Ternary Structure Research Articles

Preparation of wheat flour-derived carbon/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/nickel composite by kneading method for electromagnetic wave absorption

Wheat flour-derived carbon/multi-wall carbon nanotubes/Nickel magnetic particles (WFC/MWCNT/Ni) composite electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorber had been made by traditional kneading technology. Compared to conventional hard template biomass materials, kneading dough can disperse multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and nickel salts more uniformly. The introduction of MWCNT can tune the dielectric constant of Wheat flour-derived carbon (WFC) to achieve stronger dielectric loss. The Ni magnetic particles encapsulated in the carbon matrix not only provide the composite with magnetic loss capability, likewise also improve the impedance match conditions of the material. In addition, the ternary structure of WFC/MWCNT/Ni endows the EMW absorber with more polarization losses. The results show that at a matched thickness of 1.38 mm, the sample achieves minima reflect loss (RLmin) of − 74.03 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth (EABW, RL≤−10 dB) of 4.72 GHz. Benefitting from broadband absorption under relatively thin thickness, simple preparation process and easy availability of raw materials, it possesses enormous potential to become an efficient EMW absorption material.

Microstructural evolution during low-temperature brazing of WC-Co cemented carbide to AISI 4140 steel using a silver-based filler alloy

The joining of cemented carbides to steels used in the drilling/excavation industries due to their distinct characteristics has posed a significant challenge. This research systematically investigates the effect of brazing temperature (650, 700, and 750 °C) and time (5, 10, and 15 min) as the most effective brazing parameters on the phase transformations and interfacial microstructure of WC-Co/AISI 4140 steel joints. Low-temperature brazing due to eliminating the destructive η carbides at the cermet interface, makes it a more appropriate procedure, as compared to fusion-welding methods, as per the findings of the current study. It was revealed that the optimal condition for the process is at 650 °C for a duration of 10 min, in which the eutectic structure is refined and the distribution of primary dendrites is uniform. The microstructure of the brazed area presents a multiphase structure, comprised of a copper-rich solid solution (Cu,Zn), a silver-rich solid solution (Ag,Cd), a eutectic structure as well as the β′-CuZn ordered phase. The β embedded in ternary eutectic structure was partially transformed to β′ during the cooling cycle of the brazing process. Diffusion of silver and cadmium in cemented carbide, as well as the formation of Co-Fe-Cu reaction product, were proposed as the bonding mechanisms. The effectiveness of brazing temperature in enlarging the cobalt-depleted zone appearing in WC-Co is comparatively higher than that of brazing time. It is also concluded that by increasing the brazing temperature and duration, the fraction of copper solid-solution dendrites distributed in the joint area decreases, however, the size increases.

An easy CTAB-assisted path towards bayberry-like Ni–Co–Mn ternary hydroxide with enhancing supercapacitor performance

In this study, we synthesized a bayberry-like Ni–Co–Mn ternary hydroxide with a secondary nanoneedle structure using a modified and cost-effective hydrothermal process assisted by the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The incorporation of CTAB and graphene in the preparation process significantly enhances the electrochemical performance of NiCoMn–OH. The achieved results are truly impressive, with a high specific capacity of 1450 ​F ​g−1 and an outstanding capacity retention of 52.57% over 5000 cycles. The superior performance could be attributed to the specific bayberry-like microstructure with high effective specific surface area, which allowed for facile and rapid transport of ions and electrons. Moreover, the synergistic effect of CTAB and graphene proved to be crucial in stabilizing the Co2+ and Mn2+ ions within the ternary hydroxide structure. We developed a hybrid capacitor using a NiCoMn–OH-CTAB/Graphene composite electrode and an active electrode, which delivered a superior energy density of 50.79 ​Wh kg−1 at a power density of 400 ​W ​kg−1 and a cycling stability of 60.37% after 10000 cycles. These results indicate that the NiCoMn–OH-CTAB/Graphene composite electrode has great potential as an electrode material for energy storage devices.

