Glycine plays a crucial role in various industrial and daily applications. However, traditional synthesis methods are often associated with high toxicity, energy intensity, and inefficiency. This study introduces an efficient and eco-friendly method for synthesizing glycine via the reductive coupling of oxalic acid and nitrate using a Bi metal catalyst, enhanced by lattice strain from Bi and oxide composites undergoing electrochemical transformation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElectrochemical reforming presents a sustainable route for the conversion of nitrate (NO ) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into value-added chemicals, such as ammonia (NH) and formic acid (HCOOH). However, its widespread application has been constrained by low selectivity due to the complexity of reduction processes and thus energy scaling limitations. In this study, the atomically dispersed Ru sites in CoO synergistically interact with Co centers, facilitating the adsorption and activation of hydroxyl radicals (OH) and ethylene glycol (EG), resulting in a remarkable HCOOH selectivity of 99% and a yield rate of 11.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe conversion of nitrate-rich wastewater and biomass-derived blocks into high-value products using renewably generated electricity is a promising approach to modulate the artificial carbon and nitrogen cycle. Here, a new synthetic strategy of WO sub-nanoclusters is reported and supported on carbon materials as novel efficient electrocatalysts for nitrate reduction and its coupling with α-keto acids. In acidic solutions, the NH-NHOH selectivity can also optimized by adjusting the potential, with the total FE exceeding 80% over a wide potential range.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
October 2024
Considering the substantial role of ammonia, developing highly efficient electrocatalysts for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion has attracted increasing interest. Herein, we proposed a feasible strategy of p-d orbital hybridization via doping p-block metals in an Ag host, which drastically promotes the performance of nitrate adsorption and disassociation. Typically, a Sn-doped Ag catalyst (SnAg) delivers a maximum Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 95.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlkali ions, major components at the electrode-electrolyte interface, are crucial to modulating reaction activity and selectivity of catalyst materials. However, the underlying mechanism of how the alkali ions catalyze the N reduction reaction (NRR) into ammonia remains elusive, posing challenges for experimentalists to select appropriate electrolyte solutions. In this work, by employing a combined experimental and computational approach, we proposed four essential roles of cation ions at Fe electrodes for N fixation: (i) promoting NN bond cleavage; (ii) stabilizing NRR intermediates; (iii) suppressing the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER); and (iv) modulating the interfacial charge distribution at the electrode-electrolyte interface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe quest for sustainable urea production has directed attention toward electrocatalytic methods that bypass the energy-intensive traditional Haber-Bosch process. This study introduces an approach to urea synthesis through the coreduction of CO and NO using copper-doped molybdenum diselenide (Cu-MoSe) with Cu-Mo dual sites as electrocatalysts. The electrocatalytic activity of the Cu-MoSe electrode is characterized by a urea yield rate of 1235 μg h mg at -0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAltern Ther Health Med
November 2024
Objective: Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPRD) are interrelated medical conditions affecting the respiratory system. This article aimed to investigate the potential correlation between the two.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on a total of 52 participants diagnosed with both OSAHS and LPRD.
The effects of HNK, I5, and I6 on the expression of protein in hippocampus of depressed mice were studied by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) to explore the mechanism of their antidepressant action. HNK, I5, and I6 were administered intragastric administration once a day in the morning for 7 days. The drug was subsequently discontinued for 7 days (without any treatment).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUrea synthesis from abundant CO and N-feedstocks via renewable electricity has attracted increasing interests, offering a promising alternative to the industrial-applied Haber-Meiser process. However, the studies toward electrochemical urea production remain scarce and appeal for more research. Herein, in this perspective, an up-to-date overview on the urea electrosynthesis is highlighted and summarized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
May 2023
The electrochemical NO reduction and its coupling with CO can provide novel and clean routes to synthesize NH and urea, respectively. However, their practical application is still impeded by the lack of efficient catalysts with desirable Faradaic efficiency (FE) and yield rate. Herein, we report the synthesis of molybdenum oxide nanoclusters anchored on carbon black (MoO /C) as electrocatalyst.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis work focuses on multi-stimuli-responsive materials with distinctive abilities, that is, color-changing and shape-memory. Using metallic composite yarns and polymeric/thermochromic microcapsule composite fibers, processed via a melt-spinning technique, an electrothermally multi-responsive fabric is woven. The resulting smart-fabric transfers from a predefined structure to an original shape while changing color upon heating or applying an electric field, making it appealing for advanced applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadishes are root vegetables that are rich in bioactive compounds and provide numerous health benefits, but the overall metabolic profiles of radish taproots and the metabolic differences among different edible types are not fully understood. In this research, we used UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS to identify the metabolites in cooked, processed and fruit radishes of ten varieties. In total, 264 metabolites belonging to 18 categories were detected.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInspired by hook-and-loop fasteners, we designed a hydrogel network containing α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) two-dimensional nanosheets with a high density of surface hydroxyl groups serving as nanopatches with numerous "hooks," while polymer chains with plentiful amine functional groups serve as "loops." Our multiscale molecular simulations confirm that both the high density of hydroxyl groups on nanosheets and the large number of amine functional groups on polymer chains are essential to achieve reversible interactions at the molecular scale, functioning as nano hook-and-loop fasteners to dissipate energy. As a result, the synthesized hydrogel possesses superior stretchability (>2100% strain), resilience to compression (>90% strain), and durability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCatalysts based on metallic NPs have shown high activities in heterogeneous catalysis, due to their high fractions of surface-active atoms, which, however, will lead to the sacrifices in stability and recycle of catalysts. In order to balance well the relationship between activity, stability, and recovery, in this paper, we have constructed a 3D mesoporous sphere structure assembled by N-doped carbon coated Ni/Pd NP heterojunctions (Ni/Pd@N-C). This obtained Ni/Pd@N-C has shown high catalytic activity, durability and recyclability for the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this work, a fast water-responsive shape memory hybrid polymer based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was prepared by crosslinking with hydroxyethyl cotton cellulose nanofibers (CNF-C) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effect of CNTs content on the electrical conductivity of TPU/CNF-C/CNTs nanocomposite was investigated for the feasibility of being a strain sensor. In order to know its durability, the mechanical and water-responsive shape memory effects were studied comprehensively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymers (Basel)
January 2019
Animals living in extremely cold plateau areas have shown amazing ability to maintain their bodies warmth, a benefit of their hair's unique structures and crimps. Investigation of hair crimps using a water-stimulated shape fixation effect would control the hair's crimpness with a specific wetting-drying process thereafter, in order to achieve the regulation of hair thermal insulation. The mechanism of hair's temporary shape fixation was revealed through FTIR and XRD characterizations for switching on and off the hydrogen bonds between macromolecules via penetration into and removal of aqueous molecules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConductive hydrogel combined with Ag/AgCl electrode is widely used in the acquisition of bio-signals. However, the high adhesiveness of current commercial hydrogel causes human skin allergies and pruritus easily after wearing hydrogel for electrodes for a long time. In this paper, a novel conductive hydrogel with good mechanical and conductive performance was prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF