TY - JOUR A1 - Abbasi, Ali A1 - Xu, Yaolin A1 - Khezri, Ramin A1 - Etesami, Mohammad A1 - Lin, C. A1 - Kheawhom, Soorathep A1 - Lu, Yan T1 - Advances in characteristics improvement of polymeric membranes/separators for zinc-air batteries JF - Materials Today Sustainability N2 - Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are gaining popularity for a wide range of applications due to their high energy density, excellent safety, and environmental friendliness. A membrane/separator is a critical component of ZABs, with substantial implications for battery performance and stability, particularly in the case of a battery in solid state format, which has captured increased attention in recent years. In this review, recent advances as well as insight into the architecture of polymeric membrane/separators for ZABs including porous polymer separators (PPSs), gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs), solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) and anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are discussed. The paper puts forward strategies to enhance stability, ionic conductivity, ionic selectivity, electrolyte storage capacity and mechanical properties for each type of polymeric membrane. In addition, the remaining major obstacles as well as the most potential avenues for future research are examined in detail. KW - Ionic selectivity KW - Ionic conductivity KW - Gel polymer KW - Ion exchange KW - Porous KW - polymer Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2022.100126 SN - 2589-2347 VL - 18 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mayer, Dennis A1 - Picconi, David A1 - Robinson, Matthew S. A1 - Gühr, Markus T1 - Experimental and theoretical gas-phase absorption spectra of thionated uracils JF - Chemical physics : a journal devoted to experimental and theoretical research involving problems of both a chemical and physical nature N2 - We present a comparative study of the gas-phase UV spectra of uracil and its thionated counterparts (2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil and 2,4-dithiouracil), closely supported by time-dependent density functional theory calculations to assign the transitions observed. We systematically discuss pure gas-phase spectra for the (thio)uracils in the range of 200-400 nm (similar to 3.2-6.4 eV), and examine the spectra of all four species with a single theoretical approach. We note that specific vibrational modelling is needed to accurately determine the spectra across the examined wavelength range, and systematically model the transitions that appear at wavelengths shorter than 250 nm. Additionally, we find in the cases of 2-thiouracil and 2,4-dithiouracil, that the gas-phase spectra deviate significantly from some previously published solution-phase spectra, especially those collected in basic environments. KW - Thiouracil KW - Uracil KW - UV-VIS Spectroscopy KW - Excited-state calculations; KW - TD-DFT KW - Gas phase Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemphys.2022.111500 SN - 0301-0104 VL - 558 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zimmermann, Marc A1 - Stomps, Benjamin René Harald A1 - Schulte-Osseili, Christine A1 - Grigoriev, Dmitry A1 - Ewen, Dirk A1 - Morgan, Andrew A1 - Böker, Alexander T1 - Organic dye anchor peptide conjugates as an advanced coloring agent for polypropylene yarn JF - Textile Research Journal N2 - Polypropylene as one of the world's top commodity polymers is also widely used in the textile industry. However, its non-polar nature and partially crystalline structure significantly complicate the process of industrial coloring of polypropylene. Currently, textiles made of polypropylene or with a significant proportion of polypropylene are dyed under quite harsh conditions, including the use of high pressures and temperatures, which makes this process energy intensive. This research presents a three-step synthesis of coloring agents, capable of adhering onto synthetic polypropylene yarns without harsh energy-consuming conditions. This is possible by encapsulation of organic pigments using trimethoxyphenylsilane, introduction of surface double bonds via modification of the silica shell with trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate and final attachment of highly adhesive anchor peptides using thiol-ene chemistry. We demonstrate the applicability of this approach by dyeing polypropylene yarns in a simple process under ambient conditions after giving a step-by-step guide for the synthesis of these new dyeing agents. Finally, the successful dyeing of the yarns is