RSC Advances最新文献

Contaminated water, especially water containing high concentrations of toxic metal ions, is frequently discharged into the environment. Thus, developing advanced adsorbents with high adsorption capacities is essential for efficient pollutant removal. In this study, X- and A-type zeolites were synthesized using industrial waste materials, specifically oil shale ash and coal fly ash. Their physicochemical properties were characterized using XRD, SEM, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analyses. The adsorption behaviors of Cd²⁺ ions onto the synthesized zeolites from aqueous solutions were thoroughly investigated, including kinetic and isotherm analyses. The results showed that the adsorption process adhered to pseudo-second-order kinetics and followed the Langmuir isotherm model for all zeolites. Maximum adsorption capacities were reached within 60 min, with a dosage of 1 g L⁻¹ and at pH 7. Among the zeolites, OSA75 demonstrated the highest Cd²⁺ adsorption capacity, reaching 236.41 mg g⁻¹, indicating that the incorporation of a small amount of coal fly ash significantly enhanced the adsorption performance. The dominant mechanism governing Cd²⁺ adsorption was identified as cation exchange.

Kaempferol (KA) is a flavonoid with a range of biological properties, including antitumor, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory, and its extensive applications in biomedicine, food safety, and related fields underscore the importance of quantitative analysis for determining its concentration. In this study, an electrochemical sensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), PCN₂₂₂ and chitosan (CS) was developed for the determination of KA. MWCNTs exhibit hydrophobicity and conductivity, and they are better dispersed by DMF and crosslinked with PCN₂₂₂, which further improves the electrode's response, selectivity and sensitivity to KA due to the peroxide-like properties of PCN₂₂₂. The film formed by CS on the electrode surface serves to protect the nanocomposite from detaching during the operation. The linear range of this sensor is 0.01–0.4 and 0.6–9 μM, with a detection limit of 4.16 nM. This method can be used to detect the content of KA in plasma, which shows that the electrochemical sensor has strong practical application capabilities, as well as other advantages, such as high stability, strong anti-interference ability, and low detection limit. Moreover, the ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV) demonstrates that the catalytic rate of PCN₂₂₂ for KA is significantly faster than that for naringenin and puerarin. Therefore, the construction of CS/MWCNT–PCN₂₂₂/GCE electrochemical sensors has potential application value for clinical dosage control and monitoring of the drug metabolism of KA.

Thermal batteries are widely used in defense and emergency fields due to their long storage periods and high power characteristics. Among them, cobalt disulfide (CoS₂), as a cathode material, attracts attention because of its high decomposition temperature, excellent discharge capacity, and good electrical conductivity. However, research has found that this material is prone to structural decomposition and phase transition under high-temperature working conditions and long-term storage, leading to critical issues such as electrode activity decay and battery performance degradation. This study innovatively adopts atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology to construct a nanoscale Al₂O₃ coating on the CoS₂ surface, and systematically analyzes it through multi-dimensional characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Experimental results show that after an 8 days simulated storage test, the discharge specific capacity of unmodified CoS₂ decreased to 70% of its initial value, while the Al₂O₃/CoS₂ composite material maintained a capacity retention rate of 90%. This study confirms that Al₂O₃ surface modification technology can effectively inhibit the structural degradation of CoS₂, significantly enhancing the material's environmental tolerance and electrochemical stability.

Amphiphilic drug–drug conjugates (ADDCs) such as gemcitabine–camptothecin (GEM–CPT) and doxorubicin–10-hydroxycamptothecin (DOX–HCPT) nanoclusters offer innovative solutions to overcome the limitations of conventional cancer therapies, including poor solubility and nonspecific targeting. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we explored the mechanisms by which these nanoclusters interact with and penetrate cancer and normal cell membranes. GEM–CPT exhibited enhanced membrane penetration in cancer cells through combined hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions, along with its ability to extract cholesterol and induce membrane remodelling. In contrast, DOX–HCPT maintained structural integrity through stable π–π stacking interactions, showing selective binding to membrane head groups (HG) with minimal cholesterol interaction, particularly in normal membranes. The GEM–CPT nanocluster disrupted the cancer membrane by inducing asymmetric lipid distribution and facilitating water infiltration, whereas the hydrophobic DOX–HCPT repelled water, maintaining membrane stability. The size of the nanocluster further influenced the behaviour; larger clusters drove steric assembly and lipid reorganisation, while smaller clusters achieved deeper penetration at the cost of structural integrity. The contrasting behaviours of GEM–CPT and DOX–HCPT highlight the critical roles of size, charge, and amphiphilicity in membrane transport mechanisms. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of efficient and selective nanomedicines, paving the way for optimised drug delivery systems with reduced off-target effects.

Due to the global energy crisis, many scientists have tried to solve this problem by constructing artificial light-harvesting systems (ALHSs) to mimic photosynthesis. However, achieving efficient energy transfer remains a challenge as excitons need to travel longer diffusion lengths within the donor matrix to reach the acceptor. Supramolecular assemblies based on non-covalent interactions provide diverse approaches for the preparation of ALHSs with high energy-transfer efficiency and more flexible options. Many efficient pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular ALHSs with extremely high energy transfer efficiency and the antenna effect have been successfully constructed by non covalent interactions. These ALHSs have expanded various properties on photoluminescence and photocatalysis, enabling promising applications on cell imaging, supramolecular catalysis and so on. In this review, we highlight the recent developments in pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular assemblies application in light-harvesting systems. We also provide the construction, modulation, and applications of supramolecular ALHSs, and provide a brief discussion of their research prospects, challenges, and future opportunities.

