Phosphoric-Acid Retention in High-Temperature Proton-Exchange Membranes

Great efforts have been conducted to develop high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) due to its features of enhanced electrocatalyst reactivity, simplified hydrothermal management system and high CO tolerance of catalysts, and remarkable progress has been achieved. However, the easy leaching of phosphoric acid (PA) from the membranes during operation limits its commercial scale-up in complicated environments. This concept here mainly focuses on the recent developments for mitigation of PA loss in PEMs. The probable mechanisms of PA loss are proposed. The approaches to improve PA retention for example via introduction of phosphonic acid by covalent bond, using ion-pairs interaction and siphoning effect, and blending with inorganic nanoparticles are described in detail. Among these strategies, the siphoning effect from the intrinsic microporous PEMs is the most efficient and enables the cell to operate flexibly within a broad temperature range. Therefore, this concept may provide new ideas for the scientists to retain PA, to improve the cell performance and expand the potential applications of PA doped PEMs at elevated humidity and wide temperature range.     

Diffusiophoresis in suspensions of highly charged soft particles

Diffusiophoresis phenomenon of aoft particles suspended in binary electrolyte solutions is explored theoretically in this study based on the spherical cell model, focusing on the chemiphoresis component in absence of diffusion potential. Both the electrostatic and hydrodynamic aspects of the boundary confinement, or steric effect, due to the presence of neighboring particles are examined extensively under various electrokinetic conditions. Significant local extrema are found in mobility profiles expressed as functions of the Debye length in general, synchronized with the strength of the motion-inducing double layer polarization. Moreover, a seemingly peculiar phenomenon is observed that the soft particles may move faster in more concentrated suspensions. The competition between the simultaneous enhancement of the motion-inducing electric driving force and the motion-retarding hydrodynamic drag force from the boundary confinement effect of the neighboring particles is found to be responsible for it. The above findings are also demonstrated experimentally in a very recent study on the diffusiophoretic motion of soft particles through porous collagen hydrogels. The results presented here are useful in various practical applications of soft particles like drug delivery.     

Rapid qualitative profiling and quantitative analysis of Juglandis Mandshuricae Cortex and seven flavonoids by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry

Juglandis Mandshuricae Cortex is the bark of Juglans mandshurica Maxim., which has been used as a folk medicine plant in China and India. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry method was developed to clarify and quantify the chemical profiling of Juglandis Mandshuricae Cortex rapidly. A total of 113 compounds were characterized. Among them, seven flavonoids were simultaneously quantified in 15 min, including myricetin, myricetrin, taxifolin, kaempferol, quercetin, quercitrin, and naringenin. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, and the limits of detection and quantification. All calibration curves showed a good linear relationship (r > 0.9990) within test ranges. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were less than 2.16%. Accuracy validation showed that the recovery was between 95.6 and 101.3% with relative standard deviation values below 2.85%. The validated method was successfully applied to determine the contents of seven flavones in Juglandis Mandshuricae Cortex from seven sources and the contents of these places were calculated respectively. This method provides a theoretical basis for further developing the medicinal value of Juglandis Mandshuricae Cortex.     

Develop a stepwise integrated method to screen biomarkers of Baihe-Dihuang Tang on the treatment of depression in rats applying with composition screened,untargeted, and targeted metabolomics analysis

Baihe-Dihuang Tang is a commonly prescribed remedy for depression. In this study, component screening with untargeted and targeted metabolomics was used to identify potential biomarkers for depression in chronic unpredictable mildly stressed rats. Using this novel identification method, the screening of organic acids, lily saponins, iridoids, and other ingredients formed the basis for subsequent metabolomics research. Baihe-Dihuang Tang supplementation in chronic unpredictable mild-stress-induced depression models, increased their body weight, sucrose preference, brain-derived neurotrophic factor deposition, and spatial exploring. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that Baihe-Dihuang Tang exerts its antidepressant effects by regulating the levels of lipids, organic acids, and its derivatives, and benzenoids in the brain, plasma, and urine of the depressed rats. Moreover, it also modulates the d -glutamine and d -glutamate metabolism and purine metabolism. Targeted metabolomics demonstrated significant reduction in l -glutamate levels in the brains of depressed rats. This could be a potential biomarker for depression. Baihe-Dihuang Tang alleviated depression by regulating the levels of l -glutamate, xanthine, and adenine in the brains of depressed rats. Together, these findings conclusively established the promising therapeutic effect of Baihe-Dihuang Tang on depression and also unraveled the underlying molecular mechanism of its potential antidepressant function.     

热熔灌输法制备三维骨架支撑金属锂复合负极

金属锂因具有极高的理论比容量(3860 mAh/g)和最低的电化学势(相对于标准氢电极为-3.04 V),被认为是下一代高比能锂离子电池的首选负极材料。然而,金属锂负极在电池循环过程中发生的刺状枝晶生长和体积变化等问题严重阻碍了其产业化应用进程。近年来研究表明,通过在金属锂中引入具有三维(3D)结构的宿主骨架,不但能有效抑制锂枝晶的生长,而且可以缓解金属锂负极的体积变化,从而提高金属锂电池的循环性能与安全性。因此,设计3D骨架/金属锂复合负极被认为是一种能有效解决金属锂问题的新兴策略。本文综述了热熔灌输法制备3D骨架/金属锂复合负极的研究进展。首先讨论了当前基于3D骨架的预存金属锂技术,然后着重分析了热熔灌输策略中3D骨架锂润湿性的影响因素,以及不同3D骨架修饰特征和改性方法。最后对3D骨架/金属锂复合负极和热熔灌输策略现存问题进行了总结并提出未来的发展方向。     

