Ion Mobility Research Articles

Recent additions and access to a multidimensional lipidomic database containing liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry, and tandem mass spectrometry information.

The importance of lipids in biology continues to grow with their recent linkages to more diseases and conditions, microbiome fluctuations, and environmental exposures. These associations have motivated researchers to evaluate lipidomic changes in numerous matrices and studies. Lipidomic analyses, however, present numerous challenges as lipid species have broad chemistries that require different extraction methods and instrumental analyses to evaluate and separate their many isomers and isobars. Increasing knowledge about different lipid characteristics is therefore crucial for improving their separation and identification. Here, we present a multidimensional database for lipids analyzed on a platform combining reversed-phase liquid chromatography, drift tube ion mobility spectrometry, collision-induced dissociation, and mass spectrometry (RPLC-DTIMS-CID-MS). This platform and the different separation characteristics it provides enables more confident lipid annotations when compared to traditional tandem mass spectrometry platforms, especially when analyzing highly isomeric molecules such as lipids. This database expands on our previous publication containing only human plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid lipids and provides experimental RPLC retention times, IMS collision cross section (CCS) values, and m/z information for 877 unique lipids from additional biofluids and tissues. Specifically, the database contains 1504 precursor [M + H]+, [M + NH4]+, [M + Na]+, [M-H]-, [M-2H]2-, [M + HCOO]-, and [M + CH3COO]- ion species and their associated CID fragments which are commonly targeted in clinical and environmental studies, in addition to being present in the chloroform layer of Folch extractions. Furthermore, this multidimensional RPLC-DTIMS-CID-MS database spans 5 lipid categories (fatty acids, sterols, sphingolipids, glycerolipids, and glycerophospholipids) and 24 lipid classes. We have also created a webpage (tarheels.live/bakerlab/databases/) to enhance the accessibility of this resource which will be populated regularly with new lipids as we identify additional species and integrate novel standards.

Reliable resistive switching and synaptic simulation behaviors in ammonium polyphosphate-based memristor with non-inert Al electrode

Abstract Memristive devices that integrate storage and computing capabilities are highly promising candidates for artificial synapses in neuromorphic systems. However, achieving both cost-effectiveness and high-performance in memristors remains a substantial challenge. Ammonium polyphosphate (APP), an all-inorganic ionic polymer, has been utilized in the fabrication of memristive devices due to its distinctive poly-ionic properties and exceptional ion mobility. In this study, a two-terminal APP-based memristor with an Al/APP/ITO structure was fabricated. The experimental results revealed improved bipolar resistive switching behavior, characterized by lower operating voltages, enhanced endurance performance, and extended retention time. Detailed data fitting and chemical bonding analysis suggest that the physical mechanism underlying resistive switching involves a combination of interfacial Schottky barrier and conductive filaments. Furthermore, adjustable device conductance is achieved by applying consecutive positive and negative voltage sweeps. Various synaptic functions, including excitatory postsynaptic current, short-term paired-pulse facilitation, long-term potentiation /depression, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity, are effectively emulated. This study presents an effective approach to enhancing the memristive characteristics of APP-based devices and positions APP as a viable candidate for innovative neuromorphic architectures.

Tailoring optical and electrical properties of PVP-I2 complexes through gamma irradiation-induced structural defect Engineering for optoelectronic applications

This study investigates the complexation of iodine with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) subjected to gamma irradiation at doses of 0, 10, 20, and 30 kGy. The complex formation involves I2 acting as a Lewis acid with electron-rich PVP as a Lewis base through a charge transfer mechanism. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a red shift of the absorption peak at 337 nm for irradiated PVP-I2 samples, indicating stronger interactions between the triiodide ion (I3¯) and irradiated PVP. FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of new C≡N moieties arising from PVP-I2 complexation. The FT-Raman analysis revealed a new C≡N peak at 2360 cm−1 in irradiated PVP-I2 samples, with increasing intensity correlating to higher irradiation doses, indicating enhanced electron delocalization due to complex formation. XRD analysis showed that PVP-I2 samples irradiated at 0 and 10 kGy exhibited higher crystallinity than those irradiated at 20 and 30 kGy, suggesting that high-dose irradiation causes PVP radiolysis and ring opening. Dielectric measurements demonstrated enhanced polarizability and ionic conductivity of irradiated PVP-I2 films, related to structural disorder promoting charge dissociation and ion mobility. The direct bandgap decreased from 2.75 eV for unirradiated samples to 2.55 eV for samples irradiated at 30 kGy, indicating the creation of new optically active defect states. Urbach energy increased from 0.85 eV to 1.55 eV with increasing irradiation dose, confirming increased disorder in the PVP structure. These findings reveal that gamma irradiation significantly alters the optical and electrical properties of PVP-I2 films by creating defects and disrupting structure, offering new insights for tailoring these materials for optoelectronic applications.

