Best-performing Sample Research Articles

Multi-frequency sono-fermentation with mono and co-cultures of LAB synergistically enhance mulberry juice: Evidence from metabolic, micromorphological, sensorial, and computational approaches

The effect of multi-frequency ultrasound-assisted (20/28/40 KHz) lactic acid bacteria (LAB- Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus helveticus) fermentation (mono and co-cultures) on the metabolic, structural, micromorphological, and sensorial properties of mulberry juice were evaluated. Results indicated that multi-frequency ultrasound-assisted fermentation significantly modified the microstructure of mulberry juice powder, resulting in more porous and rougher surfaces with irregular indentations. Total phenolic content in the best-performing sample (S10) increased to 365.36 mg GAE/mL, while total flavonoid content rose to 139.20 mg RE/mL (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity, as measured by DPPH and FRAP assays, also showed considerable improvement, with DPPH scavenging activity increasing to 87.45 % and FRAP-value to 3.27 mM TE/mL (p < 0.05). Additionally, HPLC-UV analysis revealed that the amendment in the concentrations of cyanidin-3-rutinoside (47.47 mg/L) and peonidin-3-O-glucoside (66.86 mg/L) in the S2-based sample. E-nose analysis demonstrated intense flavor profiles in fermented samples, particularly in sample S15. Sensory evaluation also highlighted that the fruity and floral aromas in co-culture fermented samples were enhanced, notably in S10, S7, and S14. Thus, combining multifrequency ultrasonication and fermentation significantly enhances the antioxidants capacity, flavor profile, micro-morphology, and overall quality of mulberry juice.

Water as Dual-Function Plasticizer and Cosolvent in Gel Electrolytes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

This study presents a novel approach to developing eco-friendly dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using natural and renewable materials for gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs), reducing reliance on unsustainable solvents. Water is added to polar aprotic solvents, specifically ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate (EC/PC), across various mass fractions (0:100 to 100:0). An amphiphilic hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) natural polymer is employed to formulate GPEs within this water-EC/PC cosolvent system, achieving successful gelation up to 50:50 mass fractions. Incorporating water reduced the gel strength and viscosity of the GPEs. Water acted as a plasticizer, enhancing the polymer chains mobility, and creating a more flexible and permeable structure. This increased ion diffusion coefficients and ion mobility, resulting in a maximum ionic conductivity of 18.17 mS cm-1. The highest efficiency achieved in DSSCs using these GPEs is 5.81%, with elevated short-circuit current density and reduced recombination losses. However, some compositions experienced syneresis, affecting their stability. The GPE with a 40:60 mass fraction exhibited superior long-term stability because it is free from syneresis, though it achieved a lower efficiency (4.83%), making it the best-performing sample. This work demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of using gel polymer electrolytes in an aqueous system, improving DSSC efficiency and sustainability.

Prediction of low-velocity impact responses for bio-inspired helicoidal laminates based on machine learning

The inherent capacity of natural protective systems to withstand impact loadings, attributed to their microscale helicoidal architectures, has garnered significant interest. Drawing inspiration from this mechanically robust design, this study aims to introduce the composite laminates with a helicoidal distribution and to accurately and efficiently predict their Low-Velocity Impact (LVI) responses. Initially, the Latin hypercube design (LHS) was employed to generate 500 samples representing various pitch angles. An experimentally verified finite element model was then established to capture the load-displacement curves and energy-time curves for these 500 samples. Subsequently, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model was utilized to accurately predict the load-displacement curves and energy-time curves for bio-inspired helicoidal laminates across different pitch angles. The principal component analysis (PCA) was used to enhance the efficiency of learning the load-displacement and energy-time curves in a reduced dimensional space, and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was employed to investigate the feature importance of pitch angle. Finally, the helicoidal laminate with the highest energy absorption for a given volume was obtained by the genetic algorithm (GA) combined with the CNN model. This optimized laminate demonstrates a remarkable 9.5 % improvement in energy absorption compared to the best-performing sample within the original data set. Furthermore, the "spiraling" delamination damage of the helicoidal laminates was studied, which indicates that the delamination with small pitch angle is more pronounced for that with large pitch angle. The proposed method offers significant advantages in terms of cost reduction and efficiency enhancement for predicting the LVI responses of helicoidal laminates, holding immense potential in structural design and optimization of composite materials.

