Geometry‐Assisted Three‐Dimensional Superlocalization Imaging of Single‐Molecule Catalysis on Modular Multilayer Nanocatalysts

To establish the structure–catalytic property relationships of heterogeneous catalysts, a detailed characterization of the three‐dimensional (3D) distribution of active sites on a single catalyst is essential. Single‐particle catalysis of a modular multilayer catalytic platform that consists of a solid silica core, a mesoporous silica shell, and uniformly distributed Pt nanoparticles sandwiched in between these layers is presented. The first 3D high‐resolution super‐localization imaging of single fluorescent molecules produced at active sites on the core‐shell model nanocatalysts is demonstrated. The 3D mapping is aided by the well‐defined geometry and a correlation study in scanning electron microscopy and total internal reflection fluorescence and scattering microscopy. This approach can be generalized to study other nano‐ and mesoscale structures.     

Cationic Vesicles Based on Amphiphilic Pillar[5]arene Capped with Ferrocenium: A Redox‐Responsive System for Drug/siRNA Co‐Delivery

A novel ferrocenium capped amphiphilic pillar[5]arene (FCAP) was synthesized and self‐assembled to cationic vesicles in aqueous solution. The cationic vesicles, displaying low cytotoxicity and significant redox‐responsive behavior due to the redox equilibrium between ferrocenium cations and ferrocenyl groups, allow building an ideal glutathione (GSH)‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery system for rapid drug release and gene transfection in cancer cells in which higher GSH concentration exists. This is the first report of redox‐responsive vesicles assembled from pillararenes for drug/siRNA co‐delivery; besides enhancing the bioavailability of drugs for cancer cells and reducing the adverse side effects for normal cells, these systems can also overcome the drug resistance of cancer cells. This work presents a good example of rational design for an effective stimuli‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery system.     

Porosity‐Controlled Eggshell Membrane as 3D SERS‐Active Substrate

We report on the fabrication of a surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform, comprised of a three‐dimensional (3D) porous eggshell membrane (ESM) scaffold decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Both native and treated ESM were used, where the treated ESM pore size and fiber crossing density was controlled by timed exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Ag NPs were synthesized in situ by reduction of silver nitrate with ascorbic acid. Our results demonstrate that H₂O₂‐treated Ag‐ESM provides a more densely packed 3D network of active material, which leads to consistently higher SERS enhancement than untreated Ag‐ESM substrates.     

2,4-二氧乙酸苯甲酸镉配合物的合成、晶体结构、荧光性质及与DNA作用

以自行设计合成的兼有刚柔两性的芳香三羧酸2,4-二氧乙酸苯甲酸(H3BOABA)为第一配体,菲咯啉(phen)为第二配体,合成了2个配合物[Cd3(BOABA)2(phen)2](1),[CdNa(BOABA)(phen)](2)。用元素分析、红外光谱、热重分析等进行表征;用单晶X-衍射方法测定了配合物的晶体结构,配合物1是三金属簇的一维双链,phen修饰在两侧,大量的弱π-π堆积作用使得分子呈现出二维平面结构,配合物2是由镉、钠2种金属离子构成的(3,4,7)-连接的二维平面结构。用溴化乙锭荧光探针初步研究了它们与DNA作用的强度和模式;此外对它们的固体荧光性质进行了研究,2种配合物均表现出了较好的发光性质。     

Sensitive detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on rolling circle amplification technology

This work develops a fluorescence approach for sensitive detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on endonuclease and rolling circle amplification （RCA） technique. In the presence of DNA adenine methylation （Dam） MTase, the methylation-responsive sequence of hairpin probe is methylated and cleaved by the methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease Dpn 1. The products cleaved by restriction endonuclease Dpn I then function as a signal primer to initiate RCA reaction by hybridizing with the circular DNA template. Each RCA product containing thousands of repeated sequences might hybridize with a large number of molecular beacons （detection probes）, resulting in an enhanced fluorescence signal. In the absence of Dam MTase, neither methylation/cleavage nor RCA reaction can be initiated and no fluorescence signal is observed. The proposed method exhibits a dynamic range from 0.5 U/mL to 30 U/mL and a detection limit of 0.18 U/mL. This method can be used for the screening of antimicrobial drugs and has a great potential to be further applied in early clinical diagnosis.     

