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Gold nanoparticles synthesized via honey-mediated chemical reduction have desirable features that make them ideal candidates for nanoparticle-assisted photothermal therapy (N-PTT). However, their photothermal properties have not been previously explored. In this study, after synthesis and characterization (structural and optical) of the HM-AuNPs, we investigated their photothermal conversion efficiency (η) and absorption cross section (σ a b s ) in aqueous solution, cytotoxic effects in in vitro MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell culture, and temperature profiles in agarose gel under 810 nm NIR irradiation. The results showed that ≈ 15 nm and primarily spherical HM-AuNPs had η values of up to 40% and an average σ a b s of 2.15 ± 0.08 × 10 − 18 m 2. Furthermore, cell viability was reduced to about 52% and the temperature profile in agarose gel had the typical radially increasing topology. Collectively, the findings show that HM-AuNPs can be used in N-PTT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two methods were examined to optimize the immobilization of antibodies on paper when conducting a paper-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (P-ELISA). Human IgG, as a test-capture protein, was immobilized on paper via the formation of Schiff bases. Aldehyde groups were introduced onto the surface of the paper via two methods: NaIO4 and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) with glutaraldehyde (APTS-glutaraldehyde). In the assay, horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-human IgG (HRP-anti-IgG) binds to the immobilized human IgG, and the colorimetric reaction of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzyzine (TMB) produces a blue color in the presence of H2O2 and HRP-anti-IgG as a model analyte. The immobilization of human IgG, the enzymatic reaction conditions, and the reduction of the chemical bond between the paper surface and immobilized human IgG all were optimized in order to improve both the analytical performance and the stability. In addition, the thickness of the paper was examined to stabilize the analytical signal. Consequently, the APTS-glutaraldehyde method was superior to the NaIO4 method in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility. Conversely, the reduction of imine to amine with NaBH4 proved to exert only minimal influence on sensitivity and stability, although it tended to degrade reproducibility. We also found that thick paper was preferential when using P-ELISA because a rigid paper substrate prevents distortion of the paper surface that is often caused by repeated washing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique biosignature of life on Earth is the homochirality of organic compounds, such as amino acids, proteins, and sugars. High-energy spin-polarized (spinup or spindown) electrons (SPEs) from the β decay of radioactive nuclei have been proposed as a source of symmetry breaking, leading to homochirality; however, their exact role is much debated. Here, we propose magnetically aligned dust grains as a new source of SPEs, due to the photoemission of electrons having aligned spins by the Barnett effect. For the interstellar UV radiation field of strength G UV, we find that the SPE emission rate is Γ pe SPE ∼ 10 − 14 G UV electrons per second per H, the fraction of spin-polarized to total photoelectrons is ∼10%, and the SPE yield (photoelectron number per UV photon) can reach ∼1%, using the modern theory of grain alignment. SPEs emitted from aligned grains could play an important role in chiral-induced spin-selectivity-driven reduction chemistry in the icy grain mantles, producing an enantiomer excess of chiral molecules formed on the grain mantle. Finally, we suggest magnetically aligned grains could directly impact the enantio-selectivity through the chiral-induced spin-selective adsorption effect and exchange interaction. We estimate the disalignment of electron spins and depolarization by elastic scattering using the Mott theory and find that these effects are negligible for low-energy SPEs, so that the spins of SPEs remain well aligned during their journey through dust grains and the gas. Our proposed mechanism might explain the chiral asymmetry of prebiotic molecules detected in numerous comets, asteroids, and meteorites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the potential of using electrochemical (EC) methods for valorizing lignin, a lignocellulosic biomass cell wall component, into biofuels and high-value compounds. Traditional direct electroreduction as well as oxidation of lignin have faced challenges in efficiency and selectivity due to the requirement of high oxidation potentials and expensive, toxic electrodes, leading to uncontrolled degradation. We propose using a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mediator to achieve benzylic oxidation, enhancing efficiency and selectivity under milder conditions. The research employs the NREL model for producing ethanol to evaluate the commercial viability of EC lignin conversion. We carried out a techno-economic analysis (TEA) and a life cycle assessment (LCA) using BioSTEAM and GREET® 2022, respectively, to evaluate the process's economic and environmental impacts over 20 years. Sensitivity analysis has been conducted to examine base case values extracted from the catalytic performance of phthalimide-N-oxyl type HAT mediators. Our findings suggest that a 2000 metric tonnes per day biorefinery using this method could produce approximately 49.56 tpd of chemicals, with the EC unit consuming 3.5% of the input energy. The TEA operating cost for chemical production was estimated at $16.86 per kg, with a total capital expenditure of $403 769 MM. The LCA revealed that producing by-products in ethanol production can lead to around 10 to 46% reduction in total CO2 emissions, depending on the employed allocation methods. The study indicates that integrating an EC unit using a HAT mediator into second-generation biorefineries for lignin oxidation followed by a reduction in chemicals could offer additional revenue streams and lower environmental impacts compared to conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene fibers (GFs) have a bright future in a variety of applications ascribing to their excellent performance. However, strict preparation conditions with extremely high graphitization temperature or toxic chemical reagents severely restrict their extensive implementation. Meanwhile, researchers are seeking easily scalable and eco-friendly GFs production methods. Here, we propose a green two-step reduction strategy involving L-ascorbic acid (LAA) chemical reduction followed by low-temperature annealing for the preparation of high-performance GFs. Benefiting from the elimination of macro-, micro- and nano-scaled defects and recombination of graphene nanosheets, the prepared GFs demonstrated amazing tensile strength of 778.49 MPa, Young's modulus of 92.61 GPa and an outstanding electrical conductivity of 3.2 × 104 S m−1, outperforming most of the chemically reduced GFs. This two-step green reduction strategy provides a new insight for constructing integrated high-performance GFs for sustainable application in many fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroleptic magnesium hydrides are important for their stoichiometric and catalytic reduction chemistry. Their primary nucleophilic site is typically the hydride, while the ancillary ligands commonly used are mostly spectators. Chemically non-innocent ligands in comparison are rarely applied on MgH as their reactivity can be complex. Milstein et al. have recently reported Mg-mediated alkyne hydrogenation by using their metal–ligand cooperation (MLC) concept on a dearomatized picolyl-based PNP pincer that is non-innocent with a nucleophilic nature. A '(PNP)MgH' is noted as the active catalyst in hydrogenation but without structural validation. Inspired by the same, we report herein a novel NNN-chelator (MesL) with a dearomatized picolyl moiety and its well-defined MgH. Having two prominent nucleophilic sites, the present MgH shows metal–ligand competition while reacting with certain electrophiles. It also distinguishes nonpolar alkynes and polar carbonyls by cleanly inserting itself into the former but not the latter. The nucleophilicities of the two sites are also probed by DFT methods and compared with Milstein's (PNP)MgH. Although the present system shows no MLC-type H2 activation, the addition of a CS2 molecule in that way