Encapsulation and stabilization of lactoferrin in polyelectrolyte ternary complexes

Effective delivery of the bioactive protein, lactoferrin (LF), remains a challenge as it is sensitive to environmental changes and easily denatured during heating, restricting its application in functional food products. To overcome these challenges, we formulated novel polyelectrolyte ternary complexes of LF with gelatin (G) and negatively charged polysaccharides, to improve the thermal stability of LF with retained antibacterial activity. Linear, highly charged polysaccharides were able to form interpolymeric complexes with LF and G, while coacervates were formed with branched polysaccharides. A unique multiphase coacervate was observed in the gum Arabic GA-LF-G complex, where a special coacervate-in-coacervate structure was found. The ternary complexes made with GA, soy soluble polysaccharide (SSP), or high methoxyl pectin (HMP) preserved the protein structures and demonstrated enhanced thermal stability of LF. The GA-LF-G complex was especially stable with >90% retention of the native LF after treatment at 90 °C for 2 min in a water bath or at 145 °C for 30 s, while the LF control had only ∼7% undenatured LF under both conditions. In comparison to untreated LF, LF in ternary complex retained significant antibacterial activity on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, even after heat treatment. These ternary complexes of LF maintained the desired functionality of LF, thermal stability and antibacterial activity, in the final products. The ternary complex structure, particularly the multiphase coacervate, may serve as a template for the encapsulation and stabilization of other bioactives and peptides.

Bandgap energy controlling of quaternary metal sulfide-graphene-ZnO ternary nanocomposite for photocatalytic reduction of CO2

Graphene-based semiconductor materials are commonly used in CO2 reduction experiments to provide stability against climate change and energy crises. The lack of charge separation, insufficient active area, and unsuccessful junctions are deficiencies in poor semiconductor materials. This study addresses these deficiencies by designing a ternary nanomaterial structure containing a quaternary chalcogenide nanocomposite for bandgap energy control. Alpha-hydroxide carboxylic acids have been used to synthesize quaternary chalcogenides. Its primary function is to form a chain by inducing transition metal interactions. The AgFeNi2S4-Graphene-ZnO ternary photocatalyst was synthesized using a modified solvothermal method and used for the photoreduction of CO2. The photoreduction of CO2 was conducted under various conditions, such as different light sources (λ = 254 and 565 nm), using two types of electron donors to increase the diffusion of CO2 and prolong the decay time of surface electrons. The hybrid AgFeNi2S4-Graphene-ZnO photocatalyst showed high levels of CO2 reduction to methanol because of the improved charge transfer between graphene, ZnO, and quaternary chalcogenide nanocomposites with successful interconnection. The stability and recyclability of the photocatalysts were determined after six-times recycling tests. This study offers a promising strategy for reducing CO2 emissions and creating a high-capacity catalyst for the production of hydrocarbon fuels.

Integration of high visible-light-driven ternary dual Z-scheme AgVO3-InVO4/g-C3N4 heterojunction nanocomposite for enhanced uranium(VI) photoreduction separation

With deepening application of nuclear power technology, the problem of water ecological environment pollution caused by uranium (U(VI)) is becoming increasingly serious. Photoreduction separation of U(VI) on photocatalysts is considered as an effective strategy to solve uranium pollution. In this work, a novel ternary dual Z-scheme AgVO3-InVO4/g-C3N4 heterojunction (Z-AIGH) nanocomposite with high surface area (73.45 m2 g−1, Z-AIGH2) was designed. The batch adsorption experiment in dark environment showed that Z-AIGH2 nanocomposite had an excellent U(VI) adsorption performance. As for photocatalytic experiments, Z-AIGH2 exhibited a rapid photocatalytic response for separating U(VI) without any organic sacrifice agents. The U(VI) separation rate on Z-AIGH2 nanocomposite was over 98.7% after only 20.0 min visible light irradiation (T = 298 K, CU(Ⅵ) = 10.0 mg L−1, m/V = 0.1 g L−1 and pH = 7.0). Z-AIGH2 nanocomposite also showed good selectivity and cycle stability. The U(VI) removal rate of Z-AIGH2 nanocomposite after fifth cycles was about 96.1% (T = 298 K, CU(Ⅵ) = 10.0 mg L−1, m/V = 0.1 g L−1 and pH = 7.0). High photocatalytic activity of Z-AIGH2 for U(VI) was attributed to the construction of ternary dual Z-scheme heterojunction structure and ant nest-like hole structure. Based on above results, Z-AIGH2 nanocomposite had great potential for water environment renovation.

