Showing papers by "Hong Liu published in 2020"
TL;DR: A programme of structure-assisted drug design and high-throughput screening identifies six compounds that inhibit the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating the ability of this strategy to isolate drug leads with clinical potential.
Abstract: A new coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the aetiological agent responsible for the 2019–2020 viral pneumonia outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)1–4. Currently, there are no targeted therapeutic agents for the treatment of this disease, and effective treatment options remain very limited. Here we describe the results of a programme that aimed to rapidly discover lead compounds for clinical use, by combining structure-assisted drug design, virtual drug screening and high-throughput screening. This programme focused on identifying drug leads that target main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2: Mpro is a key enzyme of coronaviruses and has a pivotal role in mediating viral replication and transcription, making it an attractive drug target for SARS-CoV-25,6. We identified a mechanism-based inhibitor (N3) by computer-aided drug design, and then determined the crystal structure of Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 in complex with this compound. Through a combination of structure-based virtual and high-throughput screening, we assayed more than 10,000 compounds—including approved drugs, drug candidates in clinical trials and other pharmacologically active compounds—as inhibitors of Mpro. Six of these compounds inhibited Mpro, showing half-maximal inhibitory concentration values that ranged from 0.67 to 21.4 μM. One of these compounds (ebselen) also exhibited promising antiviral activity in cell-based assays. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of our screening strategy, which can lead to the rapid discovery of drug leads with clinical potential in response to new infectious diseases for which no specific drugs or vaccines are available. A programme of structure-assisted drug design and high-throughput screening identifies six compounds that inhibit the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating the ability of this strategy to isolate drug leads with clinical potential.
2,845 citations
TL;DR: Two peptidomimetic aldehydes were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as antiviral drug candidates, and both exhibited excellent inhibitory activity and potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 infection activity.
Abstract: SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is the etiological agent responsible for the global COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. The main protease of SARS-CoV-2, Mpro, is a key enzyme that plays a pivotal role in mediating viral replication and transcription. We designed and synthesized two lead compounds (11a and 11b) targeting Mpro Both exhibited excellent inhibitory activity and potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 infection activity. The x-ray crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in complex with 11a or 11b, both determined at a resolution of 1.5 angstroms, showed that the aldehyde groups of 11a and 11b are covalently bound to cysteine 145 of Mpro Both compounds showed good pharmacokinetic properties in vivo, and 11a also exhibited low toxicity, which suggests that these compounds are promising drug candidates.
1,023 citations
TL;DR: Optimization of the P2 substituent of the α-ketoamides proved crucial for achieving near-equipotency against the three virus genera and six crystal structures of protease–inhibitor complexes were determined.
Abstract: The main protease of coronaviruses and the 3C protease of enteroviruses share a similar active-site architecture and a unique requirement for glutamine in the P1 position of the substrate. Because of their unique specificity and essential role in viral polyprotein processing, these proteases are suitable targets for the development of antiviral drugs. In order to obtain near-equipotent, broad-spectrum antivirals against alphacoronaviruses, betacoronaviruses, and enteroviruses, we pursued a structure-based design of peptidomimetic α-ketoamides as inhibitors of main and 3C proteases. Six crystal structures of protease-inhibitor complexes were determined as part of this study. Compounds synthesized were tested against the recombinant proteases as well as in viral replicons and virus-infected cell cultures; most of them were not cell-toxic. Optimization of the P2 substituent of the α-ketoamides proved crucial for achieving near-equipotency against the three virus genera. The best near-equipotent inhibitors, 11u (P2 = cyclopentylmethyl) and 11r (P2 = cyclohexylmethyl), display low-micromolar EC50 values against enteroviruses, alphacoronaviruses, and betacoronaviruses in cell cultures. In Huh7 cells, 11r exhibits three-digit picomolar activity against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus.
412 citations
TL;DR: Baicalin and baicalein, two ingredients of Shuanghuanglian, were characterized as the first noncovalent, nonpeptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system.
