Five years after the initial recalls of various food products exceeding ethylene oxide (ETO) limits in the European Union, alerts keep being regularly issued, highlighting the continuous need for monitoring food items imported in Europe. However, the reliability of ETO measurement remains often questionable, mainly due to its high reactivity and volatility, ultimately complicating residue interpretation. This study summarizes the existing chemical and biochemical evidence on ETO and its major metabolite, 2-chloroethanol, while pointing out the regulatory ambiguities and challenges associated with reliable measurement and analytical method standardization.

Predicting mixed binary alkali halide salt transport in uncharged poly(ethylene oxide)-based membranes

All-nanofiber-based analytical device for colorimetric detection of hexavalent chromium in water samples.

Halogen-free CO2 cycloaddition with ethylene oxide over ZnO and M−ZnO Catalysts: Roles of metal dopant and crystal facet in Tuning catalytic performance

Selective adsorption onto fine iron oxide particles of poly(acrylamide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) terminated by vitamin E

Sustainable integration of poly(ethylene oxide)–polyacrylonitrile (PEO–PAN) gel electrolytes with mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures for green energy dye-sensitized solar cells

Covalent organic frameworks could be explored as unique materials for mass transport, as they possess built-in pathways originating from their well-defined one-dimensional channels. Potassium-ion conduction holds significant scientific interest and technological relevance. However, the study on potassium-ion-conducting materials is still in its infancy, and how potassium ions move through artificial pores remains unclear. Here, we report a strategy for enabling potassium-ion conduction in stable crystalline porous frameworks by designing polyelectrolyte interfaces and revealing key structural parameters that control potassium-ion motion. Systematic engineering of pore walls with different numbers of oligo(ethylene oxide) chains creates covalently linked yet discrete polyelectrolyte interfaces at predesigned density in the pores. We found that polyelectrolyte interfaces offer a scaffold to anchor counteranions on pore walls through single-file nitrogen chains via electrostatic interactions and release potassium ions to the "pool" of electrolyte chains, constituting well-defined lanes for potassium-ion transport. Remarkably, we observed that the effect of the polyelectrolyte interface on conductivity is not a simple linear summation of individual chains but rather a nonlinear exponential increment, achieving exceptional conductivities and allowing low-energy-barrier transport via ion hopping in the electrolyte network. These results and insights revealed the essence of polyelectrolyte frameworks in developing potassium-ion-conducting materials and pave the way to all-solid potassium-ion batteries and devices.

Chronic wounds remain a major clinical challenge due to their strong association with antibiotic-resistant microbial biofilms. These nonhealing wounds demand advanced therapeutic strategies that go beyond passive protection to actively monitor and respond to changes in the wound environment. To address this, we propose an activity-based sensing strategy that detects bacterial proteolytic activity using composition-tunable biopolymer films that degrade in response to pathogen-secreted enzymes. Gelatin films cross-linked with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and blended with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were engineered to undergo selective peptide-bond cleavage by proteolytic activity. The incorporation of PEO enhanced water uptake and accelerated enzymatic degradation, with the optimal composition (25% PEO) exhibiting 4-fold faster mass loss compared to cross-linked gelatin, reaching ∼80% degradation within 12-24 h in the presence of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and ∼35% within 24-48 h with drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Real-time acoustic measurements revealed distinct degradation kinetics and viscoelastic signatures at nanoscale that correlated with P. aeruginosa protease activity, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed structural and morphological changes following enzymatic exposure. Together, these findings establish a label-free, enzyme-responsive sensing platform that transduces bacterial activity, including biofilm-associated proteolysis, into quantitative physical signals. These findings establish composition-tunable enzyme-responsive biopolymer degradation as a viable broad-spectrum platform responding to total proteolytic activity. As no pathogen-specific recognition elements are required, this platform offers excellent potential to detect challenging polymicrobial infections.