Band topology and phase stability of half-Heusler semiconductors with d0 alkaline earth atoms

In the previous studies, the topological insulators in the half-Heusler ternary structure are assumed to be in the γ-phase having the transition metal atom at the unique middle site. In contrast, the minimum-energy half-Heusler phase can well be the β-phase with the highly electronegative anion positioned in between the electropositive metallic ions. For this subtle reason in the following a systematic study of the phase stability and the band topology of XAuZ compounds containing d0 alkaline earth atoms (X = Ca, Sr, Ba; Z = As, Sb) in their respective minimum-energy half-Heusler phases is presented. It is thus found that all the above compounds are mechanically (or dynamically) stable and have formation energies that are within a reasonable distance from the thermodynamic hull. The band structures of all compounds obtained from the more accurate TB-mBJ exchange potential with the SOC included indicate a strong band inversion such that the s-like Γ6 band falls below the p-like (Γ7+Γ8) bands. Furthermore, due to the negative spin–orbit splitting in the β-phase compounds SrAuAs and BaAuAs, the Γ8 falls below the Γ7, which opens a significant bulk insulating gap at the Fermi level. The outputs of WannierTools, such as the Z2 topological quantum numbers, surface states spectra and surface Fermi loops, indicate that the β-phase compounds SrAuAs and BaAuAs are indeed strong topological insulators with a polar character due to the lack of inversion symmetry, while non-uniform strains are needed to turn the γ-phase compounds into Weyl semimetals (ca>1) and topological insulators (ca<1).

Photothermal-photocatalytic thin-layer flow system for synergistic treatment of wastewater

The integration of the photocatalytic effect into solar steam is highly desirable for addressing freshwater shortages and water pollution. Here, a ternary film structure for the adsorption and photothermal and photocatalytic treatment of wastewater was designed by combining the technique of self-assembled carbon nano paper with a nitrogen composite titanium dioxide (N-TiO2) deposited on the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNT) using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a substrate. The photogeneration of reactive oxygen species can be promoted by rapid oxygen diffusion at the three-phase interface, whereas the interfacial photothermal effect promotes subsequent free radical reactions for the degradation of rhodamine B (93%). The freshwater evaporation rate is 1.35 kg·m−2·h−1 and the solar-to-water evaporation efficiency is 94%. Importantly, the N-TiO2/CNT/PVDF (N-TCP) film not only effectively resists mechanical damage from the environment and maintains structural integrity, but can also be made into a large film for outdoor experiments in a large solar energy conversion device to collect fresh water from polluted water and degrade organic dyes in source water simultaneously, opening the way for applications in energy conversion and storage.

Tracking the PROTAC degradation pathway in living cells highlights the importance of ternary complex measurement for PROTAC optimization

The multi-step degradation process of PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) poses a challenge for their rational development, as the rate-limiting steps that determine PROTACs efficiency remain largely unknown. Moreover, the slow throughput of currently used endpoint assays does not allow the comprehensive analysis of larger series of PROTACs. Here, we developed cell-based assays using the NanoLuciferase and HaloTag that allow measuring PROTAC-induced degradation and ternary complex formation kinetics and stability in cells. Using PROTACs developed for the degradation of WD40 repeat domain protein 5 (WDR5), the characterization of the mode of action of these PROTACs in the early degradation cascade revealed a key role of ternary complex formation and stability. Comparing a series of ternary complex crystal structures highlighted the importance of an efficient E3-target interface for ternary complex stability. The developed assays outline a strategy for the rational optimization of PROTACs using a series of live cell assays monitoring key steps of the early PROTAC-induced degradation pathway.

