Full Light Research Articles

Technical advances for measurement of gas exchange at the whole plant level: Design solutions and prototype tests to carry out shoot and rootzone analyses in plants of different sizes

To measure gas exchange at the whole plant (WP) level, design solutions were provided and prototypes of gas-exchange systems (GESs) were tested to carry out shoot and rootzone analyses in plants of different sizes. A WP-GES for small herbaceous plants was tested on the ability to maximize the net assimilation rate of CO2 in lettuce plants grown either under blue-red light or upon full spectrum artificial light. A WP-GES for large woody plants was tested during an experiment describing the drought stress inhibition of grapevine transpiration and photosynthesis. Technical advances pointed to optimize: i) the choice of cuvette material and its technical configuration to allow hermetic isolation of the interface shoot-rootzone, to avoid contamination between the two compartments, and to allow climate control of both shoot and rootzone cuvettes, ii) accurate measurements of the mass air-flow entering both cuvettes, and iii) an adequate homogenization of the cuvette air volume for stable and accurate detection of CO2 and H2O concentration in cuvettes before and after CO2 and H2O contamination of the air volumes exerted by plant organs.

Photothermal effect of carbon dots for boosted photothermal-assisted photocatalytic water/seawater splitting into hydrogen

Herein, carbon dots were loaded on the surface of hollow tubular carbon nitride (CDs/TCN) via a two-step route of hydrothermal and calcination processes for photothermal-assisted photocatalytic water/seawater splitting into hydrogen full spectrum light irradiation. The introduction of CDs promotes the separation and transfer rate of photogenerated carriers, and provides active sites for the hydrogen precipitation reaction. Most importantly, with the assistance of the thermal insulation effect of TCN, the photothermal effect of CDs can greatly increase the surface temperature of CDs/TCN composite system, thus enhancing the photocatalytic H2 production performance. All the synthesized CDs/TCN composites exhibited efficient photocatalytic H2 production rates, the highest of which reached 12.94 mmol h−1 g−1 and 11.92 mmol h−1 g−1 from water and seawater splitting, respectively. This study provides a new idea for enhancing the photothermal-assisted photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen using CDs with photothermal effect.

Effect of light intensities on the photosynthesis, growth and physiological performances of two maple species.

Photoinhibition decreases photosynthetic capacity and can therefore affect the plant survival, growth, and distribution, but little is known about how it affects on kindred tree species. We conducted field experiments to measure the photosynthetic, growth and physiological performances of two maple species (Acer mono and A. pseudosieboldianum) seedlings at four light intensities (100%, 75%, 55%, and 20% of full light) and evaluated the adaptability of seedlings. We found that: (1) A. mono seedlings have larger light saturated photosynthetic rates (A max), the light saturation point (LSP), and lower light compensation point (LCP) than A. pseudosieboldianum seedlings, thus indicating that the former has a stronger light utilization ability. (2) A. mono seedlings under 75% light intensity and had higher seedling height (SH), basal stem diameter (BSD), leaf number (LN), leaf area per plant (LAPP) and total dry weight (TDW), while A. pseudosieboldianum seedling at 55% light intensity displayed greater growth advantages, which agreed with their response of light saturated photosynthetic rate. Morphological plasticity adjustments such as decreased root shoot ratio (RSR) and increased specific leaf area (SLA) showed how seedlings adapt to weak light environments. (3) 100% and 20% light intensities increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of two maple seedlings, indicating that very strong or very weak light could lead to the imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism. The regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), as well as the content of osmoregulation substances such as free proline and soluble protein, are the main mechanisms of plant adaptation to light stress. Although both A. mono and A. pseudosieboldianum are highly shade tolerant, subtle differences in the photosynthetic, morphological and physiological traits underpinning their shade tolerance suggest A. pseudosieboldianum has the advantage to deal with the light threat. Future studies should focus on the expression level of photosynthesis-related genes and cell, to better understand the adaptation mechanism of plants to light variation which facilitates forest development, either natural or via silvicultural practices. This information expands our understanding of the light-regulating mechanism of trees, which contributes to develop management practices to support natural forest regeneration.