Structural, optical and attenuation properties analysis of iron-doped zirconium oxide nanoparticles for photocatalytic and radiation shielding applications

This manuscript explores the effects of iron doping on the structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of ZrO2 nanoparticles (NPs) for photocatalytic applications. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–visible spectroscopy were used to investigate the characteristics of synthesized materials. The XRD pattern of ZrO2 indicates a pure monoclinic phase structure and strong diffraction orientation along the (1¯11) direction; with adding Fe with different concentrations, a new phase appeared, indicating ZrO2 NPs with tetragonal phase structure with strong diffraction orientation along the (101) direction as well as Fe concentrations increase, new phases appeared, namely α-Fe2O3, Zr3Fe, and Zr4Fe2O0.6. The observed trend in the crystallite size decreases from 25 nm to 13 nm with increasing Fe concentrations. The NPs’ optical bandgap was found to be 4.28 eV, reducing to 2.93 eV as the concentration of Fe increased. This value is in good agreement with those previously published for photocatalytic applications. The photocatalytic performance was determined and found to obey a first-order rate constant where the best-performing sample was FZO-10 with methylene blue degradation (94 %) and k values (36.2 × 10 −3 min −1), respectively. Additionally, the mass attenuation coefficient and half-value layer analysis revealed significant attenuation properties, showing a consistent decrease in GMAC with increasing gamma energy and highlighting the impact of ZrO2 concentration on gamma-ray shielding effectiveness. The outcomes demonstrate that Fe doping has a significant effect and has the potential to improve ZrO2-based photocatalytic applications’ performance.

Ultratough Supramolecular Polyurethane Featuring an Interwoven Network with Recyclability, Ideal Self-Healing and Editable Shape Memory Properties.

Developing multifunctional polymers with excellent mechanical properties, outstanding shape memory characteristics, and good self-healing properties is a formidable challenge. Inspired by the woven cross-linking strategy, a series of supramolecular polyurethane (PU) with an interwoven network structure composed of covalent and supramolecular cross-linking nodes have been successfully synthesized by introducing the ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) motifs into the PU skeleton. The best-performing sample exhibited ultrahigh strength (∼77.2 MPa) and toughness (∼312.7 MJ m-3), along with an ideal self-healing efficiency (up to 90.8% for 6 h) and satisfactory temperature-responsive shape memory effect (shape recovery rates up to 96.9%). Furthermore, it ensured recyclability. These favorable properties are mainly ascribed to the effective dissipation of strain energy due to the disassembly and reconfiguration of supramolecular nodes (i.e., quadruple hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between UPy units), as well as the covalent cross-linking nodes that maintain the integrity of the polymer network structure. Thus, our work provides a universal strategy that breaks through the traditional contradictions and paves the way for the commercialization of high-performance multifunctional PU elastomers.

Covalent organic polymer/chitosan multifunctional granular aerogels for diclofenac sodium removal from water

The adsorptive removal of pharmaceutical contaminants, such as diclofenac sodium (DFS), from water is of high environmental importance because of their adverse biological effects.Covalent organic polymers (COPs) show good DFS removal performance but are poorly suited for industrial applications because of their powder form. Herein, we synthesized an amine- and carboxyl group-rich aromatic COP (CCP-NH2) with a large surface area (1227 m2/g) and used it to prepare a series of granular CCP-NH2/chitosan aerogels (CCN-AG-x, where x = 0–90 wt% is the loading of CCP-NH2). The best-performing sample, CCN-AG-80, exhibited a high surface area and mechanical strength, low density, excellent stability in various solvents, and facile processability into different shapes. Moreover, CCN-AG-80 exhibited a high DFS adsorption capacity (501 mg/g), fast adsorption kinetics (<30 min), negligible interference from competing species, and good adsorption/desorption cycling behavior. The superior mechanical strength and excellent DFS removal performance of CCN-AG-80 were attributed to the synergistic effects of chitosan and CCP-NH2. Moreover, CCN-AG-80 showed promising potential for the removal of various pharmaceutical contaminants from water. Synthesizing granular aerogels from the combination of chitosan and COP with large surface area and diverse heteroatoms would be an efficient strategy to develop adsorbents for the removal of pollutants from water media.

