Enhancing multifunctional photocatalysis with acetate-assisted cesium doping and unlocking the potential of Z-scheme solar water splitting

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))has been extensively doped with alkali metals to enlarge photocatalytic output,in which cesium(Cs)doping is predicted to be the most efficient.Nevertheless,the sluggish diffusion and doping kinetics of precursors with high melting points,along with imprecise regulation,have raised the debate on whether Cs doping could make sense.For this matter,we attempt to confirm the positive effects of Cs doping on multifunctional photocatalysis by first using cesium acetate with the character of easy manipulation.The optimized Csdoped g-C_(3)N_(4)(CCN)shows a 41.6-fold increase in visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)compared to pure g-C_(3)N_(4) and impressive degradation capability,especially with 77%refractory tetracycline and almost 100%rhodamine B degradedwithin an hour.The penetration ofCs+is demonstrated to be a mode of interlayer doping,and Cs–N bonds(especially with sp^(2) pyridine N in C═N–C),along with robust chemical interaction and electron exchange,are fabricated.This atomic configuration triggers the broadened spectral response,the improved charge migration,and the activated photocatalytic capacity.Furthermore,we evaluate the CCN/cadmium sulfide hybrid as a Z-scheme configuration,promoting the visible HER yield to 9.02 mmol g^(−1) h^(−1),which is the highest ever reported among all CCN systems.This work adds to the rapidly expanding field of manipulation strategies and supports further development of mediating served for photocatalysis.

Bio-Based Waterborne Poly(Vanillin-Butyl Acrylate)/MXene Coatings for Leather with Desired Warmth Retention and Antibacterial Properties

This study presents a solvent-free,facile synthesis of a bio-based green antibacterial agent and aromatic monomer methacrylated vanillin(MV)using vanillin.The resulting MV not only imparted antibacterial properties to coatings layered on leather,but could also be employed as a green alternative to petroleum-based carcinogen styrene(St).Herein,MV was copolymerized with butyl acrylate(BA)to obtain waterborne bio-based P(MV-BA)miniemulsion via miniemulsion polymerization.Subsequently,MXene nanosheets with excellent photothermal conversion performance and antibacterial properties,were introduced into the P(MV-BA)miniemulsion by ultrasonic dispersion.During the gradual solidification of P(MV-BA)/MXene nanocomposite miniemulsion on the leather surface,MXene gradually migrated to the surface of leather coatings due to the cavitation effect of ultrasonication and amphiphilicity of MXene,which prompted its full exposure to light and bacteria,exerting the maximum photothermal conversion efficiency and significant antibacterial efficacy.In particular,when the dosage of MXene nanosheets was 1.4 wt%,the surface temperature of P(MV-BA)/MXene nanocomposite miniemulsioncoated leather(PML)increased by about 15℃ in an outdoor environment during winter,and the antibacterial rate against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was nearly 100%under the simulated sunlight treatment for 30 min.Moreover,the introduction of MXene nanosheets increased the air permeability,water vapor permeability,and thermal stability of these coatings.This study provides a new insight into the preparation of novel,green,and waterborne bio-based nanocomposite coatings for leather,with desired warmth retention and antibacterial properties.It can not only realize zerocarbon heating based on sunlight in winter,reducing the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions,but also improve ability to fight off invasion by harmful bacteria,viruses,and other microorganisms.

Antibacterial mechanism of kojic acid and tea polyphenols against Escherichia coli O157:H7 through transcriptomic analysis

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the major foodborne pathogenic bacterial that cause infectious diseases in humans.The previous found that a combination of kojic acid and tea polyphenols exhibited better activity against E.coli O157:H7 than using either alone.This study aimed to explore responses underlying the antibacterial mechanisms of kojic acid and tea polyphenols from the gene level.The functional enrichment analysis by comparing kojic acid and tea polyphenols individually or synergistically against E.coli O157:H7 found that acid resistance systems in kojic acid were activated,and the cell membrane and genomic DNA were destructed in the cells,resulting in“oxygen starvation”.The oxidative stress response triggered by tea polyphenols inhibited both sulfur uptake and the synthesis of ATP,which affected the bacteria's life metabolic process.Interestingly,we found that kojic acid combined with tea polyphenols hindered the uptake of iron that played an essential role in the synthesis of DNA,respiration,tricarboxylic acid cycle.The results suggested that the iron uptake pathways may represent a novel approach for kojic acid and tea polyphenols synergistically against E.coli O157:H7 and provided a theoretical basis for bacterial pathogen control in the food industry.