Canopy openness modifies tree seedling distributions along a tropical forest elevation gradient

In theory, canopy openings can influence tree species establishment and resulting distributions over environmental gradients, but evidence concerning the magnitude and direction of such effects remain scarce. In this study we examine how canopy openings influence seedling persistence and growth and resulting elevation range limits. We transplanted 1360 seedlings of eight woody species (trees Trichilia habanensis, Persea caerulea, Cedrela tonduzii, Cornus disciflora, Quercus salicifolia, Q. bumelioides, Q. costaricensis and the shrub Hypericum irazuense) under the forest canopy and in open areas with understorey vegetation removed in a replicated design along a 2900 m elevation gradient in Costa Rica. We recorded survival, stem diameter and height over 18 months. We used hierarchical generalized additive models to examine relationships of seedling survival and growth with elevation and treatment (inside forest versus open area). We found a clear effect of open versus forest conditions on survival across the elevation gradient for six species. Species planted into open areas with full light exposure survived 100–1000 m below (~ 0.5–5°C warmer), and in one case 300 m above (~ 1.8°C colder) their observed ranges. Above 2900 m, survival of all species was markedly greater under the forest canopy versus open sites, suggesting facilitation from the forest, as frost occurred in open areas above this elevation. The resulting upper range increased between 200 and 1160 m (~ 1–6°C colder) compared to their observed range. At lower elevations, severe insect herbivory occurred on some species likely influencing lower range limits. Open areas influenced how seedling survival and growth varied with elevation for all the studied species. All species survived and grew outside the elevation ranges where they are typically observed. We suggest that the influence of forest gaps and clearings over extended gradients offers novel insights into tree range dynamics, limits and conservation.

English

To investigate the ecological, yield, physiological, and biochemical index of cultivated pinellia under different shade conditions and to analyze the influence of light intensity on Pinellia ternata’s ecological and physiological characteristics, our experiment employed four varieties of pinellia, Changde pinellia, Yuanling pinellia, Ziyang pinellia, and Bijie pinellia, as experiment materials, planted them under equivalent growing conditions, and placed them under different shade conditions (shade net settings of 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% shade). The present study sought to determine the index changes of pinellia, including their morphology, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and yield, over a 100-day growth period. The results under 25% shade, compared with full light, revealed the following: pinellia plants reached heights of up to 20.04 cm, an increase of 43.35%; the maximum leaf area was 16.15 cm2, an increase of 34.78%; and the fresh weight of pinellia tubers decreased to varying degrees. Under shade treatment, the content of chlorophyll in pinellia leaves increased, the content of soluble protein and malondialdehyde decreased, and the activities of three antioxidant enzymes increased; these changes were overall consistent with the typical characteristics of shade plants, and the adaptability of pinellia to different shade conditions varied considerably. Moderate shade (25%–50% shade) could improve the physiological and ecological indicators of pinellia and reduce the threat of intense light exposure, but it would also reduce the tuber yield to varying extents

Renewable energy driving microbial electrochemistry toward carbon neutral

Microbe-electrode interacted microbial electrochemical systems (MESs) encompassing (electro)microbiology, electrochemistry, and material science, play an ever-increasing role in waste(water) treatment and resource recovery, which are perceived as eco-friendly and bioderived carbon-neutral catalysis technologies. However, external electricity input to drive the microbial metabolism in MESs can be expensive or not environmentally friendly, hampering the broader development of MESs. This perspective summarizes present renewable electricity sources from microbial full cells, salinity gradients, and solar light that have been demonstrated to drive MESs, followed by underexploited renewable power supplies from waste heat, self-powered triboelectric nanogenerators (mechanical energy harvester), etc. Future directions emphasizing electromicrobiology for MESs toward carbon-neutral are remarked.

Effects of Shading Treatments on the Growth and Physiological Indexes of Potentilla anserina L. in Dry Area of Northern Shaanxi, China

Potentilla anserina L. is a widely distributed medicinal and edible perennial herb, which has a strong adaptability to the environment, thus it is necessary to explore its growth and physiological status under different shadings for further developing and utilization. In this study, P. anserina from the dry area of Northern Shaanxi was took as material, different shading treatments including full light (S0), 30% (S1), 50% (S2) and 70% shading (S3) were adopted, to analyze the effects on its growth and physiological status. In the results, under different shading levels, the growth indexes of P. anserina reached the maximum under 30% shading, and the water content of the aboveground part showed increasing first then decreasing. The content of chlorophyll a and b in leaves increased with shading degree, while the chlorophyll a/b decreased with the increase of shading degree. In addition, the photosynthetic parameters of P. anserina under different shading were different (P <0.05). The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) curve showed single-peak, and reached the maximum under S1 treatment, which was positively correlated with the diurnal variation trend of intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci). Under the treatment of S0 and S1, the diurnal variation trend of transpiration rate was the same, showing a “double peak” curve, and the stomatal conductance of all treatments showed a gradual downward trend. Moreover, the diurnal variation trend of transpiration rate under S0 and S1 treatments was the same, showing a double-peak curve, and the stomatal conductance of all treatments showed a gradually decreasing trend. In conclusion, P. anserina was proved to be a shade tolerant ground cover, and could exert the maximum ecological benefits under 30% shade environment. This is conducive to its further planting, promotion and utilization.

