Miniaturized electrochemical sensors and their point-of-care applications

Most of the current analytical methods depend largely on laboratory-based analytical techniques that require expensive and bullky equipment,potentially incur costly testing,and involve lengthy detection processes.With increasing requirements for point-of-care testing(POCT),more attention has been paid to miniaturized analytical devices.Miniaturized electrochemical(MEC)sensors,including different material-based MEC sensors(such as DNA-,paper-,and screen electrode-based),have been in strong demand in analytical science due to their easy operation,portability,high sensitivity,as well as their short analysis time.They have been applied for the detection of trace amounts of target through measuring changes in electrochemical signal,such as current,voltage,potential,or impedance,due to the oxidation/reduction of chemical/biological molecules with the help of electrodes and electrochemical units.MEC sensors present great potential for the detection of targets including small organic molecules,metal ions,and biomolecules.In recent years,MEC sensors have been broadly applied to POCT in various fields,including health care,food safety,and environmental monitoring,owing to the excellent advantages of electrochemical(EC)technologies.This review summarized the state-of-the-art advancements on various types of MEC sensors and their applications in POCT.Furthermore,the future perspectives,opportunities,and challenges in this field are also discussed.     

Machine Learning towards Screening Solid-state Lithium Ion Conductors

Machine learning is an emerging method to discover new materials with specific characteristics.An unsupervised machine learning research is highlighted to discover new potential lithium ionic conductors by screening and clustering lithium compounds,providing inspirations for the development of solid-state electrolytes and practical batteries.     

Surface defect-rich ceria quantum dots anchored on sulfur-doped carbon nitride nanotubes with enhanced charge separation for solar hydrogen production

Designing defect-engineered semiconductor heterojunctions can effectively promote the charge carrier separation.Herein,novel ceria(CeO2) quantum dots(QDs) decorated sulfur-doped carbon nitride nanotubes(SCN NTs) were synthesized via a thermal polycondensation coupled in situ depositionprecipitation method without use of template or surfactant.The structure and morphology studies indicate that ultrafine CeO2 QDs are well distributed inside and outside of SCN NTs offering highly dispersed active sites and a large contact interface between two components.This leads to the promoted formation of rich Ce³⁺ ion and oxygen vacancies as confirmed by XPS.The photocatalytic performance can be facilely modulated by the content of CeO2 QDs introduced in SCN matrix while bare CeO2 does not show activity of hydrogen production.The optimal catalyst with 10% of CeO2 loading yields a hydrogen evolution rate of 2923.8 μmol h-1 g-1 under visible light,remarkably higher than that of bare SCN and their physical mixtures.Further studies reveal that the abundant surface defects and the created 0 D/1 D junctions play a critical role in improving the separation and transfer of charge carriers,leading to superior solar hydrogen production and good stability.     

Superfast and solvent-free core-shell assembly of sulfur/carbon active particles by hail-inspired nanostorm technology for high-energy-density Li-S batteries

The demand on low-carbon emission fabrication technologies for energy storage materials is increasing dramatically with the global interest on carbon neutrality.As a promising active material for metal-sulfur batteries,sulfur is of great interest due to its high-energy-density and abundance.However,there is a lack of industry-friendly and low-carbon fabrication strategies for high-performance sulfur-based active particles,which,however,is in critical need by their practical success.Herein,based on a hail-inspired sulfur nano-storm(HSN)technology developed in our lab,we report an energy-saving,solvent-free strategy for producing core-shell sulfur/carbon electrode particles(CNT@AC-S)in minutes.The fabrication of the CNT@AC-S electrode particles only involves low-cost sulfur blocks,commercial carbon nanotubes(CNT)and activated carbon(AC)micro-particles with high specific surface area.Based on the above core-shell CNT@AC-S particles,sulfur cathode with a high sulfur-loading of 9.2 mg cm^-2 delivers a stable area capacity of 6.6 mAh cm^-2 over 100 cycles.Furthermore,even for sulfur cathode with a super-high sulfur content(72 wt%over the whole electrode),it still delivers a high area capacity of 9 mAh cm^-2 over50 cycles in a quasi-lean electrolyte condition.In a nutshell,this study brings a green and industryfriendly fabrication strategy for cost-effective production of rationally designed S-rich electrode particles.     

