South China University of Technology

About: South China University of Technology is a education organization based out in Guangzhou, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Adsorption. The organization has 62343 authors who have published 69468 publications receiving 1251592 citations. The organization is also known as: SCUT & Huánán Lǐgōng Dàxué.

Real-Time Monitoring of Cell Apoptosis and Drug Screening Using Fluorescent Light-Up Probe with Aggregation-Induced Emission Characteristics

Abstract: Real-time monitoring of cell apoptosis could provide valuable insights into early detection of therapy efficiency and evaluation of disease progression. In this work, we designed and synthesized a new live-cell-permeable, fluorescent light-up probe for real-time cell apoptosis imaging. The probe is comprised of a hydrophilic caspase-specific Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD) peptide and a hydrophobic tetraphenylethene (TPE) unit, a typical fluorogen with aggregation-induced emission characteristics. In aqueous solution, the probe is almost nonfluorescent but displays significant fluorescence enhancement in response to caspase-3/-7, which are activated in the apoptotic process and able to cleave the DEVD moieties. This fluorescence “turn-on” response is ascribed to aggregation of cleaved hydrophobic TPE residues, which restricts the intramolecular rotations of TPE phenyl rings and populates the radiative decay channels. The light-up nature of the probe allows real-time monitoring of caspase-3/-7 activities both in so...

Electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia via direct eight-electron transfer using a copper–molecular solid catalyst

Abstract: Ammonia (NH3) is essential for modern agriculture and industry and is a potential energy carrier. NH3 is traditionally synthesized by the Haber–Bosch process at high temperature and pressure. The high-energy input of this process has motivated research into electrochemical NH3 synthesis via nitrogen (N2)–water reactions under ambient conditions. However, the future of this low-cost process is compromised by the low yield rate and poor selectivity, ascribed to the inert N≡N bond and ultralow solubility of N2. Obtaining NH3 directly from non-N2 sources could circumvent these challenges. Here we report the eight-electron direct electroreduction of nitrate to NH3 catalysed by copper-incorporated crystalline 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride. The catalyst exhibits an NH3 production rate of 436 ± 85 μg h−1 cm−2 and a maximum Faradaic efficiency of 85.9% at −0.4 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. This notable performance is achieved by the catalyst regulating the transfer of protons and/or electrons to the copper centres and suppressing hydrogen production. Electrochemically reducing nitrogen-containing molecules could provide less energy-intense routes to produce ammonia than the traditional Haber–Bosh process. Here the authors use a catalyst comprising Cu embedded in an organic molecular solid to synthesize ammonia from nitrate ions.

Aggregation‐induced Emission (AIE)‐active Starburst Triarylamine Fluorophores as Potential Non‐doped Red Emitters for Organic Light‐emitting Diodes and Cl2 Gas Chemodosimeter

Abstract: A new series of starburst triarylamine fluorophores SBCHO, DBCHO, CZCHO, CZCN, and SBCN, that incorporate diphenylamine or carbazole as the electron donor and dicyanovinyl or aldehyde as the electron acceptor, has been prepared and their photophysical properties are investigated. In sharp contrast to most red-emitting dopants, which show serious aggregation-caused quench phenomena, the new starburst triphenylamine derivatives reported here show unique enhanced emission in the solid state or upon aggregation. Organic light emitting diodes using these compounds as non-doped host emitters and hole transporters have been fabricated. The highest external quantum yield reaches 2.09 % for CZCHO. SBCHO was investigated as a chlorine gas fluorescence (FL) solid-film sensor for the first time. The high-intensity emission was ‘turned off' immediately after being blown by Cl2 gas.