Article
Polymer Science
Jingjing Mai, Steven Pratt, Bronwyn Laycock, Clement Matthew Chan
Summary: This study explores the synthesis of industrially relevant high-molecular-weight block copolymers PHBV-b-PHBV using high molecular weight hydroxy-functionalised PHBV starting materials coupled with facile diisocyanate chemistry. Two-step synthesis approach and one-step approach were compared, and both successfully produced block copolymers. However, the two-step synthesis was less effective in building molecular weight. Both synthetic approaches were affected by additional isocyanate reactions resulting in the formation of by-products, affecting the product performance.
Article
Polymer Science
Teresa Marques-Almeida, Liliana C. Fernandes, Daniela M. Correia, Carmen R. Tubio, Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez, Clarisse Ribeiro
Summary: This study reports on electrospun fiber based membranes with tailored physical properties and morphology by combining piezoelectric and biodegradable polymers with poly(ethylene oxide). The produced materials demonstrated huge potential for environmental and biotechnological applications that require piezoelectricity, biodegradability, and porosity.
POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Beatriz Melendez-Rodriguez, Sergio Torres-Giner, Maria A. M. Reis, Fernando Silva, Mariana Matos, Luis Cabedo, Jose Maria Lagaron
Summary: A new P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx) terpolyester synthesized using fruit pulp as feedstock was melt-mixed with commercial PHBV to create miscible films for food packaging. As the content of P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx) increased, the mechanical response of the films transitioned from brittle to ductile, with increased permeabilities to gases.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peter Zytner, Akhilesh Kumar Pal, Feng Wu, Arturo Rodriguez-Uribe, Amar K. Mohanty, Manjusri Misra
Summary: This study investigates the structure-property relationship in biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends. It is found that adding 50 wt% PBAT can modify the brittleness of PHBV and create a co-continuous structure, significantly improving the toughness of the blends. The blending of the two polymers with different composition ratios allows for tailoring the properties for different processing methods and applications.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Ok Kyung Lee, Seung Gi Kang, Tae -Rim Choi, Yung-Hun Yang, Eun Yeol Lee
Summary: The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) through the biological conversion of methane offers a promising solution for addressing methane emissions and plastic waste. This study successfully produced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV copolymer) with improved properties compared to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), using the type II methanotroph, Methylocystis sp. MJC1. Optimization of cultivation conditions resulted in high PHBV copolymer yield and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) molar fraction.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Mohammad I. Ibrahim, Diya Alsafadi, Khalid A. Alamry, Mahmoud A. Hussein
Summary: PHBV, a biopolyester with biodegradability, biocompatibility, and being biobased, shows great potential to replace conventional non-degradable polymers. Its weaknesses in mechanical properties and processability drive research towards developing composite materials for various applications.
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Jingyun Luo, Min Zhu, Longzhen Wang, Hongfu Zhou, Bianying Wen, Xiangdong Wang, Yuxia Zhang
Summary: This study successfully developed an eco-friendly polymer foam with outstanding electromagnetic interference (EMI) property by incorporating graphene nanoplates (GNPs). The addition of GNPs improved the electrical properties of the foam and achieved adjustable EMI shielding effectiveness.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Changfeng Miao, Dong Meng, Yuling Liu, Fang Wang, Lu Chen, Zhaosong Huang, Xiangyu Fan, Pengfei Gu, Qiang Li
Summary: This study identified a phaC(R) gene encoding PHA synthase in Rhodoligotrophos defluvii, and successfully synthesized different content and structural PHA copolymers under different carbon source conditions, achieving efficient biosynthesis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaolong Han, Yujuan Jin, Jian Huang, Huafeng Tian, Maolin Guo
Summary: Hyperbranched polymer with flexible long chains was synthesized and used to toughen poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). The blends showed decreased crystallinity, increased impact strength, and elongation at break compared to the pure polymer.
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Sara Alfano, Francesca Pagnanelli, Andrea Martinelli
Summary: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are degradable polyesters with the potential to replace oil-based polymers. This study presents a new method using attenuated total reflection FTIR (ATR-FTIR) to rapidly determine the composition of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P3HBV), the most common PHA copolymer. The method proves to be useful for easy and rapid estimation of P3HBV composition.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Young Yun Jo, Soyoung Park, Gyeongtaek Gong, Soonjong Roh, Jin Yoo, Jung Ho Ahn, Sun-Mi Lee, Youngsoon Um, Kyoung Heon Kim, Ja Kyong Ko
Summary: This paper reports an improved artificial pathway for enhancing the 3HV component during PHBV biosynthesis from a structurally unrelated carbon source by Cupriavidus necator H16. By genetically manipulating the branched-chain amino acid pathways, a recombinant strain was developed to increase the intracellular accumulation of propionyl-CoA, a key precursor of the 3HV monomer. This recombinant strain produced 42.5% (g PHBV/g dry cell weight) PHBV with 64.9 mol% 3HV monomer from fructose as the sole carbon source.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Carmen R. Tubio, Xabier Valle, Estela Carvalho, Joana Moreira, Pedro Costa, Daniela M. Correia, Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez
Summary: Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hidroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a biodegradable polymer that can be used as a substitute for plastics made from fossil resources. By blending PHBV with poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), its properties can be improved, including morphology, wetting, structure, thermal, mechanical, and electrical characteristics. The addition of PCL and PLA also enhances the antibacterial activity of PHBV. This study demonstrates the potential of developing PHBV blends with PCL or PLA for specific applications.
