Cellular Synthesis and X-ray Crystal Structure of a Designed Protein Heterocatenane

Herein, we report the biosynthesis of protein heterocatenanes using a programmed sequence of multiple post-translational processing events including intramolecular chain entanglement, in situ backbone cleavage, and spontaneous cyclization. The approach is general, autonomous, and can obviate the need for any additional enzymes. The catenane topology was convincingly proven using a combination of SDS-PAGE, LC-MS, size exclusion chromatography, controlled proteolytic digestion, and protein crystallography. The X-ray crystal structure clearly shows two mechanically interlocked protein rings with intact folded domains. It opens new avenues in the nascent field of protein-topology engineering.     

Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4): An Interface Enabler for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

Solid-state Li metal batteries (SSLMBs) have attracted considerable interests due to their promising energy density as well as high safety. However, the realization of a well-matched Li metal/solid-state electrolyte (SSE) interface remains challenging. Herein, we report g-C₃N₄ as a new interface enabler. We discover that introducing g-C₃N₄ into Li metal can not only convert the Li metal/garnet-type SSE interface from point contact to intimate contact but also greatly enhance the capability to suppress the dendritic Li formation because of the greatly enhanced viscosity, decreased surface tension of molten Li, and the in situ formation of Li₃N at the interface. Thus, the resulting Li-C₃N₄|SSE|Li-C₃N₄ symmetric cell gives a significantly low interfacial resistance of 11 Ω cm² and a high critical current density (CCD) of 1500 μA cm⁻². In contrast, the same symmetric cell configuration with pristine Li metal electrodes has a much larger interfacial resistance (428 Ω cm²) and a much lower CCD (50 μA cm⁻²).     

A Hydrolytically Stable Vanadium(IV) Metal–Organic Framework with Photocatalytic Bacteriostatic Activity for Autonomous Indoor Humidity Control

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with long-term stability and reversible high water uptake properties can be ideal candidates for water harvesting and indoor humidity control. Now, a mesoporous and highly stable MOF, BIT-66 is presented that has indoor humidity control capability and a photocatalytic bacteriostatic effect. BIT-66 (V₃(O)₃(H₂O)(BTB)₂), possesses prominent moisture tunability in the range of 45–60 % RH and a water uptake and working capacity of 71 and 55 wt %, respectively, showing good recyclability and excellent performance in water adsorption–desorption cycles. Importantly, this MOF demonstrates a unique photocatalytic bacteriostatic behavior under visible light, which can effectively ameliorate the bacteria and/or mold breeding problem in water adsorbing materials.     

杂原子掺杂提升四氧化三钴电催化性能

正发展电解水制氢和金属-空气电池等电化学能源转化与存储技术对于解决日益严峻的能源短缺和环境污染问题具有重要意义~1。氧气析出反应(OER)是电解水制氢和金属-空气电池的关键半反应,但其缓慢的动力学过程却限制了上述能源技术的快速发展~(2,3)。钌/铱基催化剂是当前最为有效     

具有优异甲醇耐受性的Rh掺杂PdCu有序金属间化合物纳米粒子增强氧还原电催化

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), as one of the important energy conversion devices, are of great interest in the fields of energy, catalysis and materials. However, the application of DMFCs is presently challenged because of the limited activity and durability of cathode catalysts as well as the poisoning issues caused by methanol permeation to the cathode during operation. Herein, we report a new class of Rh-doped PdCu nanoparticles (NPs) with ordered intermetallic structure for enhancing the activity and durability of the cathode for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and achieving superior methanol tolerance. The disordered Rh-doped PdCu NPs can be prepared via a simple wet-chemical method, followed by annealing to convert it to ordered phases. The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), power X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis and high resolution TEM (HRTEM) successfully demonstrate the formation of near-spherical NPs with an average size of 6.5 ± 0.5 nm and the conversion of the phase structure. The complete phase transition temperatures of Rh-doped PdCu NPs and PdCu are 500 and 400 ℃, respectively. The molar ratio of Rh/Pd/Cu in the as-synthesized Rh-doped PdCu NPs is 5/48/47. Benefitting from Rh doping and the presence of the ordered intermetallic structure, the Rh-doped PdCu intermetallic electrocatalyst achieves the maximum ORR mass activity of 0.96 A·mg^-1 at 0.9 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under alkaline conditions—a 7.4-fold enhancement compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. For different electrocatalysts, the ORR activities follow the sequence, ordered Rh-doped PdCu intermetallics > ordered PdCu intermetallics > disordered Rh-doped PdCu NPs > disordered PdCu NPs > commercial Pt/C catalyst. In addition, the distinct structure endows the Rh-doped PdCu intermetallics with highly stable ORR durability with unaltered half-wave potential (E_1/2) and mass activity after continuous 20000 cycles, which are higher than those of other electrocatalysts. Furthermore, the E_1/2 of the Rh-doped PdCu intermetallics decreases by only 5 mV after adding 0.5 mol·L^-1 methanol to the electrolyte, while the commercial Pt/C catalyst negatively shifts by 235 mV and a distinct oxidation peak can be observed. The results indicate that the ORR activity of the Rh-doped PdCu intermetallic electrocatalyst can be well maintained even in the presence of poisoning environment. Our results have demonstrated that Rh-doped PdCu NPs with ordered intermetallic structures is a potential electrocatalyst toward the next-generation high-performance DMFCs.     

