Addition Of Salt Research Articles

Phase behavior and interaction of strong polyelectrolyte dextran sulfate and whey protein isolation: Effects of pH, protein/polysaccharide ratio, and salt addition

The strong polyelectrolyte dextran sulfate (DS) is an anionic polysaccharide with a high negative charge, characterized by high stability and pH independence. DS and whey protein isolate (WPI) were selected to study the specific effects of highly negatively charged polysaccharides on the phase behavior and interaction of WPI/DS complexes (1 % w/v) under varying external conditions (pH, WPI:DS ratio, and salt addition). The phase diagrams, zeta potential, and laser confocal scanning microscopy measurements indicated that the WPI/DS complexes did not dissociate even at pH 1 due to the pH independence of DS. The exclusion volume effect of DS promoted WPI self-aggregation at high salt concentrations, which inhibited acidification-induced dissociation. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicated that the WPI/DS interaction is a spontaneous exothermic reaction driven by both enthalpy and entropy changes due to electrostatic interactions. This study provides valuable information on the interactions between highly negatively charged polysaccharides and proteins.

Influence of Aqueous Phase Salt and Oil Phase Surfactants and Viscosity on the Dynamic Interfacial Tension and Coalescence Timescales.

Liquid-liquid separation is a critically important process in the treatment of emulsions that can occur in our environment, such as oily stormwater, shipboard bilgewater, or off-shore oil spill treatment. Effective filtration systems, including coalescing filters, are essential for mitigating these environmental pollutants. Achieving this requires a comprehensive understanding of liquid-liquid interface dynamics influenced by additives and surfactants. Furthermore, understanding the impact of surfactants on emulsion stability in saline environments is vital for optimizing filtration processes and ensuring the protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems. In this work, these effects are highlighted using measurements performed across a range of droplet size, surfactant concentration, viscosity ratios, and saline presence. Dynamic IFT measurements are conducted using the pendant drop method for water in light mineral oil, with and without salt in the water phase. The effect of salt addition is also highlighted by using microfluidic coalescence experiments, in which it was found that the addition of salt increases the dimensionless drainage time below the critical micelle concentration. The second focus of this work is to study the effect of bulk phase viscosity on the stability. Dynamic IFT measurements are performed at both millimeter and micrometer scales using pendant drop experiments and microfluidic tensiometry, respectively, involving light and heavy mineral oils with varying SPAN80 surfactant concentrations. The surfactant diffusivity and interfacial adsorption and desorption rates are then extracted by fitting a surfactant diffusion and equation of state equations to the dynamic IFT measurements. The results of the IFT decay, surfactant diffusivity, and adsorption rates are compared at two different viscosity ratios. This study also compares the times required for IFT relaxation with the film drainage times in water-in-oil systems. The comparison aids in comprehending the impact of competing timescales during film drainage. The findings presented in this paper offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of liquid-liquid filtration systems, especially when operating under challenging environmental conditions, such as in saline environments. The principles explored here can be applied to improving industrial water treatment and in the design of advanced filtration technologies for chemical and petrochemical industries, particularly those involving flow, contributing to more sustainable and efficient practices in handling emulsified waste streams.

An Optimized CRISPR/Cas12a Assay to Facilitate the BRAF V600E Mutation Detection.

Accurate detection of the BRAF V600E (1799T > A) mutation status can significantly contribute to selecting an optimal therapeutic strategy for diverse cancer types. CRISPR-based diagnostic platforms exhibit simple programming, cost-effectiveness, high sensitivity, and high specificity in detecting target sequences. The goal of this study is to develop a simple BRAF V600E mutation detection method. We combined the CRISPR/Cas12a system with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). Subsequently, several parameters related to CRISPR/Cas12a reaction efficiency were evaluated. Then, we conducted a comparative analysis of three distinct approaches toward identifying BRAF V600E mutations in the clinical samples. Our data suggest that CRISPR/Cas detection is considerably responsive to variations in buffer conditions. Magnesium acetate (MgOAc) demonstrated superior performance compared to all other examined additive salts. It was observed using 150 nM guide RNA (gRNA) in an optimized reaction buffer containing 14 mM MgOAc, coupled with a reduction in the volumes of PCR and RPA products to 1 μL and 3 μL, respectively, resulted in an enhanced sensitivity. Detection time was decreased to 75 min with a 2% limit of detection (LOD), as evidenced by the results obtained from the blue light illuminator. The CRISPR/Cas12a assay confirmed the real-time PCR results in 31 of 32 clinical samples to identify the BRAF V600E mutation status, while Sanger sequencing detected BRAF V600E mutations with lower sensitivity. We propose a potential diagnostic approach that is facile, fast, and affordable with high fidelity. This method can detect BRAF V600E mutation with a 2% LOD without the need for a thermocycler.

