Excellent Stability Research Articles

Unveiling the Molecular Dynamics, Anticancer Activity, and Stability of Spearmint Oil Nanoemulsions with Triglycerides.

Although spearmint oil (SMO) has various pharmacological properties, especially for cancer treatment, its low water solubility results in poor bioavailability. This limits its application as a medicine. One possible solution is to the use of SMO in the form of nanoemulsion, which has already been shown to have anticancer effects. However, the mechanism of SMO nanoemulsion formation remains unclear. The objective of this study was to use molecular dynamics (MD) for clarifying the formation of SMO nanoemulsion with triglycerides (trilaurin, tripalmitin, and triolein) and Cremophor RH40 (PCO40). Nanoemulsions with different SMO:triglyceride ratios and triglyceride types were prepared and analyzed for anticancer activity, droplet size, droplet morphology, and stability. Despite switching the type of carrier oil, SMO nanoemulsions retained strong anticancer effects. A ratio of 80SMO:20triglycerides produced the smallest droplets (<100 nm) and exhibited excellent physical stability after a temperature cycling test. MD simulations showed that polyoxyethylenes of PCO40 are located at the water interface, stabilizing the emulsion structure in an egglike layer. Droplet size correlated with triglyceride concentration, which was consistent with the experimental findings. Decreasing triglyceride content, except for the 90SMO:10triglyceride ratio, led to a decrease in droplet sizes. Hydrogen bond analysis identified interactions between triglyceride-PCO40 and carvone-PCO40. Geometry analysis showed PCO40 had an "L-like" shape, which maximizes the hydrophilic interfaces. These findings highlight the value of MD simulations in understanding the formation mechanism of SMO and triglyceride nanoemulsions. In addition, it might also be beneficial to use MD simulations before the experiment to select the potential composition for nanoemulsions, especially essential oil nanoemulsions.

In situ generation of azo dyes on silk fibroin through three-step chemical modification

To enhance the efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of silk dyeing, this study introduces a novel method that synthesizes azo dyes directly on silk fibroin (SF) using a three-step chemical modification at room temperature. Initially, SF undergoes modification with isatoic anhydride to yield aromatic primary amino-modified silk fibroin (SF–NH2). Subsequently, SF-NH2 is treated with nitrous acid to produce diazotized silk fibroin (SF–N2+). In the final step, SF-N2+ is combined with coupling components to directly form azo chromophores on the SF, culminating in the creation of coloured silk fibroin (SF–NN-CC). The efficacy of the three-step dyeing method was validated using infrared spectroscopy and colour development analysis. The modification sites on SF-NH2 were identified as the hydroxyl and amino groups of amino acid residues, confirmed through simulated reactions. SF-N2+ demonstrated excellent storage and thermal stability under dry conditions; however, its stability decreased in wet environments. Various coupling components were then reacted with SF-N2+ to synthesize in situ yellow, red, crimson, and green azo dyes on SF. The formation of covalent bonds between the dyes and SF was verified using DMF stripping methods. The dyed SF-NN-CC fabrics underwent testing for fastness, revealing wet fastness rating above grade 4. These findings demonstrate that the three-step modification process represents an innovative, energy-efficient, and fast-reacting dyeing method for SF.

Reduced-Dimensionality Al Nanocrystals: Nanowires, Nanobars, and Nanomoustaches.

Aluminum nanocrystals created by catalyst-driven colloidal synthesis support excellent plasmonic properties, due to their high level of elemental purity, monocrystallinity, and controlled size and shape. Reduction in the rate of nanocrystal growth enables the synthesis of highly anisotropic Al nanowires, nanobars, and singly twinned "nanomoustaches". Electron energy loss spectroscopy was used to study the plasmonic properties of these nanocrystals, spanning the broad energy range needed to map their plasmonic modes. The coupling between these nanocrystals and other plasmonic metal nanostructures, specifically Ag nanocubes and Au films of controlled nanoscale thickness, was investigated. Al nanocrystals show excellent long-term stability under atmospheric conditions, providing a practical alternative to coinage metal-based nanowires in assembled nanoscale devices.

