Porous Network Structure Research Articles

Bioinspired grafting of peptide and NH2-AO to construct antifouling fiber membranes for fast uranium recovery from wastewater and seawater

Uranium is an important nuclear element, and its efficient recovery is of great significance to nuclear industry and to nuclear safety. Herein, we rationally design robust antifouling fiber membranes (Anti-NH2-AO FMs) by facilely grafting two novel ligands on porous surfaces. The efficient ligands, i.e., NH2-AO and GSH, endow the membranes with rapid U-capture rate, good hydrophilicity and antifouling ability. Anti-NH2-AO FMs display porous fiber network structure, good flexibility, and high mechanical strength (9.0 MPa). The uranium capture rate reaches up to 167 mg g−1 h−1 in the first two hours, and they can reduce uranium to 11 ppb in 2 ppm uranium-contaminated water, which is below the drinking water limit. Furthermore, Anti-NH2-AO FMs still exhibit very high seawater permeability (6186 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and flux recovery ratio (95.12 %) after three seawater fouling cycles. The imaging tests visually demonstrate their antiadhesion to the bacteria. In addition, they have good selectivity and long service life (10 cycles of adsorption-desorption). Kinetics models and XPS analyses illustrate the uranium adsorption mechanisms. Compared with the current membranes and fibers, the Anti-NH2-AO displays the advantages of exceptional properties and easy preparation, and we believe that it possesses great potential in the practical uranium recovery.

Gelatin-Oxidized Nanocellulose Hydrogels Suitable for Extrusion-Based 3D Bioprinting

3D bioprinting is an emerging research field developed by the deep cross-fertilization of 3D printing technology with multiple disciplines such as mechanics, materials, and biomedicine. Extrusion 3D bioprinting, the most widely used 3D bioprinting technology, can print biomaterials with different viscosities and has a wide range of material applicability. In this study, we prepared a composite hydrogel with gelatin-oxidized nanocellulose as the matrix and glycerol as a multifunctional co-solvent, and the optimal composition of the hydrogel was determined by material characterization. The microstructure of the hydrogel was visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and it can be seen that the composite hydrogel material has a three-dimensional porous network structure with microporous pore sizes ranging from 200–300 µm. The infrared spectra also showed that the addition of glycerol did not interact with gelatin-oxidized nanocellulose while improving the hydrogel properties. Meanwhile, the composite hydrogel has obvious shear-thinning properties and good mechanical properties, which are suitable for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting, and the printed area is clear and structurally stable. A series of results indicate that the hydrogel is suitable for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting with good pore structure, mechanical properties, and printable performance. This gelatin-oxidized nanocellulose hydrogel provides a new idea and material for 3D bioprinting and expands the potential uses of the material.

Flexible Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Hydrogel for On-Site Monitoring of Pesticide Degradation.

Benefiting from the stimuli-responsive property and powerful loading capacity, functionalized hydrogels are favorable for the fabrication of sensing devices. Herein, we design aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active hydrogel discs by embedding gold nanoclusters@zeolite-like imidazole framework (AuNCs@ZIF) composites in double-network hydrogels to build a sensitive pesticide biosensor. The hydrogel discs integrate an AIE effect of AuNCs, a stimuli-responsive property of ZIF, and a porous network structure of the hydrogel, which enhances the sensing sensitivity via boosting the stable fluorescent signal and antifouling performance. In conjunction with a homemade device, the fluorescence images of hydrogel discs could be transduced into data information for accurate quantification of chlorpyrifos pesticide with a detection limit of 0.2 ng/mL. The dynamic degradation of chlorpyrifos in Chinese cabbage is demonstrated to confirm the practical application of hydrogel discs. Such AIE-active hydrogel discs could be a plant health sensor for the on-site quantification of pesticide residues on crops, holding great promise for precision agriculture.

