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Showing papers by "Hong Liu published in 2014"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Introduced to the Market in the Last Decade (2001−2011) Jiang Wang,† María Sańchez-Rosello,́‡,§ Jose ́ Luis Aceña, Carlos del Pozo,‡ and Hong Liu.
Abstract: Introduced to the Market in the Last Decade (2001−2011) Jiang Wang,† María Sańchez-Rosello,́‡,§ Jose ́ Luis Aceña, Carlos del Pozo,‡ Alexander E. Sorochinsky, Santos Fustero,*,‡,§ Vadim A. Soloshonok,* and Hong Liu*,† †Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China ‡Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicente Andreś Estelleś, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain Laboratorio de Molećulas Orgańicas, Centro de Investigacioń Príncipe Felipe, C/ Eduardo Primo Yuf́era 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain Department of Organic Chemistry I, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel Lardizab́al 3, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Alameda Urquijo, 36-5 Plaza Bizkaia, 48011 Bilbao, Spain Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Murmanska Street 1, 02660 Kyiv-94, Ukraine

3,368 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This tutorial review introduces the characteristics of 1D TiO2 nanostructures, the design principles for the fabrication of1DTiO2NSHs, and summary of the recent progress in developing synthesis methods and applications of 1Ds in different fields is summarized.
Abstract: One-dimensional TiO2 nanostructured surface heterostructures (1D TiO2NSHs) have been comprehensively studied during the past two decades because of the possible practical applications in various fields, including photocatalysis, dye-sensitized solar cells, sensors, lithium batteries, biomedicine, catalysis, and supercapacitors. Combining extensive advancements in materials science and nanotechnology, a 1D TiO2NSH material with well-controlled size, morphology, and composition has been designed and synthesized. More importantly, its superior properties, including a high aspect ratio structure, chemical stability, large specific surface area, excellent electronic or ionic charge transfer, and a specific interface effect, have attracted a great deal of interest in improving current performance and exploring new applications. In this tutorial review, we introduce the characteristics of 1D TiO2 nanostructures, the design principles for the fabrication of 1D TiO2NSHs, and we also summarize the recent progress in developing synthesis methods and applications of 1D TiO2NSHs in different fields. The relationship between the secondary phase and the 1D TiO2 nanostructure and between the performance in applications and the excellent physical properties of 1D TiO2NSHs are also discussed.

715 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This research has demonstrated that utilization of sustainable biopolymers as the raw materials for high performance supercapacitor electrode materials is an effective way to fabricate low-cost energy storage devices.
Abstract: Renewable, cost-effective and eco-friendly electrode materials have attracted much attention in the energy conversion and storage fields. Bagasse, the waste product from sugarcane that mainly contains cellulose derivatives, can be a promising candidate to manufacture supercapacitor electrode materials. This study demonstrates the fabrication and characterization of highly porous carbon aerogels by using bagasse as a raw material. Macro and mesoporous carbon was first prepared by carbonizing the freeze-dried bagasse aerogel; consequently, microporous structure was created on the walls of the mesoporous carbon by chemical activation. Interestingly, it was observed that the specific surface area, the pore size and distribution of the hierarchical porous carbon were affected by the activation temperature. In order to evaluate the ability of the hierarchical porous carbon towards the supercapacitor electrode performance, solid state symmetric supercapacitors were assembled, and a comparable high specific capacitance of 142.1 F g−1 at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g−1 was demonstrated. The fabricated solid state supercapacitor displayed excellent capacitance retention of 93.9% over 5000 cycles. The high energy storage ability of the hierarchical porous carbon was attributed to the specially designed pore structures, i.e., co-existence of the micropores and mesopores. This research has demonstrated that utilization of sustainable biopolymers as the raw materials for high performance supercapacitor electrode materials is an effective way to fabricate low-cost energy storage devices.

510 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This research shows a feasible approach to scavenge biomechanical energy, and presents a crucial step forward for lifetime-implantable self-powered medical devices.
Abstract: The first application of an implanted triboelectric nanogenerator (iTENG) that enables harvesting energy from in vivo mechanical movement in breathing to directly drive a pacemaker is reported. The energy harvested by iTENG from animal breathing is stored in a capacitor and successfully drives a pacemaker prototype to regulate the heart rate of a rat. This research shows a feasible approach to scavenge biomechanical energy, and presents a crucial step forward for lifetime-implantable self-powered medical devices.

