Carbon Core Research Articles

Biomass-derived potential nano-biomaterials: Protein binding, anti-biofilm activity and bio-imaging

Deriving carbon dots (CDs) from renewable sources is gaining popularity due to their prevalence, cost effectiveness, improved aqueous solubility, and increased biocompatibility. CDs, which are made up of crystalline graphitized carbon cores and multiple surface groups, are now spawning a lot of attention in the biological domains. Herein, the CDs were derived from dried rose petals using hydrothermal route and were completely characterized utilizing pivotal techniques. The prepared CDs are spherical particles that are approximately 5–6nm in size and have exceptional stability when exposed to pH and light irradiation. The derived CDs are excitation dependent fluorescent in nature with the quantum yield of 6%. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding interaction has been studied with CDs and evaluated through Stern−Volmer equation. The fluorescence quenching mechanism of BSA by CDs followed static type, is further confirmed by the lifetime studies. The binding mode of the CDs with BSA has been studied by molecular docking and the computed binding free energy for CDs is calculated to be −9.62 kcal/mol. Antibiofilm activity revealed that CDs were efficient in reducing the biofilm formations in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterium. Predominantly, CDs used in this study were significant in reducing the biofilms of gram-negative bacterium. Furthermore, the CDs are effectively used as an efficient biological probe for bioimaging studies.

The flexural and compressive properties of sandwich composites with different 3D-printed core structures

In this study, different core structures are produced with polylactic acid (PLA) and carbon fiber reinforced PLA (CFR-PLA) filaments using a 3D printer with fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique. An alternative new core structure is proposed to the honeycomb and square core structures commonly used in the literature. Then, sandwich composites are produced by bonding carbon fiber-epoxy plates to the lower and upper surfaces of these core structures. The effect of carbon fiber reinforcement and core types on the mechanical properties of sandwich composites was investigated. The core structures produced with carbon fiber-reinforced PLA showed lower compressive strength but higher compressive modulus than those produced with pure PLA. Among the core structures, the designed structure showed the highest compressive strength with a value of 9.867 MPa, which is 32.18% and 54.36% higher than the honeycomb and square structure. While the flexural strength and flexural stiffness of the sandwich composites increased with carbon fiber reinforcement, the designed sandwich composite showed approximately 1.40 and 3.15 times the flexural strength of the honeycomb and square sandwich composites, respectively.

Synergistic effect in the ZIF67-derived core shell structure towards the improved electrochemical performances in lithium-sulfur batteries

A ZIF-67 core could be grown within the hollow carbon sphere to further develop the hierarchical core shell structure, which displays synergistic effects as sulfur host in lithium sulfur batteries (LSB). The carbon shell with N active sites exhibits strong anchoring capability towards lithium polysulfide (LiPS), and the electrochemical conversion kinetic is favorably accelerated by the ZIF-67 derived carbon core. By virtue of the unique core shell structure and advantageous active species of the host material, the resulting composite cathode exhibits the high initial reversible capacity of 1308 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and outstanding long-term stability at 2C with a mere 0.039 % decay rate over 600 cycles. This work may shed a light on rational designing of novel sulfur host material towards the synergistic improvement of electrochemical performances of LSB.

Polymeric carbon quantum dots as efficient chlorophyll sensor-analysis based on experimental and computational investigation

This report introduces a microfiber chlorophyll sensor based on polymeric amine functionalized carbon quantum dots (NCQD) using the surface plasmon resonance technique. The silver (Ag) thin film, followed by NCQD-polyvinyl alcohol composite film, was deposited on the tapered optical fiber. The characterization of surface morphologies of NCQD-PVA film using a field emission scanning electron microscope shows that the contact area with the analyte was well covered with Ag and NCQD-PVA. The experimental results show that the fiber optic SPR sensor can detect chlorophyll in the 0.01–2.0 ppm range with a high sensitivity response and a detection limit of 1.90 nm ppm−1 and 0.78 ppm, respectively. This study observed no significant interference among the other ionic species (Fe3+, NH4+, NO3–, NO2–, and PO4-) due to the electrostatic and π-π interactions between NCQD and chlorophyll. Results from density functional theory calculation also confirm that the interaction of the NCQD with chlorophyll existed, and the strongest interaction occurs between nitrogen at pyridine sites of the carbon core and the oxygen group of chlorophyll. The proposed NCQD/PVA optical fiber sensor exhibits good sensing performance and correlates well with the standard method (R2 = 0.9501), suggesting a suitable technology candidate for real-time environmental monitoring applications.

