Benzene Ring Structure Research Articles

A new strategy to prepare bio-based polylactic acid modifier for multi-functionality: Dopamine-grafted modified lignin

Currently, to address the performance deficiencies associated with high brittleness, inadequate thermal stability, and susceptibility to hydrolysis in polylactic acid (PLA), it is common practice to incorporate multiple or high proportions of additives. However, this approach raises concerns regarding interface compatibility, energy consumption, and environmental impact. In this context, we introduce an environmentally friendly, bio-based PLA modifier that is facile to prepare and facilitates multi-functional applications at a minimal dosage. The presence of a benzene ring structure in lignin endows the material with ultraviolet (UV) resistance, thermal stability, and hydrophobic characteristics, while the exceptional adhesion properties of polydopamine (PDA) enhance interfacial compatibility. A novel biomass polylactic acid modifier, designated as OL@PDA, has been synthesized by modifying low-molecular-weight lignin (OL) with PDA. Comparative analysis of OL@PDA/PLA composite materials reveals a 14.08 % increase in tensile strength and a 42.00 % enhancement in elongation at break relative to pure PLA. The incorporation of the lignin-derived benzene ring structure effectively transforms PLA from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic material. Furthermore, the UV transmittance at 400 nm (T400 nm%) is recorded at 65.8 % for pure PLA, which significantly decreases to below 5 % for OL@PDA/PLA composites. The integration of OL@PDA as a modifier in PLA materials yields comprehensively performance enhancements while maintaining a low additive concentration.

Effect of time series on the degradation of lignin by Trametes gibbosa: Products and pathways

Lignin is the third most abundant organic resource in nature. The utilization of white-rot fungi for wood degradation effectively circumvents environmental pollution associated with chemical treatments, facilitating the benign decomposition of lignin. Trametes gibbosa is a typical white-rot fungus with rapid growth and strong wood decomposition ability. The lignin content decreased from 23.62 mg/mL to 17.05 mg/mL, which decreased by 27 % in 30 days. The activity of manganese peroxidase increased steadily by 9.44 times. The activities of laccase and lignin peroxidase had the same trend of change and reached peaks of 49.88 U/L and 10.43 U/L on the 25th day, respectively. The change in H2O2 content in vivo was opposite to its trend. For FTIR and GC–MS analysis, the fungi attacked the side chain structure of lignin phenyl propane polymer and benzene ring to crack into low molecular weight aromatic compounds. The side chains of low molecular weight aromatic compounds are oxidized, and long-chain carboxylic acids are formed. Additionally, the absorption peak in the vibration region of the benzene ring skeleton became complex, and the structure of the benzene rings changed. In the beginning, fungal growth was inhibited. Fungal autophagy was aggravated. The metal cation binding proteins of fungi were active, and the genes related to detoxification metabolism were upregulated. The newly produced compounds are related to xenobiotic metabolism. The degradation peak focused on the redox process, and the biological function was enriched in the regulation of macromolecular metabolism, lignin metabolism, and oxidoreductase activity acting on diphenols and related substances as donors. Notably, genes encoding key degradation enzymes, including lcc3, lcc4, phenol-2-monooxygenase, 3-hydroxybenzoate-6-hydroxylase, oxalate decarboxylase, and acetyl-CoA oxidase were significantly upregulated. On the 30th day, the N-glycan biosynthesis pathway was significantly enriched in glycan biosynthesis and metabolism. Weighted correlation network analysis was performed. A total of 1452 genes were clustered in the coral1 module, which were most related to lignin degradation. The genes were significantly enriched in oxidoreductase activity, peptidase activity, cell response to stimulation, signal transduction, lignin metabolism, and phenylpropane metabolism, while the rest were concentrated in glucose metabolism. In this study, the lignin degradation process and products were revealed by T. gibbosa. The molecular mechanism of lignin degradation in different stages was explored. The selection of an efficient utilization time of lignin will help to increase the degradation rate of lignin. This study provides a theoretical basis for the biofuel and biochemical production of lignin. SynopsisTrametes gibbosa degrades lignin in a pollution-free way, improving the utilization of carbon resources in an environmentally friendly spontaneous cycle. The products are the new way towards sustainable development and low-carbon technology.