Highly sensitive electrochemical quantification of carbendazim via synergistic enhancement of ring-opening metathesis polymerization and polyethyleneimine modified graphene oxide.

Anovel aptamer-based sensor was developed using the signal amplification strategy of ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and polyethyleneimine modified graphene oxide to achieve trace detection of carbendazim (CBZ). The dual identification of aptamer and antibody was used to avoid false positive results and improve the selectivity. Polyethyleneimine modified graphene oxide (GO-PEI), as a substrate material with excellent conductivity, was modified on the surface of aglassy carbon electrode (GCE) to increase the grafting amount of aptamer on the electrode surface. Moreover, a large number of cyclopentenyl ferrocene (CFc) was aggregated to form long polymer chains through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), so as to significantly improve the detection sensitivity of the biosensor. The linear range of this sensor was 1 pg/mL-100 ng/mL with a detection limit as low as 7.80fg/mL. The sensorexhibited excellent reproducibility and stability, and also achieved satisfactory results in actual sample detection. The design principle of such a sensor could provide innovative ideas for sensors in the detection of other types of targets.

2D Zn (II) Metal‐Organic Framework as a Highly Sensitive Luminescent Sensor for Detection of the Cr2O72− and Fe3+

AbstractIn this work, NH2‐containing organic ligand 5‐Aminoisophthalic acid (AIPA), and trans‐1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethene (bpe) were selected as organic ligands to construct a new two‐dimensional luminescent Zn(II) metal‐organic framework [Zn(AIPA)(bpe)1/2]⋅named MOF‐1. It is worth noting that MOF‐1 exhibited excellent thermal stability and chemical stability in common solvents and different pH aqueous solution. As we expected, the luminescence sensing investigations demonstrated that MOF‐1 could be deemed as a multifunctional fluorescence sensor toward Cr2O72− and Fe3+ via a “turn‐off” effect. Notably, MOF‐1 had high selectivity and sensitivity for Fe3+ and Cr2O72− with low detection limits of 9.72×10−5 M and 1.95×10−5 M, respectively. Furthermore, the possible quenching mechanisms were also explored in detail.

Photothermal Welding Strategy for Mechanical Stability and High Efficiency of ETL‐Free f‐PSCs

AbstractFlexible perovskite solar cells (f‐PSCs) have drawn widespread interest owing to their distinguished advantages in excellent flexibility and relatively low cost. However, the brittle grain boundaries (GBs) and defects in flexible perovskite film tremendously influence the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and mechanical flexibility of f‐PSCs. Herein, photothermal welding, a novel method, is used to improve the perovskite films quality and the PCE of f‐PSCs with a near‐infrared (NIR) dye (indocyanine green, ICG) and polycaprolactone (PCL) as additives. Due to the strong photothermal effect, ICG molecule not only can significantly enhance NIR light harvesting, but it also can weld GBs upon exposure to an NIR laser, which is conducive to the GBs connections and device flexibility. Meanwhile, the S═O bond of ICG and C═O bond of PCL can simultaneously coordinate with Pb2+ defects in perovskite. Furthermore, they can control crystal growth to form a smooth surface of perovskite film. Consequently, the unencapsulated PSCs based on ICG/PCL displays a high champion PCE of 20.62%, with 88.4% of the original PCE after being placed in dark conditions for 600 h. The f‐PSCs delivers a champion PCE of 19.55% and exhibits excellent mechanical stability, thus providing a meaningful scientific direction to fabricate high‐flexible f‐PSCs.

Localized High-Concentration Sulfone Electrolytes with High-Voltage Stability and Flame Retardancy for Ni-Rich Lithium Metal Batteries.

The localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) propels the advanced high-voltage battery system. Sulfone-based LHCE is a transformative direction compatible with high energy density and high safety. In this work, the application of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in the LHCE system constructed from sulfolane and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) is investigated. The addition of diluent causes an increase of contact ion pairs and ionic aggregates in the solvation cluster and an acceptable quantity of free solvent molecules. A small amount of LiFSI as an additive can synergistically decompose with TTE on the cathode and participate in the construction of both electrode interfaces. The designed electrolyte helps the Ni-rich system to cycle firmly at a high voltage of 4.5V. Even with high mass load and lean electrolyte, it can keep a reversible specific capacity of 91.5% after 50 cycles. The constructed sulfone-based electrolyte system exhibits excellent thermal stability far beyond the commercial electrolytes. Further exploration of in-situ gelation has led to a quick conversion of the designed liquid electrolyte to the gel state, accompanied by preserved stability, which provides a direction for the synergistic development of LHCE with gel electrolytes.

Biosurfactants in biocorrosion and corrosion mitigation of metals: An overview

Abstract Biocorrosion, or microbiologically influenced corrosion, is a phenomenon where microorganisms deteriorate the metals. While corrosion is generally considered undesirable due to its negative impact on the integrity and lifespan of materials, the significance of biocorrosion is a major problem because it can cause material deterioration, financial losses, and environmental issues. Conventional corrosion protection techniques frequently use chemicals, which come with risks to human health and the environment. Biosurfactants are surface tension-reducing agents with a low molecular weight that attract many researchers and industrialists due to their excellent chemical properties and stability at extreme temperatures, pH, and under alkaline conditions. These compounds reduce the surface tension of liquids, leading to improved wetting and spreading on metal surfaces. This can help to create a more uniform and protective layer, preventing the accumulation of corrosive agents. This review explores different types of biosurfactants, which include lipopeptides, glycolipids, phospholipids, etc., and how they work to prevent corrosion. The investigation of biosurfactants in corrosion protection not only addresses environmental concerns but also holds promise for innovation in the development of efficient and long-lasting corrosion mitigation strategies for a variety of metal substrates, given the growing demand for green and sustainable technolo gies.

Essential oil-derived robust and heat-resistant polybenzoxazine-POSS composites as low dielectric matrixes

Polybenzoxazines (PBozs) are regarded as prime candidates as low dielectric matrixes. However, the fabrication of high-performance PBozs that combines low dielectric property with high thermal stability using sustainable resources as the starting raw materials remains a significant challenge. In this work, we constructed a novel main-chain benzoxazine (Boz) oligomer from natural essential oil-derived compounds (eugenol and p-menthane diamine) to fulfill the principles of green chemistry. To enhance their low dielectric properties, polar C-Si unit on the main-chain and cellular structure of polyoctahedral silsesquioxanes (POSS) as the cross-linkers were introduced in PBoz-POSS composites. The obtained composites demonstrated excellent thermal stability, mechanical property, and with remarkable low dielectric constants. Coupled with their exceptional hydrophobicity and heat resistance, these materials are promising matrixes for low dielectric application in contemporary electronic industries.

Silver nanopopcorns decorated on flexible membrane for SERS detection of nitrofurazone.

Thesynthesis of three-dimensional silver nanopopcorns (Ag NPCs) onto a flexible polycarbonate membrane (PCM) for the detection of nitrofurazone (NFZ) on the fish surface by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)is presented. The proposed flexible Ag-NPCs/PCM SERS substrate exhibits significant Raman signal intensity enhancement with the measured enhancement factor of 2.36 × 106. This is primarily attributed to the hotspots created on Ag NPCs, including numerous nanoscale protrusions and internal crevices distributed across the surface of Ag NPCs. The detection of NFZ by this flexible SERS substrate demonstrates a low limit of detection (LOD) of 3.7 × 10-9M and uniform and reproducible Raman signal intensities with a relative standard deviation below 8.34%. It also exhibits excellent stability, retaining 70% of its efficacy even after 10days of storage. Notably, the practical detection of NFZ in tap water, honey water, and fish surfaces achieves LOD values of 1.35 × 10-8M, 5.76 × 10-7M, and 3.61 × 10-8M,respectively, which highlights its effectiveness across different sample types. The developed Ag-NPCs/PCM SERS substrate presents promising potential for sensitive SERS detection of toxic substances in real-world samples.

