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In this work, we present experimental and theoretical analysis of the absorbance of the SiNPs that exhibit an interesting behavior on light manipulation through the downshifting mechanism. Silicon nanoparticles (1 nm

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Maintaining a consistently high current density growth rate in the hydrogen evolution reaction is highly challenging because the limited mass transfer rate at the electrode/electrolyte interface will make the adsorption reaction as the rate‐determining step associated with a low hydrogen coverage, exhibiting a Tafel slope >120 mV dec–1. Therefore, maximizing the current density range in which the desorption reaction is the rate‐determining step, can significantly reduce the overpotential. Herein, a surface sulfur decoration strategy is presented to modify the molybdenum carbide electrocatalyst and achieve coordinated adsorption/desorption kinetics, leading to a dominant Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism across a wide range of current densities. Both experimental and theoretical results validate the surface charge redistribution induced by sulfur decoration, which subtly optimizes the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption and enhances the in‐plane polarization field. As a result, the as‐obtained surface sulfur‐decorated molybdenum carbide electrocatalyst exhibits coordinated adsorption/desorption kinetics and efficient hydrogen delivery, ultimately surpassing the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst for high‐efficiency hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface decoration of support structures by physical vapor deposition (PVD) of small molecular building blocks offers a versatile platform to realize functional supramolecular nanofibers in a controlled manner and with tailored properties. Here, details on the preparation of surface‐decorated polyamide fabrics by PVD using N1,N3,N5‐tris[2‐(diisopropylamino)‐ethyl]‐1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxamide (1) as a molecular building block are reported. It is shown that a defined morphology with uniform nanofiber length can be achieved, which is controlled by the PVD conditions. The functional periphery of supramolecular nanofibers of 1 allows the immobilization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This results in AuNP‐loaded nanostructures with a high surface area, which can be used as a heterogenous catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol in aqueous media. The surface‐decorated support structures with firmly deposited AuNPs also provide the opportunity to conveniently reuse these structures without compromising the catalytic performance. This approach provides fabrication strategies for the controlled surface decoration of macroscopic support structures with small molecular building blocks by PVD with the potential to realize functional robust supramolecular nanofibers for various catalytic or filtration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To use magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) for drug delivery, it is essential to modify the coated surface of nanoparticles with appropriate functional groups to decrease their toxicity. This study aims to explore how silica-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles decorated with –NH2, –SH, and –OH affect the structure and function of lysozyme. Magnetite iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and coated with mesoporous silica (mSiO2@Fe3O4) and next decorated with functional groups of –NH2, –SH, and –OH then physically and structurally characterized using FTIR, VSM, XRD, DLS, zeta potential, FESEM, and TEM. Afterward, it assessed the effects of the synthesized nanoparticles on structural and conformational changes of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) as a model protein. The interaction between lysozyme and nanoparticles was evaluated through ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, intrinsic fluorescence, ANS and thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, and thermal aggregation assay. Our findings demonstrated that mSiO2@Fe3O4 altered the lysozyme's conformation and decreased its activity, whereas NH2-mSiO2@Fe3O4 increased lysozyme activity and prevented lysozyme aggregation. All the synthesized nanoparticles with the functional groups increased the protein stability during the thermal aggregation and inhibited lysozyme aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Surface decoration of support structures by physical vapor deposition (PVD) of small molecular building blocks offers a versatile platform to realize functional supramolecular nanofibers in a controlled manner and with tailored properties. Here, details on the preparation of surface‐decorated polyamide fabrics by PVD using N1,N3,N5‐tris[2‐(diisopropylamino)‐ethyl]‐1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxamide (1) as a molecular building block are reported. It is shown that a defined morphology with uniform nanofiber length can be achieved, which is controlled by the PVD conditions. The functional periphery of supramolecular nanofibers of 1 allows the immobilization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This results in AuNP‐loaded nanostructures with a high surface area, which can be used as a heterogenous catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol in aqueous media. The surface‐decorated support structures with firmly deposited AuNPs also provide the opportunity to conveniently reuse these structures without compromising the catalytic performance. This approach provides fabrication strategies for the controlled surface decoration of macroscopic support structures with small molecular building blocks by PVD with the potential to realize functional robust supramolecular nanofibers for various catalytic or filtration applications.

Highlights A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) photosensor composed of GaN nanowire-on-Si platform demonstrates record-high responsivity of 247.8 mA W−1 with ultra-stable operation characteristics. Strategic internal and external band structure engineering of semiconductor nanowires promotes efficient PEC reaction via controlling carrier dynamics while preserving nanowires from material degradation. The glucose sensing system is constructed to successfully analyze blood glucose levels in real human serum samples, featuring a high sensitivity of 0.173 µA µM−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit of 0.07 µM.

