Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
H. Samet Varol, Stefan Seeger
Summary: This study presents a new method to collect 3D confocal images of irregular polysiloxane micro- and nanorods for discussing their wetting response and quantifying their dimensions. Through different staining scenarios, the researchers were able to resolve the micro- and nanorods and validate the results against electron microscopy images. The findings from the 3D confocal images shed light on the long-time existence of multiple wetting states and the shifting and pinning of three-phase contact lines under the same droplet on surfaces.
Article
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Alexandre Laroche, Davide Bottone, Stefan Seeger, Elmar Bonaccurso
Summary: Novel icephobic coatings exhibit low adhesion strength to ice under various conditions and show good durability. Coatings made from Silicone Nanofilament (SNF) networks are promising for supporting hybrid ice protection systems on aircraft.
SURFACE & COATINGS TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ying Shen, Dawei Li, Lanlan Wang, Yuqi Zhou, Feng Liu, Huiping Wu, Bingyao Deng, Qingsheng Liu
Summary: This study successfully prepared superelastic and robust nanofiber-based aerogels with a three-dimensional structure and tunable porosity, which can efficiently achieve oil/water separation.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kai Chen, Lingxiao Li, Junping Zhang
Summary: Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) is a promising method for seawater desalination. Two-dimensional water-transport structures (2D-WTS) can enhance SIE performance but suffer from poor salt resistance. Inspired by transpiration in plant leaves, researchers have developed a 2D-WTS with controllable morphology, allowing for fast water supply and long-term efficient SIE.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Farjana Haque, Ravindra Naik Bukke, Mallory Mativenga
Summary: The study demonstrates that controlling the crystallization speed can modify the morphology of solution-processed MAPbI(3) thin films, with solvent-controlled growth leading to fewer residues, fewer pinholes, and larger grain sizes. Thin-film transistors with solvent-controlled growth exhibit smaller hysteresis in their current-voltage characteristics, indicating the benefits of solvent-controlled growth towards hysteresis-free perovskite devices.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Noah U. Naef, Stefan Seeger
Summary: The study successfully achieved higher catalytic activity by immobilizing Candida antarctica lipase B on matrices coated with silicone nanofilaments. By optimizing the immobilization conditions, a thinner enzyme layer was created, further enhancing the activity per enzyme.
JOURNAL OF NANOMATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Siqin Li, Jigang Du, Jianguo Lu, Bojing Lu, Fei Zhuge, Ruqi Yang, Yangdan Lu, Zhizhen Ye
Summary: Amorphous oxide-based memristors have been studied for their potential use in neuromorphic systems. This work investigates the influence of oxygen vacancy content on the performance of amorphous ZnTiSnO films. It is found that the memristive behavior of Au/ZnTiSnO/Au crossbar devices is affected by the oxygen pressure during deposition, with devices prepared at 4.4 Pa oxygen pressure showing more pronounced hysteresis loops compared to those prepared at 4.5 Pa oxygen pressure.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Davide Bottone, Stefan Seeger
Summary: In this work, the friction experienced by water droplets on liquid-infused surfaces (LIS) with both random and regular nanostructures is studied. It is found that consecutive droplets show a memory effect with an increasing velocity up to a plateau value after a certain time. The low-friction trace created by moving droplets in their wake is observed and attributed to the temporary smoothing out of the conformal lubricant layer by a liquid film deposition.
Article
Polymer Science
Jingru Chen, Liujun Pei, Wenhua Shi, Jingyuan Yi, Jiping Wang
Summary: Traditional water-based dyeing of polyester textiles generates burdensome processes and a great deal of wastewater, while the silicone waterless dyeing system offers a water-free alternative. This study explores the relationship between dispersants and dyeing performance in this system. The addition of dispersant NNO improves the exhaustion and color intensity of dyed fabric, while dispersant MF has the opposite effect. The silicone waterless dyeing system achieves a similar dye uptake compared to the water-based system, with good color fastness.