An assessment of electroneutrality implementations for accurate electrochemical ion transport models

During the diffusion and migration of ions in electrolytes, the electrodynamic ion-ion interactions prevent charge separation despite different ionic mobilities, ultimately enforcing electroneutrality in the bulk electrolyte. To model ion transport accurately, a method to enforce electroneutrality must be implemented. In this study, four strategies to implement electroneutrality are discussed and evaluated. The ion distributions that result from a transport model with the different electroneutrality implementations are calculated, considering various electrolytes and sets of electrochemical parameters. The meaningfulness and applicability of each implementation are assessed through spatial charge accumulations, transference numbers, and experimental data from the literature. Combining the electrochemical ion transport models with the electroneutrality constraint for all ions is shown to result in an overdetermined system of equations if the driving forces are calculated under neglection of diffusion potentials. The often-reported model simplification of using the electroneutrality constraint to resolve the transport of one specific species explicitly results in non-physically correct mass transport. A practical approach to precisely describe the measured physicochemical ion movements is obtained by equilibrating spatial charges with the ion conduction for every time step in the ion transport model, which is reasonably applicable to multi-ion systems in three-dimensional frameworks. This comprehensive assessment aims to guide readers in selecting an appropriate electroneutrality implementation framework for ion transport models.

Low-pressure oxidation for improving interface properties and voltage instability of SiO2/4H-SiC MOS capacitor

The impact of high-temperature sub-atmospheric oxidation pressure on the interface properties of n-type 4H-SiC metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors has been systematically investigated in this report. The bias temperature instability measurement was used to calculate the mobile ions and near-interface trap density that led to device instability at high temperatures. The density of near interface traps decreased from 88.3 × 1011 cm−2 to 10.2 × 1011 cm−2 when the growth pressure of SiO2 was reduced from 1 atm to 0.1 atm, while the mobile ions density decreased from 83.5 × 1011 to 4.18 × 1011 cm−2. The results show that SiO2 growing under lower oxidation pressure has better interfacial quality. The underlying mechanism was explored by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is speculated that the SiO2/SiC interface was reconstructed under low-pressure oxidation: the excess Si-related defects near the interface, such as SiOxCy, were released while O atoms were accumulated to promote a complete oxidation reaction, thereby effectively reducing the number of defects in the SiO2 film and improving device performance.

Record high photocurrent density of In:Ag2S/ZnO heterojunction enabled by controllable doping for efficient solar hydrogen production

The high mobility of silver ions (Ag+) in silver sulfide (Ag2S) promotes vacancy formation, which serves as the recombination center of the photoexcited charge carriers to severely limit the photoelectrochemical activity of Ag2S. To address this issue, trivalent indium (In3+) is particularly introduced into Ag2S via low–temperature successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique, by which are the migration and the side reactions of Ag+ to form the phase impurities largely suppressed. Herein, In3+ is preferentially chosen due to its two more valence electrons with respect to that of Ag+, effectively increasing the carrier concentration of In:Ag2S to not only improve its electrical conductivity but also uplift its Fermi level. The photoexcited electron transport is thereby accelerated to more efficiently separate from the geminate holes, which is further reinforced by depositing In:Ag2S on the zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) with a relatively low–lying Fermi level. The photogenerated holes are rectified by the built–in electric field at the In:Ag2S/ZnO heterojunction to flow in an opposite direction to that of the electrons, between which the recombination is thereby suppressed. Meanwhile, the light harvesting ability of In:Ag2S/ZnO NRs is also enhanced due to its reduced band gap by In3+. Their synergistic effect renders In:Ag2S/ZnO NRs developed in the present contribution to deliver a record–high photocurrent density of 7.7 mA cm−2 under one–sun illumination, which far exceeds those of not only the undoped counterpart but also additional Ag2S–based photoelectrodes reported in the literature.

Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid-based Conducting Solid Polymer Electrolytes Impede Lithium Dendrites and Impart Antioxidant Capacity in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

In the development of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), cheaper and safer solid polymer electrolytes are expected to replace combustible organic liquid electrolytes to meet the larger market demand. However, low ionic conductivity and inadequate cycling stability impede their commercial viability. Herein, a novel flexible conducting solid polymer electrolytes (CSPEs) based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and ion-polarized diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (P-DETP) is developed for the first time and applied in LIBs. PVA and P-DETP form a compact polymer network through hydrogen bonding, enhancing the thermomechanical stability of CSPE while restricting the migration of larger anions. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations confirm that P-DETP can facilitate the dissociation of Li+-TFSI- via electrostatic attraction, resulting in increased mobility of lithium ions. Additionally, P-DETP contributes to the formation of a stable electrode-electrolyte interface layer, effectively suppressing the growth of lithium dendrites and improving antioxidant capacity. These synergistic effects enable CSPE to exhibit remarkable properties including high ionic conductivity (2.8 × 10-4 S cm-1), elevated electrochemical potential (5.1V), and excellent lithium transference number (0.869). Notably, the P-DETP/LiTFSI CSPE demonstrates stable performance not only in LiFePO4 batteries but also adapts to high-nickel ternary LiNi0.88Co0.06Mn0.06O2 cathode, highlighting its immense potential for application in high energy density LIBs.

High-performance ZnO:CuO composite-based fiber-shaped electrode for non-enzymatic glucose sensing in biological fluids

The growing diabetes epidemic necessitates new glucose sensors, as traditional enzyme-based and planar electrodes face limitations in environmental stability and seamless integration into wearable technology. This research tackles these issues by designing a flexible, enzyme-free glucose sensor utilizing a co-deposited ZnO:CuO (CZ) composite on PET monofilament. This approach improves the tensile strength (55 mm at 2.7 kg.f) and electrical conductance (0.32 S), of the Ni-coated PET fiber, resulting in a strong and reliable sensing platform. The electrode's enlarged electrochemical surface area (0.11 cm2), offer a high density of active sites for glucose interaction, and the synergistic interface significantly enhances both ion and charge mobility. This results in exceptional sensitivity (35.05 mA.cm−2.mM−1), a rapid response (24 s), and a low detection limit (0.15 mM). Durability tests demonstrate that the sensor retains 80% of its sensitivity after 500 bending cycles, making it well-suited for wearable applications. Furthermore, the sensor accurately detects glucose in biological samples, such as saliva, highlighting its potential for non-invasive, real-time glucose monitoring in wearable healthcare systems.

Ion transport properties and performance of gellan gum based composite polymer membrane electrolytes in proton battery and PEMFC applications

Biopolymer Gellan gum (GG) incorporated with ammonium iodide (NH₄I) salts and inorganic filler nano-TiO2 improved the ion transport facility in the salt-polymer matrix. The crystalline/amorphous nature of the membranes and the presence of n-TiO2 are evident from XRD analysis. The vibration modes corresponding to the characteristic functional groups and bonding interactions within the polymer matrix and incorporated filler materials present in the as-prepared membranes were analyzed using FTIR technique respectively. The ion transport parameters such as ionic conductivity (σ), diffusion coefficient (D), and mobility (μ), were studied using Ac impedance, transference number measurement, and FTIR deconvolution. The biopolymer membrane with the composition, 1 g GG: 0.3 M.wt% of NH4I (GGAI-3) shows the highest ionic conductivity of 2.65 ± 0.03×10−3 S/cm and on addition of 0.1 M.wt% of n-TiO2 (GGAIT-1) the increase in ionic conductivity of 4.07 ± 0.02×10−2 S/cm was observed. The H¹NMR studies help in understanding the mobility of charge carriers upon their chemical shifts. The glass transition temperature values of the as-prepared membranes were determined using DSC studies. The morphological change on the surface of the GG polymer membrane due to the addition of NH4I and n-TiO2 were analyzed using the SEM technique. The thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability of the highest ion-conducting biopolymer and composite polymer membranes were assessed using TGA, mechanical stability tests, and chemical stability tests. The IEC test exhibits the number of exchangeable ions in the polymer matrix. Utilizing the GGAI-3 and GGAIT-1 membranes as electrolytes, proton batteries were constructed and observed to have the pseudocapacitive behaviour; as the electrodes experience surface limited redox reaction at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The PEMFC cell using the GGAI- 3 and GGAIT-1 as proton exchange membrane exhibits the OCV of 646 mV and 682 mV respectively. Their performances were analyzed using the I-V polarization curve resulted with the power density of 0.14 mW/cm2and 0.34 mW/cm2 respectively.

