Strong Hydrogen-bonding Interactions Research Articles

Constructing local nanomolecular trap in a scalable, low-cost, and ultramicroporous metal–organic framework for efficient capture of greenhouse gases SF6 and CO2

The capture of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important but challenging task for reducing greenhouse gas emission and thereby diminishing negative impacts of global climate change. Herein, we integrated local nanomolecular traps into an inexpensive cobalt-based metal–organic framework (MOF, namely GNU-3) with suitable pore sizes and functional pore surfaces for capturing greenhouse gases. Activated GNU-3a showed good adsorption and separation properties for SF6 and CO2. Especially for SF6, GNU-3a displayed the high SF6/N2 (10:90, v/v) selectivity of 317.6 and SF6 uptake capacity of 2.63mmol/g at 298 K and 1.0 bar. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and first-principles dispersion-corrected density functional theory calculations identified that gas molecules were favorably trapped in polyaromatic ring functionalized channel centers and nanomolecular traps of pore walls by the strong hydrogen bond interactions. Excellent breakthrough results recommend practical separating properties of GNU-3a for binary SF6/N2 and CO2/N2 mixtures, and ternary SF6/CO2/N2 mixtures. Moreover, benefitting from superior features of cheap raw materials and large-scale synthesis, GNU-3 is expected to be applied to practical industrial scenarios. This work may provide insights into constructing prospectively industrial porous MOF adsorbents with optimal pore structures for greenhouse gas capture.

Anethole Regulated Crystallization for High Efficiency Carbon‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells

AbstractTwo‐step sequential deposition is a widespread technique for the fabrication of perovskite films, renowned for its better control of the crystallization process. However, achieving a well‐controlled and complete reaction of PbI2 by organic ammonium salts remains a key challenge. Previous studies have predominantly focused on regulating the properties of the PbI2 layer while paying less attention to the high reactivity of organic ammonium salts. In this study, the natural molecule anethole is first explored to control perovskite crystallization during two‐step sequential deposition, focusing on the reactivity modulation of organic formamidine ion (FA+). It is demonstrated that FA+ exhibits strong hydrogen bond interactions with anethole, inhibiting the high reactivity of FA+ and effectively delaying the rapid reaction between FAI and PbI2. This decelerates the crystallization kinetics of perovskite films, facilitating the orderly and complete reaction of PbI2 by FAI while suppressing detrimental δ‐phase formation. Consequently, FA‐based perovskite films with high crystallinity, preferred orientation, and low defect state density are obtained. The fabricated planar hole transport layer‐free carbon electrode perovskite solar cells deliver an efficiency of 20.41% (certified efficiency of 20.0%), which is a new record for this kind of solar cell.

A pH-sensitive film based on chitosan/gelatin and anthocyanin from Zingiber striolatum Diels for monitoring fish freshness

As a new type of packaging method, the anthocyanin-based pH-sensitive indicator film has gained much attention owing to low cost, small size, and visually informative property. In this study, an intelligent film based on chitosan/gelatin (CG) matrix with Zingiber striolatum Diels (ZSD) anthocyanin for fish freshness monitoring was developed. The film properties, including thickness, moisture content, color, mechanical properties, UV–vis light barrier property, as well as pH and ammonia sensitivity, were evaluated. The CG-ZSD films exhibited a more compact structure when compared with the CG film. The CG-ZSD20 film showed the highest elongation at break (6.33 ± 0.62%) and lowest tensile strength (20.0 ± 0.58 MPa). FTIR spectra revealed the strong hydrogen bond interactions between ZSD and polymer matrix. Film incorporated with 15% anthocyanin extract has increased melting temperature at 118.9 °C, and a lower weight loss (13.8%) at melting temperature. In pH 1–14 buffer, the color of CG-ZSD films underwent a significant change from red to yellow-green. The CG-ZSD15 film was utilized for monitoring fish freshness and showed visible color changes from deep purple to brown. The total volatile basic nitrogen content and pH value changes of fish were closely related to the visual color changes in film. This demonstrated that the film was a highly pH-sensitive film for quantifying fish freshness in real-time.