Removal of odorous and nitrogen chemicals by submerged nanofiltration

Odorous compounds such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), and nitrogen ions such as ammonium (NH₄+), nitrite (NO₂−), and nitrate (NO₃−) are challenging chemicals for drinking water treatment. This study aimed at identifying the potential of submerged nanofiltration (NF) membrane treatment for removing these chemicals. In this work, tight NF membranes (p-ESNA and NF90) achieved high removal of odorous compounds (89–98 %) under varying feed temperatures (13–30 °C) and additional salt concentrations (NaCl = 10–20 mM), while a loose NF membrane (NF270) exhibited lower rejection (61–86 %). Conversely, the rejection of nitrogen ions by the two tight NF membranes was low in the submerged configuration (7–39 %), and their rejection significantly decreased with increasing feed salinity (−5–29 %). The loose NF membrane (NF270) even exhibited negative rejections (−4–6 %), likely due to a membrane charge imbalance induced by the Donnan effect, which was exacerbated by competitive divalent sulfate anions. The unsaturated electromigration of NO2− and NO3− anions, driven by the electric field of diffusion potential, can lead to negative rejection at low transmembrane flux. This study identified the capacity and limitations of submerged NF treatment for removing the problematic odorous and nitrogen chemicals.

Nutshell Materials as a Potential Eco-Friendly Biosorbent for the Effective Extraction of UV Filters and Parabens from Water Samples.

UV filters and parabens, as ingredients of cosmetics, are commonly occurring water pollutants. In our work, nutshells were used as biosorbents in the developed analytical procedure for the determination of UV filters and parabens in water samples. The shells obtained from walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts and pistachios were applied as biosorbents. The proposed analytical method can be used as a powerful alternative to other methods for the analysis of UV filters and parabens in water samples. A method of carrying out the sorption step and its parameters, i.e., the effect of time, pH, and salt addition, was developed. A method for the desorption of analytes was also developed, in which the type and volume of solvent, and the desorption time, were established. The recoveries were in the range of 59-117% for benzophenones and lower recoveries from 14 to 75% for parabens. The results showed that nutshells can be used as low-cost, efficient and eco-friendly biosorbents for the determination of parabens and UV filters in water samples. These materials can be used as a 'greener' replacement for the commercially available adsorbents for the extraction of cosmetic ingredients from the environment.

Evaluation of Polymer Inclusion Membrane Containing Copoly Eugenol Divinyl Benzene 10% as a Carrier for Phenol Transport

Phenol is a toxic and organic compound that often contaminates water, posing significant environmental hazards. To resolve this issue, we conducted research on phenol transport using the Polymer Inclusion Membrane (PIM) method, employing Copoly Eugenol Divinyl Benzene (Co-EDVB) 10% as a carrier compound. The primary objective of this research was to assess the stability and capability of the PIM membrane. Our findings revealed that membrane stability was achieved with a plasticizer concentration of 3.32%. The addition of NaNO3 salt to the source phase yielded the most promising outcomes compared to other types of salt, facilitating the transport of 85.84% of phenol. When NaNO3 0.01 M was introduced in both the source and receiving phases, the transport efficiency increased to 89.93% and 86.76%, respectively. In order to evaluate the durability of the PIM membrane during repeated use, transportation experiments were conducted five times. Without washing, the membrane successfully transported phenol in amounts of 72.19%, 69.23%, 62.71%, 55.91%, and 48.16% during each successive run. Conversely, with regular washing, the membrane maintained its transport efficiency, achieving 70.85%, 64.10%, 56.72%, 49.26%, and 27.19% for each cycle. Notably, the membrane's lifetime reached only 29 days without the addition of 0.1 M NaNO3 salt. However, with the inclusion of NaNO3 0.1 M salt, its longer extended to 58 days.

