL‐2266 (SH‐SY5Y), and rat adrenal gland pheochromocytoma, CRL‐1721 (PC‐12) tumor spheroid models. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of tumor spheroids from MCF‐7, SH‐SY5Y, and PC‐12 cell lines reveals the intensity profile of Pdots, confirming extensive penetration into the central regions of the models. Moreover, a comparison with mitochondria staining dye reveals an overlap between the regions stained by Pdots and the dye in all three tumor spheroid models. These results suggest that single‐chain D–A–D type Pdots, cationized via CTAB, exhibit long‐range mean free path of penetration (≈1 µm) in dense mediums and tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusional limitations associated with zeolite microporous systems can be overcome by developing hierarchical zeolites, i.e., materials with a micro- and mesoporous framework. In this work, Y and ZSM-5 zeolites were modified using a surfactant-mediated hydrothermal alkaline method, with NaOH and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). For Y zeolite, after a mild acidic pretreatment, the effect of the NaOH+CTAB treatment time was investigated. For ZSM-5 zeolite, different concentrations of the base and acid solutions were tested in the two-step pretreatment preceding the hydrothermal treatment. The properties of the materials were studied with different physical–chemical techniques. Hierarchical Y zeolites were characterized by 3.3–5 nm pores formed during the alkaline treatment through the structure reconstruction around the surfactant aggregates. The effectiveness of the NaOH+CTAB treatment was highly dependent on the duration. For intermediate treatment times (6–12 h), both smaller and larger mesopores were also obtained. Hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolites showed a disordered mesoporosity, mainly resulting from the pretreatment rather than from the subsequent hydrothermal treatment. High mesoporosity was obtained when the concentration of the pretreating base solution was sufficiently high and that of the acid one was not excessive. Hierarchical materials can be obtained for both zeolite structures, but the pretreatment and treatment conditions must be tailored to the starting zeolite and the desired type of mesoporosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SshEstI, a carboxylesterase from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Saccharolobus shibatae , is a member of the hormone-sensitive lipase family that displays slightly alkaliphilic activity with an optimum activity at pH 8.0. In this study, three distinct strategies were explored to confer acidophilic properties to SshEstI. The first strategy involved engineering the oxyanion hole by replacing Gly81 with serine or aspartic acid. The G81S mutant showed optimum activity at pH 7.0, whereas the aspartic acid mutant (G81D) rendered the enzyme slightly acidophilic with optimum activity observed at pH 6.0; however, k cat and k cat / K m values were reduced by these substitutions. The second strategy involved examining the effects of surfactant additives on the pH-activity profiles of SshEstI. The results showed that cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) enhanced wild-type enzyme (WT) activity at acidic pH values. In the presence of 0.1 mM CTAB, G81S and G81D were acidophilic enzymes with optimum activity at pH 6.0 and 4.0, respectively, although their enzyme activities were low. The third strategy involved engineering the active site to resemble that of kumamolisin-As (kuma-As), an acidophilic peptidase of the sedolisin family. The catalytic triad of kuma-As was exchanged into SshEstI using site-directed mutagenesis. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the mutants (H274D and H274E) revealed that the potential hydrogen donor–acceptor distances around the active site of WT were fully maintained in these mutants. However, these mutants were inactive at pH 4–8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the suppression of galvanic corrosion between copper and gold using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and betaine as inhibitors. When copper is electrically connected to gold in PCB etching solutions, the substantial difference in their electrochemical potentials leads to the accelerated corrosion of copper, posing severe reliability risks. To mitigate this, we systematically investigated the galvanic corrosion inhibition properties of CTAB and betaine. Through comprehensive electrochemical analyses, it was found that the galvanic corrosion current density of copper, initially at 3.26 mA/cm2, decreased significantly to 0.251 mA/cm2 with 0.9 mM CTAB, indicating an inhibition efficiency of 92.3%. Furthermore, betaine, at a concentration of 0.1 mM, demonstrated an even higher inhibition efficiency, reducing the corrosion current to 0.03 mA/cm2, achieving a 99.1% inhibition rate. These findings provide strong evidence that