超轻纳米纤维气凝胶的制备及其应用

超轻纳米纤维气凝胶是一种以一维纳米纤维为基本构筑单元的新型气凝胶材料,相比于传统气凝胶,其不仅具有更高的孔隙率和更低的密度,还拥有更优异的机械性能和理化性质,因此该材料的先进制备技术和在新兴领域的创新性应用是近年来超轻气凝胶领域的研究热点。本文结合国内外研究现状,按照材料体系分类系统综述了超轻纤维气凝胶的制备方法、结构特点以及在隔热、吸附、电化学、传感和生物医学等领域的重要应用,提出了现阶段该材料面临的一些挑战,并展望了其在未来的发展方向。     

电催化氧化制备2,5-呋喃二甲酸

在第75届联合国大会上,我国承诺力争在2030年前实现碳达峰、2060年前实现碳中和。主要由光合作用产生的生物质将在双碳目标中扮演重要角色,通过高效转化可衍生出一系列替代化石产品的高值化学品。其中,2,5-呋喃二甲酸(FDCA)由于具有与石油基对苯二甲酸(TPA)相似的共轭碳环和二酸结构,可替代TPA用于合成热稳定性能、气体阻隔性能更优的生物基呋喃聚酯,大幅降低聚酯行业对化石资源的严重依赖。此外,FDCA在医药、香料、金属配位化学方面也有广泛应用,从而被认为是12种最具潜力的生物基平台化合物之一。FDCA通常可由5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)通过催化氧化进行合成。相比于需要贵金属催化剂、高温和高压条件、以化学势作为驱动力的传统热催化方法,电催化氧化采用电极电势作为主要驱动力,是更为绿色和高效的新颖合成方法。本综述对电催化氧化制备FDCA反应所用的贵金属、过渡金属和非金属催化剂进行了总结与分析,梳理了催化剂设计和反应机理的研究脉络,并指出了该领域发展所面临的挑战与机遇。     

碳纳米管负载钯基催化剂催化氧化2,5-呋喃二甲醇合成2,5-呋喃二甲酸

为积极应对化石能源枯竭和生态环境日益严峻等问题,可再生生物质资源的深度开发并进一步替代传统能源或石化原料被广泛认可.利用高效催化技术将生物质资源转化为高附加值的平台化合物,有望衍生出大量具备新颖结构与功能的绿色化学品.2,5-呋喃二甲酸(FDCA)作为重要的生物质基平台化合物之一,具有巨大的市场应用价值,其中因其与化石基对苯二甲酸(PTA)有着极其相似的化学结构,以FDCA替代PTA作为合成单体制备大宗聚合物备受关注.以5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)为原料,采用多相催化体系(主要是贵金属催化剂)选择氧化制备FDCA是目前广泛采用的方法.但“HMF路线”面临一些基础性的难题,如HMF熔点较低,需低温存储,增加了实际应用中的运输成本;HMF在碱性溶液中易降解,导致反应过程中碳平衡损失;HMF结构中含有的不对称的羟基和醛基官能团在氧化反应中会发生竞争反应,致使反应副产物较多;此外,碱性反应介质中通常会得到醛基优先氧化的中间体5-羟甲基-2-呋喃甲酸(HMFCA),但由于HMFCA结构中羧基官能团的存在使得羟基进一步氧化较为困难,通常需要增加碱浓度、提升温度或压力,使反应条件变得苛刻.因此,寻求新的原料替代HMF,实现温和条件下高效合成FDCA具有重要意义.本文采用改性后的碳纳米管负载Pd催化剂(Pd/o-CNT),从具有独特对称结构的2,5-二羟甲基呋喃(BHMF)出发,提出一种新颖、高效催化合成FDCA的“BHMF路线”.反应在60°C常压下进行,BHMF在20 min内即可完全转化,60 min后FDCA的产率最高可达93.0%,优于相同条件下HMF为原料时的性能(FDCA产率仅为35.7%).相比于未作处理的碳纳米管负载钯催化剂(Pd/CNT),Pd/o-CNT催化剂具有更高含量的氢化钯(PdH_x)物种,显著促进了FDCA产率的提升.Pd/o-CNT在循环使用10次后,BHMF仍能完全转化,FDCA产率维持在75%.稳定性下降可能与活性物种流失、团聚及价态变化有关.基于对照试验,本文提出了可能的反应路径,即BHMF主要是通过2,5-二甲酰基呋喃和5-甲酰基-2-呋喃甲酸作为过程中间体,有效转化为FDCA,从而规避并减少生成HMF和活性较低的HMFCA.本文通过以新原料BHMF作底物,实现了高效制备生物基平台化合物FDCA,为生物质的产业化应用提供了新的研究思路.     

微波消解-高分辨电感耦合等离子体质谱 (HR-ICP-MS)法测定煤炭中35种痕量金属元素

高分辨电感耦合等离子体质谱可以区分干扰元素和目标元素微弱的质量数差别,能解决大多数多原子、氧化物干扰问题,在煤炭痕量元素分析领域受到关注,但煤炭样品中痕量金属元素尤其是稀土元素受到的质谱干扰挑战未被系统地报道.采用HNO3-HF混酸微波消解煤炭样品,优化了消解时间、赶酸、复溶等前处理条件,研究了煤炭中V、Cr、Mn、C...     

基于极少量采样的彩绘文物颜料成分分析

随着文物保护理念的提升,越来越提倡文物样品的无损或微损分析;同时由于文物样品的复杂性,对分析技术提出了更加严苛的要求.彩绘类文物的颜料分析研究,对其文物信息的提取,以及古代人类历史、社会、文化的研究和阐述具有重要作用.结合本研究组前期的研究成果,本研究提出了一种在极少量采样的情况下,分析研究文物颜料的方法,并用于榆林卧...