Highlights: A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) photosensor composed of GaN nanowire-on-Si platform demonstrates record-high responsivity of 247.8 mA W−1 with ultra-stable operation characteristics. Strategic internal and external band structure engineering of semiconductor nanowires promotes efficient PEC reaction via controlling carrier dynamics while preserving nanowires from material degradation. The glucose sensing system is constructed to successfully analyze blood glucose levels in real human serum samples, featuring a high sensitivity of 0.173 µA µM−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit of 0.07 µM. Photosensors with versatile functionalities have emerged as a cornerstone for breakthroughs in the future optoelectronic systems across a wide range of applications. In particular, emerging photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type devices have recently attracted extensive interest in liquid-based biosensing applications due to their natural electrolyte-assisted operating characteristics. Herein, a PEC-type photosensor was carefully designed and constructed by employing gallium nitride (GaN) p–n homojunction semiconductor nanowires on silicon, with the p-GaN segment strategically doped and then decorated with cobalt–nickel oxide (CoNiOx). Essentially, the p–n homojunction configuration with facile p-doping engineering improves carrier separation efficiency and facilitates carrier transfer to the nanowire surface, while CoNiOx decoration further boosts PEC reaction activity and carrier dynamics at the nanowire/electrolyte interface. Consequently, the constructed photosensor achieves a high responsivity of 247.8 mA W−1 while simultaneously exhibiting excellent operating stability. Strikingly, based on the remarkable stability and high responsivity of the device, a glucose sensing system was established with a demonstration of glucose level determination in real human serum. This work offers a feasible and universal approach in the pursuit of high-performance bio-related sensing applications via a rational design of PEC devices in the form of nanostructured architecture with strategic doping engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Acta Materiae Compositae Sinica is the property of Acta Materiea Compositae Sinica Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show great prospects in large‐scale energy storage applications, whereas this technology suffers from the lack of cathode materials with high capacity and stability. Here, a cathode material of SbO2 nanoparticles decorated onto the surface of K0.43V6O13 nanobelt is presented. The SbO2 is disclosed as proton‐phile and zinc‐phobic, which thus favors H+ intercalation. In consequence, the increase of H+ intercalation can offset the lattice shrinkage caused by Zn2+ intercalation, and contribute to excellent cyclic stability of the battery. Finally, SbO2/K0.43V6O13 delivers a reversible capacity of 414.2 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles with a retention of 103%, and 223.5 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1 after 20 000 cycles with a retention of 89.3%, showing long cycling life at both low current and high current densities. This study provides new insights into the effecting factors for the performance of AZIBs cathode and an effective strategy to improve its stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific investigation emphasizes the essential integration of nature's influence in crafting multifunctional surfaces with bio-inspired designs for enhanced functionality and environmental advantages. The study introduces an innovative approach, merging color decoration, humidity sensing, and antiviral properties into a unified surface using chitosan, an organo-biological polymer, to create cost-effective multilayered films through sol-gel deposition and UV photoinduced deposition of metal nanoparticles. The resulting chitosan films showcase diverse structural colors and demonstrate significant antiviral efficiency, with a 50% and 85% virus inhibition rate within a rapid 20 min reaction, validated through fluorescence cell expression and real-time qPCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays. Silver-deposited chitosan films further enhance antiviral activity, achieving remarkable 91% and 95% inhibition in independent assays. These films exhibit humidity-responsive color modifications across a 25–90% relative humidity range, enabling real-time monitoring validated through simulation studies. The proposed three-in-one functional surface can have versatile applications in surface decoration, medicine, air conditioning, and the food industry. It can serve as a real-time humidity sensor for indoor and outdoor surfaces, find use in biomedical devices for continuous humidity monitoring, and offer antiviral protection for frequently handled devices and tools. The customizable colors enhance visual appeal, making it a comprehensive solution for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid type of polyimide fibers (PIF) grafted with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was developed for high-temperature tribological applications. Compared to pure PI samples, the mechanical properties (i.e., Young's modulus and hardness) of the PIF-based composite were enhanced following a rule of mixture prediction; the onset decomposition temperature of the MWCNT-PIF-based composite was increased by 14.5 °C and the wear rate at 300 °C decreased by 34.5%. To understand the grafting mechanism, Dmol3 simulation was performed, which revealed that the benzene ring and the hydroxyl group of diene-acceptor (DA) donated electrons to the oxygen atom in the nitrogen-containing five-membered ring of PIF and the straight chain structures had higher reactivity than a branched chain structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu‐based supported catalyst with g‐C3N4 coating (Cu/g‐C3N4@AC) was prepared by facile in‐situ growth over activated carbon surface with urea and Cu(NO3)2, and the catalytic performance for wet air oxidation of phenolic wastewater was investigated. The effects of different reaction conditions (catalyst, temperature, pressure and pH) were examined. The results show that under the catalysis of Cu/g‐C3N4@AC phenol could be completely oxidized at 120 °C and 0.5 MPa O2 with COD removal of 92.6 % (from 4883 mg/L to 361 mg/L). TEM, BET, XRD, FTIR and XPS