Sols of core–shell silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are synthesized by electrochemical method. The method provides the ability to adjust the particle size by changing both the concentration of oleic acid and the residence time τ0 in the organic phase. We synthesized AgNPs with oleic acid (OA) concentration of 0.25% (AgNPs & 0.25% OA) and 0.75% (AgNPs & 0.75% OA). These nanoparticles have been studied using modern physical–chemical methods. Differential thermal analysis curves indicate the chemical nature of bond ligand in the secondary shell; this conclusion is confirmed by quantum chemical simulation and semi-empirical calculation. In the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of silver-containing sols AgNPs & 0.25% OA and AgNPs & 0.75% OA complex wide asymmetric signals of 500–800 G and g-factor of 2.09–2.13 are recorded, in addition, in the spectra of AgNPs with bilayer the pronounced ferromagnetic contribution is observed. The change of the oleic acid layers of the particles affects the dimension of the nanocrystallites that are being formed and the manifestation of their magnetism.
Trial registration number and date of registration JCS-P-20-03-0188.R1, 22-Sep-2020 (02-Mar-2020)
Graphic AbstractElectrodeposition of metal adlayers on semiconductor metal chalcogenides (CdSe, CdS, PbTe, PbSe, PbS, Bi2Te3) is reviewed. Cathodic underpotential deposition of metal adlayer on metal chalcogenide is the electrochemically irreversible surface limited reaction. The irreversibility of the upd increases in the row from tellurides to selenides and further to sulfides. The underpotential shift on chalcogenide nanoparticles increases with particle size. Metal upd on chalcogenides is applied as a means of measurement of electroactive surface area of chalcogenide electrodes. The method is especially advantageous for multicomponent systems with other component not supporting upd, such as CdSe-TiO2, CdSe-ZnO. Differences of voltammetric profiles of Pb upd on Bi2Te3 and Te are applied for detection of Bi2Te3 surface contamination by elemental tellurium. The further tasks in the electrochemistry of metal adlayers are their incorporation as interlayers in layered chalcogenides and electrodeposition of superlattices.
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Herein, a green and efficient heterogeneous and photocatalytic system for the oxidation of bisnaphthols in acetonitrile under light-emitting diode will be presented. In this reaction, aerial oxygen and H2O2 have been used as oxidant in the presence of copper ferrite nanoparticles and N-hydroxyphthalimide as an organic co-catalyst. Copper ferrite nanoparticles were magnetically separated, the efficiency of which remained nearly unchanged up to five cycles. Magnetic copper ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, VSM and DRS analysis. In this project, both sets of diastereomers were formed.
Graphical abstractCatalytic system for the oxidation of bisnaphthols.
In this paper, we developed a microbial route to fabricate wood-inspired biomimetic composites comparable to natural wood. Focusing on the chemical composition of woody biomass, we performed in situ bioprocessing of bacterial cellulose (BC) imbibed in modified cationic lignin (Catlig), which exhibited significant bioactivity in improving the microbial growth dynamics. The structural and morphological characteristics were enhanced by the formation of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between BC and Catlig during biosynthesis. Microbially derived BC/Catlig composites exhibited enhanced thermal stability and crystallinity, with oriented cellulose fibers. The tensile properties, toughness, and specific strength of BC/Catlig composites were comparable to those of a heavy wood species (Zelkova serrata) under hydrated conditions and synthetic soft materials.
Graphic abstractIn this work, the electrochemical performance of Na-doped layered cathode material LiCoO2 for Li-ion batteries is studied using first-principles calculations. The results show that the doped Na ion acts as a pillar, which can greatly increase the diffusion rate of Li ions, but it is not conducive to improving cycle performance and delithiation potential. These research results provide a theoretical reference for the study of Li-ion batteries with high-rate performance. Due to the conflicting role of single element doping, the multi-element co-doping strategy will be the best way to develop high-performance Li-ion batteries.
Graphical abstractWith the purpose of fast characterization of electrode reactions, a dynamic electrochemical impedance spectrum (dEIS) measurement system has been assembled which permits the continuous collection of audio-frequency impedance spectra while performing cyclic voltammetry measurements with the usual scan rates of up to 200 mV/s. The performance of this system was tested by analyzing the CV curves and impedance spectra taken simultaneously in ferro-/ferricyanide containing aqueous solutions yielding an experimental demonstration of the connection of the semi-integrated reversible voltammograms and the Warburg coefficients.