Nanocomposites Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Magnetite Nanoparticles, and Core–Shell Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in Piezoelectric Sensors for the Determination of Macrolide Antibiotics

Nanocomposites Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Magnetite Nanoparticles, and Core–Shell Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in Piezoelectric Sensors for the Determination of Macrolide Antibiotics

Nanocomposites Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Magnetite Nanoparticles, and Core–Shell Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in Piezoelectric Sensors for the Determination of Macrolide Antibiotics

A piezoelectric sensor with a recognition layer based on magnetic carbon nanocomposites, including multi-walled carbon nanotubes, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and polymer nanospheres with molecular imprints of erythromycin and azithromycin, obtained by the “core–shell” method, is developed. Silicon dioxide particles are used as cores, on the surface of which a shell molecularly imprinted with macrolides is synthesized by free radical polymerization or the sol–gel method. SiO2 particles are obtained by the Stober method by varying the ratio of reagents during the synthesis. The size of the cores and nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) is determined by atomic force microscopy, and the density and uniformity of the layer on the surface of magnetic carbon nanocomposites (MCNC) are determined by the piezoelectric quartz crystal microbalance method. The optimal ratio of the reagents (template : functional monomer : cross-monomer) is established by a spectrophotometric method during the synthesis of “core–shell” nanostructures by free radical polymerization. A thin shell of SiO2 with imprints of an antibiotic based on organosilicon compounds used in the synthesis of the core is formed by the sol–gel method on the surface of the silicon dioxide core. The sensor recognition layer is formed under the action of an external magnetic field. The dependence of the analytical signal of the sensor based on MIP@SiO2/MCNC on concentration is linear in the range 5–160 µg/mL for azithromycin and 10–160 µg/mL for erythromycin, and with a recognition layer based on SiO2@SiO2/MCNC, in the concentration range 20–400 µg/mL for erythromycin.

Functionalized carbon nano-enabled plant ROS signal engineering for growth / defense balance

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) wave plays a crucial role as an early systemic signal in nearly all environmental response pathways. Engineering on ROS signaling may be a promising strategy to modulate plant systemic acquired acclimation and systemic acquired resistance. Recently, artificial designed materials mimicking signal transduction components have attracted attention to improve plant immunity and stress acclimation. Here, we report the bioengineering of functional carbon nanoparticles (FCN) through their regulation on ROS signaling. FCN with a C:O atom ratio of 1:2.2 were synthesized by low voltage electrolysis with graphite and carboxyl were the main oxygen-containing groups on the surface of sp2 carbon core. The active redox properties resulting from the carboxyl–rich modification provided FCN superior ROS-triggering effects compared to other carbon nanoparticles with similar core structures but different types and quantities of surface modifications. Moreover, the ROS induced by FCN were quickly scavenged to homeostasis without causing accumulation and then leading to oxidative stress. The findings from transcriptional footprinting in Arabidopsis’s genes revealed a typical and quick ROS signal transduction events and also the regulation of stress responses and adaptions to biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, the application of FCN to roots have been shown to promote the growth and development of Arabidopsis, rice and wheat, and also the yields particularly when suffering stresses. In summary, our findings confirmed that the ROS burst triggered by FCN modulated the balance between growth and defense through transcriptome reprogramming. It indicates that nano-enabled plant engineering for ROS can provide an economical and efficient way to promote the crops yields, especially under stress conditions.

Highly stable multicolor carbon dots created using o-phenylenediamine and terephthalic acid systems towards flexible emitting films

Multicolor carbon dots (CDs) with high stability are desired for various light emitting devices and bio-images. In this paper, the green and red emitting CDs were created by o-phenylenediamine and terephthalic acid (TA) as precursors at different temperatures via a solvothermal reaction. An efficient response surface methodology is developed to analyze the formation mechanism. Using optimized conditions, the green and red emitting CDs reveal photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 34.0 % and 26.8 %, respectively. The result of response surface method indicates that temperature, precursor concentration, and TA amount significantly influence the PLQYs of the CDs. The formation mechanism of the CDs was proposed by analyzing solvatochromism phenomena, oxidation processes, and fluorescence lifetimes. Initially, green CDs with surface state luminescence were formed followed by the subsequent generation of red CDs exhibiting molecular and carbon core state emission during oxidation. These CDs reveal high stability, in which the PL intensity almost remained unchanged after 7 months. Furthermore, three-color CDs/polymer films (λem = 500, 536, and 568 nm) were successfully fabricated by using these two types of CDs. Sample 180-CDs/polystyrene film had photochromic properties, while other films had good photostability.