Polyethylene glycol crosslinked decellularized single liver lobe scaffolds with vascular endothelial growth factor promotes angiogenesis in vivo

BackgroundImproving the mechanical properties and angiogenesis of acellular scaffolds before transplantation is an important challenge facing the development of acellular liver grafts. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxicity and angiogenesis of polyethylene glycol (PEG) crosslinked decellularized single liver lobe scaffolds (DLSs), and establish its suitability as a graft for long-term liver tissue engineering. MethodsUsing mercaptoacrylate produced by the Michael addition reaction, DLSs were first modified using N-succinimidyl S-acetylthioacetate (SATA), followed by cross-linking with PEG as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The optimal concentration of agents and time of the individual steps were identified in this procedure through biomechanical testing and morphological analysis. Subsequently, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded on the PEG crosslinked scaffolds to detect the proliferation and viability of cells. The scaffolds were then transplanted into the subcutaneous tissue of Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate angiogenesis. In addition, the average number of blood vessels was evaluated in the grafts with or without PEG at days 7, 14, and 21 after implantation. ResultsThe PEG crosslinked DLS maintained their three-dimensional structure and were more translucent after decellularization than native DLS, which presented a denser and more porous network structure. The results for Young's modulus proved that the mechanical properties of 0.5 PEG crosslinked DLS were the best and close to that of native livers. The PEG-VEGF-DLS could better promote cell proliferation and differentiation of HUVECs compared with the groups without PEG cross-linking. Importantly, the average density of blood vessels was higher in the PEG-VEGF-DLS than that in other groups at days 7, 14, and 21 after implantation in vivo. ConclusionsThe PEG crosslinked DLS with VEGF could improve the biomechanical properties of native DLS, and most importantly, their lack of cytotoxicity provides a new route to promote the proliferation of cells in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo in liver tissue engineering.

Schiff base cross-linked dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin composite aerogels as porous structure templates for oleogels preparation

Recently, biopolymer-based structured oil has emerged to substitute saturated and trans-fats. Herein, the porous biopolymeric networks with the cellular structure were developed with cross-linked dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) and gelatin to prepare oleogels. The determination of aldehyde content in the DAC molecular chain revealed a high degree of oxidation of cellulose. The FTIR data showed the covalent cross-linking bond between the DAC and gelatin. The covalent cross-linking between DAC and gelatin promoted the composite aerogel (DG) to form a porous three-dimensional network structure with enhanced thermal stability, mechanical properties, and water stability. The DAC/gelatin composite aerogel with 5 wt% DAC (DG-5) exhibited the highest porosity (91.27 %) and lowest pore diameter (10.52 μm) with greater capillary force, resulting in a high oil absorption capacity of 11.24 g/g and oil holding capacity of 55.57 %. The DG oleogels containing 6 % thymol in the oil phase showed good antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus for 24 h. This work provides a facile and promising strategy for developing oleogels by DAC/gelatin cross-linked conjugates as aerogel templates for oil structuring.

Non-enzymatic glucose sensor fabricated by CoFe2O4 nanosheets grown on Reduced Graphene Oxide

ABSTRACT A non-enzymatic glucose sensing nanocomposite comprised of CoFe2O4 nanosheets grown on Reduced Graphene Oxide (CoFe2O4@rGO) has been triumphantly prepared by a facile co-precipitation process. The characterisation results reveal that the CoFe2O4 nanosheets are vertically grown on the rGO substrate and form a porous network structure. Next, Electrochemical workstation is applied to study the glucose detection performance of the CoFe2O4@rGO. The sensing tests exhibit that when the volume ratio of anhydrous ethanol and deionised water is 10 ml: 30 ml, the fabricated CoFe2O4@rGO has better glucose detection performance. Its linear detection ranges from 0.5 mM – 10 mM and 10 mM – 35 mM, and the sensitivity reaches 50.5 μAmM−1cm−2 and 143.6 μAmM−1cm−2 respectively, which is significantly better than the previously reported non-enzyme glucose sensing materials. Furthermore, the CoFe2O4@rGO has good anti-interference and stability.