Experimental investigation of condensation heat transfer on vertically inclined grooved aluminium surfaces

This study details the experimental investigation of surface condensation heat transfer on vertically inclined aluminium surfaces with simple modifications. A bespoke experimental apparatus was constructed to control the saturation conditions inside the condensation chamber where the test surface is located. The degree of subcooling of the test surface was precisely controlled by an external heat exchanger. The meter bar technique was used to evaluate the condensation heat flux. Using distilled water as the working fluid and a plane aluminium test surface as the baseline case, the experimental apparatus was validated by comparison of the determined heat transfer coefficient with Nusselt’s model of filmwise condensation on a vertical plane surface, where an excellent agreement was obtained. 7 different aluminium test surfaces were subsequently investigated, each one modified with grooves measuring 0.5mm by 0.5mm (height and width), with a consistent spacing of 0.5mm between them. Groove angles relative to the vertical axis of 0° (180°), 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 150° were investigated, where grooves were symmetrically mirrored at the centre of each test surface. Results highlighted a significant influence of groove angle on the heat transfer coefficient, with the best-performing sample (150˚) producing a maximum enhancement of 45% and an average enhancement of 34% compared to the baseline test surface over the respective range of subcooling.

Synergistic enhancement of simazine degradation using ZnO nanosheets and ZnO/GO nanocomposites: A sol-gel synthesis approach

This study aims to optimize the synergistic effect in photocatalytic processes by facilitating the accumulation of graphene oxide (GO) layers onto ZnO nanoparticles, thereby achieving close contact between the two materials, leveraging the high surface-to-volume ratio and efficient charge transport pathways inherent in ZnO nanosheets. The performance of ZnO nanosheets in the photocatalytic degradation of Simazine was investigated, with the aim of further enhancing the performance of the best-performing sample through GO decoration. Accordingly, ZnO nanosheets were obtained by the sol-gel method using different concentration of zinc acetate hexahydrate as a zinc source. According to the obtained results, it was observed that the sample prepared with a concentration of 0.44 M zinc precursor salt exhibited the best performance with a degradation rate of 67 %. In order to improve the performance of the sample prepared under this condition, graphene oxide (GO) was integrated into ZnO nanosheets to form a ZnO/GO nanocomposite structure. This composite structure achieved a photodegradation efficiency of 85 % for Simazine. The data obtained showed that the use of GO-based ZnO nanocomposites can improve charge separation, light absorption, charge transport and photo-oxidation of organic pollutants.

Valorization of Crab Shells as Potential Sorbent Materials for CO2 Capture.

This study delves into the potential advantage of utilizing crab shells as sustainable solid adsorbents for CO2 capture, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional porous adsorbents, such as zeolites, silicas, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and porous carbons. The investigation focuses on crab shell waste, which exhibits inherent natural porosity and N-bearing groups, making them promising candidates for CO2 physisorption and chemisorption applications. Selective deproteinization and demineralization treatments were used to enhance textural properties while preserving the natural porous structure of the crab shells. The impact of deproteinization and demineralization treatments on CO2 adsorption and speciation at the atomic scale, via solid-state NMR, and correlated findings with textural properties and biomass composition were investigated. The best-performing sample exhibits a surface area of 36 m2/g and a CO2 adsorption capacity of 0.31 mmol/g at 1 bar and 298 K, representing gains of ∼3.5 and 2, respectively, compared to the pristine crab shell. These results underline the potential of fishing industry wastes as a cost-effective, renewable, and eco-friendly source to produce functional porous adsorbents.

Titanium dioxide and halloysite loaded polylactic acid-based membrane continuous flow photoreactor for 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) hormone degradation: Optimization, kinetics, mechanism, and reusability study

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been linked to harmful effects in biota due to their widespread chemical persistence. In this paper, we report on the fabrication of electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) based nanofibers functionalized with TiO2 nanoparticles. The PLA-based TiO2 nanofibers were further stabilized with the incorporation of halloysite (HNT) particles. The nanofibers were fabricated in varied concentrations of HNT (5, 10, 15%), while TiO2 was kept at 10% for all the prepared samples. The fabricated samples were evaluated for elimination of synthetic 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) hormone as a model EDC pollutant. By using combined adsorptive and photocatalytic processes, the as-prepared samples were evaluated in a continuous flow system under dark and UV-light irradiation for EE2 removal. The best-performing sample with an optimized concentration of PLA/TiO2/HNT (85, 10, 5%) was able to eliminate 71.6% of EE2 hormone under UV irradiation at a hormone concentration of 0.1 mg/L. The maximum removal capacity obtained was 1.26 mg/g in 2 h, which best fitted the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The sample was further utilized for additional experiments by changing experimental parameters, such as contact time, solution pH, and flow rate. To elucidate the actual degradation of the EE2 hormone, LCMS analysis was carried out to monitor the formation of by-products, which indicated that EE2 was fragmented into different potentially benign molecules. Finally, the best-performing sample was utilized for ten cyclic runs under optimized conditions for which the sample maintained sufficiently high degradation without any loss in structural integrity. Overall, the results showed that the developed PLA/TiO2/HNT nanofibers have a high potential to target persistent organic pollutants.