Electrochemical exfoliation of phosphorus doped carbon dots with dual-emission originating from carbon core and surface states

Carbon dots have attracted significant attention due to their versatile and excellent photoelectric properties; however, the origins and underlying mechanism remain a subject of debate especially for dual-emission CDs. Here, novel dual-emission CDs have been exfoliated from graphite rods via an electrochemical method in a dihydrogen phosphate electrolyte. The CDs possess a very narrow blue emission band in the short wavelength region and a broad cyan emission band in the long wavelength range, which are attributed to carbon core state and surface state from phosphorus atom doping, respectively. Interestingly, the former shows excitation-dependent behavior, but the latter is excitation-independent. Thus, as the excitation wavelength increases, the blue emission band is gradually closing to the cyan one and coalesce into a broad peak at the excitation wavelength of 420 nm. The variations of both emission intuitively illustrate the role transition between a core state and the doped surface state at different excitation wavelengths, which offer a real sample for the study of transition between emissive states. Our findings provide novel and fundamental insights on the fluorescence mechanism of CDs with dual-emission.

Synthesis of Polymer-Grafted Carbon Dots Serving as Multifunctional Lubricant Additives with Excellent Tribological Performance and Additional Rust Resistance Function for Steel/Steel Contact.

Poly(bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric) methacrylic anhydride-grafted carbon dots (CD-g-PEPMA) have been controllably synthesized and used as multifunctional lubricant additives of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG200). The polymers on the surfaces of CD-g-PEPMA not only endow them with particularly excellent dispersion stability but also enhance their adsorbability on the steel surface and embedded stability between the rubbing surfaces. Hence, CD-g-PEPMA as an additive showed outstanding rust resistance and tribological performance. Among CD-g-PEPMA-X (X represents the polymerization time), CD-g-PEPMA-2 (X = 2 h) exhibited the best tribological performance. At the optimum c of 2.0 wt %, CD-g-PEPMA-2 reduced the coefficient of friction and wear volume of PEG200 by 60.1 and 74.0%, respectively. The striking friction-reducing and antiwear functions of CD-g-PEPMA as additives can be attributed to the synergistic lubrication effect of carbon cores and polymers. The rolling, polishing, and mending effects of carbon cores combined with the favorable adsorbability and reactivity of polymers on steel surfaces synergistically induced the formation of boundary lubrication films on wear track surfaces. The films are composed of tribochemical reaction products such as Fe2(CO3)3, Fe3C, and FePO4 embedded with carbon cores, tremendously reducing the friction and wear of the friction pair. The research results can provide substantial theoretical guidance and data support for designing and developing high-efficiency polymer-CD integrative multifunctional nanoadditives toward PEG.

Color‐Tunable Carbon Dots with Aggregation‐Induced Emission Constructed by FRET between Surface Luminescence Centers

AbstractAs a class of new fluorescent materials, carbon dots (CDs) have drawn widespread attention by virtue of their tunable photoluminescence (PL), excellent biocompatibility, and novel physicochemical properties. Unfortunately, in solid state, most CDs experience serious aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ). In this work, color‐tunable CDs with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) are prepared by simply changing the filling ratio of the autoclave. The obtained CDs show dual emission (green/red) in solid state, and the fluorescent color can be tuned from green to red. These CDs all exhibit blue fluorescence in dilute solution, and aggregation‐induced redshift behaviors are observed when the CDs form aggregates. Structural and optical characterizations prove that blue fluorescence is contributed by the carbon cores, whereas the green/red emission is attributed to the surface groups. Multicolor fluorescence is caused by increased fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency among the dual emission (green/red) peaks from g‐CDs to r‐CDs. Surprisingly, delayed fluorescence (DF) of CDs are brightened by inserting the CDs into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films, which can be easily recognized by the naked eyes with a lifetime up to ms. Finally, owing to the unique AIE and DF properties, the four CDs can be applied to multimodal advanced anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption.

