Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lurong Ge, Yaohui Feng, Yanjun Dai, Ruzhu Wang, Tianshu Ge
Summary: This study develops a composite sorbent with excellent water sorption performance and long-term stability by encapsulating an ionic liquid in ordered mesoporous MCM-41. The composite sorbent exhibits fast sorption rate, low temperature-driven regeneration potential, and no corrosion to metal components.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ksenia S. Egorova, Marina M. Seitkalieva, Alexey S. Kashin, Evgeniy G. Gordeev, Anna V. Vavina, Alexandra V. Posvyatenko, Valentine P. Ananikov
Summary: This study investigated the cytotoxicity of chemically relevant imidazolium PILs with different alkyl side chains and compared it with aprotic analogues. The results highlighted the role of anion type in determining the cytotoxicity of ILs with short alkyl side chains. Even low-toxic PILs showed harmful effects on eukaryotic cells when used as cryopreservation agents, and the studied IL/water mixtures tended to form simple solid hydrates due to the weak amphiphilic properties of imidazolium cations with short alkyl side chains.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Biao Zhang, Guillaume Sudre, Guilhem Quintard, Anatoli Serghei, Julien Bernard, Etienne Fleury, Aurelia Charlot
Summary: This study mixed RAFT-made poly(ionic liquid) chains with an ionic liquid, leading to homogeneous and transparent solutions due to similarities in structure and polarity. Rheology investigation showed that the solution's viscoelastic properties can be finely tuned by adjusting the chain molar mass and concentration. The high ionic conductivity and multi-scale local homogeneity of the PIL/IL solutions were confirmed through X-ray scattering experiments and microscopy analysis.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Thuy T. L. Bui, Ha T. N. Uong, Ngoc C. Pham, Duy K. Nguyen, Son Ngo, Binh T. Nguyen
Summary: In this study, four different types of ionic liquids were synthesized and prepared as sorbents in nature of supported ionic liquid phases. The sorption of Pt(IV) was influenced by the structure of ILs and solid carriers, the IL loading, and IL/Pt molar ratio. The highest sorption yields were observed when using SILPs based on [C14MIM]Cl.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huiwen Zhang, Mengke Kong, Qianwen Jiang, Kehui Hu, Mai Ouyang, Fei Zhong, Mengyi Qin, Linghua Zhuang, Guowei Wang
Summary: Mixed solvent systems of acetic acid aqueous solution with different imidazolium ionic liquids were used for successful chitosan dissolution at room temperature, followed by casting membranes. Various imidazolium ionic liquids were found to affect the physicochemical properties of chitosan membranes, improving their thermal stability and strength. Adding different imidazolium ionic liquids during chitosan dissolution can tune the properties of chitosan membranes.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
David Domingo Huguet, Aitor Gual, Ricard Garcia-Valls, Adrianna Nogalska
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of improving CO2 capture capabilities by supporting ionic liquids (ILs) on a polymeric matrix. The internal morphology and surface characteristics of the membrane were found to influence the ILs sorption capacity and CO2 solubility.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wei Qi, Junhui He, Mengjie Li, Maolin Zhai, Long Zhao
Summary: Rhenium has important applications in various industries, but its low concentration in the Earth's crust necessitates research on its separation and extraction. This study explored the extraction of rhenium using a demulsification method with an alkyl imidazolium ionic liquid-based microemulsion. Factors such as components of the microemulsion, temperature, acid concentration, and competitive ions were considered. The study found that the components of the microemulsion, alkyl chain length, and acid concentration significantly affected the extraction efficiency.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Praveenkumar Sappidi, Jason E. Bara, C. Heath Turner
Summary: All-atom molecular dynamics simulations reveal strong molecular-level migrations in mixtures of different ionic liquids, primarily involving anion species. Mixed anions lead to significant increases/decreases in radial distribution function peak heights compared to systems with single anions, while cation mixing has a relatively minor impact. The tendency of [BF4] anions to displace [Tf2N] anions in mixtures is observed in relation to both [BMIM+] and [ZMIM(+)].
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Pratik Dhakal, Jindal K. Shah
Summary: Two machine learning models, support vector machine and artificial neural network, were developed to predict ionic conductivity of pure ionic liquids. The artificial neural network model accurately predicted the conductivity for 1102 ionic liquids, including mixtures exhibiting nonideal behavior.
