Mixed Solution Research Articles

Gallic acid functionalized silk fibroin/gelatin composite wound dressing for enhanced wound healing

As the incidence of chronic wounds increases, the requirements for wound dressings are rising. The specific aim of this study is to propose a novel gallic acid (GA) functionalized silk fibroin (SF) and gelatin (Gel) composite wound dressing in which GA is used as an antibacterial and wound healing substance. Via electrospinning, SF, Gel, and GA mixed solutions could be conveniently fabricated into a composite nanofiber mat (SF-Gel-GA), consisting of uniform fibers with an average diameter around 134.57 ± 84 nm. The internal mesh structure of SF-Gel-GA provides sufficient drug loading capacity, proper moisture permeability, and proper degradation rate. SF-Gel-GA presents excellent biocompatibility. NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells could adhere and spread stably on the SF-Gel-GA surface with slightly promoted proliferation. In the presence of SF-Gel-GA, the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, includingStaphylococcus aureusandPseudomonas aeruginosa, is significantly inhibited in both plate and suspension cultures. A cutaneous excisional mouse wound model proves the efficient ability of SF-Gel-GA to promote wound healing. Compared with pure SF dressing and commercial Tegaderm Hydrocolloid3Mdressing, the wound closure rate with SF-Gel-GA treatment is significantly improved. The histological assessments further demonstrate SF-Gel-GA could facilitate collagen deposition, neovascularization, and epithelialization at wound sites to promote wound healing. In conclusion, a novel SF-Gel-GA composite wound dressing with efficient wound healing activities have been developed for chronic wound treatment with broad healing potential.

Electronic Properties of Polyaniline-Graphene Nanocomposites Synthesized via Solution Mixing Method.

A key advantage of combining the exceptional properties of graphene with conducting polymers, lies in their remarkable property tunability through filler additions into polymer matrices, with synthesis routes playing a crucial role in shaping their characteristics. In this work, we examine the electronic properties of polyaniline(PANI) and graphene nanocomposites synthesized via a simple solution mixing method, which offers advantages such as ease of use and efficiency. Increasing graphene content enhances nanocomposite conductivity, and a percolation effect is observed. The percolation threshold is high and is consistent with a strong role played by voids in the structure. Temperature-dependent conductivity measurements highlight three distinct conduction regimes: insulating, critical, and metallic. These findings underscore the significant influence of synthesis method and structural disorder on shaping electronic properties, paving the way for engineering multifunctional nanocomposites with exceptional versatility and performance.

Interfacially Cross-Linked Polydopamine/Polybenzimidazole Composite Membranes for Organic Solvent Nanofiltration.

Interfacial cross-linking was used to prepare composite organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes comprising a polydopamine (PDA) active layer formed on a polybenzimidazole (PBI) substrate. Dibromo-p-xylene (DBX) was employed as a cross-linking agent to make the composite membranes chemically stable against harsh polar aprotic solvents. The interfacial cross-linking of PDA/PBI allowed for finely tuning the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of the membrane, resulting in a membrane with precise molecular separation capabilities for OSN. The morphology and surface properties of the membranes were characterized, and a membrane with a MWCO of 286 Da was investigated for OSN of a series of solvents. The membrane permeance was in the order of acetonitrile (MeCN) > methanol (MeOH) > acetone > toluene > dimethylformamide (DMF) > heptane > ethanol (EtOH) > isopropanol (IPA) > tetrahydrofuran (THF). The membranes displayed a sharp pore size distribution, yielding a rejection rate of over 99% for Rose Bengal (RB, MW 1020 g/mol) and Remazol brilliant blue (RBB, MW 626.5 g/mol) from DMF and EtOH solutions. When it came to methyl orange (MO, MW 327.3 g/mol) that had a molecular weight closer to the MWCO of the membrane, the membrane still displayed a high rejection rate of 95% and 99% in nanofiltrating solvents DMF and EtOH, respectively. In addition, it was demonstrated that the membrane was able to effectively fractionate mixed solutes having molecular weights appropriate for the MWCO rating of the membrane during OSN.

Novel antimicrobial biodegradable composite films as packaging materials based on shellac/chitosan, and ZnAl2O4 or CuAl2O4 spinel nanoparticles.