Engineering g-C_(3)N_(4)based materials for advanced photocatalysis:Recent advances

Photocatalysis driven by abundant yet intermittent solar energy has considerable potential in renewable energy generation and environmental remediation.The outstanding electronic structure and physicochemical properties of graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4)),together with unique metal-free characteristic,make them ideal candidates for advanced photocatalysts construction.This review summarizes the up-to-date advances on g-C_(3)N_(4)based photocatalysts from ingenious-design strategies and diversified photocatalytic applications.Notably,the advantages,fabrication methods and limitations of each design strategy are systemically analyzed.In order to deeply comprehend the inner connection of theory–structure–performance upon g-C_(3)N_(4)based photocatalysts,structure/composition designs,corresponding photocatalytic activities and reaction mechanisms are jointly discussed,associated with introducing their photocatalytic applications toward water splitting,carbon dioxide/nitrogen reduction and pollutants degradation,etc.Finally,the current challenges and future perspectives for g-C_(3)N_(4)based materials for photocatalysis are briefly proposed.These design strategies and limitations are also instructive for constructing g-C_(3)N_(4) based materials in other energy and environment-related applications.

Superwetting Ag/α-Fe_(2)O_(3) anchored mesh with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activities for efficient water purification

Superwetting materials have drawn unprecedented attention in the treatment of oily wastewater due to their preferable anti-fouling property and selective oil/water separation.However,it is still a challenge to fabricate multifunctional and environmentally friendly materials,which can be stably applied to purify the actual complicated wastewater.Here,a Ag/Ag/α-Fe_(2)O_(3) heterostructure anchored copper mesh was intentionally synthesized using a facile two-step hydrothermal method.The resultant mesh with superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity was capable of separating various oil/water mixtures with superior separation efficiency and high permeationflux driven by gravity.Benefiting from the joint effects of the smaller band gap of Ag/α-Fe_(2)O_(3) heterojunction,inherent antibacterial capacity of Ag/α-Fe_(2)O_(3) and Ag nanoparticles,favorable conductive substrate,as well as the hierarchical structure with superwettability,such mesh presented remarkably enhanced degradation capability toward organic dyes under visible light irradiation and antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli(E.coli)and Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus)compared with the pure Ag/α-Fe_(2)O_(3) coated mesh.Impressively,the mesh exhibited bifunctional water purification performance,in which organic dyes were eliminated simultaneously from water during oil/water separation in onefiltration process.More importantly,this mesh behaved exceptional chemical resistance,mechanical stability and long-term reusability.Therefore,this material with multifunctional integration may hold promising potential for steady water purification in practice.

Semisynthetic Derivatives of Sissotrin Isolated from Trifolium baccarinii Chiov. (Fabaceae) and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities

Starting from sissotrin (1), a natural isoflavonoid isolated from Trifolium baccarinii (Fabaceae), one new semisynthetic derivative, 6-nitrobiochanin A (1b) and two known derivatives, 8-nitrobiochanin A (1a) and 2",3",4",6"-tetraacetylsissotrin (1c) have been obtained after performing nitration and acetylation reactions. Their structures were assigned after interpretation of their spectrometric (HR-ESI-MS) and spectroscopic (NMR 1D and 2D) data and by comparison with those reported in the literature. The substrate as well as the semisynthetic derivatives were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against six strains. The results reveal that they are inactive or weakly active on the strains tested with the exception of 8-nitrobiochanin A (1a) which showed moderate activity (MIC = 62.5 μg∙mL−1) on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300.