450 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A brief assessment of the methodological field of trifluoromethylation and its possible impact on the development of new CF 3 -containing pharmaceuticals is provided in this paper.

356 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, MoO2 nanobelts with self-doped MoS2 nanosheets are produced by nitridation and sulfuration treatments of MoO3 nanobels.
Abstract: Advanced materials for electrocatalytic water splitting are central to renewable energy research. In this study, MoO2 nanobelts@nitrogen self-doped MoS2 nanosheets are produced by nitridation and sulfuration treatments of MoO3 nanobelts. The material structures are characterized by a variety of techniques including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. It is found that because of nitrogen doping and the abundance of exposed active edges, the heterostructures exhibit high electronic conductivity, and more importantly, enhanced and stable electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), as manifested in electrochemical studies. The onset potential is found to be only −156 mV (vs. RHE), which is 105 mV more positive than that of pure MoS2 under identical experimental conditions. The corresponding Tafel slope is estimated to be 47.5 mV dec−1, even slightly less than that of commercial 10 wt% Pt/C (49.8 mV dec−1), suggesting that the reaction dynamics is largely determined by the electrochemical desorption of hydrogen. This is accounted for by nitrogen doping that leads to an enhanced electronic conductivity of the heterostructures as well as a high density of spinning electron states around the N and Mo atoms in MoS2 nanosheets that are the active sites for HER, as manifested in density functional theory studies of a N-doped MoS2 monolayer.

246 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Three-dimensional hierarchical frameworks based on the self-assembly of MoS2 nanosheets on graphene oxide were produced via a simple one-step hydrothermal process and exhibited apparent and stable electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
Abstract: Advanced materials for electrocatalytic water splitting are central to renewable energy research. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical frameworks based on the self-assembly of MoS2 nanosheets on graphene oxide were produced via a simple one-step hydrothermal process. The structures of the resulting 3D frameworks were characterized by using a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic tools, including scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman scattering. Importantly, the three-dimensional MoS2/graphene frameworks might be used directly as working electrodes which exhibited apparent and stable electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), as manifested by a large cathodic current density with a small overpotential of −107 mV (−121 mV when loaded on a glassy-carbon electrode) and a Tafel slope of 86.3 mV/dec (46.3 mV/dec when loaded on a glassy-carbon electrode). The remarkable performance might be ascribed to ...

224 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults in 2009–2010 was 8.4 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 8.0–8.8 %], and it was 9.9 % (9.2–10.6 %) in men and 7.0 %, p < 0.001, significantly higher among urban than rural residents.
Abstract: Hyperuricemia is a non-communicable disease that threatens human health, and its prevalence has been increasing in recent decades. However, there have been no national surveys about hyperuricemia performed in China. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of hyperuricemia and its risk factors in Chinese adults. Using data from 36,348 participants aged 18 years and older from the China National Survey of Chronic Kidney Disease (a nationwide cross-sectional survey with a randomized, multistage, stratified sampling strategy), we investigated the prevalence of hyperuricemia. Male subjects with serum uric acid ≥416.0 μmol/l (7.0 mg/dl) and female subjects with ≥357.0 μmol/l (6.0 mg/dl) were diagnosed with hyperuricemia. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was calculated, and the factors associated with hyperuricemia were analyzed using logistic regression. The adjusted prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults in 2009–2010 was 8.4 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 8.0–8.8 %], and it was 9.9 % (9.2–10.6 %) in men and 7.0 % (6.5–7.5 %) in women. The prevalence was much higher among urban than rural residents (14.9 vs. 6.6 %, p < 0.01). Areas with high per capita gross domestic product (GDP) levels had higher prevalence of hyperuricemia. In the multivariate regression model, the estimated glomerular filtration rate was inversely associated with hyperuricemia. Alcohol consumption, body mass index and serum triglyceride levels were positively correlated with hyperuricemia. Other factors independently correlated with hyperuricemia were age, sex, education level, area of residence, and economic development. In order to demonstrate the discriminatory power for hyperuricemia of the risk factors all together, we calculated the probabilities by logistic regression analysis, which represented the combined effects of these risk factors. Then, receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to demonstrate the value of the probabilities for hyperuricemia diagnosis. Finally, ROC curve analysis revealed the area under the curve was 0.746 (95 % CI 0.739–0.754), statistically significant for the association with hyperuricemia of these risk factors considered all together (p < 0.001). Hyperuricemia is prevalent in the economically developed areas of China. Our report indicates the feasibility of studying the influence that economic changes have on the prevalence of hyperuricemia.

