Tuning alginate-bentonite microcapsule size and structure for the regulated release of P.putida Rs-198

In this study, different sizes of microcapsules with alginate and bentonite as natural macromolecular materials were prepared to investigate the release property of Pseudomonas putida Rs-198. The characteristics of three microcapsules were evaluated by SEM, FTIR, TG-DSC, XRD and wall thickness. The sizes of three microcapsules(MA, MB, and MC) were 1270.50, 831.79 and 42.52 μm, respectively. First, the encapsulation efficiency of three MA, MB, and MC microcapsules were 82.20%, 90.41%, and 85.84%, respectively.Second, the contact angles of MA and MB samples were similar, while smaller microcapsules MC have higher contact angle(85.05°), indicating poor hydrophilia and decreasing the swelling degrees. Third,the release cumulant of Rs-198 and macromolecule BSA linear stage was fitted to self-established mathematic model. Results show that the microcapsule size had a considerably positive effect on release detail. The large microcapsule possessed strong leak-tightness for Rs-198 as a slow-release microbial agent. Furthermore, the porosity of microcapsules determined their swelling and release and may affect bacterial growth and survival. In conclusion, the Rs-198 microcapsule with different sizes will be pertinently selected based on the characteristics of agricultural production requirements.

Ferroelectric BaTiO_(3) /Pr_(2)O_(3) heterojunction harvesting roomtemperature cold–hot alternation energy for efficiently pyrocatalytic dye decomposition

The strong pyrocatalytic dye decomposition of the BaTiO_(3)/Pr_(2)O_(3) heterojunction catalyst under cold–hot alternation conditions has been demonstrated in this work.For pure BaTiO_(3) nanofibers,~54%rhodamine B(RhB)dye is decomposed under the cold–hot alternation of 29–57℃.With the loading content of Pr_(2)O_(3) increases from 0 to 4 wt%,the pyrocatalytic decomposition ratio of RhB solution increases first and then decreases,eventually achieving a maximum of 91%at 3 wt%.The enhanced pyrocatalytic performance after loading Pr_(2)O_(3) can be attributed to an internal electric field of the heterojunction,which effectively separates positive and negative charges.The strongly pyrocatalytic performance of BaTiO_(3)/Pr_(2)O_(3) makes it hopeful for applications in the dye wastewater treatment through harvesting the environmental cold–hot temperature alternation thermal energy in future.

Macroscopic polarization enhancement boosting piezo-photocatalytic performance via Nb-doping on B-site of Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12)nanosheets

The development of a high-performance ferroelectric piezo-photocatalyst is an efficient strategy for advancing sustainability within the environmental and energy sectors.Yet,a major challenge lies in the creation of a strong polarized electric field that can effectively hinder charge recombination,both within the bulk and on the surface of catalysts.Herein,we synthesize a series of Nb-doped Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12)nanosheets via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method to achieve synergistically enhanced piezo-photocatalytic performance in CO_(2)reduction and pollutant degradation.The optimized doped Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12)demonstrates remarkable efficiency in the conversion of CO_(2)into CO,with a high production rate of 72.7μmol∙g−1∙h−1 without using co-catalysts or any sacrificial agent,surpassing the performance of unmodified Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12)by up to 4.69 folds.Additionally,our catalyst demonstrates ultra-fast piezo-photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutant Rhodamine B(RhB)at low concentrations and exceptional piezo-photocatalytic activity at high concentrations,outperforming most previously reported state-of-the-art catalysts.The systematic corroboration of catalyst characterization and experimental analysis reveals that the synergistic effect arises from the amplified macroscopic polarization induced by lattice distortion caused by the larger Nb ions,thereby improving piezo-photocatalytic efficiency.This research thus offers valuable insights into the direct design and fabrication of versatile catalytic systems,with applications spanning CO_(2)valorization and beyond.

Review on g-C_(3)N_(4)-based S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts

With the rapid development of economy and modern industry,serious environmental pollution and energy shortage have become major urgent challenges to the human society.Photocatalysis is a promising technology to provide green energy.As a typical metal-free polymer photocatalyst,g-C_(3)N_(4) has attracted more and more attention due to its excellent performance.Unfortunately,the fast recombination of photo-induced charges,limited light response range as well as weak oxidation ability are still the key drawback that restrict the photocatalytic performance of g-C_(3)N_(4).These problems can be effectively addressed by constructing g-C_(3)N_(4)-based heterojunctions with two or more semiconductor materials,during which the respective advantages can be integrated.Up to now,the various oxidation semiconductor photocatalysts have been tried to construct the novel S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with g-C_(3)N_(4).Thus,this review provides a comprehensive introduction of g-C_(3)N_(4)-based S-scheme heterojunctions,including the main characteristics of the S-scheme heterojunction,photocatalytic mechanisms,design rules and preparation methods of g-C_(3)N_(4)-based S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.Moreover,this review summarizes recently reported works on the potential applications of g-C_(3)N_(4)-based S-scheme photocatalysts in various important photocatalytic reactions,including photocatalytic hydrogen production,photocatalytic degradation of contaminants,photo-reduction of CO_(2) into fuels,and photocatalytic sterilization.Finally,based on the current research progress,we propose some shortages in the preparation methods and applications of g-C_(3)N_(4)-based S-scheme heterojunctions,which are to be further investigated and resolved in this promising and creative research field.