Polypropylene-Rendered Antiviral by Three-Dimensionally Surface-Grafted Poly(N-benzyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide).

To inhibit viral infection, it is necessary for the surface of polypropylene (PP), a polymer of significant industrial relevance, to possess biocidal properties. However, due to its low surface energy, PP weakly interacts with other organic molecules. The biocidal effects of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have inspired the development of nonwoven PP fibers with surface-bound quaternary ammonium (QA). Despite this advancement, there is limited knowledge regarding the durability of these coatings against scratching and abrasion. It is hypothesized that the durability could be improved if the thickness of the coating layer were controlled and increased. We herein functionalized PP with three-dimensionally surface-grafted poly(N-benzyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide) (PBVP) by a simple and rapid method involving graft polymerization and benzylation and examined the influence of different factors on the antiviral effect of the resulting plastic by using a plaque assay. The thickness of the PBVP coating, surface roughness, and amount of QACs, which jointly determine biocidal activity, could be controlled by adjusting the duration and intensity of the ultraviolet irradiation used for grafting. The best-performing sample reduced the viral infection titer of an enveloped model virus (bacteriophage ϕ6) by approximately 5 orders of magnitude after 60 min of contact and retained its antiviral activity after surface polishing-simulated scratching and abrasion, which indicated the localization of QACs across the coating interior. Our method may expand the scope of application to resin plates as well as fibers of PP. Given that the developed approach is not limited to PP and may be applied to other low-surface-energy olefinic polymers such as polyethylene and polybutene, our work paves the way for the fabrication of a wide range of biocidal surfaces for use in diverse environments, helping to prevent viral infection.

Chemical looping oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane over Fe-Co/HZSM-5 redox catalyst

Chemical looping oxidative dehydrogenation (CL-ODH) has been extensively investigated as a green strategy for light olefins production from alkanes/naphtha without thermodynamic equilibrium constraints. However, achieving high ethylene selectivity as well as promising ethane conversion at relatively low-temperature (≤600 °C) in CL-ODH of ethane is still challenging. Herein, we show that Fe-Co dual-metal oxides supported by HZSM-5 zeolite can be used as appropriate redox catalysts for low-temperature CL-ODH of ethane. By tuning the loading mass ratio of Fe: Co oxides on the HZSM-5 support, 87 % ethylene selectivity and 23 % ethane conversion can be attained at 600 °C and 4800 mL·h−1·g−1 with the best-performing sample, i.e., 8Fe-2Co/HZ5(200). The stability of this sample was then assessed across 100 redox cycles, no obvious coking was observed within the entire test. Comparison test and physicochemical characterization results showed that both sample acidity and the role of dual-metal oxides are pivotal for ethane ODH to yield ethylene, in which dual-metal oxides are responsible for low-temperature ethane activation while proper amount of medium-strong acidity is critical for ethylene selectivity as well as activity. Overall, the present work demonstrates the feasibility of using HZSM-5 supported Fe-Co dual-metal oxides as redox catalyst for low-temperature CL-ODH of ethane, and provides a facile way for redox catalyst design to balance sample activity and selectivity.

Functional Composite Dual-Phase In Situ Self-Reconstruction Design for High-Energy-Density Li-Rich Cathodes.

The unique anionic redox mechanism provides, high-capacity, irreversible oxygen release and voltage/capacity degradation to Li-rich cathode materials (LRO, Li1.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2). In this study, an integrated stabilized carbon-rock salt/spinel composite heterostructured layers (C@spinel/MO) is constructed by in situ self-reconstruction, and the generation mechanism of the in situ reconstructed surface is elucidated. The formation of atomic-level connections between the surface-protected phase and bulk-layered phase contributes to electrochemical performance. The best-performing sample shows a high increase (63%) of capacity retention compared to that of the pristine sample after 100 cycles at 1C, with an 86.7% reduction in surface oxygen release shown by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry. Soft X-ray results show that Co3+ and Mn4+ are mainly reduce in the carbothermal reduction reaction and participate in the formation of the spinel/MO rock-salt phase. The results of oxygen release characterized by Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) strongly prove the effectiveness of surface reconstruction.