is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Properly designed interfacial electric fields between CdS and Bi 2 MoO 6 can effectively promote carrier separation and then enhance photocatalytic CO 2 reduction. [Display omitted] • CdS/Bi 2 MoO 6 composite materials were synthesized by in-situ growth method. • CdS/Bi 2 MoO 6 exhibits excellent photocatalytic CO 2 reduction performance. • Properly designed interfacial electric fields and interfacial chemical bonds can effectively promote carrier separation. • The photo-corrosion is effectively suppressed in this photocatalytic system. Constructing strong interfacial electric fields to enhance the surface charge transport kinetics is an effective strategy for promoting CO 2 conversion. Herein, we present the fabrication of CdS-Bi 2 MoO 6 Z-scheme heterojunctions with a robust internal electric field (IEF) using an in situ growth technique, establishing chemical bonding between the components. The IEF at the interface can offer an impetus for the segregation and transportation of photogenerated carriers, while the Cd-O chemical bonding mode acts as a rapid conduit for these carriers, thereby reducing the charge transfer distance. As a result, the Z-scheme charge transfer is accelerated due to the synergistic influence of these two factors. Therefore, the optimized CdS/Bi 2 MoO 6 Z-scheme heterojunction possesses significantly enhanced dynamic carrier mobility, thus promoting the conversion of CO 2 to CO without the need for additional co-catalysts or sacrificial agents. This optimization yields a remarkable CO selectivity of up to 97%. Meanwhile, the expedited Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism is validated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon materials are of great significance in state‐of‐the‐art electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) as key components such as electrocatalysts, gas diffusion electrodes, and current collectors. Notably, dimensionalities of carbons and related manipulations play vital roles in boosting ECR performance, e.g., mass/charge transfer dynamics, exposure of active sites, reaction space, product's Faradaic efficiency/selectivity, and durability. Here, recent endeavors in dimensionality engineering toward advanced carbon‐based materials for ECR is first summarized, including pure carbons (e.g., carbon nanotube and graphene) and carbon composites, and highlight the dimensionality‐dependent properties toward ECR performance. Various engineering strategies referring to dimensionality modulation and integration have been summarized, e.g., top‐down, bottom‐up, and soft chemical approaches. Design principles of dimensionality‐varied carbons are elaborated, the impacts of dimensionalities of carbons and related surface chemistry (e.g., functional group, wettability, and electronic structure) on ECR kinetics and product‐targeted mechanisms are also scrutinized. Some insights into how the dimensionality manipulation of carbons elevates performance of carbon‐based materials in mass/charge transfer acceleration, ECR kinetics, and product selectivity are provided. At last, a perspective for challenges and future development of dimensionality‐varied carbon materials is discussed. This review aims at providing guidance for customizable construction of carbon materials with dimensionality dependence toward green and energy‐saving electrosynthesis systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging as a new class of two‐dimensional materials with atomically thin layers, MBenes have great potential for many important applications such as energy storage and electrocatalysis. Toward mitigating carbon footprint, there has been increasing interest in CO2/CO conversion on MBenes, but mostly focused on C1 products. C2+ chemicals generally possess higher energy densities and wider applications than C1 counterparts. However, C–C coupling is technically challenging because of high energy requirement and currently few catalysts are suited for this process. Here, we explore electrochemical CO reduction reaction to C2 chemicals on Mo2B2O2 MBene via density‐functional theory calculations. Remarkably, the most favorable CO–COH coupling is revealed to be a spontaneous and barrierless process, making Mo2B2O2 an efficient catalyst for C–C coupling. Among C1 and C2 chemicals, ethanol is predicted to be the primary product. Furthermore, by charge and bond analysis, it is unraveled that there exist significantly more unbonded electrons in the C atom of intermediate *COH than other C1 intermediates, which is responsible for the facile C–C coupling. From an atomic scale, this work provides microscopic insight into C–C coupling process and suggests Mo2B2O2 a promising catalyst for electrochemical CO reduction to C2 chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent the deterioration of the global environment, the reduction of chemical pesticide use and the development of eco-friendly pest control technologies are urgent issues. Our recent study revealed that the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dual oxidase (Duox) plays a pivotal role in stabilizing the tracheal network by intermediating the tyrosine cross-linking of proteins that constitute trachea. Notably, the formation of dityrosine bonds by ROS can be inhibited by the intake of an antioxidant cysteine derivative N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which can suppress insect respiration. In this study, we screened for the derivatives showing insecticidal activity and tracheal formation inhibition. As a result of investigating the soybean pest bug Riptortus pedestris, cysteine and methionine derivatives showed respiratory formation inhibition and high insecticidal activity. In particular, NAC had a slow-acting insecticidal effect, while L-cysteine methyl ester (L-CME) showed relatively fast-acting insecticidal activity. Furthermore, the insecticidal activity of these derivatives was also detected in Drosophila, mealworms, cockroaches, termites, and plant bugs. Our results suggest that some antioxidant compounds have specific tracheal inhibitory activity in different insect species and they may be used as novel pest control agents upon further characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2 O 3 @ZnO nanotubes were fabricated using MIL-68@ZIF-8 as a template, and then fern-like In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotubes with unique structures were synthesized by chemical reduction. The samples were thoroughly investigated to study their composition, morphology and structure. Hydrogen (H 2) sensitization characteristics of sensor of In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotubes with different ZnO and Pd contents were tested at room temperature (RT). The In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotube sensor with a palladium（Pd）content of 2.0 wt% exhibits a high response (R a /R g = 270) and fast response time (t res = 32 s) and recovery time (t rec = 116 s) to 10,000 ppm H 2 at RT, as well as excellent selectivity, behaving a response nearly six times that of interfering gases. The excellent hydrogen sensing performance indicates that the fern-like In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanocomposite has good application prospects and is an excellent hydrogen-sensitive material. In this paper, In 2 O 3 @ZnO nanotubes were prepared using nanoscale MIL-68@ZIF-8 as a template to enable further optimization of morphology with smaller scales. Fern-like In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotubes with unique structures were then synthesized by doping noble metal Pd and chemical reduction. The H 2 sensing properties of fern-like In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotubes to different concentrations of hydrogen were investigated by varying the contents of zinc oxide (ZnO) and Pd elements. The In3Zn–Pd 2 sample showed excellent sensitivity and selectivity to 10,000 ppm H 2 with a maximum response of 277.1 at RT, which was 6.6 times higher than pure In 2 O 3 @ZnO at the same temperature, and the response value was nearly six times that of the interfering gas. Moreover, the response/recovery time of the NT-Pd 2 samples was 32 and 116 s, respectively, which was substantially shorter than those of In 2 O 3 @ZnO at the same temperature (183 and 355s). [Display omitted] • Hydrogen gas sensor fabricated using fern-like In 2 O 3 @ZnO@Pd nanotubes. • The sensor detects hydrogen at room temperature providing a wider and safer range of applications. • The sensor has a high response value (277.1) and short response/recovery time (32s/116s) to hydrogen at room temperature. • The sensor has good selectivity and a response value of up to six times that of interfering gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA series of eight nitroxide compounds (four substituted piperidines, three pyrrolidines and one oxo-piperidine) are found to undergo electron transfer to 2’-deoxyribose-peroxyl and the guanyl radical. One-electron oxidation potentials of the nitroxides to oxoammonium cations (oxoammonium reduction potential), E0’, have been measured against a common redox indicator, chlorpromazine, and found to span the range 751 ± 15 mV to 973 ± 15 mV. Fast chemical reduction of the 2’-deoxyribose-peroxyl radical to the hydroperoxide, generated by •OH radical attack on 2-deoxyribose, dR, in oxygenated aqueous solution, is a redox-dependent reaction, with rate constants of 0.8–3.5 x 107 M−1 s−1.The guanyl radicals, produced upon one-electron oxidation of 2’-deoxyguanosine monophosphate, dG, by the selenite radical, SeO3•-, react with the nitroxides in a redox-independent reaction with diffusion rate constants of 1–2 x 108 M−1 s−1. These findings represent a possible antioxidant role for nitroxides in the fast chemical repair of DNA radicals, which is supported by an in vitro strand break study using a plasmid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two homologous series of pnictogen(III) dications, stabilized by 2,6‐bis(benzimidazole‐2‐yl)pyridine ligands have been prepared. Both series contain PnIII‐X moieties (Pn = P, As, Sb, Bi; X = Cl or Ph) and have been fully characterized using spectroscopic methods including X‐ray crystallography. The Lewis acidity of these compounds has also been probed by computational methods; the results suggest that the dictations are strong Lewis acids, with the PnCl2+ compounds being more acidic than the PnPh2+ compounds, and with Lewis acidity increasing from P to Bi, in both series. The PhP2+‐containing compound was also found to be a versatile PIII transfer reagent, leading to new synthetic routes for various PhP‐containing compounds. The redox chemistry of all compounds has also been probed using cyclic voltammetry and chemical reductions. In some cases the resulting PnI moieties could be trapped using diazabutadienes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of molecular host–guest complexes with enhanced performance, relative to those of their components, is a central theme in supramolecular chemistry. Here we explore a host‐guest system consisting of an atomically precise gold nanocluster bound inside a zinc porphyrin nanoring. UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence titrations with different sized nanorings revealed strong binding between a pyridinethiol‐coated Au25 nanocluster and a nanoring consisting of six zinc porphyrin units, and complexation is confirmed by mass spectrometry. Formation of this assembly enhances the stability of the gold nanocluster. The host‐guest complex also exhibits remarkable activity and selectivity for photochemical CO2 to CO conversion and singlet oxygen generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrode interface concentration polarization attributed to the contradiction between sluggish mass transfer process and rapid electrochemical reduction kinetics significantly restricts the practical application of Zn anode. Creating a moderate Zn ions transfer and reduction chemistry is essential for durable zinc‐ion batteries. In this work, this trade‐off effect is realized by selecting large‐size 4‐Aminomethyl cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (AMCA) molecule as the electrolyte additive. Intriguingly, AMCA molecules reorganize the Zn2+ solvation structure via the robust coordination with Zn2+ and reconstruct H‐bond networks, giving a pulled desolvation process. Meanwhile, AMCA enlarges the Zn2+ solvation size with a push force, confining the rapid electrochemical reduction kinetics. The balanced chemical environment is maintained via the moderate pull‐push interplay. Besides, AMCA can anchor on zinc surface to create a water‐poor microenvironment, fostering homogeneous Zn (002) deposition and effectively restricting water‐induced side‐reactions. Notably, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell with AMCA operates stably over 167 days at 20 mA cm−2. Moreover, the Zn||VOX full cell employed AMCA ensures outstanding capacity retention of 99.15% after 590 cycles at 2 A g−1, even with low N/P (4.3), lean electrolyte (50 µL mAh−1) and ultrathin Zn foil of 10 µm. This work reveals unique insights into the balanced interfacial chemistry design toward high‐performance zinc batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal sulfides, particularly heterostructures, represent a promising class of electrocatalysts for two electron oxygen reduction (2e− ORR), however, understanding the dynamic structural evolution of these catalysts during alkaline ORR remains relatively unexplored. Herein, NiS2/In2.77S4 heterostructure was synthesized as a precatalyst and through a series of comprehensive ex situ and in situ characterizations, including X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transient photo‐induced voltage measurements, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and spherical aberration‐corrected electron microscopy, it was revealed that nickel/indium (oxy)hydroxides (NiOOH/In(OH)3) could be evolved from the initial NiS2/In2.77S4 via both electrochemical and chemical‐driven methods. The electrochemical‐driven phase featured abundant bridging oxygen‐deficient [NiO6]‐[InO6] units at the interfaces of NiOOH/In(OH)3, facilitating a synergistic effect between active Ni and In sites, thus enabling an enhanced alkaline 2e− ORR capability than that of chemical‐driven process. Remarkably, electrochemically induced NiOOH/In(OH)3 exhibited exceptional performance, achieving H2O2 selectivity of >90 % across the wide potential window (up to 0.4 V) with a peak selectivity of >99 %. Notably, within the three‐electrode flow cell, a current density of 200 mA cm−2 was sustained over 20 h, together with an impressive Faradaic efficiency of ~90 % during the whole cycle process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we designed a straightforward and highly reproducible synthetic methodology to prepare Ru0–Pt0 composites. We report a significant improvement in the electrocatalytic performance upon compositing Ru with a very trace amount of Pt. In particular, Ru nanoparticles were derived from a Ru-Prussian blue analogue (Ru PBA) and composited with (0.1, 0.5, and 1 mmol) metallic platinum following an optimized chemical reduction method. Interestingly, the composite with 0.5 mmol of Pt (Ru@C/Pt0.5) required low overpotentials of 32 and 140 mV to achieve current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Furthermore, Ru@C/Pt0.5 exhibited a smaller Tafel slope (26 mV dec−1), robust durability with 50 hours of long-term stability and a higher turnover frequency (TOF: 5.6 s−1@η10 mA cm−2) than commercial Pt/C (TOF: 4.1 s−1@η10 mA cm−2). First-principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT) revealed that the existence of Pt islands on the Ru nanoparticles weakened the strength of the adsorption of hydrogen at the Ru interstitials due to electrostatic repulsion caused by charge retention at Ru atoms near the corner of the islands, leading to rapid dissociation of hydrogen. This created a significant impact on the improvement of the electrocatalytic HER activity of the Ru@C/Pt0.5 electrocatalyst. It appears that restricting the concentration of Pt to trace amounts is a necessary condition for the observed catalytic efficiency, as the catalytic efficiency decreases with an increasing island size due to stronger binding of atomic hydrogen on peripheral Pt atoms and stabilization of adsorbed atomic hydrogen caused by softening of phonon modes with increasing island size. This study opens up a novel avenue for the exploration of highly efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a novel family of ylidic P‐heteroarenes (P1–P6), structurally featuring unique phosphonium cyclopentadienylide (P−Cp)‐fused π‐skeletons and synthetically prepared via an unexpected one‐pot [2+3]/[3+3] phospha‐annulation reaction. While the facile and modular synthesis allows the fine‐tuning of their optical absorptions and redox properties, single‐crystallographic and theoretical analysis of these P‐heteroarenes further reveal that the fusion of P−Cp moiety leads to substantial intramolecular