Balancing the Selective Absorption and Photon-to-Electron Conversion for Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics with 5.0% Light-Utilization Efficiency.

Efficiently converting invisible light while allowing full visible light transmission is key to achieving high-performance semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST-OPVs). Here, a detailed balance strategy is explored to optimize the ST-OPV via taking both absorption and carrier dynamics into consideration. Based on this principle, comprehensive optimizations are carried out, including a ternary strategy, donor:acceptor blend ratio, thickness, antireflection, etc., to compromise the invisible energy conversion and visible transmission for high-performance ST-OPVs. As a result, the opaque OPV device exhibits a champion power conversion efficiency of 19.35% (certificated 19.07%), and most strikingly, the best ST-OPV shows a remarkably high light-utilization efficiency of 5.0%, where the efficiency and the average visible transmission are 12.95% and 38.67%, respectively. An efficiency of 12.09% is achieved on the upscaled device with an area of 1.05 cm2 , demonstrating its promise for large-area fabrication. These results are among the best values for ST-OPVs. Besides, it is demonstrated that the ST-OPV exhibits good infrared light-reflection capability for thermal control. This work provides a rational design of balancing the absorbing selectivity and photon-to-electron conversion for high-performance ST-OPVs, and may pave the way toward the practical application of solar windows.

Nonstructural carbohydrates predict survival in saplings of temperate trees under carbon stress

Abstract Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) mediate plant survival when the plant's carbon (C) balance is negative, suggesting that NSCs could predict plant survival under C stress. To examine this possibility, we exposed saplings of six temperate tree species to diverse levels of C stress created by the combination of two light conditions (full light availability and deep shade) and two defoliation levels (severe defoliation and nondefoliation). We then measured survival, biomass and total NSCs and soluble sugars (SSs) concentrations in different organs of both dead and live saplings. We estimated mean NSCs and SSs contents and concentrations per sapling and fitted logistic generalized mixed‐effects models to determine if NSCs and SSs predict survival. Using inverse prediction modelling, we also determined whether there is a common NSCs and SSs threshold across species at the time of sapling's death. Defoliation and shade reduced the mean sapling's NSCs and SSs contents, indicating C stress. Mean sapling NSCs and SSs contents and concentrations predicted survival and the robustness of the models improved with the inclusion of species. At death, saplings of the exotic deciduous tree species Acer pseudoplatanus exhibited significantly lower mean NSCs and SSs contents than saplings of the evergreen conifer species Podocarpus nubigenus and lower stem NSCs and SSs concentrations than the broadleaf evergreen species Drimys winteri. The energetic role that NSCs and SSs play in plants under C stress was evidenced by the capacity of these compounds to predict sapling survival under C stress. No common threshold of NSCs and SSs contents or concentrations for sapling survival amongst species was found, indicating that the level of these compounds may not be good proxies for interspecific comparisons of tolerance to C stress. Presumably, there are species‐specific limits for the mobilization and use of NSCs and SSs in metabolism. Our results anticipate that the inclusion of NSCs and SSs in modelling will improve predictions regarding tree responses to ongoing climate change. Nonetheless, a better understanding of the many roles that carbohydrates play in plant survival under C stress is required to scale predictions up to the community level. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Quantifying the breakdown of the rotating-wave approximation in single-photon superradiance

We study quantitatively the breakdown of the rotating-wave approximation (RWA) when calculating collective light emission by quantum emitters, in particular in the weak-excitation limit. Our starting point is a known multiple-scattering formalism where the full light–matter interaction leads to induced inter-emitter interactions described by the classical Green function of inhomogeneous dielectric media. When making the RWA in the light–matter interaction, however, these induced interactions differ from the classical Green function, and for free space we find a reduction of the interatomic interaction strength by up to a factor of two. By contrast, for the corresponding scalar model the relative RWA error for the inter-emitter interaction even diverges in the near field. For two identical emitters, the errors due to the RWA in collective light emission will show up in the emission spectrum, but not in the sub- and superradiant decay rates. In case of two non-identical emitters, also the collective emission rates will differ by making the RWA. For three or more identical emitters, the RWA errors in the interatomic interaction in general affect both the collective emission spectra and the collective decay rates. Ring configurations with discrete rotational symmetry are an interesting exception. Interestingly, the maximal errors in the collective decay rates due to making the RWA occur for finite emitter separations.