Abstract: Human infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there is no cure currently. The 3CL protease (3CLpro) is a highly conserved protease which is indispensable for CoVs replication, and is a promising target for development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. In this study we investigated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of Shuanghuanglian preparation, a Chinese traditional patent medicine with a long history for treating respiratory tract infection in China. We showed that either the oral liquid of Shuanghuanglian, the lyophilized powder of Shuanghuanglian for injection or their bioactive components dose-dependently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro as well as the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells. Baicalin and baicalein, two ingredients of Shuanghuanglian, were characterized as the first noncovalent, nonpeptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system. Remarkably, the binding mode of baicalein with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro determined by X-ray protein crystallography was distinctly different from those of known 3CLpro inhibitors. Baicalein was productively ensconced in the core of the substrate-binding pocket by interacting with two catalytic residues, the crucial S1/S2 subsites and the oxyanion loop, acting as a "shield" in front of the catalytic dyad to effectively prevent substrate access to the catalytic dyad within the active site. Overall, this study provides an example for exploring the in vitro potency of Chinese traditional patent medicines and effectively identifying bioactive ingredients toward a specific target, and gains evidence supporting the in vivo studies of Shuanghuanglian oral liquid as well as two natural products for COVID-19 treatment.
271 citations
TL;DR: It is hoped this review can guide people to pay more attention to the development of green energy system to generate pollution-free H 2 energy, which will realize the whole process of H 2 production with low cost, pollution- free and energy sustainability conversion.
Abstract: Hydrogen (H2) production is a latent feasibility of renewable clean energy. The industrial H2 production is obtained from reforming of natural gas, which consumes a large amount of nonrenewable energy and simultaneously produces greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach for the H2 production, which is sustainable and pollution-free. Therefore, developing efficient and economic technologies for electrochemical water splitting has been an important goal for researchers around the world. The utilization of green energy systems to reduce overall energy consumption is more important for H2 production. Harvesting and converting energy from the environment by different green energy systems for water splitting can efficiently decrease the external power consumption. A variety of green energy systems for efficient producing H2, such as two-electrode electrolysis of water, water splitting driven by photoelectrode devices, solar cells, thermoelectric devices, triboelectric nanogenerator, pyroelectric device or electrochemical water-gas shift device, have been developed recently. In this review, some notable progress made in the different green energy cells for water splitting is discussed in detail. We hoped this review can guide people to pay more attention to the development of green energy system to generate pollution-free H2 energy, which will realize the whole process of H2 production with low cost, pollution-free and energy sustainability conversion.
213 citations
TL;DR: This work synthesized Z-scheme Fe2O3@Ag-ZnO@C heterostructures (FAZ) from the Fe-MOFs and applied it to photo-degradation of tetracycline and methylene blue pollutants in wastewater, exhibiting a remarkable performance as well as stability under visible light irradiation.
Abstract: Creatively constructing Z-scheme composites is a promising and common strategy for designing effective photocatalyst systems. Herein, we synthesized Z-scheme Fe2O3@Ag-ZnO@C heterostructures from the Fe-MOFs and applied it to photodegradation of tetracycline and methylene blue pollutants in wastewater. The optimized sample exhibits a remarkable performance as well as stability under visible light irradiation. The calculating and experimental results demonstrate that the Fe2O3@ZnO nanointerface and carbon sheath together boost the transfer efficiency of photogenerated carriers and absorption ability, thereby improving the photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, detailed mechanism investigation reveals the pivotal role of reactive oxygen species (•OH and •O2-) generated, resulting in remarkable performance. In addition, cell biology experiments reveal that the wastewater after photocatalytic treatment has good biological compatibility, which is important for applications. This work provides valuable information for constructing high-performance Z-scheme photocatalysts from MOFs for environmental treatment.