164 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a unique CoS-graphene sheet-on-sheet nanocomposite has been successfully prepared by anchoring CoS nanosheets on the surface of GNS with the assistance of the structure-directing agent of ethylenediamine.
Abstract: A unique CoS-graphene sheet-on-sheet nanocomposite has been successfully prepared by anchoring CoS nanosheets on the surface of graphene nanosheets (GNS) with the assistance of the structure-directing agent of ethylenediamine. The shape and size of the introduced CoS nanosheets can be further adjusted by varying the amount of GNS. The unprecedented sheet-like CoS structure is believed to be matched well with GNS basically due to their similar two-dimensional structure with maximum contact areas between two components. The strong interaction between CoS and the underlying highly conductive graphene can facilitate fast electron and ion transport and improve structure stability of the composite. The composite with 26.2% GNS displays excellent electrochemical performance when evaluated as an anode for rechargeable lithium-ion battery. A larger-than-theoretical reversible capacity of 898 mAh/g can be delivered after 80 cycles at 0.1 C along with excellent high-rate cycling performance. The CoS-graphene sheet-o...

140 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
18 Apr 2014-ACS Nano
TL;DR: This work developed a unique strategy to deliver a platinum(IV) drug to prostate cancer cells by constructing glutathione-stabilized (Au@GSH) gold nanoparticles by exploiting the advantages of both the antioxidant properties and high surface-area-to-volume ratio of Au@G SH NPs to demonstrate their potential for delivery.
Abstract: Platinum-based anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and carboplatin are some of the most potent chemotherapeutic agents but have limited applications due to severe dose-limiting side effects and a tendency for cancer cells to rapidly develop resistance. The therapeutic index can be improved through use of nanocarrier systems to target cancer cells efficiently. We developed a unique strategy to deliver a platinum(IV) drug to prostate cancer cells by constructing glutathione-stabilized (Au@GSH) gold nanoparticles. Glutathione (GSH) has well-known antioxidant properties, which lead to cancer regression. Here, we exploit the advantages of both the antioxidant properties and high surface-area-to-volume ratio of Au@GSH NPs to demonstrate their potential for delivery of a platinum(IV) drug by targeting the neuropilin-1 receptor (Nrp-1). A lethal dose of a platinum(IV) drug functionalized with the Nrp-1-targeting peptide (CRGDK) was delivered specifically to prostate cancer cells in vitro. Targeted pe...

138 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Sep 2014-Small
TL;DR: The rGO/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures possess higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange and for the production of hydrogen from water, as well as excellent recyclability, with no loss of activity over five cycles.
Abstract: A facile method is proposed to assemble graphene oxide (GO) on the surface of a TiO2 nanobelt followed by an in situ photocatalytic reduction to form reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures. The special colloidal properties of GO and TiO2 nanobelt are exploited as well as the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 . Using water-ethanol solvent mixtures, GO nanosheets are tightly wrapped around the surface of the TiO2 nanobelts through an aggregation process and are then reduced in situ under UV-light irradiation to form rGO/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures. The heterostructures enhance the separation of the photoinduced carriers, which results in a higher photocurrent due to the special electronic characteristics of rGO. Compared to TiO2 nanobelts, the rGO/TiO2 nanobelt surface heterostructures possess higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange and for the production of hydrogen from water, as well as excellent recyclability, with no loss of activity over five cycles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Urinary exosome mRNA of CD2AP might be a non-invasive tool for detecting both renal function and fibrosis of kidney disease.

