Transition probabilities of the X1Σ+, A1Π, B1Δ, C1Σ+, and D1Π states of the AlO+ cation

ABSTRACT

This study computes the potential energy curves of the X¹Σ⁺, A¹Π, B¹Δ, C¹Σ⁺, and D¹Π states of AlO⁺ cation and the transition dipole moments between them. The orders of the rotationless radiative lifetimes are 10–100?μs for the A¹Π state, 1–1000?ms for the B¹Δ state, 10?ns for the first well and 100?ns for the second well of the C¹Σ⁺ state, and 1?μs for the D¹Π state. Emissions of the B¹Δ–A¹Π and D¹Π–C¹Σ⁺ systems are so weak that they are hardly measured via spectroscopy, the emissions of the C¹Σ⁺–X¹Σ⁺, C¹Σ⁺–A¹Π, and D¹Π–X¹Σ⁺ systems are so strong that they can be detected readily, and emissions of the A¹Π–X¹Σ⁺ and D¹Π–A¹Π systems can be observed through spectroscopy only by a significant effort. There is a strong great similarity between spontaneous emissions of the A¹Π–X¹Σ⁺ system of the AlO⁺ cation and the A²Π–X²Σ⁺ system of the AlO radical. The emissions of the A²Π–X²Σ⁺ system of the AlO radical have been measured in outer space Therefore, it is highly possible that the emissions of the A¹Π–X¹Σ⁺ system of the AlO⁺ cation can be detected in the astrophysical media.     

FRET-based ratiometric fluorescent detection of arginine in mitochondrion with a hybrid nanoprobe

A ratiometric fluorescent hybrid nanoprobe CDs-1 for arginine(Arg),exhibiting high sensitivity(the limit of detection,LOD,being 6.5×10^-8 mol/L) and excellent selectivity and anti-interference ability,was fabricated through fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET) and the electrostatic attraction between positively-charged hemicyanine molecules and negatively-charged carbon dots(CDs).Arg can be quantitatively detected in the concentration range from 6.0×10^-5 mol/L to 2.7×10^-4 mol/L.Further,due to its ability to target mitochondrion and low cytotoxicity,intracellular Arg was succes s fully tracked through ratiometric fluorescence imaging.     

Cuprous oxide/titanium dioxide composite photocatalytic decolorization of reactive brilliant red X-3B dyes wastewater under visible light

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In recent years, how to improve photocatalytic performance under visible light has become one of the research hot topics. The nano-TiO2 particles were...     

Preparing molecularly imprinted nanoparticles of saponins via cooperative imprinting strategy

Saponin is an important class of natural products with various pharmacological activities. The selective separation of saponins is an essential step before further analysis. Molecular imprinting has been an effective strategy for preparing antibody mimics. However, a facile and efficient imprinting strategy for saponins is still lacking owing to their amphiphilic nature. Herein, we have prepared the saponins imprinted nanoparticles via cooperative imprinting strategy. This new strategy relies on the combination of various non‐covalent interactions (hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding) and covalent boronate affinity interactions. The obtained imprinted nanoparticles could rebind specific saponins from complex matrices with good selectivity, superb tolerance to interference, and fast binding equilibrium. This method was verified to be versatile and facile. Thus, this strategy could greatly facilitate the preparation of imprinted nanoparticles for the specific recognition of saponins.     

3-O-Sulfation of Heparan Sulfate Enhances Tau Interaction and Cellular Uptake

Prion-like transcellular spreading of tau in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is mediated by tau binding to cell surface heparan sulfate (HS). However, the structural determinants for tau–HS interaction are not well understood. Microarray and SPR assays of structurally defined HS oligosaccharides show that a rare 3-O-sulfation (3-O-S) of HS significantly enhances tau binding. In Hs3st1^−/− (HS 3-O-sulfotransferase-1 knockout) cells, reduced 3-O-S levels of HS diminished both cell surface binding and internalization of tau. In a cell culture, the addition of a 3-O-S HS 12-mer reduced both tau cell surface binding and cellular uptake. NMR titrations mapped 3-O-S binding sites to the microtubule binding repeat 2 (R2) and proline-rich region 2 (PRR2) of tau. Tau is only the seventh protein currently known to recognize HS 3-O-sulfation. Our work demonstrates that this rare 3-O-sulfation enhances tau–HS binding and likely the transcellular spread of tau, providing a novel target for disease-modifying treatment of AD and other tauopathies.     

An Optical Sensing Platform for Beta-Glucosidase Activity Using Protein-Inorganic Hybrid Nanoflowers

In this work, a convenient and dual-signal readout optical sensing platform for the sensitively and selectively determination of beta-glucosidase (β-Glu) activity was reported using protein-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers [BSA-Cu₃(PO₄)₂·3H₂O] possessing peroxidase-mimicking activity. The nanoflowers (NFs) were facilely synthesized through a self-assembled synthesis strategy at room temperature. The as-prepared NFs could catalytically convert the colorless and non-fluorescent Amplex Red into colored and highly fluorescent resorufin in the presence of hydrogen peroxide via electron transfer process. β-Glu could hydrolyze cyanogenic glycoside, using amygdalin (Amy) as a model, into cyanide ions (CN^?), which can subsequently efficiently suppress the catalytic activity of NFs, accompanied with the fluorescence decrease and the color fading. The concentration of CN^? was controlled by β-Glu-triggered enzymatic reaction of Amy. Thus, a sensing system was established for fluorescent and visual determination of β-Glu activity. Under the optimum conditions, the present fluorescent and visual bimodal sensing platform exhibited good sensitivity for β-Glu activity assay with a detection limit of 0.33 U·L^?1. The sensing platform was further applied to determinate β-Glu in real samples and satisfactory results were attained. Additionally, the optical sensing system can potentially be a promising candidate for β-Glu inhibitors screening.

