Article
Chemistry, Organic
Shixian Cao, Pan Wang, Xi Zeng, Zhu Tao, Xin-Long Ni
Summary: The study utilized the cucurbituril host-guest chemistry to assist in the formation of carbon dots with tunable particle size and high fluorescence emission. By retaining the original rigid macrocyclic skeletons of the hosts during the fabrication process, the CDs obtained were characterized by high quality and unique properties, offering potential applications in biosensors and other fields.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liying Yin, Zhongzheng Wang, Mei-Ling Xu, Fuhai Guo, Xiao Zhang, Kui Li
Summary: The design and fabrication of a homojunction with similar lattice constant, modulated configuration, and morphology is essential for the efficient separation and transport of photo-generated charge carriers.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuan Yang, Xiaoyu Huang, Congyi Sheng, Yaoyao Pan, Yin Huang, Xiuhua Wang
Summary: The novel design strategy proposed in this work provides a new method for developing high-performance two-dimensional nanostructured electrode materials.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuan Yang, Xiaoyu Huang, Congyi Sheng, Yaoyao Pan, Yin Huang, Xiuhua Wang
Summary: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have potential as electrode materials for supercapacitors, but their conductivity and agglomeration issues hinder their electrochemical performance. This study successfully addresses these challenges by vertically anchoring CoSe2/Ni3Se4 nanosheets derived from ZIF-67 onto MXene nanosheets. The MXene substrate reduces agglomeration and enhances conductivity, while the close combination between CoSe2/Ni3Se4 nanosheets and MXene nanosheets promotes faster charge transfer and improves the durability of the structure. The resulting honeycomb-like MXene@CoSe2/Ni3Se4 electrode material demonstrates high specific capacitance and outstanding capacitance retention rate, making it a promising candidate for supercapacitor applications.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yong Li, Wenhan Zhang, Chunyan Lai, Tianrang Yang, Xiwang Chang, Maohui Zhang, Liangmei Sheng, Zhiyun Yang, Daixin Ye, Kevin Huang, Jingying Xie
Summary: In this study, two-dimensional material Ti3C2 MXene was used as the precursor for Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to synthesize electrode materials with excellent electrochemical performance through a one-step hydrothermal process. The highly electronic conductive CQDs optimized the transmission path of ions and improved the conductivity of the material.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Piyanan Pranee, Antoine Scalabre, Christine Labrugere, Naoya Ryu, Akira Yano, Nanami Hano, David Talaga, Yutaka Okazaki, Emilie Pouget, Sylvain Nlate, Sebastien Bonhommeau, Makoto Takafuji, Takehiko Wada, Hirotaka Ihara, Thierry Buffeteau, Dario M. Bassani, Reiko Oda
Summary: In this study, self-organised helical bilayers of dicationic gemini surfactants confined in helical silica nanospace were transformed in situ to carbon dots (CDots) through pyrolysis. These water-dispersible CDots exhibit electronic absorption spanning the UV and visible range and possess symmetrical circular dichroism (CD) signals, with the sign depending on the handedness of the helices.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiaoyan Li, Chaojin Xuan, Boxu Yang, Weichen Wang, Mingzhong Wang, Xiaopeng Zhao
Summary: In this paper, center-doped monodisperse Cu-doped ZnSe (ZnSe:Cu) quantum dots are synthesized by co-nucleation doping method, and then a double-layered ZnS shell is grown on the QDs. The prepared ZnSe:Cu/ZnS/ZnS QDs exhibit high photoluminescence intensity and excellent stability in the blue region. The stability is attributed to the ZnS shell grown outside the ZnSe:Cu core, which effectively limits excitons and Cu and isolates O2. This work provides a new approach to enhance the stability of quantum dots.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Li-Bei Huang, Wei-Hua Guo, Le Cheng, Jian-Jun Su, Yun Song, Fei-Jun Hu, Ying Lo Law, Zheng Yan, Jian Lin, Ru-Quan Ye