Ultrasmall Polyphenol-NAD+ Nanoparticle-Mediated Renal Delivery for Mitochondrial Repair and Anti-Inflammatory Treatment of AKI-to-CKD Progression.

As a central metabolic molecule, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) can potentially treat acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, its bioavailability is poor due to short half-life, instability, the deficiency of targeting, and difficulties in transmembrane transport. Here we designed a physiologically adaptive gallic acid-NAD+ nanoparticle, that had ultrasmall size and pH-responsiveness, passed through the glomerular filtration membrane to reach injured renal tubules, and efficiently delivered NAD+ into the kidneys. With an effective accumulation in the kidneys, it restored renal function, immune microenvironment homeostasis, and mitochondrial homeostasis of AKI mice via the NAD+-Sirt1 axis, and exerted strong antifibrotic effects on the AKI-to-CKD transition by inhibiting TGF-β signaling. It also exhibited excellent stability, biodegradable, and biocompatible properties, ensuring its long-term safety, practicality, and clinical translational feasibility. The present study shows a potential modality of mitochondrial repair and immunomodulation through nanoagents for the efficient and safe treatment of AKI and CKD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of sustainable chemicals and fuels from biomass derivatives using homogeneous ruthenium catalysts

This work describes the synthesis and evaluation as catalysts of two ruthenium(II) complexes, RuC1 and RuC2, containing NPN ligands=(N-(phenyl(pyridin-2-ylamino)phosphino)pyridin-2-amine and 2-((phenyl(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)phosphino)methyl)pyridine, respectively) for furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural hydrogenation. The catalysts displayed exceptional activity under mild conditions (180 °C, 40 bar H2) achieving over 98 % conversion and 98–99 % selectivity towards furfuryl alcohol (from furfural) and bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (from hydroxymethylfurfural) within 30 min, using a substrate-catalyst ratio of 3000:1. Remarkably, the catalysts maintained their efficacy even at a tenfold higher substrate loading (10,000:1), albeit with extended reaction times (3 and 4 h for furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural, respectively). Turnover frequencies (TOFs) were impressive, reaching 3920 h−1 and 3200 h−1 for furfural hydrogenation with the catalyst RuC1 and RuC2, respectively. Similarly, TOFs for hydroxymethylfurfural hydrogenation were 2450 h−1 and 2475 h−1 for RuC1 and RuC2, respectively. Notably, the catalysts exhibited excellent stability under reaction conditions. These findings demonstrate the promising potential of RuC1 and RuC2 for efficient hydrogenation of biomass-derived furans, offering a sustainable approach for the production of valuable bio-based chemicals.

Combination of core-shell structured NH2-UiO-66@ZIF-8 loaded Ru (bpy)3 2+ and molecularly imprinted copolymer for the sensitive ECL detection of tetracycline.

A molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescent sensor is developed for the sensitive detection of tetracycline in environmental and food samples. The sensor uses an ionic liquid (i.e. [APMIM]Br) modified graphene-carbon nanotube composite (GMI) material as substrate, a double-layered core-shell metal-organic framework NH2-UiO-66@ZIF-8 (NUZ) loaded bipyridyl ruthenium (NUZ@Ru) as luminescent material, and a molecularly imprinted copolymer of o-phenylenediamine and hydroquinone as recognition element. The ionic liquid-modified graphene-carbon nanotube composite has a favorable three-dimensional structure, high specific surface area, and good hydrophilicity; the core-shell structured metal-organic framework has high stability and plentiful reaction sites for loading; the molecularly imprinted copolymer film has enhanced stability and recognition effect. Hence, the resulting sensor combines the merits of several materials and presents improved performance. Under the optimum detection conditions, it shows a wide linear range of 0.05 µM - 1 mM, a low detection limit of 20 nM, high selectivity, and excellent stability. It has been successfully applied to the detection of tetracycline in different samples.

