The Royal Society of Chemistry最新文献

Early osteoarthritis (OA) with reversible ability appears to lack features other than intense acute inflammation. Herein, we developed a pH-responsive metal organic framework (MOF) system based on phenylboronic acid (PBA) and O-hydroxyl pH-dependent reversible switches. Click chemistry enables a simple and environmentally friendly synthesis process and sensitive drug release procedure. Nanoparticles possess excellent photothermal conversion capabilities that enable thermal interventions alongside sustained drug release, thereby treating early OA in multiple ways. The results indicate that nanoparticles have high drug-loading capacity and can respond to the weakly acidic conditions in the OA microenvironment to release ellagic acid (EA) gradually. It can also significantly reduce inflammatory reactions induced by IL-1β. The high effectiveness of this compound therapy is comprehensively demonstrated by both in vitro and vivo evidence.

This study aims to reduce dependence on copper while enhancing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. Plastic-based current collectors (PBCCs) offer a promising approach to replace copper, minimize the proportion of inactive material, and ultimately increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. A key challenge involved the synergistic optimization of the PBCC's conductive framework and its interfacial surface properties. Herein, a PI-CNT-Cu composite membrane was constructed by depositing copper onto electrospun PI fibers containing CNTs. This hierarchical architecture coupled the intrinsic longitudinal conductivity of the CNT network within the fibers with the transverse conductivity of the continuous copper layer, resulting in a composite membrane with a volumetric conductivity of 5.6 × 10³ S cm^-1. In the electrochemical performance evaluations, graphite anodes employing PI-CNT-Cu CCs exhibited a capacity retention of 95.29% after 190 cycles at 0.5C. The performance enhancement could be attributed to the markedly rougher surface of the PI-CNT-Cu CC (Sa = 2.668 µm) relative to copper foil (Sa = 0.938 µm). This morphology enhanced the contact area and adhesion with the electrode layer, which was crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode during long-term cycling. In contrast to copper foil, the PI-CNT-Cu CC, with its fiber-woven structure, exhibited a significantly lower areal density with identical thickness values. The capacity of the anode electrode, was calculated based on the total mass including active materials and CCs. Utilizing PI-17%CNT-Cu exhibited significantly higher discharge capacities of 81.7 mA h g^-1 at the same rates compared to the Cu foil at 35.08 mA h g^-1.

Due to the significant greenhouse effect of SF₆, CF₃SO₂F has emerged as a potential alternative that meets the requirements for insulation gases in high-voltage electrical equipment. Herein, the atmospheric lifetime and global warming potential (GWP) of CF₃SO₂F were evaluated based on its interactions with hydroxide radicals (·OH) using theoretical calculations. By employing the Monte Carlo method, we constructed molecular structures of SF₆-H₂O and CF₃SO₂F-H₂O as mixed-gas systems to simulate the dissociation of these insulation gases under atmospheric conditions. The adversative efficiency (RE) of CF₃SO₂F was determined to be 0.177 W (m² ppbv)^-1, with an atmospheric lifetime of 52.02 years and a GWP of 4320. The reactive models, developed using density functional theory (DFT) and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD), not only enable the determination of the dissociation pathway in the atmosphere, but also provide detailed insights into the interactions with ·OH based on the overall dynamic behaviour.

Polymer-clay composites are produced using emulsion polymerization to create water-based formulations that exhibit reversible adhesion, which is triggered by alkaline or acidic aqueous solutions. These adhesives produce lap shear strengths greater than 1 MPa on a variety of substrates. A polyanionic composite is prepared by incorporating negatively charged montmorillonite into an emulsion of styrene and butyl acrylate with poly(acrylic acid) grafted from the particles. An analogue polycationic composite is made by integrating positively charged hydrotalcite into an emulsion stabilized by the physisorption of chitosan. When two substrates are both coated with the polycationic composite, reversibility is observed under acidic conditions, whereas polyanionic composites exhibit similar behaviour under alkaline conditions. Notably, polyanionic composites fully detach from the substrates, eliminating the need for additional washing. Clays also enhance the rheological behaviour of the emulsions, increasing the viscosity at low shear rates by up to 8 and 800 times, for polyanionic and polycationic formulations, respectively. These composite adhesives are a key development for facilitating the dismantling of products and enhancing recycling efficiency.