Unraveling the stabilization mechanism of solid electrolyte interface on ZnSe by rGO in sodium ion battery

Transition metal selenides have been widely studied as anode materials of sodium ion batteries(SIBs),however,the investigation of solid-electrolyte-interface(SEI)on these materials,which is critical to the electrochemical performance of SIBs,remains at its infancy.Here in this paper,ZnSe@C nanoparticles were prepared from ZIF-8 and the SEI layers on these electrodes with and without reduced graphene oxide(rGO)layers were examined in details by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies at varied charged/discharged states.It is observed that fast and complicated electrolyte decomposition reactions on ZnSe@C leads to quite thick SEI film and intercalation of solvated sodium ions through such thick SEI film results in slow ion diffusion kinetics and unstable electrode structure.However,the presence of rGO could efficiently suppress the decomposition of electrolyte,thus thin and stable SEI film was formed.ZnSe@C electrodes wrapped by rGO demonstrates enhanced interfacial charge transfer kinetics and high electrochemical performance,a capacity retention of 96.4%,after 1000 cycles at 5 A/g.This study might offer a simple avenue for the designing high performance anode materials through manipulation of SEI film.     

常温常湿条件下Au/MeO~x催化剂上CO氧化性能

利用共沉淀法制备了Au/MeO~x催化剂(Me=Al,Co,Cr,Cu,Fe,Mn,Ni,Zn)。在常温常湿条件下,考察了不同氧化物负载的金基催化剂的CO氧化性能。结果表明,氧化物种类对催化剂的活性和稳定性均有较大的影响。Cu,Mn,Cr等氧化物负载的金基催化剂的活性较差,而Zn,Fe,Co,Ni,Al等金属氧化物负载的金基催化剂可将CO完全氧化,又具有一定的稳定性,在相同反应条件下,CO完全转化时的稳定性顺序为Au/ZnO>Au/α-Fe~2O~3>Au/Co~3O~4>Au/γ-Al~2O~3≈Au/NiO。还发现水对Au/MnO~x催化剂的活性和稳定性有负作用,而对180℃焙烧制备的Au/ZnO-180催化剂的活性和稳定性均有明显的湿度增强作用。     

CXN天然沸石的研究2: 吸附性质

采用N~2,NH~3,CO~2,乙烯,丙烯,水,甲醇,乙醇,丙醇等作为吸附剂,研究了由我国CXN天然沸石改性制得的H-STI和Na-STI沸石的吸附性质,H-STI和Na-STI沸石的BET表面积及微孔孔体积约为420m^2/g和0.20m^3/g。根据NH~3和CO~2在H-STI沸石上的吸附等温线计算得到它们的吸附热分别为44.8和26.5kJ/mol。乙烯,丙烯,甲醇,乙醇,丙醇等在Na-STI沸石上的吸附等温线表明该沸石对有机分子的吸附具有链长选择性。在低分压下水相对于甲醇的吸附量表明沸石具有一定的疏水性质。     

Regulation of carbon distribution to construct high-sulfur-content cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)battery is regarded as one of the most promising next-generation energy storage systems due to the ultra-high theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg^-1.To address the insulation nature of sulfur,nanocarbon composition is essential to afford acceptable cycling capacity but inevitably sacrifices the actual energy density under working conditions.Therefore,rational structural design of the carbon/sulfur composite cathode is of great significance to realize satisfactory electrochemical performances with limited carbon content.Herein,the cathode carbon distribution is rationally regulated to construct high-sulfur-content and high-performance Li-S batteries.Concretely,a double-layer carbon(DLC)cathode is prepared by fabricating a surface carbon layer on the carbon/sulfur composite.The surface carbon layer not only provides more electrochemically active surfaces,but also blocks the polysulfide shuttle.Consequently,the DLC configuration with an increased sulfur content by nearly 10 wt%renders an initial areal capacity of 3.40 mAh cm^-2 and capacity retention of 83.8%during 50 cycles,which is about two times than that of the low-sulfur-content cathode.The strategy of carbon distribution regulation affords an effective pathway to construct advanced high-sulfur-content cathodes for practical high-energy-density Li-S batteries.     

Boost oxygen reduction reaction performance by tuning the active sites in Fe-N-P-C catalysts

Cost-effective atomically dispersed Fe-N-P-C complex catalysts are promising to catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and replace Pt catalysts in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.However,it remains a challenge to increase the number of atomically dispersed active sites on these catalysts.Here we report a highly efficient impregnation-pyrolysis method to prepare effective ORR electrocatalysts with large amount of atomically dispersed Fe active sites from biomass.Two types of active catalyst centers were identified,namely atomically dispersed Fe sites and Fe_xP particles.The ORR rate of the atomically dispersed Fe sites is three orders of magnitude higher than it of Fe_xP particles.A linear correlation between the amount of the atomically dispersed Fe and the ORR activity was obtained,revealing the major contribution of the atomically dispersed Fe to the ORR activity.The number of atomically dispersed Fe increases as the Fe loading increased and reaching the maximum at 1.86 wt%Fe,resulting in the maximum ORR rate.Optimized Fe-N-P-C complex catalyst was used as the cathode catalyst in a homemade Zn-air battery and good performance of an energy density of 771 Wh kgZn^-1,a power density of 92.9 m W cm^-2 at 137 m A cm^-2 and an excellent durability were exhibited.     