Designing 3D Ternary Hybrid Composites Composed of Graphene, Biochar and Manganese Dioxide as High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Biochar derived from waste biomass has proven to be an encouraging novel electrode material in supercapacitors. In this work, luffa sponge-derived activated carbon with a special structure is produced through carbonization and KOH activation. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) are in-situ synthesized on luffa-activated carbon (LAC) to improve the supercapacitive behavior. The structure and morphology of LAC, LAC-rGO and LAC-rGO-MnO2 are characterized by the employment of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET analysis, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical performance of electrodes is performed in two and three-electrode systems. In the asymmetrical two-electrode system, the LAC-rGO-MnO2//Co3O4-rGO device shows high specific capacitance (SC), high-rate capability and excellent cycle reversibly in a wide potential window of 0-1.8 V. The maximum specific capacitance (SC) of the asymmetric device is 586 F g-1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. More importantly, the LAC-rGO-MnO2//Co3O4-rGO device exhibits a specific energy of 31.4 W h kg-1 at a specific power of 400 W kg-1. Overall, the synergistic effect between the ternary structures of microporous LAC, rGO sheets and MnO2 nanoparticles leads to the introduction of high-performance hierarchical supercapacitor electrodes.

Elucidation of the folding pathway of a circular permutant of topologically knotted YbeA by tryptophan substitutions

CP74 is an engineered circular permutant of a deep trefoil knotted SpoU-TrmD (SPOUT) RNA methyl transferase protein YbeA from E. coli. We have previously established that the circular permutation unties the knotted topology of YbeA and CP74 forms a domain-swapped dimer with a large dimeric interface of ca. 4600 Å2. To understand the impact of domain-swapping and the newly formed hinge region joining the two folded domains on the folding and stability of CP74, the five equally spaced tryptophan residues were individually substituted into phenylalanine to monitor their conformational and stability changes by a battery of biophysical tools. Far-UV circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, and small-angle X-ray scattering dictated minimal global conformational perturbations to the native structures in the tryptophan variants. The structures of the tryptophan variants also showed the conservation of the domain-swapped ternary structure with the exception that the W72F exhibited significant asymmetry in the α-helix 5. Comparative global thermal and chemical stability analyses indicated the pivotal role of W100 in the folding of CP74 followed by W19 and W72. Solution-state NMR spectroscopy and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry further revealed the accumulation of a native-like intermediate state in which the hinge region made important contributions to maintain the domain-swapped ternary structure of CP74.

Enhanced photocatalytic H2 production performance of Au@Cu2O-Ta3N5 discrete ternary core-shell spheres

Ta3N5 owns a theoretical band structure for photocatalytic H2 production. However, the practical production performance is unsatisfactory, which is probably attributed to fast electron-hole recombination. In this study, we design novel Au@Cu2O-Ta3N5 discrete core-shell ternary nanospheres for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 production by splitting water. This catalyst is prepared by coating Cu2O on the Au nanoparticles of Au-Ta3N5 nanospheres via an illumination method. The core-shell structure irradiated for 2 h (Au@Cu2O-Ta3N5 2 h) shows higher photocatalytic H2 production rate (65.78 μmol·g−1·h−1) than Au-Ta3N5 (0.5% Au-Ta3N5, 22.43 μmol·g−1·h−1), Au-Cu2O-Ta3N5 (32.24 μmol·g−1·h−1), and fully covered Au@Cu2O-Ta3N5 5 h sample (51.27 μmol·g−1·h−1). The enhanced performance is attributed to the unique discrete core-shell structure, designed appropriate band structure, low charge transfer resistance, and high electron-hole separation ability. This study provides a novel Ta3N5-based ternary core-shell structure for high-performance H2 production.

Craftspeople's autonomy in an “organization-craftspeople-tourist” ternary work structure

As the tourism industry plays a crucial role in revitalizing traditional crafts, craftspeople are increasingly becoming the core attraction in craft tourism. They are employed by tourism organizations with their main duties as showcasing the craft production process in front of tourists. However, how craftspeople negotiate their autonomy in such an emergent “organization-craftspeople-tourist” ternary work structure remains unclear. This research uses a qualitative research method to analyze craftspeople's autonomy by investigating their interactions with their organization and with tourists at a scenic spot in Jingdezhen, China. Interviews with 47 respondents reveal that craft tourism has changed the traditional work structure from organization-craftspeople-final products to organization-craftspeople-tourists. Craftspeople can execute their agency and obtain autonomy in such a work structure. Moreover, such arrangements also benefit elderly craftspeople. This research contributes to a further understanding of craftspeople's working experience in an organized tourism context and improves tourism employment for craftspeople.