Characterization and Dissolution Mechanism of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids or Inorganic Mesoporous Particle-Based Piperine Amorphous Solid Dispersions.

The objective of the current study is to prepare amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) containing piperine (PIP) by utilizing organic acid glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and inorganic disordered mesoporous silica 244FP (MSN/244FP) as carriers and to investigate their dissolution mechanism. The physicochemical properties of ASDs were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and one-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) studies collectively proved that strong hydrogen-bonding interactions formed between PIP and the carriers in ASDs. Additionally, molecular dynamic (MD) simulation was conducted to simulate and predict the physical stability and dissolution mechanisms of the ASDs. Interestingly, it revealed a significant increase in the dissolution of amorphous PIP in ASDs in in vitro dissolution studies. Rapid dissolution of GA in pH 6.8 medium resulted in the immediate release of PIP drugs into a supersaturated state, acting as a dissolution-control mechanism. This exhibited a high degree of fitting with the pseudo-second-order dynamic model, with an R2 value of 0.9996. Conversely, the silanol groups on the outer surface of the MSN and its porous nanostructures enabled PIP to display a unique two-step drug release curve, indicating a diffusion-controlled mechanism. This curve conformed to the Ritger-Peppas model, with an R2 > 0.9. The results obtained provide a clear evidence of the proposed transition of dissolution mechanism within the same ASD system, induced by changes in the properties of carriers in a solution medium of varying pH levels.

A series of quinazolin-4(3H)-one-morpholine hybrids as anti-lung-cancer agents: Synthesis, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, ADME prediction and biological activity studies.

In this study, we synthesized 15 novel quinazoline-morpholinobenzylideneamino hybrid compounds from methyl anthranilate and we assessed their cytotoxicity via invitro assays against A549 and BEAS-2B cell lines. Molecular docking studies were conducted to evaluate the protein-ligand interactions and inhibition mechanisms on nine different molecular targets, while molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to assess the stability of the best docked ligand-protein complexes. Additionally, ADME prediction was carried out to determine physicochemical parameters and drug likeness. According to the cytotoxicity assays, compound 1 (IC50 = 2.83 μM) was found to be the most active inhibitor against A549 cells. While the selectivity index (SI) of compound 1 is 29, the SI of the reference drugs paclitaxel and sorafenib, used in this study, are 2.40 and 4.92, respectively. Among the hybrid compounds, 1 has the best docking scores against VEGFR1 (-11.744 kcal/mol), VEGFR2 (-12.407 kcal/mol) and EGFR (-10.359 kcal/mol). During MD simulations, compound 1 consistently exhibited strong hydrogen bond interactions with the active sites of VEGFR1 and 2, and these interactions were maintained for more than 90% of the simulation time. Additionally, the RMSD and RMSF values of the ligand-protein complexes exhibited high stability at their minimum levels around 1-2 Å. In conclusion, these findings suggest that compound 1 may be a potent and selective inhibitor candidate for lung cancer treatment and inhibition of VEGFR2, especially.

Propolis ethanol extract functionalized chitosan/Tenebrio molitor larvae protein film for sustainable active food packaging

The application of novel insect proteins as future food resources in the food field has attracted more and more attention. In this study, a biodegradable antibacterial food packaging material with beneficial mechanical properties was developed using Tenebrio molitor larvae protein (TMP), chitosan (CS) and propolis ethanol extract (PEE) as raw materials. PEE was uniformly dispersed in the film matrix and the composite films showed excellent homogeneity and compatibility. There are strong intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions between CS, TMP, and PEE in the films, which exhibit the structure characteristics of amorphous materials. Compared with CS/TMP film, the addition of 3 % PEE significantly enhanced the elongation at break (34.23 %), water vapor barrier property (22.94 %), thermal stability (45.84 %), surface hydrophobicity (20.25 %), and biodegradability of the composite film. The composite film has strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which were enhanced with the increase of PEE content. These biodegradable films offer an eco-friendly end-of-life option when buried in soil. Composite films can effectively delay the spoilage of strawberries and extend the shelf life of strawberries. Biodegradable active packaging film developed with insect protein and chitosan can be used as a substitute for petroleum-based packaging materials, and has broad application prospects in the field of fruits preservation.

