Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106651
Jia-Le Guo , Ya-Ping Wen , Xiao-Peng Xuan
Solar interface evaporation is a promising approach to sustainable freshwater generation. In this study, we synthesized Fe₃O₄/CNTs/CS ternary nanocomposites via a facile two-step hydrothermal process. The resulting hierarchical architecture, which integrates carbon nanotubes (20 nm), Fe3O4 nanospheres (50 nm), and carbon spheres (1000 nm), endows the material with abundant micropores and nanopores that facilitate efficient water transport and prevent salt crystallization. The composite material, after hydrophobic treatment, demonstrates stable flotation on the water surface, enabling efficient interfacial solar-driven seawater evaporation with a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 94%. Moreover, this material is not only magnetically recyclable but also capable of purifying water contaminated with heavy metal ions and organic pollutants, producing water that meets the World Health Organization drinking water standards. With its high efficiency, salt resistance and portability, this integrated material holds great potential for the development of practical solar purification systems
{"title":"A kind of ternary composites as an interfacial evaporator for high-efficiency solar vapor generation","authors":"Jia-Le Guo , Ya-Ping Wen , Xiao-Peng Xuan","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar interface evaporation is a promising approach to sustainable freshwater generation. In this study, we synthesized Fe₃O₄/CNTs/CS ternary nanocomposites <em>via</em> a facile two-step hydrothermal process. The resulting hierarchical architecture, which integrates carbon nanotubes (20 nm), Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanospheres (50 nm), and carbon spheres (1000 nm), endows the material with abundant micropores and nanopores that facilitate efficient water transport and prevent salt crystallization. The composite material, after hydrophobic treatment, demonstrates stable flotation on the water surface, enabling efficient interfacial solar-driven seawater evaporation with a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 94%. Moreover, this material is not only magnetically recyclable but also capable of purifying water contaminated with heavy metal ions and organic pollutants, producing water that meets the World Health Organization drinking water standards. With its high efficiency, salt resistance and portability, this integrated material holds great potential for the development of practical solar purification systems</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106651"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar desalination is hindered by low thermal efficiency due to the poor thermal conductivity of paraffin-based PCMs. Waste glass microparticles present a sustainable, low-cost route to improve heat storage, yet their integration into advanced solar still configurations has not been fully explored.
Methods
A composite energy storage material (CESM) was developed by dispersing 0.2–0.8 wt% waste glass microparticles into paraffin wax; 0.6 wt% showed optimal enhancement and stability after 100 thermal cycles. The CESM was integrated beneath a fin-assisted absorber in a Rectangular Pyramid Solar Still (RPSS-BF-CESM). Performance was evaluated against a conventional solar desalination system (CSDS) under identical meteorological conditions, supported by thermal, productivity, economic, environmental, and water-quality analyses.
Findings
The CESM increased the thermal conductivity and specific heat of paraffin by 14.22% and 2.93% respectively. The RPSS-BF-CESM achieved 11% higher absorber temperature, 21% higher water temperature, and extended operation until 23:00 h. Daily freshwater yield increased by 110.32% and 103.72%, with thermal efficiency nearly doubling. Cost per litre decreased by 39.5%, and the payback period decreased by 44.5%. Net CO₂ mitigation reached 10.08 tons over 10 years. Distillate met BIS standards without contamination. The approach demonstrates a sustainable, high-performance enhancement for passive solar desalination.