ZnAl2O4 and CuAl2O4 spinel nanoparticles were prepared by a modified Pechini method and used with the natural chitosan (CS) and shellac (SH) polymers to form novel composite membranes as promising food packaging materials. The selection of ZnAl2O4 and CuAl2O4spinel nanoparticles was based on their antibacterial characteristics, availability, and economy. Using a straightforward and adaptable solution mixing and casting method, the bio-composites were created. The mechanical, physical, antibacterial, homogeneity and air permeability properties of composite films were investigated. The film structure was evaluated in terms of component interactions using FTIR spectra. The addition of 10% SH increased the tensile strength, percentage strain at maximum load, Young's modulus, and burst strength by 114-101%, 3.6-8.4, 103-119, and 179-153% for low and middle M.wt./CS respectively. Chitosan/shellac-CuAl2O4composite has superior properties compared to ZnAl2O4composite. In general, 0.05% spinel provides a composite having better qualities than that of 0.1 additions. Middle M.wt. chitosan provides a composite with superior properties compared to that of low M.wt. The incorporation of ZnAl2O4 or CuAl2O4 enhanced the thermal stability of the SH/CS composite. ZnAl2O4 provides superior thermal stability than CuAl2O4. When shellac/CS film structure is treated with the previously indicated ZnAl2O4 or CuAl2O4 formulation, the % swelling decreases along with an increasing in the gel fraction. The antimicrobial assessment using inhibition zone diameter and shake flask methods showed that a composite of 1:9 shellac/chitosan/0.05% of CuAl2O4 exerted the highest Gram-positive antibacterial activity against B. mycoides (21mm), and C. albicans (22mm). So, these enhancements make chitosan/shellac/ZnAl2O4 or CuAl2O4composite films a good alternative to producing food packaging materials.

Unlocking the Potential of Push-Pull Pyridinic Photobases: Aggregation-Induced Excited-State Proton Transfer.

The pH effect on the photophysics of three push-pull compounds bearing dimethoxytriphenylamine (TPA-OMe) as electron donor and pyridine as electron acceptor, with different ortho-functionalization (-H, -Br, -TPA-OMe), is assessed through steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques in DMSO/water mixed solutions and in water dispersions over a wide pH range. The enhanced intramolecular charge transfer upon protonation of the pyridineleads to the acidochromic (from colorless to yellow) and acido(fluoro)chromic (from cyan to pink) behaviours of the investigated compounds. In dilute DMSO/buffer mixtures these molecules exhibited low pKa values (≤ 3.5) and short singlet lifetimes. Nevertheless, it is by exploiting the aggregation phenomenon in aqueous environment that the practical use of these compounds largely expands: i) the basicity increases (pKa ≈ 4.5) approaching the optimum values for pH-sensing in cancer cell recognition; ii) the fluorescence efficiencies are boosted due to Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), making these compounds appealing as fluorescent probes; iii) longer singlet lifetimes enable Excited-State Proton Transfer, paving the way for the application of these molecules as photobases (pKa* = 9.1). The synergy of charge and proton transfers combined to the AIE behaviour in these pyridines allows tunable multi-responsive optical properties providing valuable information for the design of new light-emitting photobases.

Mixed Adsorption Mono- and Multilayers of ß-Lactoglobulin Fibrils and Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate

The formation of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG)/sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) complexes decelerates the change in the surface properties of the mixed solutions with the surface age and increases the steady-state dilational surface elasticity in a narrow PSS concentration range. At the same time, the changes in the surface properties are accelerated in the dispersions of BLG fibrils with and without PSS due to the influence of small peptides coexisting with fibrils. A decrease in the peptide concentration as a result of the dispersion purification leads to slower changes in the surface properties at low PSS concentrations. The increase in the polyelectrolyte concentration results in an increase in the steady-state surface elasticity due to the fibril/PSS complex formation and in very slow changes in the surface properties if the polyelectrolyte exceeds a certain critical value. The latter effect is a consequence of the formation of large aggregates and of an increase in the electrostatic adsorption barrier. The consecutive adsorption of BLG fibrils and PSS leads to the formation of regular multilayers at the liquid–gas interface. The multilayer properties change noticeably with an increase in the number of layers from four to six in agreement with previous results on the multilayers of PSS with an oppositely charged synthetic polyelectrolyte, presumably due to the heterogeneity of the first PSS layer. The dynamic elasticity of the multilayers approaches 250 mN/m, indicating that they can effectively stabilize foams and emulsions.