Optimization of field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry-based assessment of Aphanomyces root rot in pea

When plants are infected with pathogens, disease response can result in changes in the profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOC). These changes in volatile organic compounds (VOC) profiles can be utilized for disease detection and quantification. In this study, field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) was used to evaluate the VOC profile variability in a pea near isogenic line (Pisum sativum L.) inoculated with zoospores of Aphanomyces euteiches Drechs, which causes Aphanomyces root rot disease. Pots were filled with silica sand and six plants per pot were grown under controlled conditions in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Four treatments, namely non-inoculated, 1 x 105, 1 x 106, and 2.79 x 106 zoospores ml−1 were applied to plants at 5 and 7 days after emergence. FAIMS was used to collect volatile profiles at 2, 4, 7 and 9 days after inoculation. Specific regions of interest – extracted from the 3D ion current intensity from the FAIMS spectra – were analyzed using ANOVA, Similarly, multiple regions of interest were evaluated using principal component analysis and k-means clustering. Ion current profiles and curvature profiles were incorporated into the analysis using k-means clustering. Other ground reference data such as root rot index and physiological parameters were also recorded. The results showed a biomarker in a specific region of interest demonstrating ample ability to quantify and differentiate treatment effects during non-destructive sampling at 14 DAE (7 DAI). Data from this region could be used for early and non-destructive quantification and differentiation of treatment effects based on zoospore inoculation levels. The k-means clustering of ion current and curvature profiles showed patterns based on the treatments. These findings demonstrated that FAIMS could be used as a tool to assess plant-pathogen interactions using volatile biomarkers to evaluate disease responses and severity under controlled conditions.

Development of LC-FAIMS-MS and its application to lipidomics study of Acinetobacter baumannii infection

The recent advances in mass spectrometry (MS) technologies have enabled comprehensive lipid profiling in biological samples. However, the robustness and efficiency of MS-based lipidomics is compromised by the complexity of biological samples. High-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is a technology that can continuously transmit one type of ion, independent of the mass-to-charge ratio. Here we present the development and application of LC-FAIMS-MS/MS-based platform for untargeted lipidomics. We used 3 optimally balanced compensation voltages, i.e., 29 V, 34 V and 39 V, to analyze all subclasses of glycerophospholipids. The reproducibility of the method was evaluated using reference standards. The reproducibility of retention times ranged from 0.9% to 1.5% RSD; whereas RSD values of 5%–10% were observed for peak areas. More importantly, the coupling of a FAIMS device can significantly improve the robustness and efficiency. We exploited this NPLC-FAIMS-HRMS to analyze the serum lipid profiles in mice infected intranasally with Acinetobacter baumannii. The temporal profiles of serum lipids after A. baumannii inoculation were obtained for 4 h, 8 h, and 24 h. We found that nearly all ether PC and ether PE lipids were significantly decreased 8 h after inoculation. The resultant volcano plot illustrated the distribution of 28 increased and 28 decreased lipid species in mouse sera 24 h after inoculation. We also found that a single ether PE composition can comprise multiple isomeric structures, and the relative abundance of each isomer could be quantified using the newly developed NPLC-FAIMS-PRM method.

Advancing Protein Analysis: A Low-Pressure Drift Tube Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer for Ultraviolet Photodissociation-Based Structural Characterization.

Owing to its ability to generate extensive fragmentation of proteins, ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a versatile ion activation technique for the structural characterization of native proteins and protein complexes. Interpreting these fragmentation patterns provides insight into the secondary and tertiary structures of protein ions. However, the inherent complexity and diversity of proteins often pose challenges in resolving their numerous conformations. To address this limitation, we combined UVPD-MS with drift tube ion mobility, offering potential to acquire conformationally selective MS/MS information. A low-pressure drift tube (LPDT) Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with 193 nm UVPD capabilities enables the analysis of protein conformers through the analysis of arrival time distributions (ATDs) of individual fragment ions. ATDs of fragment ions are compared for different backbone cleavage sites of the protein or different precursor charge states to give information about regions of potential folding or elongation. This integrated platform offers promise for advancing our understanding of protein structures in the gas phase.

