Electrochemical Method For Synthesis Research Articles

A highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the detection of chloramphenicol based on Ni/Co bimetallic metal-organic frameworks/reduced graphene oxide composites

A highly and simply sensitive electrochemical sensor has been developed for the detection of trace chloramphenicol (CAP) in water based on Ni/Co bimetallic metal–organic frameworks-reduced graphene oxide composites [rGO/NiCo-BTC MOFs (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylicacid)] modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE/rGO/NiCo-BTC MOFs). The bare glassy carbon electrode was initially coated with graphene oxide (GO). Subsequently, the GO was electrochemically reduced to obtain reduced graphene oxide (rGO). NiCo-BTC MOFs was grown on the surface of rGO modified electrode by in-situ electrochemical synthesis method to construct GCE/rGO/NiCo-BTC MOFs. The as-made composites films have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Further, different electrochemical techniques were utilized for investigating the electrochemical reduction behaviors of CAP at GCE/rGO/NiCo-BTC MOFs. This composites film modified electrode combines the large surface area and excellent electrical properties of rGO with the good catalytic activity of NiCo-BTC MOFs, resulting in a significant enhancement of the electrochemical signal during the electroreduction of CAP. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibits excellent sensing performance for CAP, with a wider linear dynamic range (0.1 − 100 μM), a lower limit of detection (0.235 μM) (S/N = 3) and a ultra-high sensitivity (33.12 μA·μM−1·cm−2). The tap water spiked with different concentrations of CAP were considered. The recoveries range from 97.79 % to 100.07 %, with relative standard deviations ranging from 3.45 % to 5.40 %. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of CAP in real samples, yielding satisfactory results. With further research and development, electrochemical in-situ synthesis of MOFs composites have the potential to revolutionize the design and performance of electrochemical sensors, holding great promise in the field of electrochemical sensing.

High‐Voltage Recyclable Organic Cathode Enabled by Heteroatomic Substitution for Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

AbstractN‐type organic compounds present themselves as promising high‐capacity cathodes for aqueous Zn‐ion batteries. However, a common challenge is their working voltages often falling below 1 V versus Zn2+/Zn. To bridge this gap, a high‐voltage organic material is first developed, 5,6,11,12‐tetraazanaphthacene (TANC), using a heteroatomic substitution strategy. TANC feature a large π‐conjugated plane enriched with π−π interactions, which not only enhancing structural stability but also boosting charge transfer kinetics. The TANC cathode is achieved from its dihydro precursor, denoted as 2H‐TANC, via a facile in situ activation process within the battery itself. This electrochemical synthesis method is cost‐effective and environmentally friendly compared to traditional chemical method. The cathode shows a record‐high discharge voltage of 1.15 V (vs Zn2+/Zn) among n‐type organic materials and maintains cycling stability over 47,500 cycles. Furthermore, spent TANC electrodes can be efficiently recycled via a simple extraction process. The work marks a significant step toward the development of high‐voltage, affordable, and recyclable organic electrode materials, steering them to the forefront of future sustainable battery technologies.

A new breakthrough in electrochemical synthesis of energetic materials: Constructing super heat-resistant explosives

In this article, electrochemical synthesis methods were used to construct a series of novel heat-resistant energetic materials with a tetracyclic structure bridged by azo-bis (1,2,4-triazole). From a molecular structure perspective, the synthesized 1,2-bis(5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-diazene (H4AzTT) exhibits zwitterionic properties and can exhibit a tetravalent structure when used as a nitrogen rich anion. In terms of physicochemical properties, H4AzTT and its energetic salts (M−AzTT) exhibit excellent energy performance and thermal stability due to its high nitrogen content and large conjugated structure. Among them, K4-AzTT·3H2O possess the highest decomposition temperature of 428 °C. Specifically, traditional chemical synthesis of tetracyclic structure may lead to ring breakage or by-products, while electrochemical synthesis methods are efficient and controllable, and allow for the direct synthesis of energetic salts (potassium, lithium, sodium, guanidine) by simply changing the electrolyte. Electrochemical testing and in situ ATR-SEIRAS analysis indicate that the electrochemical synthesis of M−AzTT precedes the OER (Oxygen Evolution Reaction). Therefore, a high yield of 65 % and a high Faraday efficiency of 81.5 % at 1.7 V vs. RHE were achieved under alkaline conditions. In summary, this study not only constructs super heat-resistant energetic compounds, but also represents a new breakthrough in the field of electrochemical synthesis of energetic materials.