Journal ArticleDOI
Hong Liu1, Yun Su1, Zhen Chen1, Zhitong Jin1, Yong Wang1 
TL;DR: The assembled BiOBr0.2I0.8/graphene composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B and phenol under visible light irradiation and could be attributed to more effective charge transportations and separations, larger specific surface areas and the increased light absorption.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The synthesis of a core-shell heterostructure based on layered titanate nanowires coated with nickel hydroxide nanosheets on a titanium mesh, referred to as K2Ti4O9@Ni(OH)2/Ti, by a simple nickel ion exchange reaction is reported.
Abstract: Titania nanostructured materials have been used extensively for the fabrication of electrochemical capacitors. However, the devices typically exhibit relatively low capacitance and poor cycling stability. Herein, we report the synthesis of a core–shell heterostructure based on layered titanate nanowires coated with nickel hydroxide nanosheets on a titanium mesh, referred to as K2Ti4O9@Ni(OH)2/Ti, by a simple nickel ion exchange reaction. The incorporation of nickel into the titanate nanowires is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements and elemental mapping. Scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic measurements show the formation of a highly porous network of the hybrid nanowires. Electrochemical studies show that the K2Ti4O9@Ni(OH)2/Ti electrodes possess a high specific capacitance of 340 mF/cm2 at 50 mV/s in an aqueous electrolyte of 3 M KOH and 3 mF/cm2 at 0.04 mA/cm2 in the KOH/PVA solid-state electrolyte, with an excellent retention rate of 92.5% after 20...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that albuminuria may serve as an endogenous danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that stimulates TIF via the mROS-mediated activation of the cytoplasmic Nlrp3 inflammasome.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The purpose of this paper is to review the recent progress of the naturally derived biopolymers and the methods applied to generate biomimetic biopolymer/calcium phosphate composites as well as their biomedical applications in bone tissue engineering.
Abstract: With nearly 30 years of progress, tissue engineering has shown promise in developing solutions for tissue repair and regeneration. Scaffolds, together with cells and growth factors, are key components of this development. Recently, an increasing number of studies have reported on the design and fabrication of scaffolding materials. In particular, inspired by the nature of bone, polymer/ceramic composite scaffolds have been studied extensively. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent progress of the naturally derived biopolymers and the methods applied to generate biomimetic biopolymer/calcium phosphate composites as well as their biomedical applications in bone tissue engineering.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a simple and fast acid oxidation treatment of carbon fibers was examined by SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopic measurements, and the results demonstrated that porous core-shell carbon fibers might be used as effective electrode materials for the fabrication of wire-like all-carbon flexible supercapacitors with high physical flexibility and desirable electrochemical properties.
Abstract: Hierarchical porous carbon-based supercapacitors have been attracting intense attention due to their high and stable electrical double-layer capacitance that may be used for advanced technologies. In this study, porous core–shell carbon fibers were produced by a simple and fast acid oxidation treatment of carbon fibers, and the morphological and structural evolution were examined by SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopic measurements. Detailed electrochemical characterizations showed that the resulting porous core–shell carbon fibers exhibited an excellent performance for charge storage with a specific capacitance of 98 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 in a 1 M H2SO4 liquid electrolyte and 20.4 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in a H2SO4/PVA solid electrolyte, and excellent capacitance retention at ∼98.5% for the former and ∼96% for the latter over 3000 cycles. The results demonstrated that porous core–shell carbon fibers might be used as effective electrode materials for the fabrication of wire-like all-carbon flexible supercapacitors with high physical flexibility and desirable electrochemical properties.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work has realized for the first time, high performance PbS QDSSCs based on TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) via an in situ chemical deposition method controlled by a low electric field via the EACBD process.
Abstract: Quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) are attractive photovoltaic devices due to their simplicity and low material requirements. However, efforts to realize high efficiencies in QDSSCs have often been offset by complicated processes and expensive or toxic materials, significantly limiting their useful application. In this work, we have realized for the first time, high performance PbS QDSSCs based on TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) via an in situ chemical deposition method controlled by a low electric field. An efficiency, η, of ~3.41% under full sun illumination has been achieved, which is 133.6% higher than the best result previously reported for a simple system without doping or co-sensitizing, and comparable to systems with additional chemicals. Furthermore, a high open-circuit voltage (0.64 V), short-circuit current (8.48 mA cm(-2)) and fill factor (0.63) have been achieved. A great increase in the quantity of the loaded quantum dots (QDs) in the NTAs was obtained from the in situ electric field assisted chemical bath deposition (EACBD) process, which was the most significant contributing factor with respect to the high JSC. The high VOC and FF have been attributed to a much shorter electron path, less structural and electronic defects, and lower recombination in the ordered TiO2 NTAs produced by oscillating anodic voltage. Besides, the optimal film thickness (~4 μm) based on the NTAs was much thinner than that of the control cell based on nanoporous film (~30.0 μm). This investigation can hopefully offer an effective way of realizing high performance QDSSCs and QD growth/installation in other nanostructures as well.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The first chemical method for resolution of N,C-unprotected β-amino acids was developed through enantioselective formation and disassembly of nickel(II) complexes under operationally convenient conditions to prepare the anti-diabetic drug sitagliptin.
Abstract: The first chemical method for resolution of N,C-unprotected β-amino acids was developed through enantioselective formation and disassembly of nickel(II) complexes under operationally convenient conditions. The specially designed chiral ligands are inexpensive and can be quantitatively recycled along with isolation of the target β-substituted-β-amino acids in good yields and excellent enantioselectivity. The method features a broad synthetic generality including β-aryl, β-heteroaryl, and β-alkyl-derived β-amino acids. The procedure is easily scaled up, and was used for the synthetically and economically advanced preparation of the anti-diabetic drug sitagliptin.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the Fe3O4-MWCNT hybrid was used as a peroxidase mimicking catalyst in a Fenton-like reaction to remove methylene blue (10.0 mg L−1; MB) in aqueous solution.
