Enhancing starch-lipid complexes and digestive resistance in rice with curcumin-loaded self-emulsifying delivery systems via microwave/ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal treatments

Two dimensional layered double hydroxides augment antigen loading and release.

From agricultural waste to building insulation: a chemical-free composite from banana stem and jackfruit seed starch.

The sustainable mitigation of antibiotic and herbicide residues requires materials that integrate effective contaminant sequestration with soil quality improvement. Here, we present a novel, scalable strategy for synthesizing artificial humic substances (AHS) from poplar bark via alkaline hydrothermal humification, which accelerates natural humification pathways and generates a supramolecular structure rich in carboxyl, pHenolic, and quinone functional groups. The engineered AHS was assessed for selective removal of tetracycline (TC), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and atrazine (ATZ). Under optimized neutral conditions (pH 7.0, ambient temperature), AHS achieved adsorption capacities of 65.8, 10.7, and 10.8 mg/g for TC, SMX, and ATZ, respectively, driven primarily by hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking, and electrostatic forces. Kinetic analysis followed a pseudo-second-order model, and equilibrium data were consistent with the Langmuir isotherm (R 2 ≥ 0.985), indicating monolayer adsorption on a mesoporous surface. Competitive adsorption experiments demonstrated strong selectivity toward TC (K TC/SMX = 5.21; K TC/ATZ = 2.56). Soil amendment with AHS significantly enhanced pollutant immobilization, achieving >95% removal of TC and SMX after four weeks of aging. Dynamic leaching experiments demonstrated that a layered AHS-soil configuration functions as a superior reactive barrier compared to homogeneous mixing. Collectively, these results demonstrate that poplar bark-derived AHS offers a robust, bifunctional platform for integrated water purification and soil remediation, providing a practical and environmentally sustainable approach to mitigate organic pollutants. • Artificial humic substance synthesized from poplar bark via hydrothermal treatment. • AHS effectively adsorbed antibiotics and herbicides from aqueous and soil systems. • Adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm model. • AHS-amended soils demonstrated contaminant removal after four weeks of incubation. • Layered AHS configuration exhibited superior leaching control and pollutant retention.

Valorisation of waste from the olive oil sector via hydrothermal treatments

Quantitative scrutiny of biomass-derived battery electrodes: A strategic analysis.

This study investigated the effects of hydrothermal treatments on the structural and physicochemical properties of starch microparticles (SMP) to enhance their functionality. SMP was treated by heat moisture treatment (HMT; 90℃, 30% moisture) and annealing (ANN; 50℃, 70% moisture). HMT induced surface melting, particle agglomeration, and increased water holding capacity, whereas ANN produced denser and more uniform particles with improved dispersion stability. All samples retained B-type crystallinity, although relative crystallinity decreased from 11.47 to 8.50% after HMT, indicating disruption of double helices. Thermal analysis showed narrowed melting ranges and increased onset temperatures, with decreased melting enthalpy in HMT-SMP and increased enthalpy in ANN-SMP. In vitro digestibility revealed reduced enzymatic accessibility and elevated resistant starch content in HMT-SMP (~ 55.99%). These findings indicate that HMT promotes helix disruption and aggregation, while ANN enhances molecular rearrangement in SMP. Overall, hydrothermal processing is an effective post-processing strategy for tailoring SMP functionality.

Field-responsive structural color and fluorescence in Fe3O4/PPy/ZnS nanocomposites for smart coating systems.

Rock-phosphate-enriched hydrochars derived from organic wastes: a sustainable amendment for multi-metal contaminated soil.

Hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) is an innovative approach that was developed for the destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While HALT has been shown to effectively destroy a wide range of PFAS detected in various sample matrices, a comprehensive understanding of the controlling reaction mechanisms and transformation pathways remains limited. Herein, we selected trifluoromethanesulfonate (TFMS), the shortest-chain and likely one of the most recalcitrant PFAS reported to date, to probe degradation mechanisms and identify transformation products. The results indicate that HALT of TFMS proceeds via general nucleophilic substitution and base-promoted pathways, leading to 65.7% mineralization of the parent compound after a 180 min reaction of 0.1 M TFMS at 350 °C in 1 M NaOH. For the degraded TFMS, approximately 100% of fluorine and sulfur were converted to fluoride and sulfate, respectively, while carbon was distributed mainly as carbonate (95%) and formate (5%), along with the production of hydrogen. These findings are supported by both experimental and computational evidence. Hydroxide plays dual roles by initiating the reaction as the nucleophile and promoting subsequent steps by maintaining strongly basic conditions. The initial degradation step is rate-determining, with an estimated energy barrier of 27.8 kcal/mol. Similar mechanisms are proposed for reactions of longer-chain perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs). Finally, the key factors governing PFSA reactivity across chain lengths from C1 to C8 were identified as reaction temperature, nucleophile type and concentration, and reaction time. This study addresses a critical knowledge gap in PFAS hydrothermal reactions and further establishes HALT as an effective technology for PFAS destruction and defluorination.

