High Specific Surface Area Research Articles

Efficient structural and compositional modulation of vanadium oxides for high-areal-capacity zinc-ion batteries

Although rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) have been revitalized as competitive candidates for large-scale energy storage, the development of this technology is stalled by the underutilization of cathode materials due to sluggish reaction kinetics, resulting in low areal capacities that cannot meet the practical requirements. Herein, this study reveals a simple, efficient, and low-energy synthetic route to effectively convert relatively inactive α-V2O5 (131 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) into highly active MxV8O20·nH2O (MVO, M = Li, Na, and K) by liquid-phase dissolution-recrystallization reaction and chemical preintercalation under low-temperature conditions. Particularly, NaVO presents the most expansive diffusion channel, the highest specific surface area, and the smallest band gap, allowing faster electron/ion transport kinetics and better material utilization. With these features, NaVO accommodates electrolyte Zn2+ and H+ with good reversibility, showing high capacity (383 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and rate-performance (207 mAh g−1 at 8 A g−1). More importantly, high-areal-capacity of 3.2 mAh cm−2 and remarkable cycle stability over 1500 cycles can be achieved from free-standing high-mass-loading electrode (∼14 mg cm−2) made of NaVO and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). This work enriches the synthetic methods for obtaining high-performance vanadium-based host materials with practical areal capacity and cycle stability.

Exploring the effects of cellulose sources on silver reduction and the bacterial removal of nanocellulose-based hydrogel beads

With water access challenged, there is a need to develop efficient and sustainable alternatives for water purification. Here, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) isolated from three source materials (softwood, soybean hulls and oat straw) were compared for the generation of hydrogels beads, and compared as support and reducing agent for silver nanoparticles formation. The silver-functionalized hydrogel beads (Ag-CNFs) were characterized, and the surface energy and specific surface area were evaluated. Antimicrobial testing was conducted to assess the efficacy of the Ag-CNFs against E. coli. The results showed that the Ag-CNFs had a higher specific surface area and lower surface energy compared with unmodified CNFs. Softwood-based Ag-CNFs exhibited the highest silver content and specific surface area, while the soybean hull based showed the highest hydrophobic character. The silver-functionalized soybean hull beads (Ag-sbCNF) showed the highest efficacy in reducing the growth of bacteria. Overall, this study highlights the potential of silver-functionalized CNFs hydrogel beads as a promising environmentally friendly and sustainable material for water filtration and disinfection. The findings also suggest that lower surface energy of the Ag-CNFs play an important role in their antimicrobial effect on tested water by enabling shorter retention, providing useful insights into the design of future water filtration materials.

Bimetallic MOFs-Derived Metal Oxides Co3O4/SnO2 Microspheres for Ultrahigh Response n-Butanol Gas Sensors.

The construction of p-n heterojunctions is expected to be one of the effective means to improve gas sensitivity. In this research, p-n heterojunctions are successfully constructed by metal oxides derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs-derived bimetallic Co3O4/SnO2 microspheres are prepared by precipitation. Gas-sensing performance shows that the Co3O4/SnO2 sensor exhibits an extremely high response (Ra/Rg = 641) to 20 ppm of n-butanol at 200 °C, which is 19 times that of pristine SnO2. It can detect n-butanol gas at low concentrations, has good selectivity to alcohol gas, and reduces the interference of benzene gas. The improved gas sensitivity can be attributed to the formation of a stable heterojunction between Co3O4 and SnO2, resulting in a greater resistance change of Co3O4/SnO2. Co3O4/SnO2 inherits the characteristic of high specific surface area of MOFs, which provides abundant sites for the reaction of the target gas and oxygen molecules. Finally, the gas-sensing mechanism of the Co3O4/SnO2-based sensor is discussed in detail.

