Three-step Reaction Process Research Articles

Design, synthesis, characterization and antidiabetic evaluation of 3,5-substituted thiazolidinediones: Evidenced by network pharmacology, Molecular docking, dynamic simulation, in vitro and in vivo assessment

In search of new antidiabetic agents, heterocyclic compounds containing 3,5-Substituted thiazolidinedione moieties were synthesized through a concise three-step reaction process. The synthesis involved Knoevenagel condensation at the 5th position of the 3,5-Substituted thiazolidinedione ring-system (6a-6c). Comprehensive physicochemical and spectral analyses, including FTIR, HR-MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR, were performed to characterize the synthesized compounds. The synthesized derivatives were subjected to evaluation for their In vivo anti-diabetic activity against diabetes induced wistar rats and In vitro activity against α-amylase, α-glucosidase and glucose uptake by yeast cells. On the basis of the combined results of network pharmacology, In vitro and animal study experiments revealed that the compounds 6c predicted to have the greatest effect out of the compounds (6a-6c), showing interactions with targets exhibited potential binding patterns against the active site of target α-amylase, α-glucosidase with modulating AMY2A, GAA, PPARG, PIK3CA, PRKCB, INSR, and PRKCB signalling pathways and this is evidenced by molecular docking, dynamics simulation (MD) studies. Further, compound 6c showed In vitro α-amylase, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 86.06 ± 1.1 μM and 74.97 ± 1.23 μM as opposed to standard acarbose (IC50 value of 26.89 ± 3.12 and 29.25 ± 0.15 μM) and 58.23 ± 0.13 % of glucose uptake and also exhibited significant reduction (p < 0.001) in blood glucose levels (114 ± 1.17 mg/dL) comparable to the effect of pioglitazone (102.2 ± 0.79 mg/dL). The present study suggests that modified thiazolidinediones act as potential lead compounds to carter the need of antidiabetic agents.

Design, synthesis of new 2,4-thiazolidinediones: In-silico, in-vivo anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory evaluation

In this study, a series of nine novel heterocyclic compounds were synthesized through a concise three-step reaction process. The synthesis involved Knoevenagel condensation at the 5th position of the 2,4-thiazolidinedione or rhodanine ring-system. Comprehensive physicochemical and spectral analyses, including FTIR, Mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR, were performed to characterize the synthesized compounds. The synthesized derivatives were subjected to evaluation for their potential in various therapeutic domains. In-vivo anti-diabetic activity was assessed diabetes induced wistar rats, anti-inflammatory effects were gauged using the carrageenan and formalin induced rat paw edema model. Additionally, the in-vitro PPAR-γ modulatory activity, glucose uptake by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and rat hemidiaphragm and cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity along with scavenge free radicals was tested by FRAP and DPPH method. According to the potential binding patterns of the most potent anti-diabetic compounds, namely 7a and 13a with the active sites of target PPAR-γ (PDB ID: 5U5L), was obtained through molecular docking using Schrodinger’s Glide model. Among the tested compounds, the compound 13a demonstrated significant antidiabetic activity with reduction in blood glucose levels (108.5 ± 2.171 mg/dL), comparable to the effect of pioglitazone (101.66 ± 0.95 mg/dL), similarly anti-inflammatory activity at fourth hour paw volume 93.6% and thickness at 3.99 ± 0.076 mm, respectively closer to that of standard drug diclofenac sodium (91.2% and 4.7 ± 0.057 mm) in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rat. The compound 13a displayed promising COX-2 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 7.82 μM) and DPPH antioxidant activity showcasing its multifaceted therapeutic potential. This study not only presents multi-targeting approach and highlights the significant potential compounds as a lead molecule for further therapeutic development.