Article
Polymer Science
Yen-Ting Li, Suhendro Purbo Prakoso, Li-Che Hsu, Xin-Ni Xu, Chih-Chien Hung, Ya-Ling Chen, Yu-Hao Wu, Wen-Chang Chen, Bi-Hsuan Lin, Yu-Cheng Chiu
Summary: Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted significant attention in optoelectronics due to their tunable optical characteristics. This study presents a method of selectively growing nanoscale perovskite crystals using a functional polymer-assisted solvent vapor-assisted crystallization process to control their crystallization and optical properties. The addition of a metal-coordinating functional polymer results in perovskite crystals with strong green emission and long carrier lifetime.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pengpeng Hu, Jeppe Madsen, Anne Ladegaard Skov
Summary: An easy curing reaction is demonstrated to prepare silicone elastomers with superior stretchability and softness, surpassing their intrinsic limitations. Highly stretchable and extremely soft silicone elastomers are achieved by creating highly entangled elastomers and bottle-brush elastomers from commercial precursor polymers, respectively.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
R. Cabezas, S. Duran, E. Zurob, A. Plaza, G. Merlet, C. Araya-Lopez, J. Romero, E. Quijada-Maldonado
Summary: In this study, composite membranes prepared with HDES were used for pervaporation separation of ABE mixtures, showing improved selectivity and stability in separating butanol. The enhancement in selectivity can be explained by the synergic effect of PDMS coating with the HDES layer.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Souvik Sarkar, Raju Laishram, Darshana Deb, Subi J. George
Summary: Dynamic supramolecular polymers, with their functional similarities to classical covalent polymers and their adaptive and self-repairing nature reminiscent of biological assemblies, have emerged as highly promising systems for the design of smart soft materials. Recent advancements in mechanistic investigations and novel synthetic strategies have enhanced our ability to control the primary structure of these supramolecular polymers. In this paper, the authors introduce a remarkable advancement in the synthesis of secondary supramolecular polymers, unveiling new topologies and enhanced higher-order structural complexity.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qixuan Lin, Qiwen Zhan, Yue Wu, Jianlin Wang, Libo Li, Feng Xu, Feng Xu, Junli Ren
Summary: This study investigates the molecular behavior of xylan-type hemicellulose during solvent-controlled extraction and precipitation using molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations. The study explains four phenomena at the molecular level and contributes to an increased understanding of the dissolution and precipitation mechanisms of hemicellulose. It provides a theoretical basis for the efficient extraction of high-purity hemicellulose.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jessica Gutierrez Gonzalez, Marcelo Ceolin, Walter F. Schroeder, Ileana A. Zucchi
Summary: This study synthesized one-dimensional PEO nanocrystals through self-assembly of PS-b-PEO and found that the morphology of the nanocrystals was dependent on the type of block copolymer and reaction conditions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dongxia Yan, Junping Zhang, Xingmei Lu, Qing Zhou, Junli Xu, Jiayu Xin
Summary: A catalytic process for producing renewable bio-gasoline from corn stover was developed and evaluated, demonstrating its economic attractiveness and sustainability.
CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yanfei Yang, Guilin Meng, Hongli Wang, Wankai Wang, Junping Zhang
Summary: A new nanomaterial Co/N-C@Li-MMT is designed to inhibit polysulfide shuttle and maximize polysulfide redox kinetics in Li-S batteries. The modified separator with Co/N-C@Li-MMT shows high Li+ conductivity, fast Li+ diffusion, efficient polysulfide trapping and conversion, leading to high capacity, good rate performance, excellent cycling stability, and ultralow self-discharge in Li-S batteries.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qiu Zhao, Hui Zhao, Gang Wang, Hanwen Yan, Junping Zhang, Xinyue Liu, Yijun Cao
Summary: The synthesis of methylacrolein (MAL) from formaldehyde and propanal via Mannich reaction attracts attention as petroleum resources gradually deplete. In this study, a series of morpholine/acid catalysts with different acid types and molar ratios were prepared to catalyze the propanal-formaldehyde reactions for MAL production. The catalytic performance was influenced by the morpholine/acid ratio, acid type, and initial pH value, while the addition sequence of reactants and formaldehyde source affected the yield and selectivity of MAL. The optimal catalysis condition achieved a 99.8% conversion of propanal and an 89.7% yield of MAL using morpholine/acetic acid with a molar ratio of 1/3 under weak acidic conditions (pH = 5.30) at 50 degrees C. Protonation of morpholine effectively inhibited catalyst deactivation and promoted MAL production, but both basic and strong acidic environments suppressed MAL formation. Kinetic studies showed that MAL formation was first-order dependent on the concentrations of propanal and formaldehyde, with an activation barrier of 30.1 kJ/mol. Unfortunately, the optimal catalyst gradually deactivated due to side reactions of morpholine with formaldehyde, propanal, and MAL.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jie Dong, Wei Ding, Jinfei Wei, Ning Tian, Xueli Nan, Junping Zhang
Summary: In this study, food-grade superhydrophobic coatings were prepared by combining attapulgite natural nanorods, stearic acid, and hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate. These coatings exhibited excellent static and dynamic superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning performance, with outstanding antiadhesive properties towards various liquid foods and applicability to different food packing materials.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jing Du, Runliang Zhu, Qingze Chen, Jieyang Xie, Haiyang Xian, Junping Zhang, Jianxi Zhu
Summary: A mechanically stable silicon carbide-reinforced silicon (Si/SiC) material was designed through a facile molten salt-assisted magnesiothermic reduction method to prevent fractures of electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Si/SiC showed enhanced cycling performance due to the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles, a robust interface structure, and a hierarchical pore structure. When paired with LiCoO2 cathode, the full cell exhibited a high capacity of 148mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.5C.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Junping Zhang, Naiqian Wu, Minhui Li
Summary: Researchers developed a prediction model based on glucose indicators in the second trimester to earlier identify the risk of cesarean delivery (CD). The model showed good performance in predicting CD risk based on significant variables including pre-pregnancy BMI, plasma glucose levels, and glycosylated hemoglobin.
