Search Results (4,036)

Grain boundaries play a vital role in determining the structural, functional, mechanical, and electrical properties of semiconductor materials. Recent studies have yielded great advances in understanding and modulating the grain boundaries via semiconductor crystallization engineering and machine learning. In this article, we first provide a review of the miscellaneous methods and approaches that effectively control the nucleation formation, semiconductor crystallization, and grain boundary of organic semiconductors. Using the benchmark small molecular semiconductor 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) as a representative example, the crystallization engineering methods include polymer additive mixing, solvent annealing, gas injection, and substrate temperature control. By studying the grain-width-dependent charge transport, we propose a grain boundary model as a fundamental basis to theoretically understand the intrinsic relation between grain boundary engineering and charge carrier mobility. Furthermore, we discuss the various machine learning algorithms and models used to analyze grain boundaries for the various important traits and properties, such as grain boundary crystallography, energy, mobility, and dislocation density. This work highlights the unique advantages of both crystallization engineering and machine learning methods, demonstrates new insights into discovering the presence of grain boundaries and understanding new properties of materials, and sheds light on the great potential of material application in various fields, such as organic electronics. Full article

Microwave-assisted synthesis presents a promising method for enhancing the formation of nanocomposites due to its rapid heating and uniform energy distribution. In this study, we successfully fabricated polyethersulfone–zinc-oxide (PES-ZnO) nanocomposite membranes by exposing PES/ZnCl₂/DMF dope solutions to microwave radiation. Before synthesizing the membranes, zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were optimized in an organic phase using microwave radiation to ensure effective nanoparticle formation. The synthesis of ZnO-NPs in DMF solvent was validated through UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). We examined the surface morphology and roughness of the PES-ZnO membranes through Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Moreover, we assessed the membranes’ hydrophilicity, permeability, and physicochemical properties through contact-angle measurements, pure water flux tests, water uptake assessments, and porosity tests. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified the successful integration of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) into the membrane matrix. The results indicate that including ZnO-NPs significantly improves the membrane’s permeability and hydrophilicity. The nanocomposite membranes exhibited high dye rejection efficiency, with ZnO-NPs facilitating photocatalytic self-cleaning properties. Antibacterial tests also demonstrated a substantial inhibition of common bacteria, suggesting enhanced resistance to biofouling. This research highlights the potential of microwave-assisted PES-ZnO nanocomposite membranes as effective and sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment, offering scalable applications along with added benefits of antifouling, self-cleaning, and antibacterial properties. Full article

Xylans, polysaccharides abundantly derived from agricultural byproducts, have shown potential pharmacological properties, making them a subject of increasing research interest. This study aimed to expand the understanding of xylans’ pharmacological properties and relate them to their composition. A method combining ultrasound and alkaline media for xylan extraction from corn cobs (ERX) was used, resulting in a significant increase in final yield compared to other methodologies. The physicochemical characterization of ERX was carried out, and its antioxidant, cytotoxic, anticoagulant, and immunomodulatory properties were evaluated. ERX demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with metal-chelating properties and induced apoptosis in HeLa tumor cells (p < 0.0001). It also reduced nitric oxide (NO) production by activated macrophages and extended the blood coagulation time, as assessed by the APTT assay (p < 0.0001). Further fractionation of ERX using various organic solvents resulted in multiple xylan subfractions. Among them, the ethanol-derived subfraction E1.4 exhibited remarkable pharmacological activities, including metal-chelation, cytotoxicity against HeLa cells via apoptosis, reduced NO production (p < 0.0001), and prolonged coagulation times (p < 0.0001). E1.4 is heteroxylan with a molecular weight of approximately 100 kDa. These findings suggest that corn cobs could be a promising source of pharmacologically significant molecules, particularly the heteroxylan E1.4. Future studies should focus on the structural characterization of this xylan to understand the relationship between structure and biological activity and explore the therapeutic potential of E1.4 in vivo models. Full article

