Integrated Electrochemical Conversion of Plastic Waste and CO to Formate Using Non-Noble-Metal Catalysts: Raman Study.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), a common single-use plastic, significantly contributes to CO emissions when discarded or incinerated. In this study, we have employed an innovative approach by combining electrochemical PET hydrolysate oxidation and CO reduction reaction (CORR) to simultaneously produce formate in a single electrochemical cell. Utilizing simple electrochemical methods, a porous 3D carbon felt (CF) electrode was anodically oxidized to produce activated carbon felt (aCF).

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Triazolopyrimidine-Isatin Hybrids as Promising Candidates for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype marked by pronounced intra-tumoral heterogeneity and frequent therapeutic resistance. In this study, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a novel series of triazolopyrimidine-isatin hybrids against the TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468. Among them, 9h emerged as the most promising candidate, exhibiting potent cytotoxic activity against TNBC cell lines.

Rigidity-Driven Structural Isomers in the NaCl-GaS System: Implications for Energy Storage.

Alternative energy sources require the search for innovative materials with promising functionalities. Systems with unusual chemical properties represent an insufficiently explored domain, concealing unexpected features. Using diffraction and Raman spectroscopy over a wide temperature range, supported by first-principles simulations, a rare phenomenon is unveiled: phase-dependent chemical interactions between binary components in the NaCl-GaS system.

The Unexpected Role of Fluorine in the Band Gap Narrowing of Silver Niobium and Tantalum Pyrochlore Oxyfluorides.

Mixed anion compounds have attracted growing interest in solid-state chemistry as a way to tailor physical properties. In this work, we synthesized new silver niobium and tantalum pyrochlore oxyfluorides by an ion-exchange reaction from NaMOF ( = Nb or Ta). Instead of a classical Na/Ag cation exchange, a less conventional dual cation and anion exchange reaction (2 Na + F)/(Ag + HO) takes place.

Thickness Dependence in Phase Formation and Properties of TaSe Layers Grown on GaP(111).

The effect of growth temperature and subsequent annealing on the epitaxy of both single- and few-layer TaSe on Se-terminated GaP(111) substrates is investigated. The selective growth of the 1T and 1H phases is shown up to 1 ML according to X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies. The 1H monolayer, favored at low temperatures, exhibits a very homogeneous coverage after annealing, while the 1T ML, grown at high temperatures, is characterized by a better in-plane orientation.

Catalytic Reactivity Assessment of AgM and CuM (M = Cr, Fe) Catalysts for Dry Reforming of Methane Process with CO.

CuM and AgM (M = Cr, Fe) catalysts were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated in methane reforming with CO with and without pretreatment under a H atmosphere. Their textural and structural characteristics were evaluated using various physicochemical methods, including XRD, B.E.

High Capacitance Porous Ruthenium Nitride Films with High Rate Capability for Micro-Supercapacitors.

The demand for high-performance energy storage devices to power Internet of Things applications has driven intensive research on micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). In this study, RuN films made by magnetron sputtering as an efficient electrode material for MSCs are investigated. The sputtering parameters are carefully studied in order to maximize film porosity while maintaining high electrical conductivity, enabling a fast charging process.

Nanofeather ruthenium nitride electrodes for electrochemical capacitors.

Fast charging is a critical concern for the next generation of electrochemical energy storage devices, driving extensive research on new electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors and micro-supercapacitors. Here we introduce a significant advance in producing thick ruthenium nitride pseudocapacitive films fabricated using a sputter deposition method. These films deliver over 0.

Solar-Driven Ammonia Production through Engineering of the Electronic Structure of a Zr-Based MOF.

As a hydrogen carrier and a vital component in fertilizer production, ammonia (NH) is set to play a crucial role in the planet's future. While its industrial production feeds half of the global population, it uses fossil fuels and emits greenhouse gases. To tackle this issue, photocatalytic nitrogen fixation using visible light is emerging as an effective alternative method.