{"title":"Experimental investigation of solar desalination systems using low-cost thermal energy storage from waste glass micromaterials in paraffin wax","authors":"Subbarama Kousik Suraparaju , Reji Kumar Rajamony , Mahmoud S. El-Sebaey , Tarun Kumar Kotteda , AMSV Sushma , R.V.S. Madhuri , Mahendran Samykano , Sendhil Kumar Natarajan","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Solar desalination is hindered by low thermal efficiency due to the poor thermal conductivity of paraffin-based PCMs. Waste glass microparticles present a sustainable, low-cost route to improve heat storage, yet their integration into advanced solar still configurations has not been fully explored.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A composite energy storage material (CESM) was developed by dispersing 0.2–0.8 wt% waste glass microparticles into paraffin wax; 0.6 wt% showed optimal enhancement and stability after 100 thermal cycles. The CESM was integrated beneath a fin-assisted absorber in a Rectangular Pyramid Solar Still (RPSS-BF-CESM). Performance was evaluated against a conventional solar desalination system (CSDS) under identical meteorological conditions, supported by thermal, productivity, economic, environmental, and water-quality analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The CESM increased the thermal conductivity and specific heat of paraffin by 14.22% and 2.93% respectively. The RPSS-BF-CESM achieved 11% higher absorber temperature, 21% higher water temperature, and extended operation until 23:00 h. Daily freshwater yield increased by 110.32% and 103.72%, with thermal efficiency nearly doubling. Cost per litre decreased by 39.5%, and the payback period decreased by 44.5%. Net CO₂ mitigation reached 10.08 tons over 10 years. Distillate met BIS standards without contamination. The approach demonstrates a sustainable, high-performance enhancement for passive solar desalination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106634"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106647
Kai Qian , Zetian Dai , Ge Huang
Background
Traditional sensors face challenges during applications, such as single functionality and environmental corrosion. Therefore, a metamaterial sensor based on an all-dielectric structure strategy is proposed and verified. The ceramic layer of this metamaterial can effectively prevent environmental corrosion. The resonance characteristics of the two functional ceramics provide the basis for the multi-sensing performance of this metamaterial. This metamaterial provides a foundation for the development of multifunctional optoelectronic devices.
Methods
The samples of this metamaterial sensor are obtained by vacuum coating equipment and vapor deposition, and the absorption performance is obtained by Bruker Optics Equinox. Two sensing properties are obtained by the electric heating method and the thermal pulse method. These measurement methods mainly achieves sensing performance by applying external conditions to control the resonance behaviors of polarized charges on the ceramic surface.
Significant Findings
At room temperature, two absorption peaks (P1 and P2) are excited by the metamaterial samples. The P1 peak is based on the multi-mode hybrid resonance between ceramic arrays, which is different with many reported traditional metamaterials/metasurfaces. The P2 peak is based on the dual-mode coupled resonance at the edge of the ceramic array. Narrow bandwidth and high absorption intensity are achieved by this ceramic metamaterial. These measurement results verify the feasibility of preparing metamaterial devices based on decorative materials. In addition, two sensing properties are revealed by this metamaterial sample: In the electric heating experimental group, the sensitivities are: 0.752 THz/K and 0.221 THz/K. In the pump laser experimental group, the sensitivities are: 18.082 THz/W/cm2 and 4.555 THz/W/cm2. the active tunable "temperature switch" and "light switch" characteristics are achieved by this proposed metamaterial. Therefore, this metamaterial sensor possesses remarkable resonance performance: high absorption intensity, high sensing sensitivity, and high tunability. These measurement results imply that the metamaterial sample has the potential to be developed into a multifunctional sensors.