Preparation, characterization, and stability of chitosan-tremella polysaccharide layer-by-layer encapsulated astaxanthin nanoemulsion delivery system

In this study, a layer-by-layer (LBL) encapsulated astaxanthin (Ast) nanoemulsion delivery system based on chitosan (CS) and tremella polysaccharide (TP) was successfully developed. The system constructed an Ast-CS-TP emulsion with high encapsulation efficiency and an excellent stability profile by utilizing the opposite charge properties of CS and TP. This study evaluated the effects of different stresses (including temperature, salt addition, pH, UV irradiation, and centrifugal force) on the emulsion's stability. To further investigate the protective mechanism of the emulsions, we performed antioxidant activity experiments after UV treatment. Additionally, an in vitro digestion experiment was conducted to assess the behavior of Ast emulsion under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The stability correlation coefficients were calculated using the Python database Pandas. The results showed that Ast-CS-TP emulsions exhibited turbidity and enhanced homogeneity with a small particle size of around 400 nm and a high absolute zeta potential of 35 mV and exhibited excellent stability under various stresses. The Ast-CS-TP emulsions also exhibited pH-responsive release at pH ≥ 7, consistent with pH changes in the gastrointestinal tract, and were stable in highly concentrated salt solutions. We found that the CS and TP layers significantly improved the photostability of Ast. CS and TP significantly enhanced Ast's oral bioavailability. The stability correlation coeffcients showed that pH and salt concentration were the largest factors that affected the stability of the emulsion. This study provided important insights into the encapsulation and targeting of Ast, providing a theoretical foundation and technical guidance for the comprehensive utilization of Ast.

Low-Temperature Sintering of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles by Salt Addition

AbstractGold nanoparticles synthetized by pulsed laser ablation in liquid with a mean diameter of 4 nm were joined together by adding potassium bromide solution at various concentrations. By increasing the salt concentration, there is a significant increase of the particle size up to a mean diameter of 18 nm. We have studied the nanoparticle merging by using atomic force and electron microscopy characterizations, also demonstrating that it is possible to deposit sintered nanoparticles on silanized substrates in a fast, simple, cost-effective, energy-saving method with relevance in industrial manufacturing.

Gelation and dough‐forming properties of canary seed protein concentrate in comparison with commercial soy protein concentrate and vital wheat gluten

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesIn this study, a lab‐scale process was developed to aqueously de‐oil canary seed (yellow and brown‐seeded) flour and derive a protein concentrate. The protein concentrates prepared were evaluated for their gelation and bread dough‐forming properties.FindingsThe aqueous process successfully reduced the oil content in both yellow‐seed and brown‐seed roller‐milled flour. The protein concentrate prepared from yellow‐seed flour and brown‐seed flour had 74.9% and 68.6% purity (dry weight basis), respectively. Proteins showed high resistance to thermal denaturation (peak denaturation at 107°C). It was found that the least gelation concentration of both protein concentrates was 16% (w/w). There were no significant differences in viscoelastic properties and water holding capacity between the protein gels of these two canary seed types and the addition of salt did not noticeably improve these properties. Compared to canary seed, commercial soy protein showed better gelation properties. Both yellow and brown canary seed protein showed a good potential for improving bread dough strength when incorporated into a low‐gluten‐strength wheat flour and was comparable to commercial vital wheat gluten at 1%–3% (w/w) inclusion levels.ConclusionsThe new canary seed protein ingredients prepared by the solvent‐free aqueous‐based process hold good potential for application in food formulation based on their gelation and bread dough‐forming properties.Significance and NoveltyThe gelation and dough‐forming properties of canary seed were not previously studied; therefore, this study provides an insight into those properties for potential food applications for canary seed proteins, which is important for canary seed market diversification as a novel protein source.

Drop-Cast Hybrid Poly(styrene)-b-Poly(ethylene oxide) Metal Salt Films: Solvent Evaporation and Crystallinity-Dependent Evolution of Film Morphology.

