Trends in Chemistry最新文献

Protein nanoparticles (PNPs) present versatile platforms for cargo delivery due to their modularity, biocompatibility, and self-assembled structures. PNPs have benefited greatly from developments in bioorthogonal covalent attachment chemistries, which enable efficient post-translational cargo loading. In this paper, we review recent advancements in bioorthogonal strategies for cargo loading onto PNPs, including methods for chemical functionalization of natural scaffolds and the use of established click chemistries. We also discuss how protein engineering strategies, including genetically encoded ligation systems and non-canonical amino acid incorporation, have conferred even greater specificity and control to cargo loading and delivery. We conclude the review with applications and future directions of PNPs in crop and soil sciences, with insights on their translation to industry and agriculture.

Plasmonic photocatalysis, which represents a paradigm-shifting approach to solar-to-chemical energy conversion, has become a rapidly evolving research field full of opportunities, challenges, and open questions. Plasmon-driven photocatalytic reactions are mechanistically complex, dictated not only by multiple interplaying photophysical effects but also by local chemical environments at the catalyst–adsorbate interfaces. This review article highlights the unique value of plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopy in mechanistic studies of plasmonic photocatalysis. Using plasmon-driven reductive coupling of nitroarene derivative adsorbates as a model reaction system, this article elaborates on how the rich information extracted from deliberately designed plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopic measurements can be carefully analyzed and further rationalized to generate critical insights into the exact roles of hot carriers, photothermal transduction, and catalyst–adsorbate interactions in plasmonic photocatalysis.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are restricted by cathode polysulfide shuttling and anode lithium dendrite formation. Jin, Zuo, and coworkers recently showed that Li-S batteries with high capacities and cycling stabilities emerge from intentionally designed covalent organic framework (COF) electrodes. This report highlights how COF design can address fundamental challenges in organic electrode engineering.

The presence of entanglements in polymer networks has been known since the 1940s. These topological crosslinks have been found to strongly affect mechanical properties of the materials, including stiffness, extensibility, and toughness. However, control over the entanglement density and topology remains a challenge. Furthermore, entanglements are invisible to conventional chemical characterization methods, rendering their characterization a challenge in its own right. Recent endeavors in the realm of polymer entanglements have focused on unraveling the nature of entanglements and leveraging this knowledge to enhance the mechanical properties of soft materials. This review covers the latest breakthroughs in controlling and characterizing the formation of trapped entanglements in polymer networks and offers an outlook on the trajectory of this evolving field.

Ligands play a pivotal role in catalysis, yet crafting and purifying them often requires toxic reagents and results in solvent waste. Thus, curtailing their sustainability repercussions demands a meticulous synthetic process, robust design leading to minimal usage, and entirely ligand-free methodologies.