Turning natural copper phthalocyanine into high-loading single-atom catalysts using an electrochemically-generated template and cationic substitution

Phthalocyanine (PC) has a unique N4-coordinated structure that offers an inherent advantage with respect to the accommodation of metal ions. This feature can help overcome the limitations of many single-atom electrocatalysts, i.e. low loading and poor stability. Here, we detail the development of a universal electrochemical template and a cationic substitution synthesis protocol for preparing various single-atom catalysts with high-loading (≌ 8.6 wt%) from commercial copper phthalocyanine (CuPC). Commercial CuPC is transformed into Cu NPs and vacant N4-sites are created during applied potential cycling. The generated vacant N4-sites, with strong negative charges, can take-up Pd2+ ions from a precursor solution to create single-atom catalysts with Pd high-loadings. The material’s structural transformation and cationic substitution mechanism were investigated by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). We also demonstrate the viability of extending the proposed electrochemical template synthesis method to the development of other high-loading transition metal single-atom catalysts, e.g., Ni, Co, and Fe.

Sustainable Electrosynthesis of Cyclohexanone Oxime through Nitrate Reduction on a Zn-Cu Alloy Catalyst.

Cyclohexanone oxime is an important precursor for Nylon-6 and is typically synthesized via the nucleophilic addition-elimination of hydroxylamine with cyclohexanone. Current technologies for hydroxylamine production are, however, not environment-friendly due to the requirement of harsh reaction conditions. Here, we report an electrochemical method for the one-pot synthesis of cyclohexanone oxime under ambient conditions with aqueous nitrate as the nitrogen source. A series of Zn-Cu alloy catalysts are developed to drive the electrochemical reduction of nitrate, where the hydroxylamine intermediate formed in the electroreduction process can undergo a chemical reaction with the cyclohexanone present in the electrolyte to produce the corresponding oxime. The best performance is achieved on a Zn93Cu7 electrocatalyst with a 97% yield and a 27% Faradaic efficiency for cyclohexanone oxime at 100 mA/cm2. By analyzing the catalytic activities/selectivities of the different Zn-Cu alloys and conducting in-depth mechanistic studies via in situ Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, we demonstrate that the adsorption of nitrogen species plays a central role in catalytic performance. Overall, this work provides an attractive strategy to build the C-N bond in oxime and drive organic synthesis through electrochemical nitrate reduction, while highlighting the importance of controlling surface adsorption for product selectivity in electrosynthesis.

Surface ligand modified silver nanoparticles-based SERS sensing platform for ultrasensitive detection of the pesticide thiram in green tea leaves: roles of coating agents in sensing performance.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been regarded as a highly promising substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors. In this study, we focused on the electrochemical synthesis method by developing three kinds of AgNPs using three different electrolytes: citrate (e-Ag-C), oleic acid (e-Ag-O) and fish mint (Houttuynia cordata Thunb.) extract (e-Ag-bio). The as-prepared AgNPs were characterized and then employed as SERS substrates to detect the pesticide thiram. The obtained results show that e-Ag-O exhibits the best SERS performance. The effect of the coating agent was explained by chemical and electromagnetic enhancements (CM and EM). Although thiram could absorb onto e-Ag-C at the highest level, allowing its Raman signal to be best enhanced via the CM, the smallest interparticle distance of e-Ag-O could have resulted in the largest improvement in the EM. Using e-Ag-O to develop SERS-based sensors for thiram, we obtain the impressive detection limit of 1.04 × 10-10 M in standard samples and 10-9 M in tea leaves. The linear ranges are from 10-4 M to 10-7 M and from 10-7 M to 10-9 M, covering the maximum residue levels for plant commodities established by the United States Environment Protection Agency and European Food Safety Authority (2-13 ppm ∼7.7 × 10-6 M to 5 × 10-5 M).