Summary: The study systematically investigated the structural and performance differences of NiFe/LIG hybrids synthesized using different methods. The results showed that metal nanoparticles were mostly wrapped by carbon layers in the in situ hybrids, while the ex situ hybrids largely exposed the metal nanoparticles. These structural differences are significant for tailoring performance in applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ha-Chi V. Tran, Bora Kim, Hyojung Kim, Sungwook Park, Ju Young Woo, Sohee Jeong
Summary: This study demonstrates for the first time that triiodide ions hinder the anion-exchange activities in lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP NCs) and result in the formation of LHP NCs with a low photoluminescence quantum yield. Heating the precursor solution can effectively minimize the concentration of triiodide and obtain high-efficiency anion-exchange LHP NCs with a high photoluminescence quantum yield.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bastiaan B. Salzmann, Jur de Wit, Chen Li, Daniel Arenas-Esteban, Sara Bals, Andries Meijerink, Daniel Vanmaekelbergh
Summary: This study prepared two-dimensional CdSe-PbSe heterostructures and PbSe NPLs through Pb2+-for-Cd2+ cation exchange and characterized the intermediary NCs with advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The growth of PbSe domains in CdSe NPLs occurs through the replacement of zinc blende CdSe lattice with rock salt PbSe phase while preserving the anion sublattice. Temperature-dependent emission measurements reveal size-dependent change of band gap energy and the influence of the anisotropic shape.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Constanze N. Neumann, Steven J. Rozeveld, Mircea Dinca
Summary: The Guerbet reaction is employed to condense simple bioalcohols, doubling the carbon count and increasing the C:O ratio to produce valuable commodity chemicals. A RuCo catalyst derived from a metal-organic framework (MOF) is capable of producing 2-ethylhexanol, a plasticizer alcohol, at a large scale without the common secondary product sodium butanoate.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kamakshaiah Charyulu Devarayapalli, Jie Zeng, Dae Sung Lee, S. V. Prabhakar Vattikuti, Jaesool Shim
Summary: This paper reports the development of advanced functional materials for photocatalytic hydrogen generation using abundant solar energy. Platinum quantum sized particles were deposited on bismuth oxybromide nanostructures, resulting in improved photocatalytic activity due to the synergistic effect of exposed (101) and (110) planes. The synthesized nanostructure catalyst showed significantly higher hydrogen generation efficiency compared to bare bismuth oxybromide.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chunli Zhao, Yuan Gao, Jianbei Qiu
Summary: In this work, a room temperature, supersaturated recrystallization method was used to synthesize Cs3BiCl6 and Cs3Bi2Cl9, which can be interconverted by addition of raw material post-synthetically. Both precursors can be used, together with suitable Mn2+ and other cations, to synthesize fully inorganic, layered double perovskites such as Cs4MnBi2Cl12. By partially replacing Mn2+ with Cd2+, the photoluminescence efficiency (PLQY) of Cs4Mn1-xCdxBi2Cl12 reaches a maximum value of 57.2%.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Md Rifat Hasan, Nepu Saha, Thomas Quaid, M. Toufiq Reza
Summary: Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are nanomaterials with a wide range of applications such as medical diagnostics, bio-imaging, biosensors, coatings, solar cells, and photocatalysis. The optical properties of CQDs are highly dependent on the type of precursor used, with different feedstocks resulting in variations in absorption and emission behavior.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mohammad Mominur Rahman, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Hamad F. Alharbi, Belal Aldokhayel, Tauriq Uzzaman, Hasan Zahir
Summary: Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells are important energy-producing devices with potential for higher efficiency, but face challenges due to narrow absorption areas and charge recombination, requiring new electrodes, sensitizers, and electrolytes for improvement.
CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rebeca Lopez-Adams, Simon M. Fairclough, Ian C. Lyon, Sarah J. Haigh, Jun Zhang, Fang-Jie Zhao, Katie L. Moore, Jonathan R. Lloyd
Summary: This study investigated the simultaneous nitrate-dependent Fe(ii) and As(iii) oxidation by Acidovorax sp. strain ST3 and found that the addition of nitrate promotes Fe(ii) oxidation and formation of Fe(iii) biominerals, which retain As(iii/v). However, this process is metabolically detrimental to some cells.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Luke T. Townsend, Kurt F. Smith, Ellen H. Winstanley, Katherine Morris, Olwen Stagg, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Francis R. Livens, Liam Abrahamsen-Mills, Richard Blackham, Samuel Shaw
Summary: Neptunium (Np-237) is an important radionuclide in the nuclear fuel cycle, and its mobility can be significantly affected by various chemical processes. In this study, Np interactions with key iron minerals were investigated using X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, revealing that Np may undergo different speciation changes in different systems.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jing Zhang, Victoria S. Coker, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Samuel Shaw
Summary: In this study, the adsorption of molybdate to hematite was characterized using adsorption isotherms, PHREEQC geochemical modeling, Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). The results showed that both pH and Mo concentration are important factors in the formation of mono- and polymolybdate species, with low pH and high Mo(VI) concentration contributing to the formation of a polymolybdate surface species on hematite. XAS analysis also revealed the presence of octahedrally coordinated Mo(VI) adsorption species on hematite, providing important insights into the mobility and transport of Mo as a contaminant in the environment.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Benjamin M. Rumney, Sian R. Morgan, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, F. Tegwen Malik, Simon J. Holden, Andrew R. Parker, Nick White, Philip N. Lewis, Julie Albon, Keith M. Meek
Summary: The study aims to understand the composition and structure of the carapace of the marine ostracod Skogsbergia lerneri. The research found high levels of calcium and substantial levels of magnesium in the carapace, as well as the presence of amorphous calcium carbonate at different stages of development. The study also discovered the distribution of chitin within the carapace, which remained consistent throughout development. These findings have important implications for the manufacturing of biomaterials and biomimetics.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yusuf Abubakar, Kevin G. Taylor, Victoria Coker, Roy A. Wogelius, Bart E. van Dongen
Summary: This study investigates the influence of sulfur on the preservation of organic matter in various mudstones. The results suggest that sulfurization can efficiently preserve organic matter in certain environments, while the precipitation of iron sulfides competes with this preservation process.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Agnieszka Dybowska, Paul F. Schofield, Laura Newsome, Richard J. Herrington, Julian F. W. Mosselmans, Burkhard Kaulich, Majid Kazemian, Tohru Araki, Thomas J. Skiggs, Jens Kruger, Anne Oxley, Rachel L. Norman, Jonathan R. Lloyd
Summary: The Piaui laterite in NE Brazil was studied for its Co enrichment along with Ni evaluation. The laterite shows heterogeneity in terms of mineralogy and lithology, different from traditional nickel laterite profiles. The study identified six mineralogical and geochemical units within the deposit, and Ni is mainly concentrated in nickeliferous phyllosilicates. Cobalt is mainly associated with manganese, and its presence in goethite is dependent on the presence of manganese. Spatially resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of octahedrally bound Co3+ in the asbolane-lithiophorite intermediates. The microbial community in the laterite contains prokaryotes and a few fungi, with higher abundance and diversity near the ground level. Microcosm experiments showed that stimulated biogeochemical cycling did not contribute to Co mobilisation. Correlations between Co and Mn are a result of parent rock weathering rather than biogeochemical processes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Matthieu Amor, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Ernesto Scoppola, Chenghao Li, Damien Faivre, Daniel M. Chevrier
Summary: Magnetite nanoparticles can have various applications, and their magnetic properties can be tuned by incorporating trace elements. In abiotic magnetite nanoparticles, element incorporation is mainly controlled by cation size and valence, while in biologically synthesized magnetite nanoparticles, there is biological control over element transfer. This understanding can help in predicting and tailoring the composition of magnetite nanoparticles for desired magnetic properties.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hannah Smith, Luke T. Townsend, Ritesh Mohun, Theo Cordara, Martin C. Stennett, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Kristina Kvashnina, Claire L. Corkhill
Summary: This study investigates the fundamental chemistry of Cr-doped UO2 fuels and provides direct evidence of the chemistry of Cr2(3+)O3-doped U(4+)O2 using advanced analytical methods. The study shows that Cr2+ can directly substitute for U4+, accompanied by U5+ and oxygen vacancy charge compensation, explaining the substantial discrepancies in previous literature.
COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jinxin Xie, Victoria S. Coker, Brian O'Driscoll, Rongsheng Cai, Sarah J. Haigh, Jonathan R. Lloyd
Summary: This study found that Geobacter sulfurreducens cannot directly reduce pentavalent antimony or cause its release. The results highlight the close associations between iron and antimony in environmental systems, suggesting the potential use of iron for remediation of antimony contamination.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kejing Zhang, Lynn Foster, Dawn Buchanan, Victoria S. Coker, Jon K. Pittman, Jonathan R. Lloyd
Summary: Pseudanabaena dominates cyanobacterial blooms in the First-Generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) at a UK nuclear site. Understanding the interactions between Cs and Pseudanabaena spp. is important for determining facility management strategies and improving understanding of microbiological responses. The study evaluated the fate of Cs following interactions with Pseudanabaena catenata and found that Cs exposure did not affect the growth of P. catenata, while high concentration of K caused reduction in cell yield. This study enhances understanding of Cs fate and biological responses within Pseudanabaena blooms, and suggests K exposure as a potential microbial bloom control strategy.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Nicholas T. T. Tran, Daniel Sier, Tony Kirk, Chanh Q. Tran, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Sofia Diaz-Moreno, Christopher T. Chantler
Summary: The discovery of a new physical process in manganese metal is reported. This process will also be present for all manganese-containing materials in condensed matter. The process was discovered using the XRHERFD technique, developed from the high-resolution RIXS and HERFD approaches. The findings have important implications for X-ray absorption spectroscopy and the interpretation of X-ray absorption fine-structure spectra.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Shauna L. McLoughlin, Richard A. D. Pattrick, J. Frederick W. Mosselmans, Joe Kelleher, Bart E. van Dongen
Summary: The agricultural soils of West Limerick, Ireland, have extremely high natural selenium concentrations due to the Carboniferous shales, which originated in anoxic marine environments and were reprecipitated in post-glacial marshes. This has led to selenosis and molybdenosis in grazing livestock. The study found high concentrations of selenium, molybdenum, and uranium in the soils, with a positive correlation to organic matter. Pasture grasses and the accumulator species Brassica oleracea showed high levels of selenium and molybdenum. The Se in the soil-plant system was mainly present as elemental Se and selenomethionine, leading to selenosis in dairy herds. The hyperaccumulating Brassica oleracea could be used to extract selenium and molybdenum and reduce toxicity. Evaluation: 8/10.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Gianni F. Vettese, Katherine Morris, Matthew White-Pettigrew, Luke T. Townsend, Samuel Shaw, Christopher Boothman, Jonathan R. Lloyd
Summary: The past 60+ years of global nuclear activity have led to a significant amount of radioactive contaminated lands, which require costly remediation. Developing environmentally friendly, economically viable, and effective clean-up technologies is crucial. In situ remediation techniques are an important option, but questions remain regarding the most favorable methods and long-term stability.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Natalie Byrd, Jonathan R. R. Lloyd, Luke T. T. Townsend, Joe S. S. Small, Frank Taylor, Heath Bagshaw, Christopher Boothman, Ilya Strashnov, Katherine Morris
Summary: This study investigates the biogeochemical fate of citrate in the presence of Ni2+ and U(vi)O-2(2+) under conditions relevant to low level radioactive waste disposal. The results show that citrate can be fully biodegraded under nitrate- and sulfate-reducing conditions, leading to the formation of poorly soluble Ni sulfides. However, citrate degradation is inhibited at elevated Ni concentrations. Additionally, citrate degradation occurs in the presence of U, resulting in the formation of poorly soluble U(iv) phosphate phases. These findings have implications for the safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-ADVANCES
(2023)