Hydrogen bond-induced supramolecular self-assembly strategy to fabricate ultra-dispersed Cu-loaded porous tubular graphitic carbon nitride with rich nitrogen vacancies and CuNx sites for efficient photo-Fenton catalysis

The low utilization of visible light and easy recombination of charge carriers of graphitic carbon nitride (CN) restrain its application as photo-electron donor and metal site support in photo-Fenton system. Herein, a hydrogen bond-induced supramolecular self-assembly strategy was created to fabricate an ultra-dispersed Cu-loaded porous tubular CN composite (CA-Cu/TCN) by the hydrothermal–pyrolysis method with citric acid (CA) as initiator and chelating agent. CA-Cu/TCN with rich nitrogen vacancies (NVs) and abundant ultra-dispersed CuNx sites exhibited narrow bandgap, favorable visible light absorption capability, and high separation and transfer efficiency of charge carriers. CA-Cu/TCN effectively catalyzed the activation of H2O2 for generating abundant reactive oxygen species under visible light irradiation, contributing to efficient degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) with removal rate of 95.9 % and kinetic rate constant of 0.0948 min−1. The superior catalytic activity of CA-Cu/TCN can be ascribed to the effective transport of photogenerated electrons, high specific surface area, atomically dispersed Cu species, and enriched surface NVs. The mechanism of photo-Fenton catalytic degradation of CIP and possible degradation pathways were proposed as the dominant role of 1O2. Toxicity evaluation of CIP and intermediates indicated that the degradation of CIP was a gradual detoxification process. This work offers a novel self-assembly strategy to design and synthesize highly active and sustainable visible light-driven photo-Fenton catalysts for effectively degrading organic pollutants.

Boosting the activity of nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst by the guided formation of active sites and enhanced scavenging on reactive oxygen species under the regulation of cerium

The design of nitrogen-doped carbon materials with high density of active sites is of paramount importance for catalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, an efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst (CL-Fe/(Fe,Ce)xOy-NC) is developed by planting carbon nanotubes with encapsulated Fe/(Fe,Ce)xOy particles on porous carbon polyhedron particles derived from calcinated ZIF-8 framework. The introduction of Ce evidently promotes the formation of pyridinic nitrogen, graphitic nitrogen and metal nitrogen species in carbon matrix, enhancing the catalytic activity towards the ORR. The Ce oxide in the catalyst effectively scavenges the active oxygen species in ORR process. Under the synergistic effect of high specific surface area with Ce species, the CL-Fe/(Fe,Ce)xOy-NC has a better half-wave potential (0.861 V vs. RHE), faster kinetics (44.13 mV dec−1) and is more stable than the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The zinc-air battery assembled with CL-Fe/(Fe,Ce)xOy-NC has the highest power density of 195 mW cm−2, energy density of 858 Wh kg−1, and better durability. This work presents a novel approach to enhance the efficacy of nitrogen-doped carbon-based catalysts, paving a possible way to substitute the precious platinum catalysts for a variety of electrochemical energy devices.

Multiphase lattice engineering of bimetallic phosphide-embedded tungsten-based phosphide/oxide nanorods on carbon cloth: A synergistic and stable electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

The hierarchical design of the three-dimensional (3D) nanoarchitecture, comprising multiple phases within an interconnected network on a conductive substrate, offers a high specific surface area, abundant exposed active sites, and rapid electron transport. In our study, we synthesized a hybrid catalyst by integrating (Fe,CO)-P nanoparticles into uniformly grown W-(O,P) nanorods on carbon cloth (CC) using a straightforward method, demonstrating notable electrocatalytic performance. The as-synthesized (Fe,CO)-P/W-(O,P)@CC exhibited remarkable performance in both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for overall water splitting. It achieves overpotentials of 210 and 61.3 mV for the OER and HER, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in a 1 M KOH solution. As a bifunctional electrocatalyst in overall water splitting, (Fe,CO)-P/W-(O,P)@CC needs only 1.50 V to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2, surpassing traditional Pt/C@CC and IrO2@CC counterparts (1.53 V @ 10 mA cm−2). The synergistic effects between (Fe,Co)-P and the W-(O,P)@CC nanohybrid heterostructure enhance the charge transfer, further promoting the activity of this hybrid electrocatalyst. This study reveals a promising avenue for advanced water electrolysis applications.

