HDEHP-CMPO/SiO2-P: a promising solid-phase extractant for uranium recovery from different acidic media

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A novel macroporous silica-based HDEHP-CMPO impregnated polymeric solid-phase extractant showed an excellent uranium adsorption efficiency from...     

Role of Melatonin in Plant Tolerance to Soil Stressors: Salinity,pH and Heavy Metals

Melatonin (MT) is a pleiotropic molecule with diverse and numerous actions both in plants and animals. In plants, MT acts as an excellent promotor of tolerance against abiotic stress situations such as drought, cold, heat, salinity, and chemical pollutants. In all these situations, MT has a stimulating effect on plants, fomenting many changes in biochemical processes and stress-related gene expression. Melatonin plays vital roles as an antioxidant and can work as a free radical scavenger to protect plants from oxidative stress by stabilization cell redox status; however, MT can alleviate the toxic oxygen and nitrogen species. Beyond this, MT stimulates the antioxidant enzymes and augments antioxidants, as well as activates the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) cycle to scavenge excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we examine the recent data on the capacity of MT to alleviate the effects of common abiotic soil stressors, such as salinity, alkalinity, acidity, and the presence of heavy metals, reinforcing the general metabolism of plants and counteracting harmful agents. An exhaustive analysis of the latest advances in this regard is presented, and possible future applications of MT are discussed.     

柔性导电高分子复合材料在应变传感器中的应用*

柔性和可穿戴传感器最近十几年来的发展,使得它们在个性化医疗、人机交互和智能机器人等方面拥有良好的应用前景。由导电材料和弹性聚合物组成的柔性导电高分子复合材料具有高的可拉伸性、良好的柔韧性、优异的耐久性等优点,可用来制备传感范围宽、灵敏度高的柔性应变传感器。本文综述了基于柔性导电高分子复合材料的可拉伸应变传感器的分类(填充型、三明治型、吸附型应变传感器)和传感机理(隧穿效应,分离机制,裂纹扩展),并详细介绍了传感器所用复合材料的结构设计,包括内部结构(双逾渗网络、隔离、多孔、“砖混”结构)、表面结构(微裂纹、褶皱结构)和宏观结构(纤维状、网状、薄膜结构)。内部结构设计可降低材料的逾渗阈值,表面结构设计可提高传感器性能,每个宏观结构都有自己的特点。最后对应变传感器的材料选择、制备工艺、结构设计、附加性能、集成技术和应用方向等方面进行了展望。     

Highly Efficient Porous Carbon Electrocatalyst with Controllable N-Species Content for Selective CO2 Reduction

We report a straightforward strategy to design efficient N doped porous carbon (NPC) electrocatalyst that has a high concentration of easily accessible active sites for the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). The NPC with large amounts of active N (pyridinic and graphitic N) and highly porous structure is prepared by using an oxygen-rich metal–organic framework (Zn-MOF-74) precursor. The amount of active N species can be tuned by optimizing the calcination temperature and time. Owing to the large pore sizes, the active sites are well exposed to electrolyte for CO₂RR. The NPC exhibits superior CO₂RR activity with a small onset potential of −0.35 V and a high faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.4 % towards CO at −0.55 V vs. RHE, one of the highest values among NPC-based CO₂RR electrocatalysts. This work advances an effective and facile way towards highly active and cost-effective alternatives to noble-metal CO₂RR electrocatalysts for practical applications.     

Complexation of UVI with 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid in acidic to basic solutions

Complexation of UVI with 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDPA) in acidic to basic solutions has been studied with multiple techniques. A number of 1:1 (UO2H3L), 1:2 (UO2HjL2 where j = +4, +3, +2, +1, 0, and -1), and 2:2 [(UO2)2HjL2 where j = +1, 0, and -1] complexes form, but the 1:2 complexes are the major species in a wide pH range. Thermodynamic parameters (formation constants and enthalpy and entropy of complexation) were determined by potentiometry and calorimetry. Data indicate that the complexation of UVI with HEDPA is exothermic, favored by the enthalpy of complexation. This is in contrast to the complexation of UVI with dicarboxylic acids in which the enthalpy term usually is unfavorable. Results from electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and 31P NMR have confirmed the presence of 1:1, 1:2, and 2:2 UVIHEDPA complexes.     