Development of pilot-scale plasma bubble reactors for efficient antibiotics removal in wastewater

Plasma bubble (PB) is a promising technology to control antibiotic wastewater pollution. However, the practical implementation of PB technology at the industrial-scale is still underdeveloped. In addition, the influence of different discharge modes for PB on wastewater treatment is largely unknown. This study designed pilot-scale PB reactors with different discharge modes to investigate the degradation effect of norfloxacin (NOR) and tetracycline (TC) in bulk tap water. Results indicate that the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) mode with low average discharge power demonstrates superior degradation ability and higher production of O3(g) and .O2−(aq) compared to the spark mode which exhibits the high-intensity spark discharge in the tip area of the tube. After 40 min of treatment in a Double DBD reactor, 97.4% and 100% of NOR and TC are removed from 2 L tap water, attributed to the accumulation of antibiotic molecules by PBs and the in-situ generation of O3(g) and .O2−(aq) produced by plasma. Furthermore, a larger-scale PB reactor is developed by creating an array of four DBD reactors, effectively degrading 8 L mixed antibiotics solution. This study provides valuable insights for PB reactor design and the degradation performance of antibiotic wastewater, which will contribute to the further development of synergistic systems for plasma degradation.

Hydrogen bond, protonation, and coordination-induced supramolecular chirality inversion in glutamide-based amphiphilic self-assembly

In this study, we have synthesized two types of Y-shaped chiral amphiphiles, namely L-BG and L-PG, with a benzene or pyridine ring at the terminal position, respectively. The optimized conformations of both amphiphiles indicate the presence of intramolecular interactions. In dimethylformamide (DMF) solution at the monomeric state, both amphiphiles exhibit positive cotton effects; however, in DMF/H2O mixed solution, the cotton effects are inverted. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that both intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds facilitate the inversion of supramolecular chirality. Additionally, protonation and coordination of L-PG assembly results in chirality inversion and transformation of emission. This study emphasizes the significance of both inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the assembly process, providing insights into stimuli-responsive chiral supramolecular materials.

Gas-liquid interface properties of fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon surfactants and their mixed foams: Molecular dynamics simulations and experimental studies

This paper focuses on the gas-liquid interface characteristics of short-chain fluorocarbon surfactant FS-50 and hydrocarbon surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and their mixed systems. The foam properties of SDS, FS-50, and their mixed solutions were experimentally determined. Then, based on the molecular dynamics simulation method, the interaction mechanism of surfactant molecules at the gas-liquid interface was simulated and analyzed by constructing a foam-liquid membrane system containing surfactant molecules and water molecules. The experimental results show that FS-50 can effectively enhance the foam stability when the concentration is lower than 0.16 wt% and the mixing ratio with SDS is not more than 1:1; the simulation results show that FS-50 can change the arrangement of SDS molecules at the gas-liquid interface. Simultaneously, there is a competitive adsorption phenomenon between FS-50 and SDS at the gas-liquid interface. The low mixing ratio FS-50 can increase the thickness of the gas-liquid interface of the mixed system and the ability of SDS to form hydrogen bonds with water, enhance the water-locking ability of SDS, and further improve the stability of the foam liquid film. The interaction mechanism between short-chain fluorocarbons and SDS surfactants at the gas-liquid interface was revealed by simulation, which provided theoretical guidance for optimizing the performance of the foam liquid film.

A Portable Zn2+ Fluorescence Sensor for Information Storage and Bio-Imaging in Living Cells.

A fluorescence probe (Probe-ITR) was designed and synthesized for the rapid detection of Zn2+ based on the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism. The specific recognition ability of Probe-ITR to Zn2+ was tested using UV-VIS and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The results demonstrated a rapid response within 40s upon addition of an appropriate amount of Zn2+ into the mixed solution of the target probe molecules (DMSO/PBS = 5/5). Under 365nm ultraviolet light irradiation, the colorless solution changed to yellow-green fluorescence with a 150-folds increase in intensity. Furthermore, the detection limit for specific recognition of Zn2+ by the probe molecule is only 17.3 nmol/L, indicating high sensitivity. The practical application potential of the probe molecules was enhanced by employing on information storage and conducting cell imaging experiments.

Elucidation of complexation mechanism of rosmarinic acid and berberine

Polyphenols are known to form complexes with various organic compounds. This ability can may change the chemical or physical properties of the compounds involved and may even affect their efficacy in the case of drugs. Our research revealed that mixing solutions of the polyphenol rosmarinic acid (RA) and berberine (Ber), a widely used and pharmacologically important isoquinoline alkaloid, resulted in the formation of a precipitate of the RA–Ber complex at a molar ratio of 1:1. This was confirmed using 1H NMR and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. To elucidate the formation mechanism of the precipitate, the behavior of RA and Ber in an aqueous solution was examined using 1H NMR, indicating the formation of the RA–Ber complex at a molar ratio of 1:1, consistent with the results of precipitation. Additionally, we investigated the steric structure of the RA–Ber complex in an aqueous solution using molecular modeling calculations. These calculations suggested the existence of seven types different steric structures of the RA–Ber complex, primarily stabilized by π–π interactions. Based on these results, we concluded that mixing RA and Ber solutions in an aqueous environment results in the formation of RA–Ber complexes with seven types different steric structures at a molar ratio of 1:1. The precipitate forms because these complexes are less water-soluble than either RA or Ber alone.

