Active Center Research Articles

Synergistic Coordination in Cu Single-Atom Catalysts Enhances High-Valent Copper-Oxo Species for Efficient PMS Activation.

In the domain of heterogeneous catalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS), high-valent metal-oxo (HVMO) species are widely recognized as potent oxidants for the abatement of organic pollutants. However, the generation selectivity and efficiency of HVMO are often constrained by stringent requirements for catalyst adsorption sites and electron transfer efficiency. In this study, a single-atom catalyst, CuSA/CNP&S, is synthesized featuring multiple types (planar/axial) of heteroatom coordination via an H-bond-assisted self-assembly strategy. It isconfirmed that CuN3 active centers with axial S coordination are uniformly distributed in a carbon matrix modified by planar P atoms. CuSA/CNP&S activated PMS to selectively generate Cu(III)═OH species as the primary reactive oxygen species (ROS). The pseudo-first-order kinetic rate for bisphenol A degradation reached 1.51min-1, a 17.57-fold increase compared to the unmodified CuSA/CN catalyst. Additionally, the CuSA/CNP&S catalyst demonstrates high efficiency and durability in removing contaminants from various aqueous matrices. Theoretical calculations and experimental results indicate that the intrinsic electric field generated by distal planar P atoms enhances electron transfer efficiency within the carbon matrix. Meanwhile, axial S coordination elevates the d-band center and tunes the eg * band broadening of Cu, thereby enhancing the adsorption selectivity for the terminal oxygen of PMS. This multitype coordination synergistically mitigates the issues of low selectivity and yield of HVMO species.

Cerium-doped construction of oxygen vacancies in IrO2 to promote acidic OER reaction

Proton exchange membrane electrolysis of water is currently recognized in the world as an up-and-coming method for the preparation of green hydrogen energy. Due to its sustainability and low pollution, it has attracted much attention from practitioners recently. The most advanced iridium oxide (IrO2) is the most promising catalyst.However, developing a highly efficient and stable IrO2 catalyst that can adapt to industrial conditions remains a terrific challenge. One of the main problems to be solved is that the slow oxygen evolution reaction(OER) at the anode limits the production of hydrogen. We propose a straightforward method for synthesizing Ce metal-doped IrO2 with a high oxygen vacancy concentration while simultaneously improving the IrO2 catalytic activity and stability.The Ce-doped IrO2 (Ce-IrO2) exhibits a microscopic nanoparticle morphology and a high density of oxygen vacancies, enabling a rapid oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process with a low overpotential of 240 mV at 10 mA·cm-2 and a remarkable stability of over 50 h under acidic conditions.A growing body of research shows a synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and mental dopants on the adsorption and evolution of active intermediates in the active center so that the oxygen evolution reaction activity of the Ir-based catalyst can be improved. We hope that ourwork will provide a sample method for acquiring catalysts capable of adapting to a wide range of conditions via metal doping.

Sulfur Modified Carbon-Based Single-Atom Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Reactions.

Efficient and sustainable energy development is a powerful tool for addressing the energy and environmental crises. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have received high attention for their extremely high atom utilization efficiency and excellent catalytic activity, and have broad application prospects in energy development and chemical production. M-N4 is an active center model with clear catalytic activity, but its catalytic properties such as catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability need to be further improved. Adjustment of the coordination environment of the central metal by incorporating heteroatoms (e.g., sulfur) is an effective and feasible modification method. This paper describes the precise synthetic methods for introducing sulfur atoms into M-N4 and controlling whether they are directly coordinated with the central metal to form a specific coordination configuration, the application of sulfur-doped carbon-based single-atom catalysts in electrocatalytic reactions such as ORR, CO2RR, HER, OER, and other electrocatalytic reaction are systematically reviewed. Meanwhile, the effect of the tuning of the electronic structure and ligand configuration parameters of the active center due to doped sulfur atoms with the improvement of catalytic performance is introduced by combining different characterization and testing methods. Finally, several opinions on development of sulfur-doped carbon-based SACs are put forward.