188 citations
TL;DR: Inspired by the interlocked microridges between the epidermis and dermis, a highly sensitive capacitive tactile sensor by creating interlocked asymmetric-nanocones in poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) film is proposed.
Abstract: The tactile sensor lies at the heart of electronic skin and is of great importance in the development of flexible electronic devices. To date, it still remains a critical challenge to develop a large-scale capacitive tactile sensor with high sensitivity and controllable morphology in an economical way. Inspired by the interlocked microridges between the epidermis and dermis, herein, a highly sensitive capacitive tactile sensor by creating interlocked asymmetric-nanocones in poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) film is proposed. Particularly, a facile method based on cone-shaped nanoporous anodized aluminum oxide templates is proposed to cost-effectively fabricate the highly ordered nanocones in a controllable manner and on a large scale. Finite-element analysis reveals that under vertical forces, the strain/stress can be highly strengthened and localized at the contact apexes, resulting in an amplified variation of film permittivity and thickness. Benefiting from this, the developed tactile sensor presents several conspicuous features, including the maximum sensitivity (6.583 kPa-1 ) in the low pressure region (0-100 Pa), ultralow detection limit (≈3 Pa), rapid response/recovery time (48/36 ms), excellent stability and reproducibility (10 000 cycles). These salient merits enable the sensor to be successfully applied in a variety of applications including sign language gesture detection, spatial pressure mapping, Braille recognition, and physiological signal monitoring.
140 citations
TL;DR: Both experimental and computational results indicate that synergistic effects between Bi3TaO7 and Ti3C2 improve photocatalytic performance by enhancing electron-hole pair separation, electronic transmission efficiency, and interfacial charge transfer.
138 citations
TL;DR: Baicalin and baicalein were identified as the first non-covalent, non-peptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system.
Abstract: Human infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cause coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and there is currently no cure. The 3C-like protease (3CLpro), a highly conserved protease indispensable for replication of coronaviruses, is a promising target for development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. To advance the speed of drug discovery and development, we investigated the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro by natural products derived from Chinese traditional medicines. Baicalin and baicalein were identified as the first non-covalent, non-peptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system. Remarkably, the binding mode of baicalein with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro determined by X-ray protein crystallography is distinctly different from those of known inhibitors. Baicalein is perfectly ensconced in the core of the substrate-binding pocket by interacting with two catalytic residues, the crucial S1/S2 subsites and the oxyanion loop, acting as a “shield” in front of the catalytic dyad to prevent the peptide substrate approaching the active site. The simple chemical structure, unique mode of action, and potent antiviral activities in vitro, coupled with the favorable safety data from clinical trials, emphasize that baicalein provides a great opportunity for the development of critically needed anti-coronaviral drugs.
128 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an inexpensive electrocatalyst consisting of N-doped carbon-coated porous Ni3Mo3N microrods was cultured on nickel foam using a hydrothermal reaction and subsequent nitriding process.
Abstract: The low onset potential and large current density of electrocatalysts has always been important target for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In especial, the large current density (larger than 1000 mA cm−2) is an important criterion for the evaluation of electrocatalysts for industrial application. Usually, the number of catalytic sites in electrocatalyst limits the current density for HER. To overcome these problems, bimetallic nitride is controllably synthesized, and the corresponding catalytic sites are regulated by a bimetallic effect. Herein, an inexpensive electrocatalyst consisting of N-doped carbon-coated porous Ni3Mo3N microrods (NC/Ni3Mo3N/NF) is cultured on nickel foam using a hydrothermal reaction and subsequent nitriding process. The designed electrocatalyst consisting of porous NC/Ni3Mo3N microrods displays efficient catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), with a small overpotential of 136 mV to achieve a cathodic current density of 100 mA cm−2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations clarified that the Ni3Mo3N electrocatalyst possesses various HER catalytic active sites with suitable ΔGH* values (more than ten sites) due to the metallic semiconductor structure with special electronic structure. It is important that NC/Ni3Mo3N/NF possess perfect superstability for HER, with a large current density of 1100 mA cm−2 for 50 h. Lastly, NC/Ni3Mo3N/NF and NiMoO4·xH2O/NF are hired as the cathode and anode, respectively, to assemble the two-electrode electrolytic cell, thereby achieving excellent overall water splitting performance with a voltage of 1.58 V at 50 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH aqueous solution.
