Hexagonal La2O3 Nanocrystals Chemically Coupled with Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon as Efficient Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The construction of nano-scale hybrid materials with a smart interfacial structure, established by using rare earth oxides and carbon as building blocks, is essential for the development of economical and efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs). In this work, hexagonal La₂O₃ nanocrystals on a nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) derived from crop radish, served as building bricks, are prepared by chemical precipitation and then calcination at elevated temperatures. The obtained La₂O₃/NPC hybrid exhibits a very high ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.90 V, exceeding that of commercial Pt/C (0.83 V). Both DFT theoretical and experimental results have verified that the significantly enhanced catalytic performance is ascribed to the formation of the C−O−La covalent bonds between carbon and La₂O₃. Through the covalent bonds, electrons can transfer from the carbon to La₂O₃ and occupy the unfilled e_g orbital of the La₂O₃ phase. This results in the accelerated adsorption of active oxygen and the facilitated desorption of the surface hydroxides (OH_ad⁻), thereby promoting the ORR over the catalyst.     

Recent Advances in Iodine-Promoted C−S/N−S Bonds Formation

Sulfur-containing scaffold, as a ubiquitous structural motif, has been frequently used in natural products, bioactive chemicals and pharmaceuticals, particularly C−S/N−S bonds are indispensable in many biological important compounds and pharmaceuticals. Development of mild and general methods for C−S/N−S bonds formation has great significance in modern research. Iodine and its derivatives have been recognized as inexpensive, environmentally benign and easy-handled catalysts or reagents to promote the construction of C−S/N−S bonds under mild reaction conditions, with good regioselectivities and broad substrate scope. Especially based on this, several new strategies, such as oxidation relay strategy, have been greatly developed and accelerated the advancement of this field. This review focuses on recent advances in iodine and its derivatives promoted hybridized C−S/N−S bonds formation. The features and mechanisms of corresponding reactions are summarized and the results of some cases are compared with those of previous reports. In addition, the future of this domain is discussed.     

Ultrathin Mn Doped Ni-MOF Nanosheet Array for Highly Capacitive and Stable Asymmetric Supercapacitor

In this study, we demonstrate that an Mn-doped ultrathin Ni-MOF nanosheet array on nickel foam (Mn_0.1-Ni-MOF/NF) serves as a highly capacitive and stable supercapacitor positive electrode. The Mn_0.1-Ni-MOF/NF shows an areal capacity of 6.48 C cm⁻² (specific capacity C: 1178 C g⁻¹) at 2 mA cm⁻² in 6.0 m KOH, outperforming most reported MOF-based materials. More importantly, it possesses excellent cycle stability to maintain 80.6 % capacity after 5000 cycles. An asymmetric supercapacitor device utilizing Mn_0.1-Ni-MOF/NF as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode attains a high energy density of 39.6 Wh kg⁻¹ at 143.8 Wkg⁻¹ power density with a capacitance retention of 83.6 % after 5000 cycles.     

Remote Fluorination and Fluoroalkyl(thiol)ation Reactions

Remote functionalization reactions have the power to transform a C−H (or C−C) bond at a distant position from a functional group. This Review summarizes recent advances and key breakthroughs in remote fluorination, trifluoromethylation, difluoromethylation, trifluoromethylthiolation, and fluoroalkenylation reactions. Several powerful strategies have emerged to control the reactivity and distal selectivity such as the undirected radical approach, the 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer, the metal migration, the use of distant directing groups, and the ring-opening reactions. These unconventional and predictable C−H (and C−C) functionalization transformations should allow for the preparation of a wide range of otherwise-difficult-to-access alkyl, aromatic, heteroaromatic, and structurally complex fluorides.     

物理化学全线上教学的策略与实践

Remote teaching and learning have been adopted during the COVID-19 outbreak. In this particular period of time, a totally-online-teaching strategy was implemented by the teaching team of physical chemistry in Tianjin University. With the enrichment of learning resources, the optimization of the inspectors' teaching skills, as well as the elaborated managements of the whole learning process, the course has been given online successfully, though it is thought unsuitable for online teaching due to the abstruse theory and complex mathematical treatments involved in teaching. Both the central position of student and the leading role of teacher are greatly promoted in the newly developed totally-online-teaching process. The experiences obtained in this teaching process will lay great impact on teaching mode innovation in the future.     

有机化学实验线上课程之扬长避短教学设计与实践篇

It has been two months since a boom of online education triggered by the epidemic in China. At present, we are keeping focus on how to optimize our online class. In the case of chemistry laboratory courses, there's not much that can be done to experimental operations through online teaching. While for the traditional teaching procedure, there is still room for improvement in terms of integrating research to teaching, interactivity, etc. This paper will present some design strategies for improving teaching the organic chemistry laboratory online. To be specific, it describes how teaching materials like the lesson plan and virtual lab were coordinated into the online teaching. And we will also discuss the holistic approach to a better outcome for students' active learning and integration research into teaching by redesigning multiple phases, such as the pre-laboratory preparation, live online class, experimental operations.     

Silica microbeads capture fetal nucleated red blood cells for noninvasive prenatal testing of fetal ABO genotype

ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn (ABO-HDN), which may cause neonatal jaundice and polycythemia, or even stillbirth or neonatal death, is widespread in China. Prenatal testing for the fetal ABO blood group can reduce unnecessary concerns or ensure prompt treatment. Herein, we presented a method to employ high-density silica microbeads (SiO₂ MBs) for capturing fetal nucleated red blood cells (fnRBCs) in maternal peripheral blood, and we detected the ABO genotype of the fetus using these captured cells. We evaluated 52 patients using the SiO₂ MBs. Among 26 pregnant women with type O blood, 8 (30.8%) of the fetuses had type A blood, 5 (19.2%) had type B blood, and 13 (50%) had type O blood. SRY genes were detected in all 27 male fetuses. This study represents a simple and effective method for noninvasive prenatal detection of the fetal ABO genotype. We believe that this method has great potential for noninvasive prenatal testing of the fetal Rh blood group and other fetal diseases as well.     

Terahertz wave emission from water lin es

To make further understanding of terahertz(THz)wave generation from liquid water,we study THz wave emission from water lines of different diameters.The water line with a smaller diameter generates a stronger THz electric field for the diameters from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.The THz electric field strength and polarity change with the relative position between the incident laser and water line.Moreover,the THz energy has an optimal radiation angle of about 60°.A two-dimensional dipole array model is introduced to illustrate the phenomenon.Our observations contribute to optimizing the scheme of the liquid THz source.