Performance of Single Nanopore and Multi-Pore Membranes for Blue Energy.

The salinity gradient power extracted from the mixing of electrolyte solutions at different concentrations through selective nanoporous membranes is a promising route to renewable energy. However, several challenges need to be addressed to make this technology profitable, one of the most relevant being the increase of the extractable power per membrane area. Here, the performance of asymmetric conical and bullet-shaped nanopores in a 50 nm thick membrane are studied via electrohydrodynamic simulations, varying the pore radius, curvature, and surface charge. The output power reaches ~60 pW per pore for positively charged membranes (surface charge σw=160 mC/m2) and ~30 pW for negatively charges ones, σw=-160 mC/m2 and it is robust to minor variations of nanopore shape and radius. A theoretical argument that takes into account the interaction among neighbour pores allows to extrapolate the single-pore performance to multi-pore membranes showing that power densities from tens to hundreds of W/m2 can be reached by proper tuning of the nanopore number density and the boundary layer thickness. Our model for scaling single-pore performance to multi-pore membrane can be applied also to experimental data providing a simple tool to effectively compare different nanopore membranes in blue energy applications.

Guanidinium‐Based Covalent Organic Framework Membranes for Superior Mono‐ and Divalent Cations Separation

Biological membranes exhibit extraordinary efficiency in processing ion permeability and selectivity. However, creating artificial membranes for an ideal ion separation is still challenging due to the subtle distinctions in valence and size among different ions. In the realm of biological recognition, the ultimate selectivity of ion channels is considered to stem from the specific binding interactions and appropriate charge density. Designing artificial membranes to achieve similar performance not only helps the understanding of complex ion transport in bioprocesses but also facilitates critical industrial separations. Inspiring by the remarkable performance in biological systems, a guanidinium‐based covalent organic framework membrane is designed, which exhibits an excellent capability to recognize mono‐/divalent cations, achieving K+/Mg2+ selectivity up to 202 in a mixed salt solution. Furthermore, the membrane displays rapid ion transport owing to the uniform sub‐2 nm channels. The experimental results and molecular dynamics simulations illustrate that the charge‐assisted hydrogen bonding sites and the Cl− counter ions within 1D channels play critical roles in cations sieving. Specifically, divalent ions passing through the positively charged channels need to overcome higher energy barriers than monovalent ions. These findings offer promising avenues for the development of advanced multifunctional membranes for efficient ion separation and sustainable water‐related separations.

Injectable nanocomposite hydrogel with cascade drug release for treatment of uveal melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common malignant intraocular tumor with the trait of distant metastases. Currently, the standard clinical therapy results in suboptimal outcomes due to ineffective inhibition of tumor metastasis. Thus, developing novel therapeutic modalities for UM remains a critical priority. Herein, we have developed an injectable nanocomposite hydrogel (HA-DOX/LAP gel) through integrating hyaluronic acid-based drug-loaded nanoparticles into an alginate-dopamine gel, delivering the chemotherapeutic drugs, lapatinib and doxorubicin for combinational treatment of UM. HA-DOX/LAP gel is fabricated in situ by a simple injection of the mixed precursor solution into tumor sites and maintains in vivo for more than 21 days. The entrapped drug-loaded nanoparticles can gradually release from HA-DOX/LAP gel, enhancing tumor targeting and penetration, and synchronously releasing lapatinib and doxorubicin into the acidic intracellular environment to synergistically destroy UM cells. In vivo anti-tumor studies conducted in MuM-2B tumor models demonstrated that HA-DOX/LAP gel significantly impedes tumor growth, diminishes postoperative recurrence, and prolongs overall survivals of UM tumor-bearing mice through only single injection. Remarkably, the escaped drug-loaded nanoparticles effectively reduce the risk of tumor metastases. Our findings provide new insights for the development of multifunctional nanocomposite-incorporating combination therapy against UM by targeting tumor recurrence and metastases.