Micro-nanoarchitectonics of electroless Cu/Ni composite materials based on wood via heat treatment

This research aims to optimize the comprehensive performance of wood-based electromagnetic shielding interference (EMI) materials and master the effect of heat treatment on its coating density, interfacial morphology, conductivity, and hydrophobic and electromagnetic shielding. The results showed that the surface roughness of composite coatings was 11.0 μm when the wood was conducted via electroless two deposition Cu and one Ni and the heat treatment temperature was 150 °C. The composite coating’s surface gradually became more uniform with increasing temperature. The coating’s thickness via 120 °C heat treatment was 97.5 μm. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) spectra verified the existence of Cu and Ni particles. The heat treatment had an obvious influence on conductivity of composite materials and the pore network structure. The contact angle of composite materials reached 119°. The average electromagnetic shielding efficiency via 180 °C heat treatment was up to 91.4 dB in the frequency ranging from 300 to 3.0 GHz, which verified that the composite materials can shield 99.99% of the incident electromagnetic wave energy. The conductivity gradient structure can realize multi-dielectric interface loss and multiple reflection loss.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of surface functionalization of titanium with H2 O2 hydrothermal treatment and FGF-2.

The goals of the study were to investigate the effects on bone bioactivity of a titanium dioxide layer formed by hydrothermal oxidation of a titanium surface with hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) and loading with fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in vitro and in vivo. Ti-6Al-4V discs were hydrothermally oxidized with H2 O2 and then loaded with FGF-2. After cytotoxicity testing, Ti-6Al-4V mini-implants were subjected to the same treatment, and their osteogenic potential was evaluated histologically in a rat model. H2 O2 hydrothermal oxidation resulted in a dense porous network structure and hydrophilic changes, which improved retention of FGF-2. Morphologically, the cell density was higher, cell elongation was more pronounced, and the cell adhesion area was significantly higher in FGF-2-loaded cells than in those without FGF-2. In a cell proliferation assay using mouse osteoblast-like cells, absorbance tended to increase over time, especially in the FGF-2 group after 7 and 14 days, and in a bone differentiation assay based on ALP activity, there was a significant increase in the FGF-2 group after 14 days. In the rat model, H2 O2 hydrothermal oxidation and FGF-2 loading both resulted in more laminar bone tissue in the bone marrow around the mini-implant. These results suggest that titanium surface functionalization by H2 O2 hydrothermal oxidation and FGF-2 may promote initial cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteodifferentiation, and enhance bone bioactivity. These effects all contribute to early bonding of an implant with the surrounding bone.

Ultralight N-doped platanus acerifolia biomass carbon microtubes/RGO composite aerogel with enhanced mechanical properties and high-performance microwave absorption

Biomass-derived carbon material, an ideal lightweight and sustainable electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption material, has adjustable dielectric properties, which is one of its greatest advantages. However, how to comprehensively control its composite dielectric constant to achieve strong microwave absorption (MA), wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB), light mass, and thin thickness is still challenging. In this study, the N-doped biomass carbon microtubes/RGO composite aerogel (N-BCMT/RGO) with a three-dimensional multistage pore network structure was prepared by using the waste Platanus acerifolia tree fruit-derived biomass microtubes as the base, through heteroatom doping and composite conductive material. Among them, the doping of nitrogen atoms introduces numerous defects and promotes the formation of a heterogeneous interface, which plays an important role in regulating conduction and polarization loss. Secondly, the introduction of conductive material effectively promotes the hopping and migration of electrons, which further enhances the conduction loss. Moreover, the close binding of BCMT and RGO causes N-BCMT/RGO aerogel to exhibit enhanced mechanical properties. The special multistage hole structure allows N-BCMT/RGO to exhibit good impedance matching and ultra-low density (0.0121 g/cm3), which also exhibits an ultra-wide EAB of 8.36 GHz and a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −55.45 dB at an ultra-low filler loading of 2 wt%. This opens up an avenue for the realization of novel microwave absorbers with light weight and high performance, and the proposed comprehensive control strategy for the composite permittivity of biomass-carbon materials provides new ideas for activating the MA behavior of metal-free carbon-based absorbers.