Morphology templates of solution-based diblock copolymer (DBC) films with loading metal salts are widely applied in photocatalysts, photovoltaics, and sensors due to their adjustable characteristics based on surface (de-)wetting and microphase separation. The present work investigates the morphologies of drop-cast hybrid films based on poly(styrene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) and the metal salts titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and zinc acetate dehydrate (ZAD) in comparison to the pure DBC. By utilizing scanning electron microscopy, grazing-incidence small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, and differential scanning calorimetry, we find that the resulting film morphologies depend not only on the presence of metal salts but also on solvent evaporation and crystalline formation. At 20 °C, additional TTIP and ZAD in the polymer template cause the morphology to change from packed globular structures to separated wormlike structures attributed to the changed polymer environment. Furthermore, additional tetrahydrofuran causes irregular structures at the precursor film part and the overlapped wormlike structures to transition into close-packed globular structures at the cap film parts of the pure DBC. In contrast, at 50 °C, the globular structures transit to fingerprint patterns due to the thermal behavior of the crystallizable PEO blocks, and the metal salt additives suppress crystalline structure formation in the PEO domains.

Effect of shear rate, temperature, and salts on the viscosity and viscoelasticity of semi‐dilute and entangled xanthan gum

AbstractXanthan gum, a naturally‐occurring, high‐molecular‐weight, anionic polyelectrolyte, exhibits significant drag‐reducing properties at low concentrations in water, suggesting promising applications in geothermal networks. The flow behavior of xanthan solutions are explored, specifically at concentrations in the semi‐dilute (1000 ppm by mass) and entangled (4000 ppm) regimes as well as in both water and various salt solutions across a temperature range of 5–85°C. The viscosity and viscoelastic properties of xanthan solutions examine relationships between polyelectrolyte concentration, temperature, and salt concentration. Viscosity decreases by two orders of magnitude in 4000 ppm xanthan solutions in deionized water and with 50 mM NaCl (in the high salt limit) as the temperature increases from 5 to 85°C. Next, the addition of salts affects viscosity differently in the two concentration regimes. Specifically, at 25°C, the zero‐shear rate viscosity upon salt addition decreases by 63% for 1000 ppm solutions (from 0.54 to 0.2 Pa s) but increases by 280% for 4000 ppm solutions (from 28 to 107 Pa s). At 1000 ppm, salt ions cause chain collapse, reducing viscosity; At 4000 ppm, entanglements led to structural changes, resulting in higher viscosity. Furthermore, three salts commonly found in geothermal waters, namely NaCl, Na2CO3, and NaHCO3, exhibited similar changes in viscosity and shear thinning behavior in the entangled regime across temperatures from 5 to 85°C.

Studying the Influence of Salt Concentrations on Betalain and Selected Physical and Chemical Properties in the Lactic Acid Fermentation Process of Red Beetroot

This study emphasizes the significance of optimizing salt content during the fermentation of red beetroot to produce healthier and high-quality fermented products. It investigates the impact of different salt levels on fermentation, analyzing various parameters such as pH levels, dry matter content, total acidity, salt content, color changes, pigment content, and lactic acid bacteria count. This study identifies the most favorable salt concentration for bacterial growth during fermentation and storage as 2–3%. It was evaluated that salt levels fluctuated significantly during fermentation, with nearly 50% of the added salt absorbed by the beetroot tissues, mainly when lower salt concentrations were used. The fermentation process had a negative effect on the content of betalain pigments, as well as yellow pigments, including vulgaxanthin-I. It was also found that fermentation and storage affected the proportions of red pigments, with betacyanins proving to be more stable than betaxanthins, and that salt addition affected negatively pH and total acidity while causing an increase in yellow color. The pH was negatively correlated with the duration of the process, the amount of red pigment, and bacterial count. The results indicate that lower salt levels can lead to favorable physicochemical and microbiological parameters, allowing for the production of fermented red beetroot with reduced salt content without compromising quality.

Structure-property relationship of pea protein microgels as fat analogues in Pickering oil-in-water emulsions: effect of salt addition.