Effects of shading and drought on light-induced stomatal dynamics in Betula platyphylla seedlings

Two factors-two levels experiment (full light and shading, the irradiance in the shading was 30% of the full light; normal water and drought, where soil moisture was maintained at 75%-80% and 40%-45% of field capacity, respectively) was conducted to study the variation of light-induced stomatal dynamics, stomatal traits, whole plant growth and water use under shading and drought for the early succession stage species Betula platyphylla seedlings in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau. Results showed that shading significantly increased lag and response time by 0.8 and 1.8 times during stomatal opening, decreased response speed significantly by 82.2% and 65.0%, and response amplitude by 43.3% and 56.9% during stomatal opening and closing, respectively. Drought significantly reduced response amplitude by 43.9% during stomatal opening and response speed by 33.0% during stomatal closing. The interaction of shading and drought only affected lag time during stomatal opening. The response speed during stomatal closing was significantly positively correlated with stomatal density and stomatal index. There was no significant correlation between other stomatal dynamic parameters and stomatal anatomical structure. Response speed during stomatal closing was positively correlated with whole plant biomass and water consumption, and there was no correlation between stomatal dynamics parameters and water use efficiency. The results showed that the effects of shading and drought on light-induced stomatal dynamics were partly attributed to the alteration of stomata anatomical structure, and that the light-induced stomatal dynamic parameters could partly explain the alterations of B. platyphylla growth under different habitats.

Analysis The Effect of Outrigger (Cadik) Variations on Motion Response of Fishing Boat Using CFD Method

Jukung is a type of traditional fishing boat used as transportation for fishing activities in Muncar, Banyuwangi, which has a wave as high as 2 m with a period of 4.6 s which is classified as 2nd sea state. One of the boats used has a length of 7.2 m, width 0.75 m, and height of 0.8 m. The characteristics of the hull which with an L/B ratio of 9.6 require outriggers to help balance while sailing. The outrigger itself is a cylindrical component that is placed at a certain distance on both sides of the boat. Since ancient times, the construction of outrigger boats has been carried out by local artisans by relying on experience. This is certainly very risky because it is not known for certain whether the construction, in this case, the outrigger can keep the boat stable. For this reason, we researched the boat’s motion using the CFD method to provide a reference for the construction of the outrigger design. Using one of the existing boats with LOA 7.2 m, B 0.671 m, and H 0.8 m, and Vs 4.385 kt as a simulation model, we varied the outrigger-centerline distance by 2.5 m and 2.8 m; diameters of 90 mm, 120 mm, and 150 mm; which tested under conditions of full load and light load with the wave directions of headsea (180°), headquarter (135°), and beamsea (90°), resulting in Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) as follows. The model with an outrigger-CL distance of 2.8 m and diameter of 150 mm has the lowest heaving value of 0.02 m/m at a frequency of 4.1 rad/s from the headsea direction, 0.44 m/m at a frequency of 3.7 rad/s from the headquarter direction, and 0.4 m/m at a frequency of 6.2 rad/s from the beamsea direction. This model also has the lowest value in pitching and rolling responses from all directions with each value of 0.4 rad/m to 0.15 rad/m in pitching and relatively 0 rad/m in rolling responses.

Photothermal catalytic oxidation of toluene with enhanced efficiency over constructed CuMn2O4/Mn2O3 heterojunction catalyst

Photothermal catalyst oxidation of VOCs is a hot issue in the air purifier field due to the reducing of secondary energy consumption. Herein, we reported a photothermal catalyst CuMn2O4/Mn2O3 with heterojunction for catalytic oxidizing toluene with high efficiency through sol–gel method followed different calcination temperature. Under the irradiation of 700 mW/cm2 Xe lamp simulated sun light, the CuMn2O4/Mn2O3 catalyst exhibited excellent full spectrum light absorption capacity, photo-thermal conversion ability and toluene conversion performance with a 90% toluene conversion (T = 233 °C, WHSV = 30,000 mL/g·h), together with a good catalytic stability. The excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of abundant oxygen vacancies, Mn3+ active sites and heterojunctions between CuMn2O4 and Mn2O3 due to the XPS, H2-TPR, UPS characterizations.

