Simple Method For Preparation Research Articles

Combustion-Assisted construction of Defect-Enriched hierarchical carbon composites towards efficient Low-Frequency electromagnetic wave absorption

Due to the high intrinsic conductivity of graphitized carbon-based composite materials, it induces a serious skin effect of incident electromagnetic waves, which deteriorates impedance matching and limits the wave absorption performance in the low-frequency regions. The introduction of defects can change the electrical and physical and chemical properties of carbon-based materials, affect the density of skin current, and thereby improve the overall performance of carbon-based absorbers. Therefore, it is important to develop a simple, low-cost, and fast preparation method for defect-rich structures. Herein, the defect-enriched hierarchical composites have been synthesized successfully via the soaking-burning-annealing process. The combustion treatment introduced numerous defects and oxygen vacancies while inducing a non-graphitization transition that reduced conductivity and improved electromagnetic balance in the low-frequency region. As expected, the charred sample exhibited notable enhancements in reflection loss (RL) and the effective absorption bandwidth within the low-frequency range of 2–8 GHz. The value of RL reached −52.2 dB, marking a 199 % increase over the unburned sample, while the effective absorption bandwidth increased by 28 % to 2.70 GHz. Even at a filling rate of only 10 %, the RLmin values of the optimal sample were lower than −30 dB across the S, C, X, and Ku bands. Additionally, the combination-induced defects led to phonon scattering, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity of the material. Thus, combustion can enhance the low-frequency microwave properties and thermal insulation of carbon-layered composites.

Detection of paracetamol by a montmorillonite-modified carbon paste sensor: A study combining MC simulation, DFT computation and electrochemical investigations

This study aims to develop a suitable electrochemical electrode through the incorporation of potassium montmorillonite (MMTK10)clay into the carbon matrix for the direct and sensitive determination of paracetamol (PAR) in pharmaceutical formulations. Electrochemical characterization of the electrodes involves the use of techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The results reveal that the voltammetric response of PAR is linear over a wide concentration range (1.0–15 μM), with a low detection limit of 0.46 μM. Analytically, PAR recovery results were around 94%, indicating that the developed electrode is highly suitable for PAR detection in pharmaceutical formulation. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) is employed to investigate the reactivity of PAR and explain the interaction process of PAR on the electrode surface at different pH values. A Monte Carlo simulations model is developed to provide a deeper understanding of the adsorption mechanism, particularly to comprehend molecular interactions and preferential orientations of PAR with MMT fractions at the electrode surface. Reduced Density Gradient is calculated and discussed using techniques such as Multiwfn and Visualization of Molecular Dynamics. The developed CPE-MMTK10 sensor provided a simple preparation method, rapid response, high sensitivity, reproducibility, strong selectivity, and extended stability. Moreover, there is a good correlation between most parameters calculated by DFT and experimental results, thereby reinforcing the validity of the theoretical approach in this study.

Multi-material embedded 3D printing for one-step manufacturing of multifunctional components in soft robotics

Developing a simple and effective preparation method for integrating functional components into highly flexible and multifunctional soft robotics is challenging. Here, we report a novel method for the integrated manufacturing of silicone-based multifunctional soft robotics components based on multi-material embedded 3D printing. By directly printing diluted platinum catalyst ink within a removable silicone oil matrix, which consists of a base monomer and crosslinker, we achieve one-step and time-unrestricted manufacturing of complex spatial structures (e.g., diamond frame, DNA double-helix structure, tubes, ears). The formed volume presents a high ratio (up to 25) to ink consumption volume. Meanwhile, printing materials and parameters are investigated for strong filament fusion and freeform fabrication of complex structures with high fidelity. Furthermore, a compliant robotic fishtail and pneumatic humanoid hand with seamlessly integrated strain sensors are designed and fabricated using this process. These components demonstrate effective execution, while the integrated sensors exhibit excellent linearity (0.99), repeatability, and stability, further demonstrating the feasibility and superiority of the proposed method for manufacturing soft robotics. These results confirm the enormous potential of this progressive method for flexibility, functionality, and integrated manufacturing of soft robotics.