Breaking the stability limit of zeolite-based alkane dehydrogenation catalysts

Metal catalysts confined inside zeolite micropores or crystals are widely applied in the chemical industry because of their distinctive catalytic functions, especially with regard to the conversion of small and stable alkane molecules [1,2]. Silicalite-1 (S-1), a pure silica zeolite with an MFI topology, has a robust framework capable of withstanding harsh thermal and chemical conditions. Recently, S-1-based catalysts have demonstrated significant advantages in the construction and stabilization of various active metal centers and have attracted considerable attention for their potential in alkane dehydrogenation reactions. The absence of acidic sites prevents various acid-catalyzed side reactions, rendering S-1 a promising candidate for high-temperature reactions such as non-oxidative propane dehydrogenation (PDH). Sun et al. revealed that encapsulating subnanometer bimetallic PtZn clusters in S-1 resulted in a high propylene selectivity of 99%, with no catalyst deactivation even after 200h in the PDH reaction [3]. However, sustaining high stability at high conversion rates is still challenging for PDH reactions, and commercial processes are still based on Pt- and Cr-based catalysts, which need frequent regeneration.

Formation of active centers of polymer catalysts for radical-coordination polymerization

Chromatography–mass spectrometry of samples representing the interaction products of ferrocene, radical initiator and monomer taken in the molar ratio of 1:2:10 in toluene solution was used for experimental detection of products indicating the structure and mechanism of formation of metal complex active centers of radical-coordination polymerization. Structures similar to those proposed by the quantum-chemical modeling were demonstrated to be formed with the participation of secondary radicals.

Developments of Pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with Pharmaceutical Potential

: In terms of fused heterocyclic compounds, pyrrolopyrimidines, and their substituted analogs are among the most extensively explored scaffolds. Based on the location of the nitrogen atom in the pyrrole ring, pyrrolopyrimidines have different isomers. This study deals only with the pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine isomer. Several techniques are represented and discussed in this review for producing pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives. The first one is the cyclization of the pyrimidine ring on the pyrrole ring through the reaction of β-enaminonitrile, β-enaminoester or β-enaminoamide of the pyrrole ring with different bifunctional reagents such as formic acid, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, formamide, isothiocyanate, urea, thiourea, and carbon disulfide. The second technique includes cyclization of the pyrrole ring on the pyrimidine ring via the treatment of pyrimidine, aminopyrimidine, diamino-pyrimidine, or triamino-pyrimidine with different reagents such as nitroalkenes, alkynes, aldehydes, and acid chlorides. In addition, different reaction methodologies like one pot, two-step, and threestep synthetic methodologies were reported. The last technique for producing pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives is through miscellaneous reactions. This review also includes the interactions of pyrrolo[2,3- d]pyrimidines at different active centers of the pyrrole ring with different reagents to form N-alkylated, Nglycosylated, C-5, and C-6 adducts. Besides, the interactions on the pyrimidine ring to form chloro, hydrazino, and amino-imino derivatives were also discussed. The amino-imino derivatives are key intermediates for the preparation of tricyclic pyrrolotriazolopyrimidines. Finally, the pharmaceutical and biological properties of some pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives have also been mentioned. This information can be utilized to design novel diverse pyrrolopyrimidine derivatives for recent challenges in pharmaceutical and medical studies to develop the already existing drugs or discover new ones.

BiW11/Porous carbon nitride catalyst improves charge carrier separation efficiency for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Solar water splitting has received tremendous attention as hydrogen emerges as a promising energy carrier. Carbon nitride (CN) is an ideal candidate for H2 evolution via water splitting on account of its unique optical and electrical properties. To mitigate photoexcited charge carriers recombination that has severely limited the photocatalytic activity of CN, a heterojunction photocatalyst of CN with monovacant bismuth tungstate (Na6[BiW11O38H]·22H2O, noted as BiW11) as a highly efficient photocatalyst is designed. Herein, the porous carbon nitride (PCN) is first fabricated via the gas template method, and then PCN with BiW11 is modified via the impregnation method. Series of BiW11-based PCN composites with different BiW11 loadings (BiW11/PCN-x, x represents the amount of BiW11) are created to merge complementary advantages of both materials. Visible-light-driven photocatalytic properties of BiW11/PCN-x composites have been examined with Na2S/Na2SO3 sacrificial agents. The hydrogen evolution rate of the BiW11/PCN-10 is 2.45 and 1.98 times than that of PCN and BiW11. This extraordinary photocatalytic activity is ascribed to increased attachment sites for catalysts and active centers for hydrogen reduction due to porous structure and significantly facilitated charge separation efficiency through the type-II heterostructure. The resulting composites would be a potential candidate strategy for the design of highly efficient polyoxomatalate-based photocatalysts for efficient hydrogen production applications.

Rapeseed cake meal extract as an eco-friendly green sustainable inhibitor for the corrosion of cold rolled steel in trichloroacetic acid solution

The inhibitory properties of rapeseed cake meal extract (RCME) on the corrosion of cold rolled steel (CRS) in trichloroacetic acid (TCA) were systematically investigated using gravimetric, electrochemical, surface characterizations and theoretical calculations. The results demonstrate that RCME exhibits excellent inhibitory performance with a maximum inhibition efficiency of 92.7% for 100 mg L−1 RCME at 20°C. The adsorption of RCME obeys Langmuir isotherm at 20 and 30°C, Temkin isotherm at 40°C, and Freundlich isotherm at 50°C. RCME acts as a cathodic inhibitor. The charge transfer resistance is increased with the addition of RCME, while the double-layer capacitance decreases. SEM, AFM, CLSM, XPS, XRD and TOF-SIMS analyses confirm that the active components in RCME adsorb onto the surface of CRS, forming a protective film that effectively inhibits the corrosion of CRS by TCA. Along with the increase in the concentration of RCME, the surface tension of the inhibited solution gradually decreases, while the electrical conductivity increases before stabilizing. HPLC-MS and FTIR analyses reveal rutin, linolenic acid, linoleic acid and adenine are the effective substances in RCME. Quantum chemical (QC) calculations and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations indicate that the active centers of the effective inhibitor molecules are predominantly located on benzene rings, O- or N-containing heterocyclic rings, and functional groups such as C=O and C=C. Additionally, their main chains adsorb onto the Fe (001) surface in an approximately flat manner, involving both chemical and physical adsorption processes.

Nickel single-atom synergistic iron-nitrogen sites for efficient CO2 electroreduction at a wide potential range

Recently, diatomic site catalysts (DASCs) by introducing a second metal active site have become a research focus in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR), as can regulate electronic structure of metal centers and optimize reaction free energies. However, hitherto the studies on the origin of the outstanding performance of DASCs and the accurate identification of active centers are not still clear. Herein, we designed a nickel–iron diatomic site catalyst by loading highly dispersed iron phthalocyanine (FePc) on a nickel single-atom with ultrathin porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet substrate (denoted as FePc/M-LNi-NC). Experimental and calculational results prove that the synergistic catalysis of FePc and carbon nanosheet based Ni single-atom endowed FePc/M-LNi-NC achieving excellent CO2 reduction performance with a maximum CO Faradaic efficiency of 98.8 % at –0.8 V vs. RHE. In particular, the current density of FePc/M-LNi-NC at −1.0 V vs. RHE in an H-type cell (−20.9 mA/cm2) is 5.6 times that of FePc (3.7 mA/cm2). Compared with M-LNi-NC, the potential range of FePc/M-LNi-NC when FECO above 95 % expands from 0.31 to 0.43 V. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the Fe site in FePc/M-LNi-NC has a lower free energy change for *COOH formation (ΔG*COOH) and CO desorption (ΔGCO) than Ni site, thus exhibits higher electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the ΔG*COOH on FePc/M-LNi-NC declines from 0.78 to 0.08 eV compared to M-LNi-NC, and the ΔGCO lowers from 1.36 to 0.33 eV compared to FePc, thus FePc/M-LNi-NC achieves high performance for eCO2RR at a wide potential range.

Molten salt method for preparing Mn0.3Ru0.7O2 nanosheets as a superior bifunctional catalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Integrating components for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) while optimizing their electronic structure is an effective strategy for developing excellent bifunctional catalysts for rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs). In this study, we successfully fabricated Mn0.3Ru0.7O2 nanosheets based on a solid solution oxide using a simple molten salt method. The Mn0.3Ru0.7O2 nanosheets exhibits abundant Ru and Mn sites through the Ru-O-Mn structure, which serve as excellent OER and ORR active centers. Experimental and theoretical studies validate the coccurrence of charge transefer between the Ru-O-Mn bond, modulating the valence state and d-band center of the Mn and Ru, thereby subsequently improving their ORR/OER intrinsic activity. Remarkably, the Mn0.3Ru0.7O2 nanosheets displays superior electropcatalytic performance with a charge/discharge voltage gap (ΔE) of only 0.59 V, which is the best among all reported counterpart catalysts. A rechargeable ZAB utilizing Mn0.3Ru0.7O2 nanosheets achieved a power density of 154 mW cm−2 and a specific capacity of 821 mA h g−1, surpassing that of the commercial Pt/C + RuO2 mixing catalyst. This study offers a new strategy for preparing highly active and durable bifunctional catalysts for rechargeable ZABs.