Shape-controllable synthesis of lignin-derived boron-doped nanoporous carbons for dye adsorption and electrochemical H2O2 production

Lignin-derived nanocarbon materials (LNCMs) have attracted intense attention due to their excellent properties and promising applications in renewable energy technologies. However, lignins tend to melt and agglomerate during pyrolysis, make it difficult to control the morphology and pore structure of the resulting carbon. In this study, boron-doped porous nanocarbon (BFC) in various shapes (sphere, band, and sheet) were synthesized using ammonium borate as a crosslinking agent to prevent lignin melting, assisted by liquid nitrogen freeze-drying and potassium phosphate (KP) templating. The effects of BFC structure on methylene blue adsorption and electrochemical generation of H2O2 were investigated. The results show that KP-1/1-8BFC exhibits a high specific surface area (912.89 m2/g) and a hierarchical micro-mesoporous structure, achieving a remarkable adsorption capacity of 473.9 mg/g for methylene blue and rapid kinetics. The selectivity of KP-1/20-8BFC for electrochemical production of H2O2 reaches 85 %. This study offers theoretical guidance for the controllable synthesis of LNCMs, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.

Synthesis of high surface area mesoporous ZnAl2O4 with excellent photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of Congo Red dye

The large-scale release by the textile and other industries of organic dyes into water courses degrades the aquatic environment and results in serious health problems for wildlife, humans, and domestic animals. The removal of such dyes from wastewater is therefore a pressing and important challenge. The efficient photocatalytic destruction of these dyes using sunlight is an elegant and attractive potential solution. In this work, mesoporous ZnAl2O4 nanomaterials were prepared with high specific surface area, high pore volume and uniform pore size distribution using a modified sol–gel synthetic protocol. BET analysis showed that the highest surface area achieved for ZnAl2O4 reached 344 m2/g. The texture, structure and chemical composition of these materials were further studied using XRD, FTIR, TEM, EDS, CHN and XPS analysis and zeta potential measurements. Band gap energies were obtained from UV/vis spectra and showed a strong decrease as particle size decreased, shifting absorption into the visible range for the finest materials and indicating the potential to improve the efficiency of photocatalysis under solar irradiation. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by studying the photodegradation of Congo Red dye and, for the best materials, showed that 99 % of the dye was degraded in only 30 mins. These results compared very favourably with those of previously reported studies. The degradation products of the Congo Red were further investigated using mass spectrometry and this detailed study confirmed that true photoinduced fragmentation of the dye molecule occurred rather than simple ‘photobleaching’.

Synthesis and consequence of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Beta zeolite supported NiW catalyst for efficient hydrocracking of 1-methylnaphthalene to BTX

The three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Beta (3DOM-Beta) zeolite was prepared and used as support of NiW sulfide catalyst for hydrocracking. The as-prepared NiW/3DOM-Beta catalyst possessed a high specific surface area and external specific surface area up to 499 m2/g and 241 m2/g, respectively, and a small average layer length (3.62 nm), a high highest average stacking number (4.64) and dispersion (fW=0.24) of metal sulfide phase, which are characteristic of high hydrogenation activity. Its high mesopore volume (0.25 cm3/g) and the highly ordered interconnected macro-meso-microporosity hierarchical structure significantly facilitated diffusive mass transfer. Compared to the NiW sulfide supported on conventional Beta (C-Beta), alkali-treated Beta (A-Beta) and nanosized Beta (Nano-Beta) zeolites, NiW/3DOM-Beta catalyst showed the highest BTX selectivity and yield of 40.7 % and 40.2 % (33.2 % and 32.6 % on NiW/C-Beta, 34.8 % and 33.9 % on NiW/A-Beta, 37.2 % and 36.6 % on NiW/Nano-Beta), and the highest hydrocracking activity (TOF=2.11 × 10-2∙s−1) as well as the smallest coking content (6.7 wt%). This work not only reveals the promotion effects of the ordered mesopore structure of supports on metal dispersion, accessibility of acid sites, diffusion of reactants and products for designing hydrocracking catalyst, but also shows the potential practical application of 3DOM zeolites with interconnected macro-meso-microporosity for the efficient catalytic conversion of macro-hydrocarbons via hydroupgrading.