Sonochemically tailored Copper Oxide as nanofiller in terpolymer composite gel electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells

This article describes the impact of several weight percentages of copper oxide (CuO) as a nanofiller on the structure, morphology, and electrochemical performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). CuO-350 was synthesized using a sonochemical method following by calcination at 350 ℃ and was incorporated into the polymer-salt system to develop a polymer composite gel electrolyte (PCGE). The improvement in the amorphous phase and complexation between the constituents were proven via X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared. However, the thermal stability declines with the addition of CuO-350 nanofillers. It was found that TCuO350–5 exhibited the highest ionic conductivity and apparent diffusion coefficient of triiodide of (3.49±0.01)×10−3 S cm−1 and 1.48 × 10−5 cm2 s−1, respectively. The best-performing sample among PCGE is found to be TCuO350–5, containing 5 wt% of CuO-350 with an efficiency of 7.69% with JSC of 23.47 mA cm−2, VOC of 0.62 V, and fill factor of 52.9%. In addition, it also has the highest charge collection efficiency (87.31%) and longest electron lifetime (1.446 s). TCuO350–5 has achieved the stability of the device with efficiency retained 92% at room temperature and retains 80% efficiency even at 80 ℃.

Regulable in-situ autoredox for anchoring synergistic Ni/NiO nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide with boosted alkaline electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

To develop ideal alternatives to noble metal catalysts, transition metal catalysts supported on graphene have been receiving extensive attention in the field of electrochemical energy. In this work, using graphene oxide (GO) and nickel formate as precursors, Ni/NiO synergistic nanoparticles with regulable composition are anchored on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) to prepare Ni/NiO/RGO composite electrocatalysts through in-situ autoredox. Thanks to the synergistic effect of Ni3+ active sites and Ni electron donors, the as-prepared Ni/NiO/RGO catalysts exhibit efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution performance in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte. The optimal sample has an overpotential of only 275 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 90 mV dec−1, which are very comparable to those of commercial RuO2 catalyst. Additionally, the catalytic capacity and structure remain stable after 2000 cyclic voltammetry cycles. For the electrolytic cell assembled with the best-performing sample as anode and commercial Pt/C as cathode, the current density can reach 10 mA cm−2 at a low potential of 1.57 V and remains stable after 30 h of continuous work. It would be expected that the as-developed Ni/NiO/RGO catalyst with high activity should have broad application prospects.

Substitution of petrochemical compounds for polyphenols of natural origin reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils to formulate adhesives for wood bonding.

Vegetable tannins are excellent options to produce adhesives for the panel industry since they have the capacity to reduce formaldehyde emissions and are derived from renewable sources. They also allow for the possibility of increasing the resistance of the glue line through the use of natural reinforcements such as cellulose nanofibrils. Condensed tannins, polyphenols isolated from tree bark, are widely studied for the production of natural adhesives as an alternative to commercial synthetic adhesives. So, the purpose of our research is to show a natural adhesive alternative for wood bonding. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate the quality of tannin adhesives of different species reinforced with different nanofibrils and thus predict which adhesive is the most promising at different concentrations of reinforcement and with different types of polyphenols. To meet this objective, polyphenols were extracted from the bark, nanofibrils were obtained, and both processes followed the current standards. Then, the adhesives were produced, their properties were characterized, and they were chemically analyzed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A mechanical shear analysis of the glue line was also performed. According to the results, the addition of cellulose nanofibrils affected the physical properties of the adhesives, mostly the content of solids and the gel time. In the FTIR spectra, the OH band of the 5% Pinus and 5% Eucalyptus (EUC) TEMPO in the barbatimao adhesive and the 5% EUC of the cumate red adhesive were reduced, possibly due to their higher moisture resistance. Mechanical tests of the glue line showed that barbatimao with 5% Pinus and cumate red with 5% EUC performed best in the dry and wet shear tests. The control was the best-performing sample in the test of the commercial adhesives. The cellulose nanofibrils used as reinforcement did not change the thermal resistance of the adhesives. Therefore, the addition of cellulose nanofibrils to these tannins is an interesting means of increasing the mechanical strength, as occurred in commercial adhesive with 5% EUC. Thus, the physical and mechanical properties of tannin adhesives were better with reinforcement, making it possible to expand the use of these adhesives in the panel industry. At the industrial level, it is important to replace synthetic products with natural ones. Besides environmental and health issues, there is the question of the value of petroleum-based products, which have been widely studied so that they can be replaced.

