Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (eCO2R) to high-value multicarbon (C2+) hydrocarbons such as ethylene and acetamide via C-C/N coupling is an attractive and effective technique for achieving zero carbon emissions and advancing renewable energy. Recent studies report the use of engineered microenvironments formed via imidazolium salts (ionic liquids) to establish an electric double-layer (EDL) interfacial Helmholtz layer at the Cu-based catalyst interface. However, monometallic Cu catalysts exhibit low activity and poor Faradaic efficiency (selectivity) for hydrocarbon products, limiting their commercial application. Herein, we demonstrated targeted delivery of CuAg nanoparticles (NPs) and Ag single atoms (SA) tandem on the Cu(111) facet. The improved chemical properties of bimetallic nanocrystals arise from the synergistic interaction between Cu and Ag metals, enabling this tandem catalyst system (with Ag active sites) to catalyze CO2 to CO and subsequently convert CO into (C2+) hydrocarbon intermediates via C-C coupling on Cu sites. Furthermore, the reduction of CO2 to CCO on Cu sites and subsequent conversion to acetamide via C-N coupling between CCO and NH3 on Ag sites are achieved. Our results suggest that C-C couplings between *CO and *CO or *CH and *CH are the most favorable for the formation of ethylene. Specifically, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (B2195) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (B2320) salts decrease the maximum limiting potential (Umax(η)) to -0.84 and -1.00 V, respectively, positioning them as promising ionic liquids for eCO2R. To understand EDL effects in eCO2R at the molecular scale, we employed ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, focusing on hydrogen-bond networks and cation effects through a multiscale approach. Furthermore, this design strategy incorporated regression machine learning (ML) using the extreme gradient boosting regression model and the sure independence screening and sparsifying operator approach to identify key features influencing the target property Umax(η) serving as the ML input data. Results show that the coupling energy (Ecplg) and the average deviation in ground-state band gaps of constituent elements (AvgDev_GSgap) are the most important features for both ethylene and acetamide synthesis, with B2195 and B2320 imidazolium salts efficiently activating CO2 and driving electroreduction to ethylene with optimized Umax(η).

Abstract Unravelling the synergistic role of reducing and stabilizing ability of plasma-activated water (PAW) to fabricate Au nanoparticles (NP) in an environmentally-friendly way is the prime emphasis of this work. The pH of the water significantly decreases from 6.64 to 1.67 after 25 mins of plasma exposure, creating a highly acidic medium. The reduction of Au3+ to metallic Au can be attributed to the presence of plasma-generated HNO2 under such acidic condition. The evolution of anisotropic hexagonal-like morphology from initially isotropic spherical NPs is driven by the increased H⁺ ion concentration in water, which shifts the redox reaction conditions and facilitates growth along the low-energy (111) facet of Au NPs. The NPs have a positive surface charge of Zeta potential greater than +30 mV indicating morphological stability for several days. It is presumed that the accumulation of H3O+ ions on the surface of Au NPs generates a repulsive electrostatic force, leading to the formation of sub-nanometer range interparticle gap. The logarithmic SERS intensity at ~1660 cm-1 exhibits a linear relationship with the logarithmic concentration of RhB solution in the range of 10-3 to 10-7 M, which is crucial for detection accuracy of SERS substrate. The limit of detection of SERS signal is found to be ~ 2.7 × 10-10 M. The enhancement factor of hexagonal Au NPs functionalized SERS substrate is observed nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of spherical Au NPs. The sharp edges, corners, and interparticle gaps synergistically contribute toward enhancing the Raman signal strength. These regions surrounding the Au NPs act as localized "hot spots" for accumulating and amplifying incident light intensity through the plasmonic quantum effect. This report has demonstrated that PAW, or the ‘green water’, serves as a simultaneous stabilizing and reducing agent for the synthesis of NPs with tailored morphological and optical features.

Traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy for glioma are challenging due to the hypoxia in tumor microenvironment and the inability of chemotherapeutic agents to enter into tumor cells. Phototherapy is a novel therapeutic approach against varioustumors in recent years. When combined with chemotherapy, the antitumor efficacy of phototherapyis superior than each alone. However, the combination of chemotherapy and phototherapy is still hampered by the hypoxic tumor microenvironment which upregulates the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and its downstream pathways, as well as the thermoresistance caused by the overexpression of heat shock proteins (HSPs). To solve this, the biocompatible albumin-based nanoparticles (NPs) are developed to co-deliver IR780 iodine (IR780) and paclitaxel (PTX) simultaneously at an optimized ratio (IR780-PTX NPs)for synergistic photochemotherapy. Moreover, acriflavine (ACF), a chemical inhibitor of HIF-1, is formulated into intratumorally formed hydrogels to reinforce synergistic photochemotherapy. The continuously released ACF from hydrogel not only relieves the impact of photodynamic therapy-exacerbated tumor hypoxia by suppressing HIF-1 activity, but also efficiently attenuates HSP70 upregulation. The collaboration between IR780-PTX NPs and ACF hydrogels leads to an extraordinary antitumor effect in vitro and in vivo. The reinforced synergistic photochemotherapy via a single molecule by overcoming HIF-1 activity and HSP overexpression provides an effective therapeutic example to treat tumors, especially in those undergone severe hypoxia and/or therapy-induced thermoresistance.

Nowadays, steel has become an important part of our life due to its extensive applications in automotive, household appliances, business machine and heavy construction such as marine and chemical industries. Mild steel is selected for construction because of its mechanical properties and machine-ability at a low price, while at the same time; they have to be resisted against corrosion phenomena. Nano TiO2 can be used for high lubrication‚ high conductivity‚ and high adsorption rate as well as catalytic performance‚ chemical industry‚ aerospace, and other fields. Characterization of this TiO2 are made by X-ray diffraction, Particle size analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis techniques.

Using montmorillonite (MMT) as raw material, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of MMT by a solvothermal method to prepare magnetic montmorillonite (M-MMT). The MMT and M-MMT were functionalized with quaternized chitosan (QC) to obtain nanoparticle (NP) demulsifiers of MMT-QC and M-MMT-QC, respectively. The chemical composition and surface properties of the modified montmorillonite nanoparticles were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, zeta potentiometer, and vibrating sample magnetometer, which confirmed the successful preparation of the NP demulsifiers. The demulsification performance of the NP demulsifiers for crude oil-in-water emulsion was evaluated by using bottle tests. The effects of demulsification time, pH, demulsifier dosage, and temperature on the demulsification efficiency were investigated. Results showed that under the condition of 25 °C, 1000 mg/L dosage, and pH 6, the demulsification efficiency of MMT-QC and M-MMT-QC was 98.00% and 98.82%, respectively. In addition, the magnetic NP demulsifier of M-MMT-QC has good recycling performance, with no significant decrease in demulsification efficiency within eight cycles. The demulsification mechanism was revealed and proposed. It is believed that the QC-modified magnetic nanoparticles can firmly combine with the protective film through electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonds. Under stirring or oscillating conditions, the nanoparticles acquire sufficient kinetic energy to destroy the protective film at the oil-water interface, thereby promoting the oil droplet coalescence and enabling fast oil-water separation at room temperature.

Understanding the melting behavior at the nanoscale regime serves a fundamental role in both the scientific community and industrial applications. In particular, the melting of nanoparticles (NPs) exhibits behaviors that differ qualitatively from bulk materials due to pronounced size-dependent properties and surface/volume ratio effects, but a unified theoretical understanding remains elusive. Here, by developing a machine-learning interatomic potential applicable across diverse local atomic environments and wide temperature ranges, we systematically investigate the melting thermodynamics of Au NPs spanning from small clusters (102 atoms) to large NPs (105 atoms) through a series of nanosecond-long molecular dynamics simulations. A complete solid-liquid phase diagram of NPs across 1-14nm diameters is presented, clearly distinguishing the unique surface premelting behavior and complete melting. The size-dependent melting curve follows the Gibbs-Thomson relationship. More importantly, we demonstrate that the melting entropy changes in nanoparticle systems substantially deviate from the empirical Richard's rule and its generalized form valid for bulk elemental systems. Moreover, we found that all the components of melting entropy follow the same scaling law, based on which we derived a thermodynamic correlation between the NP system and its bulk values. These results bridge the thermodynamic description from the single-atom limit to bulk materials, providing a unique insight for understanding and predicting nanoscale melting thermodynamics.