Thin film microextraction of apixaban from plasma based on the covalent organic framework coated on a mesh prior to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

In this research, a new covalent organic framework was synthesized and utilized as a coating in thin film microextraction for the extraction of apixaban from plasma samples. This coating was applied to the mesh modified through immersion in a HF solution. The extracted drug was then analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. By combining the high specific surface area and selectivity of the covalent organic framework, along with integrating the innovative thin film microextraction method and a sensitive analysis system, an efficient analytical approach was achieved. The target analyte was preconcentrated and extracted by immersing of the covalent organic framework-coated mesh as an absorbent into the biological sample. Subsequently, a sonication process was conducted for a specific duration. Following this, the extracted analyte was desorbed using acetonitrile as the elution solvent. The effective parameters of the proposed technique were optimized by using “one-parameter-at-a-time” strategy and the optimal conditions were selected. By integrating the developed method notable achievements were made in the terms of low limits of detection and quantification (0.17 and 0.56 µg/L, respectively), a wide linear range (0.05–250 µg/L), intra- and inter day precisions (with relative standard deviations of ≤14 %), as well as satisfactory extraction recoveries (53 % and 54 % in plasma and deionized water, respectively). Hence, it can be concluded that the introduced technique exhibits high efficiency and reliability when applied to biological samples.

Thermophysical Investigation of Multiform NiO Nanowalls@carbon Foam/1-Octadecanol Composite Phase Change Materials for Thermal Management.

Multiform NiO nanowalls with a high specific surface area were constructed in situ on carbon foam (CF) to construct NiO@CF/OD composite phase change materials (CPCMs). The synthesis mechanism, microstructures, thermal management capability, and photothermal conversion of NiO@CF/OD CPCMs were systematically studied. Additionally, the collaborative enhancement effects of CF and multiform NiO nanowalls on the thermal properties of OD PCMs were also investigated. NiO@CF not only maintains the porous 3D network structure of CF, but also effectively prevents the aggregation of NiO nanosheets. The chemical structures of NiO@CF/OD CPCMs were analyzed using XRD and FTIR spectroscopy. When combined with CF and NiO nanosheets, OD has high compatibility with NiO@CF. The thermal conductivity of NiO@CF/OD-L CPCMs was 1.12 W/m·K, which is 366.7% higher than that of OD. The improvement in thermal conductivity of CPCMs was theoretically analyzed according to the Debye model. NiO@CF/OD-L CPCMs have a photothermal conversion efficiency up to 77.6%. This article provided a theoretical basis for the optimal design and performance prediction of thermal storage materials and systems.

Preparation of CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composites and electrochemical determination of aflatoxin B1