characterizations showed that g‐C3N4 coating could strengthen the metal surface interaction via the Cu−N−C bonds formation, thus suppressing the aggregation of the active components on the surface and mitigating the catalyst deactivation. Moreover, the interaction between the Cu species and the g‐C3N4 structure facilitates the electron transfer and thus significantly boost up the catalytic activity. These findings help explore efficient catalysts for the wastewater treatment via wet air oxidation under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to achieve both toughness and enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of carbon fibers (CFs) reinforced rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites is a significative challenge at present. In this work, a ring-shaped zinc coating was deposited on the short CFs by electrodeposition technique. It is expected to improve the interfacial properties between the fibers and the resin matrix as well as enhance the EMI shielding properties of the composites by changing the surface morphology and roughness of the fibers. Results showed that the surface free energy of the ring-shaped zinc modified carbon fibers (RS-CFs) increased from 49.0 mJ/m2 to 53.2 mJ/m2, indicating that the surface roughness and wettability of the CFs were effectively improved. In comparison with the pristine short carbon fibers/rigid polyurethane (CFs/RPU) composites, tensile strength and tensile toughness of RS-CFs modified composites were increased by 27.1% and 121.4%, respectively. In addition, the bending and impact strengths of RS-CFs reinforced RPU composites were also improved. Notably, the electrical conductivity of RS-CFs/RPU composites reached 1.2×10−5 S/m, which was much higher than that of CFs/RPU composites at 1.4×10−10 S/m. Moreover, the EMI SE of the modified composites reached 22 dB, which was 152.9% higher than that of CFs/RPU composites. The enhanced electrical conductivity and EMI shielding properties of the composites could be attributed to the synergistic effect of the porous structure in the RPU matrix and the CFs modified by the metal coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enhanced boron nitrogen decorated carbon fullerene with the formula BNC18 (BNC) was investigated for sensing the formaldehyde (FMA) pollutant. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to optimize the pure C fullerene and the BNC one to prepare a comparative study of facile detection of FMA substance through the formation of FMA@C and FMA@BNC complexes. The details of complexes were re-recognized by the additional quantum theory of atoms in molecule (QTAIM) analyses, in which the formations of both of FMA@C and FMA@BNC were confirmed. However, the BN-decoration enhancement provided a better interacting surface for the BNC fullerene towards the FMA substance in comparison with the pure C fullerene. Moreover, the electronic molecular orbitals features indicated a significant sensing function for the BNC model by improving the semiconductivity for recognizing the adsorbed substance. In this regard, the BNC fullerene was found suitable for successfully approaching two terms of “recovery time” and “conductance rate” for sensing the FMA pollutant.

Wood–plastic composites (WPCs) have received growing attention due to their good water resistance, environmental friendliness, and recyclability. For the application of WPCs in interior decoration and other high–value fields, it is necessary to preserve these characteristics whilst enhancing their mechanical properties and surface aesthetics. In this study, we used a sandwich structure and four interface modifiers to prepare wood veneer/wood flour–polyvinyl chloride composites (WWPVCs). The results revealed that the WWPVCs treated with a silane coupling agent exhibited superior interfacial bonding and mechanical properties compared to those obtained using other interface modifiers. The interfacial bonding strength of the treated sample reached 1.22 MPa, which was 122% higher than that of the untreated sample. In addition, the wood failure ratio of the optimal sample reached 80%. Furthermore, the dipping–peeling length was found to be shorter than those achieved using other interface modifiers after tests at 63 and 100 °C, indicating that the material treated using the silane coupling agent exhibits an excellent resistance to moisture and heat. Notably, silane coupling agents are easily prepared as solvent–based modifiers, and they do not release harmful gases (e.g., formaldehyde), thereby rendering them highly effective in the preparation of environmentally friendly WPC products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) has gained significant attention due to its crucial role in renewable energy systems. The quest for efficient and low-cost OER catalysts remains a challenge of significant interest and importance. In this work, phosphate-incorporated cobalt silicate hydroxide (denoted as CoSi-P) is reported as a potential electrocatalyst for OER. The researchers first synthesized hollow spheres of cobalt silicate hydroxide Co 3 (Si 2 O 5) 2 (OH) 2 (denoted as CoSi) using SiO 2 spheres as a template through a facile hydrothermal method. Phosphate (PO 4 3−) was then introduced to layered CoSi, leading to the reconstruction of the hollow spheres into sheet-like architectures. As expected, the resulting CoSi-P electrocatalyst demonstrated low overpotential (309 mV at 10 mA·cm−2), large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA), and low Tafel slope. These parameters outperform CoSi hollow spheres and cobaltous phosphate (denoted as CoPO). Moreover, the catalytic performance achieved at 10 mA cm−2 is comparable or even better than that of most transition metal silicates/oxides/hydroxides. The findings indicate that the incorporation of phosphate into the structure of CoSi can enhance its OER performance. This study not only provides a non-noble metal catalyst CoSi-P but also demonstrates that the incorporation of phosphates into transition metal silicates (TMSs) offers a promising strategy for the design of robust, high-efficiency, and low-cost OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Motif Academy Journal of Folklore is the property of Motif Yayincilik and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Underwater optical communication (UOC) has attracted considerable interest in the continuous expansion of human activities