3D-hosted lithium metal anodes.

Lithium metal anodes are an appealing choice for rechargeable batteries due to their exceptionally high theoretical capacity of about 3860 mA h g-1. However, the uneven plating/stripping of lithium metal anodes leads to serious dendrite growth and low coulombic efficiency, curtailing their practical applications. The 3D scaffold/host strategy emerges as a promising approach that concurrently mitigates volume changes and dendrite growth. This review provides an overview of the regulating mechanisms behind scaffold/host materials for dendrite-free applications, tracing their historical development and recent progress across five key stages: material texture selection, lithiophilic modification, structural design, multi-strategy integration, and practical implementation. Additionally, scaffold/host materials are categorized based on their material texture, with a thorough examination of their respective advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, this tutorial outlines the obstacles and complexities associated with implementing scaffold/host strategies. Finally, the determining factors that affect the electrochemical performances of scaffold/host materials are discussed, along with possible design criteria and future development prospects. This tutorial aims to provide guidance for researchers on the design of advanced scaffold/host materials for advanced Li metal anodes for batteries.

N-Rich and Sulfur-Doped Nano Hollow Carbons with High Oxidase-like Activity Prepared Using a Green Template of CaCO3 for Bacteriostasis.

Nanozymes, enzyme-mimicking nanomaterials, have attracted increasing attention due to their low cost, high stability, and catalytic ability compared with natural enzymes. However, the catalytic efficiency of the nanozymes is still relatively low, and catalytic reaction mechanisms remain unclear. To address these issues, herein we prepared nitrogen-riched and sulfur-codoped nano hollow carbons (N/S-HCS) using a green and useful template of CaCO3. N/S-HCS exhibits enhanced oxidase-like activity and catalytic kinetic performance. It could directly oxidize the colorless 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to the heavy blue colored ox-TMB without H2O2. The maximum reaction rate (Vmax) is 186.7 × 10-8 M·s-1, and Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) is 0.162 mM. DFT results show that N and S codoping could work synergistically to provide more active sites, resulting in the superior ability to adsorb oxygen and enhanced catalytic activity. Meantime, we develop a multispectral characterization strategy to unravel catalytic reaction mechanisms about N/S-HCS. It successfully induces the generation of superoxide (•O2-) and hydroxyl (•OH) during the colorimetric reaction which are the key intermediate products of the catalytic reaction. Furthermore, N/S-HCS increased the cellular reactive oxygen species level significantly and induced bacteriostasis to more than 95% of Escherichia coli.

Expanded N-Confused Phlorin: A Platform for a Multiply Fused Polycyclic Ring System via Oxidation within the Macrocycle.

Novel interrupted π-conjugated macrocycles derived from expanded porphyrinoids were synthesized, and their unique reactivity was investigated in this work. The specific porphyrin analogs, so-called phlorins and isoporphyrins, possess a meso-sp3 methylene moiety, showing inner 3NH and 1NH pyrrolic cores, respectively, and extended near-infrared (NIR) absorption. Expanded N-confused pentapyrrolic phlorin analog 1 bears an interrupted cyclic π-conjugated system that is featured by a distinct higher HOMO and a lower LUMO. Oxidation of 1 allowed structural transformations through the expanded isoporphyrin-like species 2. One of the representative products is a spiro-carbon-bridged multiply N-fused product 3 comprising a fused [5.6.5.7.6.5]-hexacyclic ring obtained by oxidation with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone. When magic blue was used as the oxidant, an aromatic N-confused pentaphyrin 4 was obtained via migration of one of the meso-phenyl groups to the ß-position of the neighboring pyrrolic ring. By employing the flexible cavity of 1 for metal coordination, Pd(II) complexation occurred with a specific meso oxygenation to give a bimetallic complex 5. In contrast to the rich oxidation reactions, reduction of 1 with NaBH4 resulted in the regioselective nucleophilic hydrogen substitution reaction at the para position of one of the meso-C6F5 groups. These results provide a practical approach for synthesizing novel interrupted or aromatic π-conjugated frameworks showing NIR absorptions.

Separation and Characterization of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitory Peptides from Saurida elongata Proteins Hydrolysate by IMAC-Ni2.