Interfacial adhesion of polycarbonate to graphene and silicon oxide: A comparative molecular dynamics analysis

In this study, molecular dynamics was used to evaluate the adsorption-free energy of polycarbonate on a solid wall surface that represented a fiber material. Three solid surfaces were used: clean graphene without functional groups to represent surface-treated carbon materials, graphene with OH groups without surface treatment, and SiO2 to represent glass fiber. The results showed that the adsorption free energy per unit area for clean graphene was greater than the adsorption free energy per unit area for the other two solid wall surfaces, which is different from the experimental results where the surface treated carbon fiber had a smaller adsorption free energy. The structure of benzene rings was analyzed, and it was found that benzene rings are deposited almost parallel to the solid wall on all solid walls and that the density of benzene rings with SiO2 and OH groups is the smallest on Graphene with the smallest angle and closest to the solid wall, resulting in smaller adsorption energy. This suggests that the π-π interaction between the benzene ring and the solid surface may account for a large proportion of the adsorption energy. It also suggests that chemical reactions between the solid surface and the polymer, which were not considered in this study, may have a significant effect on the adsorption energy.

A biomass-based protective layer with rigid structure and ion conductivity for high-performance lithium metal batteries

Lithium (Li) metal has been considered as an effective anode material because of its high theoretical capacity, but the uncontrolled dendrite growth and the unstable electrode/electrolyte interface limit its practical application. In this work, proanthocyanidin (PA), a natural extracted biomass, was designed and developed as a coating material to guide homogeneous deposition and restrain side reaction for lithium metal batteries. The rigid benzene ring structure of PA can increase the mechanical strength to restrain dendrite growth on Li surface. Moreover, the spontaneous formation of organolithium (PA-Li) structure from the reaction of phenolic hydroxyl group with Li metal increase the ion transportation ability of PA layer and induce the uniform deposition of Li+ ions to hinder the growth of Li dendrites, as well as prevent the direct contact of organic electrolyte with Li metal to suppress the interface side reaction. As a result, Li metal anode with PA-Li exhibits stable cycling properties for 2800 h at 2 mA cm-2 and 2 mAh cm-2, better that of bare Li (200 h). Li-sulfur full battery with PA-Li can still achieve a capacity of 570 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles. This work provides an effective strategy for the construction a natural functional layer on Li surface to enhance the electrochemical performance, as well as the implementation of high-value utilization for natural biomass.

Advances in microbial whole-cell sensors for the detection of aromatic compounds

The inherent stability and recalcitrance of benzene ring structures render aromatic compounds a major ecological concern and a substantial risk to human health. Hence, developing a facile and efficacious detection technique for aromatic compounds is essential. As our comprehension of aromatic compound characteristics deepens, microbial cell-based biosensors have emerged as increasingly popular tools in the detection of aromatic compounds. This article introduces the operational principles of microbial whole-cell biosensors and elucidates the construction techniques and applications of electroactive biofilm-based microbial whole-cell sensors, transcription factor-based microbial whole-cell sensors, and degradation gene promoter-dependent microbial whole-cell sensors in the detection of aromatic compounds. In addition, we review the methodologies for improving the performance of microbial whole-cell sensors based on surface display, logic gate construction, genetic circuit modification, and quorum sensing signal amplification.

Strength and stability of π-π interaction between substituted benzene ring structures and graphene: Theoretical and molecular dynamics study

Adsorption between graphene and organic drug molecules attracts enormous attention for its wide application in drug delivery. π-π interaction, as one of the most important adsorption mechanisms, occurs between substituted benzene ring structure in organic drug molecule and graphene. This mechanism effectively prevents the degradation of molecular structure of drug, ensures its functional activity and promotes controlled release of drugs. It is worth noting that the type and quantity of substituents on the benzene ring have a significant impact on the strength and stability of π-π interactions. In this study, we cover features of eight kinds of substituents, and explore strength and stability of π-π interaction between graphene and substituted benzene ring structures from a mechanical perspective. The results demonstrate the advantages of substituents in enhancing adsorption strength. Electron-withdrawing substituents show more stronger enhancement effect than electron-donating substituents. Further research reveals that electrostatic interaction is the main enhancement mechanism for electron-withdrawing substituents. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations provide a comparison of adsorption stability among different substituents. Theoretical and simulation studies provide valuable mechanistic understanding of substituents in enhancing adsorption performance, contributing to the design and optimization of more targeting graphene carriers for drug molecules.