visualized, and its practicability is discussed. KW - anchor peptides KW - organic dye pigments KW - coloring agents KW - polypropylene KW - yarns Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/0040517520932231 SN - 0040-5175 SN - 1746-7748 VL - 91 IS - 1-2 SP - 28 EP - 39 PB - Sage Publ. CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ilic, Ivan A1 - Schutjajew, Konstantin A1 - Zhang, Wuyong A1 - Oschatz, Martin T1 - Changes of porosity of hard carbons during mechanical treatment and the relevance for sodium-ion anodes JF - Carbon : an international journal sponsored by the American Carbon Society N2 - Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized battery technology. However, the scarcity of lithium in nature is driving the search for alternatives. For that reason, sodium-ion batteries have attracted increasing attention in recent years. The main obstacle to their development is the anode as, unlike for lithium-ion batteries, graphite cannot be used due to the inability to form stoichiometrically useful intercalation compounds with sodium. A promising candidate for sodium storage is hard carbon a form of nongraphitisable carbon, that can be synthesized from various precursor materials. Processing of hard carbons is often done by using mechanochemical treatments. Although it is generally accepted and often observed that they can influence the porosity of hard carbons, their effect on battery performance not well understood. Here, the changes in porosity occurring during ball milling are elucidated and related to the properties of hard carbons in sodium storage. Analysis by combined gas physisorption and small angle X-ray scattering shows that porosity changes during ball milling with a significant increase of the open porosity, unsuitable for reversible sodium storage, and decrease of the closed porosity, suitable for reversible sodium storage. While pristine hard carbon can store 58.5 mAh g(-1) in the closed pores, upon 5 h of mechanical treatment in a ball mill it can only store 35.5 mAh g(-1). The obtained results are furthermore pointing towards the disputed "intercalation-adsorption" mechanism. KW - Hard carbons KW - Sodium-ion batteries KW - Anodes KW - Microporosity KW - Ball milling Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2021.09.063 SN - 0008-6223 SN - 1873-3891 VL - 186 SP - 55 EP - 63 PB - Elsevier Science CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gupta, Banshi D. A1 - Pathak, Anisha A1 - Shrivastav, Anand T1 - Optical Biomedical Diagnostics Using Lab-on-Fiber Technology BT - a review JF - Photonics : open access journal N2 - Point-of-care and in-vivo bio-diagnostic tools are the current need for the present critical scenarios in the healthcare industry. The past few decades have seen a surge in research activities related to solving the challenges associated with precise on-site bio-sensing. Cutting-edge fiber optic technology enables the interaction of light with functionalized fiber surfaces at remote locations to develop a novel, miniaturized and cost-effective lab on fiber technology for bio-sensing applications. The recent remarkable developments in the field of nanotechnology provide innumerable functionalization methodologies to develop selective bio-recognition elements for label free biosensors. These exceptional methods may be easily integrated with fiber surfaces to provide highly selective light-matter interaction depending on various transduction mechanisms. In the present review, an overview of optical fiber-based biosensors has been provided with focus on physical principles used, along with the functionalization protocols for the detection of various biological analytes to diagnose the disease. The design and performance of these biosensors in terms of operating range, selectivity, response time and limit of detection have been discussed. In the concluding remarks, the challenges associated with these biosensors and the improvement required to develop handheld devices to enable direct target detection have been highlighted. KW - fiber optic sensors KW - synthesis KW - interferometry KW - fluorescence KW - SERS KW - SPR KW - immunosensors KW - enzymatic sensors KW - molecular imprinted polymers Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9020086 SN - 2304-6732 VL - 9 IS - 2 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Akampurira, Denis A1 - Akala, Hoseah M. A1 - Derese, Solomon A1 - Heydenreich, Matthias A1 - Yenesew, Abiy T1 - A new C-C linked benzophenathridine-2-quinoline dimer, and the antiplasmodial activity of alkaloids from Zanthoxylum holstzianum