CTAB and betaine are highly effective in suppressing galvanic corrosion in copper–gold systems, thereby enhancing the long-term performance and reliability of PCBs in electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the conventional etching that makes nanoparticles rounder and our previous sharpening etching mode that causes serrated edges, here, we developed a new boring etching mode that targets the faces of Au nanoplates to make holes. The critical factors are the pre-incubation step with the ligand 2-mercapto-5-benzimidazolecarboxylic acid (MBIA) and the subsequent removal of excess ligands in the solution. Thus, etching is focused onto the few sites with initial loss of ligands, which cannot be quickly replaced. The choice of ligand MBIA is also of importance, as it carries negative charge and repels each other. Its inability of forming a dense layer probably plays a critical role in the site-selectivity for faces, because ligands at the higher curvature edges and corners are expected to have less repulsion. The etching results from the comproportionation reaction between Au3+ and Au0 in the nanoplates, where Br− coordination to Au and the extra stabilization from cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) are essential. We believe that the ability of boring holes is an important tool for future synthetic designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coatings can be created using various technologies and serve different roles, including protection, functionality, and decorative purposes. Among these technologies, electrodeposition has emerged as a low-cost, versatile, and straightforward process with remarkable scalability and manufacturability. Nickel, extensively studied in the context of electrodeposition, has many applications ranging from decorative to functional. The main objective of the present work is the electrodeposition of double-layer nickel coatings, consisting of a bright nickel pre-coating followed by a black nickel layer with enhanced properties, onto steel substrates. The influence of deposition parameters on colour, morphology, adhesion, roughness, and coefficient of friction was studied. The effects of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and WS2 nanoparticles on the coatings' properties and performance were also investigated. Additionally, the influence of the steel substrate's pre-treatment, consisting of immersion in an HCl solution, prior to the electrodeposition, to etch the surface and activate it, was evaluated and optimized. The characterization of the pre-coating revealed a homogeneous surface with a medium superficial feature of 2.56 μm. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results showed a high content of Ni, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed its crystallinity. In contrast, the black films' characterization revealed their amorphous nature. The BN10 sample, which corresponds to a black nickel layer with a deposition time of 10 min, showed the best results for colour and roughness, presenting the lowest brightness (L*) value (closest to absolute black) and the most homogeneous roughness. EDS analysis confirmed the incorporation of WS2, but all samples with CTAB exhibited signs of corrosion and cracks, along with higher coefficient of friction (COF) values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Conventional perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluorosurfactants (PFOS) have caused great harm to human health and the environment, but the irreplaceable properties of fluorosurfactants offer great values. To this end, we have synthesized a highly surface active, environmentally friendly sulfonate surfactant (PBSA) with a perfluorinated branched short chain and systematically investigated its thermal stability, surface properties, wetting performance, and so forth. The minimal surface tension (γCMC) and critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the aqueous solution of PBSA were 22.70 mN/m and 0.067 mmol/L, respectively. In addition, the binary system of PBSA and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) exhibited excellent synergistic effects: γCMC and CMC values were reduced to 18.94 mN/m and 0.008 mmol/L. Moreover, the PBSA/CTAB mixed solution exhibited superb wetting ability: it could achieve complete wetting of PTFE plates at low concentrations (1.82 × 10−3 mol/L), with a minimum wetting concentration of only 2.84 × 10−5 mol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion has always been important. Layered double hydroxide (LDH) is a promising material due to its high capacity, tunable composition and easy synthesis. In this work, the morphology of NiCo‐LDH is tuned with surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and investigated the correlation between morphology and electrochemical properties. NiCo‐LDH‐SDS with a layered structure exhibited a specific capacitance of 1004 C g−1 at 1 A g−1, which is higher than that of the needle‐like NiCo‐LDH‐CTAB (678 C g−1) and the rod‐like NiCo‐LDH (279 C g−1). Meanwhile, NiCo‐LDH‐SDS and NiCo‐LDH‐CTAB showed a reduction of 36 and 19 mV, respectively, in their overpotentials at 10 mA cm−2 compared to NiCo‐LDH. Contact angle and adhesive force measurements proved the influence of morphology on the interfacial properties that layered structure is favorable for the timely detachment of the bubbles. Therefore, rational morphology regulation of LDH can effectively alter the gas–liquid–solid interface and thereby accelerate the reaction kinetics. The connections between morphologies, bubbles releasing and electrochemical performance are well established in this work, which can be applied in the investigation of nanomaterials for energy‐related activities, especially the ones concerning bubbles releasing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this work was to develop acrylonitrile–butadiene (NBR) elastomer composites filled with hydroxyapatite (HAP) characterized by improved cure characteristics and resistance to burning. Silane, i.e., (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane, ionic liquid, i.e., 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide and surfactant, i.e., cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, were used to improve the filler's dispersibility in the elastomer matrix and to reduce the time and temperature of vulcanization. The effects of HAP and dispersants on the cure characteristics, crosslink density and physico–chemical properties of NBR composites were explored. The additives used, especially the ionic liquid and surfactant, effectively improved the dispersion of HAP in the NBR matrix. The amount of HAP and the dispersant used strongly affected the cure characteristics and crosslink density of NBR. The optimal vulcanization time significantly increased with HAP content and was pronouncedly reduced when ionic liquid and surfactant were applied. In addition, ionic liquid and surfactant significantly lowered the onset vulcanization temperature and improved the crosslink density and hardness of the vulcanizates while impairing their elasticity. HAP and dispersants did not significantly affect the damping properties or chemical resistance of NBR vulcanizates. Above all, application of HAP considerably enhanced the resistance of vulcanizates to thermo-oxidative aging and reduced their flammability compared with the unfilled NBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the synthesis of cationic surfactant-coated Au-Ag core-shell (Au@Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) via a straightforward seed-mediated approach. The UV-Vis analysis showed that the plasmon peak position of synthesized Au@Ag NPs correlated with the thickness of the Ag shell encapsulating the Au core. The Au@Ag NPs have shown impressive catalytic performance for the reduction reactions of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and methyl orange (MO) where the apparent rate constant experienced a remarkable increase by 67-fold and 90-fold, respectively, when Au@Ag NPs with the Ag-shell thickness of 6.3 nm were employed as a catalyst, compared to Au NPs. This multifold improvement in the activity cannot be simply accounted for by the increase in surface area of NPs and is attributed to the electronic synergistic effects between Au and Ag in the core-shell NPs. Furthermore, while Au@Ag NPs exhibited heightened antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli bacteria, this enhancement is modest. Notably, the anticipated significant enhancement attributed to Ag's renowned antibacterial properties was not observed. The presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) enables both Au and Au@Ag NPs to effectively bind with the negatively charged bacterial cell membranes through electrostatic interactions. Apparently, CTAB enables both types of NPs to effectively target and eliminate bacteria with comparable efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic methods have been popular in energy production and environmental remediation. Designing high-efficiency photocatalysts is still challenging in converting solar energy into chemical fuels. Herein, a series of surfactant-assisted ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) photocatalysts were synthesized by utilizing the one-pot hydrothermal method. Photocatalytic methane production from an acetic acid solution was carried out under LED light (450 nm) irradiation, and the evolved gas was analyzed by the GC-FID system. Reaction factors (surfactant amount, catalyst dose, reaction temperature, substrate concentration, and reaction pH) were optimized for photocatalytic production. With the increase in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) amount, CH4 production gradually increased. The ZIS-3.75 photocatalyst exhibited the highest photocatalytic