An efficient, cost-effective, and metal-free photocatalytic trifluoromethylation of 6-azauracils has been developed using Langlois reagent (CF₃SO₂Na) under ambient air. The present protocol, which utilizes an inexpensive CF₃ reagent and an organophotocatalyst, provides a convenient way to prepare trifluoromethylated azauracil derivatives with a variety of functional groups. The experimental results suggest a radical mechanistic pathway for this methodology.

Our study investigates the interaction between multi-component rare earth element (REE; La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Dy)-bearing aqueous solutions and vivianite (Fe₃²⁺(PO₄)₂·8H₂O) grains under hydrothermal conditions (50–165 °C). The results revealed the solution-mediated, progressive oxidation and dissolution of vivianite. This resulted in the formation of iron phosphates, metavivianite [Fe²⁺Fe₂³⁺(PO₄)₂(OH)₂·6H₂O], and giniite [Fe²⁺Fe₄³⁺(PO₄)₄ (OH)₂·2H₂O], iron oxide hematite [Fe₂O₃], and rare earth phosphates, rhabdophane [REE(PO₄)·H₂O] and monazite [(LREE)PO₄]. The extent of the reactions was found to be dependent on temperature, pH, and the concentration and ionic radii of the rare earths in solution. The rate of vivianite oxidation and dissolution increased with increased temperature, with 50% of vivianite transformed after 32 days at 50 °C, and 100% transformed after 28 days and 4 hours at 90 and 165 °C respectively. The pH of the solutions at all three temperatures maintained the stability of rhabdophane, and only at the highest temperature of 165 °C it began to transform to monazite. Understanding the stability of iron phosphates, their transformation products, and their capacity to incorporate REEs is crucial for resource recovery, especially in the extraction of REEs from waste materials.

This study introduces an efficacious palladium-catalyzed method for the regioselective and stereoselective cross-coupling of gem-difluorinated cyclopropanes with an array of gem-diborylalkanes under mild reaction conditions. The innovative methodology facilitates the synthesis of 2-fluoroallylic gem-diboronic esters with exceptional Z-stereo- and chemo-selectivity. Notably, this protocol extended to the ligand-modulated regio- and stereoselectivity divergence cross-coupling of 1,1-difluoro-2-vinylcyclopropane as a reaction partner. Furthermore, we explore further transformations of the fluorinated gem-diboronates, encompassing the oxidation to form ketone and hydrogenation to generate mono-fluorinated alkylated gem-diboronate.

Halide double perovskites have attracted considerable attention for their potential use in solar cells and thermoelectric devices, as they are ecologically benign and possess band gap tunability. Herein, the stability, optoelectronic, and thermal transport characteristics of In₂AgSbX₆ (X = Cl, Br, and I) were examined using density functional theory (DFT). Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) analysis was conducted, which verified the dynamic stability of In₂AgSbX₆ up to 700 K. The estimated elastic parameters further confirmed their mechanical stability. Through mechanical analysis, the asymmetric characteristics of In₂AgSbX₆ were revealed. The above-mentioned materials were ductile, validating their utilization in flexible or foldable technologies. Analyses of the electrical properties of In₂AgSbCl₆, In₂AgSbBr₆, and In₂AgSbI₆ showed indirect band gaps (E_g) of 1.95 eV, 1.35 eV, and 0.78 eV, respectively. These electronic E_g values were ideal for solar cell applications. The lower effective masses and binding energies of excitons of In₂AgSbCl₆, In₂AgSbBr₆, and In₂AgSbI₆ than those of the perspective solar cell candidates CsPbI₃ and Cs₂AgBiBr₆ provided evidence for their effectiveness as absorber layer materials. The optical analysis of the dielectric constant, absorption, reflection, and loss demonstrated higher absorption, lower reflection, and minimal energy loss within the visible and ultraviolet spectra. The thermal transport features were analyzed for various temperatures up to 600 K and chemical potentials. In₂AgSbCl₆, In₂AgSbBr₆, and In₂AgSbI₆ demonstrated p-type nature, higher Seebeck coefficient, and ZT values of 0.75, 0.77, and 0.76, respectively. Thus, In₂AgSbCl₆, In₂AgSbBr₆, and In₂AgSbI₆ possessed feasible characteristics for applications in solar cells and thermal energy transformation, demonstrating that they can be utilized in future energy harvesting technologies.

Plant essential oils can function as effective antibacterial and anticancer agents, but their low solubility and hydrophobic nature limit their practical applications. In this study, we report the preparation of nanoemulsions of Elsholtzia kachinensis and Elsholtzia ciliata via ultrasonic homogenization and the characterization of their antibacterial and anticancer activities for the first time. The product characteristics were evaluated based on turbidity, droplet size, polydispersion index, zeta potential and electrophoretic mobility. The activities were evaluated based on their ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria and HepG2 cancer cells. The Elsholtzia kachinensis and Elsholtzia ciliata nanoemulsions exhibited good stabilities, narrow size distributions with droplet sizes of 72.81 nm and 32.13 and zeta potentials of −27.8 mV and −11.2 mV, respectively. The Mulliken atomic charge analysis demonstrated that the E. kachinensis nanoemulsion had greater stability than the E. ciliata nanoemulsion. In vitro anti-bacterial studies using strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis showed that both nanoemulsions exhibited higher growth inhibition efficiency than the respective essential oils. The inhibition efficiency of the Elsholtzia ciliata nanoemulsion against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis was 5 times higher than those of the corresponding essential oils. The HepG2 cell inhibition efficiency was about 80% for both nanoemulsions at a concentration of 500 μg mL⁻¹, while the commercial essential oils inhibited only about 60% of HepG2 cells. Therefore, Elsholtzia kachinensis and Elsholtzia ciliata nanoemulsions can be potential candidates for modern biopharmaceuticals in the future.