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We present a new observation of electrochemical oscillation during the reduction of Co2+ from sulfate solution in the presence of but-2-yne-1,4-diol (butynediol) as an additive. Cyclic voltammetry, hydrodynamic voltammetry at galvanostatic condition, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies suggest that the electrochemical oscillation observed was a relaxation type and was the manifestation of adsorbed hydrogen formation by electrochemical reduction of protons on cobalt and their chemical removal by semi-hydrogenation of butynediol to butenediol during the initial stages of electrodeposition.
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Exosomes are membrane-bound vesicles secreted by cells, and contain various important biological molecules, such as lipids, proteins, messenger RNAs, microRNAs, and noncoding RNAs. Emerging evidence demonstrates that proteomic analysis of exosomes is of great significance in studying metabolic diseases, tumor metastasis, immune regulation, and so forth. However, exosome proteomic analysis has high requirements with regard to the purity of collected exosomes. Here recent advances in the methods for isolating exosomes and their applications in proteomic analysis are summarized.
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Metals often are classified as “noble” or “base”—characterizing their reduction potential as one of the most important chemical properties. We show that metals are only as noble as allowed by their environment, i.e. this is a relative term, and the “frame of reference” simply is the solvent in which the redox system is present. We prove that silver is a prime example for a noble metal that forfeits its noble character in the simple ionic liquid HMIM Br (1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide) as an example for such a solvent.
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An eco-friendly method for diversity-oriented synthesis of substituted dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole and benzylpyrazolyl coumarin derivatives has been achieved via one-pot and multicomponent reaction in the presence of PdO/Al-SBA-15 as an efficient and recyclable catalyst in H2O/EtOH under reflux conditions. The significant merits of this method are wide scope, high yields of the desired products, short reaction times and simple workup procedure. In addition, this nanocatalyst was simply recovered and reused five times without significant loss in catalytic activity and also performance.
Graphical abstractThe development of a simple surface barrier discharge plasma device is presented to enable more widespread access to and utilization of plasma technology. The application of the plasma device was demonstrated for pretreatment of wood prior to application of protective coatings for outdoor usage. The coatings' overall performance was increased, showing a reduction or absence of cracking due to weathering on plasma-pretreated specimens. Moreover, after ten months of outdoor weathering, the plasma-pretreated specimens showed fewer infections with biotic factors and improved adhesion performance in cross-cut tests, while the surface gloss performed independently from plasma pretreatment. In contrast to that, plasma-pretreated specimens were slightly more prone to discoloration due to outdoor weathering, whereas the plasma pretreatment did not impact the initial color after coating application.
Graphic abstractThis study introduces an effective route to fabricate chitosan (CS)-based film. The films were prepared through cross-linking reaction between CS and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) using epichlorohydrin (ECH) as the cross-linker and simultaneously in-situ loading with CuO nanoparticles. FT-IR and loading efficiency results indicated the occurrence of inter- and intra-molecular cross-linking reaction between CS and HEC. XRD and EDS analyses showed that the CuO nanoparticles were evenly deposited onto CS film matrixes. SEM characterization showed that the films were of compact, dense and uniform cross morphologies, as well as obvious voids. The films also exhibited desired swelling ratio and water vapor permeability. The enhanced tensile strength was obtained with a maximum value of 77.02?±?3.26 MPa, while the stretch-ability slightly decreased. The thermal stability of the films decreased after cross-linking with HEC. The antibacterial ability of the films was generally improved with the increase of HEC and ECH contents.
Graphical abstractPreparation and properties of epichlorohydrin-cross-linked chitosan/hydroxyethyl cellulose based CuO nanocomposite films
The i-motif is a biologically relevant non-canonical DNA structure formed by cytosine-rich sequences. Despite the importance of the factors affecting the formation/stability of such a structure, like pH, cation type and concentration, no systematic study that simultaneously analysed their effect on the i-motif in vitro has been carried out so far. Therefore, here we report a systematic study that aims to evaluate the effect of these factors, and their possible interaction, on the formation of an i-motif structure. Our results confirm that pH plays the main role in i-motif formation. However, we demonstrate that the effect of the cation concentration on the i-motif is strictly dependent on the pH, while no significant differences are observed among the investigated cation types.
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A simple, efficient and green approach to the synthesis of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10-diones has been developed via one-pot three-component reaction of aromatic aldehyde, malononitrile and phthalhydrazide catalyzed by zinc–proline complex (Zn[L-proline]2) using H2O: PEG400?=?6: 4 as solvent. Atom economy, good to excellent yield, operational simplicity and easy workup are important features of this method.