Opinion: Ethylene oxide science has changed. OSHA should too

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have attracted considerable attention as promising alternatives to liquid electrolytes for high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries, offering enhanced safety and mechanical stability. However, their widespread adoption remains limited by low ionic conductivity and inadequate lithium-ion transference numbers at ambient conditions. Recent studies demonstrate that confining SPEs within nanoporous structures can markedly enhance ion transport, yet the molecular-level mechanisms underlying how surface electrostatic properties of nanopores influence lithium-ion dynamics remain unclear. Here, we employ comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations to systematically investigate the effects of surface charge distribution and electrostatic modification fractions of nanopore walls on ion transport properties in nanoconfined poly(ethylene oxide)/LiTFSI electrolytes. Our results show that introducing charged sites onto nanopore walls generally reduces ionic conductivity due to strong lithium-ion adsorption, hindering ion mobility. Critically, we find that asymmetric charge distributions selectively mitigatethis adsorption effect, preferentially impeding anion mobility and thus enhancing lithium-ion transference numbers. Structural and dynamical analyses reveal that nanopore wall polarity disrupts lithium-polymer coordination, yet simultaneously introduces alternative lithium-ion solvation environments at charged sites. This competitive solvation landscape generates a critical trade-off, emphasizing the necessity of carefully balancing electrostatic modification fraction and charge asymmetry to optimize ionic conductivity. The molecular insights gained from this study provide actionable design principles for engineering nanopore-confined SPEs with superior ion transport properties. These findings pave the way for rational development of advanced polymer electrolyte architectures essential for next-generation lithium-metal batterytechnologies.

Lithium (Li) metal all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) were developed with a Li/LLZTO (Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12)/LVO (LiV3O8) configuration to enhance energy density and safety for electric vehicle applications. To overcome limitations in ionic conductivity and electrode-electrolyte interfacial resistance, we optimized: (1) Li metal anode, (2) anode/solid electrolyte interface, (3) LLZTO solid electrolyte, (4) cathode/solid electrolyte interface, and (5) nonlithiated LVO cathode. A composite anode of Li powder and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) suppressed dendrite growth and improved contact, achieving electrochemical stability for 700 h (vs 246 h for Li foil). A LLZTO/PEO composite electrolyte delivered high ionic conductivity (5 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 40 °C). The cathode, coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) via vapor-phase polymerization (VPP), combined with PEO and LLZTO, reduced interfacial resistance from 280 to 180 Ω, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) verified uniform PEDOT coating, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed structural integrity. The Li powder/PEO|LLZTO/PEO|PEDOT-LVO/PEO battery achieved 219.8 mAh g-1 with 97% capacity retention and >99% Coulombic efficiency over 100 cycles at 0.1C, demonstrating superior performance for scalable ASSBs.

Single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes (SIPEs) are among the most promising candidates for lithium-metal batteries, which commonly suffer from the risk of lithium dendrite growth and continuous electrolyte decomposition at the lithium-electrolyte interface. Herein, we report the introduction of lithium nitrate (LiNO3) as an additive into an SIPE based on a poly(ethylene oxide) backbone and grafted perfluorosulfonate anions. By comparing SIPEs with and without LiNO3 concerning the charge transport, electrochemical stability, reversibility of the lithium stripping/plating process, electrode morphology, and surface composition, it appears that the introduction of LiNO3 yields a thinner, but more robust solid electrolyte interphase, which greatly benefits the eventual performance, Coulombic efficiency, and reversibility of lithium stripping and plating. The advantageous effect of LiNO3 is finally confirmed in Li|SIPE|LFP solid-state battery cells, providing a substantially longer cycle life.

The microscopic state of polysaccharides in solution─whether dissolved, dispersed, or aggregated─directly dictates the macroscopic properties of the bulk fluid. However, the influence of their true state in solution and nanostructures on rheology is often overlooked. Here, using non-Newtonian shear-thickening fluids (STFs, SiO2/poly(ethylene oxide)) as a model, we systematically investigate how xylan conformation and dispersion affect STFs' rheology. Xylan nanocrystals (XNCs) and water-soluble xylan ethers with distinct dispersibility (well-dispersed vs aggregate) and solubility (room-temperature-soluble vs high-temperature-soluble) are synthesized. Among those, well-dispersed XNCs and room-temperature-soluble xylan ethers exhibit a pronounced thickening effect in STFs, reducing the critical shear rate by 2 orders of magnitude and increasing peak viscosity by 880%. This work demonstrates that polysaccharide conformation and dispersion behavior exert pronounced effects on STF rheology, providing a new avenue for leveraging polysaccharides as fluid additives.