Recovery of Pd(II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Activated Carbon Obtained in a Single-Stage Synthesis from Cherry Seeds

This paper describes a single-stage synthesis process for activated carbon using cherry seeds. The influences of the carbonization temperature and the time were investigated. Using the BET method, the surface area of the obtained activated carbons was determined, as well as the pore distribution, while SEM images provided further insight into the structure of the surface. Next, the adsorption isotherm was derived. For the test, Pd(II) chloride complex ions were used. It was found that the obtained activated carbon were suitable for palladium(II) recovery from diluted aqueous solutions. Out of the tested parameters of carbon synthesis, the most optimal one was found to be 500 °C for 3 h. Additionally, it was confirmed that the increase in the adsorption temperature affects the increase in palladium load from 1.6 mg/g at 20 °C to 15.6 mg/g at 50 °C (for the best-performing sample). This fact may suggest that the process of adsorption is associated with chemical reactions.

Improving the Photocatalytic Performance of Porous Ceria under Visible Light Illumination via Mn Incorporation

Porous cerium oxide (ceria) nanoparticles were prepared with and without manganese (Mn) by using the flash combustion technique. Samples with different loadings (Ce/Mn ratio ranged from 100 to 10) were prepared by using a one-step process and water only as a solvent. Moreover, citric acid was utilized as a fuel in an aqueous medium, and the overall synthesis mixture was dried at 100 °C overnight and then calcinated at 550 °C for 3 h. The obtained final solid product was characterized by inductively coupled plasma (ICP), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (DR-UV-Vis), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which was coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The characterization data showed that Mn ions were totally incorporated into the framework of ceria up to the applied loading. Under visible light illumination, the photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples was tested in the decolorization reaction of methyl green (MG) dye (wavelength greater than 425 nm). The results showed that increasing Mn content improved the photocatalytic activity of ceria. The sample with a Ce/Mn ratio of 10 performed 1.8 times better than bare porous ceria. Finally, the reusability of the best-performing sample was investigated in four consecutive runs without treatment, and slight deactivation was monitored after the fourth run.

Facile and versatile strategy for fabrication of highly bacteriostatic and biocompatible SLA-Ti surfaces with the regulation of Mg/Cu coimplantation ratio for dental implant applications

The low bactericidal activity and poor osteogenic activity of Ti limit the use of this metal in dental implants by increasing the risk of their periimplantitis-induced failure. To address this problem, we herein surface-modify biomedical Ti through the plasma immersion coimplantation of Mg and Cu ions and examine the physicochemical properties and bio-/hemocompatibility of the resulting materials as well as their activity against periimplantitis-causing bacteria, namely Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. The reactive oxygen species release (ROS) was assessed via the 2′7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. The best-performing sample Mg/Cu（8/10）-Ti promotes cell proliferation and initial cell adhesion while exhibiting high hydrophilicity, outstanding activity against the aforementioned pathogens, and good bio-/hemocompatibility. Additionally, higher levels of cellular ROS generation in S. mutans and P. gingivalis could provide insight into the antibacterial mechanisms involved in Mg/Cu（8/10）-Ti. Thus, Mg/Cu coimplantation is concluded to endow the Ti surface with high bacteriostatic activity and biocompatibility, paving the way to the widespread use of Ti-based dental implants.

Surface Modified CoCrFeNiMo High Entropy Alloys for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Seawater

Electrolysis of seawater is a promising technique to desalinate seawater and produce high-purity hydrogen production for freshwater and renewable energy, respectively. For the application of seawater electrolysis technique on a large scale, simplicity of manufacture method, repeatability of catalyst products, and stable product quality is generally required in the industry. In this work, a facile, one-step, and metal salt-free fabrication method was developed for the seawater-oxygen-evolution-active catalysts composed of CoCrFeNiMo layered double hydroxide array self-supported on CoCrFeNiMo high entropy alloy substrate. The obtained catalysts show improved performance for oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline artificial seawater solution. The best-performing sample delivered the current densities of 10, 50, and 100 mA cm−2 at low overpotentials of 260.1, 294.3, and 308.4 mV, respectively. In addition, high stability is also achieved since no degradation was observed over the chronoamperometry test of 24 h at the overpotential corresponding to 100 mA cm−2. Furthermore, a failure mechanism OER activity of multi-element LDHs catalysts was put forward in order to enhance catalytic performance and design catalysts with long-term durability.