Graphical abstractA simple and efficient method for the synthesis of pyrazolopyranopyrimidines under solvent-free has been developed. The one-pot multicomponent condensation of arylaldehydes with hydrazine hydrate, ethyl acetoacetate and barbituric acid in the vicinity of a mesoporous basic nanomagnetic catalyst, namely DBU immobilized on Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2 was synthesized in remarkably high yields and in short reaction times. Significantly, this catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction media by applying an external magnet, and can be reused for several cycles.
Graphical abstractHighly dispersed Au nanoparticles supported on Ni–Al mixed metal oxides (Au/NiAl-MMO) were prepared by a facile method, which is significantly efficient for the aerobic oxidation of ethyl lactate using authentic air as the oxidant, achieving 72.6% ethyl lactate conversion and 88.3% selectivity to ethyl pyruvate at 240 °C in a continuous fixed-bed reactor. The catalyst retained its catalytic performance during a long-term stability test. Characterization and experimental studies on the kinetic dependence sequence of the reactants and elementary reaction steps confirmed that the Au/NiAl-MMO catalyst followed the Mars–van Krevelen mechanism, with the activation of O2 as the elementary step. The quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra demonstrated that the active sites in the Au/NiAl-MMO catalyst were Au nanoparticles. This work may provide a novel technique for developing more efficient supported metal catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of ethyl lactate using authentic air as the oxidant.
Graphical abstractHighly dispersed Au nanoparticle catalyst was facilely prepared for the efficient catalytic oxidation of ethyl lactate with authentic air.
An efficient and convenient procedure for the synthesis of novel 6-hydroxy-14-aryl-8H-dibenzo[a,i]xanthene-8,13(14H)-dione derivatives has been developed by one-pot, three-component condensation reaction between 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, aromatic aldehydes and 2,3-naphthalenediol in glacial acetic acid under reflux conditions. This domino reaction implies Knoevenagel condensation, Michael addition, intramolecular cyclization and dehydration. The reaction avoids tedious workup procedure due to the direct precipitation of products from the reaction medium. The notable features of this domino transformation are operational simplicity, clean reaction, easy handling, easy purification process and high yields of the products.
Graphical abstractThe AHA coupling of amines, haloalkane and alkynes under UV visible light was achieved with a higher yield in the presence of Au/Fe2O3. The catalyst was prepared by two methods using different gold content and then characterized by XRD, UV–vis, BET, TEM, ICP-OES and TPR spectroscopies. A comparative study of the ordinary and photocatalytic conditions, showed that the UV visible light could activate the gold nanoparticles and lead to the formation of CH2Cl? and Cl? radicals through CH2Cl2 fragmentation. The propargylamine was afforded at low temperature and a short time using 2% Au/Fe2O3. The catalyst was stable for five cycles with good photoactivity.
Graphical abstractIn this work, an environmentally friendly and cost-effective synthetic method of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was successfully performed using aqueous extract of Phlogacanthus turgidus (PT) leaves. The biosynthesis of nanoparticles was optimized for reaction conditions including concentration of metallic ions, temperature, and time using the measurement of UV–Vis spectroscopy. The nanoparticles were well characterized by analytic techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The morphological data showed that PT-AgNPs possessed the spherical shape with the size distribution ranging from 5 to 15 nm with a mean size of 10 nm while PT-AuNPs existed in the multiple shape with the size distribution ranging from 5 to 20 nm with a mean size of 12 nm. The antibacterial behavior showed that PT-AgNPs possessed high bioactivity against four bacterial strains including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Escherichia coli. Moreover, the catalytic activity of the biogenic nanoparticles was investigated for catalytic reduction of 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, and rhodamine B. The kinetic data showed that the nanoparticles were excellent catalysts with potential applications for environmental treatment.
Graphical abstractIonic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are interesting surface-active particles for encapsulating a lipophilic liquid in water. A CNC is modified chemically to a negative charge (an S-CNC) by surface treatment with sulfuric acid. Despite the amphiphilic nature of S-CNCs, it is difficult to determine the degree of substitution for emulsification of lipophilic liquids, especially when the surface energy is low and polarity is high. Here, we control the substitution of S-CNCs by desulfation of S-CNCs (dS-CNCs) using a low-concentration hydrochloric acid solution. Decreased surface charge of S-CNCs was expected, and the lipophilic affinity of dS-CNCs increased compared with those of S-CNCs. Six oils with differing surface tensions were selected for determination of the effect of charged CNCs on emulsification. The stability of the emulsion was evaluated by emulsion fraction, emulsion particle size, and surface tension of emulsified solutions from dS-CNCs and oils.
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