Vibrational analysis, DFT computations of spectroscopic, non-covalent analysis with molecular docking and dynamic simulation of 2-amino-4, 6-dimethyl pyrimidine benzoic acid

Vibration assignments were refined through the use of normal coordinate analysis (NCA), one of several spectroscopic computations employed in extensive investigations into the composition of 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine benzoic acid (2ADPB). Red-shifting bands revealed N-H-O hydrogen bonding, which is corroborated by optimised geometry results and vibrational analysis. The bond length and angle have been studied through an optimized geometry at B3PW91/6–31 G (d, p) theory. FMO and NBO methods investigate chemical reactions and strength of 2ADPB. Strong intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions O13‧‧‧H27-N25 and O14-H15‧‧‧N16 have been confirmed by structural studies and remains confirmed through BCP on H15-N16, H27-O13 for 2ADPB have sturdy intermolecular hydrogen bonds interactions. MEP categorizes negative and positive sites, visualizing charge accumulation on individual atoms in the molecule. The molecule showed charge transfer, analyzed with descriptors like LOL and ELF. Kirby-Bauer method confirmed findings across bacterial strains. Molecular Docking explored ligand-protein interactions, while pharmacokinetics was studied using drug features.

Synthesis, docking studies, in silico ADMET predictions, DFT calculations, and photophysical properties of thiazole-anthracene hybrids as potent EGFR inhibitors

The thiazole ring closure of thiosemicarbazones with α-bromo-4-substituted acetophenones was carried out to generate aminothiazole analogues (A1–A16). Experimental methods were used to characterize the developed compounds, including HRMS, 1H, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. Single-crystal XRD investigations have verified the compound A5 crystal structure. All the synthesized hybrid compounds underwent screening for their anticancer activity against various cancer cell lines, encompassing human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549), as well as normal human breast cell (MCF-10A). The compounds A2, A5, and A8 exhibited excellent anticancer activity against MCF-7 and A549 cancer cell lines compared to the reference drug Erlotinib. Later, in vitro, EGFR results revealed that compared to the reference drug Erlotinib (IC50 value = 0.42 ± 0.04 µM), compounds A2, A5 and A8 displayed the highest tyrosine kinase EGFR inhibitory potency with IC50 values of 1.38 ± 0.11 µM, 0.88 ± 0.05 µM and 1.86 ± 0.12 µM, respectively.Furthermore, in silico molecular docking studies on EGFR (PDB ID: 4HJ0) protein revealed that the potent ligands exhibited higher affinity with an active pocket of receptors showing strong hydrogen bond interactions. The compounds' electronic behaviour, stable geometries, MEP surfaces, and FMO analysis were investigated employing density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP level with a 6-311G(d, p) basic set. An in silico ADMET study was also performed to predict the pharmacokinetic and toxicity profile of synthesized compounds, which expressed good oral drug-like behaviour and non-toxic nature. Further, the photophysical properties (UV and fluorescence) of the compounds were discussed.

Effect of the π-stacking interaction mechanism inside a composite-based MEHPPV-P3HT mixed with different acceptor materials