charge‐separated features with high ylidic character values of up to 84 %. Benefitted from such dipolar structures, these P‐heteroarenes not only allows stepwise electrophilic substitution reaction for further structural π‐expansions, but also exhibit excellent nonlinear optical (NLO) responses and optical limiting (OL) performances comparable to or exceed those of C60. As a model compound, the persistent radical‐anion salt of P5a was also prepared through chemical reduction, thus offering valuable insights into the electronic structures of reduced P‐ylidic species. Our work not only established a highly efficient synthetic method toward new P‐heteroarenes, but also provide fundamental understanding of those fused‐ring ylidic P‐heterocycles with promising NLO/OL applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective and sensitive sarcosine detection is crucial due to its recent endorsement as a prostate cancer (PCa) biomarker in clinical diagnosis. The reduced graphene oxide-cobalt nickel tungsten boron oxides (CoNiWBO/rGO) nanocomposite is developed as a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for sarcosine detection in PCa patients' serum. CoNiWBO/rGO is synthesized by the chemical reduction method via a one-pot reduction method followed by calcination at 500 °C under a nitrogen environment for 2 h and characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, TGA, and SEM. CoNiWBO/rGO is then deposited on a glassy carbon electrode, and sarcosine sensing parameters are optimized, including concentration and pH. This non-enzymatic sensor is employed to directly determine sarcosine in serum samples. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) are employed to monitor the electrochemical behavior where sarcosine binding leads to oxidation. Chronoamperometric studies show the stability of the developed sensor. The results demonstrate a wide linear range from 0.1 to 50 µM and low limits of detection, i.e., 0.04 µM and 0.07 µM using DPV and LSV respectivel. Moreover, the calculated recovery of sarcosine in human serum of prostate cancer patients is 78–96%. The developed electrochemical sensor for sarcosine detection can have potential applications in clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction technology offers an effective way to convert CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels, presenting a sustainable solution for carbon emissions. Current electrocatalytic CO2 reduction technologies encounter significant issues such as salt precipitation and hydrogen evolution, which prevent energy conversion efficiency, selectivity, current density, and stability from simultaneously meeting industrial standards. In recent years, researchers have discovered that increasing the CO2 pressure on the gas supply could enhance the coverage of the catalyst and activate more CO2 reduction reaction sites on the catalyst surface, which provides a practical and effective approach for optimizing the energy conversion and mass transfer. In this review, we provide a comprehensive review of the development history and current status of high-pressure CO2 electrocatalytic reduction technology, focusing on its reaction devices, catalytic performance, and reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we summarize and offer insights into the most promising research avenues to propel the field forward. Highlights: 1. A briefly discussion on the challenges faced by CO2 electrochemical reduction. 2. The state-of-the-art progress of the high-pressure CO2 electrochemical reduction for chemical synthesis is summarized. 3. The bottlenecks of current high-pressure CO2 electrochemical reduction technology are highlighted and potential optimization strategies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionThe level of greenhouse farmers’ personal protection in pesticide use and the possibility of environmental protection through farmers’ willingness to reduce chemical sprayings were assessed in Khuzestan Province, Iran.A survey of 80 active greenhouse vegetable growers was carried out in 2021 with face-to-face interviews. Willingness to reduce chemical sprayings was examined with the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model.Several intoxication symptoms were reported, with the most common symptom of pesticide intoxication being dizziness. Farmers showed unsafe or rather unsafe use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide handling. The maximum use of PPE pertained to the use of mask, spray clothing, and long-sleeved shirts. On a scale from 1 (= totally disagree) to 5 (= totally agree), the respondents showed negative attitudes towards reducing chemical sprayings (mean = 2.30), rather low levels of subjective norms (mean = 2.67), and rather low levels of perceived behavioral control over reduction of chemical sprayings (mean = 2.76). The TPB variables accounted for 73% of the variance in farmers’ behavioral intention. Overall, farmers’ behavioral intention to reduce chemical sprayings was almost neutral.Increasing knowledge of the adverse effects of pesticides on health is necessary to promote safety behavior of farmers in the greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of titanocene dichloride Cp2TiCl2 with lanthanide metals has led to the discovery of a surprising lanthanide effect: while with most lanthanides, a divalent [Cp2Ti] equivalent was obtained, the use of samarium or ytterbium only led to the reduction to trivalent [Cp2TiCl]-type complexes, including the structurally characterized heterobimetallic complex [Cp2Ti(μ-Cl)2SmCl2(THF)3]. These results were corroborated by reactivity studies (alkyne coupling and radical reactions), EPR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry, providing new insights into the reduction chemistry of lanthanide metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional nanocomposites with layered structures have shown great promise in supercapacitor (SC) applications due to their unique structures, abundant marginal active sites and diverse electrochemical reaction mechanisms. Using a facile chemical reduction method, a simple and efficient approach has been demonstrated for synthesising iron oxide-silver oxide/reduced graphene oxide (Fe3O4-Ag2O/rGO) nanocomposites. SEM images revealed that Ag2O/rGO nanocomposites showed noodle-like structure, and as the wt% of Ag grew, the connective network of grains increased from 105 to 190 nm. FETEM results indicated that the inter-planar spacings of 0.35 and 0.56 nm are identified for (331) and (220) crystalline planes of Fe3O4, respectively. ID/IG and IT/IG ratios varied between 0.81 and 1.45 and 0.7 to 6.57 for the Fe3O4-Ag2O/rGO nanocomposites. The bandgap initially increased from 2.16 to 3.5 eV and then decreased from 3.5 to 2.4 eV with the increase in wt% of Ag. The GCD curves showed that the specific capacitance varied from 237.42 to 787 F g− 1 for the Fe3O4-Ag2O/rGO nanocomposites. The maximum double layer capacitance 2.01 × 10− 9 F cm− 2 was observed for (Fe3O4)0.4-(Ag2O)0.6/rGO due to the interfacial reaction. The minimum Rct, Ecorr, and Icorr values are 154.72 Ω, 0.017 V and 1.61 µA, respectively, for 80 wt% Ag2O content of Fe3O4-Ag2O/rGO nanocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of HER-1 and CA 125 lies in their ability to guide cancer diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring, improving personalized care and enhancing prognostic accuracy. The utilization of HER-1 and CA 125 as screening biomarkers for the anticipation of early-stage cancer and monitoring cancer progression is expanding due to the invasive and costly nature of present techniques. In this study, a novel stochastic sensor was developed for the simultaneous determination of HER-1 and CA 125 in whole blood, saliva, and gastric tumor tissue samples using a fast, easy, inexpensive, and portable method. The stochastic sensor was prepared by electropolymerization of cysteine on the surface of the Au-TiO2@rGO/SPCE sensor. The Au-TiO2@rGO nanocomposite was synthesized using a simple chemical reduction process. The proposed sensor showed wide linear concentration ranges and very low limits of quantification (LOQ). The concentration ranges were from 3.9 × 10−14 to 3.9 × 10−8 µg mL−1, with a LOQ of 3.9 × 10−14 µg mL−1 for HER-1. For CA 125, the concentration ranges were from 8.3 × 10−14 to 8.3 × 10−10 U mL−1, with a LOQ of 8.3 × 10−14 U mL−1. Both biomarkers exhibit precise discrimination in different biological samples, with recoveries above 96.78% and RSD values below 0.04%. With a confidence level of 99%, the