Unraveling Sterilization Effects on Konjac Glucomannan: Insights into a Natural Biopolymer for Biomedical Applications

The application of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibrils in the membrane separation field has been extensively limited due to solvent toxicity and complex regulatory techniques of PVDF in the fabrication of nanofibrils. In this work, a scalable and environmental pollution-free protocol based on in situ nanofibrillation, followed by etching of the polymer matrix to fabricate PVDF nanofibrillar membranes for oil-water separation, has been successfully realized. Due to strong interfacial interactions with the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix, PVDF nanofibrils with diameters ranging from 200 to 400 nm are obtained by shear and stretch stresses under the melt-stretching field. The low surface energy of PVDF and the rough surface of PVDF nanofibrillar membranes result in hydrophobic and under-oil superhydrophobic performances, making them strong candidates for application in oil-water emulsion separation. The high separation flux (5160 L m-2 h-1 bar-1) and separation efficiency (97.5%) are achieved when the membrane thickness reaches 1.7 mm, surpassing the performance of other PVDF-based membranes. PVDF nanofibrillar membranes also display high durability, ascribed to a robust nanofibril-jointed structure, which maintains a good balance between permeability and separation efficiency after multiple separations. Moreover, PVDF nanofibrillar membranes also exhibit promising comprehensive performance, including good oil-absorption capacity, good reusability, resistance to acids/alkalis/organic solvents, and temperature resistance. This work offers insights into the construction of PVDF separation membranes via a scalable and pollution-free processing technology.

Holographic molecular binding assays detect macromolecules binding to colloidal probe beads by monitoring nanometer-scale changes in the beads' diameters with holographic microscopy. Measured changes are interpreted with Maxwell Garnett effective-medium theory to infer the surface coverage of analyte molecules and therefore to measure the analyte concentration in solution. We demonstrate a multicomponent holographic binding assay that tests for immunoglobulin G (IgG) using two different types of functionalized probe beads and provides internal negative controls using inert reference beads. The three label-free measurements are performed simultaneously and yield consistent results for the concentration of the analyte. Negative controls are validated by performing the same test on a solution of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which has a similar molecular weight to IgG but does not bind to the probe beads' binding sites. To assess and mitigate run-to-run variations that might affect the assay's accuracy and reproducibility, we introduce a class of inert reference beads whose diameter and refractive index serve as standards for quantitative holographic microscopy measurements and whose polymer brush coating resists macromolecular binding. We characterize the reference beads' coating by introducing a general all-optical method to measure the grafting density of the polymer brush. This measurement also yields a value of (1.308 ± 0.004) nm3 kDa-1 for the specific volume of poly(ethylene oxide). This proof-of-concept demonstration of simultaneous independent holographic binding assays can be generalized into a platform for multiplexed testing.

To improve the performance of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs), it is indispensable to work on lithium salt chemistries beyond the well-known lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), which shows a low lithium-ion transference number (TLi +, ≈0.2) and induces a poor solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, the design and synthesis of a new asymmetric lithium salt are reported in which one trifluoromethyl group of LiTFSI is replaced by a dihexylamino group to obtain lithium (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)(N-N-dihexylsulfamoyl)imide {Li[N(SO2CF3)(SO2N(n-C6H13)2)], LiC6,6TFSI}, seeking for a double effect in the electrolyte: 1) to improve cyclability by tuning the transport properties through the reduction of anion mobility; and 2) to ensure compatibility between the polar and non-polar components of the cathode by developing an anion with amphipathic nature. The solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) based on LiC6,6TFSI and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) offers a reduced anion diffusivity leading to high TLi + values (≈0.52). Owing to the high TLi + and the amphipathic nature of the salt, the as-obtained SPE empowers the Li||LiFePO4 cells with good capacity retention under stringent working conditions (e.g., a relatively high cathode areal loading of ≈1.8mAh cm-2; high current rates of 1mA cm-2).