Photocatalytic performance for palm-fiber-like SnS2 nanoflakes with full solar spectrum light response

A palm-fiber-like SnS2 with multilayer structure has been hydrothermally synthesized by anion exchange process from vertically-aligned Sn3O4 nanoflake arrays precursors. Compared to monolayer SnS2, the multilayer SnS2 exhibits obvious photothermal effect and displays excellent photocatalytic activity for RhB degradation and CO2 reduction under full solar spectrum. The multilayer SnS2 is found to have a larger electrochemically active surface area, and increased absorption for full solar spectrum with the merits of micron- and nanometer-scale structure favors to absorb the full spectrum of sunlight. The combined effect for the UV–vis absorption by the nanoscale primary structure and NIR absorption by the secondary micron-structure likely play an important role for its superior absorption capability and photocatalytic activity. This work is expected to provide a foundation to develop photocatalysts, photodetectors, solar cells and other solar energy conversion devices with full solar spectrum light response.

Construction of Carbon Dot-Modified g-C3N4/BiOIO3 Z-Scheme Heterojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction under Full Spectrum Light

In this study, we successfully constructed a Z-scheme BiOIO3/CQDs/g-C3N4 (BCCN) composite modified with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. A series of characterization approaches and testing technologies were carried out to investigate the components, morphologies, and optical properties of the fabricated photocatalysts. The 0.015B0.01CCN displayed an efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity within 7 h full spectrum light irradiation, producing CO with a rate of 117.88 μmol gcat–1. The enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction of the BCCN composite can be attributed to the synergistic effects of CQDs and the Z-scheme heterojunction. This work presents a new insight into integrating CQDs with g-C3N4 and BiOIO3 for the positive synergetic effect to obtain a high-efficient photocatalyst.

Cobalt quantum dots as electron collectors in ultra-narrow bandgap dioxin linked covalent organic frameworks for boosting photocatalytic solar-to-fuel conversion

Photocatalysis offers a sustainable paradigm for solar-to-fuel conversion because it conflates the merits of renewable solar energy and reusable catalysts. However, the seek for robust photocatalysts that can utilize the full visible light spectrum remains challenging. Herein, cobalt quantum dots (Co QDs) were integrated into ultra-narrow bandgap dioxin linked covalent organic frameworks (COF-318) for photocatalytic solar-to-fuel conversion under full spectrum of visible light irradiation. The optimal Co10-COF exhibited superior photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance, affording a CO yield of 4232 µmol∙g−1∙h−1 and H2 evolution of 6611 µmol∙g−1∙h−1. Specifically, Co QDs played a crucial role in boosting the photocatalytic performance, which acted as electron collectors to capture the photoinduced electrons and then conveyed them to CO2 molecules. Moreover, the Co QDs modification significantly improved the CO2 adsorption and activation capacity, as well as prolonging the lifetime of photogenerated carriers. This work reveals an operable pathway for fabricating promising photocatalyst for visible-light-driven solar-to-fuel generation and provides insight into the impact of the integration of Co QDs on COF-based photocatalysts.

Sooting propensities of novel cage hydrocarbon propellants

The absolute sooting propensities of three bishomocubane-based cage hydrocarbon fuels– bis(nitratomethyl)-1–3-bishomocubane (DNMBHC), 1,3-Bishomocubane dimer (BHCD), and diazido-dimethyl-bishomocubane (DADMBHC) having potential for propulsive applications were estimated using the full field light extinction technique (LE). The results were compared against relative soot volume fraction measurements obtained using color-ratio pyrometry (CRP). The Rayleigh assumption used in this study was validated by TEM (transmission electron microscopy) measurements. The experiments were conducted using the tethered droplet combustion technique in ambient air under normal gravity conditions. The sooting propensities of 10% w/w blends of the novel BHC fuels with an RP-1 surrogate fuel (RP-1-s) were also studied along with other fuels, includingn-dodecane, methylcyclohexane, isocetane, and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), which was the starting fuel for the synthesis of the novel BHC compounds. Results indicate an excellent match in the sooting propensities estimated using the two methods despite considerable differences in the estimation methodologies. The novel BHC fuels were extremely sooty compared to RP-1-s and its constituent components on account of their caged molecular structure that favoured the formation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The assumption of a constant soot dispersion exponent in CRP was judged as having consequences similar to the assumption of a constant soot refractive index in the LE method. The LE technique was assessed as more robust in comparison to CRP as it could capture soot emissions outside the luminous flame zone and had significantly lower uncertainties than CRP for sooty fuels..