Lizard fish protein hydrolysates (LFPH) were prepared from Lizard fish (Saurida elongata) proteins possessing powerful angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity and the fraction (LFPH-I) with high ACE inhibitory activity was obtained through ultrafiltration. The active Fraction (F2) was isolated from LFPH-I using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC-Ni2+). Analysis of amino acid levels revealed that F2 eluted from IMAC was enriched in Met, His, Tyr, Pro, Ile, and Leu compared to the crude peptide LFPH-I. F2 with the high ACE inhibitory activity (IC50 of 0.116 mg·mL-1) was further separated by a reverse-phase column to yield a novel ACE inhibitory peptide with IC50 value of 52 µM. The ACE inhibitory peptide was identified as Arg-Tyr-Arg-Pro, RYRP. The present study demonstrated that IMAC may be a useful tool for the separation of ACE inhibitory peptides from protein hydrolysate.

Novel Schiff's base-assisted synthesis of metal-ligand nanostructures for multi-functional applications: Detection of catecholamines/antibiotics, removal of tetracycline, and antifungal treatment against plant pathogens.

The development of nanozymes (NZ) for the simultaneous detection of multiple target chemicals is gaining paramount attention in the field of food and health sciences, and waste management industries. Nanozymes (NZ) effectively compensate for the environmental vulnerability of natural enzymes. Considering the development gap of NZ with diverse applications, we synthesized versatile Schiff's base ligands following a facile route and readily available starting reagents (glutaraldehyde, aminopyridines). DPDI, one of the synthesized ligands, readily reacted with transition metal ions (Cu+2, Ag+1, Zn+2 in specific) under ambient conditions, yielding the corresponding nanoparticles/MOF. The structures of ligands and their products were confirmed using various analytical techniques. The enzymatic efficacy of DPDI-Cu (km 0.25 mM=, Vmax = 10.75 µM/sec) surpassed Tremetese versicolor laccase efficacy (km 0. 5 mM=, Vmax = 2.15 µM/sec). Additionally, DPDI-Cu proved resilient to changing pH, temperature, ionic strength, organic solvent, and storage time compared to laccase and provided reusability. DPDI-Cu proved promising for colorimetric detection of dopamine, epinephrine, catechol, tetracycline, and quercetin. The mechanism of oxidative detection of TC was studied through LC/MS analysis. DPDI-Cu-bentonite composite efficiently adsorbed tetracycline with maximum Langmuir adsorption of 208 mg/g. Moreover, DPDI/Cu and DPDI-Ag nanoparticles possessed antifungal activity exhibiting a minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 µg/mL and 3.12 µg/mL against Aspergillus flavus. Florescent dye tracking and SEM/TEM analysis confirmed that DPDI-Ag caused disruption of the plasma membrane and triggered ROS generation and apoptosis-like death in fungal cells. The DPDI-Ag coating treatment of wheat seeds confirmed the non-phytotoxicity of Ag-NPs.

Synthesis of 2-amino-terephthalic acid crosslinked chitosan/bentonite hydrogel; an efficient adsorbent for anionic dyes and laccase.

This research article presents the fabrication of NH2-terephthalic acid crosslinked chitosan-bentonite composite, which adopted a facile synthesis approach and offered efficient adsorption capacity for organic dyes. A novel hydrogel material named CB 5:1 demonstrated remarkable adsorption for anionic dyes (Congo red (CR) and brilliant blue (BB)) while showing a negligible affinity for cationic dyes. Adsorption isotherm studies revealed the adsorption capacity of 4950 mg/g and 2053 mg/g (per g of composite's dry weight) for CR and BB following the Langmuir adsorption model. Kinetics and thermodynamic studies were also conducted while the adsorption of anionic dyes in the presence of metal ions, cationic dyes, anionic dyes, and in simulated water remained unaffected. Laccase, an industrially important enzyme, was also immobilized on CB 5:1 to achieve enzyme stability and reusability, resulting in a staggering immobilization capacity (4782 mg/g) at pH 6.0. Laccase immobilized product was employed to perform dye degradation (> 90 % for CR and > 75 % for BB), and the reusability was tested. Overall, our crosslinked product proved appealing for removing high concentrations of anionic organic dyes from polluted water and could be envisaged for practical use.

Low-Spin Fe Redox-Based Prussian Blue with excellent selective dual-band electrochromic modulation and energy-saving applications.