{"title":"Design and verification of a tunable ceramics metamaterial and measurement of its sensing performance","authors":"Kai Qian , Zetian Dai , Ge Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Traditional sensors face challenges during applications, such as single functionality and environmental corrosion. Therefore, a metamaterial sensor based on an all-dielectric structure strategy is proposed and verified. The ceramic layer of this metamaterial can effectively prevent environmental corrosion. The resonance characteristics of the two functional ceramics provide the basis for the multi-sensing performance of this metamaterial. This metamaterial provides a foundation for the development of multifunctional optoelectronic devices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The samples of this metamaterial sensor are obtained by vacuum coating equipment and vapor deposition, and the absorption performance is obtained by <em>Bruker Optics Equinox</em>. Two sensing properties are obtained by the electric heating method and the thermal pulse method. These measurement methods mainly achieves sensing performance by applying external conditions to control the resonance behaviors of polarized charges on the ceramic surface.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>At room temperature, two absorption peaks (P1 and P2) are excited by the metamaterial samples. The P1 peak is based on the multi-mode hybrid resonance between ceramic arrays, which is different with many reported traditional metamaterials/metasurfaces. The P2 peak is based on the dual-mode coupled resonance at the edge of the ceramic array. Narrow bandwidth and high absorption intensity are achieved by this ceramic metamaterial. These measurement results verify the feasibility of preparing metamaterial devices based on decorative materials. In addition, two sensing properties are revealed by this metamaterial sample: In the electric heating experimental group, the sensitivities are: 0.752 THz/K and 0.221 THz/K. In the pump laser experimental group, the sensitivities are: 18.082 THz/W/cm<sup>2</sup> and 4.555 THz/W/cm<sup>2</sup>. the active tunable \"temperature switch\" and \"light switch\" characteristics are achieved by this proposed metamaterial. Therefore, this metamaterial sensor possesses remarkable resonance performance: high absorption intensity, high sensing sensitivity, and high tunability. These measurement results imply that the metamaterial sample has the potential to be developed into a multifunctional sensors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106647"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106653
Hsiang-Sheng Wei , Hsu Tsou , Hao-Yu Ku , Yi-Hung Hsuan , Kai‐Yu Tseng , Chi-Chang Hu
Background
During the electroplating of nanotwinned copper (nt-Cu), a transition layer with a non-negligible thickness is often formed. This commonly deteriorates the regularity of the Cu foil and consequently weakens its mechanical strength and electromigration resistance.
Methods
To address this issue, we introduce a two-step electroplating strategy where a thin (111)-oriented Cu seed layer is first deposited at a low current density (10 mA cm−2, ca. 0.1 µm). Then, it is followed by the high-rate nt-Cu growth in the same plating solution, which is a practically acceptable way.
Significant findings
The thin (111)-oriented Cu seed layer electroplated in the same bath prior to the main nt-Cu deposition effectively reduces the transition-layer thickness from ca. 2.6 μm to 1.22 μm and slightly decreases the average twin spacing (from 49.3 nm to 43.6 nm) of nt-Cu. This reveals an improvement in the microstructural quality of the subsequent deposit, potentially benefiting the electromigration resistance in the semiconductor interconnects and the mechanical strength of the negative electrode current collector of Li-ion batteries. However, the seed layer also slightly increases the surface roughness resulting from the formation of surface hillocks, probably detrimental to the electromigration performance.
在纳米孪晶铜（nt-Cu）的电镀过程中，通常会形成厚度不可忽略的过渡层。这通常会破坏铜箔的规整性，从而削弱其机械强度和抗电迁移性。为了解决这个问题，我们引入了一种两步电镀策略，首先在低电流密度（10 mA cm - 2，约0.1µm）下沉积一层薄的（111）取向铜种子层。然后，在相同的镀液中进行高速率的nt-Cu生长，这是一种实际可接受的方式。结果表明：在主沉积前，在同一镀液中电镀薄（111）取向Cu种子层，有效地将过渡层厚度从2.6 μm减小到1.22 μm，并使nt-Cu的平均孪晶间距从49.3 nm减小到43.6 nm。这表明了后续沉积的微观结构质量的改善，潜在地有利于半导体互连中的电迁移电阻和锂离子电池负极集流器的机械强度。然而，种子层也会轻微增加表面粗糙度，导致表面丘状的形成，这可能不利于电迁移性能。
{"title":"Influences of an electrodeposited copper seed layer on the microstructures and surface characteristics of the (111)-oriented nanotwinned copper foils","authors":"Hsiang-Sheng Wei , Hsu Tsou , Hao-Yu Ku , Yi-Hung Hsuan , Kai‐Yu Tseng , Chi-Chang Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>During the electroplating of nanotwinned copper (nt-Cu), a transition layer with a non-negligible thickness is often formed. This commonly deteriorates the regularity of the Cu foil and consequently weakens its mechanical strength and electromigration resistance.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>To address this issue, we introduce a two-step electroplating strategy where a thin (111)-oriented Cu seed layer is first deposited at a low current density (10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, ca. 0.1 µm). Then, it is followed by the high-rate nt-Cu growth in the same plating solution, which is a practically acceptable way.</div></div><div><h3>Significant findings</h3><div>The thin (111)-oriented Cu seed layer electroplated in the same bath prior to the main nt-Cu deposition effectively reduces the transition-layer thickness from ca. 2.6 μm to 1.22 μm and slightly decreases the average twin spacing (from 49.3 nm to 43.6 nm) of nt-Cu. This reveals an improvement in the microstructural quality of the subsequent deposit, potentially benefiting the electromigration resistance in the semiconductor interconnects and the mechanical strength of the negative electrode current collector of Li-ion batteries. However, the seed layer also slightly increases the surface roughness resulting from the formation of surface hillocks, probably detrimental to the electromigration performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106653"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Electrocatalytic urea splitting can not only generate H2 but also purify wastewater containing urea, so it is a win-win situation. However, developing efficient and stable catalysts for urea splitting is also full of challenges.