Biodegradable Hydrogenated Dimer Acid-Based Plasticizers for PLA with Excellent Plasticization, Thermal Stability and Gas Resistance

Biodegradable Hydrogenated Dimer Acid-Based Plasticizers for PLA with Excellent Plasticization, Thermal Stability and Gas Resistance

In Situ Construction of Biphasic Boride Electrocatalysts on Dealloyed Bulk Ni-Mo Alloy as Self-Supporting Electrode for Water Splitting at High Current Density.

Nickel-molybdenum-boron (Ni-Mo-B)-based catalysts with biphasic interfaces are highly advantageous in bifunctional electrocatalytic activity in alkaline water-splitting. However, it remains an ongoing challenge to obtain porous Ni-Mo alloy substrates that provide stable adhesion to catalysts, ensuring the long-term performance of bifunctional self-supporting electrodes at a high current density. Herein, a porous Ni-Mo alloy substrate was effectively obtained by a cost-effective dealloying process on a commercial Ni-Mo alloy with high-energy crystal planes. Subsequently, the Mo2NiB2/Ni3B bifunctional catalyst was in situ synthesized on this substrate via boriding heat treatment, resulting in outstanding catalytic activity and stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the abundant biphasic interfaces and surface-reconstructed sites of the Mo2NiB2/Ni3B catalyst can decrease the energy barriers for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. Thus, the designed self-supporting electrodes show bifunctional catalytic activity with overpotentials of 151 mV for HER and 260 mV for OER at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Markedly, the assembled water electrolyzer can be driven up to 10 mA cm-2 at 1.64 V and maintain catalytic activity at a high current density of 1000 mA cm-2 for 100 h. The new strategy is expected to provide a low-cost scheme for designing self-supporting bifunctional electrodes with high activity and excellent stability and contribute to the development of hydrogen energy technology.

Self‐Excited Free‐Standing VO2 Film for Infrared Optical Limiter

AbstractEffective optical limiters (OLs) are necessary devices for the protection of various sensitive photo‐detectors, cameras, infrared sensors, or even the human eyes once encountering unexpected high‐intensity illumination or laser blinding attacks. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows pronounced infrared switching behavior across the phase transition, which is considered as an idea optical limiter for broad‐band infrared laser protection. However, the self‐adapting optical limiter function based on VO2 is quite difficult to realize since the open‐state absorptance of the VO2 layer is always very low, which makes the laser irradiation cannot trigger the phase transition quickly. In the current study, a self‐excited VO2 infrared optical limiter is proposed, which is integrated by a transferred VO2 layer, InGaAs micro/nano wires, and a local heater. Based on the“optical response–electric heating” strategy, the phase transition of VO2 layer can be quickly triggered once the incident laser beam intensity exceeds the pre‐set threshold value. In addition, this integrated device has an excellent switching ratio, flexible controllability, and stability. This work achieves a practical VO2 optical limiter device and provides a promising strategy for developing VO2‐based integrated multifunctional devices in the future.

Novel single phase warm white-emitting phosphor BaLaGaO4:Dy3+,Sm3+ with high thermal stability and color stability

In this study, new phosphors BaLaGaO4 (BLGO) doped with dysprosium (Dy3+) and samarium (Sm3+) ions were created using a high-temperature solid-state method. Characterizations with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and elemental mapping revealed successful doping and uniform elemental distribution. Then the samples were tested for photoluminescence (PL) spectra, the results indicated that the BaLaGaO4:xDy3+ (BLGO:xDy3+) phosphors emitted strong blue and yellow light upon excitation at 350 nm. The emission peaks were located at 480 and 572 nm, respectively. By introducing different proportions of Sm3+ ions, the BaLaGaO4:0.04Dy3+,ySm3+ (BLGO:0.04Dy3+,ySm3+) samples could be excited at 365 nm, and enhancing the red emission component of the phosphor. Meantime, with increasing Sm3+ content, the correlated color temperature (CCT) decreased from 5507 to 3767 K. And the emission spectrum and decay lifetime of BLGO:0.04Dy3+,ySm3+ confirmed the energy transfer from Dy3+ to Sm3+. Furthermore, at 423 K, the luminous intensity of BLGO:0.04Dy3+,0.04Sm3+ retained 86 % of its strength at 298 K, and the chromaticity shift (ΔS) was only 0.00574, which indicated that the sample had excellent thermal stability and excellent color stability. Finally, using the prepared sample and a 365 nm light-emitting diode (LED) chip, a white light-emitting diode (WLED) was fabricated. The CCT of the manufactured WLED also showed a corresponding reduction (from 3423 to 2814 K). Moreover, under the working conditions of 3.4 V and 0.6A, the thermal imaging obtained after 90 min of WLED operation shows the stability of the packaged WLED at high temperature. These researches show that the phosphor has potential application value in indoor lighting technologies.