Efficient separation and recovery of cobalt from grinding waste of cemented carbide using a sulfuric acid-sodium persulfate mixed solution

The mechanical processing of cemented carbide often generates a considerable amount of grinding waste from cemented carbide (GWCC), which serves as an important secondary resource for recovering Co and W. However, efficient separation of tungsten carbide (WC) and Co from GWCC remains challenging. This study tested an efficient process for separating Co from GWCC using a mixed solution of H2SO4-Na2S2O8. Under optimum conditions of 20 g/L H2SO4, 30 g/L Na2S2O8, 60 °C, and 1 h, the leaching efficiency of Co reached 97.0 %, compared to only 58.6 % when using H2SO4 alone. The kinetics of Co leaching in H2SO4 and H2SO4-Na2S2O8 solutions were determined to be a combination of chemical reaction control and diffusion control, suggesting that Co leaching rate in H2SO4 solution is significantly enhanced by introducing Na2S2O8. Finally, complete recovery of Co was achieved, and pure Co powder with a flower-cluster morphology was prepared from the leaching solution through oxalic acid precipitation followed by vacuum pyrolysis. The regenerative WC and Co powder can be recycled for cemented carbide production.

Impact of pH-Dependent Dynamics of Human Serum Proteins on Dialysis Membranes: Cryptographic Structure Assessment, Synchrotron Imaging of Membrane-Protein Adsorption, and Molecular Docking Studies

Proteins are fundamental to biochemical processes and critical in hemodialysis. This study investigates the impact of pH on human serum albumin (HSA), fibrinogen (FB), and transferrin (TRF) interactions with polyarylethersulfone (PAES) hemodialysis membranes. A multi-method approach was utilized, including protein crystallography for structural insights, hydration layer analysis to explore solvation and interaction potentials, molecular docking using AutoDock 4.0 for binding affinity simulations, and in-situ X-ray synchrotron SR-μCT imaging to observe protein deposition dynamics.Molecular docking revealed that PAES demonstrated superior binding energies and interaction patterns with FB and TRF compared to cellulose triacetate (CTA), facilitated by specific hydrogen bonding within a water shell. CTA displayed weaker, hydration-sensitive interactions varying with pH. Imaging studies indicated that FB showed higher adsorption at pH 6 than at pH 7.2, predominantly in the middle membrane regions. Similarly, HSA and TRF exhibited increased adsorption at pH 6, suggesting a stronger affinity under acidic conditions. Mixed protein solutions also indicated higher adsorption at pH 6, emphasizing an increased risk of membrane fouling.These findings highlight the crucial role of pH in modulating protein-membrane interactions and enhancing the efficacy of hemodialysis. A deeper understanding of hydration environments and their effects on protein binding affinities provides valuable insights for optimizing membrane design and performance. Clinically, this research suggests that fine-tuning pH during hemodialysis could mitigate protein fouling on membranes, thereby improving procedural efficiency and potentially leading to better patient outcomes through enhanced dialysis effectiveness.

Dicarboxylate cellulose nanofibrils-supported silver nanoparticles as a novel, green, efficient and recyclable catalyst for 4-nitrophenol and dyes reduction

This study reports dicarboxylate cellulose nanofibrils (DCNF) as a novel reducing and supporting agent for producing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with high efficiency (63.82 % reduction) and loading (6.88 %) using UV light. Unlike previous research, AgNPs formation with DCNF doesn't involve cellulose oxidation. Instead, it appears to involve a loss of carboxyl groups from DCNF. In comparative studies, pristine CNF (PCNF) and TEMPO-oxidized CNF (TOCNF) were also examined for AgNPs production. The resulting AgNPs from DCNF exhibited a significantly smaller average size (3.9 ± 0.7 nm) compared to those from PCNF (26.9 ± 10.9 nm) and TOCNF (13.5 ± 4.5 nm). Catalytic activity evaluation by the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction reaction revealed a high rate constant of 8.47× 10−3 s−1 by AgNPs/DCNF, which surpassed AgNPs/TOCNF (1.79 × 10−3 s−1) and AgNPs/PCNF (0.63 × 10−3 s−1) by 4.7 and 13.4 times, respectively. Besides 4-NP, AgNPs/DCNF aerogels were also applied for methyl orange and Rhodamine B dyes reduction. The aerogels showed excellent reusability, maintaining over 95 % conversion even after five cycles and also effective in treating real samples and mixed dye solutions. This study opens the door for future research exploring DCNF as a support material for various metal, metal oxide, and carbon nanoparticles.

Novel sol-gel derived layered double oxides and layered double oxide/γ-Al2O3 with tunable selectivity as promising adsorbents for L-lactate uptake from the myoblast culture medium

Cultured meat production, a biotechnological solution for global protein demand and sustainability, faces economic challenges due to the high demand for cell culture medium. Contamination with cell metabolites, particularly L-lactate, impedes myoblast proliferation in high-density suspension culture. Eliminating L-lactate is crucial for reusing the medium and overcoming economic barriers in mass myoblast culture. Retaining essential nutrients like D-glucose, amino acids, and vitamins after L-lactate removal is imperative for sustained myoblast growth. This study proposes a sustainable and economically feasible adsorption technique utilizing novel sol-gel derived Mg-Al layered double oxides and Mg-Al layered double oxide/γ-Al2O3 with tunable selectivity as a promising tool for L-lactate uptake from the myoblast medium. In an aqueous solution, L-lactate uptake and selectivity over D-glucose were enhanced with the decrease in total Mg/Al ratio and crystallinity, increase in Al2O3 dispersion in adsorbent, specific surface area, and porosity. The latter was achieved successfully by metal alkoxide sol-gel method employing an organic structure-directing agent, where LDO/amorphous alumina nanohybrid with Mg/Al = 1.23 was successfully prepared in mixed methanol-ethanol solution in a relatively short time. A simple mixture of Mg-Al LDO with Mg/Al = 2 and nano-γ-Al2O3 prepared by a sustainable and economically feasible co-precipitation method was found to have comparable efficiency and selectivity to a costly sol-gel derived material. In myoblast medium, lower total Mg/Al was associated with higher cytocompatibility, pH-stability, and selectivity, while surface properties of materials did not play a significant role. Nano-γ-Al2O3 was identified as the most promising material for selective L-lactate uptake from the myoblast culture medium. Thus, further optimization of the medium treatment process with nano-γ-Al2O3 can realize cost-effective high-density myoblast culture with circular use of the medium – a novel sustainable process in the biotechnology field.

Strengthening Resilience and Sustainability for Post-Disaster Recovery: A Comparative Law and Economics Analysis on Smart Mixes Between Mechanisms

This article advocates smart mixes of mechanisms of post-disaster recovery in terms of boosting resilience and sustainability through liability rules, government intervention, insurance, and their combinations. Liability rules can provide compensation to victims and, in theory, also reduce disaster risks, while they have their limits in practice. The government widely intervenes in disaster compensation in many countries, but it faces challenges in how it can intervene fairly and efficiently, whether through informal channels, such as ad hoc charity, or structured approaches, such as compensation funds. As governments may struggle to provide efficient and effective compensation ex post, insurance may offer proactive solutions with models of first-party catastrophe insurance and third-party liability insurance ex ante. Where market failure, liability failure, and government failure may all arise, a smart mix of mechanisms is often preferable from a law and economic perspective, rather than relying solely on one framework. However, upon examining empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of these instruments in China, the UK, France, Germany, and Turkey, it becomes apparent that a mix of mechanisms is not always applied in an effective manner. Models of mandatory comprehensive disaster insurance, and Public–Private Partnership (PPP), which both receive government intervention as a last resort to the market and liability failures, can reach the goal of more effective compensation for disaster victims, risk prevention and resilience when faced with disaster recovery, and should therefore be substantially implemented beyond the current levels. To be clear, the proposed mix of solutions mainly focuses on legal and economic dimensions which are rather limited, ignoring, for example, building codes for structures and physical interventions.

Ion Identification and Ultralow Concentration Sensing with Liquid Flexoelectricity.

The isolation and concentration of electrical charges at ionic-electronic interfaces are prevalent phenomena that impede effective communication between ionic and electronic systems. Detecting these concentrated charges at the interface is crucial for applications, such as signal transmission and ion detection. Current electrical detection approaches introduce additional ionic-electronic interfaces via metallic electrodes with an external stimulating voltage, which alters the initial ion distributions at the interfaces. In this work, we introduce the flexoelectricity of liquids to examine the electrical charge aggregation at ionic-electronic interfaces under cyclic mechanical loads. The measured electrical responses reflect the coupling phenomena between the flexoelectricity and the electric double layer. This proposed approach demonstrates the capability to quantify ion types and concentrations at interfaces. Furthermore, it can identify ion types in mixed solutions and offers high sensitivity at ultralow concentrations. This work promotes a nonchemical, general mechanical method for charge detection at ionic-electronic interfaces.