Molecular basis of differential HLA class I-restricted T cell recognition of a highly networked HIV peptide

Cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) mediated control of HIV-1 is enhanced by targeting highly networked epitopes in complex with human-leukocyte-antigen-class-I (HLA-I). However, the extent to which the presenting HLA allele contributes to this process is unknown. Here we examine the CTL response to QW9, a highly networked epitope presented by the disease-protective HLA-B57 and disease-neutral HLA-B53. Despite robust targeting of QW9 in persons expressing either allele, T cell receptor (TCR) cross-recognition of the naturally occurring variant QW9_S3T is consistently reduced when presented by HLA-B53 but not by HLA-B57. Crystal structures show substantial conformational changes from QW9-HLA to QW9_S3T-HLA by both alleles. The TCR-QW9-B53 ternary complex structure manifests how the QW9-B53 can elicit effective CTLs and suggests sterically hindered cross-recognition by QW9_S3T-B53. We observe populations of cross-reactive TCRs for B57, but not B53 and also find greater peptide-HLA stability for B57 in comparison to B53. These data demonstrate differential impacts of HLAs on TCR cross-recognition and antigen presentation of a naturally arising variant, with important implications for vaccine design.

TiO2@C catalyzed hydrogen storage performance of Mg-Ni-Y alloy with LPSO and ternary eutectic structure

A designed Mg88.7Ni6.3Y5 hydrogen storage alloy containing 14H type LPSO (long-period stacking ordered) and ternary eutectic structure was prepared by regulating the alloy composition and casting. The hydrogen storage performance of the alloy was improved by adding nano-flower-like TiO2@C catalyst. The decomposition of the LPSO structure during hydrogenation led to the formation of plenty of nanocrystals which provided abundant interphase boundaries and activation sites. The nanoscale TiO2@C catalyst was uniformly dispersed on the surface of alloy particles, and the "hydrogen overflow'' effect of TiO2@C accelerated the dissociation and diffusion of hydrogen on the surface of the alloy particles. As a result, the in-situ endogenous nanocrystals of the LPSO structure decomposition and the externally added flower-like TiO2@C catalyst uniformly dispersed on the surface of the nanoparticles played a synergistic catalytic role in improving the hydrogen storage performance of the Mg-based alloy. With the addition of the TiO2@C catalyst, the beginning hydrogen desorption temperature was reduced to 200 °C. Furthermore, the saturated hydrogen absorption capacity of the sample was 5.32 wt.%, and it reached 4.25 wt.% H2 in 1 min at 200 °C and 30 bar.

A ternary cross-linked gel electrolyte with high mechanical strength and ionic conductivity for ultra-long-life reversible zinc deposition

Bottlenecks such as electrolyte leakage, zinc dendrite growth, and poor mechanical properties severely limit practical application of aqueous zinc ion batteries. To improve the cycle stability and reversibility of zinc deposition in zinc ion batteries, a ternary cross-linked gel electrolyte PCS composed of polyacrylamide, carboxymethyl cellulose and soluble starch was designed. The solid ternary cross-linked structure provides excellent mechanical properties of PCS gel. The interaction of polar groups with H2O and Zn2+ significantly reduced the activity of the mobilized water in PCS, inhibiting the occurrence of side reactions, and regulating the solvation structure of Zn2+. As a result, the cells with PCS have ultra-long-life reversible zinc deposition (stable cycling of Zn//Zn symmetric cells over 4900 h), high reversibility (coulombic efficiency of 99.5%) and high cycling stability (cycling stably for 1000 cycles).