CH4 production rate (0.102 µmol g−1·h−1), which was approximately 1.8 times better than that of pure ZIS (0.058 µmol g−1·h−1). The presence of CTAB reduced the charge transfer resistance and improved photocurrent response efficiency. Structure and morphology were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis. Optical properties were investigated by UV-DRS and PL spectroscopic techniques. The electrochemical evaluation was measured through EIS, Mott–Schottky, and transient photocurrent response analysis. The CTAB-modified catalyst showed excellent stability and reusability, even after five irradiation cycles. Methane production was enhanced by lowering the photogenerated charge transfer resistance and boosting the dispersion of ZIS-3.75 under visible light (450 nm) irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam flooding is easily induced to transverse flow, with a limited swept area and low displacement efficiency. Therefore, chemical agents have been used to assist in steam flooding for heavy oil extraction. However, research into the driving mechanisms and modes of occurrence of residual oil is insufficient. In this work, a flooding simulation was conducted to understand the occurrence mechanism of residual oil during the flooding process in heavy oil reservoirs. First, the foam properties of a novel DES (Deep Eutectic Solvent) and CTAB (Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide) composite system with ultra-low interfacial tension were tested. The optimal concentration and gas–liquid ratio of the foam agent solution were determined. Secondly, the NFAS (N2 foam-assisted steam flooding) was carried out after steam flooding, and the flow behavior of crude oil at different flow pathway zones was researched. In the end, the remaining oil morphology and distribution characteristics under different displacement times were analyzed, determining the mode of remaining oil occurrence during NFAS flooding. The results show that (1) the novel DES and CTAB system has good foam properties. The best concentration is 0.5 wt%, and the optimal ratio of gas to liquid is 1:1. (2) In the steam flooding stage, the columnar remaining oil in the narrow hole near the flow pathway increases, and the cluster remaining oil in the far flow channel changes into film and columnar. (3) During NFAS displacement, the residual oil primarily presents a state of fully mixing the O/W emulsion formed after blending and dispersing with oil, gas, and water. (4) After the NFAS flooding stage, the remaining oil was distributed in each throat. The remaining oil in the near passage is mostly blocked by foam in large holes with a pore coordination number of 4 and 5. The residual oil in the distant runner is distributed in the thick and middle throats. (5) NFAS flooding outperforms steam flooding by significantly decreasing residual oil in narrow passages of the main flow channel and near flow channels, resulting in a substantial 44.9% increase in overall recovery rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary caries is one of the main reasons for dental filling replacement. There is a need to obtain dental restorative material that is able to act against caries-inducing microorganisms. This study explores the antimicrobial properties of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODAB)-modified photo-cured experimental dental composites against Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans was assessed by using an Accuri C6 flow cytofluorimeter, and then analyzed using BD CSampler software (1.0.264). Bacterial/yeast surface colonization was carried out by using an GX71 inverted-optics fluorescence microscope equipped with a DP 73 digital camera. For bactericidal surface analysis of each sample type, simultaneous standardization was performed using a positive control (live cells) and a negative control (dead cells). A positive correlation between the increasing concentration of CTAB or DODAB and the dead cell ratio of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans was revealed. In particular, CTAB at a 2.0 wt% concentration exhibits superior efficiency against pathogens (65.0% dead cells of Escherichia coli, 73.9% dead cells of Streptococcus mutans, and 23.9% dead cells of Candida albicans after 60 min). However, Candida albicans is more resistant to used salts than bacteria. A CTAB- or DODAB-modified experimental dental composite exhibits antimicrobial potential against Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans after 10 and 60 min of incubation, and the antimicrobial efficiency increases with the wt% of QAS in the tested material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of spherical-like battery-grade ferric phosphate by co-precipitation--spray-drying method was investigated using ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4, • 7H2O) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH4 H2 PO4) as raw