Methods
NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF catalyst is prepared by taking hydroxide precursor as the starting point for the first time. The composition and surface properties of the material were characterized by XRD, SEM and XPS. The electrochemical performance of the material is characterized by linear sweep voltammetry, impedance, etc.
Significant Findings
In 1 M KOH + 0.5 M urea solution, NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF catalyst had superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance and its overpotential is only 51 mV at 10 mA cm−2, which is one of the most promising electrochemical performance reported to date. This NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF material also exhibited the best urea oxidation electrocatalytic activity (potential of 1.38 V@ 10 mA cm−2) compared to other controlled samples. At the same time, NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF, as a bi-functional catalyst, showed excellent urea splitting performance in urea solution and this potential is only 1.30 V, which is comparable to the best electrocatalytic activity reported for now. The increased activity of this material is attributed to the establishment of multiple polyphase interfaces and the synergistic effect of multiple components. According to the density functional theory (DFT) analysis, FeS presents a small Gibbs free energy for H, which better promotes the occurrence of HER.
电催化尿素裂解既能生成氢气，又能净化含尿素废水，是一种双赢的方法。然而，开发高效、稳定的尿素裂解催化剂也充满了挑战。方法首次以氢氧前驱体为起始点制备snis2 /FeS/MoS2@NF催化剂。采用XRD、SEM和XPS表征了材料的组成和表面性能。结果表明：在1 M KOH + 0.5 M尿素溶液中，NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF催化剂具有优异的析氢反应（HER）性能，在10 mA cm−2下过电位仅为51 mV，是目前报道的最有前途的电化学性能之一。与其他对照样品相比，NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF材料也表现出最佳的尿素氧化电催化活性（电位为1.38 V@ 10 mA cm−2）。同时，NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF作为双功能催化剂，在尿素溶液中表现出优异的尿素裂解性能，其电势仅为1.30 V，与目前报道的最佳电催化活性相当。该材料活性的提高是由于多个多相界面的建立和多个组分的协同作用。根据密度泛函理论（DFT）分析，FeS对H呈现较小的吉布斯自由能，更有利于HER的发生。
{"title":"The NiS2/FeS/MoS2@NF as an efficient bifunctional electrode for urea assisted water splitting","authors":"Xiang Zhao , Huipeng Zhao , Xiaoqiang Du , Xiaoshuang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Electrocatalytic urea splitting can not only generate H<sub>2</sub> but also purify wastewater containing urea, so it is a win-w<em>in situ</em>ation. However, developing efficient and stable catalysts for urea splitting is also full of challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>NiS<sub>2</sub>/FeS/MoS<sub>2</sub>@NF catalyst is prepared by taking hydroxide precursor as the starting point for the first time. The composition and surface properties of the material were characterized by XRD, SEM and XPS. The electrochemical performance of the material is characterized by linear sweep voltammetry, impedance, etc.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>In 1 M KOH + 0.5 M urea solution, NiS<sub>2</sub>/FeS/MoS<sub>2</sub>@NF catalyst had superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance and its overpotential is only 51 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, which is one of the most promising electrochemical performance reported to date. This NiS<sub>2</sub>/FeS/MoS<sub>2</sub>@NF material also exhibited the best urea oxidation electrocatalytic activity (potential of 1.38 V@ 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>) compared to other controlled samples. At the same time, NiS<sub>2</sub>/FeS/MoS<sub>2</sub>@NF, as a bi-functional catalyst, showed excellent urea splitting performance in urea solution and this potential is only 1.30 V, which is comparable to the best electrocatalytic activity reported for now. The increased activity of this material is attributed to the establishment of multiple polyphase interfaces and the synergistic effect of multiple components. According to the density functional theory (DFT) analysis, FeS presents a small Gibbs free energy for H, which better promotes the occurrence of HER.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106649"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106643
Jo-Hsin Yen , Parushi Nargotra , Chia-Hung Kuo , Yung-Chuan Liu
Background
Anthropogenic emissions have caused a substantial increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Carbon capture strategies employing carbonic anhydrase have emerged as promising biological approaches for CO2 mitigation. However, industrial deployment is limited by enzyme instability and low reusability, which can be addressed through immobilization.
