Recent advances in microbial fuel cell-based toxicity biosensors: Strategies for enhanced toxicity response

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been extensively studied as self-powered toxicity biosensors; however, their applications are limited by the relatively poor toxicity responses. The toxicity responses are known to be related to the factors such as the resistance of species to toxicants, the bioavailability of toxicants and the type of sensing elements. Accordingly, some strategies have already been proposed to enhance the toxicity responses in the past several years, including the external resistance tuning, quorum sensing effect, shear stress control, nutrient level control, electrode material choice, sensing element choice, and cell configuration design. This work introduces and discusses these strategies, and the suggestion for future work is also provided finally.     

Novel Amphiphilic Block Copolymers for the Formation of Stimuli-Responsive Non-Lamellar Lipid Nanoparticles

Non-lamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) lipid nanoparticles contain internal multidimensional nanostructures such as the inverse bicontinuous cubic and the inverse hexagonal mesophases, which can respond to external stimuli and have the potential of controlling drug release. To date, the internal LLC mesophase responsiveness of these lipid nanoparticles is largely achieved by adding ionizable small molecules to the parent lipid such as monoolein (MO), the mixture of which is then dispersed into nanoparticle suspensions by commercially available poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide) block copolymers. In this study, the Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) technique was used to synthesize a series of novel amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) containing a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block, a hydrophobic block and one or two responsive blocks, i.e., poly(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl acrylate) (PTBA) and/or poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA). High throughput small angle X-ray scattering studies demonstrated that the synthesized ABCs could simultaneously stabilize a range of LLC MO nanoparticles (vesicles, cubosomes, hexosomes, inverse micelles) and provide internal particle nanostructure responsiveness to changes of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations, pH and temperature. It was found that the novel functional ABCs can substitute for the commercial polymer stabilizer and the ionizable additive in the formation of next generation non-lamellar lipid nanoparticles. These novel formulations have the potential to control drug release in the tumor microenvironment with endogenous H₂O₂ and acidic pH conditions.     

Copper Nanoparticles In鄄Situ Anchored on Nitrogen鄄Doped Carbon for High鄄Efficiency Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst北大核心CSCD

Compared with noble metal platinum (Pt)-based catalysts, inexpensive non-noble metal electrocatalysts have attracted extensive attention for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, chitosan as a kind of biomass resource rich in nitrogen and carbon was used to prepare nitrogen-doped carbon (N-C) and N-C in-situ anchored by copper nanoparticles (Cu/N-C). The as-obtained N-C and Cu/N-C nanoparticles were successfully used as non-noble eletrocatalysts tested for ORR. Compared with the N-C, the Cu/N-C showed the high surface area of 607.3 m2窑g-1 with the mean pore size of 2.5 nm and the pore volume of 0.40 cm3窑g-1. The most positive Gibbs free energy change was the rate determining step for ORR process with the 4e mechanism, where the value of the Cu (111)/N-C(-0.39 eV) was lower than that of the N-C(-0.26 eV). The Cu/N-C exhibited superior onset and half-wave potentials (0.96 V and 0.84 V, respectively) in alkaline media (0.1 mol窑L-1 KOH), all of which are much better than those measured for N-C and commercial Pt/C. Furthermore, the Cu/N-C showed superior methanol crossover avoidance and oxygen reduction stability. © 2021 Authors. All rights reserved.     

Conductive 2D Metal-organic Framework (Co,NiCo, Ni) Nanosheets for Enhanced Non-enzymatic Detection of Urea

2D metal-organic framework (MOF) has potential applications in electrocatalysis owing to fast mass transfer, charge transfer and large specific surface area. Here, we had prepared three conductive 2D MOF based on Ni, NiCo and Co in a simple and rapid way. The 2D nanostructure of MOF was confirmed by SEM and TEM. The chemical composition was studied by XRD, Raman and XPS spectrum. The electrochemical oxidation and detection was investigated through cyclic voltammetry and current-time method. Their sensing performance for urea was determined by varying oxidation potentials and metal sites. The non-enzymatic Ni-, NiCo- and Co-MOF sensors had good catalytic activity for urea. Compared with NiCo- and Co-MOF, Ni-MOF had a wider linear range (0.5–832.5 μM), high sensitivity (1960 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²), low detection limit (0.471 μM), and fast response time. The sensors had well repeatability, reproducibility, and selectivity to specific interfering species. Furthermore, Ni- and NiCo-MOF modified electrode was also applied to detection of milk samples. The results showed that the recovery was satisfactory, which further confirmed the effectiveness of non-enzyme sensor. In general, the highly-sensitive 2D Ni- and NiCo-MOF modified electrode has great potential as nonenzymatic urea sensors for real samples detection in hydrogen energy, clinical diagnostics, and environmental protection, et al.     