Momordicine I (M-I), a key bioactive and bitter-tasting triterpenoid in Momordica charantia L., has attracted significant research interest due to its potential hepatoprotective effects. This study investigated the mechanism by which M-I ameliorates lipid accumulation and metaflammation in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Mouse primary hepatocytes were stimulated with ethanol and silenced with Nurr1-siRNA, treated with a conditioned medium from mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs), and then treated with M-I. M-I was administered to ALD mice by gavage, and a Nurr1-deficient model was established to systematically evaluate the effect of M-I and the function of Nurr1. Results indicated that M-I could significantly upregulate Nurr1 expression, thereby inhibiting the key factors of lipid synthesis. Meanwhile, it improves mitochondrial respiratory function, inhibits NLRC4/NLRC5 inflammasome activation, and reduces pro-inflammatory factor release. It is notable that M-I or C-DIM12 inhibits the expression of NLRC4 inflammasome and pyroptosis-related proteins in cells, reducing IL-1β as well as IL-18 secretion. Furthermore, M-I can effectively block the pro-inflammatory effect of the conditioned culture of activated macrophages on hepatocytes. Silencing of Nurr1 eliminates M-I's beneficial effects. In vivo, M-I intervention effectively improved liver steatosis, serum transaminase levels and mitochondrial function, while Nurr1 knockdown mice exhibited more severe ALD. In summary, M-I exerts liver-protective effects by targeting Nurr1, synergistically regulating lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in hepatocytes, and inhibiting inflammatory responses. This study clarifies the new mechanism of M-I based on Nurr1, providing an important basis for its development as a therapeutic drug for ALD.

Despite remarkable progress in tumor therapy, key challenges-including the immunosuppressive "cold" tumor microenvironment and treatment resistance-remain unresolved and severely impede clinical outcomes. Indocyanine Green (ICG)-based Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), a modality that activates the photosensitizer ICG to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), has emerged as a pivotal strategy to rewire "cold" tumors into immunologically responsive "hot" tumors, laying the foundation for effective combination therapies. However, PDT itself faces inherent limitations (e.g., poor light penetration, low ROS generation efficiency), and ICG suffers from specific drawbacks (e.g., poor aqueous stability, rapid systemic clearance), collectively restricting their clinical translation. Nanotechnology has become an indispensable tool to address these synergistic challenges, enabling enhanced tumor targeting, prolonged circulation time, and improved ROS generation efficiency of ICG-based PDT. This review summarizes the latest advancements in ICG-based PDT combined with nanotechnology for cancer treatment and discusses its potential and challenges in synergizing with chemotherapy and immunotherapy to amplify antitumor efficacy.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), available in a variety of sizes and morphologies, have emerged as versatile nanomaterials with broad applicability across numerous fields, particularly in biomedicine. Most experimental and theoretical studies have focused on either dopant effects or surface functionalization independently, often using relatively large graphene models. A molecular-level understanding of how B/N doping and hydroxyl functionalization jointly influence biomolecular adsorption and spectroscopic signatures at the ultrasmall GQD scale remains limited, motivating the present DFT investigation of amino acid-GQD interactions. In this study, we investigate the physisorption behavior of individual amino acid molecules on pristine and hydroxyl-functionalized GQDs, as well as on their B/N doped counterparts, to gain insights into potential interactions relevant to protein environments. All calculations were performed using density functional theory (DFT) at the M06-2X/6-31G(d,p) level. Pristine GQDs with a lateral dimension of 1.3 nm, together with their singly/doubly doped and hydroxyl-functionalized variants, were fully optimized. Electronic properties and vibrational signatures were obtained through IR and Raman spectral analyses. Glycine (Gly) and serine (Ser) were subsequently adsorbed onto the modified GQD surfaces to quantify adsorption energies and assess changes in their electronic and spectroscopic properties. For hydroxyl-functionalized GQDs, the most stable adsorption configurations involved the formation of dual hydrogen bonds between the functional groups and the amino acids. The relative positioning of dopant atoms significantly influenced the stabilization or disruption of π-electron density across the GQD surface. These structural modifications produced notable enhancements in electronic properties, including band-gap modulation and increased affinity for noncovalent interactions. Overall, both functionalization and doping substantially improved amino acid adsorption, regardless of amino acid type.