Structural changes of wheat starch and activity inhibition of α-glucosidase by persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) leaves extract retarding starch digestibility

Elevated blood sugar levels caused by starch digestion was a target for controlling diabetes mellitus. The in vitro and in vivo digestibility of wheat starch was evaluated to find that adding 15 % persimmon leaf extract (PLE) to starch reduced its digestibility by 69.50 % and the peak postprandial blood glucose by 23.63 %. Subsequently, we observed under scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy that the presence of PLE led to the destruction of starch structure and the aggregation of α-glucosidase so as to decrease starch digestion and hinder the binding of starch to α-glucosidase. Through multi-spectral analysis, PLE hindered the clathrate of iodine and starch, and also increased the crystallinity of starch by 48.58 %. For α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 72.49 μg/mL), PLE preferentially occupied the active center of α-glucosidase, changed its fluorescence characteristics and secondary structure through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction. Moreover, among the 23 potential α-glucosidase inhibitors screened from PLE, combined with molecular simulation, Procyanidin B2 had the strongest inhibitory effect (IC50 = 33.22 μg/mL) and binding energy (−7.09 kcal/mol), which was most effectively inhibitory on digestion. These results indicated the potential of PLE in hypoglycemia targeting both starch and α-glucosidase.

Unraveling how hydrogen-bonding networks affect the capture of amphetamine-type stimulants by polymerized deep eutectic solvent modified magnetic biochar: Coupling quantum chemical calculations with experiment

The abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs) has caused irreversible harm to public safety and ecosystems. A novel polymerized deep eutectic solvent modified magnetic pomelo peel biochar (PMBC) was prepared, and the differences in adsorption of four abused amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs: AMP, MAMP, MDA and MDMA) were due to varying hydrogen bonds quantities and strengths. PMBC showed excellent chemical reactivity to MDMA, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 926.13 μg g−1, which was 3.25, 2.52 and 1.15 times higher than that of AMP, MAMP and MDA, respectively. Modern spectral analysis showed that there were a series of active centers (-COOH, -NH2 and -OH) on the PMBC, which could form hydrogen bond networks with the nitrogen and oxygen functional groups of ATSs. In various chemical environments: pH level (4–11), inorganic ion and organic matter (humic acid), PMBC maintained high activity towards four ATSs. Additionally, the quantum chemical calculations revealed that the methylenedioxy bridge of ATSs can increase the active sites, and the -NH- and -NH2 groups had different hydrogen bond formation capabilities, which together resulted in the adsorption order of PMBC on the four ATSs: MDMA > MDA > MAMP > AMP. Moreover, the hydrogen-bonding binding energies of several common hydrogen-bonding types were compared, including O-H····O, N-H····O/O-H····N and N-H···N. This study laid an empirical and theoretical foundation for the efficient capture of ATSs in water and contributed to the innovative design of materials.

Selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde and carbon monoxide over V/MSN catalysts with isolated VO4 sites

The selective oxidation of methane to value-added C1 chemicals (e.g., HCHO and CO) is a crucial process in the chemical industry. Recent studies indicate that the generation of highly dispersed isolated active sites is crucial for improving the performance in the selective oxidation of methane and studying the corresponding structure–activity relationship. Therefore, we used mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as supports and utilized grafting method to prepare catalysts with more selective oxidation active centers (isolated VO4). The study found that isolated VO4 centers are the active sites for the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde, and CO is the product of further oxidation of formaldehyde. The total selectivity of formaldehyde and CO on all catalysts is higher than 83.6 %. Among them, the highly dispersed and isolated VO4 tetrahedral active centers on the 2 V/MSN catalyst could stably convert methane to formaldehyde, achieving the highest formaldehyde yield of 3.7 % at 670 °C.

Nitrite reductase-mimicking catalysis temporally regulating nitric oxide concentration gradient adaptive for antibacterial therapy.