FLUID PHASE EQUILIBRIA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vijayalakshmi Thangaraj, Anupkumar Bhaskarapillai
Summary: A series of crosslinked poly(ionic liquid)s (C-PILs) with different counter anions were synthesized and evaluated for their Cr(VI) binding properties. Among them, C-PIL with chloride as the counter anion showed the highest sorption capacity and remarkable selectivity against other anions. It successfully reduced the Cr(VI) concentration in water samples below the WHO prescribed acceptable limit and could remove about 90% of Cr(VI) from synthetic tannery effluent.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zeqi Wang, Yidan Wu, Zidan Cao, Yu Li, Yinge Bai, Xiangping Zhang, Tao Li, Baozeng Ren
Summary: A series of imidazolium-based ionic liquids were synthesized as absorbents for ethylene dichloride (EDC) absorption. Among them, [Bmim][DCA] showed the best absorption performance with a capacity of 0.3700 g EDC/g IL. The anions of the ionic liquids played a more significant role in EDC absorption compared to the cations.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mengnan Huang, Lixin Kan, Wenyan Zhao, Yuejiao Wang, Ying Xiong, Weijun Shan, Zhenning Lou
Summary: A resin-like imidazolium-based ionic liquid polymer was prepared for selective adsorption of 99Tc, demonstrating high adsorption capacity and selectivity. The polymer showed excellent removal efficiency of 99Tc from simulated waste solution and exhibited super acid and alkaline resistance and stability after long-term immersion.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ventura Castillo Ramos, Wei Han, Xiangping Zhang, Suojiang Zhang, King Lun Yeung
Summary: Toluene is a common indoor pollutant and its removal is crucial for maintaining a healthy environment. Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Ionic Liquids (ILs) show great potential for adsorbing toluene. This study reports the synthesis and application of IL/MOF composite materials for toluene removal. The addition of [BMIM][CH3COO] ionic liquid to MIL101 porous structure significantly improves the affinity of the parent materials towards toluene capture. Improved diffusion and kinetics rates were observed in the IL/MOF composite, making the sorption process more efficient.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuejie Zhu, Chenyu Wang, Cong Zhang, Ziyu Wang, Jiangshan Feng, Shengzhong (Frank) Liu, Dong Yang
Summary: The stable black alpha-phase is crucial for achieving high-efficiency formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium-chloride (AMICl) ionic liquid is used to stabilize the alpha-phase of pure FAPbI(3) perovskite, leading to increased efficiency and environmental stability of the solar cells.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Taichi Ikeda
Summary: Glycidyl triazolyl polymer (GTP)-based anionic poly-(ionic liquid)-s were synthesized and characterized. These anionic GTPs exhibited phase separation behavior and lower Tg compared to cationic GTPs. The presence of water improved the ionic conductivity. The electrostatic interaction between the TFSI pendant and the EMIM cation influenced the polymer-polymer interaction.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tsuyoshi Mashima, Marleen H. M. E. Stevendaal, Femke R. A. Cornelissens, Alexander F. Mason, Bas J. H. M. Rosier, Wiggert J. Altenburg, Koji Oohora, Shota Hirayama, Takashi Hayashi, Jan C. M. Hest, Luc Brunsveld
Summary: Regulating the uptake and release of proteins is crucial for engineering synthetic cellular systems. This study presents the development of an artificial cell that can sequester and release protein cargo in response to a coded chemical signal. The molecular coded signal allows for multiple iterations of triggered uptake and release, fine control over the amount and rate of protein release, and sequential release of different proteins. Additionally, this signaling concept enables directional transfer of proteins between artificial cell populations, suggesting new possibilities for engineering lifelike communication pathways.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Yigit Altay, Antoni Llopis-Lorente, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: This study utilizes polymer nanoreactors as responsive nano-compartments to study the kinetics of cascade reactions and explore their functions under different population states. The results show that chemical cascading is faster in associated nanoreactor populations, and the impact of competing agents is less pronounced.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Antoni Llopis-Lorente, Bastiaan C. Buddingh', R. Martinez-Manez, Jan C. M. van Hest, Loai K. E. Abdelmohsen
Summary: This article demonstrates population behavior in microorganisms based on quorum sensing communication. Researchers utilized giant lipid vesicles loaded with sender-receiver machinery (enzymes and responsive biomolecules) to achieve quorum sensing behavior in an artificial cell population. The system allows for the examination of collective output based on cell density, fuel concentration, and proximity, which are important factors controlling natural quorum sensing behavior.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Roy A. J. F. Oerlemans, Jingxin Shao, Sander G. A. M. Huisman, Yudong Li, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: Polymersome nanoreactors as artificial organelles have received significant attention in recent decades, particularly those incorporating biological catalysts. However, there are limited examples of nanoreactors with metal catalysts, and their application in living cells is still restricted. This study presents a biodegradable and biocompatible polymersome nanoreactor platform that can be used as an artificial organelle in living cells. The artificial organelles demonstrated the ability to incorporate tris(triazolylmethyl)amine-Cu(I) complexes in their membrane and effectively catalyze intracellular reactions without compromising cell integrity.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Thijs W. van Veldhuisen, Wiggert J. Altenburg, Madelief A. M. Verwiel, Lenne J. M. Lemmens, Alexander F. Mason, Maarten Merkx, Luc Brunsveld, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: Membraneless organelles play a crucial role in spatial organization and regulation of intracellular processes. This study presents a coacervate system that utilizes the 14-3-3 scaffold protein to investigate enzymatically regulated recruitment of 14-3-3-binding proteins. Synthetic coacervates efficiently load 14-3-3 and phosphorylated binding partners, allowing for increased local concentration and controlled release of proteins.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Goncalo J. L. Bernardes, Peng Zou, Zhifei Dai, Erin Lavik, Jan van Hest, Gang Zheng, Nathan Quinn, Christina M. MacLaughlin, Theresa M. Reineke
