Predicting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation with an automatically generated mechanism for acetylene pyrolysis

Using Reaction Mechanism Generator (RMG), we have automatically constructed a detailed mechanism for acetylene pyrolysis, which predicts formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) up to pyrene. To improve the data available for formation pathways from naphthalene to pyrene, new high‐pressure limit reaction rate coefficients and species thermochemistry were calculated using a combination of electronic structure data from the literature and new quantum calculations. Pressure‐dependent kinetics for the CH potential energy surface calculated by Zádor et al. were incorporated to ensure accurate pathways for acetylene initiation reactions. After adding these new data into the RMG database, a pressure‐dependent mechanism was generated in a single RMG simulation which captures chemistry from C to C. In general, the RMG‐generated model accurately predicts major species profiles in comparison to plug‐flow reactor data from the literature. The primary shortcoming of the model is that formation of anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene are underpredicted, and PAHs beyond pyrene are not captured. Reaction path analysis was performed for the RMG model to identify key pathways. Notable conclusions include the importance of accounting for the acetone impurity in acetylene in accurately predicting formation of odd‐carbon species, the remarkably low contribution of acetylene dimerization to vinylacetylene or diacetylene, and the dominance of the hydrogen abstraction CH addition (HACA) mechanism in the formation pathways to all PAH species in the model. This work demonstrates the improved ability of RMG to model PAH formation, while highlighting the need for more kinetics data for elementary reaction pathways to larger PAHs.     

Unraveling the mechanism of catalytic reactions through combined kinetic and thermodynamic analyses: Application to the condensation of ethanol

The combination of kinetic and thermodynamic analyses can provide an in-depth knowledge of the crucial steps of catalyzed reactions. Earlier examples are recalled to stress how a reaction mechanism can be supported or rejected based on trivial reactant and product concentration analyses. The method is then applied to the important reaction of alcohol condensation, the so-called Guerbet reaction, which enables converting ethanol, a renewable feedstock, into higher alcohols. Important conclusions regarding the design of ethanol condensation processes can be drawn, as the main reaction mechanism occurring at high temperatures (ca. 350–420 °C) appears to be different from that proposed at low temperatures (< 250 °C). In the former case, the pathway involving acetaldehyde is negligible, and therefore a multi-step process based on ethanol dehydrogenation followed by acetaldehyde self-aldolization would be irrelevant.     

Recent advances in round-the-clock photocatalytic system: Mechanisms,characterization techniques and applications

Solar energy-driven semiconductor photocatalysis has gathered increasing interest in the field of energy and environmental applications. However, a vital problem that limits its application is that photocatalysis requires a continuous light source to perform redox reaction. The ability of keeping catalytic activity in the dark has been the ultimate goal for the wide application of photocatalysis. More and more efforts have been paid to develop photocatalysts to perform photocatalytic reactions under both light and dark conditions, which is so called “round-the-clock photocatalytic system” (RTCPS). RTCPS with an ability of energy storage can work well under both daytime and nighttime, which widely used in the removal of heavy metal ion, the degradation of organic pollutant, disinfection and hydrogen generation. The important potential of RTCPS necessitate timely reviews of the recent advances to streamline efforts. Thus, this review aimed to summarize the recent advances in RTCPS, including the mechanism, characterization techniques and applications. Moreover, future challenge and research direction on the mechanistic study, material design and potential applications are also discussed.     

高碳烃宽温度范围燃烧机理构建及动力学模拟

发动机中燃料点火特性以及燃烧能量的释放对于发动机设计具有非常重要的作用,为了提高燃料的燃烧效率以及减少燃料在燃烧过程中污染物的排放,基于反应动力学机理对燃料燃烧过程的模拟就显得十分必要。因此需要更加深入的认识碳氢燃料的燃烧机理,探索其在燃烧过程中十分复杂的化学反应网络。为了发展能够适用于实际燃料多工况条件(宽温度范围、宽压力范围和不同当量比)燃烧的燃烧机理,基于碳氢燃料机理自动生成程序ReaxGen构建了正癸烷燃烧详细机理(包含1499个物种,5713步反应)和正十一烷燃烧详细机理(包含1843个物种,6993步反应)。详细机理主要由小分子核心机理和高碳烃类(C5以上)机理两部分组成。为了验证机理的合理性与可靠性,本文对于高碳烃燃烧新机理在点火延时时间以及物种浓度曲线进行了动力学分析,并与实验数据及国内外同类机理进行了对比,结果表明本文提出的正癸烷和正十一烷燃烧新机理在比较宽泛的温度、压力和当量比条件下都具有较高的模拟精度,为发展精确航空煤油燃烧模型提供了基础数据。同时考虑到详细机理的复杂性以及机理分析的计算量大和时耗长,本文基于误差传播的直接关系图形(Directed Relation Graph with Error Propagation,DRGEP)方法简化得到的包含709组分2793反应的正癸烷和包含820组分3115反应的正十一烷简化机理,使用DRGEP方法时所采用的数据点选自压力范围从1.0×10~5 Pa到1.0×10~6Pa,当量比范围从0.5到2.0,初始温度范围从600到1400时恒压点火的模拟结果在点火延迟时间附近区域的抽样,同时在正癸烷机理简化中选取正癸烷、O_2和N_2作为初始预选组分,正十一烷的机理简化中主要选取正十一烷、O_2和N_2作为初始预选组分,得到的简化机理在比较宽泛的条件下的预测结果与详细机理吻合很好。最后结合敏感度分析方法分析了正癸烷和正十一烷的点火延迟敏感性,考察了机理中影响点火的关键反应。结果表明:这些机理能够合理描述正癸烷和正十一烷的自点火特性,在工程计算流体力学仿真设计中有很好的应用前景。     