The application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has attracted increasing attention in organic synthesis. The modification of MOFs can efficiently tailor the structure and improve the property for meeting ongoing demand in various applications, such as the alteration of gas adsorption and separation, catalytic activity, stability, and sustainability or reusability. In this study, carboxyethylsilanetriol (CEST) disodium salt was used as a dual-functional ligand for modified Al-MIL-53 to fabricate CEST-functionalized Al-MIL-53 samples through a hydrothermal reaction of aluminum nitrate, terephthalic acid, and CEST disodium salt by varying the molar ratio of CEST to terephthalic acid and keeping a constant molar ratio of Al³⁺/-COOH of 1:1. The structure, composition, morphology, pore feature, and stability were characterized by XRD, different spectroscopies, electron microscopy, N₂ physisorption, and thermogravimetric analysis. With increasing CEST content, CEST-Al-MIL-53 still preserves an Al-MIL-53-like structure, but the microstructure changed compared with pure Al-MIL-53 due to the integration of CEST. Such a CEST-Al-MIL-53 was used as the support to load Pd particles and afford a catalyst Pd/CEST-Al-MIL-53 for Suzuki–Miyaura C-C cross-coupling reaction of aryl halides and phenylboronic acid under basic conditions. The resulting Pd/CEST-Al-MIL-53 showed a high catalytic activity compared with Pd/Al-MIL-53, due to the nanofibrous structure of silicon species-integrated CEST-Al-MIL-53. The nanofiber microstructure undergoes a remarkable transformation into intricate 3D cross-networks during catalytic reaction, which enables the leachable Pd particles to orientally redeposit and inlay into these networks as the monodisperse spheres and thereby effectively preventing Pd particles from aggregation and leaching, therefore demonstrating a high catalytic performance, long-term stability, and enhanced reusability. Obviously, the integration of CEST into MOFs can effectively prevent the leaching of active Pd species and ensure the re-deposition during catalysis. Moreover, catalytic performance strongly depended on catalyst dosage, temperature, time, solvent, and the type of the substituted group on benzene ring. This work further extends the catalytic application of hybrid metal–organic frameworks. Full article

Despite the potential of glass fiber (GF) membranes for oil-water emulsion separations, efficient surface modification methods to enhance fouling resistance while preserving membrane performance and stability remain lacking. We report a silica nanocoating method to modify GF membranes through a vapor deposition method. The high smoothness (<1 nm r.m.s.) and high conformality of the vapor-deposited silica nanocoatings enabled the preservation of membrane microstructure and permeability, which, combined with the enhanced surface hydrophilicity, led to an oil rejection rate exceeding 99% and more than a 40% improvement in permeate flux in oil-water emulsion separations. Furthermore, the silica nanocoatings provided the membranes with excellent wet strength and stability against organic solvents, strong acids, oxidants, boiling, and sonication. The silica-nanocoated membrane demonstrated enhanced fouling resistance, achieving flux recovery higher than 75% during repeated oil-water emulsion separations and bovine serum albumin and humic acid fouling tests. Full article

Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is the default technique for the manufacture of solid-state formulations of therapeutic proteins. This established method offers several advantages, including improved product stability by minimizing chemical degradation, reduced storage requirements through water removal, and elimination of cold chain dependence. However, the lyophilization process itself presents limitations. It is a lengthy, batch-based operation, potentially leading to product inconsistencies and high manufacturing costs. Additionally, some proteins are susceptible to structural alterations during the freezing step, impacting their biological activity. This paper presents an alternative approach based on the co-precipitation of protein and excipients using an organic solvent. We explore the impact of various processing parameters on the viability of the formulation. We also provide an extensive characterization of proteins reconstituted from precipitated formulations and compare protein stability in solution and in lyophilized and precipitated solid formulations under long-term, accelerated, and stressed storage conditions. Full article

