Surface-Polarity-Induced Spatial Charge Separation Boosts Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting on GaN Nanorod Arrays

Photocatalytic overall water splitting has been recognized as a promising approach to convert solar energy into hydrogen. However, most of the photocatalysts suffer from low efficiencies mainly because of poor charge separation. Herein, taking a model semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) as an example, we uncovered that photogenerated electrons and holes can be spatially separated to the nonpolar and polar surfaces of GaN nanorod arrays, which is presumably ascribed to the different surface band bending induced by the surface polarity. The photogenerated charge separation efficiency of GaN can be enhanced significantly from about 8 % to more than 80 % via co-exposing polar and nonpolar surfaces. Furthermore, spatially assembling reduction and oxidation cocatalysts on the nonpolar and polar surfaces remarkably boosts photocatalytic overall water splitting, with the quantum efficiency increased from 0.9 % for the film photocatalyst to 6.9 % for the nanorod arrays photocatalyst.     

A Hydrolytically Stable Vanadium(IV) Metal–Organic Framework with Photocatalytic Bacteriostatic Activity for Autonomous Indoor Humidity Control

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with long-term stability and reversible high water uptake properties can be ideal candidates for water harvesting and indoor humidity control. Now, a mesoporous and highly stable MOF, BIT-66 is presented that has indoor humidity control capability and a photocatalytic bacteriostatic effect. BIT-66 (V₃(O)₃(H₂O)(BTB)₂), possesses prominent moisture tunability in the range of 45–60 % RH and a water uptake and working capacity of 71 and 55 wt %, respectively, showing good recyclability and excellent performance in water adsorption–desorption cycles. Importantly, this MOF demonstrates a unique photocatalytic bacteriostatic behavior under visible light, which can effectively ameliorate the bacteria and/or mold breeding problem in water adsorbing materials.     

The Crystallization and Melting Behaviors of PDLA-b-PBS-b-PDLA Tri-block Copolymers

In this study,the poly(D-lactide)-block-poly(butylene succinate)-block-poly(D-lactide)(PDLA-b-PBS-b-PDLA)triblock copolymers with a fixed length of PBS and various lengths of PDLA are synthesized,and the crystallization behaviors of the PDLA and PBS blocks are investigated.Although both the crystallization behaviors of PBS and PDLA blocks depend on composition,they exhibit different variations.For the PDLA block,its crystallization behaviors are mainly influenced by temperature and block length.The crystallization signals of PDLA block appear in the B-D 2-2 specimen,and these signals get enhanced with PDLA block length.The crystallization rates tend to decrease with increasing PDLA block lendth during crystallizing at 90 and 100°C.Crystallizing at higher temperature,the crystallization rates increase at first and then decrease with block length.The crystallization rates decrease as elevating the crystallization temperature.The melting temperatures of PDLA blocks increase with block lengths and crystallization temperatures.For the PBS block,its crystallization behaviors are mainly controlled by the nucleation and confinement from PDLA block.The crystallization and melting enthalpies as well as the crystallization and melting temperatures of PBS block reduce as a longer PDLA block has been copolymerized,while the crystallization rates of the PBS block exhibit unique component dependence,and the highest rate is observed in the B-D 2-2 specimen.The Avrami exponent of PBS crystallites is reduced as a longer PDLA block is incorporated or the sample is crystallized at higher temperature.This investigation provides a convenient route to tune the crystallization behavior of PBS and PLA.     

D3R grand challenge 4: blind prediction of protein–ligand poses,affinity rankings,and relative binding free energies

Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design - The Drug Design Data Resource (D3R) aims to identify best practice methods for computer aided drug design through blinded ligand pose prediction and...     

Regulating Gelation Time and Kinetics Analysis Based on the ARGET ATRP Mechanism

A novel activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiation system composing of an initiator sodium chloroacetate, a catalyst ferric chloride, and a reducing agent ascorbic acid was developed to improve the gelation time of the in situ crosslinked polymer system. The kinetics of polymerization of acrylamide showed features of a living/controlled process in which the concentrations of the growing radicals [P·] are kept constant throughout the polymerization process. Compared with conventional potassium persulfate initiators, the gelation time of the in situ crosslinked polymer system can be improved to 40 h or even longer using the ARGET ATRP initiation system at 80 °C due to the low radical concentration and slow polymerization reaction. Core flooding test showed that the ARGET ATRP initiating system developed could initiate the polymerization reaction of the in situ crosslinked polymer system in the core. However, the gelation time was extended in comparison to that of the result obtained in the bottle, resulting from the dilution and adsorption of ARGET ATRP components during the injection process. The research expands the application field of the ARGET ATRP principle and has a promising prospect on controlling the gelation time of the in situ crosslinked polymer system. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 58, 519–527     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric [4+3]‐Cyclization Reaction of Fused 1‐Azadienes with Amino‐trimethylenemethanes: Highly Stereoselective Construction of Chiral Fused Azepines

Summary of main observation and conclusion A Pd-catalyzed asymmetric aromative[4+3]-cyclization reaction of amino-trimethylenemethanes(TMM,1d,ip3-oles)with fused 1-azadienes has been developed.This method enables access to the synthetically importance and biologically active benzofuran fused azepines and indeno-azepines in excellent efficiency and stereoselectivity(up to 95%yield,99%ee,>19:1 dr).     