116 citations
TL;DR: In this article, two-dimensional Ti3C2 nanosheets were fabricated via etching Ti3AlC2 with HF, followed by ultrasonic exfoliation.
Abstract: Exploring efficient, stable and low-cost photocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production remains a challenge in the field of energy conversion. Here, two-dimensional Ti3C2 nanosheets were fabricated via etching Ti3AlC2 with HF, followed by ultrasonic exfoliation. Then CdLa2S4/Ti3C2 nanocomposites were fabricated by growing CdLa2S4 nanoparticles in situ on the surface of these Ti3C2 nanosheets. The resultant CdLa2S4/Ti3C2 nanocomposites exhibited an excellent photocatalytic activity for H2 production from water splitting under visible light illumination. When the content of Ti3C2 was 1.0 wt%, the CdLa2S4/Ti3C2 nanocomposites presented maximum hydrogen production rate of 11182.4 μmol·g−1·h−1, which was 13.4 times as high as that of pristine CdLa2S4 and even outperformed Pt-loaded CdLa2S4. The apparent quantum efficiency reached 15.6% at 420 nm. In addition, the CdLa2S4/Ti3C2 photocatalyst still maintained high photocatalytic activity after six cycles. The exceptional performance of CdLa2S4/Ti3C2 originated from the superior electrical conductivity of Ti3C2 MXene, which facilitated the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. This work presents the potential of earth-abundant MXene materials in the construction of high efficiency and low-cost photocatalysts toward solar energy conversion.
TL;DR: The aim is to provide a critical review on the most recent progress related to nanocellulose-containing sensors, since there are significantly increasing research activities in this area.
Abstract: Sensors are of increasing interest since they can be applied to daily life in different areas from various industrial sectors. As a natural nanomaterial, nanocellulose plays a vital role in the development of novel sensors, particularly in the context of constructing multidimensional architectures. This review summarizes the utilization of nanocellulose including cellulose nanofibers, cellulose nanocrystals, and bacterial cellulose for sensor design, mainly focusing on the influence of nanocellulose on the sensing performance of these sensors. Special attention is paid to nanocellulose in different forms (1D, 2D, and 3D) to highlight the impact of nanocellulose constructed structures. The aim is to provide a critical review on the most recent progress (especially after 2017) related to nanocellulose-containing sensors, since there are significantly increasing research activities in this area. Moreover, the outlook for the development of nanocellulose-containing sensors is also provided at the end of this work.
TL;DR: Treatment with IL-10+ EVs significantly ameliorated renal tubular injury and inflammation caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury, and potently prevented the transition to chronic kidney disease.
Abstract: Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been attracting strong research interest for use as natural drug delivery systems. We report an approach to manufacturing interleukin-10 (IL-10)–loaded EVs (IL-10+ EVs) by engineering macrophages for treating ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI). Delivery of IL-10 via EVs enhanced not only the stability of IL-10, but also its targeting to the kidney due to the adhesive components on the EV surface. Treatment with IL-10+ EVs significantly ameliorated renal tubular injury and inflammation caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury, and potently prevented the transition to chronic kidney disease. Mechanistically, IL-10+ EVs targeted tubular epithelial cells, and suppressed mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, thereby promoting mitophagy to maintain mitochondrial fitness. Moreover, IL-10+ EVs efficiently drove M2 macrophage polarization by targeting macrophages in the tubulointerstitium. Our study demonstrates that EVs can serve as a promising delivery platform to manipulate IL-10 for the effective treatment of ischemic AKI.