Preparation of in-situ N/O co-doped lily-derived porous carbon framework material and its application in supercapacitors

The choice of an activator and activation method is crucial to the preparation of high-quality activated carbon. Herein, inspired by a foaming strategy, we selected KMnO4 as activator, and hierarchical porous framework carbon material was prepared via lily powder being fully foamed and activated in the KMnO4 hot solution. The Lily-derived Porous Carbon Material (LPCM) possesses the characteristics of in-situ co-doping of N and O. The maximum specific surface area of the obtained sample was 1852.5 m2g-1, and the corresponding total pore volume was 1.11 cm3g-1. Due to the interconnected hierarchical pore network structure and rich O (13.16 at%) & N (3.31 at%) contents, at 600 °C, the specific capacitance of the LPCM was 352 F g−1 at 0.5 A g1 and the cycling reliability was 100% after 10,000 charges and discharges. In addition, the voltage window of All-solid-state Symmetric Flexible Supercapacitor (ASFS) fabricated with PVA-KOH gel electrolyte was 1.4 V. And the fabricated ASFS device had energy density of 23.82 Wh kg−1 at 700 W kg−1. At the same time, two ASFSs in series could light up a small red bulb and maintained for more than 6 min.

Synthesis and characterization of protocatechuic acid grafted carboxymethyl chitosan with oxidized sodium alginate hydrogel through the Schiff's base reaction

Excessive accumulation of free radicals is closely related to the occurrence and development of various neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a novel protocatechuic acid grafted carboxymethyl chitosan with oxidized sodium alginate (PCA-g-CMCS/OSA) hydrogel was developed to maintain the oxidation-antioxidation balance activities. By optimizing the pH-soluble range (pH > 6.4) of CMCS, PCA was grafted onto CMCS skeleton via EDC/NHS, and then conjugated with aldehyde group of OSA to form Schiff's base hydrogel at physiological temperature. The gelation time can be adjusted rapidly within 1–3 min by controlling the content of OSA. The shaped hydrogel exhibited porous network structure with high porosity (>90 %), swelling ratio (2000–3000 %) and rheological property, which is beneficial to cell growth and proliferation. The conjugates preserved excellent DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging abilities and adequate biodegradability within 5 weeks. Moreover, with the release of PCA monomer due to degradation of the PCA-g-CMCS/OSA, the hydrogel also exhibited excellent biocompatibility and protective effect on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells. These results suggested that the PCA-g-CMCS/OSA hydrogel would appear to be a more attractive candidate for potential biomedical applications such as antioxidant drug release and tissue engineering implant material.

Self-Supporting Ag Nanowire Mat Electrodes on PTFE Gas Diffusion Layers for Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to CO

High surface area nanocatalysts combined with conductive carbon-based gas-diffusion layers (GDL) enable high CO2 flux and conversion, but can suffer from ineffective catalyst utilization and flooding of the GDL ultimately limiting the lifetime of electrolyzer operation. Herein we explore an alternative gas-diffusion electrode that incorporates a self-conducting network of Ag nanowires on a non-conductive PTFE GDL (Figure 1 a-b) as a gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) for CO2 conversion (Figure 1 c-d). Properties influenced by Ag nanowire mat thickness and durability of the Ag nanowires are explored. Furthermore a 1-D model of the electrode morphology and microstructure quantitatively captures the steady-state compositional gradients (Figure 1d) within the catalyst layer giving insight into the observed empirical differences in catalyst layer thickness. The self-conductive nanowire network and robust hydrophobic porous support structure provide an effective platform to further understanding of meso-scale properties and microenvironment present during CO2 electroreduction.Figure Caption: (a) Top-down and (b) Cross-section electron micrographs of a Ag nanowire covered PTFE GDL. (c) Schematic depicting the utilization of the Ag NW covered PTFE GDL as an electrode for electrochemical CO2 reduction and (d) resulting relationships between catalyst layer thickness, mass activity and simulated local pH. Figure 1