LncRNA pol-lnc78 as a ceRNA regulates antibacterial responses via suppression of pol-miR-n199-3p-mediated SARM down-regulation in Paralichthys olivaceus

Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)function as key modulators in mammalian immunity,particularly due to their involvement in lncRNA-mediated competitive endogenous RNA(ceRNA)crosstalk.Despite their recognized significance in mammals,research on lncRNAs in lower vertebrates remains limited.In the present study,we characterized the first immune-related lncRNA(pol-lnc78)in the teleost Japanese flounder(Paralichthys olivaceus).Results indicated that pol-lnc78 acted as a ceRNA for pol-miR-n199-3p to target the sterile alpha and armadillo motif-containing protein(SARM),the fifth discovered member of the Toll/interleukin 1(IL-1)receptor(TIR)adaptor family.This ceRNA network regulated the antibacterial responses of flounder via the Toll-like receptor(TLR)signaling pathway.Specifically,SARM acted as a negative regulator and exacerbated bacterial infection by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1βand tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).Pol-miR-n199-3p reduced SARM expression by specifically interacting with the 3’untranslated region(UTR),thereby promoting SARM-dependent inflammatory cytokine expression and protecting the host against bacterial dissemination.Furthermore,pol-lnc78 sponged pol-miR-n199-3p to ameliorate the inhibition of SARM expression.During infection,the negative regulators pol-lnc78 and SARM were significantly down-regulated,while pol-miR-n199-3p was significantly up-regulated,thus favoring host antibacterial defense.These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying fish immunity and open new horizons to better understand ceRNA crosstalk in lower vertebrates.

Core-Shell Semiconductor-Graphene Nanoarchitectures for Efficient Photocatalysis:State of the Art and Perspectives

Semiconductor photocatalysis holds great promise for renewable energy generation and environment remediation,but generally suffers from the serious drawbacks on light absorption,charge generation and transport,and structural stability that limit the performance.The core-shell semiconductorgraphene(CSSG)nanoarchitectures may address these issues due to their unique structures with exceptional physical and chemical properties.This review explores recent advances of the CSSG nanoarchitectures in the photocatalytic performance.It starts with the classification of the CSSG nanoarchitectures by the dimensionality.Then,the construction methods under internal and external driving forces were introduced and compared with each other.Afterward,the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic applications of these nanoarchitectures were discussed,with a focus on their role in photocatalysis.It ends with a summary and some perspectives on future development of the CSSG nanoarchitectures toward highly efficient photocatalysts with extensive application.By harnessing the synergistic capabilities of the CSSG architectures,we aim to address pressing environmental and energy challenges and drive scientific progress in these fields.

Experimental and computational study of annealed nickel sulfide quantum dots for catalytic and antibacterial activity

This research investigates the hydrothermal synthesis and annealing duration effects on nickel sulfide(NiS_(2) quantum dots(QDs)for catalytic decolorization of methylene blue(MB)dye and antimicrobial efficacy.QD size increased with longer annealing,reducing catalytic activity.UV–vis,XRD,TEM,and FTIR analyses probed optical structural,morphological,and vibrational features.XRD confirmed NiS2's anorthic structure,with crystallite size growing from 6.53 to 7.81 nm during extended annealing.UV–Vis exhibited a bathochromic shift,reflecting reduced band gap energy(Eg)in NiS_(2).TEM revealed NiS_(2)QD formation,with agglomerated QD average size increasing from 7.13 to 9.65 nm with prolonged annealing.Pure NiS_(2) showed significant MB decolorization(89.85%)in acidic conditions.Annealed NiS_(2) QDs demonstrated notable antibacterial activity,yielding a 6.15mm inhibition zone against Escherichia coli(E.coli)compared to Ciprofloxacin.First-principles computation supported a robust interaction between MB and NiS_(2),evidenced by obtained adsorption energies.This study highlights the nuanced relationship between annealing duration,structural changes,and functional properties in NiS_(2)QDs,emphasizing their potential applications in catalysis and antibacterial interventions.