TL;DR: A reversible Zn//(Na,Mn)V8O20·nH2O system is reported, which exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance and is ascribed to the Mn2+/Mn3+‐ induced high electrical conductivity and Na+‐induced fast migration of Zn2+.
Abstract: Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) show promise for use in energy storage. However, the development of ZIBs has been plagued by the limited cathode candidates, which usually show low capacity or poor cycling performance. Here, a reversible Zn//(Na,Mn)V8O20·nH2O system is reported, the introduction of manganese (Mn) ions in NaV8O20 to form (Na,Mn)V8O20 exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance with a capacity of 377 mA h g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1. Through experimental and theoretical results, it is discovered that the outstanding performance of (Na,Mn)V8O20·nH2O is ascribed to the Mn2+/Mn3+-induced high electrical conductivity and Na+-induced fast migration of Zn2+. Other cathode materials derived from (Na,Mn)V8O20·nH2O by substituting Mn with Fe, Co, Ni, Ca, and K are explored to confirm the unique advantages of transition metal ions. With an increase in Mn content in NaV8O20, (Na0.33,Mn0.65)V8O20 ·nH2O can deliver a reversible capacity of 150 mA h g-1 and a capacity retention of 99% after 1000 cycles, which may open new opportunities for the development of high-performance aqueous ZIBs.
TL;DR: Green-emitting zero-dimensional perovskite Cs4PbBr6, consisting of an array of isolated [PbBBr6]4- octahedra, has drawn a magnitude of interest due to its peculiar yet robust photoluminescence prope...
Abstract: Green-emitting zero-dimensional perovskite Cs4PbBr6, consisting of an array of isolated [PbBr6]4– octahedra, has drawn a magnitude of interest due to its peculiar yet robust photoluminescence prope...
01 Jul 2020
TL;DR: The results demonstrate the efficacy of this screening strategy, and establishes a new paradigm for the rapid discovery of drug leads with clinical potential in response to new infectious diseases where no specific drugs or vaccines are available.
Abstract: A coronavirus identified as 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is the etiological agent responsible for the 2019-2020 viral pneumonia outbreak that commenced in Wuhan1-4. Currently there is no targeted therapeutics and effective treatment options remain very limited. In order to rapidly discover lead compounds for clinical use, we initiated a program of combined structure-assisted drug design, virtual drug screening, and high-throughput screening to identify new drug leads that target the COVID-19 main protease (Mpro). Mpro is a key coronavirus enzyme, which plays a pivotal role in mediating viral replication and transcription, making it an attractive drug target for this virus5,6. Here, we identified a mechanism-based inhibitor, N3, by computer-aided drug design and subsequently determined the crystal structure of COVID-19 Mpro in complex with this compound. Next, through a combination of structure-based virtual and high-throughput screening, we assayed over 10,000 compounds including approved drugs, drug candidates in clinical trials, and other pharmacologically active compounds as inhibitors of Mpro. Seven of these inhibit Mpro with IC50 values ranging from 0.48 to 16.62 μM. Ebselen, thiadiazolidinone-8 (TDZD-8) and N3 also exhibited strong antiviral activity in cell-based assays. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of this screening strategy, and establishes a new paradigm for the rapid discovery of drug leads with clinical potential in response to new infectious diseases where no specific drugs or vaccines are available.
TL;DR: In this article, ultrathin nitrogen-doped molybdenum carbide nanosheets (N-Mo2C NSs) are used as a versatile support to stabilize Ru single atoms (SAs) sites via the anti-Ostwald ripening.