Novel Binder with Cross-Linking Reconfiguration Functionality for Silicon Anodes of Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Silicon is expected to be used as a high theoretical capacity anode material in lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities. However, the huge volume change incurred when silicon de-embeds lithium ions, leading to destruction of the electrode structure and a rapid reduction in battery capacity. Although binders play a key role in maintaining the stability of the electrode structure, commonly used binders cannot withstand the large volume expansion of the silicon. To alleviate this problem, we propose a PGC cross-linking reconfiguration binder based on poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), gelatin (GN), and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Within PGC, PAA supports the main chain and provides a large number of carboxyl groups (-COOH), GN provides rich carboxyl and amide groups that can form a cross-linking network with PAA, and β-CD offers rich hydroxyl groups and a cone-shaped hollow ring structure that can alleviate stress accumulation in the polymer chain by forming a new dynamic cross-linking coordination conformation during stretching. In the half cell, the silicon negative prepared by the PGC binder exhibited a high specific capacity and capacity maintenance ratio, and the specific capacity of the silicon negative electrode prepared by the PGC binder is still 1809 mAh g-1 and the capacity maintenance ratio is 73.76% following 200 cycles at 2 A g-1 current density, indicating that PGC sufficiently maintains the silicon negative structure during the battery cycle. The PGC binder has a simple preparation method and good capacity retention ability, making it a potential reference for the further development of silicon negative electrodes.

A Simple Preparation Method of Reduced Graphene Oxide‐Incorporated BiVO4 Loaded with CoOx Composites and Application to Z‐Schematic Water Splitting under Visible Light Irradiation

The construction of Z‐scheme systems is an efficient strategy to realize water splitting under visible light irradiation. In particular, various photocatalysts can be employed for Z‐scheme systems when a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is used as an electron mediator. Herein, a simple 1‐step process for the preparation of RGO‐(CoOx/BiVO4) composites is developed. In the developed preparation method, Co ions are oxidized to CoOx by photogenerated holes in BiVO4 accompanied by simultaneous reduction of GO to RGO by photoexcited electrons. The developed preparation method is simpler than a conventional method that contains loading with CoOx by impregnation and subsequent incorporation of RGO by photocatalytic reduction. Z‐schematic water splitting under visible light irradiation proceeds when RGO‐(CoOx/BiVO4) prepared by the 1‐step process is combined with Pt/(CuGa)0.5ZnS2. Moreover, the developed method is also able to be applied to the preparation of RGO‐(FeOx/BiVO4) composites.

Thermal-sprayed ceramic/fluoropolymer coatings with tight bond and self-lubrication: Microstructure, tribological properties, and lubrication mechanism

Ceramic/fluoropolymer composite coatings capable of controlling friction and wear have attracted the attention of numerous researchers. However, their practical applications are significantly limited by the complex fabrication process and weak interfacial bonding between ceramics and fluoropolymers. Herein, the robustly bonded Al2O3/Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFA) composite coatings were fabricated via a straightforward technology, and a comprehensive investigation was conducted to scrutinize their microstructure, tribological behaviors, and lubrication mechanism. Results show that forming an interdiffusion layer between Al2O3 and PFA splats could be responsible for robust interfacial bonding. The generation of a well-covered unique lubricant film at the frictional interface enables the coefficient of friction to be reduced by 83.7 % to 0.13, and the specific wear rate correspondingly diminished from 2.69 × 10−4 mm3 N−1 m−1 to 4.93 × 10−6 mm3 N−1 m−1. The lubricant film is composed of numerous spherical structures and a layer of amorphous material. The development of the hybrid coating with a simple and efficient preparation method, strong bonding, and excellent tribological properties offers significant potential for applications in the field of tribology.

Mesoscopic Structure of Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations for mRNA Drug Delivery: Comirnaty and Drug-Free Dispersions.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) produced by antisolvent precipitation (ASP) are used in formulations for mRNA drug delivery. The mesoscopic structure of such complex multicomponent and polydisperse nanoparticulate systems is most relevant for their drug delivery properties, medical efficiency, shelf life, and possible side effects. However, the knowledge on the structural details of such formulations is very limited. Essentially no such information is publicly available for pharmaceutical dispersions approved by numerous medicine agencies for the use in humans and loaded with mRNA encoding a mimic of the spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as, e.g., the Comirnaty formulation (BioNTech/Pfizer). Here, we present a simple preparation method to mimic the Comirnaty drug-free LNPs including a comparison of their structural properties with those of Comirnaty. Strong evidence for the liquid state of the LNPs in both systems is found in contrast to the designation of the LNPs as solid lipid nanoparticles by BioNTech. An exceptionally detailed and reliable structural model for the LNPs i.a. revealing their unexpected narrow size distribution will be presented based on a combined small-angle X-ray scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy (SAXS/PCS) evaluation method. The results from this experimental approach are supported by light microscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoTEM), and simultaneous SAXS/SANS studies. The presented results do not provide direct insights on particle formation or dispersion stability but should contribute significantly to better understanding the LNP drug delivery process, enhancing their medical benefit, and reducing side effects.