Poly­(propylene carbonatephthalate) (PPC-P) is a promising biodegradablematerial exhibiting excellent gas barrier properties; however, itsinherent brittleness limits its practical applications. To addressthis limitation, we prepared and systematically investigated a seriesof PPC-P/poly­(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blends and PPC-P/PEO/ADR composites.Comprehensive characterization was performed by using tensile testing,scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetricanalysis (TGA), gas permeability analysis, and contact angle measurements.The results demonstrate that PEO incorporation substantially enhancesthe ductility of PPC-P, albeit at the expense of reduced tensile strengthand compromised gas barrier performance. Through the addition of ADR4468and optimization of the composition to PPC-P:PEO/ADR4468 = 92 wt %:8wt %:0.6 wt %, we achieved an optimal balance of mechanical properties,yielding a tensile strength of 20.13 MPa coupled with an exceptionalelongation at break of 407.63%. Notably, the ADR4468-modified compositeexhibited superior barrier properties, with measured permeabilitiesof 4592 cm3·μm/(m2·day) forCO2, 1297 cm3·μm/(m2·day)for O2, and 289 mg·μm/(m2·day)for water vapor. The modified material also displayed enhanced thermalstability, as evidenced by a 5% weight loss temperature of 247.57°C, along with improved surface hydrophilicity that effectivelysuppresses water droplet nucleation while maintaining optical clarity.This work provides significant insights into the strategic modificationof PPC-P and demonstrates its potential for developing high gas barrierapplications.

All-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) employing poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) experience severe degradation of hydroxyl/ether groups within the PEO matrix at high voltages (>3.8V vs. Li+/Li), thereby limiting their energy density. The origin of this breakdown is essentially induced by in situ generated corrosive acids (mainly HTFSI). Conventional passive strategies aim at protecting the PEO matrix by creating physical isolations; however, the generation of HTFSI in the system has not been effectively inhibited. Herein, we propose a proactive strategy for the dual capture of H+ (protons) and TFSI- anions via a polyamine-based agent. Featuring a high density of strong Brønsted‑base sites and H-bond donors, this agent is capable of capturing free proton/TFSI- through electrostatic/H-bonding interactions, respectively, effectively mitigating acid-catalyzed chain scission in the PEO matrix by significantly suppressing HTFSI formation at high-voltage. When implemented in 4.2V LiCoO2-based ASSLBs, the system achieves exceptional cycling stability (>600 cycles at 1.0 C, 65°C) with 95.5% capacity retention, outperforming state-of-the-art high-voltage polymer-based ASSLBs. This study pioneers a dual capture active strategy that simultaneously targets protons and TFSI- ions, mitigating both interfacial and bulk degradation in high-voltage, which provides new insights for the design of high-energy-density ASSLBs.

The application of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based solid-state electrolytes is constrained by their low ambient-temperature ionic conductivity and poor electrode/electrolyte interfacial stability. Here, we propose a multi-level synergistic strategy that enhances both bulk ion transport and stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. This is achieved by designing a composite electrolyte incorporating a covalent organic framework (COF) functionalized with oligomeric ethylene oxide chains (TPB-BMTP-COF). The ordered porous structure and abundant ether oxygen sites of COF promote lithium salt dissociation and create fast ion-conduction pathways, boosting the ionic conductivity to 1.5 × 10-4Scm-1 at 30°C. To achieve bidirectional interfacial stability, SnF2 and LiNO3 are introduced to promote a robust, inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), while lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) is introduced to construct a hybrid organic-inorganic cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). Thus, Li symmetric cells maintain stable polarization over 1200h, and Li//LFP full cells achieve a capacity retention of nearly 100% after 180 cycles at 30°C. Moreover, Li//NCM811 cells demonstrate a capacity retention exceeding 80% after 100 cycles at both 45°C and 60°C. This work provides a synergistic electrolyte design strategy that integrates molecular-level architecture with dual-interface engineering, offering new insights into practical high-performance all-solid-state batteries.