Lignin-based vitrimer containing dynamic borate ester bonds with intrinsic photoconversion and excellent photothermal remoldability

The development of photoresponsive shape memory materials based on the photothermal conversion properties of lignin and the low activation energy of the dynamic covalent borate bond is of great importance. In this paper, a kind of lignin-based vitrimer polymer (LBP) containing dynamic boronic ester bonds was prepared by a “sulfhydryl-epoxy” click reaction and etherification reaction. The results show that the rigid segment EP-EL (lignin-based epoxy resin) and BDB (2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)-bis-[4-mercapto-1,3,2-dioxaneborane]) with benzene ring structure can impart tensile strength (20.8 MPa) to the LBP, while the flexible segment PEG imparts good elongation at break (15 %). The dynamic binding and dissociation exchange mechanism of the boronic ester bonds enables LBP to exhibit thermal remodelling properties (up to 36.2 %) and water-assisted self-healing properties at room temperature (up to 49.0 %). In addition, LBP exhibits excellent thermal and light-responsive shape memory properties due to its own photothermal conversion performance (photothermal conversion efficiency up to 18.2 %) and the dynamic boronic ester bond thermal activation bond exchange mechanism. The insulating properties of LBP make it suitable for use in high temperature protection circuit devices and light-responsive circuit devices. This study provides new insights into the design and application of Vitrimer and photoresponsive shape memory polymers, and also offers a new avenue for high-value utilization of lignin.

Ultra-sensitive, graphene metasurface sensor integrated with the nonradiative anapole mode for detecting and differentiating two preservatives

Abstract Graphene-based metamaterial sensors are of significant research value for detecting food preservatives at low concentrations due to their extremely high sensitivity levels. In this work, we proposed and experimentally demonstrated an anapole resonance-based graphene metasurface (An-graphene-Ms) sensor with its conductivity altered by electrostatic doping effects for detecting and differentiating between two preservatives, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, in the terahertz region. Sodium benzoate, owing to its benzene ring structure, established π–π stacking interactions between the π-electrons in the benzene ring and those in graphene, amplifying the sensing effect. The amplitude changes and phase differences of the An-graphene-Ms sensor for the sodium benzoate detection were greater than those for potassium sorbate at the same concentration. Additionally, to reveal the dependence of the resonance frequency on the time delay, the measured signals were investigated using the continuous wavelet transform (CWT), and the time-frequency combination of the metasurface sensor was performed. The 2D wavelet coefficient intensity cards are effectively constructed through CWT, which also presents a more accurate approach for distinguishing and determining the concentrations of the two preservatives.

Mechanisms of interface electrostatic potential induced asphalt-aggregate adhesion

The electrostatic potential at the interface of the asphalt molecular and aggregate oxides is the primary factor generating the adhesion between the asphalt-aggregate contact surfaces. However, the route of electrostatic potential affecting the asphalt-aggregate adhesion is yet to be determined at the molecular level. This study proposed that the electron accumulation at the interface of the asphalt molecular and aggregate oxides generates a significant electrostatic potential hence to induce the adhesion between the asphalt and aggregate in asphalt pavement. A microscopic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation incorporated with macroscopic adhesion work experiments is conducted to analyze the interface adhesive performance between the asphalt and aggregate. The adhesion work experiment demonstrated the effect of aggregate surface oxides on asphalt adhesion at the macro level and further verified the simulation results. The result demonstrated that a notable electron accumulation can be observed by MD at the interface of asphalt molecular and multiple oxides which generates the electrostatic potential. The strong electrostatic attractions and hydrogen bonds between alkaline oxides (MgO, CaO, CaCO3) and asphalt molecules enhance the relative concentration distribution, diffusion coefficient, and adhesion of asphalt on the aggregate surface. The significant electrostatic potential difference at the interface of the asphalt molecular and the oxide enables a strong adhesion between them due to the near-surface failure potential. Besides, the negative charge accumulation on both the benzene ring structure and oxygen atoms in the asphalt molecules results in poor adhesion at the interface of asphalt molecules and multiple oxides. It was found that a high correlation exists between the MD prediction and experimental testing results. Thus, this research provides a valuable tool for guiding the pairing and selection of asphalt with various minerals for pavement design, construction, and maintenance agencies.