New Antibacterial Dihydropyrones Induced by Co-Culture of Penicillium crustosum PRB-2 and Penicillium citrinum HDN11-186

Two new dihydropyrones,rhytismatones C(1)and D(2),and a known compound,penicillenol A1(3),were isolated from the co-culture broth of the deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium crustosum PRB-2 and Suaeda salsa-derived endophytic fungus Peni-cillium citrinum HDN11-186.Their structures were elucidated through comprehensive analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectra and mass spectra.The absolute configurations of new compounds were determined by calculating the electronic circular di-chroism(ECD)spectrum.UPLC-MS data showed that compounds 1–3 could only be detected in the media of co-culture,suggesting new biosynthetic pathways were activated in the co-cultured fungi.Compound 1 showed obvious antibacterial activities against Pro-teus sp.MMBC-1002 and Bacillus subtilis MMBC-1004 with minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)both at 25μmolL^(-1).

Antibacterial, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of an ACAZY Herbal Formula Used in Traditional Medicine to Treat Respiratory Infections

ACAZY is a plant formula used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso to treat respiratory infections. After phytochemical analysis, this study evaluated extracts’ anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties from the ACAZY recipe. Three extractions, an aqueous macerate (AM), an aqueous decoction (AD) and an hydroethanolic macerate (HEM) of the ACAZY recipe powder were carried out. Phytochemical screening of the extracts was carried out using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and the determination of phenolic compounds. The anti-inflammatory potential was assessed in vitro using pro-inflammatory enzyme inhibition tests. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) antioxidant properties were also determined. The antibacterial activity was evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, anthracenosids, sterols and triterpenes in the extracts. The extracts inhibited pro-inflammatory enzymes by more than 40% at only 100 µg/mL. The extracts also showed potent antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration 1 mg/mL on Staphylococcus aureus and 2 mg/mL on Streptococcus pneumoniae. The extracts in the ACAZY formula have shown anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in vitro. The AD also showed an antibacterial activity. This justifies its use in traditional medicine to treat acute respiratory infections.

From the perspective of experimental practice: High-throughput computational screening in photocatalysis

Photocatalysis,a critical strategy for harvesting sunlight to address energy demand and environmental concerns,is underpinned by the discovery of high-performance photocatalysts,thereby how to design photocatalysts is now generating widespread interest in boosting the conversion effi-ciency of solar energy.In the past decade,computational technologies and theoretical simulations have led to a major leap in the development of high-throughput computational screening strategies for novel high-efficiency photocatalysts.In this viewpoint,we started with introducing the challenges of photocatalysis from the view of experimental practice,especially the inefficiency of the traditional“trial and error”method.Sub-sequently,a cross-sectional comparison between experimental and high-throughput computational screening for photocatalysis is presented and discussed in detail.On the basis of the current experimental progress in photocatalysis,we also exemplified the various challenges associated with high-throughput computational screening strategies.Finally,we offered a preferred high-throughput computational screening procedure for pho-tocatalysts from an experimental practice perspective(model construction and screening,standardized experiments,assessment and revision),with the aim of a better correlation of high-throughput simulations and experimental practices,motivating to search for better descriptors.