可持续高分子-纤维素新材料研究进展

21世纪"绿色"化学已成为世界各国社会经济发展中的研究与开发战略方向.纤维素是自然界中储量最丰富的天然高分子,是重要的可再生资源以及未来的主要工业原料.然而由于纤维素存在着大量的分子内以及分子间氢键,其结构致密,难以溶解或熔融进一步加工.本文简要介绍了近几年来关于直接使用物理溶剂方法(非衍生化)对纤维素材料开发利用的新进展,主要包括以下4个方面:(1)纤维素在"绿色"溶剂-碱/尿素以及离子液体体系中的溶解和再生;(2)纳米纤维素的制备以及组装;(3)木材纳米技术的开发及利用;(4)细菌纤维素基材料等,旨在推进"绿色"技术实现纤维素资源的研究开发及利用.     

Modular Synthesis of Nona‐Decasaccharide Motif from Psidium guajava Polysaccharides: Orthogonal One‐Pot Glycosylation Strategy

The synthesis of long, branched, and complex carbohydrate sequences remains a challenging task in chemical synthesis. Reported here is an efficient and modular one‐pot synthesis of a nona‐decasaccharide and shorter sequences from Psidium guajava polysaccharides, which have the potent α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity. The synthetic strategy features: 1) several one‐pot glycosylation reactions on the basis of N‐phenyltrifluoroacetimidate (PTFAI) and Yu glycosylation to streamline the chemical synthesis of oligosaccharides, 2) the successful and efficient assembly sequences (first O3′, second O5′, final O2′) toward the challenging 2,3,5‐branched Araf motif, 3) the stereoselective 1,2‐cis‐glucosylation by reagent control, and 4) the convergent [6+6+7] one‐pot coupling reaction for the final assembly of the target nona‐decasaccharide. This orthogonal one‐pot glycosylation strategy can streamline the chemical synthesis of long, branched, and complicated carbohydrate chains.     

A Hydrolytically Stable Vanadium(IV) Metal–Organic Framework with Photocatalytic Bacteriostatic Activity for Autonomous Indoor Humidity Control

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with long‐term stability and reversible high water uptake properties can be ideal candidates for water harvesting and indoor humidity control. Now, a mesoporous and highly stable MOF, BIT‐66 is presented that has indoor humidity control capability and a photocatalytic bacteriostatic effect. BIT‐66 (V₃(O)₃(H₂O)(BTB)₂), possesses prominent moisture tunability in the range of 45–60 % RH and a water uptake and working capacity of 71 and 55 wt %, respectively, showing good recyclability and excellent performance in water adsorption–desorption cycles. Importantly, this MOF demonstrates a unique photocatalytic bacteriostatic behavior under visible light, which can effectively ameliorate the bacteria and/or mold breeding problem in water adsorbing materials.     

Building an Air Stable and Lithium Deposition Regulable Garnet Interface from Moderate‐Temperature Conversion Chemistry

Garnet‐type electrolytes suffer from unstable chemistry against air exposure, which generates contaminants on electrolyte surface and accounts for poor interfacial contact with the Li metal. Thermal treatment of the garnet at >700 °C could remove the surface contaminants, yet it regenerates the contaminants in the air, and aggravates the Li dendrite issue as more electron‐conducting defective sites are exposed. In a departure from the removal approach, here we report a new surface chemistry that converts the contaminants into a fluorinated interface at moderate temperature <180 °C. The modified interface shows a high electron tunneling barrier and a low energy barrier for Li⁺ surface diffusion, so that it enables dendrite‐proof Li plating/stripping at a high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm^?2. Moreover, the modified interface exhibits high chemical and electrochemical stability against air exposure, which prevents regeneration of contaminants and keeps high critical current density of 1.1 mA cm^?2. The new chemistry presents a practical solution for realization of high‐energy solid‐state Li metal batteries.     

Precisely Tuning Photothermal and Photodynamic Effects of Polymeric Nanoparticles by Controlled Copolymerization

Cancer possesses normoxic and hypoxia microenvironments with different levels of oxygen, needing different efficacies of photothermal and photodynamic therapies. It is important to precisely tune the photothermal and photodynamic effects of phototherapy nano‐agents for efficient cancer treatment. Now, a series of copolymeric nanoparticles (PPy‐Te NPs) were synthesized in situ by controlled oxidative copolymerization with different ratios of pyrrole to tellurophene by FeCl₃. The photothermal and photodynamic effects of semiconducting nano‐agents under the first near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation were precisely and systematically tuned upon simply varying the molar ratio of the pyrrole to tellurophene. The PPy‐Te NPs were used for cancer treatment in mice, exhibiting excellent biocompatibility and therapeutic effect. This work presents a simple method to tune photothermal and photodynamic therapies effect in semiconducting nano‐agents for cancer treatment.