A 100 kHz Narrow-Pulse-Width Mid-Infrared Optical Parametric Oscillator Based on PPMgLN Crystal

We report a narrow pulse width optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃ (PPMgLN) with a high repetition rate under quasi-phase matched conditions. When the maximum pumping power of the 1,064-nm laser was 14.57 W, the acousto-optical (A-O) Q-switch repetition rate was 100 kHz, and the PPMgLN crystal grating period was 29.5 μm. A 1,474-nm signal light output power of 4.21 W and a 3,828 nm idler light output power of 1.547 W were obtained, corresponding to a pulse width of 9.52 ns and 9.65 ns, respectively. The overall optical–optical conversion efficiency was 39.5%. Additionally, by changing the temperature from 25°C to 150°C, a tunable signal wavelength of 1,474–1,499 nm and idler wavelength at 3,676–3,828 nm of the output laser were achieved.     

V掺杂ZnO透明导电薄膜研究

本文分别采用磁控溅射技术与基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法两种方式, 对高价态差元素V掺杂ZnO薄膜进行研究. 实验研究结果表明: V的掺入并未改变ZnO的生长方式, 所制备的薄膜都呈(002)择优生长; 随着衬底温度增加, VZO薄膜的结晶质量逐步改善, 当衬底温度超过280 ℃时薄膜的结晶质量恶化; 在280 ℃时获得的VZO薄膜电阻率最低3.8×10^-3 Ω·m, 500-2000 nm平均透过率高于85%. 理论模拟结果表明: V以替位形式掺入ZnO六角纤锌矿晶格结构中, 费米能级进入导带, 材料表现出n 型半导体的特性, 导电电子主要由V 3d及O 2p电子轨道提供. 理论计算结果与实验结果的一致性, 表明VZO薄膜具有作为高效Si基薄膜太阳电池透明导电薄膜的应用潜力.     

Superfluid-insulator transition of strongly interacting fermi gases in optical lattices

We study a quantum phase transition between fermion superfluid (SF) and band insulator (BI) of fermions in optical lattices. The destruction of the band insulator is driven by the energy gain in promoting fermions from valance band to various conducting bands to form Cooper pairs. We show that the transition must take place in lattice height Vo/ER between 2.23 and 4.14. The latter is the prediction of mean-field theory while the former is the value for opening a band gap. As one moves across resonance to the molecule side, the SF-BI transition evolves into the SF-Mott-insulator transition of bosonic molecules. We shall also present the global phase diagram for SF-insulator transition for the BCS-BEC family.     

Experimental demonstration of improved neoclassical transport with quasihelical symmetry

Differences in the electron particle and thermal transport are reported between plasmas produced in a quasihelically symmetric (QHS) magnetic field and a configuration with the symmetry broken. The thermal diffusivity is reduced in the QHS configuration, resulting in higher electron temperatures than in the nonsymmetric configuration for a fixed power input. The density profile in QHS plasmas is centrally peaked, and in the nonsymmetric configuration the core density profile is hollow. The hollow profile is due to neoclassical thermodiffusion, which is reduced in the QHS configuration.     

Cobalt and nitrogen atoms co-doped porous carbon for advanced electrical double-layer capacitors

Electrical double-laye r capacitors are widely concerned fo r their high power density,long cycling life and high cycling efficiency.However,their wide application is limited by their low energy density.In this study,we propose a simple yet environmental friendly method to synthesize cobalt and nitrogen atoms co-doped porous carbon(CoAT-NC) material.Cobalt atoms connected with primarily pyridinic nitrogen atoms can be uniformly dispersed in the amorphous carbon matrix,which is benefit for improving electrical conductivity and density of states of the carbon material.Therefore,an enhanced perfo rmance is expected when CoAT-NC is served as electrode in a supercapacitor device.CoAT-NC displays a good gravimetric capacitance of 160 F/g at 0.5 A/g combing with outstanding capacitance retention of 90% at an extremely high current density of 100 A/g in acid electrolyte.Furthermore,a good energy density of30 Wh/kg can be obtained in the organic electrolyte.     

Self-assembled lamellar nanochannels in polyoxometalate-polymer nanocomposites for proton conduction

The construction of nanostructured ion-transport channels is highly desirable in the design of advanced electrolyte materials,as it can enhance ion conductivity by offering short ion-transport pathways.In this work,we present a supramolecular strategy to fabricate a nanocomposite electrolyte containing highly ordered lamellar proton-conducting nanochannels,by the electrostatic self-assembly of a polyoxometalate H_3 PW_(12)O_(4 O)(PW) and a comb copolymer poly(4-methlstyrene)-graft-poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone).PW can effectively regulate the self-assembling order of polymer moieties to form a large-ra nge lamellar structure,meanwhile,introducing protons into the nanoscale lamellar domains to build proton transport channels.Moreover,the rigid PW clusters contribute a remarkable mechanical reinforcement to the nanocomposites.The lamellar nanocomposite exhibits a conductivity of 4.3 × 10~(-4) S/cm and a storage modulus of 1.1 × 10~7 Pa at room temperature.This study provides a new strategy to construct nanostructured ion-conductive pathways in electrolyte materials.