Abstract: The irreversible sintering of supported ruthenium (Ru) catalyst in the preparation process has seriously affected its hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity and stability. Herein, ultrathin nitrogen-doped molybdenum carbide nanosheets (N-Mo2C NSs) is used as a versatile support to stabilize Ru single atoms (SAs) sites via the anti-Ostwald ripening. Ru SAs are dispersed into the N-Mo2C NSs matrix via the strong bonding between the Ru atoms and Mo2C NSs regulated by N doping. The atomic isolated Ru SAs are confirmed by spherical aberration correction transmission electron microscopy (AC HAADF-STEM) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements. Ru SAs/N-Mo2C NSs exhibits outstanding HER performance, with a small overpotential of 43 mV at 10 mA/cm2, and robust catalytic stability in 1.0 M KOH. Importantly, Ru SAs/N-Mo2C NSs possesses a higher mass activity of 6.44 A/mgRu than that of 20 wt% Pt/C (0.91 A/mgPt) at the overpotential of 100 mV. Theoretical calculations further reveal that the high HER activity of Ru SAs/N-Mo2C NSs is derived from the synergistically accelerated the dissociation of H2O and the optimized H adsorption strength in Mo-Ru interface. This result provides a new direction for the rational designing monatomic electrocatalysts for HER via support interaction effect.
TL;DR: Ni3P nanoparticles embedded into N\P co-doped carbon shells on 3D graphene frameworks were synthesized viaan in situ phosphatization of nickel well-integrated with the structure engineering of carbon matrix derived from saccharomycetes.
Abstract: The development of new, clean and efficient catalytic materials for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has become extremely unstoppable. Herein, the heterostructural Ni-Ni3P nanoparticles embedded into N\P co-doped carbon shells on 3D graphene frameworks (Ni-Ni3P@NPC/rGO) was synthesized viaan in situ phosphatization of nickel well-integrated with the structure engineering of carbon matrix derived from saccharomycetes. The in-situ phosphating process of nickel using P source provided by saccharomycetes is particularly simple, economical and environmentally friendly. In addition, the as-prepared Ni-Ni3P@NPC/rGO exhibits superior bifunctional electrocatalytic performance toward both HER (extremely low overpotential of 113 mV at 20 mA cm–2) and urea degradation reaction (UDR, only 1.38 V to attain 50 mA cm–2). Furthermore, a two-electrode electrolyzer employing the 3D block electrode (Ni-Ni3P@NPC/rGO/GFB) couple on both cathode and anode, can produce higher current density with lower voltage in urea-based wastewater splitting less than pure water splitting (saved 448 mV to deliver 500 mA g–1).
TL;DR: A flexible pressure sensor with engineered microstructures on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film that possesses excellent bending and torsional strain detection properties, is mechanically durable, and has potential applications in wearable biosensing for healthcare is designed.
Abstract: Fabricating flexible pressure sensors with high sensitivity in a broad pressure range is still a challenge. Herein, a flexible pressure sensor with engineered microstructures on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film is designed. The high performance of the sensor derives from its unique pyramid-wall-grid microstructure (PWGM). A square array of dome-topped pyramids and crossed strengthening walls on the film forms a multiheight hierarchical microstructure. Two pieces of PWGM flexible PDMS film, stacked face-to-face, form a piezoresistive sensor endowed with ultrahigh sensitivity across a very broad pressure range. The sensitivity of the device is as high as 383 665.9 and 269 662.9 kPa-1 in the pressure ranges 0-1.6 and 1.6-6 kPa, respectively. In the higher pressure range of 6.1-11 kPa, the sensitivity is 48 689.1 kPa-1, and even in the very high pressure range of 11-56 kPa, it stays at 1266.8 kPa-1. The pressure sensor possesses excellent bending and torsional strain detection properties, is mechanically durable, and has potential applications in wearable biosensing for healthcare. In addition, 2 × 2 and 4 × 4 sensor arrays are prepared and characterized, suggesting the possibility of manufacturing a flexible tactile sensor.
TL;DR: In this paper, detonation limits in stoichiometric methane-oxygen mixtures with varying tube inner diameter and initial mixture pressure were investigated, and an alternate length scale at the limits was examined, Ldcs, which is the maximum length from the beginning of the test section after which cellular patterns can no longer be observed.