Nitrofurazone biodegradation kinetics by batch fermentation of Aspergillus tamarii

Nitrofurazone (NFZ) compound contains a 5-nitrofuran ring structure that has been widely used as feed additives in animal husbandry. Due to the benzene ring structure, the residues are highly toxic to humans and animals. A kinetics study of NFZ biodegradation in batch fermentation with Aspergillus tamarii KX610719.1 was conducted. The main objectives were to determine the kinetic parameters of fungal growth, glucose consumption, protein production, and biodegradation of NFZ using fungal biomass. Kinetic parameters were determined using Polymath 6.0 software, and regression analysis was done using linear and non-linear methods. After 168 hours of batch fermentation, the maximum specific growth rate (µmax), and maximum cell concentration (Xmax) for cultivation without NFZ were 0.062 h-1, and 0.529 g L-1, respectively. The maximum specific growth rate (µmax), and maximum cell concentration (Xmax) for cultivation with NFZ were 0.092 h-1, and 0.327 g L-1, respectively. For glucose consumption, kinetic parameters of Yield of biomass over the substrate (YXS) and cell maintenance (mS) were estimated at 0.139 g g-1 and 0.239 h-1, respectively. Based on the Luedeking Piret model, the estimated growth-associated (α) and non-growth-associated (β) constants were 1.142×10-2 g g-1 and 5.680×10-5 h-1, respectively. The rate constant (k1) of NFZ biodegradation was estimated at 2.696×10-2 h-1 following the first-order model where the rate constant of NFZ removal is dependent on the NFZ concentration. The application of A. tamarii batch fermentation in the removal of NFZ compound was sufficient with a total percentage removal of 85.9 % or 0.430 g L-1 recorded.

Mechanical Behavior Analysis of Double-Layer Graphene Based on Football and Meshless kp-Ritz Method

Graphene is a double-layer flat film composed of multiple atoms. It is mainly based on the hexagonal honeycomb lattice structure composed of carbon atoms in a hybrid structure. The three-dimensional image is like a grid shape on the surface of a football. Double-layer graphene is a two-carbon material composed of two layers of carbon atoms that are periodically and closely packed in a benzene ring structure stacked in a different stacking manner. In this article, this article aims to study the thermodynamic behavior analysis of double-layer graphene. According to a mechanical behavior analysis of football and meshless kp-Rit method, due to the thermodynamic instability of two-dimensional crystals, no matter what whether it is a football shape or a meshless method, the graphene is not a complete plane either freely or deposited on the substrate. On the contrary, there are microscopic wrinkles on the surface. According to observations, this three-dimensional change will cause the generation of static electricity. At the same time, it will also make the connection between different carbon atoms more viscous, and the properties will be more stable. Study the tensile force with stronger fracture strength than steel, through the study of meshless methods and mechanical research models Established, and finally showed that in the experimental results in this article, the angle between the bond and the bond is 120°, and its strength can reach about 150 GPa.

Effect of dilute acid on fulvic acid extracted from lignite

ABSTRACT To explore the effect of dilute acid on the extraction of fulvic acid by lignite using an alkali-soluble acid precipitation method, lignite was acid-precipitated by H2SO4, HNO3, HCl, and H3PO4, and the content, extraction rate, and structural characteristics of fulvic acid were analyzed. The results showed that the highest content of humic acid extracted by HNO3 is 0.3383 mg/mL, and the lowest content of humic acid extracted by sulfuric acid is 0.0817 mg/mL. The highest extraction rate of humic acid derived from lignite extracted by hydrochloric acid is 3.84%, and the lowest extraction rate of humic acid extracted by sulfuric acid is 0.89%. Fulvic acid extracted from lignite contained functional groups such as benzyl, carbonyl, methyl, and hydroxyl, but their contents varied; the benzene ring structure in fulvic acid precipitated by HNO3 was the most pronounced, but the aromatization degree was the lowest. By contrast, the aromatization degree of fulvic acid precipitated by H2SO4 was the highest. This indicates that the functional group contents in humic acid extracted from different dilute acids vary, although the types of functional groups are similar.