Abstract: The Fenton-based reaction is powerful enough to decompose refractory organic pollutants, but it is limited by having a low pH range and it is necessary to have a secondary disposal of the iron sludge. This study demonstrates that Fe3O4–multi-walled carbon nanotube (Fe3O4–MWCNT) magnetic hybrids can be used as an efficient peroxidase mimic catalyst that could overcome such pH limitations in a Fenton-like reaction and could be reused after a simple magnetic separation. The Fe3O4–MWCNT hybrid was prepared using a simple one-pot strategy via in situ growth of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles onto the surface of the MWCNTs. In this process, MWCNTs act as an excellent dispersant, which ensures that the Fe3O4 is well dispersed. The Fe3O4–MWCNT hybrid was characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, thermogravimetric analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry, which indicated that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles were successfully deposited on to the surface of MWCNTs. Furthermore, it was revealed that the Fe3O4–MWCNTs could catalyze H2O2 decomposition by acting as a peroxidase mimic catalyst. Then heterogenous Fenton-like reactions were performed using the Fe3O4–MWCNT nanocomposites as a catalyst to degrade methylene blue (10.0 mg L−1; MB) in aqueous solution. The results showed that MB could be efficiently removed in a broad pH range of 1.0–10.0, with a degradation efficiency of 88.13% to 98.68% in two hours, and a highest total organic carbon removal efficiency of 35.6% in 12 hours. Furthermore, the magnetic nanocomposites exhibited an enhanced removal efficiency for MB compared with the Fe3O4 magnetic nanocomparticles and MWCNTs used individually. In addition, Fe3O4–MWCNT nanocomposites exhibited strong magnetism, and thereby could be easily separated from aqueous solution using an external magnetic field. Therefore, the as-prepared Fe3O4–MWCNT nanocomposites could be used as a promising and effective catalyst in Fenton-like reactions for the purification of MB polluted water in a wide pH range.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work reports the first purely chemical method for the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of unprotected racemic α-amino acids (α-AAs), a method which can rival the economic efficiency of the enzymatic reactions.
Abstract: Reported herein is the first purely chemical method for the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of unprotected racemic α-amino acids (α-AAs), a method which can rival the economic efficiency of the enzymatic reactions. The DKR reaction principle can be readily applied for S/R interconversions of α-AAs, the methodological versatility of which is unmatched by biocatalytic approaches. The presented process features a virtually complete stereochemical outcome, fully recyclable source of chirality, and operationally simple and convenient reaction conditions, thus allowing its ready scalability. A quite unique and novel mode of the thermodynamic control over the stereochemical outcome, including an exciting interplay between axial, helical, and central elements of chirality is proposed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Based on the quick and efficient heavy metal ion removal ability of nanostructured BiOBr microspheres, a continuous filtering-type water purification device was designed and constructed.
Abstract: Uniform well-defined nanostructured BiOBr microspheres have been fabricated via a simple hydrothermal method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and ethylene glycol (EG). The heavy metal ion adsorption on the as-synthesized nanostructured BiOBr microspheres was systematically assessed by measuring the residual concentration during the adsorption process using a colorimetric method for Cr(VI) concentration, and an extraction-colorimetric method for Cd(II) and Pb(II) concentrations. The nanostructured BiOBr microspheres showed good removal capacity for heavy metal ions (Cr, Cd, Pb), and excellent adsorption properties for low concentration heavy metal ions, indicating potential applications in water purification. Based on the quick and efficient heavy metal ion removal ability of nanostructured BiOBr microspheres, a continuous filtering-type water purification device was designed and constructed. In using this continuous filtering type water purification device, 1 g of adsorbent can purify about 4900 g of Pb(II) contaminated water, 5900 g of Cd(II) contaminated water, or 21 500 g of Cr(VI) contaminated water having initial concentrations of 200 μg L−1 to successfully attain the World Health Organization standard for drinking water. The good removal capacity can be attributed to the hierarchical nanostructure, which displays a large specific surface area and strong adsorption of heavy metal ions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: After a S-doping treatment, the obtained Ag2O/Ag2S2O7/TiO2 heterostructured nanobelts exhibited an enhanced and stable photocatalytic activity under both ultraviolet and visible light irradiation, which was exemplified by photo-degradation of organic pollutants and photocurrent response measurements.
Abstract: Ag2O/TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures have been found to possess high ultraviolet photocatalytic activity, but a poor cycling performance. After a S-doping treatment, the obtained Ag2O/Ag2S2O7/TiO2 heterostructured nanobelts exhibited an enhanced and stable photocatalytic activity under both ultraviolet and visible light irradiation, which was exemplified by photo-degradation of organic pollutants and photocurrent response measurements. Meanwhile, the crystal structure and phase transformation of Ag2O, Ag2S2O7 and Ag2S were studied by XRD and XPS measurements.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the mesoporous biocarbon nanowire coated LiFePO4 with HEQDs (MBCNW-LFP-HEQDs) was used for high-power lithium-ion batteries.
Abstract: By using a multifunctional high-energy biomolecule—adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—we fabricated high-energy quantum dots (HEQDs) with a feature size of less than 10 nm and used them in high-power lithium-ion batteries. We introduced high-energy phosphate bonds into the crystal structure of LiFePO4 nanoparticles and synthesized the mesoporous biocarbon nanowire coated LiFePO4 with HEQDs (MBCNW-LFP-HEQDs) by using ATP as a phosphorus source, a nucleating agent, a structural template and a biocarbon source. HEGDs were homogeneously formed inside the ultra-thin LiFePO4 nanosheet and the mesoporous biocarbon nanowire network structure was coated on the surface of the nanosheet. In LiFePO4 nanoparticles, HEQDs result in more storage sites of Li+ ions and easier transfer kinetics of electrons and lithium ions, where the kinetic transformation path between LiFePO4 and FePO4 is rather different from the path deduced from its equilibrium phase diagram. Compared to the usual LiFePO4 nanoparticle (10–100 nm) cathode, the MBCNW-LFP-HEQD cathode shows the best first discharge capacity of 197 mA h g−1 at the 0.1 C rate, which is higher than the theoretical capacity of LiFePO4 (170 mA h g−1). After 100 cycles at varied current rates: 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 C, this cathode still delivered a high discharge capacity of 180 mA h g−1 and an ultra-high coulombic efficiency close to 100%. This is attributed to the quantum tunneling of HEQDs in LiFePO4 nanoparticles and better percolation of mesoporous biocarbon nanowire coating network structures. This work is instructive for fabrication and design of new types of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices with extraordinary properties and functions.