The unique bacterial infection microenvironment (IME) usually requires complicated design of nanomaterials to adapt to IME for enhancing antibacterial therapy. Here, an alternative IME adaptative nitrite reductase-mimicking nanozyme is constructed by in situ growth of ultrasmall copper sulfide clusters on the surface of a nanofibrillar lysozyme assembly (NFLA/CuS NHs), which can temporally regulate nitric oxide (NO) gradient concentration to kill bacteria initially and promote tissue regeneration subsequently. Benefiting from a copper nitrite reductase (CuNIR)-inspired structure with CuS cluster as active center and NFLA as skeleton, NFLA/CuS NHs efficiently boost the catalytic reduction of nitrite to NO. The inherent supramolecular fibrillar networks displays excellent bacterial capture capability, facilitating initial high-concentration NO attacks on the bacteria. The subsequent catalytic release of low-concentration NO by NFLA/CuS NHs-mediated nitrite reduction remarkably promotes cell migration and angiogenesis. This work paves the way for dynamically eliminating MDR bacterial infection and promoting tissue regeneration in a simple and smart way through CuNIR-mimicking catalysis.

Co and F co-doping to augmenting the electrochemical performance of P2-type sodium lithium manganese oxide for sodium ion battery

P2-type sodium lithium manganese oxide is recognized as one of the most promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its practical application has been hindered by poor cycling performance and limited rate capacity. In this study, we successfully co-doped cobalt (Co) and fluorine (F) into P2-type sodium lithium manganese oxide, resulting in the enhanced material CoF-NLM, which significantly improves its electrochemical performance. The CoF-NLM material exhibits several advantageous characteristics: (i) a notable increase in lattice constant and lattice cell volume, which facilitates the intercalation and deintercalation of sodium ions within its bulk structure; (ii) an enhanced surface morphology that promotes better contact between the electrode and the electrolyte; and (iii) an increased Mn3+/Mn4+ ratio, which enhances the number of active transition metal centers available for electrochemical reactions. As a result, the CoF-NLM sample demonstrates exceptional electrochemical performance, boasting a specific capacity of 135.51 mAh/g at a current density of 8 mA g−1 and maintaining an impressive 92.69 % capacity retention after 100 cycles. This study conclusively demonstrates that ion doping is a highly effective strategy for enhancing the electrochemical performance of cathode electrode materials in SIBs; paving the way for the development of high-energy, high-power SIBs that can meet the demands of next-generation energy storage applications.

Synthesis and nootropic activity prediction of some 4-(aminomethyl)-1-benzylpyrrolidin-2-one derivatives structurally related with nebracetam

The aim. Search for new biologically active substances with improved nootropic parameters among analogues of 4-(aminomethyl)-1-benzylpyrrolidine-2-one (Nebracetam). Materials and methods. The required reagents were purified using standard techniques. The elemental analysis was performed on a "Hewlett Packard" automatic analyzer M-180 company. 1H NMR spectra were recorded on Varian Gemini 400 MHz spectrometer in DMSO-d6 as a solvent. LC/MS spectra were recorded with a PE SCIEX API 150EX liquid chromatograph equipped. The Autodock 4.2 software package was used for molecular docking. The active centers of the peptides (PDB ID: 5CXV, 6PV7) was used as the biologycal targets. Results and discussion. Basic and alternative methods (1 and 2) of obtaining were used to synthesise target analogues of 4-(aminomethyl)-1-R-benzylpyrrolidine-2-one. As a result of synthetic studies, an optimized method with an alternative method has been proposed. The advantages include reducing the duration and number of synthesis stages and avoiding the use of sodium azide, a highly toxic and hazardous substance. Molecular docking of the synthesized compounds at well-documented acetylcholine receptor sites indicates that all tested molecules will contribute to the manifestation of nootropic activity to varying degrees through cholinergic neurotransmission mechanisms. This is evidenced by the calculated docking values in relation to the muscarinic target. According to the docking results, it was found that depending on the enantiomeric configuration, the molecules formed stable complexes with the target and had characteristic binding modes both in the orthosteric site and in the extracellular vestibule (site of positive allosteric modulation of mAChR). It indicates the prospects of modifying the "nebracetam scaffold" at the phenyl fragment with halogen substituents. Conclusions. An effective method for synthesising analogues of 4-(aminomethyl)-1-R-benzylpyrrolidin-2-ones has been developed. The molecular docking revealed potential mechanisms of nootropic action of the synthesized derivatives as potential agonists and positive allosteric modulators of the muscarinic receptor