A novel, cost-effective, partially purified biosurfactant in the form of a rhamnolipid biocomplex (RLBC) was investigated for its emulsifying properties. The RLBC was obtained through the cultivation of Pseudomonas sp. SP-17 on glycerol, followed by acidic precipitation, without the use of organic solvents for isolation or purification. Composed of rhamnolipids (RLs) and the exopolysaccharide alginate, RLBC exhibited emulsifying properties towards rapeseed oil comparable to those of purified RLs at concentrations as low as 0.15% (w/w), sufficient for the effective stabilisation of oil-in-water (o/w) high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs, 80% oil). Dynamic light scattering analysis revealed similar droplet sizes (9.54 ± 0.96 µm for RLBC vs. 8.93 ± 0.58 µm for RLs), while multiple light scattering confirmed high emulsion stability over 120 days. The emulsions displayed shear-thinning behaviour, with yield stresses of approximately 11.5 Pa and 7.7 Pa for systems prepared with RLBC and RLs, respectively, after seven days of pre-storage. Although increasing the RLBC concentration from 0.15% to 1% (w/w) slightly improved the degree of emulsion dispersion, it did not substantially impact the long-term stability observed at the lowest concentration. Biodegradation tests demonstrated that the RLBC preparations are environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic surfactants, achieving 60% biodegradation within 2.5 days and complete biodegradation within 14 days, which outperformed synthetic emulsifiers. The RLBC offers both environmental and economic advantages over purified RLs, including reduced production costs and the elimination of organic solvents. Our findings highlight the potential of RLBC for stabilising HIPEs in applications requiring sustainable and biodegradable formulations, such as cosmetics, lubricants, and industrial fluids widely manufactured and utilised today. Full article

The purpose of this study was to extract the lipophilic fraction from one of the largest source of waste in the industrial sector, namely, the tomato residue from processing the fruit. In order to make this process more environmentally sustainable, this study used a green extraction protocol employing natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) combined with a less energy-consuming technology, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method, to simultaneously recover carotenoids and tocopherol from dried powder tomato waste. Two NADESs, one hydrophilic and one hydrophobic, were prepared and compared to support high extraction efficiency and increase the stability of the extracted compounds. The optimal extraction parameters were identified as choline chloride:1,3-butanediol (1:5)-based NADES, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 (w/v), time of extraction 12 min, temperature 65 °C, radiation frequency 37 Hz, and an ultrasound power level of 70%. The extraction process was intensified and resulted in extracts rich in lycopene (215.13 ± 4.31 μg/g DW), β-carotene (206.95 ± 3.27 μg/g DW), and tocopherol (130.86 ± 8.97 μg/g DW) content, with the highest antioxidant capacity 93.84 ± 0.18 mM Trolox equivalent. Incorporating NADESs for the extraction of bioactive compounds offers numerous benefits, such as improved sustainability, enhanced extraction efficiency, better protection of sensitive compounds, and reduced environmental impact. These advantages make NADESs a promising alternative to traditional organic solvents, especially in industries that require natural, green, and efficient extraction processes for valuable bioactive molecules. Full article

This strategic review examines the pivotal role of sustainable methodologies in battery recycling and the recovery of critical minerals from waste batteries, emphasizing the need to address existing technical and environmental challenges. Through a systematic analysis, it explores the application of green organic solvents in mineral processing, advocating for establishing eco-friendly techniques aimed at clipping waste and boosting resource utilization. The escalating demand for and shortage of essential minerals including copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel are comprehensively analyzed and forecasted for 2023, 2030, and 2040. Traditional extraction techniques, including hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical, and bio-metallurgical processes, are efficient but pose substantial environmental hazards and contribute to resource scarcity. The concept of green extraction arises as a crucial step towards ecological conservation, integrating sustainable practices to lessen the environmental footprint of mineral extraction. The advancement of green organic solvents, notably ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, is examined, highlighting their attributes of minimal toxicity, biodegradability, and superior efficacy, thus presenting great potential in transforming the sector. The emergence of organic solvents such as palm oil, 1-octanol, and Span 80 is recognized, with advantageous low solubility and adaptability to varying temperatures. Kinetic (mainly temperature) data of different deep eutectic solvents are extracted from previous studies and computed with machine learning techniques. The coefficient of determination and mean squared error reveal the accuracy of experimental and computed data. In essence, this study seeks to inspire ongoing efforts to navigate impediments, embrace technological advancements including artificial intelligence, and foster an ethos of environmental stewardship in the sustainable extraction and recycling of critical metals from waste batteries. Full article

Solvents are particularly hazardous among the mixture of pollutants found in the air, as their low vapor pressure allows them to reach the atmosphere, causing damage to ecosystems, and producing secondary deleterious effects on living organisms through a wide variety of possible reactions. In response, innovative, sustainable, and ecological methods are being developed to recover solvents from industrial wastewater, which is typically contaminated with other organic compounds. This study describes the procedure for recovering acetone from a residue from the pharmaceutical industry. This compound contains a high amount of solid organic compounds, which are generated during the manufacture of medicines. The treatment consisted of performing a simple solar distillation using a single-slope glass solar still, which separated the acetone from the mother solution. Under ideal circumstances, the use of solar radiation allowed an efficiency rate of 80% using solar concentration by means of mirrors to increase the temperature and 85% without the use of mirrors in the production of distilled acetone, which was characterized to evaluate its quality using instrumental analytical techniques: NMR, IR, and GC. The results obtained indicate that the acetone recovered by this procedure has a good quality of 84%; however, due to this percentage obtained, its reuse is limited for certain applications where a high degree of purity is required, such as its reuse for pharmaceutical use; for this reason, it was proposed to use said compound to eliminate the organic impurities contained in the catalyst waste granules used in a Mexican oil refinery. The resulting material was examined by SEM and EDS, revealing a high initial carbon content that decreased by 29% after treatment. Likewise, as an additional study, a study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of the residues obtained at the end of the distillation where rubidium, silicon, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and chlorine contents were observed. Full article

Ethenzamide (2-ethoxybenzamide), besides acetylsalicylic acid, is one of the mostly used salicylic acid derivatives in pharmaceuticals. It has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects that originate from the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX-1) activity, thus blocking prostaglandin synthesis. In this work, efficient and eco-friendly methods were developed for the synthesis of ethenzamide via the O-alkylation reaction of salicylamide. The reactions were carried out under conventional conditions in a solvent-free system using variant solvents and different phase transfer catalysts (PTC) in the presence of microwave radiation or ultrasonic conditions. It was shown that in solvent-free conditions using TBAB as a catalyst, ethenzamide can be obtained within 15 min at 80 °C with 79% yield. Meanwhile, using microwave radiation under the same conditions, the reaction time can be shortened to 90 s with 92% yield. Notably, high yields can be achieved under PTC in water (or organic solvent-free) conditions using microwave radiation (2 min, 94%) or ultrasound (10 min, 95% efficiency). The studies prove that the PTC synthesis process of ethenzamide can be conducted under mild conditions, with a shorter reaction time and remarkably lower energy consumption in comparison to conventional processes, thus actualizing “green chemistry” for practical ethenzamide preparation. Full article

Contact electrification (CE) spans from atomic to macroscopic scales, facilitating charge transfer between materials upon contact. This interfacial charge exchange, occurring in solid–solid (S–S) or solid–liquid (S–L) systems, initiates radical generation and chemical reactions, collectively termed contact-electro-chemistry (CE-Chemistry). As an emerging platform for green chemistry, CE-Chemistry facilitates redox, luminescent, synthetic, and catalytic reactions without the need for external power sources as in traditional electrochemistry with noble metal catalysts, significantly reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Despite its broad applicability, the mechanistic understanding of CE-Chemistry remains incomplete. In S–S systems, CE-Chemistry is primarily driven by surface charges, whether electrons, ions, or radicals, on charged solid interfaces. However, a comprehensive theoretical framework is yet to be established. While S–S CE offers a promising platform for exploring the interplay between chemical reactions and triboelectric charge via surface charge modulation, it faces significant challenges in achieving scalability and optimizing chemical efficiency. In contrast, S–L CE-Chemistry focuses on interfacial electron transfer as a critical step in radical generation and subsequent reactions. This approach is notably versatile, enabling bulk-phase reactions in solutions and offering the flexibility to choose various solvents and/or dielectrics to optimize reaction pathways, such as the degradation of organic pollutants and polymerization, etc. The formation of an interfacial electrical double layer (EDL), driven by surface ion adsorption following electron transfer, plays a pivotal role in CE-Chemical processes within aqueous S–L systems. However, the EDL can exert a screening effect on further electron transfer, thereby inhibiting reaction progress. A comprehensive understanding and optimization of charge transfer mechanisms are pivotal for elucidating reaction pathways and enabling precise control over CE-Chemical processes. As the foundation of CE-Chemistry, charge transfer underpins the development of energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable methodologies, holding transformative potential for advancing green innovation. This review consolidates recent advancements, systematically classifying progress based on interfacial configurations in S–S and S–L systems and the underlying charge transfer dynamics. To unlock the full potential of CE-Chemistry, future research should prioritize the strategic tuning of material electronegativity, the engineering of sophisticated surface architectures, and the enhancement of charge transport mechanisms, paving the way for sustainable chemical innovations. Full article

Succination is a non-enzymatic post-translational modification of cysteine (Cys) residues, resulting in the formation of S-(2-succino)cysteine (2SC). While hundreds of 2SC-modified proteins have been identified and are associated with the dysfunction of proteins, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Conventional methods for synthesizing succinated compounds, such as 2SC, often require prolonged reaction times and/or HCl hydrolysis. In this study, we present a rapid and efficient synthesis method for succinated compounds using maleic anhydride, enabling more effective in vivo studies of succination mechanisms. This method was tested on thiol compounds with varying molecular weights, including Cys derivatives, Cys-containing peptides, and reduced bovine serum albumin. By incubating these compounds in an aqueous buffer with maleic anhydride dissolved in an organic solvent like diethyl ether, we achieved significantly improved succination efficiency compared to conventional methods. The succination efficiency using maleic anhydride surpassed that of fumaric acid or maleic acid. Notably, this approach facilitated the succination of amino acids, peptides, and proteins within minutes at 25 °C, without requiring acid hydrolysis. Our findings provide a straightforward, time-efficient strategy for synthesizing succinated thiol compounds, offering a valuable tool to enhance the understanding of succination’s molecular mechanisms and its role in protein function and dysfunction. Full article

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) represents a valuable ester of caffeic acid, which, over time, has demonstrated remarkable pharmacological properties. In general, the ester is obtained in organic solvents, especially by the esterification reaction of caffeic acid (CA) and 2-phenylethanol (PE). In this context, the purpose of this study was the use of the “one pot” system to synthesize CAPE through biocatalysis with various lipases in a choline-chloride-based DES system, employing the “2-in-1” concept, where one of the substrates functions as both reactant and solvent. The synthesis process of CAPE is contingent on the molar ratio between CA and PE; thus, this factor was the primary subject of investigation, with different molar ratios of CA and PE being studied. Furthermore, the impact of temperature, time, the nature of the biocatalyst, and the water loading of the DES system was also examined. This ‘green’ synthesis method, which has demonstrated encouraging reaction yields (%), could secure and maintain the therapeutic potential of CAPE, mainly due to the non-toxic character of the reaction medium. Full article

Marine organisms are a vital source of biologically active compounds. Organic extracts from the muscle of the Pacific white shrimp (L. vannamei) have shown antiproliferative effects on tumor cells, including breast adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to analyze these extracts’ composition and confirm their specificity for breast adenocarcinoma cells without harming normal cells. An organic chloroform extract from L. vannamei muscle was divided using a solvent partition procedure with methanol and hexane. The methanolic partition was fractionated through an open preparative liquid chromatography column to isolate compounds with biological activity, that were later tested on MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma), and recently tested on MCF10-A (non-cancerous breast epithelial cells). Cells incubated with these fractions were assessed for viability and morphological changes using fluorescence confocal microscopy. Fractions F#13 and F#14 reduced MDA-MB-231 cancer cell viability at 100 µg/mL without affecting non-cancerous MCF-10A cells, inducing apoptosis-related changes in cancer cells. These fractions contained EPA and DHA free fatty acids, specifically F#13 contained free and esterified astaxanthin as well. The high levels of free linoleic acid 18:2 ω-6, EPA, and DHA (in a 2:1 ratio, EPA:DHA), along with free and esterified astaxanthin in F#13, significantly reduced breast adenocarcinoma cell viability, nearly to that achieved by cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug. Full article