Journal ArticleDOI
04 Apr 2014-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: The upper airway of growing patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion and mandibular retrusion compared with untreated Class II patients showed a significant enlargement in the oropharynx and hypopharynx, and the hyoid bone moved to an anterior position after TB treatment.
Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes of upper airway after Twin Block (TB) treatment in growing patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion and mandibular retrusion compared with untreated Class II patients by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods Thirty growing patients who have completed TB treatment were recruited into TB group. The control group (n = 30) was selected from the patients with the same diagnosis and without TB treatment. CBCT scans of the pre-treatment (T1) and post-treatment (T2) data of TB group and control data were collected. After three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and registration of T1 and T2 data, the morphological changes of upper airway during TB treatment were measured. The statistical differences between T1 and T2 data of TB group as well as T2 and control data were accessed by t-test. Results During the TB treatment, the mandible moved advanced by 3.52±2.14 mm in the horizontal direction and 3.77±2.10 mm in the vertical direction. The hyoid bone was in a more forward and inferior place. The upper airway showed a significant enlargement in nasopharynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx. In addition, the nasopharynx turned more circular, and the oropharynx became more elliptic in transverse shape. However, the transverse shape of the hypopharynx showed no significant difference. After comparison between T2 and control data, only the horizontal movement of the hyoid bone, the volumetric expansion of the oropharynx and hypopharynx, and changes of the oropharyngeal transverse shape showed significant difference. Conclusion Compared to the untreated Class II patients, the upper airway of growing patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion and mandibular retrusion showed a significant enlargement in the oropharynx and hypopharynx as well as a more elliptic transverse shape in the oropharynx, and the hyoid bone moved to an anterior position after TB treatment.