Dual-band electrochromic materials (DBEMs) are of utmost importance for smart windows to realize independent control of the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) light. However, very few single-component DBEMs are capable of independently and effectively controlling both VIS and NIR light. Here, we present Prussian blue (PB) with remarkable performance to replace the composite DBEMs that require deliberate design and complicated preparation. Excellent durability and capacity were achieved simultaneously due to the activated low-spin Fe in PB. A dual-band electrochromic device (DBED) by using PB thin films as electrochromic layers was constructed, exhibiting superior dual-band electrochromic performance, energy storage performance and memory effect. We show that the energy-saving DBED can be bleached without applying any external bias potential, and can be colored by using a commercial photovoltaic solar panel under ambient solar irradiation. The stored energy during coloration can be further used to light up the lights. Finally, the coloration mechanism of the DBED was studied by the density functional theory calculations, to shed light on the large optical transmittance modulation in both VIS and NIR regions. The new insights will advance the design of efficient and durable DBEMs and the development of bi-functional smart windows.

Unveiling alkali metal poisoning of CrMn catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3: An experimental and theoretical study.

Alkali metal poisoning has been an intricate and unsolved issue confining the catalytic activity of NH3-SCR catalysts up to now. Herein, the effect of NaCl and KCl on catalytic activity of CrMn catalyst for NH3-SCR of NOx was systematically investigated to clarify the alkali metal poisoning by combined experiments and theoretical calculations. It unveiled that NaCl/KCl could deactivate CrMn catalyst due to the decrease in specific surface area, electron transfer (Cr5++Mn3+↔Cr3++Mn4+), redox ability and oxygen vacancy and NH3/NO adsorption. In addition, NaCl cut off E-R mechanism reactions by inactivating surface Brønsted/Lewis acid sites. DFT calculations revealed that (1) Na and K could weaken MnO bond, (2) competitive adsorption between Cl and NH3 was a main reason weakening Lewis acid, (3) Cl adsorption was also a major cause diminishing Brønsted acid and oxygen vacancy, (4) Both Na and K seriously impeded NO adsorption/activation, (5) NaCl/KCl increased the reaction heat of H2O desorption (rate-determining step) in E-R mechanism reactions and KCl elevated its energy barrier in L-H mechanism reactions. Thus, this study provides the deep understanding of alkali metal poisoning and a well strategy to synthesize NH3-SCR catalysts with outstanding alkali metal resistance.

Elucidating the facet-dependent reactivity of CrMn catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3.

The facet-dependent reactivity of CrMn catalysts was still unclear, hindering the further enhancement of their low-temperature SCR performance. Herein, the facet-dependent reactivity of CrMn1.5O4 catalyst for NH3-SCR of NOx was innovatively illustrated by numerous characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Exposed (100) facet of CrMn1.5O4 catalyst exhibited best low-temperature SCR activity with ≥90 % NO conversion within 148-296 °C and 2.86 × 10-3 mol/(g·s) reaction rate within 160-240 °C. The characterizations revealed that (100) facet could induce the increase of BET specific area, electron transfer, concentration of Mn4+ and Oα, surface acidity, redox ability, NH3 and NOx adsorption/activation capacity. Subsequently, DFT calculations demonstrated that (100) facet exhibited the strongest affinity for NH3 and NO due to its unique 3O3c-Mn5c-2O4c bond and abundant charges transfer near the active adsorption sites, and Brønsted acid and oxygen vacancies were most easily formed on (100) facet. Furthermore, H2O formation as the rate determining step easily occurred on (100) facet. Eventually, we successfully improved the low-temperature SCR activity of CrMn1.5O4 catalyst by further tailoring highly active (100) facet from 0.754 to 0.865. This work provides the deeper understanding of facet-dependent reactivity and a good strategy to improve the catalytic activity of the catalysts.

[Chemical Composition and Characterization of Nitroaromatic Compounds in Urban Areas of Shanghai].