Student t-test revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between the outcomes obtained by using the poly-Cys/Au-TiO2@rGO/SPCE sensor for screening examinations of biological samples. This was determined because the results were not significantly different from one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) is a powerful system for generating electrical energy for various applications. However, there are several limitations that hinder the commercialization of DMFCs, such as the expense of platinum (Pt) at market price, sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) due to carbon monoxide (CO) formation, and slow electrooxidation kinetics. This work introduces carbon nanocages (CNCs) that were obtained through the pyrolysis of polypyrrole (Ppy) as the carbon source. The CNCs were characterized using BET, XRD, HRTEM, TEM, SEM, and FTIR techniques. The CNCs derived from the Ppy source, pyrolyzed at 750 °C, exhibited the best morphologies with a high specific surface area of 416 m2g−1, allowing for good metal dispersion. Subsequently, PtRu catalyst was doped onto the CNC-Ppy750 support using chemical reduction and microwave-assisted methods. In electrochemical tests, the PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 electrocatalyst demonstrated improved CO tolerance and higher performance in MOR compared to PtRu-supported commercial carbon black (CB), with values of 427 mA mg−1 and 248 mA mg−1, respectively. The superior MOR performance of PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 was attributed to its high surface area of CNC support, uniform dispersion of PtRu catalyst, and small PtRu nanoparticles on the CNC. In DMFC single-cell tests, the PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 exhibited higher performance, approximately 1.7 times higher than PtRu/CB. In conclusion, the PtRu/CNC-PPy750 represents a promising electrocatalyst candidate for MOR and anodic DMFC applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, causing a serious greenhouse effect. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) reduction of CO2 to chemical fuels is an effective way to alleviate the current energy and environmental crisis. However, it is still difficult to rationally design efficient PEC CO2 reduction photocathodes. Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) is a promising photocathode material, but its surface is susceptible to the accumulation of photogenerated electrons leading to corrosion and activity reduction, and is accompanied by hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), both of which lead to the overall low conversion efficiency of CO2 reduction by Cu2O. In this study, the PEC CO2 conversion efficiency was improved by the synergistic effect of the C electron transport layer to accelerate the electron transfer to alleviate the Cu2O corrosion problem and the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hydrophobic layer to inhibit the HER. The test showed that the CO yield of Cu2O/C/PTFE at the optimum potential (−0.7 V vs. RHE) was 54.6 μmol cm−2 h−1, which was 3.2 times higher than that of pure Cu2O. This study provides a facile strategy for constructing an efficient photocathode with great potential for CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the removal of tetracycline, a toxic material, from aquatic medium has been a trending subject of research. Several different technologies including adsorption, biological removal method, solvent extraction, coagulation, chemical reduction, photocatalysis and ion exchange method for removal of tetracyclines from wastewater have been reported. However, photocatalysis of tetracyclines (TC) has gained huge interest because of more efficient mineralization of TC into CO2 and water. Several different nanomaterial based photocatalytic assemblies for the removal of tetracyclines have been widely reported for the removal of tetracyclines which have not been critically reviewed in the literature. This study provides an overview of recent progress of classification, synthesis, characterizations, mechanism of inorganic and metal organic framework nanocatalytic assemblies on photocatalysis of tetracyclines in aquatic medium. Additionally, kinetics and factors affecting the photocatalysis of tetracyclines have been discussed briefly. Future perspectives have also been presented for further advancement in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, activated carbon (AC) obtained from waste hazelnut shell and halloysite nanotube (HNT) were used to prepare HNT-AC support material by hydrothermal method. CoNi/HNT-AC catalyst was synthesized by reducing Co and Ni on HNT-AC by chemical reduction method. CoNi/HNT-AC has been characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption–desorption, elemental mapping, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. The optimum reaction conditions for hydrogen generation through NaBH4 hydrolysis on CoNi/HNT-AC catalyst were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). The proposed quadratic model for NaBH4 hydrolysis on CoNi/HNT-AC was found to be statistically significant with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. Under the optimum reaction conditions of 40.76 mg catalyst, 0.18 M NaBH4, and 8.64 wt% NaOH, the hydrogen generation rate (HGR) and activation energy (Ea) were obtained as 1114.16 mL/gcat. min. and 24.15 kj/mol, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Production of C 2 chemicals (such as C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 5 OH, etc.) from CO 2 electroreduction reaction (CO 2 ER) has been regarded as a promising route to solve the environmental problems and energy crisis. In this work, mesoporous Cu 2 O microspheres of ca. 700 nm diameter size with low crystallinity were fabricated to enable efficient conversion of CO 2 to C 2 chemicals by electrocatalytic reduction. It is revealed that compared with bulk Cu 2 O, the obtained mesoporous Cu 2 O microspheres have larger surface area, more grain boundaries and defects (unsaturated coordination sites), which facilitate the adsorption and stabilization of the important intermediates, such as *CO, on the route to C 2 chemicals formation. As a result, the Faraday efficiency (FE) of C 2 products reaches as high as 82.6 % and 78.5 % in an H-cell and a flow cell, respectively. In situ Raman and FT-IR spectra reveal that during CO 2 ER test there exists abundant *CO on the mesoporous Cu 2 O surface, thus increasing the opportunity of C C coupling. And the high coverage of *CO on catalyst surface during CO 2 ER protects and stabilizes the oxidation state of Cu species. This work demonstrates an effective strategy to introduce mesoporous structures and decreased crystallinity for improving the performance of CO 2 ER to C 2 products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The proposed study aims to synthesize ZnO, WO3, and rGO nano particles (NPs) using simple and effective chemical reduction technique and to investigate its biomedical applications. According to the XRD results, synthesized NPs had hexagonal, monoclinic, and cubic crystal forms. The FESEM micro image shows sheet-like structure for rGO NPs, an algal crystal structure for ZnO, and a bulk cluster formation for WO3 NPs. The value of band gap was found to be 5.75, 5.37 and 3.01 eV for ZnO, WO3, and rGO NPs respectively. The presence of diverse functional groups in the produced NPs was verified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Investigations against different microorganisms indicated an augmentation in the antibacterial activity for ZnO and WO3 NPs. Electrodes coated with rGO NP were made and discovered to be effective in collecting human biomedical data more effectively. The performance of rGO NP coated electrodes was compared using a development board for electromyography analysis along with an android application for monitoring purposes. The quality of the signal, the ratio between the signal and the background noise, as well as the level of impedance between the electrode and the skin was observed to be better than conventional electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal, a carbon-rich mineral with plentiful reserves, serves not only as a fuel but also as a raw material, presenting lower pollution emissions in the latter use. From a materials chemistry standpoint, coal is a viable raw material for graphene production. This study develops a promising and sustainable method to convert coal into graphene, leveraging its unique macromolecular aromatic