Molecular structure characterization of coal with different coalification degrees: a combined study from FT-IR, Raman, 13C NMR spectroscopy and modelling

While extensive research has been conducted on the evolution of coal's molecular structure during coalification, the heterogeneity and complexity of coal continue to impede the accurate and precise quantitative characterization of its structural evolution mechanism. In this study, the organic matter source, coal quality, carbon skeleton structure, and functional group occurrence of coal at different coalification stages have been determined using maceral identification, vitrinite reflectance, industrial quality, elemental analysis, and spectral analysis. Four molecular models have been created through computer-aided molecular design. The results indicate that the hydrogen atoms in the benzene ring structure reduce as coalification increases. The content of aliphatic compounds gradually decreases, while the length of aliphatic side chains first decreases (Ro,max<1.81%) and then increases (Ro,max>1.81%). Moreover, the chemical structure of coal tends to mature and stabilize, as the degree of coal crystallization increases, and the oxygen-containing groups gradually decrease. Therefore, aromatization increases with the condensation reaction dominating in the late stage of coalification. After intensive attempts to determine the chemical bond mode between aromatic carbon, aliphatic side chain, and oxygen functional group, the final molecular structure models are presented as C188H165O13N3 (F-1), C182H161O9N5 (J-1), C195H153O10N3 (T-1), and C193H129O7N3 (W-1). Furthermore, the mechanism of coalification is discussed based on the variation of the side chains and chemical bonds. According to the adsorption heat of functional groups, the methane adsorption capacity increases as the degree of coalification increases. The inflection point of methane adsorption capacity is at Ro,max>1.80%. This study provides a theoretical framework to understand the molecular structure evolution of coals at varying degrees of metamorphism. Additionally, it proposes a reliable method for characterizing coal molecular structures with high accuracy.

Synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of a nontoxic functional plasticizer for poly(vinyl chloride) derived from sustainable lactic acid

The use of plasticizers is crucial in enhancing the flexibility of engineering plastics. Currently, the primary plasticizers employed in poly(vinyl chloride) materials are nonrenewable phthalates. These exhibit a detrimental impact on the environment and human health owing to their toxic benzene ring structure. Consequently, the development of easily synthesizable, green plasticizers with excellent properties using biobased resources has been a long-standing objective in the field of resin plasticizing. Herein, we synthesized a branched lactic acid ester (BLAE) plasticizer using esterification and acid anhydride end-capping methods. Further, we investigated its application performance and oral toxicity. The abundance of polar ester groups in the oligolactic acid structure enables them to form secondary bonds with polymer chains. This results in a glass transition temperature is 59% less than that of pure poly(vinyl chloride), thereby improving the mechanical properties of the material. The addition of the BLAE plasticizer not only improved the thermal stability of the compound film but also effectively reduced the self-catalytic dehydrochlorination reaction of poly(vinyl chloride). This overcomes the limitations of unmodified poly(vinyl chloride), such as performance deterioration and color variation due to light exposure. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of the compound film was substantially enhanced, resulting in outstanding antifouling and self-cleaning properties. These findings suggest that lactic acid-based plasticizer exhibits comparable or even superior overall performance when compared to commercially available plasticizers such as dioctyl phthalate and acetyl tributyl citrate. This work not only addresses the gap in the toxicity assessment of lactic acid plasticizers but also demonstrates their nontoxic characteristics in acute oral toxicity tests. This research offers novel insights into the green synthesis and functional development of biobased plasticizers, showcasing considerable potential for the substituting of dioctyl phthalate.

Enhanced adhesive and mechanically robust silicone-based coating with excellent marine anti-fouling and anti-corrosion performances.

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is widely used in marine antifouling coatings due to its low surface energy property. However, certain drawbacks of PDMS coatings such as poor surface adhesion, weak mechanical properties, and inadequate static antifouling performance have hindered its practical applications. Herein, condensation polymerization is utilized to prepare PDMS-based polythiamine ester (PTUBAF) coatings that consist of PDMS, polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG), 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrafluoro-1, 4-benzenedimethanol (TBD) as the main chains and isobornyl acrylate(IBA) as the antifouling group. The surface adhesion to the substrate is enhanced due to the hydrogen bond between the coated carbamate group and the hydroxyl group on the surface of the substrate. Mechanical properties of PTUBAF are significantly improved due to the benzene ring and six-membered ring biphase hard structure. The strong synergistic effect of bactericidal groups and low surface energy surface endows the PTUBAF coating with outstanding antifouling performance. Due to the low surface energy surface, the PTUBAF coatings are also found to possess excellent anti-corrosion. Furthermore, since the PTUBAF coatings exhibit a visible light transmittance of 91 %, they can applied as protective films for smartphones. The proposed method has the potential to boost the production and practical applications of silicone-based coatings.