Graphene Aerogel‐Based Pressure Sensors with Gradient Structure for Subtle Physiological Signals and Motion Monitoring

AbstractHigh‐performance flexible wearable pressure sensors require the simple preparation method coupled with a well‐designed structure. Graphene aerogel has garnered significant attention as a flexible pressure sensor due to its exceptional features such as high porosity, favorable compressibility, and fine conductivity. However, it remains challenging to precisely control the 3D structure of the graphene aerogel within the sensors, which limits the detection sensitivity and application range. Here, a freeze‐assisted transfer printing strategy (FATPS) is proposed for fabricating a high‐performance graphene aerogel‐based sensor with the gradient structures. Compared to sensors prepared using mold methods, the sensitivity of the sensor produced through FATPS can be enhanced by nearly tenfold. Furthermore, the gradient structure empowers the graphene pressure sensor with excellent reliability and rapid response time (50 ms) within the pressure range of 0.1–50 kPa. The sensor exhibits the capability to monitor and recognize various physiological activities, including pulse, vocalization, coughing, swallowing, and finger bending. It is expected that the sensor has remarkable potential applications in medical diagnosis, disability aid, and athletic injury prevention and so on.

Superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic quartz sand hybrid filters for efficient on-demand oil/water separation

The development of an efficient and sustainable separation method for oily wastewater has become a major challenge for industrial development and environmental protection. In this work, the simple special wettability particle preparation method and the hybrid filters construction strategy was reported for enhanced oil/water separation efficiency. Two special wettability quartz sands mixed in a certain proportion could destroy the balance of dispersed droplets in the oil-water emulsion, induce the coalescence of dispersed droplets, and purify the oil-water emulsion by the tortuous channel in the filter. Based on the coupling effect of “size sieving” and “coalescence separation”, the special wettability particle hybrid filter with a mass ratio of 3:1 had good droplet coalescence ability, and the separation efficiency of various kinds of oil-water emulsions can reached more than 98%. The hybrid filters exhibited robust mechanical and chemical stability, excellent durability, which enable them to be competent for oil/water separation in multitasking and complex environment.

Tumor-targeted delivery of copper-manganese biomineralized oncolytic adenovirus for colorectal cancer immunotherapy

Oncolytic viral therapy (OVT) is a novel anti-tumor immunotherapy approach, specifically replicating within tumor cells. Currently, oncolytic viruses are mainly administered by intratumoral injection. However, achieving good results for distant metastatic tumors is challenging. In this study, a multifunctional oncolytic adenovirus, OA@CuMnCs, was developed using bimetallic ions copper and manganese. These metal cations form a biomineralized coating on the virus's surface, reducing immune clearance. It is known that viruses upregulate the expression of PD-L1. Copper ions in OA@CuMnCs can decrease the PD-L1 expression of tumor cells, thereby promoting immune cell-related factor release. This process involves antigen presentation and the combination of immature dendritic cells, transforming them into mature dendritic cells. It changes "cold" tumors into "hot" tumors, further inducing immunogenic cell death. While oncolytic virus replication requires oxygen, manganese ions in OA@CuMnCs can react with endogenous hydrogen peroxide. This reaction produces oxygen, enhancing the virus's replication ability and the tumor lysis effect. Thus, this multifunctionally coated OA@CuMnCs demonstrates potent amplification in immunotherapy efficacy, and shows great potential for further clinical OVT. Statement of significanceOncolytic virus therapy (OVs) is a new anti-tumor immunotherapy method that can specifically replicate in tumor cells. Although the oncolytic virus can achieve a therapeutic effect on some non-metastatic tumors through direct intratumoral injection, there are still three major defects in the treatment of metastatic tumors: immune response, hypoxia effect, and administration route. Various studies have shown that the immune response in vivo can be overcome by modifying or wrapping the surface protein of the oncolytic virus. In this paper, a multifunctional coating of copper and manganese was prepared by combining the advantages of copper and manganese ions. The coating has a simple preparation method and mild conditions, and can effectively enhance tumor immunotherapy.