This work presents the first report of integrating the Zn-based metal-organic framework (MOF), CALF-20, into electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers for wastewater treatment. CALF-20, previously explored for CO₂ capture, is applied here for the first time in fiber-based composite form manufactured via direct electrospinning, with MOF loadings ranging from 0 to 70 wt%. These resulting mats are promising for Pb(ii) and Cu(ii) removal. The PAN + CALF-20 mats, which have uniform morphology, were systematically characterized. They showed good mechanical integrity (up to 60 wt% CALF-20) and high removal capacities for Pb(ii) and Cu(ii) ions from aqueous solutions, 248.3 mg g^-1 and 128.2 mg g^-1, respectively. Structural analyses (SEM, XRD, and FTIR) confirmed that the dominant removal mechanism is not adsorption but surface-induced precipitation, with distinct crystalline phases forming post-treatment. These results introduce a novel and scalable platform for heavy metal remediation using electrospun MOF-based composites and establish PAN + CALF-20 mat as a promising candidate for multifunctional environmental applications.

The industrial-scale microbial conversion of waste carbon into medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) has become feasible, and their subsequent utilization for hydrocarbon production via the Kolbe reaction as a bioenergy source represents a highly promising route. However, controlling the concentrations of MCCAs, pH, and electrode potential during the coupling of these reactions to ensure efficient elongation and improve Kolbe reaction efficiency is crucial for reducing bioenergy production costs. Our study demonstrated that the Kolbe electrolysis of n-caproic acid exhibits a concentration threshold of 800 mM; beyond this concentration, the Faraday efficiency stabilizes, reaching a peak of 51.2%. The Kolbe electrolysis at higher substrate concentration could reduce the energy consumption required to produce the same amount of biofuel by approximately 87%. Both acidic and neutral conditions effectively promote the Kolbe reaction. In terms of electrode potential regulation, a voltage of 3.5 V generally yields better electrolysis results.

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films with different SnO₂ doping contents (0-20 wt%) were successfully deposited via microwave-assisted spray pyrolysis. The structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties of the as-deposited films were systematically investigated. In contrast to the undoped In₂O₃ film, which exhibits a (222) preferential orientation, the SnO₂-doped ITO films shows a shifted preferential preferential orientation toward (400) along with a reduced (400) diffraction intensity. This orientation change induces significant variations in crystal texture, surface morphology, film thickness, as well as optical and electrical properties. As the SnO₂ doping content increased from 0 to 20 wt%, the thickness of the prepared films decreased continuously, while the surface roughness, the resistance, resistivity, and carrier concentration first decreased significantly and then increased. Notably, the 10 wt% SnO₂-doped ITO film achieved substantially enhanced surface morphology, optical and electrical properties. This film is composed of regular spherical particles with a crystallite size of 43 nm, a root-mean-square roughnessof 5.27 nm, and a total thickness of 310.3 nm. Furthermore, it exhibited an 85.94% transmittance in the visible wavelength range relative to the quartz substrate, a band gap energy of 3.84 eV, a sheet resistance of 7.4 Ω sq^-1 of, and a resistivity of 1.9×10^-4 Ω cm, respectively. Compared with ITO films prepared by traditional spray pyrolysis or other method, this film possesses superior electircal conductivity while maintaining comparable optical transmittance. Thus, the ITO film doped with 10 wt% SnO₂ is well-suited for electronic applications, particularly those requiring high-performance transparent conductive electrodes.