Electroreductive Radical Addition-Polar Cyclization Cascade to Access Cycloalkanes.

Compared with flat aromatic scaffolds, three-dimensional aliphatic ring systems feature high structural complexity and topological diversity and, thus, have received increasing attention in drug discovery. Herein, we describe a mild and general electrochemical method for the modular synthesis of structurally distinct cyclic compounds, including monocyclic alkanes, benzo-fused ring systems, and spirocycles, from readily available alkenes and alkyl halides via a radical-polar crossover mechanism.

Electrochemical synthesis of ultra-flexible PES/HKUST-1 composite membranes for wastewater treatment

Electrochemical synthesis of polymer/MOF composite membranes holds great potential for practical applications, yet the preparation of flexible and dense MOF layers remains a challenge, which is crucial for achieving practicality. Herein, a novel ultra-flexible polyethersulfone (PES)/Cu-based metal–organic framework (HKUST-1) composite membrane has been fabricated via an electrochemical synthesis method. Various reaction conditions, including voltage, stirring speed, and reaction time, were systematically investigated to elucidate their influence on crystal growth and the resulting membrane uniformity. The characterization results showed that high voltage and moderate stirring as well as are conducive to obtaining uniform fine crystals. Additionally, a relatively extended reaction time is advantageous for achieving a more continuous and denser MOFs membrane with outstanding flexibility. The optimized membrane possesses an excellent separation flux (2.81 × 103±32 L m−2 h−1·bar−1) and efficiency (99.7 ± 0.3%) for n-hexane/water mixtures, as well as excellent photodegradation efficiency (>99%) for methylene blue (MB). Remarkably, the optimized membrane exhibits remarkable scalability and stability, maintaining superior separation performance even after being rolled up 10 times with a curvature of 200 m−1. This suggests that it has great potential for practical applications in complex environments.

Evaluation of the Applicability of Modifying CdSe Thin Films by the Addition of Cobalt and Nickel to Enhance the Efficiency of Photocatalytic Decomposition of Organic Dyes

This article presents the results of an assessment of the use of CdSe, NiCdSe, and CoCdSe thin films as a basis for photocatalysts used for the decomposition of the organic dyes rhodamine B, cargo red, and indigo carmine. Interest in this area was determined by the need to solve a number of issues related to increasing the efficiency purifying aqueous media from the negative effects of organic dyes, which cannot be disposed of using traditional methods associated with adsorption or filtration. The use of the electrochemical synthesis method to obtain thin films of a given thickness showed that the addition of nickel or cobalt sulfates to the standard electrolyte solution used to obtain CdSe films results in the formation of CdSe films with a higher degree of structural ordering (the crystallinity degree was more than 50%), as well as a decline in the band gap. When analyzing data on the photocatalytic decomposition of organic dyes, it was found that a change in the structure of the films due to the introduction of nickel and cobalt leads, in the case of the decomposition of the rhodamine B dye, to a more efficient decomposition, and in the case of the cargo red and indigo carmine dyes, not only to their complete decomposition and mineralization, but also to a reduction in the time of photocatalytic reactions (decomposition growth rate). Moreover, an analysis of cyclic tests demonstrated that NiCdSe and CoCdSe films maintain 90% of their photocatalytic decomposition efficiency compared to that achieved during the first decomposition cycle, while CdSe degrades after three consecutive cycles and its efficiency reduces by more than 2.5–3 times.

Calcium-mediated nitrogen reduction for electrochemical ammonia synthesis.