Encapsulated prussian blue analogs derived nanocubes with tunable yolk-shell structure enabling highly efficient microwave absorption

Pyrolytic Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) have attracted much attention in the field of microwave absorption (MA) because of their outstanding magnetic-carbon synergism effect. However, pure PBAs are prone to collapse and aggregate during pyrolysis, resulting in impedance mismatch that weaken the MA performance. Herein, the amorphous carbon layer with adjustable dielectric constant as the encapsulated layer, together with pyrolytic PBAs enables remarkable optimized performance via forming the classic yolk-shell structure. Specifically, the amorphous carbon obtained by quantitatively carbonizing phenolic resin, can not only avoid the collapse of pyrolytic PBAs but also optimize electromagnetic parameters to achieve optimum impedance matching by varying thickness. The NiFe alloys/graphite carbon core derived from pyrolytic NiFe–PBAs also enhance synergistic attenuation in the YS-NiFe/GC@C absorbers. According to experimental results, all YS-NiFe/GC@C absorbers exhibit impressive MA properties. When the thickness of the amorphous carbon shell is 50 nm, the minimum reflection loss value is as low as −56.3 dB and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth reaches 5.64 GHz, indicating that optimizing impedance matching via hierarchical and quantitative design can maximize the MA capability. The result is then verified by simulation calculations. Therefore, this promising work provides guidance for the sophisticated construction of tunable PBA-based MA materials.

Boerelasins A-D, Four Unprecedented Cytochalasins from the Endophytic Fungus Boeremia Exigua.

Four undescribed cytochalasins (1-4) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Boeremia exigua. Structurally, boerelasin A (1) represents the first example of a cytochalasin with a rare 5/5 bicyclic carbon core. Boerelasin B (2) possesses an unprecedented 5/6/5/6/8 pentacyclic ring system. Boerelasin C (3), a derivative from the common biosynthetic intermediate to 1, is a macrocyclic ring-opening cytochalasin, and boerelasin D (4) contains an uncommon six-carbon alkyl acid side chain. The structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods, electronic circular dichroism, spin-spin coupling constants, and calculated nuclear magnetic resonance with DP4+ analysis. These compounds exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the tumor cells.

Molecularly designed and synthesized of bright blue nitrogen-doped lignin-derived carbon dots applied in printable anti-counterfeiting

With the increased demand for green and sustainable development, the research of advanced biomass-based carbon dots (CDs) has drawn growing attention. Herein, a one-step green solvent integration strategy-assisted solvothermal method to preparing CDs from hydrolyzed lignin and ethylenediamine (EDA) in formamide (FA) was developed. The Schiff reaction between FA and EDA contributes to the formation of -C-N groups, further inducing the high photoluminescence quantum yield (up to 42.69 %)，obviously higher than NCDs prepared in H2O, EtOH and DMF systems (corresponding to H-NCDs, E-NCDs and D-NCDs, respectively). The analysis of structure, composition, photoluminescence (PL) behaviors and DFT calculations showed that F-NCDs have main blue fluorescent emission peak from 410 to 455 nm under 330–390 nm excitation due to the small sp2 structure in carbon core, and the large sp2 conjugated clusters and CO group related surface states leaded to the long wavelength emission. The F-NCDs with excellent optical properties was further used for preparing fluorescent film and invisible anti-counterfeiting ink, which exhibited outstanding fluorescence even at different temperatures and aging times. We provided a facile way for green facile preparation of lignin-based CDs and their sustainable anti-counterfeiting application.