The design of plant-based microgels provides a platform for food ingredients to enhance palatability and functionality. This work aimed to explore the modifying effect of salt addition (KCl) on the structure of pea protein microgel particles (PPI MPs), on the interfacial adsorption and characteristics of formed emulsions as fat analogues. Salt addition (0-200 mmol L-1) promoted a structural transformation from α-helix to β-sheet, increased the surface hydrophobicity (from 1160.8 to 2280.7), and increased the contact angle (from 56.73° to 96.47°) of PPI MPs. The electrostatic shielding effect led to the tighter packing of MPs with irregular structures and lowered the adsorption energy barrier. Notably, salt-treated PPI MPs could adjust their adsorption state at the interface. The discernible adsorption of PPI MPs with 200 mmol L-1 salt addition that possessed enhanced anti-deformation ability dominated the interfacial stabilization, whereas a relatively rougher stretched continuous interfacial film formed after spreading and deformation of 0 mmol L-1 MPs. A tribological test suggested that emulsion stabilized by MPs at 0 (0.0053) and 80 mmol L-1 (0.0068) had similar friction coefficients to commercial mayonnaise (0.0058), whereas a higher salt concentration (200 mmol L-1) lowered its oral sensation due to the adsorption layer and enhanced the resistance to droplet coalescence during oral processing. Salt could be a modifier to tune the structure of microgels, and further promote the formation and attributes of emulsions. This study would improve application attributes of PPI MPs in the design of realistic fat analogues. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Comprehensive Study on the Parameters Affecting Magnesium Plating/Stripping Kinetics in Rechargeable Mg Batteries

AbstractMg metal anode‐based battery is a more sustainable, lower cost, and higher energy density alternative to Li‐ion. However, this battery chemistry also faces several challenges associated with the high charge density of Mg2+, including achieving high reversibility and low voltage hysteresis for Mg metal plating/stripping. While significant improvements are achieved in last decades, they involve rather complex electrolyte formulations and/or Mg salts difficult to produce, and the use of unpractical substrates such as platinum. Here, significant improvement in terms of Mg plating kinetics is achieved in electrolytes containing commercial magnesium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt (Mg(TFSI)2) by using titanium substrate with similar crystal structure and lattice parameter as Mg leading to lower nucleation overpotential. Low salt concentration electrolyte and addition of dibutyl magnesium (Mg(butyl)2) also enable the formation of thinner interphase, richer in solvent based decomposition products, further improving Mg plating kinetics. This work highlights the complex role of Mg(butyl)2, often considered as a simple drying agent, and how it impacts ion solvation favoring the mobility of electroactive cationic species, paving the way toward better electrolyte design with improved cation transference number.

Effect of salt and alkali on the viscoelastic behavior of noodle dough sheet with different wheat starch granule sizes

The underlying mechanisms of salt and alkali on the viscoelastic behaviors of noodle dough sheets with varied B/A-type starch ratios were investigated from water state, protein polymerization and conformation, and microstructure. The viscoelastic behaviors of dough sheets increased with increasing B/A-type starch ratio, regardless of the presence of salt and alkali, indicating the addition of salt and alkali did not change the effect law of starch granule size on dough viscoelasticity. The viscoelastic moduli of dough decreased in the presence of salt and alkali, and the effect was more obvious as the ratio of B/A-type starch decreased, which was mainly determined by the interactions of protein-protein, protein-starch, and starch-starch in dough systems. In the low ratio of B/A-type starch dough sheets, NaCl enhanced the non-covalent interactions and β-sheet structure, while alkali promoted the covalent cross-linking of protein. In the high ratio B/A-type starch dough samples, the big starch surface area provided by a high phase volume of starch granules led to the domination of starch-starch interactions over the protein phase, thus determining the viscoelastic behavior of dough. SEM images showed that NaCl caused the gluten to form a fibrous structure, while alkali induced a membrane-like and more closed structure. NaCl and alkali showed different influences on water distribution, molecular conformation, and network structure of dough sheets with varied B/A-type starch ratios and thus contributed to the different viscoelastic behaviors.

Monte Carlo simulation of an ammonia adsorption refrigeration system based on calcium chloride impregnated nanoporous carbon.

We use Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the effect of incorporating calcium chloride salt into nanoporous carbon on the performance of an ammonia-carbon adsorption refrigeration system. Simulations of ideal carbon slit-pores with pore sizes of 1, 2, and 3nm, each containing calcium chloride with ion densities of 0.0, 0.25, and 0.5nm-3, were carried out at temperatures between 0 and 30 °C and ammonia pressures up to 15.0 bar. The results reveal that ideal 1nm pores are able to achieve a good refrigeration performance using waste heat below 100 °C to drive the process, but adding salt to these pores increases the waste heat temperature required beyond 100 °C. However, ideal 2nm pores require the addition of 0.25nm-3 salt to achieve a similar performance, while the 3nm pores were unable to achieve a satisfactory refrigeration performance. Considering that real nanoporous carbons usually feature a variety of specific adsorption sites and non-ideal geometries that should have a similar impact to adding salt, these results indicate that nanoporous carbons with pores in the range of 1-2nm are likely to hold the most promise for adsorption refrigeration applications and that the addition of salt may not always be helpful.