Homogenization and Upcycling of Hetero Spent LiCoO2 Cathodes: Rational Introduction of Li/Co Anti‐Sites Toward Enhanced High‐Voltage Stability

AbstractCaptured by relatively low energy consumption and harmful gas‐emission, direct regeneration has captured numerous attention, but still suffers from different particle sizes and diverse doping hetero‐elements, hardly meeting the market demand. Herein, assisted by the crush‐sinter regeneration from element to grain further to particle, homogenized recovery of hetero spent LiCoO2 is successfully carried out. More interestingly, after tailoring Li/Co anti‐sites ratio, the redox activity of Co‐ions is remarkably enhanced, effectively inhibiting the irreversible escape of O‐atoms under high voltage, bringing about the fascinating electrochemical performance and structural stability. As anticipated, the regenerated LiCoO2 delivered a considerable capacity of 175.2 mAh g−1 at 1.0 C, whilst its capacity retention can remain at 88.86% even after 500 cycles at 5.0 C, better than that of commercial materials. Assembling regenerated materials versus. graphite pouch cell, their considerable practical capacity retention can be kept at ≈91.4% even after 500 cycles. Supported by in situ XRD, electronic structure analysis, and detailed DFT calculations, the excellent high voltage stability of optimized samples mainly comes from the alleviating of phase conversion and oxygen redox. This work is expected to shed light on the potential value of homogenized regenerations, and offer effective strategies of upcycling about spent LCO.

Anchored VN Quantum Dots Boosting High Capacity and Cycle Durability of Na3V2(PO4)3@NC Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery and Organic Sodium-Ion Battery.

Na3V2(PO4)3 is a promising high-voltage cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) and organic sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the poor rate capability, specific capacity, and cycling stability severely hamper it from further development. In this work, Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) with vanadium nitride (VN) quantum dots encapsulated by nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) nanoflowers (NVP/VN@NC) are manufactured as cathode using in situ nitridation, carbon coating, and structural adjustment. The outer NC layer increases the higher electronic conductivity of NVP. Furthermore, VN quantum dots with high theoretical capacity not only improve the specific capacity of pristine NVP, but also serve as abundant "pins" between NVP and NC to strengthen the stability of NVP/VN@NC heterostructure. For Zn-ion storage, these essential characteristics allow NVP/VN@NC to attain a high reversible capacity of 135.4mAhg-1 at 0.1Ag-1, and a capacity retention of 91% after 2000 cycles at 5Ag-1. Meanwhile, NVP/VN@NC also demonstrates to be a stable cathode material for SIBs, which can reach a high reversible capacity of 124.5mAhg-1 at 0.1Ag-1, and maintain 92% of initial capacity after 11000 cycles at 5Ag-1. This work presents a feasible path to create innovative high-voltage cathodes with excellent reaction kinetics and structural stability.

Mouldable multicomponent low molecular weight supergelators

ABSTRACT A significant drawback of gels formed from low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) is their typically poor mechanical stability due to the weak non-covalent interactions responsible for forming the gel. Here, we present a rare example of bicomponent gels prepared from LMWGs that show excellent mechanical stability even at <0.7 wt.% gelator loading. The gels can be moulded into any desired shape, without creep deformation. Dynamic diffusion of a guest, like β-carotene, from a spiked gel into its submerged solvent environment is explored through UV–vis spectrophotometry and NMR techniques, showing that the integrity of the gel network remains in the presence of the guest.