A New Design of a Microfluidic Experimental Cell for the Study of Two-Phase Flow inside a PEM Water Electrolyzer

Driven by the political and societal endeavors to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in several sectors within the next decades, such as in the transport or the industrial production sectors, the substitution of fossil fuels by “green” hydrogen is widely considered. Electrochemical splitting of water inside polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) is one possibility for efficient and sustained production of “green” hydrogen. However, its efficiency is still limited by the coupled kinetics of flow and reaction that occur at the anodic side of the PEMWEs. Especially the microstructure inside the anodic porous transport layer (PTL) plays a major role in the counter-current transport of the feedstock water and the product oxygen.In this work, a prototype model of a novel microfluidic PEMWE cell for experimental examination of the two-phase flow inside the anodic PTL is presented. The cell is made of transparent PMMA (Poly-Methyl-Methacrylate) to allow monitoring of the fluid flow. The anodic PTL is represented by a quasi 2D pore network with uniformly distributed pore sizes, similar to previous work [1, 2]. However, in contrast to previous works, the microfluidic device is realized as a complete electrochemical cell. Thus, the gas phase is not injected at a discrete point but generated at an electrically activated catalyst coated membrane with iridium ruthenium oxide on the anode side and carbon-supported platinum on the cathode side. Platinum meshes were used as current collectors on both sides.The microfluidic electrochemical cell is used to study the correlation of gas-liquid invasion patterns in-dependence of the pore network structure and the applied current densities and stoichiometry of flow rates. In contrast to more advanced measurements, like operando neutron imaging [3], the simplified quasi 2D structure allows studying the invasion profiles directly. In addition to that, very easy comparison of the experimentally recorded profiles to simulation results, e.g., from Lattice Boltzmann simulation [4], is possible via simple image processing algorithms. Keywords: microfluidic PEMWE cell; anodic porous transport layer (PTL); counter-current transport; invasion regimes; current density; pore-scale physics, Lattice Boltzmann simulation.

Natural magnetite/coke composite: A novel promising microwave absorption material

Fe3O4 and carbon materials are the two most common materials in research on microwave-absorbing materials. However, in previous studies, the material sources of Fe3O4 and carbon materials mostly came from the addition of chemical reagents, which meant that expensive raw materials and complex preparation processes restrict the large-scale production and application of microwave-absorbing materials from the raw material level. The preparation of highly efficient electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials from natural mineral resources may be the key way to solve this problem. In this work, pure magnetite minerals and original coking coal were used as the sources of Fe3O4 and carbon materials in the composite material. Through the combination of mixed ball milling and high-temperature roasting, the two natural mineral materials were successfully combined to prepare a magnetite/coke composite material with a porous network structure (Ma/Coke). After carbonization, a continuous network was formed to effectively coat or load magnetic magnetite particles, which formed the electromagnetic cooperative loss mechanism. By optimizing the material ratio, the microstructure of the composite was effectively regulated, and the impedance matching of the material was improved, showing excellent electromagnetic wave-absorbing performance. Ma/Coke-0.5 had a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of − 57.86 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of up to 5.47 GHz. This work provides a low-cost, high-efficiency, environment-protecting, and large-scale preparation method for electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials based on natural minerals and provides a new feasible suggestion for the functional application of natural mineral materials.