The MEH-PPV-P3HT copolymer is a newly studied donor organic conjugated compound that has good optoelectronic properties which enhances its reliability to be a great candidate to be used in an active layer of optoelectronic devices. The principal aim of this current work is to mix this copolymer with four different acceptor materials (fullerene, non-fullerene (NFA), carbon nanotubes, and doped reduced graphene oxide) and compare their obtained properties to find the most efficient composite. The investigation of the structural and electronic properties at the ground state has been performed using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation method. The optical properties have been simulated in the excited state using Time-Dependent-Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT). The obtained results show that the addition of the acceptor material to the copolymer MEH-PPV-P3HT reduces the electronic gap energy from 2.46 eV to 1.25 eV, which indicates the π-stacking intermolecular interaction which improves the charge transfer process. The comparative study between the four composites indicates that the composite based on the nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide MEH-PPV-P3HT: N-RGO has great properties such as a higher intermolecular interaction energy (0.569E+07 Kcal/mol) corresponding to strong hydrogen-bonding interaction, lower binding energy in the order of 0.49 eV which ascertains the dissociation of the exciton at the excited state. In addition, this composite has good softness and electrophilicity which assesses their effectiveness for the charge transfer process than the three other studied composites. Thus, these results imply the ability of MEH-PPV-P3HT: N-RGO to be applied as an active layer in bulk heterojunction solar cells.

New insights into the interfacial characteristics of Poly(Acrylic Acid) binder and hydrated V2O5 cathode material for zinc-ion secondary batteries

Hydrated vanadium pentoxide and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) are employed as a cathode active material and a binder, respectively, for aqueous zinc-ion secondary batteries (AZIBs). This study investigates the physicochemical interfacial characteristics of the PAA binder, with a particular focus on the intermolecular interactions between the binder and the hydrated V2O5 cathode materials. The PAA binder enables rapid Zn2+ diffusion by providing ion diffusion pathways, thereby enhancing the kinetics of the V2O5 cathode. The PAA binder improves hardness and ion conductivity while reducing the modulus, which results in AZIBs with stable cycle performance under our experimental conditions. The significantly enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to the strong hydrogen bond and chelation interactions between the PAA and the surface of the hydrated V2O5 cathode materials. Thus, a Zn–V2O5 battery employing a PAA binder outperformed existing AZIBs, showing an impressive capacity of 504.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and a robust cycling retention of 99.9 % over 1000 cycles, demonstrating the potential of aqueous binders in vanadium-based cathode materials.

Accessing color-tunable afterglows from single conventional chromophore-based polysaccharide films through palette strategy

Achieving multicolor afterglow modulation from single conventional chromophore-based room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials is attractive but challenging. Herein, a facile palette strategy based on physical doping of red afterglow-emitted chromophore (N8) into sodium alginate (SA) is proposed to achieve large range of multicolor afterglow modulation for single conventional chromophore-based RTP materials. As well as being a key luminous component in the color palette, SA with cyan afterglow (upon 254 nm UV irradiation) can also activate the red afterglow of N8 via strong hydrogen bond interactions. Through regulating the doping ratios of N8 to SA, cyan to red afterglows have been achieved in the formed amorphous N8/SA films. Significantly, the afterglow of N8/SA also exhibits excitation wavelength- and time-dependent characteristics, which further extend the range and tunability of afterglow color. Besides, the phosphorescence lifetime of N8-based SA films could be further improved by chemically grafting N8 to SA, with a lifetime of 464.9 ms. Considering the excellent multicolor afterglow tunability and hygrothermal responsiveness, these smart SA-based materials demonstrate great application prospects in information encryption, anti-counterfeit ink painting, and 3D afterglow aerogel.

Adjusting the phase transition time node of a solid–liquid biphasic solvent based on 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol for efficient CO2 capture: Insight into the regulatory effect of aminoethylethanolamine