materials. The effects of the addition of the surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), reaction time, and solution pH on the physical phase and particle size of ferric phosphate were examined. The products were characterized by a laser particle sizer, X-ray powder diffractometer, thermogravimetric analyzer, and field emission scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that under the conditions of a Fe/P molar ratio of 1/1.01, CTAB addition of 0.04 g, reaction time of 1 h, and solution pH of 3.0, the ferric phosphate exhibits the smallest particle size distribution, ranging from 300 to 500 nm, and displays more uniform spherical morphology. Moreover, lithium iron phosphate is prepared by ball milling, mixing and sintering, using the spherical-like ferric phosphate as the precursor iron source. The specific discharge capacity of lithium iron phosphate is 150.14 mAh/g at 0.1 C and the retention rate is 98.9% after 200 cycles at 1 C, the performance is good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanosized Cu–Mn composite oxide catalysts were prepared from potassium permanganate, copper nitrate, n-butanol, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a manganese source, copper source, reducing agent, and surfactant, respectively. The Cu0.2–Mn sample possessed a small particle size (10–40nm) and a relatively high specific surface area (46.24m2 ⋅g−1); its main components were Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 and Mn3O4. As a consequence, the Cu0.2–Mn catalyst exhibited good catalytic activity in the oxidation of toluene. At a toluene concentration of 1000ppm and a space velocity of 60,000mL ⋅g−1 ⋅h−1, the T50 and T90 of the Cu0.2–Mn catalyst toward toluene were 239∘C and 250∘C, respectively. Furthermore, even after 30h of operation at 275∘C, the conversion of toluene was 99% (at the space velocity of 60,000mL ⋅g−1 ⋅h−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to enhance the performance of inorganic perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) by incorporating porous silica (p‐SiO2) to fabricate perovskite‐composite films for electroluminescence (EL) devices. This is because, in addition to the inorganic perovskite material, composites with inherently stable materials are needed for perovskite to ensure additional external stability. The introduced p‐SiO2 particles impede the crystal growth of perovskite during the anti‐solvent assisted crystallization process, resulting in the formation of smaller CsPbBr3 crystals in the CsPbBr3/p‐SiO2 composite film. Accordingly, compared to previous CsPbBr3 films, this composite film exhibits two folds with higher photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) due to improved crystalline formation. Surprisingly, the CsPbBr3/p‐SiO2 composite film additionally has good water‐resistant properties because the residual cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) molecules are extracted from the p‐SiO2 particles and are oriented at the top surface of the CsPbBr3/p‐SiO2 composite film. The EL device fabricated with this composite film exhibits outstanding luminescence efficiency, with a current efficiency (CE) of 70.06 cd A−1 and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16.97%, surpassing control samples by two folds of magnitude. Furthermore, the operational stability improves approximately sevenfold compared to the control, presenting a promising strategy for advancing the field of inorganic perovskite ELs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cupriavidus necator, despite lacking direct electron transfer capabilities, demonstrates efficient reduction of various redox mediators in oxygen‐free cultivation within bioelectrochemical systems. This study investigates the reduction site of ferricyanide through inhibition and expression rate analysis of oxygen and nitrate respiration chain complexes, comparing aerobic cultivation conditions with fructose as carbon and electron donor to autotrophic (CO2/H2/O2) and anodic cultivation conditions (fructose/anode). Azide inhibition identified cytochrome c oxidase as the primary complex facilitating electron transfer to ferricyanide, with a secondary role proposed for nitrite reductase NirS, demonstrating a 3.9±1.1‐fold higher expression when exposed to anodic conditions. The 2.9±0.6‐fold increase in the expression of the natural porin OmpA under anodic conditions implies its potential involvement in ferricyanide uptake. Additionally, chemically permeabilizing cell membranes with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide doubles ferricyanide reduction rates without an anode present, offering insights for optimizing redox mediation in C. necator based bioelectrochemical systems. This study opens up new possibilities for the targeted optimization of mediated electron transfer in C. necator and other organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]