Interaction of thorium(IV) with nitrate in aqueous solution: medium effect or weak complexation?

Microcalorimetric titrations were performed to study the Th(IV)/nitrate interaction in aqueous solution. The results show the formation of a weak mononuclear complex of Th(IV) with nitrate and allow the determination of the complexation thermodynamic parameters at 298 K and ionic strength 1.0 mol dm(-3). The reaction is endothermic and entropy driven. Data and comparison with similar actinide(IV) complexes allow to confirm the inner-sphere nature of the Th(NO(3))(3+) complex.     

Synthesis and assembly of ultrathin film of Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles at gas/liquid interface, its high electrocatalytical oxidation toward bio-thiols and selective determination of cysteine

A facile strategy was reported to synthesize and assemble a stable ultrathin film of Ni(OH)₂ nanoparticles at gas/liquid interface where the aqueous phase contained Ni²⁺ and the organic phase was composed of triethylamine toluene solution. The ultrathin film of Ni(OH)₂ nanoparticles that precipitated at the interface was transferred onto the electrode surface for the electrocatalysis of bio-thiols and selective electroanalysis of cysteine. The preparation of Ni(OH)₂ ultrathin film and its transfer to an electrode substrate is very simple. The obtained Ni(OH)₂ ultrathin film modified electrodes are stable, showing high electrochemical oxidation toward bio-thiols and good selectivity toward cysteine in phosphate buffered solution of pH 7.5.     

Baeyer-Villiger氧化反应的不同催化体系

Baeyer-Villiger氧化反应能控制产物的立体化学结构,在有机合成中对功能基转化和环扩张有重要的意义,因此氧化所得的产物可以广泛应用于合成许多天然产物和药物中间体以及一些高分子材料的单体等,是目前有机化学研究的热点之一。随着对该反应研究的深入,其催化剂的类型也在不断地增多,包括均相催化剂、非均相催化剂、生物催化剂。均相催化剂选择性和转化率虽高,但不及非均相催化剂重复利用率高。生物催化剂绿色环保,是未来研究的重点之一。本文从均相催化、非均相催化和生物催化三个方面对Baeyer-Villiger氧化反应相关的研究新进展进行了阐述,重点介绍了不同催化体系下催化剂与反应底物之间的作用,总结了有关催化反应的机理,并对Baeyer-Villiger氧化反应的发展进行了展望。     

Hydrolysis of plutonium(VI) at variable temperatures (283-343 K)

The hydrolysis of Pu^VI was studied at variable temperatures (283–343 K) by potentiometry, microcalorimetry, and spectrophotometry. Three hydrolysis reactions, mPuO₂²⁺+nH₂O=(PuO₂)_m(OH)_n+nH⁺), in which (n,m)=(1,1), (2,2), and (5,3), were invoked to describe the potentiometric and calorimetric data. The equilibrium constants (*β_n,m) were determined by potentiometry at 283, 298, 313, 328, and 343 K. As the temperature was increased from 283 to 343 K, *β_1,1, *β_2,2, and *β_5,3, increased by 1, 1.5, and 4 orders of magnitude, respectively. The enhancement of hydrolysis at elevated temperatures is mainly due to the significant increase of the degree of ionization of water as the temperature increases. Measurements by microcalorimetry indicate that the three hydrolysis reactions are all endothermic at 298.15 K, with enthalpies of (35.0±3.4) kJ mol^?1, (65.4±1.0) kJ mol^?1, and (127.7±1.7) kJ mol^?1 for ΔH_1,1, ΔH_2,2, and ΔH_5,3, respectively. The hydrolysis constants at infinite dilution have been obtained with the Specific Ion Interaction approach. The applicability of three approaches for estimating the equilibrium constants at different temperatures, including the constant enthalpy approach, the DQUANT equation, and the Ryzhenko–Bryzgalin model, were evaluated with the data from this work.