Solid-liquid biphasic solvents (SLBSs) hold promise as energy-efficient candidates for CO2 capture. Nevertheless, the premature phase transition of current SLBSs leads to inopportune solid precipitation, posing operational challenges for the CO2 capture system. This study proposed a promising strategy that using aminoethylethanolamine (AEEA) as a regulator to fine-tune the phase transition time node of the 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)/N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) SLBS, enabling the phase transition to occur precisely as desired. Experimental results showed that the AEEA/AMP/NMP (A/A/N) SLBS exhibited tunable phase transition time nodes, modulated by the concentration of AEEA. Specifically, with the addition of 0.2 mol·L−1 AEEA, the CO2 loading associated with the phase transition increased significantly, from 0.19 to 0.54 mol·mol−1, approaching the saturation loading of 0.57 mol·mol−1. The delayed phase transition would facilitate the CO2 absorption operation. The regulatory mechanism of AEEA on the phase transition were thoroughly studied via 13C NMR and quantum calculations. AMP reacted with CO2 to produce AMPCOO− and AMPH+, which had a significantly stronger affinity for each other than for the solvent NMP, mediated by strong hydrogen bond interactions. Consequently, the continuous and fast aggregation of AMPCOO− and AMPH+ caused their swift precipitation from NMP. With the introduction of AEEA, the derived product AEEAH+(S)COO–(P) acted as a bridge-builder, connecting AMPCOO− or AMPH+ and NMP via hydrogen bonds, increasing the solubility of the AMP-derived products in NMP, thus effectively delaying the phase transition. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the A/A/N SLBS exhibited a total regeneration energy consumption of 1.94 GJ·ton−1 CO2, representing a significant reduction of 48.9 % compared to that of 30 wt% MEA. This study provided a novel idea for designing SLBSs with controllable phase transition behavior, and offered a promising A/A/N SLBS for energy-efficient CO2 capture.

Computational study on the binding mechanism of allosteric drug TNO155 inhibiting SHP2E76A.

E76A mutations of SHP2 have been reported to associate with genetic developmental diseases and cancers, and TNO155 is one of the effective inhibitors targeted to the allosteric site 1, which has already entered the clinical stage. However, the detailed binding mechanism between them still needs further clarification at micro-atomic level. In this study, the binding mechanism of TNO155 inhibiting SHP2E76A and the superiorities of TNO155 at binding affinity and dynamic interactive behavior with SHP2E76A were probed utilizing a series of computational drug design technologies. The results show that SHP2E76A forms tighter interaction with TNO155 compared to SHP099. SHP2E76A-TNO155 exhibits the largest electrostatic interaction among all complex systems, which can be manifested by the strong hydrogen bond interactions formed by two electrically charged residues, Arg111 and Glu250. Notably, in SHP2E76A-TNO155 system, Asp489 makes an additional substantial beneficial contribution. The E76A mutation brings stronger residue positive correlation and a larger conformation fluctuation between N-CH2 and PTP domains, resulting in tighter binding betweenTNO155and SHP2E76A. This study offers valuable insights for the further design and development of novel SHP2E76A allosteric inhibitors.

In-silico analysis of ribosome inactivating protein (RIP) of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are highly active N-glycosidases that depurinate both bacterial and eukaryotic rRNAs, halting protein synthesis during translation. Found in a diverse spectrum of plant species and tissues, RIPs possess antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and insecticidal properties linked to plant defense. In this study, we investigated the physiochemical properties of RIP peptides from the Cucurbitaceae family through bioinformatics approaches. Molecular weight, isoelectric point, aliphatic index, extinction coefficient, and secondary structures were analyzed, revealing their hydrophobic nature. The novelty of this work lies in the comprehensive examination of RIPs from the Cucurbitaceae family and their potential therapeutic applications. The study also elucidated the binding interactions of Cucurbitaceae RIPs with key biological targets, including Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Strong hydrogen bond interactions between RIPs and these targets suggest potential for innovative insilico drug design and therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer treatment. Comprehensive analysis of bond lengths using Ligpolt + software provides insights for optimizing molecular interactions, offering a valuable tool for drug design and structural biology studies.