Confined Ni-In intermetallic alloy nanocatalyst with excellent coking resistance for methane dry reforming

Carbon dioxide and methane are two main greenhouse gases which are contributed to serious global warming.Fortunately,dry reforming of methane(DRM),a very important reaction developed decades ago,can convert these two major greenhouse gases into value-added syngas or hydrogen.The main problem retarding its industrialization is the seriously coking formation upon the nickel-based catalysts.Herein,a series of confined indium-nickel(In-Ni)intermetallic alloy nanocatalysts(In_xNi@SiO₂)have been prepared and displayed superior coking resistance for DRM reaction.The sample containing 0.5 wt.%of In loading(In_0.5Ni@SiO₂)shows the best balance of carbon deposition resistance and DRM reactivity even after 430 h long term stability test.The boosted carbon resistance can be ascribed to the confinement of core–shell structure and to the transfer of electrons from Indium to Nickel in In-Ni intermetallic alloys due to the smaller electronegativity of In.Both the silica shell and the increase of electron cloud density on metallic Ni can weaken the ability of Ni to activate C–H bond and decrease the deep cracking process of methane.The reaction over the confined InNi intermetallic alloy nanocatalyst was conformed to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood(L-H)mechanism revealed by in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(in-situ DRIFTS).This work provides a guidance to design high performance coking resistance catalysts for methane dry reforming to efficiently utilize these two main greenhouse gases.     

微量热法测定细菌的临界生长温度

应用微量热学的方法,我们已能成功地测得细菌生长过程的热谱,这种热谱包含着有关细菌生长代谢过程的丰富信息,例如对热谱曲线的指数生长段进行解析,可得出细菌生长的速率常数、激活能和有关的热力学参数。故采用微量热法测定细菌在不同培养温度下的生长速率常数,利用计算机拟合出相应k(速率常数)和T(培养温度)的线性关系式后,若把生长速率为零的温度定义为临界生长温度时,就可以根据由上述实验所得的k～T线性关系式求得细菌的临界生长温度。本工作仍采用微量热法对福氏志贺氏菌(S. flexneri)和大肠埃希氏菌(E. coli)进行实验测定。按文献的方法求出它们在不同温度下的生长速率常数;对于大肠埃希氏菌还用几种不同的培养基分别进行实验测定。     

1,3,3-三硝基氮杂环丁烷的热安全性

借助不同加热速率(β)的非等温DSC曲线离开基线的初始温度(T₀)、onset温度(T_e)和峰顶温度(T_p), Kissinger法和Ozawa法求得的热分解反应的表观活化能(E_k和E_O)和指前因子(A_k), Hu-Zhao-Gao方程ln β_i＝ln[A₀/(b_{e0 or p0}G(α))]＋   b_{e0 or p0}T_{ei or pi}求得的b_{e0 or p0}, Zhao-Hu-Gao方程ln β_i＝ln[A₀/((a_{e0 or p0}＋1)G(α))]＋(a_{e0 or p0}＋1) ln T_{ei or pi}求得的a_{e0 or p0}, 微热量法确定的比热容(C_p), 以及密度(ρ)、热导率(λ)和分解热(Q_d, 取爆热之半)数据, Zhang-Hu-Xie-Li公式、Hu-Yang-Liang-Xie公式、Hu-Zhao-Gao公式、Zhao-Hu-Gao公式、Smith方程、Friedman公式和Bruckman-Guillet公式, 计算了TNAZ在β→0时的T₀, T_e和T_p值(T₀₀, T_eo和T_p0)、热爆炸临界温度(T_be和T_bp)、绝热至爆时间(t_Tlad)、撞击感度50%落高(H₅₀)和热点起爆临界温度(T_cr), 得到了评价TNAZ热安全性的结果: T_SADT＝T_e0＝485.81 K, T_p0＝497.38 K, T_beo＝499.50 K, T_bp0＝513.45 K, t_Tlad＝8.90 s (n＝0), t_Tlad＝8.96 s (n＝1), t_Tlad＝9.01 s (n＝2), H₅₀＝28.88 cm, T_cr＝641.46 K (T_room＝293.15 K), T_cr＝658.89 K (T_room＝300 K), 表明: (1) TNAZ对热是稳定的; (2)撞击感度好于环三亚甲基三硝胺(RDX); (3)热点起爆临界温度高于RDX, 而界于1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6-三硝基苯(TATB)和六硝基茋(HNS)之间.     