Multi-omics view of recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica: Enhanced ketogenic amino acid catabolism increases polyketide-synthase-driven docosahexaenoic production to high selectivity at the gram scale

DHA is a marine PUFA of commercial value, given its multiple health benefits. The worldwide emerging shortage in DHA supply has increased interest in microbial cell factories that can provide the compound de novo. In this regard, the present work aimed to improve DHA production in the oleaginous yeast strain Y. lipolytica Af4, which synthetized the PUFA via a heterologous myxobacterial polyketide synthase (PKS)-like gene cluster. As starting point, we used transcriptomics, metabolomics, and 13C-based metabolic pathway profiling to study the cellular dynamics of Y. lipolytica Af4. The shift from the growth to the stationary DHA-production phase was associated with fundamental changes in carbon core metabolism, including a strong upregulation of the PUFA gene cluster, as well as an increase in citrate and fatty acid degradation. At the same time, the intracellular levels of the two DHA precursors acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA dropped by up to 98% into the picomolar range. Interestingly, the degradation pathways for the ketogenic amino acids l-lysine, l-leucine, and l-isoleucine were transcriptionally activated, presumably to provide extra acetyl-CoA. Supplementation with small amounts of these amino acids at the beginning of the DHA production phase beneficially increased the intracellular CoA-ester pools and boosted the DHA titer by almost 40%. Isotopic 13C-tracer studies revealed that the supplements were efficiently directed toward intracellular CoA-esters and DHA. Hereby, l-lysine was found to be most efficient, as it enabled long-term activation, due to storage within the vacuole and continuous breakdown. The novel strategy enabled DHA production in Y. lipolytica at the gram scale for the first time. DHA was produced at a high selectivity (27% of total fatty acids) and free of the structurally similar PUFA DPA, which facilitates purification for high-value medical applications that require API-grade DHA. The assembled multi-omics picture of the central metabolism of Y. lipolytica provides valuable insights into this important yeast. Beyond our work, the enhanced catabolism of ketogenic amino acids seems promising for the overproduction of other compounds in Y. lipolytica, whose synthesis is limited by the availability of CoA ester precursors.

Pyrolysis of Al-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks to Carbon Dot-Porous Al2 O3 Composites With Time-Dependent Phosphorescence Colors for Advanced Information Encryption.

Phosphorescent materials with time-dependent phosphorescence colors (TDPCs) have great potential in advanced optical applications. Synthesis of such materials is attractive but challenging. Here, a series of carbon dot-porous Al2 O3 composites exhibiting distinctive TDPC characteristics is prepared by high-temperature pyrolysis of Al-based metal-organic frameworks NH2 -MIL-101(Al). The composite synthesized at 700 °C (CDs@Al2 O3 -700) shows an obvious change in phosphorescence color from blue to green after removing the excitation light of 280nm. Photophysical analysis reveals that two emission centers in CDs, namely carbon core and surface states, are responsible for the short-lived blue phosphorescence (96ms) and long-lived green phosphorescence (911ms), respectively. The combination of blue and green phosphorescence with different decay rates triggering the interesting TDPC phenomenon. CDs@Al2 O3 -700 has a significantly high phosphorescence quantum yield of up to 41.7% and possesses an excellent optical stability against water, organic solvents, and strong oxidants, which benefits from the multi-confinement of CDs by the porous Al2 O3 matrix through rigid network, strong space constraint, and stable covalent bonding. Based on the TDPC property, multilevel coding patterns composed of CDs@Al2 O3 are successfully fabricated for advanced dynamic information encryption.

Two-Pronged Approach: Synergistic Tuning of the Surface and Carbon Core to Achieve Yellow Emission in Lignin-Based Carbon Dots.

In this study, yellow emissive lignin-based carbon dots (Y-CDs) were successfully prepared through a synergistic approach to adjust its surface and carbon core states. The lignin was initially effectively oxidized and carboxymethylated to impart abundant -COOH onto the precursor, which eventually adjusts the surface state of the CDs. Subsequently, α-naphthol was employed during the solvothermal treatment of lignin with the aim of elevating the sp2 domain content in the CDs and, thus, adjusting its carbon core state. The obtained Y-CDs possessed abundant carboxyl groups and nanoscale spherical shape with an average diameter of 5.21 nm. Meanwhile, the energy gap of Y-CDs was 2.46 eV and the optimal emission wavelength was 561 nm under the excitation wavelength of 410 nm. Synergistic adjusting carbon core and surface of the Y-CDs would alter the surface charge distribution and promote the delocalization of π electrons, and thus lead to a red shifting with the emission wavelength of 154 nm. Furthermore, a shape memory film with excellent recovery performance and fluorescent properties was designed by embedding the Y-CDs into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. The incorporation of Y-CDs could impart the film with considerable high-value applications in the fields of intelligent sensing, biomedicine, and tissue engineering.