Maximizing the potential applications of plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings produced on Mg-based alloys in anti-corrosion,antibacterial,and photocatalytic targeting through harnessing the LDH/PEO dual structure

There is an increasing interest in the development of Mg alloys,both for industrial and biomedical applications,due to their favorable characteristics such as being lightweight and robust.However,the inadequate corrosion resistance and lack of antibacterial properties pose significant challenges in the industrial and biomedical applications,necessitating the implementation of advanced coating engineering techniques.Plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)has emerged as a preferred coating technique because of its distinctive properties and successful surface modification results.However,there is a continuous need for further enhancements to optimize the performance and functionalities of protective surface treatments.The integration of layered double hydroxide(LDH)into PEO coatings on Mg alloys presents a promising approach to bolstering protective properties.This thorough review delves into the latest developments in integrating LDH into PEO coatings for corrosion-related purposes.It particularly emphasizes the significant improvements in corrosion resistance,antibacterial effectiveness,and photocatalytic performance resulting from the incorporation of LDH into PEO coatings.The two key mechanisms that enhance the corrosion resistance of PEO coatings containing LDH are the anion exchangeability of the LDH structure and the pore-sealing effect.Moreover,the antibacterial activity of PEO coatings with LDH stemmed from the release of antibacterial agents stored within the LDH structure,alterations in pH levels,and the photothermal conversion property.Furthermore,by incorporating LDH into PEO coatings,new opportunities emerge for tackling environmental issues through boosted photocatalytic properties,especially in the realm of pollutant degradation.

Mussel-inspired Methacrylic Gelatin-dopamine/Ag Nanoparticles/Graphene Oxide Hydrogels with Improved Adhesive and Antibacterial Properties for Applications as Wound Dressings

A novel strategy was developed to prepare the methacrylic gelatin-dopamine(GelMA-DA)/Ag nanoparticles(NPs)/graphene oxide(GO) composite hydrogels with good biocompatibility,mechanical properties,and antibacterial activity.Mussel-inspired DA was utilized to modify the GelMA molecules,which imparts good adhesive performance to the hydrogels.GO,interfacial enhancer,not only improves mechanical properties of the hydrogels,but also provides anchor sites for loading Ag NPs through numerous oxygencontaining functional groups on the surface.The experimental results show that the GelMA/Ag NPs/GO hydrogels have good biocompatibility,and exhibit a swelling rate of 202±16%,the lap shear strength of 147±17 kPa,and compressive modulus of 136±53 kPa,in the case of the Ag NPs/GO content of 2 mg/mL.Antibacterial activity of the hydrogels against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria is dependent on the Ag NPs/GO content derived from the release of Ag^(+).Furthermore,the GelMA/Ag NPs/GO hydrogels possess good adhesive ability,which is resistant to highly twisted state when stuck on the surface of pigskin.These results demonstrate promising potential of the GelMA-DA/Ag NPs/GO hydrogels as wound dressings for biomedical applications in clinical and emergent treatment.

Molecular Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of a G-Type Lysozyme in Yellow Drum(Nibea albiflora)

Lysozyme(EC3.2.1.17)plays an important role in the immune response;as a nonspecific immune factor,it can resist causative agents.Lysozyme can be divided into c-type and g-type in fish.In a previous study,through genome-wide association analysis,the g-type lysozyme gene,which is named NaLyg in yellow drum(Nibea albiflora),was found to be a key candidate gene for disease resistance in response to Vibrio harveyi infection.The cDNA of NaLyg was 1025 bp,including four exons and three introns,and its open reading frame(ORF)had a full-length of 582 bp,encoding 193 amino acids.NaLyg was found to be conserved during evolution through bioinformatic analyses.The NaLyg protein possessed a sugar binding domain and three catalytic sites,including Glu71,Asp84 and Asp101.Quantitative qRT-PCR results confirmed that NaLyg gene mRNA was visibly increased after V.harveyi infection.The NaLyg protein purified by prokaryotic expression killed some gram-negative bacterial pathogens by inducing cell wall destruction,including V.harveyi,Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella tarda.Moreover,the NaLyg protein killed two gram-positive bacteria,Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.Taken together,the experimental results suggested that the NaLyg protein of N.albiflora played an important role in fighting bacterial infections.