Ammonia (NH3) is a key commodity chemical for the agricultural, textile and pharmaceutical industries, but its production via the Haber-Bosch process is carbon-intensive and centralized. Alternatively, an electrochemical method could enable decentralized, ambient NH3 production that can be paired with renewable energy. The first verified electrochemical method for NH3 synthesis was a process mediated by lithium (Li) in organic electrolytes. So far, however, elements other than Li remain unexplored in this process for potential benefits in efficiency, reaction rates, device design, abundance and stability. In our demonstration of a Li-free system, we found that calcium can mediate the reduction of nitrogen for NH3 synthesis. We verified the calcium-mediated process using a rigorous protocol and achieved an NH3 Faradaic efficiency of 40 ± 2% using calcium tetrakis(hexafluoroisopropyloxy)borate (Ca[B(hfip)4]2) as the electrolyte. Our results offer the possibility of using abundant materials for the electrochemical production of NH3, a critical chemical precursor and promising energy vector.

Lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction for electrochemical ammonia synthesis: From batch to flow reactor

The electrochemical synthesis of ammonia has emerged as a sustainable alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the transition from batch reactors to flow reactors in the context of lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction for electrochemical ammonia synthesis. It underscores the advances made in mechanistic understanding, reactor design, and the exploration of key variables such as pressure, Li salts, proton shuttles, and additives. The advantages and disadvantages of both reactor types are critically assessed, offering insights into their suitability for scaling up production. Moreover, this review elucidates the role of various factors in enhancing Faradaic efficiency and energy efficiency, thus contributing to the development of more efficient, sustainable, and economically viable electrochemical ammonia synthesis methods. The synergy between fundamental research and engineering advancements in this field is highlighted, providing a roadmap for future research endeavors and industrial applications.

Electrochemically synthesized polyanine@Cu-BTC MOF as a bifunctional matrix for aptasensing of tetracycline in aquatic products

The development of new method for the rapid and facile screening of antibiotics residues in food is of great importance in food safety. Herein, a nanocompisite of polyaniline@copper-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (PAN@Cu-BTC) with excellent electrochemical activity was directly prepared on the screen-printed electrode surface by a two-step electrochemical synthesis method. Then the tetracycline aptamer (TC-Apt) was assembled onto the electrode surface through the coordination between 5′-PO43- on the aptamer and Cu2+ on the MOF, achieving a novel electrochemical aptasensor for tetracycline (TC). The PAN@Cu-BTC has two functions in the aptasensors, namely the immobilization matrix of the aptamer probe and the internal signal source for target recognition. The electrochemical sensing assays showed that the capture of TC-Apt to the target on the electrode surface could cause the decrease of the electrochemical signal of PAN@Cu-BTC. Based on this, the TC can be analyzed in a wide range from 10 pM to 1 µM, with a low detection limit of 0.32 pM. The recoveries of the aptasensor for the detection of TC from Ctenopharyngodon idella meat were 90.0 %∼102.0 %, indicating that the constructed aptasensor is applicable for the detection of TC residues in fresh aquatic products.

ONE-STAGE ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF A POLYMETHYLOLACRYLAMIDE/ULTRAFINE POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE COMPOSITE

A method for one-stage electrochemical synthesis of a composite consisting of two non-conductive polymers has been developed. Using the example of electropolymerization of acrylamide in the presence of particles of ultrafine polytetrafluoroethylene (UPTFE), it is shown that the electrochemical approach makes it possible to simplify the traditional multistage technologies for the formation of composite polymer materials by combining in one process the electropolymerization of acrylamide and the formation of a polymethylolacrylamide (PMAA) film on the cathode, the capture of UPTFE particles by a growing polymer matrix, and formation of a PMAA/UPTFE composite. This technology makes it possible to reduce the total time for creating a polymer/polymer composite to 5-10 minutes. A procedure for the preparation of stable aqueous dispersions of UPTFE has been developed. It has been established that the most effective stabilizers of UPTFE aqueous dispersion are sodium lauryl sulfate (LS) and siloxane-acrylate emulsion SE 13-36. The formation of the PMAA/UPTFE composite was confirmed by XRD, SEM, SAXS, and spectrophotometry. It was found that the composite includes both large (~1 μm) and nanosized (1–10) nm UPTFE particles. The color of the PMAA/UPTFE composite films changes from colorless and transparent, characteristic of PMAA, to milky white (color of UPTFE and SE 13-36). This reduces the light transmission of composite films, reaching the minimum value for PMAA/UPTFE/SE 13-36. The mass of the PMAA/UPTFE composite increases with increasing electropolymerization time, and the residual current, which characterizes the degree of electrode insulation, decreases in comparison with the PMAA coating. Modification of the film with ultrafine polytetrafluoroethylene leads to a decrease in the swelling of composite coatings by a factor of 1.26–2.60, depending on the nature and concentration of the additive. The maximum insulating effect and reduced swelling is achieved for the PMAA/UPTFE(LS) composite, which indicates the preferred use of UPTFE(LS) for the modification of PMAA. The thermal stability of the PMAA/UPTFE(LS) composite and matrix PMAA is almost identical.

