Synthesis of hierarchically porous carbon materials by zinc salts-assisted carbonization of biomass and organic solid wastes

Hierarchically porous carbons(HPCs)with multimodal pores have attracted considerable attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties and various application potentials in heterogeneous catalysis,environmental treatment,and energy storage and conversion.Herein,we report a general and simple zinc salts-assisted method for the synthesis of HPCs with varied porosity and chemical func-tionalities by the direct carbonization of diverse biomass and wastes.During the carbonization,zinc salts are thermally decomposed into nanoparticles that serve as in-situ templates to introduce nanopores in carbons.The prepared HPCs exhibit high specific surface areas(up to 2432 m2 g-1),large pore volumes(up to 4.30 cm^(3)g^(-1)),and broad pore size distributions.Moreover,the zinc salts can be recovered and recycled,supporting the sustainable production of HPCs on large scale.The prepared HPCs-supported catalysts with atomically dispersed metal sites exhibit promising electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Hetero Nucleus Growth Stabilizing Zinc Anode for High‑Biosecurity Zinc‑Ion Batteries

Biocompatible devices are widely employed in modernized lives and medical fields in the forms of wearable and implantable devices,raising higher requirements on the battery biocompatibility,high safety,low cost,and excellent electrochemical performance,which become the evaluation criteria toward developing feasible biocompatible batteries.Herein,through conducting the battery implantation tests and leakage scene simulations on New Zealand rabbits,zinc sulfate electrolyte is proved to exhibit higher biosecurity and turns out to be one of the ideal zinc salts for biocompatible zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs).Furthermore,in order to mitigate the notorious dendrite growth and hydrogen evolution in mildly acidic electrolyte as well as improve their operating stability,Sn hetero nucleus is introduced to stabilize the zinc anode,which not only facilitates the planar zinc deposition,but also contributes to higher hydrogen evolution overpotential.Finally,a long lifetime of 1500 h for the symmetrical cell,the specific capacity of 150 mAh g^(-1)under 0.5 A g^(-1)for the Zn-MnO_(2)battery and 212 mAh g^(-1)under 5 A g^(-1)for the Zn—NH4V4O10 battery are obtained.This work may provide unique perspectives on biocompatible ZIBs toward the biosecurity of their cell components.

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Zinc(II) Complex Salt with the Schiff Base of Picolinaldehyde N-oxide and Semicarbazone

The title zinc（Ⅱ） complex salt [Zn（H2O）6]（ClO4）2-（PNOS）4, where PNOS is derived from picolinaldehyde N-oxide with semicarbazone, has been prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray single-crystal analysis. It crystallizes in triclinic, space group PI with a = 7.529（3）, b = 10.206（4）, c = 14.678（6）A, a = 86.293（6）, β= 87.686（7）, γ= 81.382（6）°, C28H44Cl2N16O22Zn, Mr = 1093.06, V = 1112.3（8） ,A^3 Z = 1, Dc = 1.632 g/cm^3, S = 1.089, μ（MoKa） = 0.773 mm^-1, F（000） = 564, the final R = 0.0438 and wR = 0.1076 for 3888 independent reflections with Rint = 0.0224. The crystal structure possesses a [Zn（H2O）6]^2＋ cation, two ClO4^- anions and four PNOSs. In the crystal structure, Zn^2＋ cation is located at the symcenter and coordinated by six water molecules. In [Zn（H2O）6]^2＋, an elongate octahedral complex cation, the average Zn-O bond length is 2.087（2） A. There exist a lot of H bonds in the structure, linking the cation [Zn（H2O）6]^2＋, anion ClO4^- and PNOS to form a 3D network.

Practical insights into chronic management of hepatic Wilson’s disease

Wilson’s disease(WD)is a rare inherited disorder of human copper metabolism,with an estimated prevalence of 1:30000-1:50000 and a broad spectrum of hepatic and neuropsychiatric manifestations.In healthy individuals,the bile is the main route of elimination of copper.In WD patients,copper accumulates in the liver,it is released into the bloodstream,and is excreted in urine.Copper can also be accumulated in the brain,kidneys,heart,and osseous matter and causes damage due to direct toxicity or oxidative stress.Hepatic WD is commonly but not exclusively diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood.Adherent,non-cirrhotic WD patients seem to have a normal life expectancy.Nevertheless,chronic management of patients with Wilson’s disease is challenging,as available biochemical tests have many limitations and do not allow a clear identification of non-compliance,overtreatment,or treatment goals.To provide optimal care,clinicians should have a complete understanding of these limitations and counterbalance them with a thorough clinical assessment.The aim of this review is to provide clinicians with practical tools and suggestions which may answer doubts that can arise during chronic management of patients with hepatic WD.In particular,it summarises current knowledge on Wilson’s disease clinical and biochemical monitoring and treatment.It also analyses available evidence on pregnancy and the role of low-copper diet in WD.Future research should focus on trying to provide new copper metabolism tests which could help to guide treatment adjustments.

Hierarchical porous carbon derived from one-step self-activation of zinc gluconate for symmetric supercapacitors with high energy density

Porous carbons with high specific area surfaces are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.However,their production usually involves complex,time-consuming,and corrosive processes.Hence,a straightforward and effective strategy is presented for producing highly porous carbons via a self-activation procedure utilizing zinc gluconate as the precursor.The volatile nature of zinc at high temperatures gives the carbons a large specific surface area and an abundance of mesopores,which avoids the use of additional activators and templates.Consequently,the obtained porous carbon electrode delivers a satisfactory specific capacitance and outstanding cycling durability of 90.9%after 50000 cycles at 10 A·g^(-1).The symmetric supercapacitors assembled by the optimal electrodes exhibit an acceptable rate capability and a distinguished cycling stability in both aqueous and ionic liquid electrolytes.Accordingly,capacitance retention rates of 77.8%and 85.7%are achieved after 50000 cycles in aqueous alkaline electrolyte and 10000 cycles in ionic liquid electrolyte.Moreover,the symmetric supercapacitors deliver high energy/power densities of 49.8 W·h·kg^(-1)/2477.8 W·kg^(-1) in the Et4NBF4 electrolyte,outperforming the majority of previously reported porous carbon-based symmetric supercapacitors in ionic liquid electrolytes.

The CONSTANS-like 4 transcription factor,AtCOL_4,positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance through an abscisic acid-dependent manner in Arabidopsis

The precise roles of the B-box zinc finger family of transcription factors in plant stress are poorly understood.Functional analysis was performed on AtCOL4,an Arabidopsis thaliana L.CONSTANS-like 4 protein that is a putative novel transcription factor,and which contains a predicted transcriptional activation domain.Analyses of an AtCOL4 promoter-b-glucuronidase（GUS） construct revealed substantial GUS activity in whole seedlings.The expression of AtCOL4 was strongly induced by abscisic acid（ABA）,salt,and osmotic stress.Mutation in atcol4 resulted in increased sensitivity to ABA and salt stress during seed germination and the cotyledon greening process.In contrast,AtCOL4-overexpressing plants were less sensitive to ABA and salt stress compared to the wild type.Interestingly,in the presence of ABA or salt stress,the transcript levels of other ABA biosynthesis and stress-related genes were enhanced induction in AtCOL4-overexpressing and WT plants,rather than in the atcol4 mutant.Thus,AtCOL4 is involved in ABA and salt stress response through the ABA-dependent signaling pathway.Taken together,these findings provide compelling evidence that AtCOL4 is an important regulator for plant tolerance to abiotic stress.e