     

Nanostructured copper‐coated solid‐phase microextraction fiber for gas chromatographic analysis of dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate environmental estrogens

A novel nanostructured copper‐based solid‐phase microextraction fiber was developed and applied for determining the two most common types of phthalate environmental estrogens (dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate) in aqueous samples, coupled to gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The copper film was coated onto a stainless‐steel wire via an electroless plating process, which involved a surface activation process to improve the surface properties of the fiber. Several parameters affecting extraction efficiency such as extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, desorption temperature, and desorption time were optimized by a factor‐by‐factor procedure to obtain the highest extraction efficiency. The as‐established method showed wide linear ranges (0.05–250 μg/L). Precision of single fiber repeatability was <7.0%, and fiber‐to‐fiber repeatability was <10%. Limits of detection were 0.01 μg/L. The proposed method exhibited better or comparable extraction performance compared with commercial and other lab‐made fibers, and excellent thermal stability and durability. The proposed method was applied successfully for the determination of model analytes in plastic soaking water.     

Molecular engineering tuning optoelectronic properties of thieno[3,2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]thiophenes-based electrochromic polymers

Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT) monomers end-capped with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) moieties are electropolymerized to form π-conjugated polymers with distinct electrochromic (EC) properties. Steric and electronic factors (electron donor and acceptor substituents) in the side groups of the TT core, as well as the structure of the polymer backbone strongly affect the electrochemical and optical properties of the polymers and their electrochromic characteristics. The studied polymers show low oxidation potentials, tunable from–0.78 to +0.30 V (vs. Fc/Fc⁺) and the band gaps from 1.46 to 1.92 eV and demonstrate wide variety of color palettes in polymer films in different states, finely tunable by structural variations in the polymer backbone and the side chains. EC materials of different colors in their doped/dedoped states have been developed (violet, deep blue, light blue, green, brown, purple-red, pinkish-red, orange-red, light gray, cyan and colorless transparent). High optical contrast (up to 79%), short response time (0.57–0.80 s), good cycling stability (up to 91% at 2000 cycles) and high coloration efficiency (up to 234.6 cm² C^–1) have been demonstrated and the influence of different factors on the above parameters of EC polymers have been discussed.     

Diazabicyclic Electroactive Ionenes for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells

Electroactive ionenes combining caged-shaped diazabicyclic cations and aromatic diimides were developed as interlayers in organic solar cells (OSCs). These ionenes reduce the work-function of air-stable metal electrodes (e.g., Ag, Cu and Au) by generating strong interfacial dipoles, and their optoelectronic and morphological characters can be modulated by aromatic diimides, leading to high conductivity and good compatibility with active layers. The optimal ionene exhibits superior charge-transport, desirable crystallinity, and weak visible-absorption, boosting the efficiency of benchmark PM6 : Y6-based OSCs up to 17.44 %. The corresponding normal devices show excellent stability at maximum power point test under one sun illumination for 1000 h. Replacing Y6 with L8-BO promotes the efficiency to 18.43 %, one of the highest in binary OSCs. Notably, high efficiencies >16 % are maintained as the interlayer thickness increasing to 105 nm, the best result with interlayer-thickness over 100 nm.     

Enhanced Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation by Interfacial Phase Transition and Photothermal Effect in Multiply Heterostructured Co9S8/Co3S4/Cu2S Nanohybrids

The rational design of advanced nanohybrids (NHs) with optimized interface electronic environment and rapid reaction kinetics is pivotal to electrocatalytic schedule. Herein, we developed a multiple heterogeneous Co₉S₈/Co₃S₄/Cu₂S nanoparticle in which Co₃S₄ germinates between Co₉S₈ and Cu₂S. Using high-angle annular-dark-field imaging and theoretical calculation, it was found that the integration of Co₉S₈ and Cu₂S tends to trigger the interface phase transition of Co₉S₈, leading to Co₃S₄ interlayer due to the low formation energy of Co₃S₄/Cu₂S (−7.61 eV) than Co₉S₈/Cu₂S (−5.86 eV). Such phase transition not only lowers the energy barrier of oxygen evolution reaction (OER, from 0.335 eV to 0.297 eV), but also increases charge carrier density (from 7.76×10¹⁴ to 2.09×10¹⁵ cm⁻³), and creates more active sites. Compared to Co₉S₈ and Cu₂S, the Co₉S₈/Co₃S₄/Cu₂S NHs also demonstrate notable photothermal effect that can heat the catalyst locally, offset the endothermic enthalpy change of OER, and promote carrier migrate, reaction intermediates adsorption/deprotonation to improve reaction kinetics. Profiting from these favorable factors, the Co₉S₈/Co₃S₄/Cu₂S catalyst only requires an OER overpotential of 181 mV and overall water splitting cell voltage of 1.43 V to driven 10 mA cm⁻² under the irradiation of near-infrared light, outperforming those without light irradiation and many reported Co-based catalysts.