JOURNAL OF MATERNAL-FETAL & NEONATAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ning Tian, Jinfei Wei, Junping Zhang
Summary: Researchers have designed superhydrophobic fabrics with high impalement resistance and stretching stability by constructing elastic reconfigurable micro-/micro-/nanostructures. The effects of microfiber distance and micro-/nanostructures on superhydrophobicity and impalement resistance were studied. The superhydrophobic fabrics display excellent impalement resistance and stretching stability, and also show good antifouling property, self-cleaning performance, as well as high abrasion and washing stability.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lingxiao Li, Weiqiang Xiong, Shixi Wu, Junping Zhang
Summary: Ultra-stable aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) with enhanced combustion performance are reported using a crosslinked polydopamine/polyethyleneimine (PDA/PEI) nanocoating. The nanocoating, with a thickness of about 15nm and mass of about 0.24 wt %, is formed through one-step rapid graft copolymerization of dopamine and PEI on Al NPs at room temperature. The Al@PDA/PEI NPs exhibit excellent stability in hot water and improved combustion heat and burning rate.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaokang Wang, Yuanyuan Cui, Yingying Song, Yifan Liu, Junping Zhang, Songsong Chen, Li Dong, Xiangping Zhang
Summary: In this study, ionic liquids (ILs) containing hydroxylamine as the cation were found to have better extraction performance for the separation of methanol from DMC. The extraction mechanism of these functionalized ILs was analyzed to be mainly governed by hydrogen bonding energy and Van der Waals force. Experimental results validated the reliability of the COSMO-RS model, and ethanolamine acetate ([MEA][Ac]) was determined to have the best extraction performance.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yanfei Yang, Wankai Wang, Meisheng Li, Shouyong Zhou, Junping Zhang, Aiqin Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates that the dendrite growth issue in lithium metal batteries can be effectively tackled by designing leaf-like membranes with hierarchical structure and fluidic channels. The plant leaf-inspired membrane (PLIM) separators, prepared using natural attapulgite nanorods, guide uniform and directed lithium growth, leading to improved Coulombic efficiency and cycling stability. The PLIM separators also show potential for enhancing reversibility and cycling stability in other battery systems.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jiyan Li, Meichen Liu, Wenwen Luo, Guoyu Xing, Wenzhe Yang, Hanxue Sun, Rui Jiao, Junping Zhang, An Li
Summary: Solar-driven interfacial evaporation co-generation technology is crucial for addressing water and energy shortage. In this study, waste biomass tea residue-based microcrystalline cellulose was aligned with ionic liquid-assistance to create aerogels with aligned channels. This innovative design boosts the evaporation rate and salt resistance of the aerogels, demonstrating great potential for seawater desalination and steam co-generation.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bucheng Li, Weidong Liang, Binbin Zhang, Junping Zhang
Summary: This study presents a new method for the preparation of waterborne durable superamphiphobic coatings based on palygorskite, which exhibit excellent superamphiphobicity, chemical stability, mechanical stability, and anti-fouling properties. It also demonstrates a new application of natural fibrous clay minerals like palygorskite.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiaopeng Huang, Lingxiao Li, Xia Zhao, Junping Zhang
Summary: Silicone nanoparticles were deposited onto melamine sponge and modified with polypyrrole and Au nanoparticles to fabricate highly saltresistant solar evaporators for stable long-term desalination and water harvesting. These solar evaporators have a superhydrophilic hull for water transport and solar desalination, and a superhydrophobic nucleus for reducing heat loss. They achieved spontaneous rapid salt exchange and reduction in salt concentration gradient due to ultrafast water transport and replenishment in the superhydrophilic hull with a hierachical micro-/nanostructure, effectively preventing salt deposition during interfacial solar-driven evaporation (ISE). These solar evaporators demonstrated long-term stable evaporation performance and the ability to collect fresh water without any salt precipitation.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wei Ding, Jinfei Wei, Junping Zhang
Summary: The adhesion of liquid foods on their packaging materials has become a major concern due to the significant waste and pollution it causes. Food grade superhydrophobic coatings offer a promising solution, although their application has been limited by low mechanical stability and complex preparation methods. In this study, a food grade superhydrophobic coating was developed using edible paraffin wax, polydimethylsiloxane-modified attapulgite natural nanorods, and a food grade silicone adhesive. The coating exhibited good static and dynamic superhydrophobicity, as well as excellent mechanical and chemical stability. It also showed repellency towards various liquid foods, including hot ones, and could be applied to a wide range of food packaging materials. Therefore, the superhydrophobic coatings have great potential for anti-adhesion of liquid foods in the food packing industry.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiyan Li, Guoyu Xing, Min Qiao, Zihao Liu, Hanxue Sun, Rui Jiao, Lingxiao Li, Junping Zhang, An Li
Summary: This study proposes a natural and degradable superhydrophilic composite macroporous hygroscopic material for solar-driven atmospheric water harvesting. The material, composed of guar gum, cellulose nanofibers, and carbon nanotubes, shows high moisture absorption capacity and stable water harvesting performance. This research demonstrates the great potential of biomass materials in solving the freshwater crisis.