氮掺杂石墨烯的生长机理及其在乙苯选择性氧化中的应用

以热解氧化石墨烯材料为碳基底,分别使用有机氮源和无机氮源对其进行氮掺杂处理,制备了一系列氮掺杂石墨烯材料.采用透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、拉曼光谱和X射线光电子能谱等表征方法考察了氮掺杂石墨烯的生长机理.结果表明,随着制备过程中退火温度的改变,氮掺杂石墨烯中不同氮物种的含量有显著差别.这种差异是由不同氮物种化学环境的差异所导致的.所制备的含氮石墨烯材料对乙苯选择性氧化制苯乙酮反应均表现出优良的催化活性.其中,石墨氮的含量对于提高苯乙酮收率起到至关重要的作用.此外,通过氧化剂控制活化的方法可以消除过多的结构缺陷和过量氮掺杂对催化反应的不利影响,有效提升氮掺杂石墨烯的催化活性.     

UV/Fe(Ⅲ)-富马酸盐体系降解对硝基苯酚

研究了在紫外光(UV)照射下,Fe(Ⅲ)-富马酸盐体系对p-硝基苯酚(PNP)的光降解反应,考察了溶液pH、Fe(Ⅲ)、富马酸盐和PNP的初始浓度对PNP降解率的影响。结果表明,UV/Fe(Ⅲ)-富马酸盐体系对PNP有光降解作用,相比于只含Fe(Ⅲ)或者富马酸盐体系,同时加入Fe(Ⅲ)与富马酸盐构成的体系在降解PNP方面有协同作用。在pH 3.0~6.0范围内,PNP的降解率随着pH和PNP初始浓度的增大而降低,而随着Fe(Ⅲ)和富马酸盐的初始浓度的增大而增大。氯仿猝灭法证实,该体系在降解PNP反应过程中产生了超氧负离子自由基;采用荧光法和异丙醇猝灭法证实了该体系在反应过程中产生了羟基自由基,同时证实了羟基自由基为PNP光降解反应的主要反应物质。     

Rational Design of Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes for Three-Photon Phosphorescence Bioimaging

Compared to 2PE (two-photon excitation) microscopy, 3PE microscopy has superior spatial resolution, deeper tissue penetration, and less defocused interference. The design of suitable agents with a large Stokes shift, good three-photon absorption (3PA), subcellular targeting, and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) properties, is challenging. Now, two Ir^III complexes (3PAIr1 and 3PAIr2) were developed as efficient three-photon phosphorescence (3PP) agents. Calculations reveal that the introduction of a new group to the molecular scaffold confers a quadruple promotion in three-photon transition probability. Confocal and lifetime imaging of mitochondria using Ir^III complexes as 3PP agents is shown. The complexes exhibit low working concentration (50 nm ), fast uptake (5 min), and low threshold for three-photon excitation power (0.5 mW at 980 nm). The impressive tissue penetration depth (ca. 450 μm) allowed the 3D imaging and reconstruction of brain vasculature from a living specimen.     

Tailoring A Poly(ether sulfone) Bipolar Membrane: Osmotic-Energy Generator with High Power Density

Osmotic energy, obtained through different concentrations of salt solutions, is recognized as a form of a sustainable energy source. In the past years, membranes derived from asymmetric aromatic compounds have attracted attention because of their low cost and high performance in osmotic energy conversion. The membrane formation process, charging state, functional groups, membrane thickness, and the ion-exchange capacity of the membrane could affect the power generation performance. Among asymmetric membranes, a bipolar membrane could largely promote the ion transport. Here, two polymers with the same poly(ether sulfone) main chain but opposite charges were synthesized to prepare bipolar membranes by a nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) and spin-coating (SC) method. The maximum power density of the bipolar membrane reaches about 6.2 W m⁻² under a 50-fold salinity gradient, and this result can serve as a reference for the design of bipolar membranes for osmotic energy conversion systems.