Constructing Pr-doped CoOOH catalytic sites for efficient electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Electrocatalytic conversion of renewable biomass is emerging as a promising route for sustainable chemical production; hence it urgently calls for developing efficient electrocatalysts with low potentials and high current densities. Herein, a Pr-doped Co(OH)2 hexagonal sheet (Pr/Co = 1/9, in mole) is synthesized by electrodeposition as highly performant catalyst for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) oxidation reaction (HMFOR) to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). This novel and low-cost catalyst possesses a rather low onset potential of 1.05 V (vs. RHE) and requires only 1.10 V (vs. RHE) to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for HMFOR, significantly outperforming Co(OH)2 benchmark (i.e., 210 mV higher to reach 10 mA cm−2). The origin of Pr promotion effect as well as the evolution of CoOOH catalytic sites and HMFOR process has been deeply elucidated by physical characterizations, kinetic experiments, in situ electrochemical techniques, and theoretical calculations. The unique Pr-ameliorated CoOOH active centers enable 100% conversion of HMF, 99.6% selectivity of FDCA, and 99.7% Faraday efficiency, with a superior cycling durability toward HMFOR. This can be one of the most outstanding results for Co-based HMFOR catalysts to date in the literature. Thereby this work can help open up new horizons for constructing novel and efficient Co-based electrocatalysts by the utilization of lanthanide elements.

In-situ Fe–O co-doped carbon nitride heterogenous catalyst for enhanced photo-Fenton oxidation performance towards recalcitrant organic pollutants

One-step and in-situ FeCl3-participated molten urea thermal polymerization strategy is designed to prepare Fe–O co-doped carbon nitride photo-Fenton catalyst (Fe/OCN). Fe/OCN exhibits remarkable photo-Fenton catalytic oxidation capacity towards recalcitrant organic pollutants, in which 0.31 wt% Fe/OCN with optimal Fe-doping level exhibits significantly 60 and 6.3 times higher pseudo-first-order kinetic constant than single photocatalysis and Fenton system in the degradation of methyl orange. The enhancement of photo-Fenton catalytic performance is mainly ascribed to the realization of ideal Fe–O and Fe–N coordination structure in the framework of polymeric carbon nitride, which can not only serve as prime sites for the adsorption of target pollutants molecules and transfer channels for directed migration of photogenerated charges, but also well-modulate electronic structure and band structure of Fe/OCN. Accordingly, the resulting boosted charge carriers separation and transfer dynamics and increased electron density around Fe active centers facilitate ≡Fe(II) regeneration and H2O2 activation, leading to the significant production of plentiful reactive species responsible for degradation and mineralization of organic pollutants. The present work provides new insight into the optimized design and precise regulation of carbon nitride-based photo-Fenton system for advanced wastewater treatment.

Application of fluorescent probe for labile heme quantification in physiological dynamics

Heme is an essential prosthetic molecule for life activities and is well known to act as the active center of many proteins, however, labile heme (LH) released from proteins is a harmful molecule that produces reactive oxygen species and must be strictly controlled. Recently, LH has been suggested to function as an important molecule for diverse physiological responses. Quantitative analysis of the intracellular dynamics of LH is essential for understanding its physiological functions, a substantially practical method has not been established. Here, we successfully developed an alternative method that can be used to complement quantification of the dynamics of intracellular LH using H-FluNox, an activity-based specific fluorescent probe recently constructed. Our newly established method should be effective in elucidating the physiological functions of LH.

A long-cycle-life reversible Li-CO2 battery enabled by engineering the active sites of graphene with Pd nanoparticles.

Li-CO2 batteries have been recognized as an emerging technology for energy storage systems owing to their high theoretical specific energy and environmentally friendly CO2 fixation ability. However, their development for applications requires a high energy efficiency and long cycle-life, this is currently limited to the formation of wide-bandgap insulator Li2CO3 during discharge. Here, nanoparticle Pd supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is utilized as cathodes for Li-CO2 batteries, Pd nanoparticles as active centers significantly enhance CO2RR/CO2ER reaction activity, which can support the fast formation and decomposition of Li2CO3 in organic electrolytes and achieve a high discharge capacity of 7500 mAh g-1. It also performs remarkably high cycling stability of over 500 cycles with a long cycle-life of 5000 hours. The observed super electrochemical performance is attributable to the thick electrode design and uniform distribution of ultrafine catalyst nanoparticle Pd. When Li2CO3 is adsorbed on Pd particle, the Li-O bond in Li2CO3 will be elongated due to the interactions of two nucleophilic O atoms with Pd, resulting in a weakening of the Li-O bond and activation of Li2CO3. Our work suggests a way to design catalysts with high activity that can be used to activate the performance of Li-CO2 batteries.