取代羧酸pK_a的分子树拓扑研究

基于非氢原子i的酸性点价(δai)建构分子树拓扑指数(mT)及其分支指数(mTC)和叶指数(mTx),并提出表征诱导效应的叶指数(mT′x).通过最佳变量子集算法获得38种羧酸的pKa与0TC、1TC、0T′x的回归方程:pKa=3.0352-1.25700T′x-0.15540TC+0.07811TC,R=0.9766.通过Jackknife法检验,该模型具有总体稳健性.优于文献的七元最佳回归模型(R=0.957),与其分子力学方法(CoMFA)结果(R=0.988)较为接近.结果表明,所建拓扑指数是合理的,具有科学性基础.     

弹性竿模型下超螺旋DNA分子的构象研究

采用弹性竿模型 (Elasticrodmodel) ,用MonteCarlo方法对DNA分子的构象进行研究 .通过计算发现 ,DNA分子的能量是由弯曲势能EB 和扭转势能ET 两部分组成 ,通常EB 比ET 大一至两个数量级 .同时给出了均方回转半径与链长之间的关系为〈R2g〉 =1 1 69 5 -3 5×n +0 0 2 5×n2 ,它体现了DNA分子结构的特点 .验证了公式Lk=Wr+Tw ,得出Lk与Wr比较接近的结论 ,考虑DNA分子的构型 ,意味着DNA分子容易被弯曲而不易被扭转 ,但随着连接系数的增加 ,DNA被扭转的几率也在增加 .这为分析DNA分子的结构特征提供了一种新方法     

从聚合物分子量评价自由基聚合的链终止反应

本文从聚合物的聚合度与反应速度关系论述了自由基聚合过程中链终止方式,并由此估价自由基聚合机理。令各反应物起始浓度比例固定并同步改变,于是各链转移速度与链增长速度之比(R_(tr)/R_p)_i为常,由此得直线方程: 1/_n=R_t/R_p+K 在稳态条件下,链终止方式可从下述各直线方程估价。双基终止 1/_n=k_t/K_p~2·R_p/(c~2(M))+K 单基终止 1/_n=k_(t)/k_p·1/(c(M))+K 初级自由基终止 1/_n=k_(prt)/k_p·c(R·)/c(M)+K 转移终止 1/_n=K 苦双基终止、单基终止和初级自由基终止反应同时并存,则 1/_n=k_t/k_p~2·R_p/(c~2(M))+k_t/k_p·1/(c(M))+fk_d k_(prt)/k_i·k_p·c(I)/(c~2(M))+K 本实验设计和数据处理方法用以研究自由基聚合的链终止过程,与实验结果和动力学推导十分一政。     

Thermodynamic parameters for the binding of inorganic and organic anions by biogenic polyammonium cations

Thermodynamic parameters for the interaction of protonated biogenic polyamines with inorganic or organic polyanions were studied potentiometrically (H(+)-glass electrode) and calorimetrically, at 25 degrees C. No background salt was used in the measurements to avoid interferences, and the formation constants and formation enthalpies were extrapolated to zero ionic strength. Species formed are ALH(r) [L=Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), HPO(4)(2-), P(2)O(7)(4-) and P(3)O(10)(5-); tartrate, malate, citrate, glutamate, 1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate, 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylate], with r=1,2...(n+m-2) and r=1,2...(n+m-1) for inorganic and organic ligands, respectively (n, m=maximum degree of protonation of amine and ligand, respectively). The stability of the various species formed is a function of charges involved in the formation reaction. DeltaH(0) values are generally positive, and therefore these complexes are entropically stabilized. Results are discussed in connection with several previously reported data on similar systems. DeltaG(0) and TDeltaS(0) follow a linear trend as a function of polyammonium cation and inorganic or carboxylic anion charges. DeltaG(0) and TDeltaS(0) charge relationships are reported. In particular, mean values of DeltaG(0) and TDeltaS(0) for single interaction were calculated: DeltaG(0)=7.0 kJ mol(-1) n(-1), TDeltaS(0)=9.1 kJ mol(-1) n(-1) and DeltaG(0)=5.7 kJ mol(-1) n(-1) and TDeltaS(0)=8.7 kJ mol(-1) n(-1), for the species of inorganic and organic polyanions, respectively (n=number of possible salt bridges). A linear relationship was also found for TDeltaS(0) versus DeltaG(0), whose equation is TDeltaS(0)=-7-1.39 DeltaG(0) (with r=0.9409; r, correlation coefficient). The body of correlations found for these thermodynamic parameters shows quite good predictive value.     