Abstract We report the influence of the deposition sequence of α-Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 layers on the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance of α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 heterostructured photoanodes. Hematite nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized via a co-precipitation method followed by calcination, together with commercial TiO 2 NPs, were employed to fabricate α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 photoanodes using a spin-coating approach. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements reveal that the heterostructured photoanodes deliver significantly higher photocurrent densities than the corresponding single-layer electrodes, with a strong dependence on the layer deposition sequence. Specifically, at applied potentials below 1.65 V (vs. RHE), the FTO/TiO 2 /α-Fe 2 O 3 photoanode exhibits the highest photocurrent density. In contrast, at potentials above 1.65 V vs RHE, the FTO/α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 configuration becomes dominant, achieving a photocurrent density of up to 1.16 mA cm -2 at 1.8 V (vs. RHE), which is approximately 2.47, 5.04, and 12.89 times higher than those of the FTO/TiO 2 /α-Fe 2 O 3 heterostructured electrode and the single-layer FTO/α-Fe 2 O 3 and FTO/TiO 2 electrodes, respectively. Combined optical characterization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses indicate that the distinct PEC behaviors of the heterostructured photoanodes can be rationalized by their band alignment, applied-bias effects, and the role of interfacial trap states in charge separation and recombination processes.

Radiative cooling textiles are typically designed for specific indoor or outdoor conditions, limiting their environmental adaptability. Here, we report a continuously spun molecular interface-engineered silk (Mie-Silk) that integrates radiative and conductive cooling for effective body temperature regulation in diverse settings. The Mie-Silk has a natural silk yarn core with high mid-infrared (MIR) emissivity and a surface layer of ZrO2 nanoparticles (NPs) enabling strong solar scattering based on the Mie scattering principle. Natural silk fibroin acts as a robust binder, anchoring the NPs on the silk surface securely. Woven Mie-Silk achieves outdoor radiative cooling through high solar reflectivity (92.54%) and MIR emissivity (97.13%) within the atmospheric window. Indoors, where radiative cooling is less effective, its thermal conductivity (0.19watts per meter-Kelvin) facilitated by densely packed NPs provides obvious cooling capability. This Mie-Silk, with effective cooling across varied environments, represents a promising candidate for next-generation personal thermal management clothing.

Uniformly modified iron nanoclusters synergistically enhance Interface stability and electrochemical performance of silicon anodes.

The integration of an intermetallic Pt alloy and single-atom M-N-C support is an intriguing strategy to combine the advantages of both counterparts and further lower Pt usage at higher power output. Despite prior attempts, the fuel cell performance is still unsatisfactory, and the atomic diffusion/alloying pathway between the Pt alloy and M-N-C is still not clear. Here, we control the Co amount in the CoNC and present the atomic-diffusion pathway for the in situ formation of Pt-based intermetallic catalysts with size-controlled nanoparticles (NPs). The synthesized Pt3Fe-Co@5CoNC demonstrates excellent performance in half-cell ORR tests. Under H2-air conditions, the membrane electrode assembly exhibits low Pt usage (0.175 g kW-1), good stability with a 12.5 mV loss at 0.8 A cm-2 at the end of the test, and an ultrahigh power density of 1.717 W cm-2 at 0.429 V. Comprehensive experimental results and DFT calculations show the atomic pathway of diffusion and alloying for low-coordinated Co-N3-C into L12-Pt3Fe NPs. In comparison, high-coordinated Co-N4-C remains stable and contributes to the stability of the intermetallic Pt alloy through the strong Pt-Co-N4 interaction. This work demonstrates important progress in the integration of intermetallic Pt alloy and single-atom CoNC for ORR and can be extended to other single-atom supports, including Ni-NC, Fe-NC, and Cu-NC.

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and its composites are widely investigated for environmental remediation due to their favorable physicochemical properties. In this study, Si/TiO 2 nanocomposites were synthesized by incorporating a very low amount (0.1 wt%) of silicon nanoparticles prepared via a free-space reactor (FSR) into a TiO 2 matrix using a sol–gel method. Three types of silicon nanoparticles with distinct intrinsic properties, denoted as Si(1), Si(2), and Si(3), were employed to systematically evaluate the influence of silicon structure on photocatalytic performance under identical synthesis conditions. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites and pristine TiO 2 was assessed using two reference pollutant molecules widely reported in the literature, methyl orange as a model dye and imidacloprid as a representative persistent organic contaminant, under UV, UV + visible, and visible-light irradiation using low-energy light sources. Among the investigated samples, Si(1)/TiO 2 exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency, achieving degradation rates of 94 % for methyl orange (UV irradiation, 240 min) and 60 % for imidacloprid (UV irradiation, 360 min), outperforming pristine TiO 2 (76 % and 53 %, respectively). The enhanced performance is attributed to improved interfacial charge transfer, optimized textural properties, and extended light absorption induced by silicon incorporation. The research demonstrates that Si/TiO 2 nanocomposites with ultra-low silicon content and reduced energy input represent promising, energy-efficient photocatalysts for sustainable water treatment and environmental remediation applications.