Methods
In this study, carbonic anhydrase from Sulfurihydrogenibium yellowstonense was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and both whole cell and enzyme were immobilized separately onto immobilized metal affinity membranes (IMAMs). A comparative analysis was carried out between immobilized whole cells and carbonic anhydrase with respect to their stability, purification, and kinetics.
Significant findings
Immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase exhibited enhanced kinetic characteristics and greater stability over extended storage periods and a broad range of temperatures and pH. Immobilization also resulted in a purification fold of 3.86 and 3.19 for immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase, respectively. The immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase retained 81.5% and 76.4% activity after five reuse cycles. While immobilized whole cells showed enhanced pH and thermal stability, immobilized carbonic anhydrase demonstrated higher specific activity. The findings highlight IMAM as a robust and economical platform for whole cell immobilization, offering high recovery, adaptability, and eliminating the need for cell disruption and enzyme purification.
{"title":"Whole cell coupling on metal ion affinity membranes for stable carbonic anhydrase-driven CO₂ sequestration: An efficient alternative to enzyme immobilization","authors":"Jo-Hsin Yen , Parushi Nargotra , Chia-Hung Kuo , Yung-Chuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106643","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106643","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Anthropogenic emissions have caused a substantial increase in atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations. Carbon capture strategies employing carbonic anhydrase have emerged as promising biological approaches for CO<sub>2</sub> mitigation. However, industrial deployment is limited by enzyme instability and low reusability, which can be addressed through immobilization.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, carbonic anhydrase from <em>Sulfurihydrogenibium yellowstonense</em> was heterologously expressed in <em>Escherichia coli,</em> and both whole cell and enzyme were immobilized separately onto immobilized metal affinity membranes (IMAMs). A comparative analysis was carried out between immobilized whole cells and carbonic anhydrase with respect to their stability, purification, and kinetics.</div></div><div><h3>Significant findings</h3><div>Immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase exhibited enhanced kinetic characteristics and greater stability over extended storage periods and a broad range of temperatures and pH. Immobilization also resulted in a purification fold of 3.86 and 3.19 for immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase, respectively. The immobilized whole cell and carbonic anhydrase retained 81.5% and 76.4% activity after five reuse cycles. While immobilized whole cells showed enhanced pH and thermal stability, immobilized carbonic anhydrase demonstrated higher specific activity. The findings highlight IMAM as a robust and economical platform for whole cell immobilization, offering high recovery, adaptability, and eliminating the need for cell disruption and enzyme purification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106643"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Conventional V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR) suffer from poor activity at low temperatures (<300°C). To address this, we report a high-performance, vanadium-free catalyst engineered from a ZIF-67 metal-organic framework (MOF) precursor. By controllably doping ZIF-67 with manganese via ion exchange followed by thermal decomposition, we synthesized a series of MnOx@Co3O4 catalysts with a hierarchical porous structure and highly exposed bimetallic active sites. The optimized catalyst, containing 0.05M Mn, exhibited exceptionally low-temperature activity, achieving 95.7% NO conversion at just 175°C with an outstanding N2 selectivity of 95–98%. This performance is attributed to a strong synergistic effect between Mn and Co, which enhances the catalyst's redox properties. The catalyst also demonstrated excellent operational durability, maintaining over 95% conversion during an 80-h stability test and showing good resistance to water vapor. This MOF-derived synthesis strategy offers a new paradigm for designing highly efficient catalysts, presenting a promising pathway toward next-generation systems for low-temperature environmental catalysis.
