Functional Properties and Molecular Degradation of Schizostachyum Brachycladum Bamboo Cellulose Nanofibre in PLA-Chitosan Bionanocomposites

The degradation and mechanical properties of potential polymeric materials used for green manufacturing are significant determinants. In this study, cellulose nanofibre was prepared from Schizostachyum brachycladum bamboo and used as reinforcement in the PLA/chitosan matrix using melt extrusion and compression moulding method. The cellulose nanofibre(CNF) was isolated using supercritical carbon dioxide and high-pressure homogenisation. The isolated CNF was characterised with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, zeta potential and particle size analysis. The mechanical, physical, and degradation properties of the resulting biocomposite were studied with moisture content, density, thickness swelling, tensile, flexural, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and biodegradability analysis. The TEM, FT-IR, and particle size results showed successful isolation of cellulose nanofibre using this method. The result showed that the physical, mechanical, and degradation properties of PLA/chitosan/CNF biocomposite were significantly enhanced with cellulose nanofibre. The density, thickness swelling, and moisture content increased with the addition of CNF. Also, tensile strength and modulus; flexural strength and modulus increased; while the elongation reduced. The carbon residue from the thermal degradation and the glass transition temperature of the PLA/chitosan/CNF biocomposite was observed to increase with the addition of CNF. The result showed that the biocomposite has potential for green and sustainable industrial application.     

Snake Venom Components: Tools and Cures to Target Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are considered as a major cause of death worldwide. Therefore, identifying and developing therapeutic strategies to treat and reduce the prevalence of CVDs is a major medical challenge. Several drugs used for the treatment of CVDs, such as captopril, emerged from natural products, namely snake venoms. These venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive molecules, which, among other physiological networks, target the cardiovascular system, leading to them being considered in the development and design of new drugs. In this review, we describe some snake venom molecules targeting the cardiovascular system such as phospholipase A2 (PLA2), natriuretic peptides (NPs), bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), disintegrins, fibrinolytic enzymes, and three-finger toxins (3FTXs). In addition, their molecular targets, and mechanisms of action—vasorelaxation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, cardioprotective activities—are discussed. The dissection of their biological effects at the molecular scale give insights for the development of future snake venom-derived drugs.     

Theory of coupled optical PT-symmetric structures

Starting from Lagrangian principles we develop a formalism suitable for describing coupled optical parity-time symmetric systems.     

Poly(carboxyethyl acrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) precursor monolith with bonded octadecyl ligands for use in reversed-phase capillary electrochromatography

A carboxy precursor monolithic column, namely poly(carboxy ethyl acrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) was first produced in a 100 μm i.d. fused-silica capillary and subsequently surface bonded with n-octadecyl (C₁₈) ligands by a post-polymerization functionalization process with octadecylamine in the presence of N,N´-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The bonding of octadecyl ligands was achieved via an amide linkage between the carboxy functions of the precursor monolith and the amino group of the octadecylamine compound. The resulting C₁₈ monolith exhibited a very low electroosmotic flow (EOF), a fact that required the incorporation of small amounts of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) in the polymerization solution to produce a precursor monolith with fixed negative charges of sulfonate groups. This may indicate that the conjugation of the carboxy functions with octadecylamine occurred to a large extent so that the amount of residual carboxy functions was sparsely dispersed and not enough to produce a desirable EOF. The EOF velocity of the C₁₈ column having fixed negative charges provided by the incorporated AMPS increased with increasing ACN content of the mobile phase signaling an increased binding of mobile phase ions to the polar amide linkages near the monolithic surface, and a decreased viscosity of the mobile phase, both of which would result in increased EOF velocity. The C₁₈ monolithic column constituted a novel nonpolar sorbent for reversed-phase capillary electrochromatography for nonpolar solutes, e.g., alkylbenzenes, alkylphenyl ketones, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and slightly polar compounds including phenol and chlorophenols. The C₁₈ monolithic column exhibited relatively high selectivity toward chlorophenols differing by one chloro substituent.     

Graphene oxide-octadecylsilane incorporated monolithic nano-columns with 50 μm id and 100 μm id for small molecule and protein separation by nano-liquid chromatography

In this study, graphene oxide-octadecylsilane incorporated monolithic nano-columns were developed for protein analysis by nano liquid chromatography (nano LC). The monolithic column with 100 μm id was first prepared by an in situ polymerization using ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA), 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA-Cl), and methacryloyl graphene oxide nanoparticles (MGONPs). MGONPs were synthesized by the treatment of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (TMSPM) and GO. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dodecanol were used as the porogenic solvent. The resulting column was functionalized by dimethyloctadecylch lorosilane (DODCS) for the enhancement of hydrophobicity. The functionalization greatly improved the baseline separation of hydrophobic compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The optimized monolith with respect to total polymerization mixture was characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) X-ray diffraction (XRD) and chromatographic analyses. The blank monoliths without functionalization exhibited poor separation while a good separation performance of MGONPs functionalized monoliths was achieved. The monolith with 100 μm id was evaluated in protein separation in nano LC using RNase A, Cytochrome C, Lysozyme, Trypsin, and Ca isozyme II as the test proteins. It was shown that protein separation mechanism was based on large π-system of GO and hydrophobicity of the monolithic structure. Theoretical plates number up to 57 600 plates were achieved. The nano-column with 50 μm id was also prepared using the same polymerization mixture under the same chemical conditions. These nano-columns were employed for protein separation by nano LC, and the dependence of both nano-column performance on the internal diameter was also discussed.     