Photoionization ion mobility analyzer for on-site measurement of exhaled acetone by coupling miniature thermoelectric cooling dehydration

The breath concentration of acetone holds significant clinical importance, the development of on-site and accurate analyzer for exhaled acetone is highly demanded. A photoionization ion mobility analyzer based on a low-pressure krypton discharge lamp has been developed for direct and rapid determination of the acetone concentration. The difficulty for sensitive measurement of acetone by vacuum ultraviolet photoionization was the strong absorption of water molecules in the breath air. An online dehydration device with a miniature thermoelectric cooling quartz trap has been developed, which was capable for reducing the relative humidity from over 90 % to below 1 %. The dehydration could enhance the signal intensity of acetone about 85 times. The response time of current thermoelectric cooling dehydration was only 1/20 of the Nafion tube dehydration. A limit of detection 0.02 ppmV and linear response up to 2.0 ppmV were achieved. The interferences from ammonia in exhaled breath was eliminated using a calibration method based on ion number density, achieving recoveries ranging from 90 % to 110 %. In the final, the variation trends of exhaled acetone level in healthy individuals following the ingestion of glucose under fasting conditions were carried out to demonstrate the potential application of the analyzer.

Photothermally enhanced ion-transport in solid-state, non-Faradic energy storage devices for sub-freezing operability

The universal direct dependence of ionic mobility on temperature severely restricts the low-temperature operation of energy storage devices. We overcome this limitation by synergizing photothermal conversion with electrochemical energy storage, using non-graphitizable nanocarbon florets (NCF) as multi-functional electrodes. NCF-based supercapacitors leverage the photothermal energy, directing it to the High Internal Phase Emulsion polymer (poly-HIPE) infused ionic conductor [BMIm]-[TFSI], resulting in 15% increase in specific capacitance (Csp) at 30 °C and a 45% at −30 °C. This is the first solid-state energy storage device usable at sub-freezing conditions (< − 4 °C) without compromising its performance. Importantly, the device exhibits identical characteristics at 10 °C (with sunlight) and 30 °C (in the dark), thereby offsetting a temperature difference of 20 °C. Experimental evidences points to the reduction in electrolyte resistance by 86% and 34% in relaxation time constant as the origin of such improved functioning. Furthermore, the advantage of processability is translated to configurational form-factor to efficiently heat the ionic conductor and thereby realise a 15% increase in Csp.

Elucidating the hysteresis effect in printed flexible perovskite solar cells with SnO2 quantum dot- and PCBM-based electron transport layers

Recently, flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) fabricated using solution-processed printing techniques have garnered significant attention. However, challenges remain in achieving cost-effective, scalable manufacturing under ambient conditions and ensuring stable, efficient devices. This study focuses on fabricating printed FPSCs using the slot-die coating technique and examines the impact of SnO2 quantum dot (QD) and (6,6)-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) based electron transport layers (ETLs) on device performance and hysteresis. Experimentally results show that SnO2 QD-based devices exhibited favorable photovoltaic properties but significant hysteresis compared to PCBM-based devices. Numerical simulations have shown that the hysteresis effect in devices is influenced not only by the higher concentration of mobile ions in the perovskite layer of PCBM-based devices compared to SnO2 QD-based devices, but also by the more effective redistribution of these ions during forward and reverse J-V scans. The results provide insights into the behavior of printed FPSCs with different ETLs, contributing to the development of high-performance, hysteresis-free printed FPSCs.

From Microsize Chromatographic Manufacturing for Fast Desalting to Its Characterization.

Microfluidic devices are becoming increasingly popular in protein analysis due to their ability to reduce sample and buffer volumes. However, there is a research gap concerning the coupling of this technology with ion mobility and mass spectrometry (IM-MS). This study aims to fill this void by introducing the manufacture and the characterization of a microsize exclusion chromatography (μSEC) module for fast desalting and its integration into microfluidics, along with its coupling to electrospray ionization and ion mobility mass spectrometry (ESI-IM-MS). To assess the feasibility of this approach, the desalting of α-synuclein (αS) was investigated using Bio Spin P6 gel as a stationary phase in the manufacture of a microfluidic device. αS detection by MS gives insight into the sample purity, while IM combined with MS provides information about protein structure. IM allowed both the recording of qualitative and quantitative information. The qualitative data provided a map of the conformers in equilibrium, while the calculation of the respective abundances (quantitative profile) of the conformers afforded the opportunity to describe the dynamics of the system. Our experiments, serving as proof-of-concept, demonstrate αS desalting, exchange buffer efficiency, and reduced solvent usage, without compromising the protein's structure.