Introducing organic molecules to repair structure defects through hydrothermal treatment has emerged as a promising strategy for the direct regeneration of spent LiFePO4 (SLFP). Here, we find a universal rule that abundant carbon dots (CDs) are generated from various organic molecules during the direct regeneration process, playing a key role in the regeneration of SLFP. By employing purified CDs to regenerate SLFP, we demonstrated that CDs can not only manifest a reduction effect during the hydrothermal process but also reconstruct the uneven carbon layer in the subsequent sintering stage. As expected, excellent electrochemical performances are exhibited by the regenerated LiFePO4 (RLFP), delivering a high discharge specific capacity of 140.1 mAh g-1 at a 1 C rate and maintaining a capacity retention rate of 91% after 1000 long-term cycles. After systematically analyzing the structure and electrochemical performance of LiFePO4 (LFP) regenerated with CDs and their corresponding precursors, we propose the selection principle of organic molecules in the regeneration process of SLFP: organic molecules prone to form CDs under the hydrothermal condition are the most suitable for the regeneration of SLFP. This work offers important insights into the regeneration mechanisms of LFP and provides key guidelines for the selection of reducing agents.

In this study, three-dimensional (3D) Zn2SnO4-ZnO heterostructure nanocomposites with various reduced graphene oxide (RGO) doping mass ratios (1:100, 2:100, 3:100, 4:100, and 5:100) were synthesized by integrating hydrothermal treatment with ultrasonic dispersion strategies. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanocomposites were comprehensively examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A set of Zn2SnO4-ZnO gas sensors was prepared using these nanostructures, and their NH3-sensing behaviors were fully investigated. Experimental sensing data reveal that, relative to specimens with other doping contents, the RGO-Zn2SnO4-ZnO heterostructure with an RGO mass ratio of 3:100 delivers the optimal sensing response at 100 °C under 100 ppm of NH3, achieving a response magnitude of 51.58. Furthermore, the as-obtained sample displays outstanding selectivity and long-term durability. Systematic comparison indicates that the remarkable NH3-sensing behavior of RGO-decorated octahedral and columnar spinel Zn2SnO4-ZnO is mainly ascribed to the synergistic contributions of RGO: acting as a high-efficiency electron pathway and p-type dopant, RGO rationally modulates the Fermi level and strengthens the charge transfer triggered by NH3; the 3D porous network assembled by RGO enlarges the specific surface area and accelerates gas diffusion; meanwhile, it creates unique adsorption sites for NH3, thus boosting chemisorption and interfacial charge transportation.

Two-dimensional MXene (Ti3C2Tx) is a promising electrode material for ultrafast supercapacitors (SCs) owing to its high specific surface area and metallic conductivity. However, the performance is fundamentally limited by sluggish ion transport kinetics, which originates from two intertwined structural issues: the inherently high tortuosity (τ) of ion pathways within restacked nanosheets and the limited accessibility of internal active sites. Herein, we design and fabricate a TiO2-embedded holey Ti3C2Tx (TiO2/H-Ti3C2Tx) film electrode via a simple hydrothermal H2O2 treatment followed by vacuum filtration. This design implements a dual-mechanism strategy: the creation of in-plane nanopores provides vertical shortcuts for rapid ion diffusion, while the in-situ grown TiO2 nanoparticles act as structural pillars to widen interlayer spacing and prevent restacking, thereby synergistically reducing ion transport tortuosity and exposing abundant ion-accessible active sites. As a direct consequence of this structural engineering, the assembled SC achieves exceptional frequency performance, delivering high areal and volumetric capacitances of 1164 µF cm-2 and 14.9 F cm-3 at 120Hz with a phase angle of -80°. This performance surpasses most reported pseudocapacitive filter SCs and commercial aluminum electrolytic capacitors. Its practicality is demonstrated by effective high-frequency AC-line ripple smoothing, highlighting the material's promise for powering next-generation miniaturized electronics.

Smartphone-based colorimetric platform for detecting four fluoroquinolones, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin via bimetallic Fe-Cu nanozyme peroxidase-like activity enhancement.

This study evaluated hydrothermally induced nanostructured TiO2 coatings (HT-TiO2) on Grade 1 titanium (Ti) with a focus on surface mineralization behavior and early cellular responses. Rapid mineralization (RM) was achieved by immersion in modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF). Ti discs were subjected to hydrothermal treatment (HT) to produce a TiO2 coating, then mineralized in m-SBF for 2, 4, or 6 h. Surface characterization was conducted using SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR. Cellular responses were assessed using pre-osteoblastic cells and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)‑like cells in vitro. Cell proliferation on Ti substrates was evaluated over 7 days, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in MSC-like cells was measured at days 7 and 14 across four groups: NC (non-coated), HT-TiO2, RM4 (HT-TiO2 with 4-h RM), and RM6 (HT-TiO2 with 6-h RM) discs. Cell attachment and spreading were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy at days 3 and 7. The intensity of the Ca-P layer and the molar composition increased with mineralization time (2-6 h). All surfaces supported pre-osteoblast proliferation without significant differences between groups. ALP activity was significantly elevated in the HT-TiO2 and RM6 groups compared to controls, indicating early osteogenic activity in a subset of cells. Fluorescence imaging showed flattened cell morphology on HT-TiO2-discs and more elongated morphology on RM discs at day 3, while comparable cell confluency was observed on all surfaces by day 7. Overall, hydrothermally-induced nanostructured TiO2 coatings on Ti surfaces can be rapidly mineralized, and the resulting Ca-P layer supports cell attachment, proliferation, and early osteogenic activity in vitro. These findings highlight the potential of surface‑driven mineralization strategies for modulating early cellular responses to titanium implants.