Synthesis of crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with rock/molten salts for efficient photocatalysis and piezocatalysis

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))is emerging as a promising visible-light photocatalyst while the low crystallinity with sluggish charge separation/migration dynamics significantly restricts its practical applications.Currently,synthesizing highly crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with sufficient surface activities still remains challenging.Herein,different from using alkali molten salts which is commonly reported,we propose an approach for synthesis of highly crystalline g-C_(3)N_(4) with FeCl3/KCl rock/molten mixed salts.The rock salt can serve as the structure-directing template while molten salt provides the required liquid medium for re-condensation.Intriguingly,the synthesized photocatalyst showed further enhanced crystallinity and improved surface area along with high p/p*excitation compared with crystalline C_(3)N_(4) prepared from conventional molten-salt methods.These catalytically advantageous features lead to its superior photocatalytic and piezocatalytic activities with a high reactivity for overall water splitting that is not commonly reported for C_(3)N_(4).This work provides an effective strategy for structural optimization of organic semiconductor based materials and may inspire new ideas for the design of advanced photocatalysts.

Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets from sugarcane dry leaves by two-stage pyrolysis for antibacterial activity

Oxidative-exfoliation methods were in vogue in the production of rGO from graphite.Processing of such synthetic graphite needs high temperatures(2500℃).Thus,such process is not cost-effective.The present study is made on the dry leaves of sugarcane(Saccharum officinarum)as an alternative raw material so as to be economical and environmentally benign.The dry leaves are subjected to two-step pyrolysis without any catalyst or reducing agent in far divergent temperatures to produce as prepared and acid treated rGOs.They were evaluated by UV–Vis.,FTIR,XRD,Raman spectroscopy,TGA/DTG,BET,FESEM-EDS and TEM.The as prepared rGO has few layers with irregular and folded architecture whereas acid-treated rGO has thinly stacked crumpled sheets with many wrinkles on its surface.The prepared rGOs have multilayered graphitic structure due to the unique ratio between G and D bands.Acid treated rGO has poor thermal stability as compared to that of as-prepared rGO at high temperatures due to the variation in the oxygen-containing functional groups.Acid treated rGO has low antibacterial activity as compared to that of the as-prepared rGO due to the paucity of the functional groups.

Dual-functional poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)/poly(2-(dimethylamine)ethyl methacrylate)mixed brushes with switchable protein adsorption and antibacterial properties

Herein,binary mixed brushes consisting of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)(PMOXA)and poly(2-(dimethylamine)ethyl methacrylate)(PDMAEMA)with different chain lengths were fabricated by successive grafting of NH_(2)-terminated PMOXA and SH-terminated PDMAEMA onto polydopamine-anchored substrates.The mixed-brush coating was characterized by variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,zeta potential measurements,water contact angle,and atomic force microscopy.The mixed brushes showed tunable surface charge,wettability,and surface roughness,depending on the degree of PDMAEMA swelling under varying pH and ionic strength(Ⅰ).Then the adsorption behaviors of pepsin,bovine serum albumin(BSA),γ-globulin,and lysozyme,four very different proteins with regard to isoelectric point,on the mixed brushes coating were studied by using fluorescence microscopy and surface plasmon resonance.When the chain length of PDMAEMA was about twice as long as PMOXA,the mixed brushes not only had high adsorption capacity for pepsin,BSA,and y-globulin but also had a desorption efficiency of 86.9%,87.1%,and 93.5%,respectively.It is explained that electrostatic attraction between the protonated PDMAEMA and positively charged acidic proteins(pepsin and BSA,whose isoelectric points were below the pK_(a) of PDMAEMA)would drive the intensive adsorption(at pH 3,I=10^(-3)mol·L^(-1)for pepsin,and pH 5,I=10^(-5)mol·L^(-1)for BSA),while desorption was dominated by the hydrophilic PMOXA when PDMAEMA was shrinking(at pH 7,I=10^(-1)mol·L^(-1)for pepsin,and pH 9,I=10^(-1)mol·L^(-1)for BSA).Furthermore,the isoelectric precipitation led to the adsorption of neutral protein(γ-globulin,whose isoelectric point was near the pK_a of PDMAEMA)at pH 7,I=10^(-5)mol·L^(-1),while electrostatic repulsion and antifouling PMOXA triggered the desorption of y-globulin at pH 3,I-10^(-1)mol·L^(-1).However,alkaline protein(lysozyme,whose isoelectric point was higher than the pK_(a) of PDMAEMA)exhibited slight adsorption on PMOXA/PDMAEMA mixed brushes under test conditions,regardless of whether PMOXA or PDMAEMA occupied the outermost layer.The antibacterial property of the mixed brushes against Escherichia coli was investigated.PMOXA/PDMAEMA mixed brushes showed significant bactericidal activity at pH 3,I=10^(-3)mol·L^(-1),while the rinse of pH 9,I=10^(-1)mol·L^(-1)solution could remove most of the residual bacteria.This work not only enables controlled adsorption of proteins with different isoelectric points but also ensures that the surface of the coating is minimized from bacterial contamination.

Enhanced wear resistance,antibacterial performance,and biocompatibility using nanotubes containing nano-Ag and bioceramics in vitro

A good Ti-based joint implant should prevent stress shielding and achieve good bioactivity and anti-infection performance.To meet these requirements,the low-elastic-modulus alloy—Ti–35Nb–2Ta–3Zr—was used as the substrate,and functional coatings that contained bioceramics and Ag ions were prepared for coating on TiO_(2)nanotubes(diameter:(80±20)nm and(150±40)nm)using anodization,deposition,and spin-coating methods.The effects of the bioceramics(nano-β-tricalcium phosphate,microhydroxyapatite(micro-HA),and meso-CaSiO_(3))and Ag nanoparticles(size:(50±20)nm)on the antibacterial activity and the tribocorrosion,corrosion,and early in vitro osteogenic behaviors of the nanotubes were investigated.The tribocorrosion and corrosion results showed that the wear rate and corrosive rate were highly dependent on the features of the nanotube surface.Micro-HA showed great wear resistance with a wear rate of(1.26±0.06)×10^(−3)mm^(3)/(N·m)due to adhesive and abrasivewear.Meso-CaSiO_(3)showed enhanced cell adhesion,proliferation,and alkaline phosphatase activity.The coatings that contained nano-Ag exhibited good antibacterial activity with an antibacterial rate of≥89.5%against Escherichia coli.These findings indicate that hybrid coatings may have the potential to accelerate osteogenesis.

Atomic Ni directional-substitution on ZnIn_(2)S_(4) nanosheet to achieve the equilibrium of elevated redox capacity and efficient carrier-kinetics performance in photocatalysis

It is a challenge to coordinate carrier-kinetics performance and the redox capacity of photogenerated charges synchronously at the atomic level for boosting photocatalytic activity.Herein,the atomic Ni was introduced into the lattice of hexagonal ZnIn_(2)S_(4) nanosheets(Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4))via directionalsubstituting Zn atom with the facile hydrothermal method.The electronic structure calculations indicate that the introduction of Ni atom effectively extracts more electrons and acts as active site for subsequent reduction reaction.Besides the optimized light absorption range,the elevation of Efand ECBendows Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4) photocatalyst with the increased electron concentration and the enhanced reduction ability for surface reaction.Moreover,ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy,as well as a series of electrochemical tests,demonstrates that Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4) possesses 2.15 times longer lifetime of the excited charge carriers and an order of magnitude increase for carrier mobility and separation efficiency compared with pristine ZnIn_(2)S_(4).These efficient kinetics performances of charge carriers and enhanced redox capacity synergistically boost photocatalytic activity,in which a 3-times higher conversion efficiency of nitrobenzene reduction was achieved upon Ni/ZnIn_(2)S_(4).Our study not only provides in-depth insights into the effect of atomic directional-substitution on the kinetic behavior of photogenerated charges,but also opens an avenue to the synchronous optimization of redox capacity and carrier-kinetics performance for efficient solar energy conversion.