Synthesis of Z-scheme g-C3N4 nanosheets/Ag3PO4 photocatalysts with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance for the degradation of tetracycline and dye

Graphene-like C3N4/Ag3PO4 photocatalysts are synthesized by calcination and solutions precipitating method.The obtained g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 composites display excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene orange(MO),rhodamine B(RhB)and tetracycline(TC)under visible light irradiation.The solutions containing RhB(10 mg/L)and MO(10 mg/L)can be efficiently degraded within15 min and 30 min.Especially,nearly 80%of TC(50 mg/L)is degraded within 20 min.which are much better than those of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets and Ag3PO4,implying that strong interaction and reasonable energy band alignment in the contact interface can effectively transfer the carries.Furthermore,the g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 composites exhibit the improved stability,and only a slight decrease is observed after three recycling runs.Moreover,the impact of inorganic ions and PH values on the degradation performance is rather small.The Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism of the g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 composites based on the active species trapping experimental is proposed.This work demonstrates the promising applications of the g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 composites in environmental issues.     

Constructing spin-adiabatic states for the modeling of spin-crossing reactions. I. A shared-orbital implementation

In the modeling of spin-crossing reactions, it has become popular to directly explore the spin-adiabatic surfaces. Specifically, through constructing spin-adiabatic states from a two-state Hamiltonian (with spin-orbit coupling matrix elements) at each geometry, one can readily employ advanced geometry optimization algorithms to acquire a “transition state” structure, where the spin crossing occurs. In this work, we report the implementation of a fully-variational spin-adiabatic approach based on Kohn-Sham density functional theory spin states (sharing the same set of molecular orbitals) and the Breit-Pauli one-electron spin-orbit operator. For three model spin-crossing reactions (predissociation of N₂O, singlet-triplet conversion in CH₂, and CO addition to Fe(CO)₄), the spin-crossing points were obtained. Our results also indicated the Breit-Pauli one-electron spin-orbit coupling can vary significantly along the reaction pathway on the spin-adiabatic energy surface. On the other hand, due to the restriction that low-spin and high-spin states share the same set of molecular orbitals, the acquired spin-adiabatic energy surface shows a cusp (ie, a first-order discontinuity) at the crossing point, which prevents the use of standard geometry optimization algorithms to pinpoint the crossing point. An extension with this restriction removed is being developed to achieve the smoothness of spin-adiabatic surfaces.     

二茂铁骨架系列三齿配体的合成及其在铱催化不对称氢化中的应用

本文主要介绍了一系列基于二茂铁骨架的三齿配体:f-amphox、f-ampha、f-amphol和f-amphamide的合成及其应用。这四类手性膦氮配体的铱络合物可以高活性(TON高达1 000 000)、高转化率(>99%)、高对映选择性(>99% ee)地催化(官能团化)酮等底物的不对称氢化反应。该系列配体成功地应用于地诺帕明、苯福林和沙丁胺醇等手性医药中间体的不对称合成。与传统路线相比,这些合成方法更高效,副产物更少,“三废”排放量更低。     

Visible‐Light Photocatalysis of Asymmetric [2+2] Cycloaddition in Cage‐Confined Nanospace Merging Chirality with Triplet‐State Photosensitization

Although the photodimerization of acenaphthylene (ACE) has been known for 100 years, the asymmetric cycloaddition of its 1‐substituted derivatives is unknown. Herein, we report a supramolecular photochirogenic approach in which a homochiral and photoactive Δ/Λ‐[Pd₆(RuL₃)₈]²⁸⁺ metal–organic cage (Δ/Λ‐MOC‐16) is used as a supramolecular reactor for the enantioselective exited‐state photocatalysis of 1‐Br‐ACE. Owing to preorganization of the substrates by the supramolecular cage, stereochemical control of the triplet state, and nanospace transfer of energy and chirality, the cycloaddition of ACE proceeded with high selectivity for the formation of anti over syn stereoisomers, whereas the regio‐, stereo‐, and enantioselective cycloaddition of unsymmetrical 1‐Br‐ACE showed effective enantiodifferentiation of a pair of anti head‐to‐head stereoisomers. The enzyme‐mimicking photocatalysis was verified by catalytic turnover, rate enhancement, and competing‐guest inhibition experiments.