Efficient degradation of methyl orange in wastewater via bio‐electro‐Fenton system: optimization, pathway investigation and process evaluation

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe efficient and green technology of dye removal has been widely investigated. In this study, a bio‐electro‐Fenton system was used to degrade methyl orange (MO). For the system optimization, five experimental groups were detected, including pH (1–6), iron (Fe2+) concentration (3–15 mmol L−1), airflow rate (0–20 mL min−1), external voltages (0.2–1.0 V) and initial MO concentration (20–100 mg L−1).RESULTSOptimal conditions of pH 3, Fe2+ concentration 9 mmol L−1, air flowrate 12 mL min−1, external voltage of 0.6 V and MO concentration 60 mg L−1 were selected, resulting in a 92% efficiency. For the pathway investigation of MO degradation, under oxidization by ˙OH, demethylation, broken azo bonds and broken benzene ring structure were obtained. Intermediate products were predicted. For the system evaluation, energy consumption of 0.15–0.59 KWh was determined for 1 m3 MO wastewater. The total cost of degrading MO wastewater could decrease to US$470.0 m−3 by adjusting operational time.CONCLUSIONConsidering the Fe2+ regeneration and the low energy consumption, this bio‐electro‐Fenton system can be considered as one of the most environmentally‐friendly approaches for MO degradation; however, quantitative evaluation on sustainability needs to be further discussed via advanced assessment tools (such as life‐cycle assessment). © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Green synthesis of Mn2O3 activated PDS to degrade estriol in medical wastewater and its degradation pathway

While green synthesized Mn2O3 has been used to activate peroxydisulfate (PDS) to degrade estrogens, effective application in real wastewater is less common due to variation in environmental matrices in wastewater. Here, green synthesized Mn2O3 was used as a Fenton-like catalyst to activate PDS for estriol (E3) degradation in wastewater. The results show that the high concentration of K+ and humic acid in wastewater could inhibit the activation process of the Mn2O3/PDS system, resulting in low removal efficiency of E3 in wastewater. However, when the concentration of PDS was increased to 15 mM, the removal efficiency of E3 in medical wastewater can reach 100 %, because the high PDS concentration increases the main reactive oxygen species singlet oxygen (1O2) in medical wastewater. XRD and SEM-EDS analysis indicate that the crystal structure of Mn2O3 is stable, with a consistent rice grain-like morphology before and after reaction. XPS results show no obvious changes in the percentages of Mn(II), Mn(III) and Mn(IV) before and after reaction, indicating that Mn2O3 has good stability when degrading E3 in medical wastewater. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and ecological structure–activity relationship (ECOSAR) modeling data analysis, the reactive oxygen species produced by the Mn2O3/PDS system mainly attack the benzene ring structure of E3, where the toxicity of its intermediate products declines significantly after breaking the benzene ring structure. Overall, this work provides greater understanding of the E3 degradation pathway and the toxicity of its degradation products.

Lignin bioconversion based on genome mining for ligninolytic genes in Erwinia billingiae QL-Z3