Surfactant-Free Method to Prevent Gold Nanoparticle Aggregation and Its Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Applications.

The introduction of surfactants to stabilize colloidal citrate-reduced gold nanoparticles (prevent aggregation) is usually used in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. However, the surfactants have many drawbacks for SERS applications, such as increasing the SERS background and blocking surface active sites. Here, we develop a surfactant-free method to stabilize colloidal cit-AuNPs based on alkali regulation, and this method can prevent gold nanoparticle aggregation under different harsh treatments, including ligand modification, centrifugation-based washing/enrichment, and salt addition. The SERS spectra, density functional theory simulation, and ζ potentials of cit-AuNPs indicate that the stability of enhanced cit-AuNPs under alkaline conditions is attributed to both the increased negative charge density (by ∼6 times from pH 7 to 12) and the molecular configuration on the metal surface. Compared with surfactant-based methods, this method can well maintain the inherent optical and interface properties of nanoparticles, avoid the SERS background, and avoid blocking of the surface active site due to the presence of surfactants. This method will enable AuNPs to have a wide range of applications in areas such as highly sensitive SERS sensors.

Magnetic Kidney Stone Removal

Abstract Residual fragments can remain after kidney stone extraction which may necessitate another intervention. A new approach needs to be developedis needed to lower the risk of disease severe side effects caused by these fragments. Magnetic nanoparticles can be applied due to their properties of being able to bind to residual fragments and to be extracted by an external magnetic field. Fractals and magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized and characterized thoroughly. The small nanoparticles bind covalently to the kidney stones and a magnetic extraction of calcium oxalate fractals with magnetic nanoparticles is possible. The aggregation of nanoscale iron oxide nanoparticles can be induced with the addition of salt which improves the extraction process. The separation is validated by simulation and experimentally in a porcine kidney as well as in artificial kidney models. This proof-of-concept study successfullyis the fundament for a new waydemonstrated of extracting kidney stones extraction and including their fractals and might pave the way for new procedures in urology.

Preparation of a New Hexafluorobutanol-Farnesol Based Supramolecular Solvent and Its Application in Microextraction of Sudan Dyes From Beverage and Water Samples.

In this work, a new supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS) was prepared for the first time using hexafluorobutanol (HFB) and farnesol (FO). FO acts as an amphiphile and HFB as a coacervation inducer and density regulator. The method of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography, supported by a vortex technique, was established using the prepared SUPRAS for the determination of Sudan dyes in aqueous samples. The extraction parameters, including FO content, HFB content, vortex time, salt addition, and solution pH, were thoroughly investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the linearity range is 10-750ng/mL for Sudan I, and 10-1000ng/mL for Sudan III and Sudan IV, respectively. The limits of detection for Sudan dyes were in the range of 0.8-3.1ng/mL. The inter- and intra-day relative standard deviations for Sudan dyes were in the range of 1.3%-4.1% and 0.2%-2.6%, respectively. Finally, the proposed method was applied to the determination of Sudan dyes in beverage and river water samples with recoveries ranging from 93.9% to 122.1%. Compared to conventional techniques for the extraction of Sudan dyes in real samples, the proposed method is simpler, faster, and more environmentally friendly.

A novel multifunctional naphthalene triazole columnar liquid crystal: synthesis, self-assembly and application in silicon solar cells

Herein, click reaction was used as a crucial step to effectively synthesize a new multifunctional naphthalene triazole columnar liquid crystal ICm/n. The properties of liquid crystal and gel in ICm/n were investigated using POM, DSC, XRD and SEM. ICm/n can self-assemble into square columnar liquid crystals in their pure state and form organogels in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In addition, ICm/n can be used as a Fe3+ chemosensor. Interestingly, the addition of lithium salts has a significant impact on the self-assembly, molecular dynamics and ionic conductivity of the compounds, thus potentially providing nanostructured LC electrolytes with continuous substrate ionic conductivity. Additionally, the use of ICm/n as a dopant in the poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene (PEDOT: PSS) hole injection layer greatly enhanced the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of Si/PEDOT: PSS heterojunction solar cells, boosting it from 2.08 % to 8.10 %. The current work offers a novel method for creating liquid crystal (LC) materials with several uses for naphthalene triazoles.