Experimental and modeling studies of the pressure and temperature dependences of the kinetics and the OH yields in the acetyl + O2 reaction

The acetyl + O(2) reaction has been studied by observing the time dependence of OH by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and by electronic structure/master equation analysis. The experimental OH time profiles were analyzed to obtain the kinetics of the acetyl + O(2) reaction and the relative OH yields over the temperature range of 213-500 K in helium at pressures in the range of 5-600 Torr. More limited measurements were made in N(2) and for CD(3)CO + O(2). The relative OH yields were converted into absolute yields by assuming that the OH yield at zero pressure is unity. Electronic structure calculations of the stationary points of the potential energy surface were used with a master equation analysis to fit the experimental data in He using the high-pressure limiting rate coefficient for the reaction, k(∞)(T), and the energy transfer parameter, (ΔE(d)), as variable parameters. The best-fit parameters obtained are k(∞) = 6.2 × 10(-12) cm(-3) molecule(-1) s(-1), independent of temperature over the experimental range, and (ΔE(d))(He) = 160(T/298?K) cm(-1). The fits in N(2), using the same k(∞)(T), gave (ΔE(d))(N(2)) = 270(T/298?K) cm(-1). The rate coefficients for formation of OH and CH(3)C(O)O(2) are provided in parametrized form, based on modified Troe expressions, from the best-fit master equation calculations, over the pressure and temperature ranges of 1 ≤ p/Torr ≤ 1.5 × 10(5) and 200 ≤ T/K ≤ 1000 for He and N(2) as the bath gas. The minor channels, leading to HO(2) + CH(2)CO and CH(2)C(O)OOH, generally have yields <1% over this range.     

Asymptotic solutions to the Smoluchowski's coagulation equation with singular gamma distributions as initial size spectra

Smoluchowski's coagulation equation is studied for the kernel K(u,v)=E(ualphavbeta+ubetavalpha) with real, non-negative alpha, beta and E, using gamma distributions with a singularity at zero volume as initial size spectra. As the distribution parameter of the gamma distribution, p, approaches its lower limit (p-->0) the distribution becomes approximately pv(p-1) for small v. Asymptotic solutions to the coagulation equation are derived for the two cases p-->0 and v-->0. The constant kernel (alpha=beta=0) is shown to be unique among the studied kernels in the sense that the p-->0 asymptote and the v-->0 asymptote differ.     

海水中二甲基硫亨利常数的测定

 推导了多次相平衡顶空气相色谱法测定海水中二甲基硫 (DMS)亨利常数 (K)的理论关系式 ,根据两次或多次气、液相平衡的关系式 ,只测定DMS在气相中的浓度就可测定亨利常数。实测 2 2℃时DMS在胶州湾海水中的亨利常数是 0 0 89,相对标准偏差为 5 5 0 %。亨利常数的对数与环境水体中NaCl的质量分数 [w(NaCl) ]之间的关系为 :logK =0 0 688·w(NaCl) - 1 3 5 68,相关系数为 0 997。亨利常数的对数与环境水体的绝对温度 (T)的倒数之间的相关方程为 :logK =- 15 4 4 8/T + 4 2 112 ,相关系数为 0 996。     

Relationship between supersaturation ratio and supply rate of solute in the growth process of monodisperse colloidal particles and application to AgBr systems

Supersaturation ratio, S, has been theoretically related to the supply rate of solute, Q, from growth rate and mass-balance equations in the quasi-steady state in the growth process of isotropic monodisperse particles. The derived equation, (S - 1) = (1/D + 1/kr)(Q/betaC(0)nr) + 2V(m)gamma/rRT, suggests a linear dependence of S on Q under constant n and r, where D is the diffusion coefficient, k is the rate constant for surface-reaction, C(0) is the solubility, n and r are the number and radius of growing particles, respectively, V(m) is the molar volume of particles, R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, and beta is the shape factor defined by beta identical with (1/r(2)) dupsilon/dr, where upsilon is the volume of an individual particle. The equation was applied to the analysis of growth kinetics and determinations of critical supersaturation ratio in monodisperse AgBr particles in the controlled double-jet system with the assistance of a potentiometric supersaturation measurement. In both cubic and octahedral particles, growth rates were completely limited by diffusion and surface-reaction at pBr ( identical with -log[Br(-)]) 3.0 and 1.0, respectively, while the growths were intermediate of them at pBr 2.0 and 4.0. The growth parameters, DC(0) and kC(0), were experimentally determined. Also, critical supersaturation ratio was estimated as 1.28 as an average in the present study.