TL;DR: A wood-based 3D solar evaporator constructed via regulating the hydrophilicity of a surface burnt wood and adjusting the height of wood above water surface works efficiently in a water collection device, yielding 2.2 times more water than a common interfacial evaporator.
Abstract: Solar-driven interfacial evaporation with heat localization is an efficient method for large-scale water purification. However, due to the high latent heat of water evaporation and dilute solar flu...
TL;DR: The review of recent progress in the microstructure and domain engineering of lithium niobate film on insulator (LNOI) has concluded that it is a promising photonic material for developing integrated nonlinear photonic devices and systems and could lead to the development of new applications in optical communication and quantum technologies.
Abstract: Recently, integrated photonics has attracted considerable interest owing to its wide application in optical communication and quantum technologies. Among the numerous photonic materials, lithium niobate film on insulator (LNOI) has become a promising photonic platform owing to its electro-optic and nonlinear optical properties along with ultralow-loss and high-confinement nanophotonic lithium niobate waveguides fabricated by the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible microstructure engineering of LNOI. Furthermore, ferroelectric domain engineering in combination with nanophotonic waveguides on LNOI is gradually accelerating the development of integrated nonlinear photonics, which will play an important role in quantum technologies because of its ability to be integrated with the generation, processing, and auxiliary detection of the quantum states of light. Herein, we review the recent progress in CMOS-compatible microstructure engineering and domain engineering of LNOI for integrated lithium niobate photonics involving photonic modulation and nonlinear photonics. We believe that the great progress in integrated photonics on LNOI will lead to a new generation of techniques. Thus, there remains an urgent need for efficient methods for the preparation of LNOI that are suitable for large-scale and low-cost manufacturing of integrated photonic devices and systems. A review of recent progress in the microstructure and domain engineering of lithium niobate film on insulator (LNOI) has concluded that it is a promising photonic material for developing integrated nonlinear photonic devices. The review, conducted by a team of researchers from China and led by Hong Liu from Shandong University, found that the high-performance electro-optic and nonlinear optical properties of LNOI makes it an ideal platform for integrated photonics. Furthermore, they also discovered that the microstructures could be constructed on LNOI platforms for photonic circuits using current manufacturing techniques such as complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology. The researchers concluded that the large-scale and low-cost manufacturing of integrated photonic devices and systems by mature manufacturing processes could lead to the development of new applications in optical communication and quantum technologies.
TL;DR: The micro-/nanostructured interface, with major applications in self-cleaning, antifogging, anti-icing, anticorrosion, drag-reduction, oil-water separation, water collection, droplet (micro)array, and surface-directed liquid transport, is summarized, and the mechanisms underlying each application are discussed.
Abstract: Understanding the relationship between liquid manipulation and micro-/nanostructured interfaces has gained much attention due to the wide potential applications in many fields, such as chemical and biomedical assays, environmental protection, industry, and even daily life. Much work has been done to construct various materials with interfacial liquid manipulation abilities, leading to a range of interesting applications. Herein, different fabrication methods from the top-down approach to the bottom-up approach and subsequent surface modifications of micro-/nanostructured interfaces are first introduced. Then, interactions between the surface and liquid, including liquid wetting, liquid transportation, and a number of corresponding models, together with the definition of hydrophilic/hydrophobic, oleophilic/olephobic, the definition and mechanism of superwetting, including superhydrophobicity, superhydrophilicity, and superoleophobicity, are presented. The micro-/nanostructured interface, with major applications in self-cleaning, antifogging, anti-icing, anticorrosion, drag-reduction, oil-water separation, water collection, droplet (micro)array, and surface-directed liquid transport, is summarized, and the mechanisms underlying each application are discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and future perspectives in this area are included.
TL;DR: This work should pave the way for tumor catalytic therapy applications of Ti‐based material as a promising and safer route for cancer treatment.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors constructed a high-performance, energy-efficient, and fully flexible piezoelectric tactile sensor based on piezotronic effect through the integration of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanorod arrays and the signal amplification function of organic field effect transistor (OFET) devices.