Universal Pretreatment Development for Low-input Proteomics Using Lauryl Maltose Neopentyl Glycol

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for low-input proteomics, particularly in the context of single-cell proteomics (SCP). In this study, we have developed a lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol (LMNG)-assisted sample preparation (LASP) method. This method effectively reduces protein and peptide loss in samples by incorporating LMNG, a surfactant, into the digestion solution and subsequently removing the LMNG simply via reversed phase solid-phase extraction. The advantage of removing LMNG during sample preparation for general proteomic analysis is the prevention of mass spectrometry (MS) contamination. When we applied the LASP method to the low-input SP3 method and on-bead digestion in coimmunoprecipitation-MS, we observed a significant improvement in the recovery of the digested peptides. Furthermore, we have established a simple and easy sample preparation method for SCP based on the LASP method and identified a median of 1175 proteins from a single HEK239F cell using liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS with a throughput of 80 samples per day.

Enhanced piezoelectricity of P(VDF-TrFE) by BN nanosheets doping and leading to high performance laminated magnetoelectric composites

With the development trend of miniaturization, lightweight and portability of electronic equipment, piezoelectric devices have been widely applied to transducers, sensors and energy harvesters. Piezoelectric polymers, like poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)), possess the advantages of light weight, good flexibility, and simple preparation methods. However, P(VDF-TrFE) films is not entirely composed of piezoelectric phase (β phase), so increasing the content of β-phase is very important for the piezoelectric property of P(VDF-TrFE) films. Doping nanomaterials with unique properties has been proved to be a feasible way to increase the content of β-phase. In this paper, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets, a kind of 2-dimensional van der Waals materials with wide bandgap, as filler were doping into poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) piezoelectric films by solution casting method. The composite films as designed, in which h-BN nanosheets were uniformly dispersed in P(VDF-TrFE), achieved higher contents of piezoelectric phase (β phase). Compared with pure P(VDF-TrFE) films, the optimal P(VDF-TrFE)/BN piezoelectric film achieved a much higher piezoelectric coefficient (d33) (∼42 pC/N), also leading to a higher piezoelectric voltage output than that of pure P(VDF-TrFE). By laminating the P(VDF-TrFE)/BN films as designed with FeSiB Metglas, high magnetoelectric voltage coefficients under zero and low DC magnetic bias were achieved. In summary, this paper presents a feasible and potential method for improving PVDF piezoelectricity, which has been successfully applied in high performance magnetoelectric devices.

Effect of Co-Surfactants on Properties and Bactericidal Activity of Cu2 O and Hybrid Cu2 O/Ag Particles.

Nanomaterials based on metal oxides, especially Cu2 O, have received much attention in recent years due to the many unique properties of the surface plasmon resonance they provide. The report presented the co-precipitation method, a simple preparation method to produce Cu2 O oxide particles. In addition, to improve the unique antibacterial properties of Cu2 O, a proposed method is to attach Ag nanoparticles to the surface of Cu2 O particles. The Cu2 O and Cu2 O-Ag particles were synthesized based on redox reactions using ascorbic acid (LAA) as a reducing agent. Moreover, in this experiment, two surfactants, polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), were added during the manufacturing process to create particle samples and particle combinations with better properties than the original sample. Changes in the characteristics and properties of particle samples are determined by many different physical and chemical methods such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), infrared spectroscopy (IR), noise X-ray radiation (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Finally, the activity against bacteria, including E. coli and S. aureus, was also tested using the agar well diffusion method to determine the zone of inhibition. The results improved the particle size value, which decreased by half to 200 nm when two additional surfactants, PEG and SDS, were added. In addition, the antibacterial ability has also been shown to increase significantly when the diameter of the bacterial inhibition zone increased significantly, reaching values of 20 mm (Cu2 O/Ag/SDS) and 32 mm (Cu2 O/Ag/PEG) for the E. coli bacterial strain. The initial test sample was only about 14 mm in size. The S. aureus bacterial strain also had a similar improvement trend after adding Ag to the Cu2 O surface with the appearance of two surfactants, SDS and PEG. The inhibition zone diameter values reached the optimal value at 36 mm in the Cu2 O/Ag/PEG particle combination sample compared to only the initial 26 mm in the Cu2 O particle sample. Finally, the particle samples are added to the acrylic emulsion paint film to evaluate the changes. Positive results were obtained, such as improvement in adhesion (1.22 MPa), relative hardness (240/425), and sand drop resistance (100 L/mil) in the Cu2 O/Ag/PEG particle combination sample, which showed the correctness and accuracy of the research.

Simple preparation and greatly improved oral bioavailability: The supersaturated drug delivery system of quercetin based on PVP K30.