Chryseobaterium s p. S 7溶藻过程光谱学特性及机理研究

藻类的大量繁殖对饮用水源、养殖业、旅游业以及人类健康造成了极大的影响。溶藻细菌作为一种生物控制手段，在控制藻类爆发方面显示出了极大的潜力。课题组前期分离获得一株金黄杆菌属溶藻菌Chryseobaterium sp.S7，研究发现该菌株具有明显的溶藻作用，作用方式为通过分泌溶藻物质进行间接溶藻，为进一步揭示该菌的溶藻特征及机理，以铜绿微囊藻为目标藻种，运用UV-Vis，EEMs，FTIR和FCM技术，分析Chryseobaterium sp.S7溶藻过程的光谱特性。实验结论如下：将菌株发酵液与藻液共培养7 d，利用UV-Vis和EEMs技术对藻细胞Chla含量与PC荧光值变化趋势进行分析，结果显示：藻细胞Chla含量在第1 d便开始下降，表明在短时间内，细菌胞外溶藻物质便可快速作用于藻细胞，第7 d时Chla去除率为59.37%。藻细胞PC荧光值也呈现下降趋势，与Chla变化趋势表现为一致性，表明在溶藻过程中伴有Chla和PC的减少。FTIR分析结果显示：藻细胞结构中的C=O， C-H，O-H键分别在1 647，2 927和3 475~3 437 cm-1处的吸收峰强度明显减弱，表明藻细胞内的多糖物质和蛋白质结构可能被破坏，处于2 500~1 700 cm-1范围的若干小吸收峰则进一步表明藻细胞解体的现象。分别在共培养第3 d和第7 d时对藻液进行PI特异染色，应用FCM对藻细胞PI特异性荧光和Chla，PC自发荧光特性进行分析，结果显示，在细菌S7的溶藻过程中，藻细胞PI特异性荧光逐渐增强，Chla、PC自发荧光呈下降趋势、表明藻细胞膜、Chla、PC三者破坏程度在溶藻过程中具有紧密的内在联系和较高的一致性。溶藻过程中藻细胞表现为多种形式的损伤，且损伤处于动态变化过程中，由Q1（Q5）区细胞按顺序逐步向Q4（Q8）区细胞移动。推测Chryseobaterium sp.S7可能的溶藻过程为：细菌将溶藻活性物质释放到细胞外，溶藻活性物质通过破坏铜绿微囊藻细胞膜中的多糖和蛋白质的结构，增加膜的通透性，进一步破坏胞体内的Chla，PC和DNA/RNA等物质，使藻体裂解死亡，最终形成细胞碎片。通过对Chryseobaterium sp.S7溶藻过程藻细胞的光谱学特性的分析，初步揭示了Chryseobaterium sp.S7的溶藻机理，为微生物控藻及修复技术提供了理论依据。     

Type I Photosensitizer Targeting G-Quadruplex RNA Elicits Augmented Immunity for Cancer Ablation

Type I photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a promising treatment modality for tumors with intrinsic hypoxia. However, type I photosensitizers (PSs), especially ones with near infrared (NIR) absorption, are limited and their efficacy needs improvement via new targeting tactics. We develop a NIR type I PS by engineering acridinium derived donor-π-acceptor systems. The PS exhibits an exclusive type I PDT mechanism due to effective intersystem crossing and disfavored energy transfer to O₂, and shows selective binding to G-quadruplexes (G4s) via hydrogen bonds identified by a molecular docking study. Moreover, it enables fluorogenic detection of G4s and efficient O₂⋅⁻ production in hypoxic conditions, leading to immunogenic cell death and substantial variations of gene expression in RNA sequencing. Our strategy demonstrates augmented antitumor immunity for effective ablation of immunogenic cold tumor, highlighting its potential of RNA-targeted type I PDT in precision cancer therapy.     