TL;DR: This work provides a rational method to regulate the bonding and charge distribution of Ru‐based electrocatalysts by reacting macromolecules with multielement of C/N/S/P with Ru.
Abstract: Water splitting for production of hydrogen as a clean energy alternative to fossil fuel has received much attention, but it is still a tough challenge to synthesize electrocatalysts with controllable bonding and charge distribution. In this work, ultrafine S-doped RuP nanoparticles homogeneously embedded in a N, P, and S-codoped carbon sheet (S-RuP@NPSC) is synthesized by pyrolysis of poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol) (PZS) as the source of C/N/S/P. The bondings between Ru and N, P, S in PZS are regulated to synthesize RuS2 (800 °C) and S-RuP (900 °C) by different calcination temperatures. The S-RuP@NPSC with low Ru loading of 0.8 wt% with abundant active catalytic sites possesses high utilization of Ru, the mass catalytic activity is 22.88 times than 20 wt% Pt/C with the overpotential of 250 mV. Density functional theory calculation confirms that the surface Ru (-0.18 eV) and P (0.05 eV) are catalytic active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and the according charge redistribution of Ru is regulated by S and P with reverse electronegativity and electron-donor property to induce a synergistically enhanced reactivity toward the HER. This work provides a rational method to regulate the bonding and charge distribution of Ru-based electrocatalysts by reacting macromolecules with multielement of C/N/S/P with Ru.
TL;DR: In this article, a direct patterning of intrinsically stretchable and highly conductive liquid metal (LM) on hydrogel substrate for completely soft and stretchable electronics without mechanical mismatch is presented.
Abstract: Soft, wet and biocompatible hydrogels have emerged as a promising material candidate for flexible and stretchable electronics. However, most existing conductors designed for hydrogel suffer from poor biocompatibility, low conductivity, or mechanical mismatch with hydrogel. In this work, we show direct patterning of intrinsically stretchable and highly conductive liquid metal (LM) on hydrogel substrate for completely soft and stretchable hydrogel electronics without mechanical mismatch. This was achieved by patterning of liquid metal dispersed with magnetic microparticles on the wet hydrogel using magnetic field. High resolution and uniform LM patterns were obtained with an assistance of a laser cutting mask. In addition, the encapsulated liquid metal in the hydrogel matrix can also enhance the mechanical strength of the hydrogel. Moreover, mechanical and electrical self-healing can be achieved simultaneously at the damaged region, by taking advantages of the hydrogen bonds in the PVA hydrogel network and the merging of the liquid metal, respectively. We also demonstrated a few applications of the LM enabled hydrogel bioelectronics for wearable sensors, soft wireless communication device and self-healing electronics. Figure 1. A) Schematic illustration of fabrication process of the LM-based hydrogel electronic devices. B-D) Optical images of LM patterns on PVA hydrogel including a logo of Southeast University, (C) a QR code and two entangled spirals. Scale bar: 5 mm. E) Optical microscopic image of single line LM pattern on PVA hydrogel (scale bar: 1 mm) References [1] Hyunwoo, Y.; Baoyang, L.; Xuanhe, Z.: Hydrogel bioelectronics, Chem. Soc. Rev., Vol 48, pp. 1642-1667, 2019 [2] Ma, B., Xu, C., Chi, J., Chen, J., Zhao, C., Liu, H.: A Versatile Approach for Direct Patterning of Liquid Metal Using Magnetic Field. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019, 1901370. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201901370
08 Apr 2020
TL;DR: In this paper, a flexible graphene field effect transistor (Gr-FET) biosensor was proposed for the detection of miRNA without labeling and functionalization. But it is not suitable for use in medical applications.
Abstract: A flexible graphene field-effect transistor (Gr-FET) biosensor for ultrasensitive and specific detection of miRNA without labeling and functionalization is reported. The flexible biosensor presents...