JF - Natural product research N2 - The CH2Cl2/MeOH (1:1) extract of Zanthoxylum holstzianum stem bark showed good antiplasmodial activity (IC50 2.5 +/- 0.3 and 2.6 +/- 0.3 mu g/mL against the W2 and D6 strains of Plasmodium falciparum, respectively). From the extract five benzophenanthridine alkaloids [8-acetonyldihydrochelerythrine (1), nitidine (2), dihydrochelerythine (3), norchelerythrine (5), arnottianamide (8)]; a 2-quinolone alkaloid [N-methylflindersine (4)]; a lignan [4,4 '-dihydroxy-3,3 '-dimethoxylignan-9,9 '-diyl diacetate (7)] and a dimer of a benzophenanthridine and 2-quinoline [holstzianoquinoline (6)] were isolated. The CH2Cl2/MeOH (1:1) extract of the root bark afforded 1, 3-6, 8, chelerythridimerine (9) and 9-demethyloxychelerythrine (10). Holstzianoquinoline (6) is new, and is the second dimer linked by a C-C bond of a benzophenanthridine and a 2-quinoline reported thus far. The compounds were identified based on spectroscopic evidence. Amongst five compounds (1-5) tested against two strains of P. falciparum, nitidine (IC50 0.11 +/- 0.01 mu g/mL against W2 and D6 strains) and norchelerythrine (IC50 value of 0.15 +/- 0.01 mu g/mL against D6 strain) were the most active. KW - Antiplasmodial KW - benzophenanthridine alkaloid KW - holstzianoquinoline; KW - rutaceae KW - Zanthoxylum holstzianum Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2022.2034810 SN - 1478-6419 SN - 1478-6427 VL - 37 IS - 13 SP - 2161 EP - 2171 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London [u.a.] ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kreuzer, Lucas A1 - Lindenmeir, Christoph A1 - Geiger, Christina A1 - Widmann, Tobias A1 - Hildebrand, Viet A1 - Laschewsky, André A1 - Papadakis, Christine M. A1 - Müller-Buschbaum, Peter T1 - Poly(sulfobetaine) versus poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) BT - co-nonsolvency-type behavior of thin films in a water/methanol atmosphere JF - Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society N2 - The swelling and co-nonsolvency behaviors in pure H2O and in a mixed H2O/CH3OH vapor atmosphere of two different polar, water-soluble polymers in thin film geometry are studied in situ. Films of a zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine), namely, poly[3-((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)dimethylammonio) propane-1-sulfonate] (PSPE), and a polar nonionic polymer, namely, poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PNIPMAM), are investigated in real time by spectral reflectance (SR) measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Whereas PSPE is insoluble in methanol, PNIPMAM is soluble but exhibits cononsolvency behavior in water/methanol mixtures. First, the swelling of PSPE and PNIPMAM thin films in H2O vapor is followed. Subsequently, CH3OH is added to the vapor atmosphere, and its contracting effect on the water-swollen films is monitored, revealing a co-nonsolvency-type behavior for PNIPMAM and PSPE. SR measurements indicate that PSPE and PNIPMAM behave significantly different during the H2O swelling and subsequent exposure to CH3OH, not only with respect to the amounts of absorbed water and CH3OH, but also to the cosolvent-induced contraction mechanisms. While PSPE thin films exhibit an abrupt one-step contraction, the contraction of PNIPMAM thin films occurs in two steps. FTIR studies corroborate these findings on a molecular scale and reveal the role of the specific functional groups, both during the swelling and the cosolvent-induced switching of the solvation state. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02281 SN - 0024-9297 SN - 1520-5835 VL - 54 IS - 3 SP - 1548 EP - 1556 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Deng, Zijun A1 - Wang, Weiwei A1 - Xua, Xun A1 - Gould, Oliver E. C. A1 - Kratz, Karl A1 - Ma, Nan A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Polymeric sheet actuators with programmable bioinstructivity JF - PNAS N2 - Stem cells are capable of sensing and processing environmental inputs, converting this information to output a specific cell lineage through signaling cascades. Despite the combinatorial nature of mechanical, thermal, and biochemical signals, these stimuli have typically been decoupled and applied independently, requiring continuous regulation by controlling units. We employ a programmable polymer actuator sheet to autonomously synchronize thermal and mechanical signals applied to mesenchymal stem cells (MSC5). Using a grid on its underside, the shape change of polymer sheet, as well as cell morphology, calcium (Ca2+) influx, and focal