Highly Cooperative CO2 Adsorption via a Cation Crowding Mechanism on a Cesium-Exchanged Phillipsite Zeolite

An understanding of the CO₂ adsorption mechanisms on small-pore zeolites is of practical importance in the development of more efficient adsorbents for the separation of CO₂ from N₂ or CH₄. Here we report that the CO₂ isotherms at 25–75 °C on cesium-exchanged phillipsite zeolite with a Si/Al ratio of 2.5 (Cs-PHI-2.5) are characterized by a rectilinear step shape: limited uptake at low CO₂ pressure (P_CO2) is followed by highly cooperative uptake at a critical pressure, above which adsorption rapidly approaches capacity (2.0 mmol g⁻¹). Structural analysis reveals that this isotherm behavior is attributed to the high concentration and large size of Cs⁺ ions in dehydrated Cs-PHI-2.5. This results in Cs⁺ cation crowding and subsequent dispersal at a critical loading of CO₂, which allows the PHI framework to relax to its wide pore form and enables its pores to fill with CO₂ over a very narrow range of P_CO2. Such a highly cooperative phenomenon has not been observed for other zeolites.     

Mechanistic Elucidations of Highly Dispersed Metalloporphyrin Metal-Organic Framework Catalysts for CO2 Electroreduction

Immobilization of porphyrin complexes into crystalline metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) enables high exposure of porphyrin active sites for CO₂ electroreduction. Herein, well-dispersed iron-porphyrin-based MOF (PCN-222(Fe)) on carbon-based electrodes revealed optimal turnover frequencies for CO₂ electroreduction to CO at 1 wt.% catalyst loading, beyond which the intrinsic catalyst activity declined due to CO₂ mass transport limitations. In situ Raman suggested that PCN-222(Fe) maintained its structure under electrochemical bias, permitting mechanistic investigations. These revealed a stepwise electron transfer-proton transfer mechanism for CO₂ electroreduction on PCN-222(Fe) electrodes, which followed a shift from a rate-limiting electron transfer to CO₂ mass transfer as the potential increased from −0.6 V to −1.0 V vs. RHE. Our results demonstrate how intrinsic catalytic investigations and in situ spectroscopy are needed to elucidate CO₂ electroreduction mechanisms on PCN-222(Fe) MOFs.     

Optimizing Acetylene Sorption through Induced-fit Transformations in a Chemically Stable Microporous Framework

Developing practical storage technologies for acetylene (C₂H₂) is important but challenging because C₂H₂ is useful but explosive. Here, a novel metal–organic framework (MOF) ( FJI-H36 ) with adaptive channels was prepared. It can effectively capture C₂H₂ (159.9 cm³ cm⁻³) at 1 atm and 298 K, possessing a record-high storage density (561 g L⁻¹) but a very low adsorption enthalpy (28 kJ mol⁻¹) among all the reported MOFs. Structural analyses show that such excellent adsorption performance comes from the synergism of active sites, flexible framework, and matched pores; where the adsorbed-C₂H₂ can drive FJI-H36 to undergo induced-fit transformations step by step, including deformation/reconstruction of channels, contraction of pores, and transformation of active sites, finally leading to dense packing of C₂H₂. Moreover, FJI-H36 has excellent chemical stability and recyclability, and can be prepared on a large scale, enabling it as a practical adsorbent for C₂H₂. This will provide a useful strategy for developing practical and efficient adsorbents for C₂H₂ storage.     

Overcoming Cancer Resistance to Platinum Drugs by Inhibiting Cholesterol Metabolism

Drug resistance is a serious challenge for platinum anticancer drugs. Platinum complexes may get over the drug resistance via a distinct mechanism of action. Cholesterol is a key factor contributing to the drug resistance. Inhibiting cellular cholesterol synthesis and uptake provides an alternative strategy for cancer treatment. Platinum(IV) complexes FP and DFP with fenofibric acid as axial ligand(s) were designed to combat the drug resistance through regulating cholesterol metabolism besides damaging DNA. In addition to producing reactive oxygen species and active platinum(II) species to damage DNA, FP and DFP inhibited cellular cholesterol accumulation, promoted cholesterol efflux, upregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), induced caspase-1 activation and gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage, thus leading to both apoptosis and pyroptosis in cancer cells. The reduction of cholesterol significantly relieved the drug resistance of cancer cells. The double-acting mechanism gave the complexes strong anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo, particularly against cisplatin-resistant cancer cells.