Double-skeleton interpenetrating network-structured alkaline solid-state electrolyte enables flexible zinc-air batteries with enhanced power density and long-term cycle life

The alkaline solid-state electrolytes have received widespread attention for their good safety and electrochemical stability. However, they still suffer from low conductivity and poor mechanical properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of double-network featured hydroxide-conductive membranes fabricated by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) as the double-skeletons. Then, we implanted quaternary ammonium salt guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (GG) as the OH− conductor for high-performance electrochemical devices. By virtue of the unique stripe-like structure shared from the double skeleton with a high degree of compatibility and stronger hydrogen bond interactions, the polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (PCG) solid-state electrolytes achieved optimal thermal stability (> 300 °C), mechanical property (∼ 34.15 MPa), dimensional stability (at any bending angle), and high ionic conductivity (13 mS cm−1) and ion mobility number (tion ∼ 0.90) compared with chitosan-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (CG) and polyvinyl alcohol-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (PG) electrolyte membrane. As a proof-of-concept application, the “sandwich”-type zinc-air battery (ZAB) assembled using PCG membrane as the electrolyte realized a high open-circuit voltage (1.39 V) and an excellent power density (128 mW cm−2). Notably, in addition to its long-term cycle life (30 h, 2 mA cm−2) and stable discharge plateau (12 h, 5 mA cm−2), it could even enable a flexible ZAB (F-ZAB) to readily power light-emitting diodes (LED) at any bending angle. These merits afford the PCG membrane a promising electrolyte for improving the performance of solid-state batteries.

Sustainable fabrication of fluorescent carbon quantum dots as an optical amplifier in modern agriculture, anti-counterfeiting, food packing and intelligent pH detection

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have received a great deal of attention due to their distinctive luminescent features and exciting potential applications in the fields of agronomy, enhanced anti-counterfeiting, drug tracking and intelligent sensing and detection. The focus of the current effort is on easily transforming toxic, non-biodegradable waste expanded polystyrene foam (WEPS) into extremely luminescent CQDs and investigating their various applications. As a nano-priming agent for Cajanus cajan (L.), the green pigeon pea (GPP), WEPS derived CQDs are used. The outcomes showed that seed priming had beneficial effects at all CQDs concentrations (100–900 mg/L), including accelerated seed germination rate, increased shoot and root length, augmented root vigour, higher chlorophyll content and biomass accumulation in comparison to the control groups. The most crucial data coding can be protected under 365 nm UV light using the optimized CQDs concentration (700 mg/L) blue fluorescent ink. In addition, a straightforward sensing platform with high sensitivity and selectivity is needed for the detection of dual metal ions, as well as one with a "turn-on and turn-off" fluorescence (FL) response. Additionally, a composite film containing well-dispersed CQDs (700 mg/L) in polyvinyl alcohol and strong hydrogen-bond interaction is successfully developed to alleviate the FL quenching caused by CQD aggregation. The resulting film had extraordinary FL performance, good mechanical flexibility and high transparency (transmittance of 90 %). Even more remarkably, this luminescent film showed sensitive pH responsiveness, signifying that when pH is stimulated, the FL intensity changed. A smart pH-detector based on this luminescent film is logically created as a proof-of-concept for real-time sensing and detection of pH changes in human sweat. These results show that WEPS derived CQDs have enormous potential as nano-priming agents for seed germination, seedling development, anti-counterfeiting ink, food packaging and intelligent pH-detector in wearable, real-time health monitoring.

Fabricating supramolecular lyotropic crystals at subzero temperatures: The pivotal role of antifreeze and nanostructures

The classical lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) prepared in pure water are not adapted to subzero temperatures. However, the fabrication of cryogenic LLCs is highly significant for gaining profound insights into self-assembly at extremely low temperatures. A proficient solution strategy, namely introducing alcohol antifreeze to water, faces a challenge in balancing frozen resistance and efficient self-assembly. Herein, we address this unmet challenge by selecting four alcohols with comparable structure to fabricate cryogenic LLCs system through the supramolecular self-assembly of a long-chain non-ionic surfactant. The freezing point, surfactant solubility, and self-assembly behavior at subzero temperatures were investigated. The alcohol antifreeze plays a significant role in depressing water freezing point and governing assembled microstructures. Both experimental and computational results revealed that alcohols bearing more hydroxyl groups are efficient to lower water freezing point while remain the capability to induce surfactant self-assembly. They can realize solvophobic balance and strong hydrogen-bond interactions. A simple approach based on Gordon parameter was established to evaluate the suitability as an anti-freezing medium for amphiphile self-assembly. Strikingly, a new LLCs system capable of withstanding the extremely low temperature of −80 °C was developed, which shows interestingly continuous phase transitions as temperature lowers to subzero. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into cryogenic supramolecular self-assembly, and offers a significant foundation and evaluation method for the selection of appropriate alcohol antifreeze for cryogenic self-assembly.