The presence of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in food represents a significant threat to human health, leading to the development of cancer. The key factor for effective trace detection technology lies in the utilization of sensor materials that exhibit excellent selectivity and high sensitivity properties. In this study, a successfully synthesis of g-C3N4/C with a high specific surface area uses melamine and houttuynia cordata stem as starting materials. A CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composite was prepared by hydrothermally anchoring cerium oxide quantum dots (CeO2QDs) onto the surface of g-C3N4/C, the high redox efficiency of CeO2QDs and the small size limitation effect significantly improve the sensing performance. The composite was characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The results revealed that, the CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composite sensor material exhibited significant advantages with a large specific surface area, a well-defined micropore structure, and abundant reactive sites. In addition, electrochemical activity tests are conducted using EIS, CV, and DPV for the purpose of electrochemical investigations. The CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C/GCE exhibits exceptional electrocatalytic activity against AFB1, with a wide linear response range of 100–1300 pg ml-1, an impressively low detection limit (LOD) of 6.61 fg ml-1 (S/N = 3), and a sensitivity of 0.985 pg μM ml-1μA-1. Furthermore, the stability, repeatability, and interference experimental response errors all remain below 5 %. It is also noteworthy that, the sensor material demonstrates excellent practicality in AFB1 assays conducted on real samples, which serves to illustrate its immense potential for applications in food safety evaluation.

Optimized strategies for efficient CO2 trapping using hydrate technology by pressure adjustment

The hydrate-based method enhances oceanic CO2 storage capacity and is deemed beneficial for controlling greenhouse gas emissions. However, the non-uniform CO2 hydrate crystal interface in the sub-seabed storage layer acts as a barrier, slowing down mass transfer kinetics. This work employed in-situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology to compare three different pressure adjustment strategies and observe CO2 bubble dispersion after hydrate dissociation, secondary nucleation, and crystal growth mechanism, along with pore water changes. The presence of micro/nano CO2 bubbles with high internal pressure and high specific surface area in the dissociation liquid significantly accelerated secondary micro-structural phase transition rates. The optimal hydrate-based CO2 storage efficiency reached up to 81.7 %. Moreover, the secondary formation of CO2 hydrates distributed more uniformly within the large, medium, and small pores and led to a significantly increased residual water conversion rate (reaching up to 88 %) in medium pores. The post-secondary formation of high-density hydrates resulted in low fluid mobility (T1/T2 mostly distributed in the range of 0 ∼ 10) and exhibited a mixed wettability state between pore fluids. Utilizing the “memory effects” of CO2 hydrate effectively overcame late-stage mass transfer barriers of solid hydrates films. Our findings extend the understanding of CO2 hydrate formation kinetics under pressure adjustment strategies.

Upgrading Structural Conjugation in Three-Dimensional Ni-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Promoting Electrical Conductivity and Specific Capacitance.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising candidates for electrochemical energy storage and conversion due to their high specific surface areas, abundant active sites, and excellent chemical and structural tunability. However, the direct utilization of MOFs as electrochemical materials is a challenge because of the poor electroconductivity induced by the insulating nature of most organic linkers. Herein, a conjugated three-dimensional Ni-MOF {Ni(HBTC)(BPE)}n (Ni-BPE) with a 2-fold interpenetrating structure was developed via the coordination polymerization of Ni2+, a H3BTC ligand (1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), and a vinyl-functionalized bipyridine linker (1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylene, BPE). Ni-BPE displayed an enhanced conjugation system compared to analogous and insulated Ni-BPY that is constructed by the Ni-BTC layer and ordinary bipyridine linker (4,4'-bipyridine, BPY). Notably, upgrading structural conjugation promoted a dramatical ∼204 times increase in the electroconductivity of Ni-BPE compared to Ni-BPY. More importantly, Ni-BPE displayed a higher specific capacitance of 633.2 F g-1 (316.6 C g-1) at 1 A g-1, which exhibited a significant ∼1.5-fold enhancement than Ni-BPY. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor can reach a good energy density of 25.2 Wh kg-1 with a reasonable cycle stability of 71.0% over 5000 cycles. This work provides an effective method for optimizing the structure of insulating MOFs to enhance the electroconductivity and specific capacitance.