{"title":"A MOF-derived hierarchical Mn–Co3O4 catalyst for superior low-temperature NH3-SCR of NOx","authors":"Pei-Cheng Cheng , Shang-Cyuan Chen , Shu-Fen Cheng , Tzi-Yi Wu , Feng-Chih Chou , Yuan-Chung Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>-WO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH<sub>3</sub> (NH<sub>3</sub>-SCR) suffer from poor activity at low temperatures (<300°C). To address this, we report a high-performance, vanadium-free catalyst engineered from a ZIF-67 metal-organic framework (MOF) precursor. By controllably doping ZIF-67 with manganese via ion exchange followed by thermal decomposition, we synthesized a series of MnOx@Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> catalysts with a hierarchical porous structure and highly exposed bimetallic active sites. The optimized catalyst, containing 0.05M Mn, exhibited exceptionally low-temperature activity, achieving 95.7% NO conversion at just 175°C with an outstanding N<sub>2</sub> selectivity of 95–98%. This performance is attributed to a strong synergistic effect between Mn and Co, which enhances the catalyst's redox properties. The catalyst also demonstrated excellent operational durability, maintaining over 95% conversion during an 80-h stability test and showing good resistance to water vapor. This MOF-derived synthesis strategy offers a new paradigm for designing highly efficient catalysts, presenting a promising pathway toward next-generation systems for low-temperature environmental catalysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106625"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106635
Akshay Chawla , Sonu Sonu , Pankaj Raizada , Tansir Ahamad , Konstantin Katin , Savaş Kaya , Sourbh Thakur , Nhu-Tinh T. Nguyen , Chechia Hu , Van-Huy Nguyen , Pardeep Singh
Background
The persistence of pharmaceutical contaminants such as cefixime (CFX) in aquatic systems poses serious environmental and health risks. Developing defect-engineered photocatalysts with efficient charge separation and enhanced visible-light activity is a critical strategy for wastewater remediation.
Methods
Hierarchical BiO1-xBr/BiOI1-x-CdS multicomponent heterostructure was rationally constructed via hydrothermal synthesis by integrating BiO1-xBr/BiOI1-x microflakes with CdS nanoflowers. The introduction of oxygen and iodine vacancies tailored the electronic configuration and strengthened interfacial coupling. Structural, spectroscopic, and photoelectrochemical analyses were performed to evaluate charge separation and transfer pathways. Photocatalytic activity was tested through CFX degradation under visible light. Reactive species trapping, electron spin resonance, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry have employed to identify active species and degradation intermediates.
Findings
The defect-engineered heterojunction exhibited a dual S-scheme charge transfer pathway that promoted efficient electron-hole separation and accelerated carrier migration due to the phenomenon of internal electric field and band bending, hence improving the CFX photodegradation efficiency. The BiO1-xBr/BiOI1-x-CdS photocatalytic system demonstrated a remarkable photocatalytic degradation efficiency of CFX, reaching approximately 95.8 % within 120 min under visible light at pH 6.0–6.5. In comparison to ternary, the CdS, BiO1-xBr, BiOI1-x, and BiO1-xBr/BiOI1-x reported photocatalytic reductions of only 46 %, 53 %, 62 %, and 79.4 % within same time period. Reactive species trapping and electron spin resonance analysis revealed that hydroxyl (.OH) and superoxide (-) radicals were the dominant oxidative agents driving the degradation process. The catalyst maintained high structural integrity and stable photocatalytic activity over five consecutive cycles.