in marine/ocean environments. The water‐durable and self‐powered photoelectrodes that act as a battery‐free light receiver in UOC are particularly crucial, as they may directly face complex underwater conditions. Emerging photoelectrochemical (PEC)‐type photodetectors are appealing owing to their intrinsic aqueous operation characteristics with versatile tunability of photoresponses. Herein, a self‐powered PEC photodetector employing n‐type gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires as a photoelectrode, which is decorated with an iridium oxide (IrOx) layer to optimize charge transfer dynamics at the GaN/electrolyte interface, is reported. Strikingly, the constructed n‐GaN/IrOx photoelectrode breaks the responsivity‐bandwidth trade‐off limit by simultaneously improving the response speed and responsivity, delivering an ultrafast response speed with response/recovery times of only 2 µs/4 µs while achieving a high responsivity of 110.1 mA W−1. Importantly, the device exhibits a large bandwidth with 3 dB cutoff frequency exceeding 100 kHz in UOC tests, which is one of the highest values among self‐powered photodetectors employed in optical communication system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, bismuth (III) oxide (Bi2O3) decorated graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites were employed as novel radioprotective fillers in the epoxy matrix. Decoration of GO with Bi2O3 would transform it as carrier for Bi2O3 particles, thereby enhancing the thermo-mechanical and radiation shielding properties of the epoxy composites through effective filler distribution. Structural and compositional studies confirmed the successful decoration of Bi2O3 on the surface of GO. Thereupon, epoxy composites containing decorated fillers at different loadings (5, 10 and 15 wt%) were synthesized using solution casting technique. The correlation between surface decoration and filler loading was systematically examined as function of thermo-mechanical, viscoelastic and radiation shielding properties of the composites. These nanocomposites displayed good thermal resistance (~ 450 °C), high glass transition temperature (~ 136 °C), elastic modulus (~ 4.36 GPa) and storage modulus, thereby confirming the improved dispersion and better interfacial adhesion in the composites. The formation of continuous filler network across epoxy matrix formed by decorated fillers significantly improved X-ray and γ-ray shielding properties of epoxy composites in the wide energy range of medical interest (30 – 1332 keV). Shielding efficiency of these lowly loaded BGO/epoxy composites were comparable with the composites containing Bi2O3 nanoparticles alone and highly loaded microcomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work reports the synergistic photocatalytic effect of pure ZnO and plasmonic Ag decorated ZnO nanoparticles against Rhodamine B under visible light exposure. Here, the Cyperus pangorei plant extract was utilized as a potent green bioactive source for effective production of ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanoparticles. The plant phytochemicals have induced the stabilization of ZnO nanoparticles decorated with silver. The obtained photocatalyst was characterized from XRD, FTIR, UV-DRS, SEM with EDX, TEM, and XPS. The zero-valent silver ions decorated on the ZnO surface and Ag existence modified the structural, morphological, optical surface area and free radicals formation on the ZnO surface. The visible light-mediated photocatalyst was evaluated against Rhodamine B. The Ag0 implications on the ZnO surface suppressed the e–h pair recombination and extend the radicals viability. Photocatalytic dye degradation of Rhodamine B was achieved 93% for Ag/ZnO at 120 min incubation. The Ag/ZnO nanoparticles' rate constant of pseudo-first-order kinetics is 0.0181 min−1. The holes, electrons and free radicals were demonstrated from quenching experiment. Holes are main quencher for the enhanced photocatalytic activity. The photocatalyst optimum selectivity of dye and catalyst concentration is 10 mg and high sensitivity at pH = 10 for better catalytic activity. The Ag/ZnO nanoparticles were examined against Escherichia coli (E. coli) in different conditions. The bacterial activity of Ag/ZnO nanoparticles specifies the before and after photocatalyst in the bacterial system. The before and after photocatalysis confirmed the free radicals reduction and oxidation properties. The holes and electrons that enhanced the cell deaths were analyzed by optical density measurement. The embedding of plasmonic nanoparticles on the ZnO surface controlled the size, shape, morphology and improved the photocatalytic and biological activities. Based on the results, the Ag/ZnO nanoparticles can be a very promising candidate for developing antimicrobial resistance and water remediation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of indoor formaldehyde concentration attracted great attention owing to its serious harm to human bodies. Traditional semiconductor formaldehyde sensors are still suffering from high working temperature and slow response and recovery performance. In this work, a room-temperature semiconductor formaldehyde gas sensor with fast response and high selectivity were developed by exploiting the synergistic effect of Au decoration on MoO3 nanoribbons. The metallic Au nanocrystals with size lower than 10 nm were prepared by a chemical reduction method and uniformly distributed on the surface of the [1 0 0] -oriented orthorhombic MoO3 nanoribbons after the surface decoration. The results show that the surface decoration by Au nanoparticles could greatly fasten the response and recovery speed of the sensors at room temperature. Under an optimal composition with Au/Mo atomic ratio of 0.10%, the response and recovery time towards 100 ppm HCHO could be decreased to 4.5 and 3 s. The sample also exhibited high sensitivity and low limit of detection of 1 ppm. Meanwhile, the sensor exhibited highly selective HCHO response with 1–2 magnitude higher sensor response against toluene, ethanal, methanol and acetone. The performance enhancement should be attributed to synergistic effect induced by the surface Au decoration, which not only serves as the catalysts improving the gas adsorption and desorption efficiency, but also introduced additional contribution to the formaldehyde response by forming the metal–semiconductor interface states.