Article
Polymer Science
Viktoryia Kulikouskaya, Viktoryia V. Nikalaichuk, Anton P. Bonartsev, Elizaveta A. Akoulina, Nikita Belishev, Irina Demianova, Dariana Chesnokova, Tatiana K. Makhina, Garina A. Bonartseva, Konstantin Shaitan, Kseniya S. Hileuskaya, Vera V. Voinova
Summary: Surface morphology plays a crucial role in cell attachment and proliferation. Different films with microstructured surfaces made of biodegradable polymers, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB-co-HV), of varying molecular weights were investigated. The study found that stem cells exhibit different behaviors depending on the surface morphology of the films.
Article
Biology
Asiyah Esmail, Joao R. Pereira, Chantal Sevrin, Christian Grandfils, Ugur Deneb Menda, Elvira Fortunato, Abel Oliva, Filomena Freitas
Summary: The study investigated the processing of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) for porous scaffolds, with emulsion templating technique showing a good balance between porosity and hydrophilicity while maintaining mechanical properties. The copolymer P(3HB-co-3HV) exhibited the best overall performance, with lower crystallinity and higher flexibility.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabela F. Santos, Rodolfo M. Moraes, Simone F. Medeiros, Jaspreet K. Kular, Marcus A. Johns, Ram Sharma, Amilton M. Santos
Summary: Polymeric nanoparticles were developed without any matrix ligands on their surface to promote cell attachment and proliferation of human osteoblasts. The study demonstrated that cells readily attached and spread onto the nanoparticle surfaces compared to non-tissue culture polystyrene, indicating the potential of PHBV nanoparticles for cell attachment and growth in tissue engineering.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Zhen Zhang, Zhaokuan Wen, Ting Li, Zhiguo Wang, Zhiyong Liu, Xiaxia Liao, Shanming Ke, Longlong Shu
Summary: In this paper, a series of Mn-doped BaTiO3 perovskite ceramics were fabricated to investigate the flexoelectric aging behavior. The results showed that the variation of Mn dopant significantly affected the properties of the BTMO ceramics, including the Curie temperature, dielectric constant, flexoelectric aging, and flexoelectric coefficient. It was found that the doping of Mn introduced oxygen vacancies, leading to the aging phenomenon in BTMO ceramics, which is closely related to ferroelectric fatigue.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuaibing Gao, Yue Huang, Ying Jiang, Meng Shen, Haitao Huang, Shenglin Jiang, Yunbin He, Qingfeng Zhang
Summary: In this study, Ce4+ and Ta5+ co-modified (Ag0.96Ce0.01)(Nb1-xTax)O3 relaxor antiferroelectric (AFE) ceramics were designed to improve the energy storage properties of silver niobate (AgNbO3). The co-doping strategy not only suppressed the ferrielectric behavior and enhanced the relaxor degree, but also improved the breakdown strength and discharge properties of the ceramics. The resulting ceramic exhibited an ultrahigh recoverable energy density, large power density, and stable discharge capacity over a wide temperature range.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rui Zhou, Zhen Hou, Ke Fan, Ching Kit Wun, Qun Liu, Tsz Woon Benedict Lo, Haitao Huang, Biao Zhang
Summary: This study reveals the electrolyte chemistry of an advanced organic polymer cathode, polytriphenylamine (PTPAn), and demonstrates the potential of building reliable Ca-based dual ion batteries in both organic and aqueous electrolytes.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ke Fan, Yiran Ying, Zezhou Lin, Yuen Hong Tsang, Haitao Huang
Summary: This study develops a three-tier model to accelerate the search for efficient G-BACs catalysts and elucidates the origin of their catalytic activity. It is found that E-b during the charging process of G-BACs in Na-S batteries is linearly correlated with E-diff, the difference in adsorption energy between the initial and final states of Na2S decomposition. Machine learning approaches correlate E-diff with intrinsic properties of metal elements and reveal that the most significant elemental feature is the outer electron number. This study not only accelerates the design of efficient G-BACs based on the structure-activity relationship, but also provides a feasible strategy for the fast screening of catalysts for other electrochemical reactions.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiran Ying, Zezhou Lin, Haitao Huang
Summary: In this study, we propose an edge/basal plane half-reaction separation mechanism for 2D photocatalysts in water splitting, which shows superior photocatalytic efficiency. By designing a group of stable and potentially exfoliable 2D rhodium chalcogenide halide photocatalysts, the half-reactions for hydrogen and oxygen evolution can be spatially separated, allowing simultaneous water splitting without sacrificial reagents or cocatalysts.