Regioselective and Stereoselective Synthesis of Parthenolide Analogs by Acyl Nitroso-Ene Reaction and Their Biological Evaluation against .

Historically, natural products have played a major role in the development of antibiotics. Their complex chemical structures and high polarity give them advantages in the drug discovery process. In the broad range of natural products, sesquiterpene lactones are interesting compounds because of their diverse biological activities, their high-polarity, and sp-carbon-rich chemical structures.

Ruthenium Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized on TiC MXene Nanosheets for Boosting Seawater Electrolysis.

Seawater electrolysis represents a viable alternative for large-scale synthesis of hydrogen (H), which is recognized as the most promising clean energy source, without relying on scarce fresh water. However, high energy cost and harmful chlorine chemistry in seawater limited its development. Herein, an effective catalyst based on a ruthenium nanoparticle-TiC MXene composite loaded on nickel foam (RuO-TiC/NF) with an open, fine, and homogeneous nanostructure was devised and synthesized by electrodeposition for high performance and stable overall seawater splitting.

Designing Visible-Light Photoactive Thioapatites Using Thiovanadate Groups: The Ba(VOS)X (X = F, Cl, I) Phases.

The new thioapatite Ba(VOS)X (X = F, Cl, I) series of compounds was prepared and characterized. Compared to known apatite phases built from unconnected vanadate VO groups separated by Ba cations delimiting halide-filled channels, their crystal structure is built from mixed anion thiovanadate VOS, where V is surrounded by both O and S, therefore exhibiting a triple anion lattice. Here, the strategy consisting in incorporating a chalcogenide anion aims at raising the valence band to bring the band gap to the visible range in order to reach photoactive materials under visible light.

Stereo/regio-selective access to substituted 3-hydroxy-oxindoles with anti-proliferative assessment and validation.

The manuscript focuses on a highly stereo-/regioselective approach for synthesizing a diverse array of substituted-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles. The synthesized compounds were subsequently subjected to anti-proliferative assessment against various cell lines, including colorectal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, and human metastatic melanoma cancer. The structural characterization of the synthesized scaffolds was unambiguously confirmed using X-ray diffraction analysis.

Discovery, Structure-Activity Relationships, and In Vivo Activity of Dihydropyridone Agonists of the Bile Acid Receptor TGR5.

A novel series of potent agonists of the bile acid receptor TGR5 bearing a dihydropyridone scaffold was developed from a high-throughput screen. Starting from a micromolar hit compound, we implemented an extensive structure-activity-relationship (SAR) study with the synthesis and biological evaluation of 83 analogues. The project culminated with the identification of the potent nanomolar TGR5 agonist .

Petroleum Coke Embedded in Cigarette Butts: All Waste-Derived Solar Evaporator for Effective Water Evaporation.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is an eco-friendly solution for tackling the impending water scarcity the world is facing in our century. In this work, a solar-driven interfacial evaporator was prepared from cigarette butts loaded with petroleum coke powder (Filter-PetCoke), a by-product of the oil refinery processes, for the improvement of the absorption of the incident solar light. A comparison between a flat 2D and a 3D evaporator with a surface composed of orderly patterned protrusions of 2.

Ferrocene-based nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones: design, synthesis, characterization and trypanocidal properties.

A series of new ferrocenyl nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones (1a-4a and 1b-2b) were prepared by the reaction between formyl (R = H) or acetyl (R = CH) nitroheterocyclic precursors [4/5-NO(CHXCOR), where X = O, S)] and ferrocenyl tosyl hydrazine [(η-CH)Fe(η-CHSO-NH-NH)]. All compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic techniques. In the solid state, the molecular structures of compounds 1a, 2b, and 3a were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Versatile Interplay of Chalcogenide and Dichalcogenide Anions in the Thiovanadate BaS(VSO)(S) and Its Selenide Derivatives: Elaboration and DFT Meta-GGA Study.