The structural properties and whiteness of the substrate surface markedly effect printing quality and are closely related to the primer coating processes. Herein, four different roller coating schemes were applied on MDF surfaces to change their structural properties and color, and the whiteness, gloss, and roughness properties of the substrate surfaces were characterized for UV inkjet printing. Data analysis was conducted to explore the effects of these variables on the color reproduction, relative contrast, and printing gloss of the MDF substrates. The results showed that, according to CMYK, L*a*b* values and spectral reflectance data, the finishing of the MDF substrate with a 40 g/m2 layer of transparent primer combined with three layers of white primer at 20 g/m2 per roll coating layer had the best color reproduction effect for UV inkjet printing. Regarding the effects of relative contrast, the correlation with whiteness and glossiness was significant, while the correlation with glossiness was minor. The inkjet printing gloss value was positively correlated with substrate primer surface whiteness, while it was negatively correlated with roughness. When the surface whiteness of the substrate was relatively high, the roughness was lower and the printing effects were glossier. We sought to optimize the printing effects of all aspects of the MDF substrate by primer coating. The results of this work provide a feasible application method to improve printing quality and enhance the added value of low-quality boards, as well as to further expand the application of UV inkjet printing in the wood decoration market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problems of easy cracking and poor flexibility of decorative wood veneer, a simple and efficient approach to manufacturing flexible decorative wood veneer was proposed. Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film was used as adhesive and reinforcing material for developing EVA film reinforced decorative wood veneer (EVA-RDV). The results showed that EVA film and Manchurian Ash decorative wood veneer could be well composited at 110 °C without special treatment. The flexibility was maintained at 4 ∼ 6 mm and the transverse tensile strength was 0.99 MPa, which was 412.5% higher than that of the original decorative veneer (DV). It was found that EVA film had better adaptability of veneer moisture content (MC). The cavity proportion was kept within 5%, and the flexibility was little affected. The surface bonding strength was maintained at a stable state of 0.8 ∼ 1 MPa (higher than the standard 0.4 MPa). Only 100 °C was needed to complete the surface decoration, and the optimal surface bonding strength reached 1.17 MPa. The water resistance of all decorative veneered Medium Density Fiberboards (MDF) met the requirements of indoor use in GB/T 15104-2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing photocatalytic technology to transform CO 2 into high added value chemical products has represented an effective strategy for alleviating the climate problems that have arisen due to excessive CO 2 emissions. As a typical bismuth-based photocatalyst, BiOCl has garnered widespread attention due to its unique layered structure and low toxicity. However, the low light utilization efficiency and the rapid recombination of e−/h+ pairs severely hinder the practical application of BiOCl. Introducing oxygen vacancies (OVs) into BiOCl has been demonstrated to be one of the effective strategies for enhancing the photocatalytic performance of BiOCl. However, introduction of OVs through a mild and cost-effective approach remains a significant challenge. In this work, we developed a strategy for introducing OVs on BiOCl, which indues the growth of BiOCl into flower-like spherical structures and introduction of abundant OVs through addition of rape straw biochar (RC) under hydrothermal conditions. The synergistic interaction of RC and OVs endows with BiOCl more active sites as well as higher photogenerated carriers (e−/h+) separation efficiency. When the mass ratio of RC to BiOCl is 0.5 % (RC-0.5), the sample demonstrates the best performance, conversion of CO 2 to CO on the sample is 4.0 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 3.08 times higher than that on the reference BiOCl. Additionally, versatility of the photocatalysts was further evaluated through photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The degradation rate constant of RhB and PFOA on the RC-0.5 sample is 0.0642 min−1 and 0.00566 min−1, respectively, which is 2.26 times and 0.43 times higher than that on the reference BiOCl. Total organic carbon (TOC) experiments demonstrate that RhB can be effectively mineralized into CO 2 , H 2 O and small molecules on the photocatalyst. The main reactive species involved in the photocatalytic degradation process were investigated through active free radical trapping experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). This work provides a viable strategy for the development of high-performance BiOCl photocatalysts for environmental applications. • BiOCl displays flower-like structures after addition of RC. • RC can effectively regulate the concentration of OVs on BiOCl. • RC and OVs promote the separation of e−/h+ in BiOCl. • RC/BiOCl exhibits excellent photocatalytic capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical explosion, characterized by ultrafast atomization and quenching rate (dT/dt ≈ 1010–1012 K s–1) of the sample, is a unique approach for "one‐step" synthesis of nanomaterials. Experiments are carried out with layered graphite and Bi2Se3 under the action of electrical explosion in a confined reaction tube. High‐speed photography and electrophysical diagnostics are applied to characterize dynamic processes. SEM and EDS are used to characterize surface micro‐morphology of reaction products. The layered materials are first exfoliated to thin nanosheets/nanocrystals by shock waves and turbulent flow of the explosion. As the ionized explosion products (>10 000 K) contacts the sample, intense heat transfer happens, simultaneously atomizing the sample and quenching the plasmas. As a result, nanoparticles grow on the surface of thin sheets, forming "dot‐sheet" structure. The size distribution of the nanoparticles typically ranges from 10 to 100 nm, following Log‐normal distribution. The dotted graphite nanosheets gather together and form a stacked/cabbage‐like structure. By contrast, Bi2Se3 case accompanies with chemical reactions, causing surface corrosion and showing more possibilities: nanocrystals and nanotubes growth on different areas of the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC), affecting millions of patients worldwide, is associated with disorders of the gut microbiota. Probiotics‐based therapy positively regulating the community structure of gut microbiota is regarded as an efficient intervention for UC. However, oral probiotics delivery is restricted by limited bioactivity, short retention time, complex pathological condition, and single therapeutic efficacy. Here, a bioengineered probiotic decorated with a multifunctional prodrug coating is constructed to ameliorate the aforementioned shortcomings. The results of UC mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium demonstrate that the intrinsic features of the fabricated coating integrate gut microbes protection, colon‐targeted drug release, prolonged drug retention, and inflammation regulation. In parallel, the probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) could regulate the composition of the gut microbiota and improve epithelial barrier function, thereby synergistically ameliorating UC. These results provide ample shreds of evidence of the therapeutic effect on UC, therefore, demonstrate a great promise as the potential therapeutic strategy for UC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of graphene oxide (GO) decoration with polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the thermal, mechanical, antibacterial, and also biocompatibility of chitosan (CS) biopolymer was investigated. GO-PEG nanohybrids were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, AFM, UV–Vis, and XRD. The results indicated significant changes in morphology, optical properties, interlayer distances, and aqueous stability of GO as a result of the linkage of PEG chains to the surface of GO nanoplates. Afterward, GO-PEG was added to CS as graphene-based hybrid nanosheets to reinforce CS-based environmental biofilms. Outcomes demonstrated that surface decoration of GO with PEG chains effectively improved compatibility and dispersion of GO plates in the CS matrix. Therefore bionanocomposites containing modified GO (CS/GO-PEG) exhibited superior thermal stability, mechanical and antibacterial properties as well as biocompatibility. CS/GO-PEG bionanocomposite with more desirable properties, than CS biopolymer and even CS/GO nanocomposite, can be preferred for biomedical applications (tissue engineering, wound dressing, drug delivery) and also food/drug packaging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is a key biological process that has proven extremely difficult to detect noninvasively. To address this, an autophagy detecting nanoparticle (ADN) was recently developed, consisting of an iron oxide nanoparticle decorated with cathepsin-cleavable arginine-rich peptides bound to the near-infrared fluorochrome Cy5.5. Activation of the probe in autophagolysosomes results in the emission of Cy5.5 fluorescence and provides a measure of autophagosome flux. However, in the early autophagosome ADN fluorescence is silent due to fluorochrome stacking. Here, we introduce to ADN a second non-cleavable fluorophore that allows the probe to be tracked through all stages of autophagy. The nature of the secondary/tracking fluorophore has a profound effect on the activation of ADN and the emission of Cy5.5 fluorescence. The lead candidate, ADN2 (featuring AZDye546 as the secondary fluorophore) has the highest activation rate and change in Cy5.5 fluorescence. Absorbance and fluorescence spectrophotometry methods show that the negatively charged AZDye546 interacts with the positively charged polyarginine motifs of the Cy5.5-polyArg activatable fluorophore, resulting in enhanced baseline quenching of the Cy5.5 signal in the nanoprobe. Flow cytometry shows that the activation of ADN2 remains specific for autophagy and is strongly modulated by classical regulators of autophagy (starvation, bafilomycin) and genetic deletion of key autophagy proteins (ATG5, ATG7). ADN2 co-localized strongly with LC3-GFP positive autophagosomes and provided readouts of in vivo probe delivery and activation in the hearts of fed/starved mice. ADN2 enhances the ability to image autophagy without genetic transfection of cells/animals