Experimental and Theoretical Findings of the Concerted Effect of Dual Quantum Dots on a Graphene Matrix for Energy Storage Applications

The construction of composite electrode materials that exhibit superior energy and power densities has stirred rigorous research on supercapacitors. Herein, we have successfully designed nitrogen-doped carbon dots (CDs) and hematite dots (HtDs) functionalized reduced graphene (RG) hybrid ternary composites (RG@CDs/HtDs) by liquid exfoliation followed by the solvothermal method. The hybrid electrode material, RG@CDs/HtDs, exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1566 F/g at a scan rate of 2 mV s–1 and excellent stability up to 10,000 cycles. The DFT calculations have been performed to investigate the capacitance enhancement in the hybrid structure. The enhanced quantum capacitance and intense electronic states near the Fermi level for the ternary structure RG@CDs/HtDs justify the superior charge storage. When HtDs and CDs are introduced into RG, charge transfers from the Fe 3d orbital to the C 2p orbital of RG occur. An asymmetric aqueous supercapacitor device has been fabricated using RG@CDs/HtDs as a cathode and Mn3O4/C as an anode. Remarkably, the assembled aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor operates in a stable and wide potential window of 2.5 V with an ultrahigh energy density (134 Wh kg–1) along with extraordinary rate capability and is stable at 10,000 cycles performance that was validated on powering of the red light-emitting diode (LED).

The interaction of cholinium-based ionic liquids with different biological origin anions with albumins

The intermolecular interactions of cholinium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with biological origin anions (amino and dicarboxylic acids) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) have been studied by spectral and computational methods. The choline malonate ([Ch][Mal]), choline succinate ([Ch][Suc]) and choline valinate ([Ch][Val]) were synthesized. The changes to the state of the BSA and HSA with ILs at different concentration were observed using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. At higher concentrations the ILs lead to a partial loss of ternary structure of albumins. The effect of ILs on the thermal stability of proteins was monitored by the temperature CD spectra scans. The increase of denaturation temperature of albumins with ionic liquids was observed. The interaction of ionic liquids with serum albumins was estimated by fluorescence spectroscopy technique, while the probable binding modes were identified using molecular docking. The leading cause of the increased thermal stability of albumins was found to be the formation of aggregates of proteins with ionic liquids. Cytotoxicity of ionic liquids on cancer and normal cell lines was established.

Ternary hierarchical structure based solar‐driven evaporator for long‐lasting concentrated brine treatment

AbstractSolar‐driven evaporation has been a promising desalination method for treating concentrated seawater, since it is cost‐effectiveness, simplicity, and environmentally friendly. However, this method faces an unavoidable long‐term problem that the salt generated in the evaporation processes would affect and hinder its evaporation efficiency. Because the salt inevitably crystallizes on the surface of photothermal evaporation materials, and this crystallization process increases with time to impair the material area of the sunlight absorption and evaporation. Here, we show a ternary hierarchical structure based solar‐driven evaporator that reduces the evaporation material surface coverage of the salt to get long‐lasting concentrated brine treatment capacity. This evaporator is constructed by plugging vertically arranged hollow tube arrays across a porous plate. The top, middle, and bottom of the evaporator respectively serve as the salt crystallization site, the evaporation site, and the light absorption site. Meanwhile, the self‐cleaning of the evaporator can be achieved by back diffusion of the crystallized salts. As a result, this efficient and durable evaporator exhibits freshwater production of 10.21 kg/(m2·day) in outdoor experiment in the treatment of the concentrated natural seawater (21.3 wt%).image

Design and Characterization of Bivalent Molecules Against SARS-CoV2

Abstract The pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has compelled extraordinary attention to the development of therapeutic reagents. The favorable physical properties of nanobodies make them attractive candidates for investigations of their ability to block viral entry. By X-ray crystallography we determined the structural basis of the interaction of a panel of synthetic nanobodies (Sb14, Sb16, Sb45 and Sb68) with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD): binary complexes of Sb16–RBD and Sb45–RBD; a ternary complex of Sb14–RBD–Sb68, and Sb45–RBD–Sb68. Sb16 and Sb45 bind the RBD with identical footprints with ACE2, but their complementarity determining regions (CDR)2 and CDR3 are oriented diametrically oppositely. The ternary structure of the Sb45-RBD-Sb68 complex indicates that Sb45 binds squarely at the ACE2 interface, whereas Sb68 attaches toward the ACE2 interface's perimeter. The ternary configuration suggests that several sybodies may capture a sizable portion of the RBD's surface. These sybody structures provided structural insights that were used to create novel, highly potent biparatopic nanobodies and bivalent molecules with ACE2 and ACE2 binding scaffold mimicking miniproteins that bind the RBD with high affinity and neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and variants. Supported by the Intramural research program of the NIAID/NIH