Effects of dual modification on physicochemical and digestibility properties of rice starch.

Self-Compensation besides porosity nanoarchitectonics in carbons derived from High-Carbon peat moss as High-Performance electrode materials for supercapacitors and Zinc-Air batteries.

Fluoride-containing media have been widely adopted in the post-treatment of ZSM-5 zeolites for heterogeneous catalysis. Their effects have predominantly been discussed in terms of the well-established dealumination process. However, comparatively little attention has been paid to the influence of residual fluorine on the local chemical environment, which governs zeolitic acidity and catalytic performance. In this work, mild fluorination of ZSM-5 was achieved by controlling the ammonium fluoride (NH4F) content during hydrothermal treatment. Our findings reveal that fluorine induces significant perturbations in the acidic properties of ZSM-5, distinct from the conventional dealumination effect. To elucidate these effects at the atomic level, we employed 27Al, 19F, 27Si, and 1H solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which provided detailed chemical and structural insights. The correlated incorporation of fluorine within the zeolite framework leads to strong local polarization, thereby enabling the protons to exhibit Brønsted acid site (BAS)-like behavior. Comparative analysis with nonaluminum-containing silicalite-1 further confirmed the fluorine-induced acidity, as supported by two-dimensional (2D) 1H double-quantum single-quantum (DQ-SQ) MAS NMR results. Catalytic testing in the methanol-to-hydrocarbon (MTH) reaction demonstrated that such fluorinated ZSM-5 exhibits an extended catalytic lifetime along with enhanced aromatic selectivity, underscoring the pivotal electronic influence of fluorine beyond its classic role in dealumination.

Developing low-cost, high-performance electrocatalysts is crucial for industrializing in-situ H 2 O 2 production via the two-electron water oxidation reaction (2e-WOR). As a typical inverse spinel oxide, Zn 2 SnO 4 integrates the high selectivity of Zn-based materials and the superior electron transport of Sn-based materials, yet its pristine form suffers from insufficient active sites and high charge-transfer resistance.Herein, a series of Co-doped Zn 2 SnO 4 catalysts were synthesized via hydrothermal treatment followed by calcination. Co 2+ was successfully incorporated into the inverse spinel lattice without phase segregation, inducing systematic lattice contraction and tunable oxygen vacancy concentration. Optimal 6% Co doping yields precisely controlled particle size, maximized electrochemical surface area, and significantly reduced charge-transfer impedance. Zn 2 SnO 4 -6%Co exhibited superior 2e-WOR performance: a low plateau potential of 2.4 V, cumulative H 2 O 2 concentration of 850 mg•L -1 within 120 min, peak Faradaic efficiency of 87.69%, and a high production rate of 36.40 mmol•g cat -1 •min -1 , alongside exceptional stability over 24 h. DFT calculations reveal that Co doping modulates the local electronic structure, optimizing •OH adsorption energy to a near-ideal range and facilitating intermediate desorption. This work establishes a clear structure-activity relationship from atomic-scale electronic modulation to macroscopic performance enhancement, offering a rational doping strategy for designing efficient metal oxide electrocatalysts for green H 2 O 2 synthesis.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) utilizing vanadium-based oxide cathode materials exhibit considerable potential for large-scale energy storage applications, attributed to their high theoretical capacity, intrinsic safety, and environmental advantages. However, the relatively sluggish kinetics and irreversible structural degradation lead to rapid capacity fading, which presents a substantial challenge for the transition from laboratory-scale research to industrial application. Herein, we propose a synergistic inhibition strategy combining physical barrier and chemical anchoring effects to enhance the stability of V2O3. To this end, peapod-like carbon-coated V2O3 nanowires (P-V2O3@C) are rationally designed and successfully synthesized as a high-performance freestanding film cathode material by hydrothermal treatment and in situ carbothermal reduction reaction. This unique peapod-like carbon-coated nanostructure not only suppresses vanadium dissolution intermediates through the synergistic effect of the carbon layer as a physical barrier and V-C bonds with chemical anchoring functionality, but also provides optimized transport pathways and additional intercalation sites for electrons and ions, thereby enhancing the reaction kinetics and improving the cycling stability of P-V2O3@C. Consequently, the AZIBs with the P-V2O3@C film electrode exhibit a remarkable specific capacity (406 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1), excellent high-rate capability (160 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1), and outstanding long-term stability (87.3% capacity retention under 6000 cycles at 5 A g-1). This work offers a versatile strategy and new insights for the development of advanced transition metal (vanadium, manganese, etc.) based oxide cathode materials for high performance AZIBs.