structure and high carbon content. The investigation includes an analysis of the lateral size, morphology, and chemical composition of coal-derived graphene using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical microscopy. Results confirm that coal can effectively replace natural graphite flakes in graphene production, with the derived graphene featuring three to six exfoliated layers and an oxygen content below 5.5%. While the graphene from coal shares a similar morphology to that derived from graphite, it exhibits more structural defects. Interestingly, the macroscopic size of the coal does not influence the microscopic composition and structure of the graphene. However, the thermal reduction method for oxidized graphene proves more effective at repairing structural defects than chemical reduction. Employing coal-derived graphene as a supercapacitor electrode demonstrates excellent cycling stability and ultra-high capacitance storage capacity. The H-CG-325 shows the highest discharge area-specific capacitance across various current densities. At an increased current density of 10 A/g, the H-CG-325 maintains 80.6% of its initial capacitance of 79 F/g observed at 1 A/g. Electrochemical tests reveal that coal-based graphene holds significant potential as a supercapacitor material, indicating promising applications in energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the effect of single-layer electrolytic coatings made of nanosized copper powders obtained by chemical deposition on the sound level, i.e., on the sound pressure level of high-strength cast iron. However, the damping capacity of high-strength cast iron is lower and its strength is high. This makes it possible to produce new coating materials using new technologies and new methods to improve the properties of high-strength cast iron. In order to improve the damping capacity by applying a galvanic coating to the surface of high-strength cast iron, it was possible to bring its damping abilities somewhat closer to the abilities of gray cast iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Chinese government has been continuously promoting reduced use of chemical fertilizers and enhancing the sustainable development capacity of agriculture. This study uses China's Household Finance Survey (CHFS) data to explore the impact of rural labor transfer on the intensity of fertilizer use and examines the mediating role of agricultural machinery services. The results show that: (1) rural labor transfer is helpful for reducing chemical fertilizer use, and it has a negative impact on the intensity of chemical fertilizer use; (2) rural labor transfer will enhance the socialization of agricultural machinery services by promoting the adoption of mechanized fertilization and expanding the scale of agricultural land management to promote the reduction of chemical fertilizers use; (3) different topographic conditions have different regulatory effects on the use of socialized agricultural machinery services, and for mountainous areas with poor topographic conditions, socialized agricultural machinery services may be difficult to implement, resulting in poor effects of chemical fertilizer use reduction. These findings provide important evidence for sustainable agriculture development and have significant theoretical and policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCompared with conventional solders, nano-silver benefits low-temperature sintering and high-temperature service, perfectly matching the high-temperature operating environment for third-generation semiconductor devices. However, the synthetic cost, complexity of the sintering process and the low connection strength limit its development. This paper describes the physical, chemical reduction and biological methods of synthesizing and compares the advantages and disadvantages of these three methods. The process parameters affecting the sintering process of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are presented in a comprehensive and in-depth manner. Present methods are also introduced to improve the quality of nano-silver joints, such as the adding enhancement, the silver nanostructured films, and a trimodal-Ag paste consisting of silver particles in three sizes: nano, submicron and micron, aiming to break the limitation of the poor quality of nano-silver joints. In addition, this paper provides the first comprehensive summary of the sintering process and sintering mechanism of nano-silver, and introduces the latest results of the study of the sintering mechanism of nano-silver by using the Molecular Dynamics Simulation (MDS) technique. At the end, the advanced applications of nano-silver are shown, thus pointing out the direction for the further development and applications of nano-silver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of neurological dieases, including neurodegenerative, neurotraumatic disorders, and neuroinflammatory conditions, has been rising due to global population and aging demographics. A key factor in the pathogenesis of these disorders is the hyperaccumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Nanozymes have emerged as promising candidates for neurotherapeutic applications owing to their exceptional catalytic activity and stability. Of particular note is their ability to cross the blood‐brain barrier and counteract the production of reactive oxygen species via their enzyme‐mimicking characteristics. In this review, the latest advancements and theoretical knowledge in this research domain are summarized. Using the inherent functionalities of the Web of Science and bibliometric methodologies, annual publication trends are identified and extensively explored the most researched topics and neurological disorders in this field. The antioxidant reduction chemistry of the nanozymes is discussed, highlighting their ability to mimic natural oxidoreductase activity and inhibit RONS production at the source. Moreover, this review delves into the current limitations and future prospects of these mechanisms in addressing neurological disorders. The significant benefits and recent developments in the use of RONS‐regulating nanozymes for the treatment of neurological diseases are emphasized, offering insights into their therapeutic applications and broader implications for neurology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivation in Pakistan faces challenges, with black scurf disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn being a significant concern. Conventional methods like chemical fungicides partially control it, but an effective solution is lacking. This study explores the potential of biofertilizers and soil amendments from Asteraceae weed biomass to manage the disease. Two potato varieties, Karoda and Sante, were chosen, and two biofertilizers, Fertibio and Feng Shou, were tested alone or with Xanthium strumarium biomass. Disease pressure was highest in the positive control, with significant reduction by chemical fungicide. X. strumarium biomass also decreased disease incidence significantly. Fertibio showed better efficacy than Feng Shou. Physiological and biochemical attributes of plants improved with biofertilizer and biomass application. Tuber weight, photosynthetic pigments, total protein content, and antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POX, and PPO) were positively correlated. Combined application of Fertibio and S. marianum biomass effectively managed black scurf disease. These eco-friendly alternatives could enhance disease management and yield. Future research should explore their cost-effectiveness, commercialization, and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of the electronic structure and elemental compositions of anode electrocatalysts for formic acid electrooxidation reaction (FAOR) is paramount for realizing high‐performance direct formic acid fuel cells. Herein, palladium‐boride nanoflowers (Pd‐B NFs) with controllable boron content are rationally designed via a simple wet chemical reduction method, utilizing PdII‐dimethylglyoxime as precursor and NaBH4 as both reductant and boron source. The boron content of Pd‐B NFs can be regulated through manipulation of reaction time, accompanying with the crystal phase transition from face‐centered cubic to hexagonal close‐packed within the parent Pd lattice. The obtained Pd‐B NFs exhibit increased FAOR mass and specific activity with increasing boron content, showcasing remarkable inherent stability and anti‐poisoning capability compare to commercial Pd and platinum (Pt) nanocrystals. Notably, the sample reacted for 12 h reveals high FAOR specific activity (31.5 A m−2), which is approximately two times higher than the commercial Pd nanocrystals. Density functional theory calculations disclose that the d‐sp orbital hybridization between Pd and B modifies surface d‐band properties of Pd, thereby optimizing the adsorption of key intermediates and facilitating FAOR kinetics on the Pd surface. This study paves the way toward the utilization of metal boride‐based materials with simple synthesis methods for various electrocatalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite (NO2−) serves as a pool of nitric oxide (NO) in biological systems under hypoxic conditions, and it is transformed to NO by nitrite reductase (NiR) enzyme in the presence of acid (H+ ions). However, NO synthases (NOSs) generate NO via L‐arginine oxidation in normoxic conditions. Previously, acid‐induced NO2− reduction chemistry was modeled on mono‐metallic 3d‐metals, generating metal‐nitrosyls or NO(g) with H2O or H2O2 products. Herein, to understand the relative potency of a bimetallic system, we report the acid‐induced reductive conversion of η2‐bound NO2− to NO on CuII−CoII centers of a hetero‐bimetallic CuII‐nitrito‐CoII complex, [(LN8H)CuII−NO2−−CoII]3+ (CuII−NO2−−CoII, 2) bearing an octadentate N8‐cryptand ligand (LN8H). The CuII−NO2−−CoII generates [CuII(LN8H)CoII]4+ (1) upon reaction with one equiv. acid (HClO4, H+ ions source) with NO(g) via a presumed transient nitrousacid (ONOH) intermediate species. Likewise, this NO2− reduction was found to form H2O, which is believed to be from the decomposition of H2O2, an intermediate species. In addition, complex 2, in the presence of more than one equiv. H+ ions also showed the formation of NO(g) with H2O. Mechanistic investigations, using 15N‐labeled‐15NO2−, 18O‐labeled‐18O14N16O− and 2H‐labeled‐DClO4 (D+ source), revealed that the N‐atom and O‐atom in the 14/15NO and 14N18O gases are derived from NO2− ligand and H‐atom in H2O derived from H+‐source, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital advancements have reshaped the sales channels for industrial products like chemical fertilizers, allowing for the elimination of certain intermediaries. Utilizing survey data from 1374 rice‐growing smallholder farmers across counties in central China, this study explored the impact of disintermediation in chemical fertilizer sales channels on application rates among smallholder farmers. Benchmark regression analyses indicated that channel disintermediation significantly decreased chemical fertilizer application across various scenarios. Additionally, the alignment of contractual factors and technical services between chemical suppliers and farmers, facilitated by disintermediation, reduced chemical fertilizer application. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the reduction in chemical fertilizer application due to channel disintermediation was more pronounced among farmers with higher digital literacy or lower production capacity. These findings highlighted the importance of encouraging chemical suppliers with direct‐to‐consumer channels to enhance their technical services and increase supervision over the quality of their products and services, thereby building trust among farmers and facilitating their adaptation to changes in the sales channel structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical looping reforming of CH 4 coupled with CO 2 reduction stands out as a promising method for the syngas production. In this process, it is significant to design the oxygen carrier with high reactivity and stability. In this work, a highly efficient oxygen carrier is obtained by physically mixing Metal-modified ZSM-5 with LaFe 0.85 Ni 0.15 O 3 (LFN). The physical and chemical properties of the oxygen carriers are characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, BET, TEM, NH 3 -TPD, CO 2 -TPD and CH 4 -TPD techniques. It is noted that mesoporous structures are formed over the Ni modified ZSM-5, due to that part of Ni elements replace Al in the silicaluminate framework. The structure change of the ZSM-5 promotes the gas adsorption capacity. CH 4 and CO 2 cannot be adsorbed on the surface of ZSM-5, while Ni-modified ZSM-5 enhances the adsorption capacity for CO 2 to a large degree. Moreover, Ni species are acted as active sites to facilitate the activation of CH 4 and CO 2 during the redox process. The aggregation-redispersion of Ni particles during the reduction-oxidation process inhibits the deactivation of Ni particles, which improves the stability of the oxygen carrier. Among all the obtained samples, LFN/10 wt% Ni-ZSM-5 exhibits the highest yields of syngas (8.38 mmol g−1) and CO (2.42 mmol g−1). [Display omitted] • Modifying ZSM-5 with Ni changed the pore structures and acid sites. • Ni-modified ZSM-5 promoted the adsorption capacity towards CO 2. • The activation of CH 4 and CO 2 could be improved over Ni-modified ZSM-5. • Ni particles maintained active by aggregation-redispersion under redox atmospheres. • LFN/10 wt% Ni-ZSM-5 exhibited high stability either in the activity or structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized using the arc discharge method, and gold (Au) , and Au@MWCNT nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained via a rapid and cost-effective chemical reduction method. The performance of these catalysts in ethylene glycol (EG) fuel cells was investigated. According to the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) results, the Au particle size was determined to be 3.89 nm, and the MWCNT diameter was found to be 8.21 nm. For EG oxidation, current densities of 33.28 mA/cm2 for Au NPs and 171.28 mA/cm2 for Au@MWCNT NPs were obtained. This result demonstrates that the MWCNT support increased the electrocatalytic activity by a factor of 5.14. Long-term stability tests showed that the MWCNT support exhibited more stable and consistent characteristics and improved CO tolerance. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) testing revealed that the MWCNT-supported structure significantly enhanced charge transfer. These findings contribute significantly to the literature by demonstrating the potential for cost-effective production of carbon supported Au NPs, and their application in fuel cells. • MWCNT production using arc-discharge method. • Preparation of Au and Au@MWCNT catalysts and their use in ethylene glycol oxidation studies. • Au@MWCNT exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity towards ethylene glycol oxidation. • Synthesis of more stable catalyst for ethylene glycol oxidation. • Anode catalyst showing high potential for fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary The reaction between tripodal trisamidophosphine ligand H3PN3Ar and V(Mes)3(THF) (Mes = mesityl) yields the vanadium(III) complex (PN3Ar)V (1) with an open site in the axial position, which could coordinate with THF, pyridine, and NH3 to form the corresponding adducts (2—4). The vanadium(III) center is redox‐active, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry methods and chemical oxidation or reduction. Notably, a novel dinitrogen divanadium complex with a bridging N2 ligand, {K(THF)}2{[PN3Ar]V}2(μ‐N2) (6), was synthesized via treatment of 1 with 1 equivalent of potassium naphthalenide in THF under a N2 atmosphere. The electronic structures and binding properties of 6 are evaluated and discussed based on its DFT calculations. Additionally, these vanadium complexes (1, 5, 6) can serve as catalysts for the conversion of N2 into N(SiMe3)3 in the presence of reductants and Me3SiCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a straightforward yet impactful method to enhance optical fibre sensor signals by integrating silver nanostars (AgNS) with graphene oxide (GO-AgNS) as a sensing material. AgNS were synthesized successfully via a one-step chemical reduction method using hydroxylamine as a reducing agent. The concentration of hydroxylamine was varied (7.2, 3.6, 1.8, and 0.9) x 10-4 %v/v to optimize AgNS formation, with the longest spike of the nanostar observed at lower hydroxylamine concentrations, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-visible measurements revealed the highest peak absorption for AgNS synthesized using 0.9 x 10-4 %v/v hydroxylamine, 0.05 M sodium hydroxide, 0.8 mM silver nitrate, and 0.045 M sodium citrate, with an average length of 352.62 ± 59.72 nm measured from TEM images. GO was synthesized via a modified Hummer's method and mixed with AgNS at varying ratios (1:5, 1:10, 1:15, and 1:20) to form GO-AgNS coatings for the fibre optic probe. The GO-AgNS coating at a ratio of 1:5 exhibited the highest light absorption intensity, enhancing optical signal by 218% compared to GO-coated and 174% compared to AgNS-coated fibre optic sensors. These findings demonstrate that embedding AgNS onto the GO matrix structure as a sensing material significantly improves sensor performance, suggesting promising applications for super-sensitive, costeffective, and rapid detection in fibre optic-based sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is the contents list for the journal "Chemical Communications" published on September 14, 2024. It includes highlights, feature articles, and communications on various topics in chemistry. Some of the topics covered include transition metal complexes, electrochemical biosensors, and photochemical catalysis. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry, a leading chemistry community. [Extracted from the article]