Quercetin, as a representative flavonoid, is widely present in daily diet and has been developed as a dietary supplement due to its beneficial physiological activities. However, the application of quercetin is limited due to its poor water solubility and extensive metabolism. So far, the nano-drug delivery systems designed to improve its bioavailability generally have the shortcomings of low drug loading content and difficulty in industrial production. In order to tackle these problems, quercetin supersaturated drug delivery system (QSDDS) was successfully prepared using solvent method, for which PVP K30 was employed as a crystallization and precipitation inhibitor to maintain the supersaturated state of quercetin in aqueous system. The obtained QSDDS, with a relative high drug loading content of 13%, could quickly disperse in water and form colloidal system with the mean particle size of about 200nm, meanwhile induce the generation of supersaturated quercetin solution more than 12h. In vivo pharmacokinetic study proved that QSDDS achieved a high absolute bioavailability of 36.05%, 10 times as that of physical quercetin suspension, which was dose-dependent with higher bioavailability at higher dose. Considering the simple preparation method, QSDDS provided a feasible strategy and a simple way to improve oral absorption of insoluble flavonoids.

Efficient removal of dibutyl phthalate from transformer oils by iron/activated carbon adsorbent

Capturing dibutyl phthalate (DBP) impurities from transformer oils and purifying them is crucial for maintaining long-term sustainable transformer operation. Furthermore, this process significantly reduces the generation of waste from aged transformer oils, thereby contributing to environmental protection and sustainable development. In this study, various metal ion-modified wood activated carbons (ACs) were prepared using the wet impregnation method. The adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics studies reveal that Fe/AC exhibits a significant enhancement of more than 40% in DBP adsorption capacity compared to the original AC. Consequently, Fe/AC is the material with the highest adsorption capacity for DBP in transformer oils up to now. Furthermore, the desorption activation energy of DBP on Fe/AC was 46.623 kJ/mol, 1.73 times higher than original AC. Ultimately, the adsorption mechanism was explained using the Hard-Soft-Acid-Base (HSAB) principle, which demonstrated a stronger interaction between hard base DBP and Fe/AC due to the hard acidic nature of Fe3+ and therefore a higher capture capacity of DBP by Fe/AC. The simplified preparation method and enhanced adsorption capacity of the modified Fe/AC make it an efficient and cost-effective approach to ensure reliable and sustained transformer operation, while also minimizing the generation of waste transformer oils.

Adaptive Thermal Management Radiative Cooling Smart Window with Perfect Near-Infrared Shielding.

The architectural window with spectrally selective features and radiative cooling is an effective way to save building energy consumption. However, architectural windows that combine both functions are currently based on micro-nano photonic structures, which undoubtedly hinder their commercial application due to the complexity of manufacture. Herein, a novel tunable visible light transmittance radiative cooling smart window (TTRC smart window) with perfect near-infrared (NIR) shielding ability is manufactured via a mass-producible scraping method. TTRC smart window presents high luminous transmittance (Tlum = 56.8%), perfect NIR shielding (TNIR = 3.4%), bidirectional transparency adjustment ability unavailable in other transparent radiative coolers based on photonic structures (ΔTlum = 54.2%), and high emittance in the atmospheric window (over 94%). Outdoor measurements confirm that smart window can reduce 8.2 and 6.6°C, respectively, compared to ordinary glass and indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. Moreover, TTRC smart window can save over 20% of annual energy in the tropics compared to ITO and ordinary glass. The simple preparation method employed in this work and the superior optical properties of the smart window have significantly broadened the scope of application of architectural windows and advanced the commercialization of architectural windows.

Enabling stable high-performance CoO-assisted Si@C anode via ball milling strategy

Developing sustainable and simple preparation methods of Si/C composites for lithium-ion battery anodes that are capable of delivering high performance is essential, but remains a challenge. In this work, a sustainable and simple ball milling coupled with carbonization method is developed to construct an advanced Si@Co@C composite anode with a characteristic structure. The structure-property correlations of Si@Co@C in lithium storage are studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and ex-situ characterization techniques such as XPS, XRD and TEM. The findings show that CoO assisting, porous carbon coating and LiF-rich SEI layer together make Si@Co@C exhibit improved lithiation/delithiation kinetics and structure durability during cycle and hence outstanding electrochemical performance with 1248.5, 927.0 and 591.5 mAh g−1 at 100, 1000 and 3000 mA g−1 after 400 cycles, respectively. Impressive performance is also observed in the full battery test of Si@Co@C. Finally, this work offers meaningful reference for developing advanced Si/C anode through a facile method.