and underscores the possible effects for unanticipated interactions between fluorochromes and other moieties on the surface of decorated nanoparticles., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A monolayer encapsulation is a new opportunity for engineering a system with high drug loading, but immobilizing polymer molecules on the surface of individual peptide nanoparticles is still an ongoing challenge. Herein, an individual peptide nanoparticle encapsulation strategy is proposed via surface adsorption, in which peptide molecules undergo granulation and subsequently aggregate with polymer molecules, forming a network via electrostatic interactions. Under the water phase, surplus polymer molecules dissolve, leading to a single nanoparticle encapsulation with a core-shell structure. As expected, the dense interfacial layer on the peptide nanoparticle surface achieves a superior loading degree of up to 95.4%. What's more, once the core-shell structure is established, the peptide mass fraction in individual encapsulation always exceeds 90% even under fierce external force. Following the individual nanoparticle encapsulation, the insulin-polycation complex (InsNp@PEI) reduces the inflammation from polymer and displays an effective glycemic control in type 1 diabetes. Overall, the newly developed single surface decoration encapsulates peptides with ultrahigh efficiency and opens up the possibility for further encapsulation., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Abstract Electrical explosion, characterized by ultrafast atomization and quenching rate (dT/dt ≈ 1010–1012 K s–1) of the sample, is a unique approach for “one‐step” synthesis of nanomaterials. Experiments are carried out with layered graphite and Bi2Se3 under the action of electrical explosion in a confined reaction tube. High‐speed photography and electrophysical diagnostics are applied to characterize dynamic processes. SEM and EDS are used to characterize surface micro‐morphology of reaction products. The layered materials are first exfoliated to thin nanosheets/nanocrystals by shock waves and turbulent flow of the explosion. As the ionized explosion products (>10 000 K) contacts the sample, intense heat transfer happens, simultaneously atomizing the sample and quenching the plasmas. As a result, nanoparticles grow on the surface of thin sheets, forming “dot‐sheet” structure. The size distribution of the nanoparticles typically ranges from 10 to 100 nm, following Log‐normal distribution. The dotted graphite nanosheets gather together and form a stacked/cabbage‐like structure. By contrast, Bi2Se3 case accompanies with chemical reactions, causing surface corrosion and showing more possibilities: nanocrystals and nanotubes growth on different areas of the sample.

Development of materials with green and efficient for restraining the growth of the harmful microorganisms is vital for food safety. Herein, we constructed nanoliposomes with cinnamaldehyde (CIN), an active component of natural cinnamon essential oil, for the long-term inhibition of microbes in food spoilage. In this strategy, cinnamaldehyde nanoliposomes (CIN-NLs) were prepared by the method of thin film dispersion, and then decorated with ε-polylysine (ε-PL) to obtain ε-polylysine/cinnamaldehyde nanoliposomes (ε-PL/CIN-NLs). Results identified that CIN-NLs and ε-PL/CIN-NLs were in spherical and nanoscale, and the nanoliposomes had larger particle size distribution (122.5 ± 3.51–680.4 ± 7.40 nm) and higher encapsulation efficiency (19.4 ± 0.3–30.4 ± 0.2%) after ε-PL (2 mg/mL) decoration. When the CIN concentration was 4 mg/mL, the highest encapsulation efficiency was acquired as 30.4 ± 0.2% by ε-PL/CIN-NLs. CIN-NLs and ε-PL/CIN-NLs showed great activity on inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium citreo-viride, and the inhibition zone diameter of ε-PL/CIN-NLs (26 ± 1.1 mm and 45 ± 1.7 mm, respectively) was significantly larger than that of CIN-NLs (20 ± 1.5 mm and 35 ± 2.1 mm, respectively) in final growth of two fungi. The studies indicated that that ε-PL decoration effectively improved the long-term antifungal activity characteristics of CIN nanoliposomes. Findings from current study can provide a new method to prevent food spoilage and direct future development of green antifungal packing for use in food preservation. The schematic representation of ε-PL/CIN-NLs and the colony growth images of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium citreo-viride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the activity enhancement effect of noble metal deposited on TiO2 in photocatalytic nitrogen oxides oxidation. Titanium dioxide was decorated with Ag, Au, Pt or Pd in the sol-gel process. Synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurement (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). All catalysts together with pure TiO2 obtained by sol-gel (SG) technique were tested for their photocatalytic activity towards nitrogen oxide oxidation (high concentrations of 50, 150 and 250 ppm). FTIR spectrometry was used to determine the gas phase composition and identify TiO2 surface species. The Ag0.1 sample turned out to be deactivated within 60 min of UV/Vis irradiation. Photocatalytic oxidation rate towards NO2 turned to be the highest over SG (photocatalyst without metal deposition). NO2 formation was also observed for Au0.1, Au0.5, Pt0.1, Pt0.5 and Pd0.1. The