Facile Synthesis of Ge@TiO2 Nanotube Hybrid Nanostructure Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries.

Utilizing nanostructures of Li-alloying anode materials (e.g., Si, Ge, Sn, etc.) has been proposed as a key strategy to improve the electrochemical performance. However, the main challenge lies in the costly and complex nanostructure synthesis processes. Notably, the nanostructure growth processes are mainly supported by Li-inactive templates, which later need to be removed, and the template removal process results in the destruction of the desired nanostructures. In this report, we demonstrated the use of a Li-active, self-organized TiO2 nanotube template to fabricate germanium (Ge)-based nanostructured anodes. This has been achieved as follows: first, TiO2 nanotubes are fabricated via electrochemical anodization of titanium foil. Then, the nanotubes are coated with a Ge film in the second step via electrodeposition. Besides the effective nanostructure growth using a Li-active template, the implemented electrochemical synthesis methods are cost-effective, accessible, and scalable. Furthermore, the electrochemical methods allow the fabrication of nanostructures with well-controlled structures, morphology, and compositions. Accordingly, a Ge-coated TiO2 nanotube (Ge@TiO2) nanocomposite anode has been successfully fabricated, and its electrochemical performance has been tested for Li-ion batteries. The study has shown the important roles of TiO2 nanotube arrays in improving the performance by providing strong mechanical support to buffer the volume expansion and offering a high surface area to enhance Ge-active mass loading. Moreover, the direct contact of the nanotubes with a Ti current collector facilitates one-dimensional (1D) electron transport and avoids the need of adding inactive binders or conductive additives.

Revealing promotion of interfacial Pt–O–Fe oxygen bridge structure in PtFe/graphene synthesized by a four-electrode electrochemical system on water splitting

To promote kinetic rate of half reactions in water splitting, we synthesized a bifunctional PtFe/graphene with dual active sites by a facile self-designed four-electrode electrochemical method. Characterization data indicate interfacial oxygen bridge structure of Pt–O–Fe is expectedly formed and electrons transfer from Fe to Pt via this bridge structure. This unique interfacial structure not only regulates electronic structure of Pt and Fe, but also offers interfacial electron-transfer channel to improve overall conductivity, which essentially enhances intrinsic activity towards acidic HER and alkaline OER. For HER, the best Pt–Fe/G shows the mass activity of 4239.3 mA mg−1 at −0.063 V, 3.79 times higher than that of Pt/G (1118.5 mA mg−1) and 5.02 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (843.1 mA mg−1) catalyst, respectively. Introduction of Fe to Pt decreases the energy barrier of HER process (ΔG∗), and results in conversion of rate-limiting step from H+ adsorption (Volmer step) to H∗ desorption (Tafel step). For OER, the greatest PtFe/G exhibits an overpotential of lower 26 mV (10 mA cm-2) than commercial RuO2 and its mass activity is 16.7 times higher than Fe/G. The formed Pt–O–Fe bond effectively elevates the electrophilic properties and facilitates adsorption of OH−, contributing to the change of rate-limiting step and enormous decrease of reaction activation energy (Ea). This work inspires researchers to construct efficient interfacial oxygen bridge structure to enhance electrocatalytic performance for water splitting and design novel electrochemical method for synthesis of graphene-based composites.