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wouter P. van den Akker, Hanglong Wu, Pascal L. W. Welzen, Heiner Friedrich, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Rolf A. T. M. van Benthem, Ilja K. Voets, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: We constructed pH-responsive bicontinuous nanospheres (BCNs) with nonlinear transient permeability and catalytic activity. These BCNs were made from amphiphilic block copolymers containing pH-responsive groups and loaded with the enzymes urease and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The transient membrane permeability switch was achieved through the pH-increasing effect of urease, resulting in a dampening behavior of the catalytic output of HRP upon addition of urea.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexander B. Cook, Sebastian Novosedlik, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: Cells with self-sustaining compartmentalized systems have complex biomolecule and metabolite interactions. Liquid-liquid phase separation plays an important role in achieving biological function. Artificial cell research aims to combine synthetic materials and nonliving macromolecules into ordered assemblies with cell-like functions, with complex coacervates being the best platform for accurately mimicking eukaryotic cytoplasm.
ACCOUNTS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Marleen H. M. E. van Stevendaal, Arjan Hazegh Nikroo, Alexander F. Mason, Jitske Jansen, N. Amy Yewdall, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: Oligonucleotide conjugation is a versatile molecular tool for regulating protein activity. This study presents a state-of-the-art labeling strategy by genetically incorporating bioorthogonal groups into proteins to achieve site-specific DNA conjugation. The results demonstrate a new direction for spatiotemporal regulation of chemokine-receptor interactions, which is promising for tissue engineering applications.
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roy A. J. F. Oerlemans, Jingxin Shao, Marleen H. M. E. van Stevendaal, Hanglong Wu, Tania Patino Padial, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: The application of transition-metal catalysts in living cells is a promising approach to facilitate reactions not naturally occurring. However, the usage of metal complexes is often restricted by limited biocompatibility, toxicity, and susceptibility to inactivation by cell's defense mechanisms. In this study, a second-generation Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst was incorporated into polymeric vesicles, acting as artificial organelles, to facilitate intracellular ring-closing metathesis reactions. This is the first example of using polymersome-based artificial organelles with an active ruthenium catalyst for carbon-carbon bond formation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shukun Li, Rui Chang, Luyang Zhao, Ruirui Xing, Jan C. M. van Hest, Xuehai Yan
Summary: This study describes the enhanced TPA fluorescence imaging capacity of self-assembling near-infrared cyanine dye-based nanoprobes based on a photo-oxidation enhanced emission mechanism.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Yigitcan Sumbelli, Alexander F. Mason, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: The fast-paced development of regenerative medicine research has led to innovative approaches in tissue engineering applications. Previous studies focused on combining different materials to control cellular behavior and optimizing tissue formation through techniques like 3D bioprinting. However, a higher level of spatiotemporal control on cell-matrix interactions is now recognized as necessary for further advancements in tissue engineering. Integrating artificial cell research with tissue engineering can provide a way to achieve complex tissue development control by equipping artificial cells with mechanisms of cellular functions.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yanyan Zhu, Shoupeng Cao, Meng Huo, Jan C. M. van Hest, Hailong Che
Summary: Polymersomes are highly stable vesicular nanostructures self-assembled from amphiphilic block copolymers, and have various applications in drug delivery, nanomedicine, biological nanoreactors, and artificial cells. However, polymersomes prepared with high molecular weight components typically exhibit low permeability. This review focuses on the design and strategies for fabricating permeable polymersomes, and highlights their applications and challenges in the field of biomedical utilities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Antoni Llopis-Lorente, Maaike J. G. Schotman, Heorhii V. Humeniuk, Jan C. M. van Hest, Patricia Y. W. Dankers, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen
Summary: This study explores the relationship between cellular mechanical features and metabolic function in artificial cells and creates an artificial cell platform that displays viscoadaptive behavior through internal supramolecular interactions.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shoupeng Cao, Jingxin Shao, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is a phenomenon where fluorescence is enhanced during molecular assembly, rather than quenched. AIE fluorogens are flexible, conjugated systems with limited dynamics when assembled, which improves their fluorescent properties. The integration of AIE design principles with versatile polymer chemistry has opened up new frontiers in nanoscience.