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Ruinan He, Nengneng Xu, Israr Masood Ul Hasan, Luwei Peng, Lulu Li, Haitao Huang, Jinli Qiao
Summary: In the context of global energy transition and environmental concerns, electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) to valuable chemicals using clean renewable electricity has emerged as a promising approach for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology, with potential economic benefits. However, the development of efficient and stable electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECO2R) electrolyzers to fully exploit the catalytic potential remains a challenge that has not received sufficient attention. This review summarizes the progress in ECO2R reactors, including their structural characteristics and electrochemical performance, and discusses the current challenges and limitations in CO2RR reactor design. The goal is to provide insights into the advancements in ECO2R electrolyzers for large-scale industrial applications of ECO2R.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhouyang Zhang, Yiran Ying, Ziyu Wu, Jiawei Huang, Min Gan, Haitao Zhang, Haitao Huang, Yangbo Zhou, Linfeng Fei
Summary: Single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) phase transformation is essential for the controllable synthesis of advanced materials. However, understanding the atomic-scale mechanisms during SCSC transformation remains a challenge due to the lack of direct experimental probes. In this study, using in-situ transmission electron microscopy, the nucleation and growth mechanisms of a hexagonal phase in a monoclinic matrix during a heating-induced structural transformation were observed. The findings provide crucial insights into the microscopic mechanisms and kinetics of solid-state phase transitions.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Nan Li, Keyu Xie, Haitao Huang
Summary: This paper systematically reviews the research progress on ferroelectric materials for high energy density batteries. It introduces the fundamental understanding and working mechanism of ferroelectric materials, and analyzes the challenges faced by each component in high energy density batteries. The modification strategies of utilizing ferroelectric materials to improve the ion transport kinetics are summarized, and the existing problems and development directions of ferroelectric materials are proposed.
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tao Zhang, Ji Kong, Chao Shen, Shengjie Cui, Zezhou Lin, Yuyu Deng, Minghao Song, Lifang Jiao, Haitao Huang, Ting Jin, Keyu Xie
Summary: This study introduces acetic acid in layered cathode materials to form sodium acetate and successfully achieves efficient sodium compensation. Based on sodium compensation, the capacity retention and energy density of the battery have been significantly improved.
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haifa Qiu, Tong Yang, Jun Zhou, Ke Yang, Yiran Ying, Keda Ding, Ming Yang, Haitao Huang
Summary: Using ferroelectric BaTiO3 as a model system, this study investigates the impact of polarization states on the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. The results reveal that BaTiO3 with in-plane polarization exhibits improved HER activity, while the out-of-plane polarization does not. Surface rumpling induced by surface relaxation and polarization states play a crucial role in determining the surface polarization and significantly affect the chemical reactivity of surface oxygen.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhenhao Fan, Shuaibing Gao, Yunfei Chang, Dawei Wang, Xin Zhang, Haitao Huang, Yunbin He, Qingfeng Zhang
Summary: Current polymer nanocomposites for energy storage suffer from low discharged energy density and efficiency at high temperature. To solve this problem, polyetherimide (PEI) nanocomposites filled with core-shell structured nanoparticles are developed, which consist of a PLZST antiferroelectric core and an Al2O3 shell. The PLZST core provides a wide temperature range of low remnant electric displacement, improving the electric displacement-electric field loops of the nanocomposites. The Al2O3 shell with similar dielectric constant to the PEI matrix and high thermal conductivity enhances breakdown strength and suppresses conduction loss, resulting in an ultrahigh discharged energy density of 10.20 J cm(-3) at 150 degrees C and a large efficiency of 83.5%.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xinyu Wang, Yiran Ying, Shengmei Chen, Qingjun Meng, Haitao Huang, Longtao Ma
Summary: Rechargeable Zinc battery technologies are considered promising for large-scale energy storage. However, the polarity of water molecules leads to the deterioration of both the zinc metal anode and cathode. In this study, a lean-water electrolyte was developed by replacing 90% of the water sheath with 1,3-propanediol (PDO) molecules. The results showed that this electrolyte effectively suppressed hydrogen evolution reaction and inhibited zinc dendrite growth, leading to high capacity and long lifespan in zinc-ion batteries.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lu Li, Gao Chen, Zongping Shao, Haitao Huang
Summary: Water electrolysis powered by renewable energy has the potential to produce green hydrogen energy, which is crucial in building a near-zero-emission society. Integrating seawater purification and electrolysis technology is a promising approach to improve hydrogen production efficiency, stability, energy consumption, and cost.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiaodong Ao, Liwen Zhu, Renhong Liang, Yu Wang, Mao Ye, Renkui Zheng, Shanming Ke
Summary: In this study, high-quality Sr3Ru2O7 epitaxial thin films were successfully grown at a low temperature of 680 degrees C on SrTiO3 substrates by adjusting the oxygen partial pressure, which underwent a phase transition from SrRuO3 to Sr3Ru2O7 facilitated by the formation and development of oxygen and ruthenium vacancies.
SCRIPTA MATERIALIA
(2024)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Gao Chen, Chao Wei, Yanping Zhu, Haitao Huang
Summary: This review summarizes the role of chemical driving force in electrocatalytic water splitting and discusses its effects on surface reconstruction, reaction rate/mechanism, and interfacial redox reactions. Understanding the chemical driving force can aid in the design of advanced energy materials.