{"title":"Defect-engineered BiO1-xBr/BiOI1-x-CdS dual S-scheme heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic cefixime degradation","authors":"Akshay Chawla , Sonu Sonu , Pankaj Raizada , Tansir Ahamad , Konstantin Katin , Savaş Kaya , Sourbh Thakur , Nhu-Tinh T. Nguyen , Chechia Hu , Van-Huy Nguyen , Pardeep Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The persistence of pharmaceutical contaminants such as cefixime (CFX) in aquatic systems poses serious environmental and health risks. Developing defect-engineered photocatalysts with efficient charge separation and enhanced visible-light activity is a critical strategy for wastewater remediation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Hierarchical BiO<sub>1-x</sub>Br/BiOI<sub>1-x</sub>-CdS multicomponent heterostructure was rationally constructed via hydrothermal synthesis by integrating BiO<sub>1-x</sub>Br/BiOI<sub>1-x</sub> microflakes with CdS nanoflowers. The introduction of oxygen and iodine vacancies tailored the electronic configuration and strengthened interfacial coupling. Structural, spectroscopic, and photoelectrochemical analyses were performed to evaluate charge separation and transfer pathways. Photocatalytic activity was tested through CFX degradation under visible light. Reactive species trapping, electron spin resonance, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry have employed to identify active species and degradation intermediates.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The defect-engineered heterojunction exhibited a dual S-scheme charge transfer pathway that promoted efficient electron-hole separation and accelerated carrier migration due to the phenomenon of internal electric field and band bending, hence improving the CFX photodegradation efficiency. The BiO<sub>1-x</sub>Br/BiOI<sub>1-x</sub>-CdS photocatalytic system demonstrated a remarkable photocatalytic degradation efficiency of CFX, reaching approximately 95.8 % within 120 min under visible light at pH 6.0–6.5. In comparison to ternary, the CdS, BiO<sub>1-x</sub>Br, BiOI<sub>1-x</sub>, and BiO<sub>1-x</sub>Br/BiOI<sub>1-x</sub> reported photocatalytic reductions of only <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mspace></mspace></mrow></math></span>46 %, <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mspace></mspace></mrow></math></span>53 %, <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mspace></mspace></mrow></math></span>62 %, and <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mspace></mspace></mrow></math></span>79.4 % within same time period. Reactive species trapping and electron spin resonance analysis revealed that hydroxyl (<sup>.</sup>OH) and superoxide (<sup>-</sup><span><math><msubsup><mi>O</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>.</mo></msubsup></math></span>) radicals were the dominant oxidative agents driving the degradation process. The catalyst maintained high structural integrity and stable photocatalytic activity over five consecutive cycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106635"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106623
Le Gao , Biyun Su , Yuzhen Bai , Shaowei Wu , Yu Zhao , Zhuchao Meng , Boli Hou
Background
Quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) corrosion inhibitors hold significant application value in the field of metal anticorrosion. However, traditional screening methods are inefficient and lack precise guidance for design at the molecular structure level. This study aims to overcome the limitations of existing design and evaluation methods for corrosion inhibitors by proposing a novel directed molecular design strategy for quaternary ammonium QAS inhibitors based on a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) model.
Methods
The molecular structures of T1-T5 and their inhibition efficiencies were determined. Various molecular descriptors were calculated. Pearson correlation analysis identified the electron transfer number (ΔN) as a key descriptor. A linear regression model was established and validated. Subsequently, the energy gap (ΔE) was incorporated to construct a multi-descriptor QSAR model using multiple linear regression.
Significant Findings
A robust QSAR model (ηw = 28.733 + 32.542ΔN - 2.874ΔE) was developed. Guided by the model, novel quaternary ammonium salt (Q molecules were designed by selecting advantageous functional groups and optimizing the molecular skeleton. Theoretical calculations confirmed that the newly designed molecules (FZ1-FZ3) exhibited significantly improved corrosion inhibition efficiency for N80 steel, exceeding 75%. This study provides an efficient strategy for the rational design of high-performance corrosion inhibitors.