Flexible carbon nanostructures with electrospun nickel oxide as a lithium-ion battery anode

Carbon nanostructures (CNS) with high electrical conductivity and unique branched structure of carbon nanotubes combined with NiO nanofibers (NFs) were used as anode for lithium-ion batteries. CNS works as a framework substrate for the anodic conversion reaction of nickel oxide (NiO). Electrochemical performance and behavior of CNS/NiO anodes is compared with the conventional carbon (C)/NiO anodes. CNS/NiO NF-based anode retains high specific capacity under different current densities compared to C/NiO anode. Moreover, specific capacity as high as 450 mAh/g for CNS/NiO NF anode is observed compared to only 90 mAh/g for C/NiO NFs using a current density of 500 mA/g after 500 cycles. This improved performance is attributed to the highly conductive network of CNS leading to efficient charge transfer. The high porosity, electrical conductivity as well as the branched and networked nature of CNS reveal to be of critical importance to allow the electrochemical conversion reactions.     

Effect of Oil Palm and Jute Fiber Treatment on Mechanical Performance of Epoxy Hybrid Composites

In this work, oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and jute fibers were treated with 2-hydroxy ethyl acrylate (2-HEA) to improve interfacial bonding of oil palm EFB and jute fibers with epoxy matrix. Hybrid composites were fabricated by incorporation of modified oil palm EFB and jute fibers into an epoxy matrix by the hand lay-up technique. Mechanical (flexural and impact) and morphological properties of modified hybrid composites were measured. Results indicated that flexural and impact properties of modified fiber–reinforced hybrid composites improved as compared to untreated hybrid composites due to better fiber/matrix interfacial bonding, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. We confirmed that treated oil palm/jute hybrid composite may be fabricated by advanced techniques such as resin transfer molding, extrusion, and injection molding for industrial applications in the automotive sector.     

Beyond the Polysulfide Shuttle and Lithium Dendrite Formation: Addressing the Sluggish Sulfur Redox Kinetics for Practical High-Energy Li-S Batteries

Electrolyte modulation simultaneously suppresses polysulfide the shuttle effect and lithium dendrite formation of lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, the sluggish S redox kinetics, especially under high S loading and lean electrolyte operation, has been ignored, which dramatically limits the cycle life and energy density of practical Li-S pouch cells. Herein, we demonstrate that a rational combination of selenium doping, core–shell hollow host structure, and fluorinated ether electrolytes enables ultrastable Li stripping/plating and essentially no polysulfide shuttle as well as fast redox kinetics. Thus, high areal capacity (>4 mAh cm⁻²) with excellent cycle stability and Coulombic efficiency were both demonstrated in Li metal anode and thick S cathode (4.5 mg cm⁻²) with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (10 μL mg⁻¹). This research further demonstrates a durable Li-Se/S pouch cell with high specific capacity, validating the potential practical applications.     

Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of gem-Difluorocyclopropenyl Esters: Access to Enantioenriched gem-Difluorocyclopropanes

Catalytic enantioselective access to disubstituted functionalized gem-difluorocyclopropanes, which are emerging fluorinated motifs of interest in medicinal chemistry, was achieved through asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of gem-difluorocyclopropenyl esters, catalyzed by a Noyori–Ikariya (p-cymene)-ruthenium(II) complex, with (N-tosyl-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine) as the chiral ligand and isopropanol as the hydrogen donor. The resulting cis-gem-difluorocyclopropyl esters were obtained with moderate to high enantioselectivity (ee=66–99 %), and post-functionalization reactions enable access to valuable building blocks incorporating a cis- or trans-gem-difluorocyclopropyl motif.     

Solvation Rule for Solid‐Electrolyte Interphase Enabler in Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Despite the exceptionally high energy density of lithium metal anodes, the practical application of lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs) is still impeded by the instability of the interphase between the lithium metal and the electrolyte. To formulate a functional electrolyte system that can stabilize the lithium‐metal anode, the solvation behavior of the solvent molecules must be understood because the electrochemical properties of a solvent can be heavily influenced by its solvation status. We unambiguously demonstrated the solvation rule for the solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) enabler in an electrolyte system. In this study, fluoroethylene carbonate was used as the SEI enabler due to its ability to form a robust SEI on the lithium metal surface, allowing relatively stable LMB cycling. The results revealed that the solvation number of fluoroethylene carbonate must be ≥1 to ensure the formation of a stable SEI in which the sacrificial reduction of the SEI enabler subsequently leads to the stable cycling of LMBs.