Silicon-based materials offer exceptional theoretical capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but their practical application remains severely hindered by large volume expansion, low electrical conductivity, and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation during cycling. Herein, a binder-free silicon-containing carbon composite anode (denoted as CP-Si@C-4, where CP represents the conductive carbon paper substrate) is designed: carbon constitutes the structural and conductive framework, while silicon nanoparticles serve as a functional alloying component contributing characteristic lithiation/delithiation behavior. This framework comprises a conductive carbon paper (CP) scaffold, a resin-derived carbon matrix for homogeneous silicon dispersion, an interconnected carbon nanotube (CNT) network enabling long-range electron transport, and a conformal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) carbon layer for interfacial stabilization. Rather than simply increasing the overall carbon content, a series of control electrodes with distinct carbon configurations are deliberately designed to decouple the respective roles of bulk stress buffering and particle-level interfacial stabilization during cycling. The results indicate that functionally differentiating and coordinately regulating these two functions is critical for achieving durable binder-free silicon-containing carbon composite anodes. Benefiting from this cooperative multidimensional carbon architecture, the optimized CP-Si@C-4 anode delivers an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 86.3% and maintains a reversible capacity of ~990 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 1000 cycles. This work provides a structural design concept for improving long-term stability in binder-free silicon-containing carbon composite anodes.

ABSTRACT In this study, the electro‐optical properties of Nematic liquid crystal (NLC) E204 doped with Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NPs) are investigated to evaluate their potential for advanced display and sensing applications. Composites with varying concentrations of TiO 2 NPs were prepared and thoroughly analyzed, revealing noteworthy enhancements in key performance parameters such as threshold voltage, tilt angle, activation energy, and response time. A significant reduction in threshold voltage was recorded with increasing nanoparticle concentration, alongside a substantial improvement in dynamic response. As the combined rise and fall times decreased by approximately 50%, effectively doubling the switching speed compared to pure NLC. The increase in Tilt angle of NLC molecules and decrease in Activation energy are observed with incremental variation of TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, changes in birefringence were correlated with variations in refractive index mismatch induced by nanoparticle doping. These enhancements in electro‐optical behavior suggest that TiO 2 ‐doped E204 NLCs are highly promising candidates for advanced liquid crystal‐based technologies, particularly in applications requiring fast, energy‐efficient switching such as advanced display panels, tunable photonic systems, and optical sensors.

Traditional conjugated polymers are restricted to near-infrared-I (NIR-I, 780-900 nm) absorption, limiting their utility in photothermal therapy (PTT) for deep-seated tumors. To address this challenge, we rationally engineered a pyrazine-functionalized BDOPV-based acceptor (PzBDOPV) with strong electron-deficient properties and constructed two donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers: PPzBDOPV-T (P1) and PPzBDOPV-BT (P2). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that pyrazine induces dual structural optimization: (1) lowering the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) to -4.10 eV, thereby enhancing intramolecular charge transfer (ICT); and (2) establishing S⋯N noncovalent interactions (bond length 2.94 Å), which reduce the conjugated backbone dihedral angle from ∼24° (in BDOPV) to ∼3°, improving electron delocalization. These modifications yield NIR-II absorption maxima at 955 nm (P1) and 907 nm (P2) in THF. Nanoparticles (NPs) formulated via DSPE-PEG2000 encapsulation (NP1 and NP2) exhibit excellent photothermal performance under near-infrared-II (NIR-II) region laser irradiation (980 nm, 0.6 W·cm- 2). In vitro studies confirmed >90% viability of 4T1 cells at 150 µg mL- 1 (dark conditions) and >80% apoptosis induction upon laser treatment. In vivo, NP1-mediated PTT achieved complete tumor regression (56.4°C peak temperature) without systemic toxicity, while photoacoustic imaging provided clear tumor delineation. This work establishes a robust molecular design paradigm for NIR-II-absorbing conjugated polymers, advancing safe and effective theranostic agents for deep-tissue cancer treatment.

Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles significantly enhance the immunoprotective efficacy of Ascaridia galli excretory-secretory antigens.

Assessing the localization, stability, and recovery of inorganic nanoparticles in tree bark using advanced degradation techniques.

Surface charge behavior of mezalazine-loaded chitosan-alginate nanoparticles in a 3D multi-layered intestinal in vitro model.

Elucidating the electron-driven mechanism of H2O dissociation on Pt nanoclusters via modulating the doped graphene substrate and applied electrode potential.

Regulating cell stress responses by nitric oxide to enhance calcium overload-mediated tumor therapy.

Light-responsive phase-change nanoparticles for on-demand oxygen release to alleviate hypoxia for wound healing applications.