Light protection of parenteral nutrition, cholestasis, and other prematurity-related morbidities in premature infants

IntroductionParenteral Nutrition (PN) can lead to intestinal failure associated liver disease (IFALD). There are no human studies to date studying specifically the benefits of light-protection on neonatal IFALD. Recently, the European Medicines Agency and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) both recommended full light protection of PN to reduce the risk of adverse clinical outcomes.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of light-protecting PN on the incidence of cholestasis and peak direct bilirubin levels in premature infants.Study designRetrospective chart review of preterm infants requiring PN for a minimum of 2 weeks with or without light-protection. After light protection of the PN solution, primary outcomes (including cholestasis and direct bilirubin levels) of both groups were compared. Secondary outcomes include evaluation of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), sepsis and mortality.ResultsA total of 50 preterm infants <37 weeks gestation were included, 25 infants in each group. There was a statistically significant decrease in the rate of cholestasis (12 vs. 3, p = 0.005), median peak direct bilirubin levels (1.7 vs. 0.9 mg/dL, p = 0.02) and total bilirubin levels (4.1 vs. 3.4, p = 0.05) in the light-protection group compared to no light-protection group. There was a decrease in the incidence of severe BPD (with an increase of mild BPD, resulting in the same overall BPD rate) in the light-protection compared to no light-protection group (7 vs. 15, p = 0.0223). There was no difference in NEC, ROP, sepsis or mortality.ConclusionOur study supports that the practice of light-protecting PN may reduce the incidence of IFALD in premature infants. Moreover, there was a trend toward decreased incidence of severe BPD in the light-protection group. Further light protection studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Hybrid TiO2/AgNPs/g-C3N4 nanocomposite coatings on TC4 titanium alloy for enhanced synergistic antibacterial effect under full spectrum light

The hybrid TiO2/AgNPs/g-C3N4 nanocomposite coatings were constructed on TC4 alloy by a hydrothermal and calcining method. TiO2/AgNPs/g-C3N4 nanocomposite coatings demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and osteogenesis compared to those of titanium alloy. The existence of trace AgNPs on the surface and interface of the heterojunction could further enhance the transfer and separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs, which greatly improved the antibacterial performance under full spectrum light. Holes at the valence band of TiO2 and g-C3N4 reacted with adsorbed H2O to generate •OH, killing bacteria through photocatalytic redox reaction under light irradiation, while released AgNPs exhibited bacteriostatic efficacy with or without light. This study provides a pathway of coating modification for further improving the antibacterial properties of heterojunction coatings and maintaining the biocompatibility of matrix materials.

Near-infrared and optical emission of WASP-5 b

Context. Thermal emission from extrasolar planets makes it possible to study important physical processes in their atmospheres and derive more precise orbital elements. Aims. By using new near-infrared (NIR) and optical data, we examine how these data constrain the orbital eccentricity and the thermal properties of the planet atmosphere. Methods. The full light curves acquired by the TESS satellite from two sectors are used to put an upper limit on the amplitude of the phase variation of the planet and estimate the occultation depth. Two previously published observations and one followup observation (published herein) in the 2MASS K (Ks) band are employed to derive a more precise occultation light curve in this NIR waveband. Results. The merged occultation light curve in the Ks band comprises 4515 data points. The data confirm the results of the earlier eccentricity estimates, suggesting a circular orbit of: e = 0.005 ± 0.015. The high value of the flux depression of (2.70 ± 0.14) ppt in the Ks band excludes simple black body emission at the 10σ level and also disagrees with current atmospheric models at the (4–7)σ level. From analysis of the TESS data, in the visual band we find tentative evidence for a near-noise-level detection of the secondary eclipse, and place constraints on the associated amplitude of the phase variation of the planet. A formal box fit yields an occultation depth of (0.157 ± 0.056) ppt. This implies a relatively high geometric albedo of Ag = 0.43 ± 0.15 for fully efficient atmospheric circulation and Ag = 0.29 ± 0.15 for no circulation at all. No preference can be seen for either the oxygen-enhanced or the carbon-enhanced atmosphere models.