adhesion assembly, could be visualized and quantified. This paper gives compelling evidence that the temperature sensing and mechanosensing of MSC5 are interconnected via intracellular Ca2+. Up-regulated Ca2+ levels lead to a remarkable alteration of histone H3K9 acetylation and activation of osteogenic related genes. The interplay of physical, thermal, and biochemical signaling was utilized to accelerate the cell differentiation toward osteogenic lineage. The approach of programmable bioinstructivity provides a fundamental principle for functional biomaterials exhibiting multifaceted stimuli on differentiation programs. Technological impact is expected in the tissue engineering of periosteum for treating bone defects. KW - reversible shape-memory actuator KW - mesenchymal stem cells KW - calcium influx KW - HDAC1 KW - RUNX2 Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910668117 SN - 1091-6490 VL - 117 IS - 4 SP - 1895 EP - 1901 PB - National Academy of Sciences CY - Washington, DC ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Saretia, Shivam A1 - Machatschek, Rainhard Gabriel A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Degradation kinetics of oligo(ε-caprolactone) ultrathin films BT - Influence of crystallinity JF - MRS advances : a journal of the Materials Research Society (MRS) N2 - The potential of using crystallinity as morphological parameter to control polyester degradation in acidic environments is explored in ultrathin films by Langmuir technique. Films of hydroxy or methacrylate end-capped oligo(epsilon-caprolactone) (OCL) are prepared at the air-water interface as a function of mean molecular area (MMA). The obtained amorphous, partially crystalline or highly crystalline ultrathin films of OCL are hydrolytically degraded at pH similar to 1.2 on water surface or on silicon surface as-transferred films. A high crystallinity reduces the hydrolytic degradation rate of the films on both water and solid surfaces. Different acceleration rates of hydrolytic degradation of semi-crystalline films are achieved either by crystals complete melting, partially melting, or by heating them below their melting temperatures. Semi-crystalline OCL films transferred via water onto a solid surface retain their crystalline morphology, degrade in a controlled manner, and are of interest as thermoswitchable coatings for cell substrates and medical devices. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-021-00067-4 SN - 2059-8521 VL - 6 IS - 33 SP - 790 EP - 795 PB - Springer Nature Switzerland AG CY - Cham ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yue, Yanhua A1 - Melani, Giacomo A1 - Kirsch, Harald A1 - Paarmann, Alexander A1 - Saalfrank, Peter A1 - Campen, Richard Kramer A1 - Tong, Yujin T1 - Structure and Reactivity of a-Al2O3(0001) Surfaces: How Do Al-I and Gibbsite-like Terminations Interconvert? JF - The journal of physical chemistry / publ. weekly by the American Chemical Society. C, Energy, materials, and catalysis N2 - The alpha-Al2O3(0001) surface has been extensively studied because of its significance in both fundamental research and application. Prior work suggests that in ultra-high-vacuum (UHV), in the absence of water, the so-called Al-I termination is thermodynamically favored, while in ambient, in contact with liquid water, a Gibbsite-like layer is created. While the view of the alpha- Al2O3(0001)/H2O(l) interface appears relatively clear in theory, experimental characterization of this system has resulted in estimates of surface acidity, i.e., isoelectric points, that differ by 4 pH units and surface structure that in some reports has non-hydrogen-bonded surface aluminol (Al-OH) groups and in others does not. In this study, we employed vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) and density functional theory (DFT) simulation to study the surface phonon modes of the differently terminated alpha-Al2O3(0001) surfaces in both UHV and ambient. We find that, on either water dosing of the Al-I in UHV or heat-induced dehydroxylation of the Gibbsite-like in ambient, the surfaces do not interconvert. This observation offers a new explanation for disagreements in prior work on the alpha-Al2O3(0001)/liquid water interface -different preparation methods may create surfaces that do not interconvert-and shows that the surface phonon spectral response offers a novel probe of interfacial hydrogen bonding structure. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c03743 SN - 1932-7447 SN - 1932-7455 VL - 126 IS - 31 SP - 13467 EP - 13476 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER -