A geopolymer membrane for application in a structural mechanics and energy storage difunctional supercapacitor.

A structural mechanics and energy storage difunctional supercapacitor based on a geopolymer membrane injected with a 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte and a pseudocapacitive electrode Mn7O13 is designed and assembled. The geopolymer membrane is prepared as a structural electrolyte with metakaolin and alkaline activator solution. The wide channels in the geopolymer matrix provide paths for ion movement. The Mn7O13 electrode is prepared by different hydrothermal treatments at different temperatures and times, and assembled with activated carbon and a geopolymer with different moduli to form a difunctional supercapacitor. The results show that the electrode sample annealed at 300 °C for 45 min after hydrothermal treatment at 160 °C for 24 h exhibits the best comprehensive performance. The specific capacitance of the electrode is 175.5 F g-1 (2392.6 F m-2) at 1 A g-1, and the specific capacitance of the difunctional structure supercapacitor assembled with a geopolymer with a modulus of 1.2 and cured for 28 days is 144.12 F g-1 (1960.0F m-2) at 1 A g-1 under 15 MPa.

Inhibition of α-glucosidase by Cyclocarya paliurus based on HPLC fingerprinting integrated with molecular docking and molecular dynamics.

Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) extracts have been shown to lower sugar and lipid levels in blood, but the material basis is not clear. We analyzed CP aqueous extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography "fingerprinting", checked their pharmacological parameters using virtual screening, and undertook molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Also, the inhibitory effects of CP components upon α-glucosidase in vitro were evaluated. Fingerprinting and virtual screening showed that the aqueous extract of CP contained the active components protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and rutin, which were safe and had no side effects in vivo. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations showed that chlorogenic acid and rutin might have a potent inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase. An enzyme-activity assay in vitro showed that the half-maximal inhibitory values of chlorogenic acid and rutin were 398.9 and 351.8 µg/ml, respectively. Chlorogenic acid and rutin had an inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase. Cyclocarya paliurus could be developed as a natural α-glucosidase inhibitor.