Binder-Free NiS@PPy Nanocomposite Cathode for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Industrialization and the increase in the world population increase the need for energy.Supercapacitors are preferred because of their features such as high specific power, long life, environmentalfriendliness, fast charge, and discharge rates. Supercapacitors are divided into two categories as EDLC andpseudo capacitors. Pseudo capacitors use materials that exhibit pseudo capacitance, such as transition metaloxides/sulphides and conductive polymers. Electrochemical studies and synthesis methods of polymerbased metal oxide composites, polyaniline and polypyrrole are examined in detail. Evaluating the variousmethods used in the preparation of supercapacitor electrodes, an idea is presented on the selection ofsuitable materials for electrochemical applications. Conductive polymers have good capacitance behaviorbut low cyclic stability. Transition metal sulfides exhibit electrochemical performance with highcapacitance values and excellent redox reversibility. This study investigates NiS/PPy polymer assupercapacitor electrode material. The NiS structure was synthesized using Na2S and nickel foam. NiS-PPycoating was carried out by electrochemical coating method. Structures were characterized by XRD andSEM, electrochemical studies such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic discharge (GCD) werecarried out. By incorporating NiS into the PPy matrix, the C value was increased from 22.22 to 1404 F g-1

Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanostructured Ordered Intermetallic Materials under Ambient Conditions.

ConspectusThe enhanced catalytic properties of alloy nanostructures have made them a focus of extensive research in the field of catalysis. Alloy nanostructures can be classified into two types: disordered alloys (also known as solid solutions) and ordered intermetallics. The latter are of particular interest as they possess long-range atomic scale ordering, which leads to well-defined active sites that can be used to accurately assess structure-property relationships and their impact on (electro)catalytic performance.While many ordered intermetallics (OICs) have been synthesized and evaluated as electrocatalysts, there is still a lack of understanding on how the local structure of atoms controls their catalytic performance. Ordered intermetallics are difficult to synthesize and often require high-temperature annealing for the atoms to equilibrate into ordered structures. High temperature processing results in aggregated structures (usually >30 nm) and/or contamination from the support, which can decrease their performance and preclude these materials from being used as model systems for elucidating insight into structure and electrochemical properties. Therefore, alternative methods are required to enable more efficient atomic ordering while maintaining some level of morphological control.This Account delves into the potential of electrochemical methods as a practical alternative for synthesizing ordered intermetallics at lower temperatures. Specifically, it explores the viability of electrochemical dealloying and electrochemical deposition to synthesize Pd-Bi and Cu-Zn intermetallics at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. These methods have proven useful in synthesizing phases that are typically inaccessible under ambient conditions. The high homologous temperatures at which these materials are synthesized provide the necessary atomic mobility required for equilibration and formation of ordered phases, thus making the direct synthesis of ordered intermetallic materials at room temperature by electrochemical means a reality.Beyond synthesis, the electrocatalytic performance of these intermetallics was assessed for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is an important process employed in fuel cells. The OICs displayed increased performance with respect to commercial Pd/C and Pt/C benchmarks because of lower coverages of spectator species. Furthermore, these materials exhibited improved methanol tolerance.This Account provides valuable insights into the electrochemical synthesis of ordered intermetallics and their potential use as highly effective catalysts for electrocatalytic reactions. By using electrochemical methods, it is possible to obtain ordered intermetallics with unique atomic arrangements and tailored properties, which can be optimized for specific catalytic applications. With further research, electrochemical synthesis methods may enable the development of new and improved ordered intermetallics with even higher catalytic activity and selectivity, making them ideal candidates for use in a wide range of industrial processes. Furthermore, the ability to access intermetallics under milder conditions may accelerate the ability to use these materials as model systems for revealing fundamental insight into electrocatalyst structure and function.