Asymmetric Structure Awakened n-π*Electron Transition in Sulfur and Selenium Co-doped g-C_(3)N_(4) with Efficient Photocatalytic Performance

Sulfur and selenium co-doped graphitic carbon nitride(SSCN)with efficient photocatalytic activity was synthesized by synchronously introducing sulfur and selenium atoms into the melon structure of g-C_(3)N_(4)(GCN)via a facile solid-phase thermal reaction of GCN and SeS_(2).The as-prepared SSCN possesses a larger specific surface area with a richer pore structure that provides more active centers for catalytic reaction.More importantly,the asymmetric structure of SSCN due to introducing sulfur and selenium not only maintains an easier activation ofπ-π*electron transition but also awakens the n-π*electron transition in g-C_(3)N_(4).Moreover,the n-π*electron transition of SSCN can be controlled through changing the amount of SeS_(2),which can greatly extend the photo-response range to 600 nm.As a result,the SSCN samples show an excellent photo-degradation performance for typical antibiotic of tetracycline hydrochloride(TC).The specific degradation route and main intermediates of TC based on liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer(LC-MS)analysis are also investigated and discussed.

The relationship between the oil shale density and the structural features of corresponding kerogens

Based on the difference in the density and content of kerogen and inorganic minerals, oil shale can be separatedinto different density fractions. The structural features of kerogens in Beipiao oil shale (a kind of typical lowgrade oil shale resources) with densities of 1.8–1.9, 1.9–2.0 and 2.0–2.1 g/cm3 were studied. Combined withour previous study on the structural features of Longkou and Huadian oil shales (two kinds of high-grade oil shaleresources) with different densities, the relationship between the oil shale density and the structural features ofcorresponding kerogens was revealed from aromatic, aliphatic structures and heteroatom species. The resultsshow that with increasing the density, the content of minerals increases, whereas that of kerogen decreases. Withincreasing the density, the aliphaticity, average methylene chain length and average number of attachments oneach aromatic ring increase. Whereas, the aromaticity and average size of aromatic cluster are inversely proportional to the oil shale density. For Longkou, Huadian and Beipiao oil shales with different densities, thechange rules of aromatic and aliphatic structures with the density are similar, indicating that these change rulesare independent of the grade and origin of oil shale. The change rules of heteroatom species in Beipiao oil shaleare different from that of Longkou and Huadian oil shales.

Biochar-based Bacillus subtilis inoculant for enhancing plants disease prevention:microbiota response and root exudates regulation

Plants regulate root exudates to form the composition of rhizosphere microbial community and resist disease stress.Many studies advocate intervention with biochar(BC)and exogenous microbe to enhance this process and improve plant defenses.However,the mechanism by which BC mediates exogenous microorganisms to enhance root exudate-soil microbial defensive feedback remains unclear.Here,a BC-based Bacillus subtilis SL-44 inoculant(BC@SL)was prepared to investigate the defensive feedback mechanism for plants,which enhanced plant growth and defense more than BC or SL-44 alone.BC@SL not only strengthened the direct inhibition of Rhizoctonia solani Rs by solving the problem of reduced viability of a single SL-44 inoculant but also indirectly alleviated the Rs stress by strengthening plant defensive feedback,which was specifically manifested by the following:(1)increasing the root resistance enzyme activities(superoxide dismutase up to 3.5 FC);(2)increasing the abundance of beneficial microbe in soil(0.38-16.31%Bacillus);and(3)remodeling the composition of root exudates(palmitic acid 3.95-6.96%,stearic acid 3.56-5.93%,2,4 tert-butylphenol 1.23-2.62%,increasing citric acid 0.94-1.81%,and benzoic acid 0.97-2.13%).The mechanism reveals that BC@SL can enhance the positive regulatory effect between root exudates and microorganisms by optimizing their composition.Overall,BC@SL is a stable and efficient new solid exogenous soil auxiliary,and this study lays the foundation for the generalization and application of green pesticides.