Dolomite dissolution and porosity enhancement simulation with acetic acid: Insights into the influence of temperature and ionic effects

Dolostone reservoirs are crucial for global oil and gas storage, holding a significant portion of hydrocarbon reserves within carbonate formations. Understanding the chemical mechanism of dolomite dissolution with organic acids and associated porosity development in these reservoirs is vital for optimizing hydrocarbon recovery. In this work, two sets of simulation experiments are designed to understand the controls of temperature and ionic effects on porosity enhancement during the dissolution of dolomite with acetic acid. In specific, we discovered a three-step reaction process between dolomite and acetic acid, involving acetic acid dissolution in water, acetic acid dissociation, and dolomite dissolution. Burial environments with higher temperatures reduce the degree of acetic acid dissociation, leading to a corresponding decrease in dolomite dissolution in acetic acid solutions. The presence of salt ions in the solution influences the reaction process, with magnesium chloride (MgCl2) having the most significant enhancing effect on dolomite dissolution, followed by sodium chloride (NaCl), while calcium chloride (CaCl2) has a limited impact. Sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) enhances dolomite dissolution at lower temperatures; however, at higher temperatures (>100 °C), it may reduce dolomite dissolution due to the precipitation of CaSO4. Despite a relatively short open-flow time, episodic burial dissolution of dolomite by acetic acid fluids under overburden pressure leads to a "net increase" in the reservoir space and enhances its connectivity attributes. During burial diagenesis, geological forces episodically drive organic acid fluids to the dolomite reservoir, predominantly dissolving dolomite along pre-existing pore development zones and geological interfaces, exhibiting inheritance, episodicity, and localization characteristics. Overall, this study provides insights into the dissolution and diagenetic processes of dolomite in the presence under acetic acids, from the point of dissolution simulation experiments. Collectively, these findings enhance our understanding of pore-system evolution and fluid-rock interactions in deep carbonate reservoirs.

Engineering Cationic Vacancies in Octahedral Sites of Co3O4 for High-Efficiency Oxygen Evolution

The octahedral sites in Co3O4 usually possess better oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, which have been identified as the active sites. Atomic cationic vacancy defects can elicit localized electron redistribution to regulate the electronic structure of the host materials. In this paper, Co3O4 nanosheet arrays with cationic vacancies at octahedral sites (Vx-Co3O4) have been synthesized by a facile three-step reaction process. Density functional theory (DFT) computational results further indicate that the cationic vacancies can increase the number of electrons per Co atom and optimize the adsorption energy of the intermediate product. As a result, the optimized V0.3-Co3O4/CC electrode with abundant cationic vacancies displays excellent OER performance in alkaline electrolytes with an overpotential of 240 mV at 10 mA cm–2, Tafel slope of 72.2 mV dec–1, and superior stability, which are much better than those of the pure Co3O4 and commercial IrO2.

The effects of 4,6-Dichloro-2-Sodiooxy-1,3,5-Triazine on the Fibrillation Propensity of Lyocell Fibers

ABSTRACT Dichlorotriazine reactive crosslinker has been used to reduce the fibrillation of Lyocell. The fibrillation propensity and mechanism of 4, 6-dichloro-2-sodium dioxy-1, 3, 5-triazine treatment on Lyocell fibers were studied, and the mechanical properties and dyeing properties of the treated Lyocell fibers were evaluated. The results showed that the three-step reaction process can make lyocell have more uniform behavior of decreased fibrillation propensity, in which the first step is physical mixing of triazine and cellulose, the second and third steps are the stepwise reactions of cellulose with two chlorines of Dichlorotriazine under different conditions, respectively. At the end of the reaction, non-fibrillating Lyocell fibers were produced. In addition, the structure, mechanical properties and dyeing properties of the Lyocell fibers were not affected by the cross-linking chemical reaction process. In conclusion, this study provides a better uniform effect and economically reasonable route for the preparation of commercial non-fibrillating Lyocell fibers.

The Malaprade reaction mechanism for ethylene glycol oxidation by periodic acid based on density functional theory (DFT).