Oxychalcogenides are emerging as promising alternative candidates for a variety of applications including for energy. Only few phases among them show the presence of Q-Q bonds (Q = chalcogenide anion) while they drastically alter the electronic structure and allow further structural flexibility. Four original oxy(poly)chalcogenide compounds in the system Ba-V-Q-O (Q = S, Se) were synthesized, characterized, and studied using density functional theory (DFT).

A Three-Step Process to Isolate Large Quantities of Bioactive Sesquiterpene Lactones from L. Roots and Semisynthesis of Chicory STLs Standards.

Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) are a large group of terpenoids most commonly found in plants of the Asteraceae family, e.g., in chicory plants, displaying a wide range of interesting biological activities.

Photoelectrochemical properties of copper pyrovanadate (CuVO) thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition.

Polymorphic phases of copper pyrovanadate (α- and β-CuVO) were synthesized by solid state reaction and the mechanisms governing the phase transitions have been highlighted by the ThermoGravimetric Analysis (TGA) and the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The thermal evolution of the lattice parameters was determined by high temperature X-ray Diffraction revealing negative thermal expansion coefficients. The thermogravimetric analysis coupled with differential scanning calorimetry was also used to determine the optimal conditions to obtain a dense target in order to produce thin films by the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique.

Advances on Microsupercapacitors: Real Fast Miniaturized Devices toward Technological Dreams for Powering Embedded Electronics?

Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) have emerged as the next generation of electrochemical energy storage sources for powering miniaturized embedded electronic and Internet of Things devices. Despite many advantages such as high-power density, long cycle life, fast charge/discharge rate, and moderate energy density, MSCs are not at the industrial level in 2022, while the first MSC was published more than 20 years ago. MSC performance is strongly correlated to electrode material, device configuration, and the used electrolyte.

Development of a TiO/Sepiolite Photocatalyst for the Degradation of a Persistent Organic Pollutant in Aqueous Solution.

A clay-based TiO nanocomposite material was synthesized by a facile method, to investigate its structure and photocatalytic efficiency. The supported TiO nanoparticles were generated using a sol-gel method, and subsequently, mixed with a suspension of sepiolite. The material was recovered in powder form (Mc-80) and then calcined to properly arrange the crystal lattice of the TiO particles for use in heterogeneous photocatalysis (Mc-80-500).

Ultimate mechanical properties of enstatite.

Unlabelled: The ultimate mechanical properties of MgSiO orthoenstatite (OEN), as characterized here by the ideal strengths, have been calculated under tensile and shear loadings using first-principles calculations. Both ideal tensile strength (ITS) and shear strength (ISS) are computed by applying homogeneous strain increments along high-symmetry directions ([100], [010], and [001]) and low index shear planes ((100), (010), and (001)) of the orthorhombic lattice. We show that the ultimate mechanical properties of OEN are highly anisotropic during tensile loading, with ITS ranging from 4.

Naphthoquinone-induced arylation inhibits Sirtuin 7 activity.

Natural or synthetic naphthoquinones have been identified to interfere with biological systems and, in particular, exhibit anticancer properties. As redox cyclers, they generate reactive oxygen species in cells and, as electrophiles, they react with nucleophiles, mainly thiols, and form covalent adducts. To further decipher the molecular mechanism of action of naphthoquinones in human cells, we analyzed their effects in HeLa cells.

3D LiMn O Thin Film Deposited by ALD: A Road toward High-Capacity Electrode for 3D Li-Ion Microbatteries.

Miniaturized electronics suffer from a lack of energy autonomy. In that context, the fabrication of lithium-ion solid-state microbatteries with high performance is mandatory for powering the next generation of portable electronic devices. Here, the fabrication of a thin film positive electrode for 3D Li-ion microbatteries made by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method and in situ lithiation step is demonstrated.

An unusual O/F distribution in the new pyrochlore oxyfluorides: NaBOF (B = Nb, Ta).

Two new oxyfluorides with a pyrochlore-type structure, NaNbOF and NaTaOF, have been obtained, for which the XRD crystallographic study coupled with F solid state NMR reveals an unusual O/F distribution. Both materials are n-type semiconductors exhibiting photoconductive properties.