Valorization of coffee cherry waste ash as a sustainable construction material

This study explores the potential of treated coffee cherry waste (T-CCW) as a partial replacement of cement in mortar. T-CCW was characterized and incorporated into pastes and mortars at 5 %–25 % cement replacement. The main objectives were to examine the fresh and hardened properties, hydration, and environmental assessment. Results showed that the high specific surface area and porous structure of T-CCW particles increased water demand and accelerated setting times. T-CCW incorporation of up to 15 % enhanced compressive strength at all curing ages due to improved hydration and limited pozzolanic reactions. Ultrasonic pulse velocity indicated good homogeneity and compactness in T-CCW blended mortars. Microstructural analysis revealed that T-CCW enhanced cement hydration, leading to a denser matrix. Environmental analysis showed a reduced embodied carbon and cement intensity index compared to the control mix. Overall, the optimal performance was observed at 15 % T-CCW replacement, significantly improving engineering properties and environmental impact. Further, the fishbone diagram addresses various factors to optimize the use of T-CCW as a cementitious composite. These findings demonstrate the potential of T-CCW as a sustainable construction material, offering a promising pathway towards environmentally friendly and resource-efficient building practices while addressing waste management in the coffee industry.

Sewage sludge ash as filler in asphalt mastic: Low-temperature towards high-temperature performance

The sewage sludge ash (SSA) is characterized as a by-product used in the pavement industry to mitigate the environmental risks, enhance the landfill capacity and conserve the non-renewable resources. This research utilized SSA as a filler substitute in asphalt mastic, and its performance-based properties from low towards high temperatures were evaluated. For this goal, the physical and chemical properties of SSA and rock powder (used as base filler) were determined using BET surface area measurement, X-ray fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy tests. The performance of base and SSA-modified asphalt mastics in four filler/bitumen weight ratios (0.6, 0.8, 1, and 1.2) was investigated using dynamic shear rheometer, multiple stress creep and recovery, linear amplitude sweep, and bending beam rheometer tests across a wide temperature range. The results indicate that SSA has a higher specific surface area, better bitumen absorption, and lower density compared to the base filler. Additionally, unlike the acidic nature of the base filler, SSA possesses strong basic properties, leading to a stronger chemical bond with bitumen and enhanced resistance to aging, particularly at high temperatures. Moreover, the lower density of SSA escalates the amount of filler per unit volume of the SSA-modified asphalt mastic, leading to the increased stiffness and elasticity. This trend improves resistance to permanent deformation and cracking at medium temperatures, although it has an adverse effect on performance of mastic at low temperatures. Moreover, due to the improved performance of SSA-modified asphalt mastic, this study can contribute to the sustainable development of the pavement industry.

Ultrasound-assisted fungal self-growth and heteroatom doping for the preparation of high-performance lignocellulose-based supercapacitor electrodes

Biomass materials are widely used as supercapacitor electrode materials due to their cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. In this work, ultrasound-assisted impregnation was employed for the thorough mixing of the liquid medium, and fungal treatment was conducted on the three main components of lignocellulose to prepare a fungi-modified heteroatom-doped lignocellulose-based carbon material (LCF-NP). The effects of heteroatom doping, the content of the three main components, and fungal modification on the electrochemical performance of lignocellulose-based carbon materials was investigated. The results revealed the synergistic effect of heteroatom doping and fungal treatment on the electrochemical performance. Compared with its counterpart free of fungal treatment, LCF-NP has a more reasonable pore structure and exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. LCF-NP porous carbon material has the highest specific surface area (792 m2/g), large pore volume (0.523 cm3/g), and ideal specific capacitance (1940 mF/cm2) under the conditions of 1.0 M Na2SO4 electrolyte and current density of 0.5 mA/cm2. After 10,000 cycles, there is almost no loss of capacitance. These results indicate that the joint utilization of heteroatom doping and fungal treatment has a promising application prospect in pore structure regulation and electrochemical performance improvement. This study provides a new strategy for the preparation of lignocellulose-based carbon electrode materials.