A general mechanism of the Malaprade oxidative carbon-carbon bond cleavage reaction of α-glycol in the presence of periodic acid has been proposed on the basis of density functional theory (DFT) computations. Ethylene glycol and periodic acid, both in their neutral forms, have been studied as noble substrate representatives in model reactions. The proposed reaction mechanism has been constructed based on and compared with previously published experimental kinetic, spectroscopic and temperature and pH-dependent studies. In the presented theoretical mechanistic considerations, four alternative molecular transformations have been analyzed from thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. Theoretically, the predicted activation energy barriers have been compared with experimental ones published elsewhere. The presented minimum energy pathway (MEP) unveiled the shape and conformation of the intermediate and transition state structures. The three-step reaction process involves the formation of a seven-membered quasi-ring assisted by an intramolecular hydrogen-bond intermediate structure forming one I-O bond (IC1_B), a cyclic ester intermediate forming two I-O bonds (IC2_C) and the final products formed at the two very last stages (HIO3, water and two formaldehyde molecules). The computed and energetically the most favourable reaction landscape proposed in this work uniforms and refines the mechanistic proposition given by Criegee for Malaprade type of reactions and further gives a detailed molecular understanding of the reaction rate and atomic connections en route the transformation. The molecular geometries of all stationary points (intermediate and transition state structures) lying on the potential energy hypersurface have been optimized at the four alternative DFT levels under the solvation model based on the density approximation: B3PW91, CAM-B3LYP, BMK, ωB97XD. The 6-311+G(2d,p) basis set for C, O, and H atoms and both the full (DGDZVP) and Ahlrichs-Weigend1 (def2-TZVP) basis sets for iodine atoms were used during the computations.

Triclosan and ⍺-bisabolol–loaded nanocapsule functionalized with ascorbic acid as a dry powder formulation against A549 lung cancer cells

Lung cancer is between the primary causes of cancer death showing a high mortality rate. Traditional therapies lead to serious side-effects pushing the development of new and more specific treatments. This study proposes an innovative inhalable powder intended for lung cancer on-site action, by developing new nanocapsules functionalized powder formulation carrying triclosan, dispersed in α-bisabolol and functionalized with ascorbic acid. Nanocapsules were obtained by interfacial deposition of the preformed polymer method. Functionalization was performed via a three-step interfacial reaction process forming a chitosan-iron-ligand complex. After spray-drying, powders were obtained using two strategies. All formulations were characterized and had their antiproliferative activities tested, along with their irritability potential. Functionalized nanocapsules were subsequently spray-dried to produce dispersible powders. Using combined data from infrared spectroscopy was observed an interaction between the components after each step of the surface functionalization. The same components interactions were verified before and after obtaining the powder, which were adequate for lung administration, suffering deposition mainly in the respirable fraction within 15 min. The powder showed an effective concentration against lung cancer cells (A549), with nontoxic effects in irritability assay. By the results, the formulation can be administered at safe triclosan concentrations. Thus, the proposed formulations are appropriate and promising candidates for further research in lung cancer treatment.

Rice straw derived adsorbent for fast and efficient phosphate elimination from aqueous solution

Rice straw (RS) is an abundant agricultural residue with plentiful hydroxyl groups. In this study, a low-cost and effective RS-based phosphate adsorbent (RS-PA) was prepared through a three-step reaction process, successively with epichlorohydrin (ECH), ethylenediamine (EDA), and triethylamine (TEA). The elimination process of phosphate was optimized by considering altered adsorption conditions. The successful production of RS-PA was confirmed by FTIR, organic element, and zeta potential analyses. The key factors influencing the phosphate adsorption were the temperature in the second reaction step and EDA dosage. Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models predicted the phosphate adsorption on the RS-PA very well. A complete phosphate removal was achieved at 50 mg/L phosphate concentration, 10 g/L adsorbent dosage and 25 ℃ in 10 min. The exothermic nature of phosphate adsorption on RS-PA was confirmed since the temperature rise reduced the adsorption of phosphate on the adsorbent. These results demonstrate that full component rice straw-based phosphate adsorbent was successfully prepared for the removal of phosphorus compounds from waste water.

Mercury/oxygen reaction mechanism over CuFe2O4 catalyst

CuFe2O4 is regarded as a promising candidate of catalyst for Hg0 oxidation in industrial flue gas. However, the microcosmic reaction mechanism governing mercury oxidation on CuFe2O4 remains elusive. Herein, experiments and quantum chemistry calculations were conducted for understanding the chemical reaction mechanism of oxygen-assisted mercury oxidation on CuFe2O4. CuFe2O4 shows the optimal catalytic activity towards mercury oxidation at 150 ºC. The reactivity difference of different lattice oxygen species is associated with its atomic coordination environment. The lattice oxygen coordinating with two octahedral Cu atoms and a tetrahedral Fe atom shows higher catalytic activity towards mercury oxidation than other lattice oxygen atoms. The inverse spinel structure of CuFe2O4 is favorable for O2 activation due to the Jahn-Teller effect, thereby promoting mercury oxidation. O2 molecule preferably adsorbs on iron active site and dissociates into active oxygen species. Hg0 oxidation is a three-step reaction process: Hg0 adsorption, Hg(ads) → HgO(ads), and HgO desorption. The energy barrier of mercury oxidation by chemisorbed oxygen is lower than that of mercury oxidation by lattice oxygen. The chemisorbed oxygen preserves higher reactivity towards mercury oxidation than lattice oxygen. Hg(ads) → HgO(ads) is the rate-determining step of mercury oxidation by chemisorbed oxygen because of the higher energy barrier of 116.94 kJ/mol. This work could provide the theoretical guidance for the diversified structure design of highly-efficient catalysts used for elemental mercury oxidation.

Synthesis of bolaform surfactants from recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) waste

In this study, bolaform surfactants have been prepared from recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) monomers through an efficient process. Bis(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) and terephthalic acid (TPA) have been used as precursor molecules for the synthesis of organophosphorus surfactants. With a yield of 73%, the reaction between BHET and triethyl phosphate resulted in the bis(2-((triethoxy(hydroxy)-l5-phosphaneyl)oxy)ethyl) terephthalate (BHETEO) sample. From TPA as a precursor molecule in a three-step reaction process, TPTEOH compound has been obtained with a yield of 58%. The physicochemical properties such as solubility, photosensitivity, zeta potential, hydrodynamic size, and thermogravimetric analyses of both surfactants have been studied. The bolaform surfactants showed stability under ultraviolet radiation. The Dynamic Light Scattering analysis displayed an aggregate size of 65.7 nm for BHETEO sample, without the influence of temperature. In contrast, the aggregate size of 144 nm for TPTEOH was strongly influenced by temperature. The BHETEO and TPTEOH samples presented Zeta Potentials of −21.7 mV and −1.06 mV, respectively. The results showed BHETEO and TPTEOH samples to have self-assembling properties with aggregation forms dependent on the polarity of the solvents. Therefore, the development of bolaform surfactants represents an alternative way to use monomers from PET waste with promising applications.

Reaction mechanism of elemental mercury oxidation to HgSO4 during SO2/SO3 conversion over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst

Experiments and density functional theory calculations were conducted to uncover the reaction chemistry of Hg0 oxidation during SO2/SO3 conversion over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. The results show that SO2 promotes Hg0 oxidation over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst with the assistance of oxygen. The promotional effect is dependent on the reaction temperature, and is associated with the bimolecular reaction between Hg0 and SO3 over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. SO2 can be oxidized to SO3 which has high oxidation ability for Hg0 oxidation. SO2/SO3 conversion proceeds through a three-step reaction process in the sequence of SO2 adsorption → SO2 oxidation → SO3 desorption. SO2 oxidation presents an activation energy barrier of 223.84 kJ/mol. HgSO4 species is formed from the bimolecular reaction between Hg0 and SO3 over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. Hg0 oxidation by SO3 over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst occurs through three reaction pathways, which are energetically favorable for HgSO4 formation. SO2* → SO3* is identified as the rate-determining step of HgSO4 formation. During Hg0 oxidation by SO3 over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst, HgSO4 desorption is a highly endothermic reaction process and requires a higher external energy. The proposed skeletal reaction network can be used to well understand the reaction mechanism of Hg0 oxidation during SO2/SO3 conversion over V2O5/TiO2 catalyst.

Mechanism and Kinetic Study of Reducing MoO3 to MoO2 with CO-15 vol % CO2 Mixed Gases.

In the present paper, the reduction reaction of high-purity MoO3 with CO–15 vol % CO2 mixed gases in the temperature range of 901–948 K is investigated via the thermogravimetric analysis technology. The results show that reduction of MoO3 to MoO2 follows a three-step reaction process, viz., MoO3 is first reduced into Mo9O26, followed by Mo4O11, and finally to MoO2. The reaction sequences of MoO3 → Mo9O26 → Mo4O11 → MoO2 are proposed, which are quite different from those observed on reduction of MoO3 by pure H2 or CO gases. Pure Mo9O26 and Mo4O11 could be synthesized once suitable time was controlled. Rate-controlling steps for the reduction from MoO3 to Mo9O26 and Mo9O26 to MoO2 (include both Mo9O26 to Mo4O11 and Mo4O11 to MoO2) are interfacial chemical reactions, with the activation energies of 318.326 and 112.047 kJ/mol, respectively. This study also discovers that the as-synthesized MoO2 keeps the same platelet-shaped and smooth morphology as the MoO3 raw material; however, its particles size gradually increased as the reaction proceeds due to the formation of low-melting-point eutectic and the sticking of different particles.

Assembly of α-Fe2O3 Rubik’s nanostructure with adsorptive property

The α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals with a size of about 60 nm were prepared by using FeCl3 and NaOH as precursors through a facile and green three-step hydrothermal reaction process. Then, using the resulting α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals as basic materials, the α-Fe2O3 Rubik’s nanostructures were fabricated by a self-assembly method under ultrasonic condition, due to the platelet-shaped structure and magnetic property of the α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals. Interestingly, the resulting Rubik’s nanostructures with a diameter of 300–600 nm exhibit typical room-temperature ferromagnetism, and could serve as an adsorbent to quickly remove the trace-level (50 mg L−1) Pb2+ from water. It provides options for developing new preparation technology of Fe2O3-based nanomaterials for many applications.

Three-dimensional porous reduced graphene oxide decorated with MoS2 quantum dots for electrochemical determination of hydrogen peroxide

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based nanomaterials have shown wide applications in electrochemical fields such as biosensors. In this study, we displayed a simple fabrication of 3D structural reduced graphene oxide (3D structural RGO) decorated with molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS2QDs) through a three-step reaction process. With its abundant raw materials, this strategy is economic and non-toxic. Various characterization techniques were utilized to characterize the morphologies of the synthesized MoS2QDs, graphene oxide (GO), and 3D structural RGO-MoS2QDs composites. Simultaneously, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was applied to characterize the structure and properties of composites. In order to understand the effects of the reaction period on the structure of 3D structural RGO-MoS2QDs, a series of samples with various reaction periods were prepared for morphological characterization. Finally, the fabricated 3D structural RGO-MoS2QDs composites were used to modify a glassy carbon electrode as an electrochemical non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensor. The obtained results indicate that the fabricated electrochemical H2O2 sensor exhibits a wide detection range (0.01–5.57 mM), low detection limit (1.90 μM), good anti-interference performance, and long-time stability (18 days).

Computational Synthesis of MoS2 Layers by Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations: Initial Sulfidation of MoO3 Surfaces.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) like MoS2 are promising candidates for next-generation electric and optoelectronic devices. These TMDC monolayers are typically synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). However, despite significant amount of empirical work on this CVD growth of monolayered crystals, neither experiment nor theory has been able to decipher mechanisms of selection rules for different growth scenarios, or make predictions of optimized environmental parameters and growth factors. Here, we present an atomic-scale mechanistic analysis of the initial sulfidation process on MoO3 surfaces using first-principles-informed ReaxFF reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations. We identify a three-step reaction process associated with synthesis of the MoS2 samples from MoO3 and S2 precursors: O2 evolution and self-reduction of the MoO3 surface; SO/SO2 formation and S2-assisted reduction; and sulfidation of the reduced surface and Mo-S bond formation. These atomic processes occurring during early stage MoS2 synthesis, which are consistent with experimental observations and existing theoretical literature, provide valuable input for guided rational synthesis of MoS2 and other TMDC crystals by the CVD process.

Temperature-controlled cascade reaction of phloroglucinoltribenzyl ether promoted by trifluoroacetic anhydride and trifluoroacetic acid

We report the first trifluoroacetic anhydride- and trifluoroacetic acid-promoted cascade reaction with phloroglucinoltribenzyl ether and carboxylic acid as starting materials. By simply varying the temperature of systems containing the same starting materials, different products were produced in high yields. A three-step consecutive reaction process was also proposed.

