Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide and Zinc Oxide Doped with Chlorine Nanoparticles as Novel <i>α</i>-Amylase Inhibitors

In this study we used a chemical solution method from oxalic acid (OX. acid) and zinc acetate (ZnAc) to prepare Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and Zinc Oxide nanoparticles doped with Chlorine (Cl:ZnONPs). The characterizations (FTIR, X-ray, SEM, TEM) of ZnONPs and Cl:ZnONPs were determined. Amylase inhibitors of ZnONPs and Cl:ZnONPs also were determined. SEM indicated that the ZnONPs and Cl:ZnONPs have an average particle size of 46.65 - 74.64 nm. TEM images of the ZnONPs and Cl:ZnONPs showed the round shaped. Compounds b, d and e exhibited significant inhibitory activity against amylase enzyme (from 69.21 ± 1.44 to 76.32 ± 0.78), respectively, and were comparable with that of acarbose (86.32 ± 0.63) at 1000 μg, thereby, projecting ZnONPs and Cl:ZnONPs as α-amylase inhibitors.

Chlorine‑Rich Substitution Enabled 2D3D Hybrid Perovskites for High Efficiency and Stability in Sn‑Based Fiber‑Shaped Perovskite Solar Cells

Despite the impressive power conversion efficiency(PCE)beyond 25.5%,perovskite solar cells,especially the Sn-based variants,are poorly stable under normal operating conditions compared with the market-dominant silicon solar cells that can last for over 25 years.2D3D hybrid perovskite materials are one of the best options to overcome the instability chal-lenge without compromising efficiency.Indeed,a record performance of 1 year was reported in Pb-based 2D3D planar per-ovskite devices.However,the reaction between 2 and 3D perovskite molecules requires high temperatures(-300°C)and increased reaction time(-24 h)to achieve high-quality 2D3D hybrid perovskites.Herein,we base on the ability of chlorine to displace iodine from its ionic compounds in solutions to utilize chloride ions as catalysts for speeding up the reaction between iodine-based 2D and 3D perovskite molecules.The approach reduces the reaction time to-20 min and the reaction temperature to-100°C with the formation of high-quality 2D3D hybrid perovskites,free from pure 2D traces.Integrating the synthesized 2D3D hybrid perovskite material with 50%chlorine doping in a fiber-shaped solar cell architecture yielded the highest reported PCE of 11.96%in Sn-based fiber-shaped perovskite solar cells.The unencapsulated and encapsulated fiber-shaped solar cells could maintain 75%and 95.5%of their original PCE,respectively,after 3 months under room light and relative humidity of 35–40%,revealing the champion stability in Sn-based perovskite solar devices.The solar yarn also demonstrated constant energy output under changing light incident angles(0–180°).

Ceria supported nickel catalysts for CO removal from H_2-rich gas

CO in H2-rich gas must be removed to meet various requirements in industrial applications. Four methods, i.e., the precipitation method using aqueous ammonia, the complexing method using urea, the complexing method using citric acid and the precipitation method using ammonium carbonate, were adopted to prepare samples NiO/CeO2 as catalyst precursors for removal of CO from H2-rich gas via selective methanation reaction. The sample NiO/CeO2 prepared by the precipitation method using aqueous ammonia as precipitant exhibited the highest catalytic activity both for CO methanation and for CO2 methanation after reduction prior to the catalytic reaction. Chlorine ion was then doped to suppress CO2 conversion. Effect of chlorine doping was investigated. Over the optimal catalyst 40%Ni（Cl（0.2））/CeO2, CO in the H2-rich gas was removed to below 10 ppm with selectivity of 60% or higher at reaction temperatures 230–250 ℃ in the test period of 75 h.