Multifunctional konjac glucomannan/xanthan gum self-healing coating for bananas preservation

Damage to the integrity of the preservation coating on the fruit surface will seriously affect the shelf life of the fruit. In this work, the strong hydrogen bond interaction between xanthan gum (XG) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) could form hydrogel films with self-healing properties. The introduction of gallic acid (GA) was beneficial to further improve the antioxidant activity and UV shielding performance of the composite films. Surprisingly, the mechanical properties and gas (water vapor, O2 and CO2) barrier properties of the KGM film crosslinked by XG were significantly improved. The experiment of banana preservation showed that the composite coating could effectively delay the water loss and browning of bananas, slow down the decomposition of pectin and starch in the flesh, and extend the shelf life of bananas for >6 days. Therefore, this multifunctional coating is an excellent packaging material and has a very broad application prospect in the field of food preservation.

Dual-ligand lanthanide metal-organic framework based ratiometric fluorescent platform for visual monitoring of aminoglycoside residues in food samples

Herein, a dual-emission Eu metal-organic framework (Eu-MOF) is prepared and used as the ratiometric fluorescence probe for ultrasensitive detection of aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGs). Due to the strong hydrogen bond interactions between AGs and Eu-MOF, the blue emission is enhanced while the red emission has little fluctuation in Eu-MOF with the addition of AGs, thus a good linear relationship with the logarithm of AGs concentrations from 0.001 to 100 μg/mL can be established for quantitative analysis. Good sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.33 ng/mL for apramycin, 0.32 ng/mL for amikacin and 0.30 ng/mL for kanamycin is achieved. The proposed assay demonstrates good selectivity and applicability for determination of AGs in real milk and honey samples. The Eu-MOF materials are further fabricated as fluorescent test papers for facile visual detection. The as-established ratio fluorescence platform offers a portable and economical way for rapid monitoring AGs residues in complex food samples.

Facile synthesis of PA photocatalytic membrane based on C-PANI@BiOBr heterostructures with enhanced photocatalytic removal of 17β-estradiol

The prevalence of 17β-estradiol (E2) in wastewater has attracted widespread attention due to the negative impacts on ecological environments and human health. Nowadays, photocatalysis has been emerged as an efficient technology for E2 containing wastewater treatment. However, traditional powder photocatalysts face challenges such as easy agglomeration, secondary pollution and difficult recovery, limiting their large-scale application. In this study, a photocatalytic PA/C-PANI@BiOBr membrane was fabricated by immobilizing polyaniline (PANI) layer and BiOBr nanosheets on polyamide (PA) membrane through in-situ chemical bath deposition. This process leveraged the strong hydrogen bond interaction between PANI and PA, with the fine PANI fibers providing nucleation sites for the in-situ growth of BiOBr nanosheets. By repeating the immersion process, we controlled variations in the coverage density and morphology of BiOBr on the membrane surface. The PA/C-PANI@BiOBr membrane exhibited outstanding light absorption and photocatalytic performance. Notably, the optimal PA/C-PANI@BiOBr-10 membrane achieved 100 % removal efficiency of 3 mg L−1 E2 within 40 min. In dynamic cyclic experiments, PA/C-PANI@BiOBr-10 membrane maintained stable permeability and high removal efficiency of pollutants. The photocatalytic mechanism underlying these results was elucidated through photoelectric testing and further photocatalytic experiments. Furthermore, the PA/C-PANI/BiOBr-10 membrane demonstrated remarkable durability over multiple consecutive cycles, with E2 removal efficiency remaining above 96.5 % after 5 cycles.