best NOx removal, i.e., conversion to final product HNO3 was obtained with the Au0.5 photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is widely regarded as a green and environmentally sustainable strategy with the promise for industrial-scale ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions. To promote its industrialization, we synthesized an economical, efficient and stable Ni-decorated Nb 2 C (Ni@Nb 2 C) MXene-based catalyst. The Ni@Nb 2 C MXene displays excellent electrocatalytic NRR performance with NH 3 yield of 26.16 μg cm−2 h−1 and Faradaic efficiency of 7.3%. Remarkably, the general methodology reported here paves the way to effectively synthesize various other metals-decorated MXenes, which not only enrich the MXene-based catalysts but also significantly promote their practical utilization in a wide range of environment- and energy-related fields. It is of great significance for the harmonious development of humans and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the nest‐like Zn layers on the surface of short carbon fibers (CFs) was obtained by electrodeposition technique to improve the mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the desired nest‐like Zn crystals were successfully deposited on the surface of CFs. The X‐ray powder diffractometer (XRD) and contact angle instrument were used to analyze the crystal composition of the layers and the wettability of fiber surface. Compared with pristine short carbon fibers/rigid polyurethane (CFs‐RPU) composites, the tensile strength, bending strength, impact strength and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of nest‐like Zn layers decorated short carbon fibers/rigid polyurethane (NS‐CFs/RPU) composites were improved simultaneously. Dynamic mechanical test (DMA) results showed that the nest‐like Zn layers on the surface of CFs effectively improved the interfacial bonding strength between CFs and the RPU matrix. In addition, the cross‐section of NS‐CFs/RPU composites showed the metal layer combines well with the matrix. The above results indicated that the improvement of strength and toughness of NS‐CFs/RPU composites was attributed to the pinning effect of the nest‐like Zn layers on the surface of carbon fiber and the increased of crack propagation path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni modification is considered as an efficient strategy for boosting the performance of Pt towards alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), yet its specific role is largely undecoded. Here, ultrathin Pt nanowires (NWs) are selected as models for revealing the significance of Ni modification on HOR by precisely positioning Ni on distinct positions of Pt NWs. Ni solely influences the electronic properties of Pt and thus weakens *H adsorption when it is located in the core of PtNi alloyed NWs, leading to a moderate improvement of alkaline HOR activity. When Ni is distributed in both core and surface of PtNi alloyed NWs, Ni strongly weakens *H adsorption but strengthens *OH adsorption. On the other hand, the electronic properties of Pt are hardly influenced when Ni is deposited on the surface of Pt NWs, on which the strong *H and *OH adsorptions lead to the improved HOR activity. This work reveals the significance of Ni modification on HOR, but also promotes the fundamental researches on catalyst design for fuel cell reactions and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives have shown great potential as electrocatalysts, in virtue of their ease of functionalization and abundance of active sites. Here, we report a series of indium-doped bismuth MOF-derived composites (BiIn X -Y@C) for the direct conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2) to hydrocarbon derivatives. Amongst the catalysts studied, BiIn 5 -500@C demonstrated high selectivity for the production of formate and intrinsic activity in a wide potential window, ranging from − 1.16 to − 0.76 V vs. RHE (V RHE). At − 0.86 V RHE , the Faradaic efficiency and total current density were determined as 97.5% and − 13.5 mA cm−2, respectively. In addition, a 15-h stability test shows no obvious signs of deactivation. Complementary density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the In-doped Bi 2 O 3 are the predominant active centers for HCOOH production in the reduction of CO 2 under the action of the BiIn X -Y@C catalyst. This work provides new detailed insights into reaction mechanism, and selectivity for reduction of CO 2 via MOFs, which are expected to inspire and guide the design of novel, selective and efficient catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we focused on Electrospray (ES) and Ultrasonic Spray Coating (USC) as two promising and innovative fabrication techniques for the optimisation of carbon electrode surfaces to be employed in Bio-Electrochemical Systems. We performed, on commercial carbon paper electrodes, controlled depositions of a nanostructured layer containing PEO and PEDOT:PSS. We then employed electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterise the morphology and superficial uniformity of the so-obtained electrodes. Together with electrochemical characterisations and experiments in bio-electrochemical devices, we demonstrated how ES and USC represent promising techniques for the optimisation of carbon electrodes’ surfaces, obtained with the deposition of a conductive nanostructured layer.