Constructing bilayer-mesoporous structure in molecularly imprinted nanocomposite membranes for efficient separation of acteoside

The main active component of Cistanche tubulosa is acteoside (ACT), which is difficult to separate due to its low content. Therefore, it is important to develop an efficient method for efficient separation of ACT. Herein, the ACT-based molecularly imprinted nanocomposite membranes (A-MINMs) doped with bilayer-mesoporous carbon nanospheres (BMCNs) were fabricated for efficient separation of ACT. The designed BMCNs mixed with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) powders to prepare the hybrid membranes (BMCNs@PVDF) by a phase inversion method. Then, a sol–gel method was used to synthesize the ACT-imprinted layer on the BMCNs@PVDF. The A-MINMs-400 synthesized under the given conditions demonstrated an excellent rebinding capacity of 114.94 mg/g, the brilliant permselectivity of 7.15, and the rebinding selectivity of 4.48. It mainly attributed to the following three reasons: (i) The designed BMCNs possessed a well-defined bilayer-mesoporous structure composed of the mesoporous carbon shell, interlayer void, and mesoporous carbon core. This bilayer-mesoporous structure can construct the efficient shell@void@core@void@shell pathways in A-MINMs for intercepting ACT molecules through the A-MINMs. (ii) The interlayer void structure can provide a large space for accommodating ACT molecules, thereby enhancing the rebinding capacities of A-MINMs. (iii) The introduced BMCNs nanofillers facilitated to form the abundant ACT-imprinted sites and cavities, improving the selectivity of A-MINMs for ACT. Therefore, the development and design of A-MINMs with bilayer-mesoporous nanofillers had a great potential for efficient separation of bioactive active constituents from natural products.

A novel type of fluorescence modulation mechanism of carbon dots derived from the competition of photoinduced electron transfer and fluorescence

A series of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) are prepared under different solvent conditions from citric acid and different nitrogen sources, and a novel principle for modulating their fluorescence (FL) properties has been proposed. The nitrogen-doped carbon core can act as a fluorophore, causing diverse FL properties of N-CDs to a certain extent restricting electron delocalization. The solvent effect experiments show that the FL originates from the local emission (LE) of the carbon core. Significantly, the electron-rich substituents linked directly to the carbon core can act as electron donors, which lead N-CDs to undergo a normal “surface substituents-excited” photoinduced electron transfer (S-PET) or a nontypical “carbon core-excited” PET (C-PET) under alkaline or acidic conditions, respectively, causing an uncommon pH-sensitivity FL quenching of N-CDs. Since C-PET or S-PET dominated by pH could further regulate the surface charges of N-CDs, unseparated dual-channel specific recognition and the “AND” logic gate detection for Cu2+ and Chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPH) in neutral conditions have been established.

A Systematic Study of the Connection Between White Dwarf Period Spectra and Model Structure

To date, pulsational variability has been measured for nearly 70 pulsating helium-atmosphere white dwarfs (DBVs) and 500 pulsating hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs (DAVs), with only a fraction of these having been the subject of asteroseismic analysis. One way to approach white dwarf asteroseismology is forward modeling, where one assumes an interior structure and calculates the model’s periods. Many such models are calculated, in the search for the one that best matches the observed period spectrum. It is not computationally manageable, nor necessary, to vary every possible parameter for every object. We engage in a systematic study, based on a sample of 14 hydrogen-atmosphere white dwarfs, chosen to be representative of the types of pulsation spectra we encounter in white dwarf asteroseismology. These white dwarfs are modeled with carbon and oxygen cores. Our goal is to draw a connection between the period spectra and what parameters to which they are most sensitive. We find that the presence of longer-period modes generally muddies the mass and effective temperature determinations, unless continuous sequences of ℓ = 1 and ℓ = 2 modes are present. All period spectra are sensitive to the structure in the helium and hydrogen envelopes and most to at least some features of the oxygen abundance profile. Such sensitivity can be achieved either by the presence of specific low-radial-overtone modes, or by the presence of longer-period modes. Convective efficiency only matters when fitting periods greater than 800 s. The results of this study can be used to inform parameter selection and pave the way to pipeline asteroseismic fitting of white dwarfs.