{"title":"Quaternary ammonium salt corrosion inhibitors: a QSAR-based strategy for targeted molecular design","authors":"Le Gao , Biyun Su , Yuzhen Bai , Shaowei Wu , Yu Zhao , Zhuchao Meng , Boli Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) corrosion inhibitors hold significant application value in the field of metal anticorrosion. However, traditional screening methods are inefficient and lack precise guidance for design at the molecular structure level. This study aims to overcome the limitations of existing design and evaluation methods for corrosion inhibitors by proposing a novel directed molecular design strategy for quaternary ammonium QAS inhibitors based on a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) model.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The molecular structures of T1-T5 and their inhibition efficiencies were determined. Various molecular descriptors were calculated. Pearson correlation analysis identified the electron transfer number (<em>ΔN</em>) as a key descriptor. A linear regression model was established and validated. Subsequently, the energy gap (<em>ΔE</em>) was incorporated to construct a multi-descriptor QSAR model using multiple linear regression.</div></div><div><h3>Significant Findings</h3><div>A robust QSAR model (<em>η<sub>w</sub></em> = 28.733 + 32.542<em>ΔN</em> - 2.874<em>ΔE</em>) was developed. Guided by the model, novel quaternary ammonium salt (Q molecules were designed by selecting advantageous functional groups and optimizing the molecular skeleton. Theoretical calculations confirmed that the newly designed molecules (FZ1-FZ3) exhibited significantly improved corrosion inhibition efficiency for N80 steel, exceeding 75%. This study provides an efficient strategy for the rational design of high-performance corrosion inhibitors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106623"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106638
Zhi Li , Yayao Li , Xiayun Liu , Xiang Cui , Lei Luo , Li Chen , Yu Meng , Mingshan Zhu
Background: Bacterial infections pose a major health threat, driving the need for highly effective antimicrobial biomaterials. Near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive hydrogels are a promising strategy, offering spatially and temporally controllable antibacterial properties.
Methods: A hydrogel of copper ion-doped polydopamine-lignin-chitosan (CLS) was constructed. Its morphology, chemical structure, and optical properties were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, while its photothermal conversion efficiency and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were assessed via Infrared imager and Electron paramagnetic resonance, respectively.
Significant Findings: With chitosan as the backbone, the amino and hydroxyl groups on its surface confer biocompatibility and bacterial adsorption capacity. Lignin serves as the reinforcing phase, providing stable three-dimensional mechanical support and light-to-heat conversion capability. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the hydrogel exhibits outstanding photothermal conversion performance, reaching 50 °C within 5 min while achieving approximately 99.6 % inhibition of Escherichia coli. This high-efficiency antibacterial activity stems from the synergistic effects of photothermal effect and multiple ROS including •O2-, •OH and 1O2 produced by valence cycling of Cu2+ and photosensitization induced by photo-generated electrons in PDA, excited by near-infrared light. This study provides novel insights for designing novel antimicrobial materials and developing solar-driven antibacterial strategies.
{"title":"Near-infrared light to heat conversion to boost the antibacterial therapy with Cu2+ modified polydopamine hydrogel","authors":"Zhi Li , Yayao Li , Xiayun Liu , Xiang Cui , Lei Luo , Li Chen , Yu Meng , Mingshan Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jtice.2026.106638","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Background:</em> Bacterial infections pose a major health threat, driving the need for highly effective antimicrobial biomaterials. Near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive hydrogels are a promising strategy, offering spatially and temporally controllable antibacterial properties.</div><div><em>Methods:</em> A hydrogel of copper ion-doped polydopamine-lignin-chitosan (CLS) was constructed. Its morphology, chemical structure, and optical properties were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, while its photothermal conversion efficiency and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were assessed via Infrared imager and Electron paramagnetic resonance, respectively.</div><div><em>Significant Findings:</em> With chitosan as the backbone, the amino and hydroxyl groups on its surface confer biocompatibility and bacterial adsorption capacity. Lignin serves as the reinforcing phase, providing stable three-dimensional mechanical support and light-to-heat conversion capability. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the hydrogel exhibits outstanding photothermal conversion performance, reaching 50 °C within 5 min while achieving approximately 99.6 % inhibition of <em>Escherichia coli</em>. This high-efficiency antibacterial activity stems from the synergistic effects of photothermal effect and multiple ROS including •O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, •OH and <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> produced by valence cycling of Cu<sup>2+</sup> and photosensitization induced by photo-generated electrons in PDA, excited by near-infrared light. This study provides novel insights for designing novel antimicrobial materials and developing solar-driven antibacterial strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":381,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 106638"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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