The compositional characteristics, concentration of nitroaromatic compounds(NACs) in PM2.5 in urban Shanghai, and their correlation with gaseous precursors were investigated. A total of 39 winter and 46 summer PM2.5 samples from 2020 to 2021 were collected using a high-flow sampler and analyzed via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ESI-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS). Quantitative analysis was performed on 12 NACs compounds, combined with backward trajectory meteorological elements, molecular composition, and classification analysis of CHON substances. The results showed that a total of 12 NACs had an average concentration in winter of 17.1 ng·m-3, which was three times higher than that in summer(5.7 ng·m-3), mainly due to air masses in winter coming primarily from the northern part of China with more biomass burning, whereas more air masses in summer came from the cleaner southeastern ocean. 4-Nitrophenol was the most abundant species of NACs in winter, whereas 4-nitrophenol(clean days) and 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid(polluted days) were the most abundant species in summer. Qualitative analysis based on features such as aromatic ring equivalence number(Xc), O/C, and H/C values for the identification and characterization of monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic compounds showed that CHON compounds were mainly aromatic compounds in winter and summer in urban Shanghai. The number and abundance of CHON compounds detected on PM2.5 polluted days were 2 and 1.5 times higher(winter) and 2.5 and 2 times higher(summer) than that on clean days, respectively. Comparing the analysis results of clean and polluted days in winter and summer, it was found that 80% of the CHON compounds with a relative abundance in the top 10 had O/N ≥ 3 and RDBE values between 5 and 8. The results suggest that these highly abundant CHON analogs may have had mononitro- or dinitro-substituted benzene rings. Correlation analysis between gaseous precursors and NACs indicated that oxidative reactive formation of VOCs(benzene, toluene, etc.) from anthropogenic emissions was the main source of NACs in summer. By contrast, it was influenced by a combination of biomass combustion emissions and secondary formation of oxidative NOx from anthropogenic VOCs in winter.

Optimization of hydrolysis conditions for the production of angiotensin-I converting enzyme-inhibitory peptides and isolation of a novel peptide from lizard fish (Saurida elongata) muscle protein hydrolysate.

Lizard fish (Saurida elongata) muscle protein was hydrolyzed using neutral protease to produce protein hydrolysate (LFPH), and the hydrolysis conditions were investigated using response-surface methodology. The optimum conditions for producing peptides with the highest angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity were the following: enzyme-to-substrate ratio of 10,000 U/g, temperature of 48 °C, pH 7.0, and hydrolysis time of 2 h. Under these conditions, the ACE-inhibitory activity of LFPH and the degree of hydrolysis were 84% and 24%, respectively. A novel ACE-inhibitory peptide was isolated from LFPH using ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-15, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequence of the ACE-inhibitory peptide was identified as Ser-Pro-Arg-Cys-Arg (SPRCR), and its IC50 was 41 ± 1 µM.

UV-H2O2 degradation of methyl orange catalysed by H3PW12O40/activated clay.

A catalyst consisting of phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40) combined with activated clay was prepared by the impregnation method, and an experiment was carried out to evaluate the catalytic activity of the H3PW12O40/activated clay for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) in the UV-H2O2 process. The degradation ratio of MO can be affected by H2O2 concentration, reaction time, catalyst dosage, pH and temperature. The reaction temperature should be controlled at less than 70 degrees C, and the catalyst has a wide applicable pH range in the UV-H2O2 process. Hydroxyl radicals were generated in the UV-H2O2 system under the action of H3PW12O40/activated clay, and MO was degraded by hydroxyl radicals. Compared with traditional catalysts used in UV-H2O2 systems, H3PW12O40/activated clay has certain advantages for its practical application.

Rapid and simple colorimetric assay for screening angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors.

CONTEXT: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is one of the main regulators of blood pressure through its action on the renin-angiotensin system. ACE inhibitory peptides from natural materials inhibit ACE activity and have considerable importance as antihypertensive agents. OBJECTIVE: A new chromogenic reaction method for determining hippuric acid (HA) and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor activity was developed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This method is based on the reaction of HA with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in the presence of quinoline, acetate, and acetic anhydride. The red-orange formation product in the reaction has a stable absorbance in the visible region and it was determined at 478 nm. The assay conditions were optimized and by using an ACE concentration of 12 mU/mL in enzymatic reaction, the method was applied to monitor the IC(50) values (the concentration of inhibitor required to inhibit 50% of the ACE activity) for captopril and Saurida elongata (Synodontidae) muscle protein hydrolyzate. RESULTS: With the proposed method, IC(50) values for captopril and Saurida elongata muscle protein hydrolyzate were determined as 0.0123 µM and 0.1648 mg/mL, respectively. Those results correspond to the IC(50) values of 0.0109 µM and 0.1820 mg/mL obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The proposed method is rapid, accurate, reproducible and convenient, and suitable for screening ACE inhibitor peptides from food materials while it does not require HA extraction from the components of the ACE activity assay reaction.