A Facile and Surfactant-Free Electrochemical Synthesis of PtIr Nanocubes towards Ammonia Electro-Oxidation

Noble metal Pt catalyst has been identified as excellent electrocatalysts for the ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR). However, Pt’s scarcity, expensiveness, and toxicity hinder its large-scale commercial application. Herein, we report a facile and surfactant-free electrochemical synthesis method for the production of PtIr nanocubes. The PtIr nanocubes were in situ synthesized on carbon paper, and no organic additives were used at any stage in the synthesis of the catalyst. The formation of PtIr nanocubes was attributed to the synergy of the electro-adsorption/desorption of O-containing species and the preferential adsorption of hydrogen adatoms on PtIr(100) with a lower surface free energy. The obtained PtIr nanocubes exhibit an outstanding specific activity (SA) value of 1.34 mA cm−2, which is 1.5 and 3.8 times higher than Pt nanocubes (0.90 mA cm−2) and PtIr nanospheres (0.35 mA cm−2), respectively. The enhanced SA of the PtIr nanocubes can be ascribed to the synergic effects of multiple factors, including the (100) sites of the PtIr nanocubes, the dehydrogenation ability of Ir with respect to ammonia molecules, the electronic effects, and the clean surface of the catalyst due to the use of a “green” synthesis method. This work provides an effective strategy for the “green” synthesis of high-efficiency Pt-based metal catalysts with controllable shapes.

Development of an electrochemical biosensor for the detection of mammary gland carcinoma using molybdenum enhanced poly taurine nano-biofilms confirmed pathological findings

BackgroundDeveloping high-performance sensing frameworks for diagnosing anaplastic changes is the subject of debate. The lack of on-time diagnosis in patients with suspicious cancers can affect the prognosis and survival rate. As a correlate, the emergence of de novo strategies for developing transducing frameworks has an inevitable role in advanced biosensing. The combination of green chemistry procedures with eco-friendly and biocompatible materials is of high desirability in this context. The synthesis of new biocompatible and cost-effective nanomaterials to meet the emerging needs of rising demands appeals to new synthetic methodologies.MethodsHere, we applied the electrochemical synthesis method to the fabrication of biocompatible and subtly governed Molybdenum trioxide/poly taurine nano-bio films to monitor human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) in sera from breast cancer patients. Morphological and elemental assessments were performed using a scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, and dot mapping analyses. In addition, HER-2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performed on tissue samples, and data were compared to the values obtained by Molybdenum trioxide/poly taurine nano-bio films.ResultsWe also noted our platform is eligible for feasible, rapid, and specific determination of HER-2 factor in human samples. The method had a lower limit of quantification of 0.000001 ng/mL and a linear dynamic range between 0.1 ng/mL and 0.000001 ng/mL. IHC imaging showed that the degree of anaplastic changes in breast samples (intensity of HER-2 factor) was closely associated with the intensity of signals obtained by our developed immunosensor.ConclusionsAccording to the obtained desirable coordination with pathological studies, the designed biosensor has excellent capability to use as a reliable diagnostic tool in clinical laboratories.Graphical

Hierarchical NiOx nanotube arrays/CoP nanosheets heterostructure enables robust alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

Rational design of low-cost and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for scalable and sustainable hydrogen production from economical water-alkali splitting. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that coupling NiOx and CoP could effectively boost overall HER kinetics through lowing the H2O dissociation barrier, accelerating the OH* transfer process, and providing the rapid H* migration kinetics as well as the appropriate H* energetics. Based on these findings, we successfully prepared a three-dimensional (3D) self-supported electrode of ultrathin CoP nanosheets directly grown on the surface-oxidized Ni nanotube arrays via a simple and scalable electrochemical synthesis method. As expected, such a heterostructure electrode exhibits superior alkaline HER performance with low overpotentials of 51 and 164 mV to drive the current densities of 10 and 500 mA cm−2, respectively, outperforming most of the efficient alkaline HER electrocatalysts.