Chemical reduction of a vertically expanded pentacene, TIPS-peri-pentacenopentacene (TIPS-PPP), with sodium metal in THF readily afforded a doubly-reduced product isolated as [{Na+(THF)3}2(TIPS-PPP2−)]. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of a π-complex of TIPS-PPP2− with two {Na+(THF)3} moieties. The sodium ion is coordinated to three C-atoms at the most negatively charged edge sites and at the lateral ethynyl group. The delocalisation of the charge on the ethynyl function is accompanied by its notable elongation (Δ = 0.015 Å) coupled with the contraction of the adjacent single C–C bond (Δ = 0.033 Å). Bond length analysis supported by Harmonic Aromaticity Oscillator Model (HOMA) shows that the dianion can be written with four aromatic sextets in agreement with the Clar representation. Although TIPS-PPP2− has 36 π-electrons (4n), it does not show a global magnetic paratropic response. The rings with the most negative charge density have a very low paratropic response, while the other rings have a low diatropic response. Overall, the dianion is a non-aromatic molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stepwise reduction of the highly contorted truxene‐based triphosphaalkene 1 using KC8 led to the isolation of mono‐, di‐, and tri‐anionic species. The solid‐state molecular structures of mono‐ and diradical anionic species were elucidated by single crystal X‐ray diffractions, revealing elongated P−C bonds and a pronounced “indene” aromatization compared to the parent system. All three radical species displayed distinct Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectra, providing compelling evidence for the open‐shell electronic configuration of both the diradical and triradical species—an observation unprecedented in any previously reported phosphorous‐based anionic polyradicals. Mulliken spin density calculations revealed a dominant localization of radical spin on a single phosphorous atom in the monoanion. In the dianion, spin localization is observed on two phosphorous atoms (~34 % each), with a minor contribution from the third phosphorous (0.13 %), while the trianion demonstrates a uniform distribution of spin density (~30 %) across each phosphorous atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalysts, which are important in increasing the efficiency of fuel cells, still have disadvantages such as low stability and high cost. To overcome these disadvantages, research on the synthesis of low-cost nanoparticle (NP) catalysts has been carried out. In this study, a new approach to develop a low-cost, high electrocatalytic activity and more stable catalyst was realized. In this context; kaolin ((Al 2 O 3 (SiO 2) 2 (H 2 O) 2)) and zinc oxide (ZnO) supported palladium-copper (PdCl 2 –CuCl 2) nanostructures were synthesized by chemical reduction technique. The particle sizes of the synthesized PdCu@kaolin and PdCu@ZnO NPs were found to be 12.02 nm and 23.02 nm, respectively, according to the Debye Scherrer formula. The PdCu@kaolin and PdCu@ZnO NPs obtained within the scope of the study were also used in the anodic oxidation of methanol (CH₃OH), a one-carbon organic compound. According to the results obtained, the current density for methanol oxidation peaks of PdCu@kaolin and PdCu@ZnO NPs were found to be 27.77 mA cm−2 and 41.52 mA cm−2, respectively. It was observed that the ZnO-supported nanoparticles provided 1.49 times higher electrocatalytic activity compared to the other one. The 500-cycle results showed that the ZnO-supported catalyst exhibited a continuously increasing current density. The tests also proved that the catalysts are diffusion-controlled systems and have high stability. Within the scope of the study, ZnO and Kaolin support not only decreased the cost of the catalyst but also significantly affected the electrocatalytic activity, offering better results than the commercial Pd/C catalyst. Cost-effective ceramic structures such as kaolin and ZnO were crucial to show high stability and electroactive behavior close to the literature. The current study has performed an important contribution to the literature on the use of ceramic materials in electrochemistry. • Synthesis of PdCu@kaolin and PdCu@ZnO NPs by chemical reduction. • High electrocatalytic activity of PdCu@kaolin and PdCu@ZnO NPs against methanol oxidation. • Cost-effective and highly stable catalysts. • Efficient anode catalysts for methanol fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites with suitable energy band structures and excellent visible-light responses have emerged as promising photocatalysts for CO2 reduction to valuable chemicals and fuels. However, the efficiency of CO2 photocatalytic reduction often suffers from inefficient separation and sluggish transfer. Herein, a step-scheme (S-scheme) CsPbBr3/BiOBr photocatalyst with oxygen vacancies possessing intimate interfacial contact was fabricated by anchoring CsPbBr3 QDs on BiOBr-Ov nanosheets using a mild anti-precipitation method. The results showed that CsPbBr3/BiOBr-Ov-2 with an internal electric field (IEF) heterojunction exhibited a boosted evolution rate of 27.4 μmol g−1 h−1 (CO: 23.8 μmol g−1 h−1 and CH4: 3.6 μmol g−1 h−1) with an electron consumption rate (Relectron) of 76.4 μmol g−1 h−1, which was 5.9 and 3.2 times that of single CsPbBr3 and BiOBr-Ov, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that BiOBr with oxygen vacancies can effectively enhance the adsorption and activation of CO2 molecules. More importantly, in situ infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) spectra show the transformation process of the surface species, while the femtosecond transient absorption spectrum (fs-TA) reveals the charge transfer kinetics of the CsPbBr3/BiOBr-Ov. Overall, this work provides some guidance for the rational design of S-scheme heterojunctions and vacancy-engineered photocatalysts, which are expected to have potential applications in the fields of photocatalysis and solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general view of trees is that they threaten heritage structures, their roots disrupt archaeological features, or that they create microclimates conducive to biodeterioration. The conservator's experience in assessing the impact of trees on various cultural assets highlights the positive role they can play in modifying the outdoor environment to reduce stress mechanisms. Trees intercept sunlight and rain, absorb ground water and stabilise soils. This is particularly beneficial at rock art sites where infrastructure must be kept to a minimum to maintain the spiritual and aesthetic ambience. While focussing on studies demonstrating the protective role of trees, it is critical to make balanced assessments that recognise both positive and negative implications; a tree can both shade an object and increase the risk of mechanical damage from roots and falling branches. Objective assessments consider all implications rather than through intellectual and operational bias. Laboratory studies demonstrate hydrothermal stress to be greater than heating or wetting alone, and freeze–thaw that has been traditionally considered one of the most destructive mechanisms disrupting outdoor stone. Interventive approaches for reducing hydrothermal stresses in stone rely upon chemical treatments to repel water, and consolidation to better resist such stresses. A well-designed tree canopy can substantially reduce thermal expansion and almost completely remove rain from the object through interception, funnelling to the trunk and uptake of groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]