Rational designed ZIF-8@PDA@PDMS composite sponge for efficient and sustainable particulate matter filtering under harsh environment

Particulate matter (PM) is a significant danger to both environment and human health. Despite the development of a series of air filters, they do not work well in harsh environment such as high temperature, high humidity or long-time filtration. To make a three-dimensional (3D) particle capture device, a sacrificial template approach was used to manufacture polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge, and then zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) was grown in situ on the 3D network of PDMS sponge. The removal efficiency of PM2.5 or PM10 is greater than 99.8% because of the high specific surface area and porous network structure of PDMS sponge, as well as the large number of metal sites of ZIF-8. In addition, the sponge filter has long-term filtration stability and still achieves excellent performance after 65 h of filtration. The composite sponge can adapt to harsh environments such as high temperature (250 °C) and high humidity (90% RH). Composite sponge filter has a regular shape, and it may be customized to any shape as required. This study provides a new idea for designing 3D high-efficiency air filters that can adapt to harsh environments.

MoS2 nanosheets fixed on network carbon derived from apple pomace for fast Na storage kinetics

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), as a typical two-dimensional material with high theorical capacity (670 mAh g −1 ), is widely used for electrode material in energy storage systems. However, the inferior electronic conductivity, low stability, and sluggish kinetics make it prone to stack during cycling, resulting in a poor lifespan and rate performance. In this work, a 3D network porous structure MoS 2 /OAPC composite was fabricated by carbonizing biowaste apple pomace (AP) collected from concentrated juice factory, then oxidizing apple pomace carbon (APC), and finally sulfurizing (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ∙4H 2 O/OAPC preform. The oxidization process ensures rich surface oxygen-containing functional groups on OAPC, which will provide necessary nucleation sites for the growth of MoS 2 , enhance the interfacial bonding strength and effectively avoid the agglomeration of MoS 2 sheets resulting in a stable structure and high conductivity. In addition, the 3D porous connectivity structure provides necessary guarantee for the fast kinetics of sodium transport. Therefore, the MoS 2 /OAPC anode exhibits a high capacity of 601.8 mAh g −1 after 50 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g −1 . When the current density is as high as 2 A g −1 , a promising rate capacity of 297.2 mAh g −1 can still be maintained. • Porous network MoS 2 /OAPC was synthesized by oxidation and sulfurization of method. • Unique C-O-Mo provides stable bonding between MoS 2 and OAPC during cycling. • The OAPC network skeleton ensures a stable structure and accelerates charge transfer. • The MoS 2 /OAPC electrode exhibited fast sodium storage kinetics.

Selective separation and purification of ReO4- by temperature-sensitive imprinted polymer with porous interconnected network structure

In this study, an intelligent block temperature-sensitive PDEA-b-P (DEA-co-AM) was prepared by RAFT polymerization first. Subsequently, it was introduced into the preparation process of ReO4--TPIP to investigate its effect on selective separation performance. ReO4--TPIP was prepared by Pickering-like HIPE polymerization, which could form a porous interoperable network structure and further accelerate the mass transfer rate of ReO4- significantly. The structure and morphology of ReO4--TPIP were characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDS, BET, and ICP-AES. Results documented that ReO4--TPIP could reach adsorption equilibrium at 31 °C after 120 min, the maximum adsorption capacity (Q) was 0.16 mmol/g, and the desorption efficiency (D) arrived at 82.21%, with 3.26 of selective adsorption coefficients in equal molar concentration solution of ReO4- and MnO4-. After 11 repeated adsorption-desorption recycles, the adsorption capacity and desorption efficiency remained at 79.10% and 71.01% of their initial value, respectively. More surprisingly, the purity of Re in solution rose from 35.41% to 62.82% after 1 adsorption-desorption recycle of ReO4--TPIP in the secondary leaching solution of high-temperature alloys. This demonstrates the promising development of this material for the industrial separation and purification of Re.

Series of TM-OFs as a Platform for Efficient Catalysis and Multifunctional Luminescence Sensing.