Porous Lithium‐Doped ZnO Nanosheets with Abundant Oxygen Vacancies for Accelerating Li+ Transport in Solid‐State Composite Electrolyte

The flexible Li‐ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) endows a stable long‐term cycling to Li‐metal anode to significantly improve the energy density of solid‐state lithium batteries; however, the practical application of the SPE is limited by its low ionic conductivity and small critical current density for dendrite nucleation. Herein, Li+‐doped porous ZnO (LZO) nanosheets are introduced into the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based SPE, releasing more mobile Li ions for faster Li‐ion transport due to the enhanced interaction between abundant oxygen vacancies and anions of Li‐salt. As a result, the optimized LZO/PEO composite polymer electrolyte exhibits a high Li‐ion conductivity of 3.3 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 50 °C, 4 times higher than the pure PEO electrolyte. The solid‐state LiFePO4/Li cell shows extraordinarily long‐term stable cycling, up to 1500 cycles with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.8%. In addition, the cycling stability of the high‐voltage LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811)/Li cell was also obviously improved compared to the nondoped pure PEO electrolyte, indicating the positive contribution of the LZO on interfacial stability.

The Effect of Humidity and Dopants on the Detection of TNT Vapor by Differential Ion Mobility Spectrometry (DMS)

The Effect of Humidity and Dopants on the Detection of TNT Vapor by Differential Ion Mobility Spectrometry (DMS)

In Vitro Inhibition of Enzymes and Antioxidant and Chemical Fingerprinting Characteristics of Azara serrata Ruiz &amp; Pav. Fruits, an Endemic Plant of the Valdivian Forest of Chile

The World Health Organization has emphasized the importance of consuming small fruits for the prevention of chronic health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and obesity, which are named chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Azara serrata Ruiz &amp; Pav., commonly called “aroma de Castilla”, is a shrub endemic to Chile from the Salicaceae family that produces an underutilized blue-grey berry that grows wild in southern Chile. The species is widely used as a medicinal plant by the Andean communities of southern Chile. In this work, a high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of the methanolic extract revealed several phenolic compounds for the first time in the edible berry of this endemic species. Furthermore, several glycosylated anthocyanins were detected and quantified using UHPLC coupled with UV/Vis detection and trapped ion mobility mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-TIMS-TOF) for the anthocyanin-rich extract, which was prepared using an optimized anthocyanin extraction protocol. The extract proved to be active in the inhibition of several enzymes linked to NCDs, such as acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase, lipase, and glucosidase (IC50 = 3.92 ± 0.23, 12.24 ± 0.03, 11.12 ± 0.10, 32.43 ± 0.0, and 371.6 ± 0.0 μg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, the extract concentrated in anthocyanins showed good antioxidant activity evidenced by the bleaching of the radicals DPPH and ABTS, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The results show that these neglected endemic small berries can be a source of healthy phytochemicals. These Chilean berries can be used as functional food and their extracts are candidates for use as functional ingredients in naturally healthy products.

Bimetallic ions pre-intercalated hydrated vanadium oxides for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries

A new generation of rechargeable batteries known as Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries (AZIB) offers benefits including affordability, eco-friendliness, dependability, and safety. Hydrated vanadium oxides (V2O5·nH2O) show potential as cathodes for AZIB due to their layered structure and multivalent properties. However, the zinc storage performance is limited by the structural instability and slow zinc ion mobility. In this work, TiK-VOH (the bimetallic ions system of Ti4+ and K+ co-pre-intercalated in V2O5·nH2O) with lamellar fish scale-like structure is synthesized using a simple sol-gel method. The high positive charge density of the tetravalent Ti4+ is more beneficial to attract the electrons in the V-O layer and regulate the layer spacing (12.1 Å), which not only improves the diffusion kinetics of zinc ions, but also acts as a pillar to stabilize the layer structure. K+ mainly plays the role of improving electrical conductivity, and then accelerates the charge transfer in the electrode reaction process. Auxiliary density functional theory simulation further confirms that the diffusion energy barrier and Fermi level are optimized by pre-intercalating bimetallic ions. Based on the synergistic effect of Ti4+ and K+, the TiK-VOH material shows excellent zinc storage performance, the highest specific capacity of TiK-VOH reaches 393.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1, even at 10 A g−1 (increased by 20 times), it still maintains a discharge specific capacity of 202 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention rate of 94 % after 2000 cycles, the overall performance is much better than the Ti-VOH and K-VOH. This work offers an alternative perspective for the modification of vanadium-based cathode of AZIBs.