Understanding the Influence of Composition and Synthesis Temperature on Oxygen Loss, Reversible Capacity, and Electrochemical Behavior of xLi2MnO3-(1 – x)LiCoO2 Cathodes in the First Cycle

With an aim to broaden the understanding of the role of Co3+ in the lithium-rich layered oxide cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, the influence of composition and synthesis temperature on the oxygen loss, reversible capacity, and electrochemical behavior of the xLi2MnO3-(1 – x)LiCoO2 series in the first cycle has been systematically investigated. The charge capacity first increases with increasing x value from 0.2 to 0.6 due to the enhanced oxygen loss, but then decreases with further increase in x from 0.6 to 0.8. Although the discharge capacity shows a trend similar to the charge capacity, the maximum value appears at x = 0.4–0.5, rather than at x = 0.6 because of its larger irreversible capacity loss. Surprisingly, raising the synthesis temperature from 800 to 1000 °C alters the electrochemical behavior of the first charge. The materials synthesized at 900 and 1000 °C show a three-step reaction process consisting of the oxidation of Co3+, simultaneous oxidation of Co3+ and O2–, and finally the oxidation of O2– only, while those synthesized at 800 °C exhibit a two-step reaction process composed of Co3+ oxidation and O2– oxidation occurring separately.

Sinapinic acid-directed synthesis of gold nanoclusters and their application to quantitative matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Core etching of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into smaller-sized clusters is a classic method for fabricating gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). The top down-based synthesis of AuNCs includes two steps: (i) reducing the Au(3+) precursor solution to generate AuNPs in the presence of protecting ligands and (ii) core etching of the formed AuNPs into the AuNCs via ligand exchange. For the first time, this paper describes a one-step approach for preparing AuNCs using a top down approach. The sinapinic acid (SA)-induced formation of the AuNCs involved a three-step reaction process. First, large AuNPs (>200 nm) were quickly formed after mixing SA and the Au(3+) precursor solution. Second, excess SA molecules self-assembled on the NP surface, and large AuNPs were etched to small AuNPs via electrostatic repulsion between the neighboring SA molecules. Finally, SA-induced core etching of the AuNPs resulted in the formation of the AuNCs within 70 min. Furthermore, we showed that the presence of the AuNCs in SA was capable of suppressing crystal growth and eliminating the coffee-ring effect. Thus, proteins can be successfully quantified using the SA-AuNCs as matrices for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Compared with using SA as matrices, the SA-AuNCs offered substantial advantages for improving shot-to-shot reproducibility and enhancing the ionization efficiency of proteins.

Disinfection of airborne spores of Penicillium expansum in cold storage using continuous direct current corona discharge

Penicillium expansum is the most important fungal species that causes spoilage in cold-stored pome and stone fruits. P. expansum produces patulin, a toxic secondary metabolite. In this study, the mechanism and the potential of continuous direct-current corona discharge for the disinfection of P. expansum spores were explored. This may be a promising new technique to fight postharvest mould rots during cold storage. The changes in morphology and microstructure of P. expansum spores were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), for both untreated spores and spores subjected to this corona discharge treatment. SEM and TEM revealed noticeable defects in the morphology and internal sub-structure of the spores after treatment. The mechanisms by which the corona discharge kills P. expansum spores are suggested to be these defects. A model was developed to simulate the inactivation kinetics under various corona discharge conditions. The model comprised a set of three ordinary differential equations derived from a hypothetical three-step reaction process. The model developed described the experimentally determined inactivation kinetics of the corona discharge disinfection of P. expansum spores well (the correlation coefficients r2 exceeded 0.919 in all cases). The relationship between the reciprocal of the square root functions of the corona energy density and the time taken to inactivate 90% of the spores in a population was linear (r2 = 0.987).

α-Fe2O3/PPy/Ag functional hybrid nanomaterials with core/shell structure: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity

Nanocomposites with core/shell structure composed of hematite (α-Fe2O3), polypyrrole (PPy) and silver have been successfully synthesized with a three-step reaction process. First, semispherical cores of α-Fe2O3 were prepared by the forced hydrolysis of FeCl3. Next, pyrrole was polymerized in the suspension of α-Fe2O3 and then composite carrier with α-Fe2O3 as core and PPy as shell was produced. Last, a surface reduction-oxidation was carried out between PPy and silver nitrate so as to produce α-Fe2O3/PPy/Ag nanocomposites. The as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and cyclic voltammogram (CV), furthermore, the effects of reaction conditions on the morphology of nanocomposites were studied in detail. The α-Fe2O3/PPy/Ag nanocomposites exhibit excellent electrochemical activity and chemical catalytic properties in the reduction reaction of m-nitrobenzene sulfonic sodium (m-NBS) at room temperature. To our knowledge, the α-Fe2O3/PPy/Ag nanocomposites have not been reported.