Development of simultaneous quantitation method for 20 free advanced glycation end products using UPLC–MS/MS and clinical application in kidney injury

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), derived from the non-enzymatic glycation reaction, are defined as glycotoxins in various diseases including aging, diabetes and kidney injury. Exploring AGEs as potential biomarkers for these diseases holds paramount significance. Nevertheless, the high chemical structural similarity and great heterogeneity among AGEs present a formidable challenge when it comes to the comprehensive, simultaneous, and accurate detection of multiple AGEs in biological samples. In this study, an UPLC/MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of 20 free AGEs in human serum was firstly established and applied to quantification of clinical samples from individuals with kidney injury. Simple sample preparation method through protein precipitation without derivatization was used. Method performances including imprecision, accuracy, sensitivity, linearity, and carryover were systematically validated. Intra- and inter- imprecision of 20 free AGEs were 1.93–5.94 % and 2.30–8.55 %, respectively. The method accuracy was confirmed with good recoveries ranging from 96.40 % to 103.25 %. The LOD and LOQ were 0.1–3.13 ng/mL and 0.5–6.25 ng/mL, respectively. Additionally, the 20 free AGEs displayed excellent linearity (R2 >0.9974) across a wide linear range (1.56–400 ng/mL). Finally, through simultaneous quantitation of 20 Free AGEs in 100 participants including kidney injury patient and healthy controls, we identified six free AGEs, including N6-carboxyethyl-L-arginine (CEA), N6-carboxymethyl-L-lysine (CML), methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolones (MG-H), N6-formyl-lysine, N6-carboxymethyl-L-arginine (CMA), and glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone (G-H), could well distinguish kidney injury patients and healthy individuals. Among them, the levels of four free AGEs including CML, CEA, MG-H, and G-H strongly correlate with traditionally clinical markers of kidney disease. The high area under the curve (AUC) values (AUC=0.965) in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that these four free AGEs can be served as combined diagnostic biomarkers for the diagnosis of kidney disease.

Comprehensive Overview of Controlled Fabrication of Multifunctional Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots and Exploring Applications.

In recent years, carbon dots (CDs) have garnered increasing attention due to their simple preparation methods, versatile performances, and wide-ranging applications. CDs can manifest various optical, physical, and chemical properties including quantum yield (QY), emission wavelength (Em), solid-state fluorescence (SSF), room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP), material-specific responsivity, pH sensitivity, anti-oxidation and oxidation, and biocompatibility. These properties can be effectively regulated through precise control of the CD preparation process, rendering them suitable for diverse applications. However, the lack of consideration given to the precise control of each feature of CDs during the preparation process poses a challenge in obtaining the requisite features for various applications. This paper is to analyze existing research and present novel concepts and ideas for creating CDs with different distinct features and applications. The synthesis methods of CDs are discussed in the first section, followed by a comprehensive overview of the important properties of CDs and the modification strategy. Subsequently, the application of CDs and their requisite properties are reviewed. Finally, the paper outlines the current challenges in controlling CDs properties and their applications, discusses potential solutions, and offers suggestions for future research.

Modification of bis-silane film with cerium salt for improved corrosion protection of sintered NdFeB

In this paper, a corrosion-resistant film (the cerium/bis-silane composite film) was fabricated on sintered NdFeB substrate by a simple and effective one-step film preparation method. The method uses an electrochemically assisted deposition technology to create superhydrophobic micro/nanostructures, during which the electrochemical oxidation of rare earth ions produces oxides and hydroxides to be deposited in the film layer. The experiment results show that the cerium/bis-silane composite film exhibited superhydrophobicity (hydrophobicity angle of 152°) and high corrosion resistance. The Icorr values for the cerium/bis-silane composite film is 1.81 × 10−6 A/cm2 with an inhibition efficiency of 74.6%. By characterising the morphology of its surface and cross-section, it can be observed that the cerium/bis-silane composite film is thicker and more uniform than the bis-silane (Ethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) + Dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS)) film. Additionally, due to its superhydrophobic surface, 3D network structure, and alkaline passive layer, the cerium/bis-silane composite film was highly effective in preventing the infiltration and diffusion of corrosive ions. Furthermore, the cerium/bis-silane composite film has very little influence on the magnetic properties of the sintered NdFeB, being a hopeful candidate for the new environment-friendly protective coatings to be used in the NdFeB and related industries.