Journal ArticleDOI
Fei Zhao1, Dengyou Zhang1, Yong Nian1, Lei Zhang1, Wei Yang1, Hong Liu1 
TL;DR: Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular addition of C-N and S-N bond to alkynes with the migration of functional groups has been achieved and the great potential of this method for the synthesis of highly functional indoles is demonstrated.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The mechanistic investigation revealed that energy-band matching is the major factor in the observed enhancement of photocatalytic activity.
Abstract: Heterostructures play an important role not only in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, but also in the field of catalysis. Herein, we report the synthesis of PdO/TiO2 and Pd/TiO2 heterostructured nanobelts by means of a simple co-precipitation method, followed by a reduction process using surface-modified TiO2 nanobelts as templates. The as-obtained heterostructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. PdO and Pd nanoparticles with a size of about 1.3 and 1.6 nm were assembled uniformly on the surface of TiO2 nanobelts, respectively. Compared with TiO2 nanobelts, PdO/TiO2 and Pd/TiO2 hybrid nanobelts exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity upon UV and visible-light irradiation. Photoelectrochemical technology was used to study the heterostructure effect on enhanced photocatalytic activity. Our mechanistic investigation revealed that energy-band matching is the major factor in the observed enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was revealed that the quasi-solid-state UV photodetector fabricated using a liquid crystal (LC)-embedded electrolyte with a light-trapping scheme showed visible-blind, high responsivity, fast time response and good photosensitivity linearity in a wide light intensity range.
Abstract: Self-powered UV photodetectors based on TiO2 and ZnO nanorod arrays have attracted lots of attention in recent years due to their various advantages. Impressive performances were observed in photochemical cell based UV detectors. However, liquid electrolytes are not ideal for long-term operation and are inconvenient for practical applications. Hence there is an urgent demand for replacing liquid electrolytes with solid-state hole transfer materials. Herein we report a nanostructured quasi-solid-state UV photodetector fabricated using a liquid crystal (LC)-embedded electrolyte with a light-trapping scheme. Vertical rutile TiO2 nanorod arrays grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass were used as the active photoanode. A high incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 29% at 383 nm and a quick response time of less than 0.03 s were observed. In addition, it was revealed that the quasi-solid-state UV photodetector showed visible-blind, high responsivity, fast time response and good photosensitivity linearity in a wide light intensity range. The LC-embedded electrolyte with a light-trapping scheme enhanced the light absorption and thus improved the photodetecting performance. This self-powered device is a promising candidate for application in high-sensitivity and high-speed UV light photodetectors.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Lattice-strained CdTe/CdS:Cu quantum dots with a widely tunable near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence emission spectrum and long lifetime are synthesized and NIR-emitting two-dimensional codes are achieved by embedding as-prepared QDs into agarose beads.
Abstract: Lattice-strained CdTe/CdS:Cu quantum dots (QDs) with a widely tunable near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence emission spectrum (700-910 nm) and long lifetime (up to 1 μs) are synthesized. Based on the multiemission and multi-lifetime of the well-defined QDs, NIR-emitting two-dimensional (2D) codes are achieved by embedding as-prepared QDs into agarose beads. This provides a new strategy for fluorescent 2D codes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An asymmetric cascade Mannich/cyclization reaction between 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles and sulfimides using a commercially available organocatalyst has been developed and a wide range of structurally diverse spiro[imidazolidine-4,3'-oxindole] derivatives were obtained with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.