BackgroundBioconversion of plant biomass into biofuels and bio-products produces large amounts of lignin. The aromatic biopolymers need to be degraded before being converted into value-added bio-products. Microbes can be environment-friendly and efficiently degrade lignin. Compared to fungi, bacteria have some advantages in lignin degradation, including broad tolerance to pH, temperature, and oxygen and the toolkit for genetic manipulation.ResultsOur previous study isolated a novel ligninolytic bacterial strain Erwinia billingiae QL-Z3. Under optimized conditions, its rate of lignin degradation was 25.24% at 1.5 g/L lignin as the sole carbon source. Whole genome sequencing revealed 4556 genes in the genome of QL-Z3. Among 4428 protein-coding genes are 139 CAZyme genes, including 54 glycoside hydrolase (GH) and 16 auxiliary activity (AA) genes. In addition, 74 genes encoding extracellular enzymes are potentially involved in lignin degradation. Real-time PCR quantification demonstrated that the expression of potential ligninolytic genes were significantly induced by lignin. 8 knock-out mutants and complementary strains were constructed. Disruption of the gene for ELAC_205 (laccase) as well as EDYP_48 (Dyp-type peroxidase), ESOD_1236 (superoxide dismutase), EDIO_858 (dioxygenase), EMON_3330 (monooxygenase), or EMCAT_3587 (manganese catalase) significantly reduced the lignin-degrading activity of QL-Z3 by 47–69%. Heterologously expressed and purified enzymes further confirmed their role in lignin degradation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated that the lignin structure was damaged, the benzene ring structure and groups of macromolecules were opened, and the chemical bond was broken under the action of six enzymes encoded by genes. The abundant enzymatic metabolic products by EDYP_48, ELAC_205 and ESOD_1236 were systematically analyzed via liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis, and then provide a speculative pathway for lignin biodegradation. Finally, The activities of ligninolytic enzymes from fermentation supernatant, namely, LiP, MnP and Lac were 367.50 U/L, 839.50 U/L, and 219.00 U/L by orthogonal optimization.ConclusionsOur findings provide that QL-Z3 and its enzymes have the potential for industrial application and hold great promise for the bioconversion of lignin into bioproducts in lignin valorization.

Cobalt Single‐Atom Electrocatalysts Enhanced by Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks for Long‐Lasting Zinc‐Iodine Batteries

AbstractHerein, a hydrogen‐bonded cobalt porphyrin framework is presented that can efficiently host iodine and serve as an electrocatalyst for aqueous zinc‐iodine (Zn‐I2) organic batteries. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Density functional theory (DFT) results demonstrate that hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) possess excellent adsorption properties for iodine species. In situ Raman spectroscopy illustrates that the redox mechanism of Zn‐I2 battery depends on the redox reaction of I/I−, with I3−/I5− serving as intermediary products. The in situ Ultraviolet‐visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy further reveals that HOFs restrict polyiodide solubilization. The aqueous Zn‐I2 organic batteries with I2@PFC‐72‐Co cathodes exhibit excellent rate capability, achieving 134.9 mAh g−1 at 20 C. Additionally, these batteries demonstrate long‐term cycle stability, enduring &gt; 5000 cycles at 20 C. The impressive electrochemical performance of I2@PFC‐72‐Co can be attributed to the cooperative Co single‐atom (CoSA) electrocatalyst in the HOF‐Co structure. Moreover, the benzene ring structure and the carboxyl functional group of HOFs possess a strong ability to adsorb iodine and iodide. Owing to these synergistic effects, the aqueous Zn‐I2 batteries with the I2@PFC‐72‐Co cathode exhibit excellent electrochemical performance.

Study on the mechanism of anionic composite surfactant pretreatment to promote flotation of clay-rich coal slurry: Interfacial interaction

Clay-rich coal slurries suffer from low yield and high ash content during flotation. In this study, the effective recovery of clay-rich coal slurries was facilitated by pretreatment with sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and sodium polycarboxylate complex surfactants. Contact angle and adhesion force tests show that complex surfactants reduce the wettability of the coal. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy shows that the ring structure of SHMP leads to P-Π stacking with the benzene ring structure on the coal and hydrogen bonding with the oxygen-containing functional groups. Sodium polycarboxylate can combine with the hydroxyl groups on the coal and the oxygen-containing functional groups exposed after multipoint diffusion coverage of SHMP by the multihydroxyl structure on the chain. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) tests show that the complex surfactant is adsorbed on the coal surface by hydrophobic and electrostatic attraction. Adsorption occurs in the form of single- and double-layer adsorption. Zeta potential measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that the addition of a complex surfactant attenuates slime entrainment. Flotation tests show that after pretreatment with the surfactant complex, the cleaning coal yield is increased by 45.14% and the ash content is decreased by 7.92% compared with froth flotation. The flotation effect shows an obvious improvement. The above results help to elucidate the mechanism for composite surfactants to improve the flotation separation effect based on mesoscopic and microscopic aspects and strive to provide theoretical support for efficient flotation.