Galactose-imidazole mediated dual-targeting fluorescent probe for detecting Fe3+ in the lysosomes of hepatocytes: Design, synthesis and evaluation.

In this work, three novel dual-targeting fluorescent probes were designed with modification by imidazole and one galactose (IM-Gal-1), by imidazole and two galactoses (IM-Gal-2), and by imidazole and three galactoses (IM-Gal-3), separately. These probes showed good selectivity and sensitivity toward Fe3+ with 1:2 stoichiometry recognition mode. The detection limits toward Fe3+ were (1.293 ± 0.005) × 10-7 M for IM-Gal-1, (7.735 ± 0.005) × 10-8 M for IM-Gal-2, and (1.325 ± 0.023) × 10-7 M for IM-Gal-3. These low-toxic probes exhibited excellent hepatic targeting capacity, which is attributed to the specific recognition of asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) overexpressed on hepatocytes by the galactose group of probes. The hepatic targeting capacity followed IM-Gal-1 < IM-Gal-2< IM-Gal-3 trend due to the galactose cluster effect. Under the attraction between acidic lysosome and basic imidazole group, these imidazole-modified probes were confirmed to possess good lysosome-targeting capacities, earlier demonstrating imidazole as a lysosome-targeting group. Overall, these dual-targeting probes co-modified by galactose and imidazole exhibited unique advantages in precise diagnosis and treatment of liver lysosomal iron-related diseases.

[Characteristics of Nitroaromatic Compounds in PM2.5 in Urban Area of Shanghai].

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are an important class of nitrogen-containing compounds in fine particles. The investigation of characteristics and seasonal variation of NACs in PM2.5 increases our knowledge about nitrogen-containing compounds and contributes to the scientific basis in formulating reduction policies of NOx in urban areas. In this study, we analyzed the chemical composition of PM2.5 samples collected from March 2018 to February 2019 in an urban location in Shanghai. A total of 2439-3695 organic molecular formulas were detected using UPLC-Orbitrap MS. Nine NACs were quantified using an internal standard method. In spring, ρ(NACs) ranged from 3.12 to 16.76 ng·m-3, and the average concentration was 9.31 ng·m-3. In summer, it ranged from 1.05 to 9.70 ng·m-3, and the average value was 4.16 ng·m-3. In autumn, it ranged from 2.87 to 36.27 ng·m-3, and its average was 9.84 ng·m-3. In winter, it ranged from 4.83 to 56.23 ng·m-3, and the average was 22.37 ng·m-3. 4-Nitrophenol accounted for more than 25% of the quantified NACs in different seasons. In summer, the concentration of 5-nitrosalicylic acid accounted for 36%, but it decreased to 19% in winter. NACs in summer mainly originated from secondary formation, as evidenced by their clear correlation with the oxidant level, whereas biomass burning became the main source of NACs in winter.

Engineering Z-scheme silver oxide/bismuth tungstate heterostructure incorporated reduced graphene oxide with superior visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Photocatalytic degradation of multiple organic contaminants has received extensive research attention and rational design of visible-light driven photocatalyst has been considered as an efficient approach. In this study, a visible-light Ag2O/Bi2WO6 heterostructure incorporated reduced graphene oxide (ABW-RGO) composite photocatalyst was prepared through a facile hydrothermal method for the first time and exhibited synergetic degradation behavior for contaminants in aqueous solutions. Under visible light, Tetracycline antibiotics has degraded 95.3% within only 40 min, and dye pollutants including Crystal Violet (cationic dye) and Congo Red (anionic dye) reached over 98.5% decomposition. The synthesized composite is also highly efficient in a wide pH range and multi-components system, maximizing the utilization of common sunlight, which make it suitable for industrial wastewater. The reactive oxidant species (ROS) experiment and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement revealed the critical role of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, clarifying the degradation pathway and mechanism analysis. The superior photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the formation of effective Z-scheme heterostructure and the excellent sorption capacity and conductivity of reduced graphene oxide. This research provides the design pathway to a novel catalyst using semiconductors composite and graphene support material, which can be extended to the energy-saving treatment of various organic pollutants.