Anti-oxidative mesoporous polydopamine-based hypotensive nano-eyedrop for improved glaucoma management

Conventional hypotensive eye drops remain suboptimal for glaucoma management, primarily due to their limited intraocular bioavailability and the growing concern regarding ocular surface side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop innovative intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering formulations that not only possess enhanced corneal penetration ability but also provide ocular surface protection. Herein, anti-oxidative mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDA NPs) were explored as a nano-carrier for Brimonidine to address the above issues. Nearly monodisperse MPDA NPs with obvious nanopores were successfully prepared by template-removal method and used for encapsulation of Brimonidine benefiting from their high specific surface area. Interestingly, the PEGylated and drug loaded MPDA-PEG@Brim NPs showed a near neutral surface charge, which is expected to enhance intraocular drug delivery. Consequently, much higher concentration of Brimonidine in the aqueous humor was found after topical administration of MPDA-PEG@Brim nano-dispersion as compared to free Brimonidine solution. Accordingly, superior IOP reduction effect was achieved for the nano-formulation in both hypertensive and normotensive rat eyes. Moreover, MPDA-PEG NPs showed good capability in scavenging diverse free radicals, alleviating intracellular oxidative stress, and mitigating ocular surface oxidative level in a mouse model of preservative-induced dry eye. In addition, the excellent biosafety of this novel Brimonidine nanodrug was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the present work may shed light on the development of next generation hypotensive formulations for extended ocular surface protection and glaucoma management.

Agricultural waste-based biochars for sustainable removal of heavy metals from stabilized landfill leachate.

In this work, biochars were used as adsorbents to remove Cu, Cd, and Zn ions in a real stabilized leachate from a controlled landfill. Oak fruit shells biochar (OFSBC) and date palm fibers biochar (DPFBC) were obtained by pyrolysis of oak fruit shells and date palm fibers at 700°C and 400°C, respectively. OFSBC and DPFBC showed well-developed structures and high specific surface areas (520.16 m2/g and 470.46 m2/g, respectively). Equilibrium adsorption of heavy metal ions on DPFBC and OFSBC occurred after 4h and 2h of stirring. The removal efficiencies of Cu, Cd, and Zn ions were 97.01%, 94.40%, and 80.59% with DPFBC and 90.10%, 88.33%, and 76.16% using OFSBC, respectively. The Avrami fractional order model was appropriate for describing kinetic adsorption. Increasing the dose of adsorbent improves heavy metal ion retention. Thermodynamic tests have proven the spontaneous and endothermic adsorption of these heavy metals. The electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, complexation, metal-π bending, and surface precipitation and pore filling were regarded as the most predominant heavy metal retention mechanisms from the landfill leachate onto the biochar surface. Separately, the DPFBC showed the best performance than OFSBC regarding the improvement of leachate quality. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), and phosphorus (P) were respectively removed at an efficiency of 53.57%, 29.17%, 36.07%, and 37.5%, respectively. Thus, the results allow highlighting that the adsorption on DPFBC and OFSBC can be an effective alternative in the practice of landfill leachate treatment.

Application of Electrospun Nanofiber-Based Electrochemical Sensors in Food Safety.

Food safety significantly impacts public health and social welfare. Recently, issues such as heavy metal ions, drug residues, food additives, and microbial contamination in food have become increasingly prominent. Electrochemical sensing technology, known for its low cost, simplicity, rapid response, high sensitivity, and excellent selectivity, has been crucial in food safety detection. Electrospun nanofibers, with their high specific surface area, superior mechanical properties, and design flexibility, offer new insights and technical platforms for developing electrochemical sensors. This study introduces the fundamental principles, classifications, and detection mechanisms of electrochemical sensors, along with the principles and classifications of electrospinning technology. The applications of electrospun nanofiber-based electrochemical sensors in food safety detection over the past five years are detailed, and the limitations and future research prospects are discussed. Continuous innovation and optimization are expected to make electrospun nanofiber-based electrochemical sensors a key technology in rapid food safety detection, providing valuable references for expanding their application and advancing food safety detection methods.