Three novel porous transition-metal-organic frameworks (TM-OFs), formulated as [Co3(DCPN)2(μ2-OH2)4(H2O)4](DMF)2 (1), [Cd3(DCPN)2(μ2-OH2)4(H2O)4](DMF)2 (2), and [CdK(DCPN)(DMA)] (3), have been successfully prepared via solvothermal conditions based on a 5-(3',6'-dicarboxylic phenyl) nicotinic carboxylic acid (H3DCPN) ligand. 1 and 2 both have the same porous 3D network structure with the point symbol of {410·614·84}·{45·6}2 based on trinuclear ({Co3} or {Cd3}) clusters, indicating a one-dimensional porous channel, and possess excellent water and thermal stability; 3 also displays a porous 3D network structure with a 4-connected sra topology based on the heteronuclear metal cluster {CdK}. Complex 1 can be used to load Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs) via a wetness impregnation strategy to obtain Pd@1. The reduction of nitrophenols (2-NP, 3-NP, 4-NP) by Pd@1 in aqueous solution shows outstanding conversion, excellent rate constants (k), and remarkable cycling stability due to the synergistic effect of complex 1 and Pd NPs. Luminescence sensing tests confirmed that 2 is a reliable multifunctional chemical sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity for low concentrations of Fe3+, Cr2O72-, CPFX, and NFX. Specifically, 2 shows a fluorescence enhancement behavior toward fluoroquinolone antibiotics (CPFX and NFX), which has not been reported previously in the literature. Moreover, the rational mechanism of fluorescence sensing was also systematically investigated by various detection means and theoretical calculations.

Multi-biofunctional graphene oxide-enhanced poly-L-lactic acid composite nanofiber scaffolds for ovarian function recovery of transplanted-tissue

In this study, we successfully constructed the new graphene oxide/poly-L-lactic acid (GO/PLLA) nanofiber scaffolds with a hydrophilic surface and porous network structure that were highly favorable for cell infiltration. When employed these new nanofiber scaffolds for a wide range of tissue engineering applications, it was expected to promote graft tissue survival and angiogenesis. The new GO/PLLA nanofiber scaffold with an appropriate concentration of 1.0 wt% was applied for the restoration of ovarian function and reserve in mice with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). After co-transplanting the normal ovarian cortex loaded on these new nanomaterials into the in situ ovarian tissue of POI mice, the fusion of transplanted ovarian cortex with damaged ovarian tissue was improved, as well as the ovarian function and the follicle numbers. Moreover, angiogenesis was observed clearly and proved to exist in the transplanted tissue and nanomaterials, with the most conspicuous effect after co-transplantation with 1.0 wt% GO/PLLA nanofiber scaffold. In addition, nitric oxide (NO) production by phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS) in vivo was proven to be involved in the effect of GO and PLLA on the improved survival rate of the transplanted ovarian cortex. This study provides a new method for the fertility preservation of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation, as well as a new strategy for the transplantation of other organs.

Fungicide itself as a trigger to facilely construct Hymexazol-Encapsulated polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogels with controllable rheological properties and reduced environmental risks

Hydrogels with porous networks have received considerable attention in cargo delivery systems due to the inherent versatile performances. However, ideal strategy that bioactive molecule itself spontaneously triggers natural polymers to form self-delivery hydrogels has been less exploited. Herein, the addition of hymexazol into the mixed aqueous solution of alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan can spontaneously trigger the formation of fungicide-encapsulated polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogels with controllable rheological properties and tunable multifunctionality. The hydrogels are three-dimensional porous network structures possessing shear-thinning, self-healing, and pH and ionic strength-responsive swelling properties. Furthermore, soils amended with hydrogel demonstrated enhanced water-holding and water-retention capacities. The hydrogels can not only decrease the leaching of hymexazol in soil, but also increase its retention capacity on hydrophobic interface, and significantly inhibit the fragmentation and rebound of the droplets on hydrophobic surface. More importantly, in addition to the good fungicidal activity, hydrogels can promote the sprouting of wheat seeds compared to the free hymexazol aqueous solution, demonstrating obvious biosafety to target plant through the gelation of active ingredient. This intriguing bioactive molecule itself-triggered self-delivery approach can bestow the active ingredient tunable multifunctionality without sacrificing the bioactivity, offering a promising and practical strategy for various application scenarios in sustainable agricultural practices.