Carboxymethylcellulose-chitosan film modified magnetic alkaline Ca-bentonite for the efficient removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solution.

In order to endow alkaline Ca-bentonite (ACB) with magnetic separation ability, simultaneously obtain better magnetic stability and stronger removal capacity of heavy metal cations; magnetic alkaline Ca-bentonite/carboxymethylcellulose-chitosan film (MACB/C-C) was prepared by organic modification of magnetic alkaline Ca-bentonite (MACB) using non-toxic carboxymethylcellulose and chitosan. Textural characterization results revealed that magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were successfully immobilized on ACB and modified with C-C. The functionalized layer of C-C concurrently enhanced the stability of Fe3O4 and removal performances of heavy metal cations. Adsorption results indicated that MACB/C-C exhibited thorough separation from aqueous solution and greater uptake ability for Pb(II) and Cd(II) (483 mg·g-1 and 123 mg·g-1) than the nascent MACB (335 mg·g-1 and 76 mg·g-1), respectively, at pH 5 and 25 °C temperature. The adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) on MACB/C-C mainly occurred via surface precipitation and complexation when pH > 2. MACB/C-C could be efficiently recycled with marginal decrease in adsorption capacity. The current approach credited to the convenient operation, simplified synthesis, and high efficiency of MACB/C-C could be deemed as a promising alternative for the removal of heavy metal cations from wastewater.

Microwave hydrothermal fabrication of 3D hierarchical Br/Bi2WO6 with enhanced photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B and tetracycline degradation.

Basing on the unique advantages of uniform and rapid volumetric heating of microwave irradiation, microwave hydrothermal method has been used to fabricate Br/Bi2WO6 for streamlining the preparation procedure and enhancing the photocatalytic activity. The results indicated that Br was successfully introduced into the lattice of Bi2WO6, which improved the absorption ability of visible light. Moreover, Br/Bi2WO6 exhibited smaller size and the enhanced separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers as compared with Bi2WO6. Br/Bi2WO6 exhibited superior reusability and photocatalytic activity of Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC). Furthermore, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of Br/Bi2WO6 was mainly ascribed to the increased specific surface area, wide UV-vis light absorption range, and high separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers originating from Br doping and microwave heating.

Facile synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes and improved electrical conductivity.

A layer of catalyst film on substrate is usually required during the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials. In this work, however, a novel approach for synthesizing high-purity bamboo-like boron nitride (BN) nanotubes directly on commercial stainless steel foils was demonstrated. Synthesis was realized by heating boron and zinc oxide (ZnO) powders at 1200 degrees C under a mixture gas flow of nitrogen and hydrogen. The stainless steel foils played an additional role of catalyst besides the substrate during the VLS growth of the nanotubes. In addition, the electrical conductivity of the BN nanotubes was efficiently improved in a simple way by coating with Au and Pd nanoparticles. The decorated BN nanotubes may find potential applications in catalysts, sensors and nanoelectronics.

[Spectroscopic study on the conformational change of silk fibroin in methanol-water mixtures].

A combinational study of circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence of protein and exogenous fluorescence probe of ANS was made to investigate the conformational change of silk fibroin in methanol-water mixtures as well as the mechanism. The spectral results showed that small hydrophobic regions were formed in silk fibroin in methanol-water mixtures at the concentration lower than 30% (V/V) via hydrophobic interaction, which was decreased at higher methanol content due to a structural transition of silk fibroin from random coil to beta-sheet. The conformational change of silk fibroin was found to be of a close relationship with the microstructure of the solvent and to be determined by the interaction between the peptide unit of silk fibroin and the cluster of the mixed solvent. Methanol-water mixture at low concentration had little effect on the solvation of the peptide unit and the conformation of silk fibroin, as a consequence of the fact that the inherent water structure was conserved. The transition from the tetrahedral-like water structure to the chain-like methanol structure, due to the increasing concentration of methanol, induced the conformational change of silk fibroin to eliminate the contact of peptide unit with the solvent molecular.