The Royal Society of Chemistry最新文献

The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has intensified the development of innovative materials that enhance productivity while alleviating the risks and negative impacts on the environment. This review discusses the role played by eco-friendly and advanced hydrogels in attaining sustainability in agriculture. An overview of modern agricultural practices is presented, highlighting the crucial role of hydrogels owing to their water-retaining ability and controlled release behavior. Furthermore, the types of hydrogels, their preparation methods, and various functions, such as swelling capacity, biodegradability, controlled release, and conductivity, that make them suitable for agriculture are discussed. Along with emphasizing on eco-friendly hydrogels, focusing on green synthesis approaches using bio-based raw materials and their environmental compatibility, advanced smart and responsive hydrogels are discussed. Subsequently, the practical applications of eco-friendly and advanced hydrogels in agriculture are examined, including soil moisture retention, controlled release for nutrient and agrochemical delivery, seed coating, soil remediation and soil-less cultivation. This review discusses the agronomic benefits together with the limitations of using hydrogels, concluding with future directions for the integration of sustainable hydrogel systems.

This study investigates the corrosion inhibition efficiency of safflower plant (SP) extract on carbon steel in hydrochloric acid (HCl) solutions. The SP extract, obtained through Soxhlet extraction, was tested for its ability to reduce corrosion using electrochemical techniques, including potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM). The study revealed that the SP extract functions as an effective mixed-type inhibitor, significantly reducing the corrosion current density and enhancing inhibition efficiency at concentrations up to 2.5 g L⁻¹. It achieved an inhibition efficiency of 89.56% at 2.5 g L⁻¹. The adsorption mechanism is described in terms of both physical and chemical adsorption processes, with the Langmuir isotherm fitting the adsorption data. Computational modeling using density functional theory (DFT) further supported the experimental findings, identifying key active compounds in SP extract that contribute to its inhibitory performance. The study demonstrates the potential of SP extract as a sustainable and eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for industrial applications.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered promising energy storage devices and substitutes for lithium-ion batteries in the near future, and their anode materials play crucial roles in their electrochemical performance. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has attracted significant attention as an SIB anode material owing to its high theoretical capacity (670 mA h g⁻¹) and 2D structure with a large layer space (0.65 nm vs. 0.33 nm of graphite). In this work, 3D polystyrene (PS) microspheres were adopted as sacrificial templates to construct a hierarchical macroporous C@MoS₂ composite, which has rarely been reported for SIB anodes. This unique design synergistically integrated conductive macroporous carbon networks with 2D-layered MoS₂, enabling super Na⁺ storage capability and unprecedented cycling stability in SIBs. In particular, a capacity of 438 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g⁻¹ and a capacity of 319.4 mA h g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles at 1000 mA g⁻¹ were achieved owing to its unique macroporous structure. Furthermore, the high electronic conductivity, large surface area, and rich Na⁺ diffusion channels all benefit for its super capacity and stability.

An internal electric field can be formed by constructing a heterojunction to achieve effective separation of photogenerated electrons and holes, which is able to solve the problem of easy compounding of photogenerated carriers in a single semiconductor photocatalyst. This research employs a hydrothermal synthesis technique to develop S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts composed of cerium oxide and bismuth sulfide (CeO₂/Bi₂S₃) and evaluates their efficacy in degrading TC under visible light. The formation of S-scheme heterojunctions was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations showing that electrons migrate, and the internal electric field of the S-scheme heterojunctions achieves the separation of the electron–hole pairs, retaining the redox capacity of useful electrons and holes, which is responsible for the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity. The synthesized CeO₂/Bi₂S₃-2 photocatalysts demonstrated a TC degradation rate of 82.43% after a duration of 120 minutes under visible light irradiation. The rate constant of this performance was two times greater than that of CeO₂ alone and 2.75 times greater than that of Bi₂S₃. In addition, free radical trapping experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance results confirmed that ·O₂⁻ and h⁺ are active substances in the photocatalytic reaction process. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) detected possible intermediates and suggested degradation pathways. This study has significant implications for the future development and enhancement of S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts, contributing to advancements in photocatalytic materials.

In recent years, “green synthesis” technology has emerged at the research forefront of the chemical industry as an environmentally friendly approach. As a new and effective chemical synthesis method, organic electrochemical synthesis technology has attracted increasing attention. In this paper, the sol–gel method is used to fabricate a Y-doped Ti/TiO₂ electrode. By adding different concentrations of Y ions, the macropore morphology of the film becomes more obvious, and substrate cracks are improved to a certain extent. EIS tests show that a 0.006-Y electrode exhibits lower charge-transfer resistance. Furthermore, linear voltammetry (LSV) analysis showed that the hydrogen evolution potential of the Y-doped Ti/TiO₂ film electrode was improved. At the optimal Y/Ti molar ratio of 0.006, hydrogen evolution potential reached −1.22 V, showing a −0.19 V shift compared with the undoped electrode, and the hydrogen evolution side reaction was effectively inhibited. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests show that the reduction peak current density in maleic acid solution is as high as 210 mA cm⁻², which is 1.7 times that of the undoped electrode, indicating that the addition of Y at trace concentrations improves the electrocatalytic reduction performance of the electrode. Considering that the cathode can reduce maleic acid at lower potential and has higher catalytic activity, cathode potential is controlled within the range of −0.6–1.2 V for the electrosynthesis of succinic acid. When the optimized reaction temperature is 50 °C, the electrosynthesis yield for succinic acid reaches 91%, and the current efficiency reaches 96.3%.

Three new ent-kaurane diterpenoids, isodosins E–G (1–3), along with 20 known ones (4–23), were obtained from the aerial parts of Isodon serra (Maxim.) Hara. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using 1D/2D NMR spectra and HREIMS data, and their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma activities of compounds 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 19, and 23 were evaluated against HepG2 and Huh7 cell lines using the CCK-8 assay. Among them, compounds 3, 8, and 23 exhibited high inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 6.94 ± 9.10 μM, 71.66 ± 10.81 μM, and 43.26 ± 9.07 μM, respectively. In a Hepa1-6 xenograft mouse model, compound 8 significantly inhibited tumor growth at doses of 50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹, demonstrating its potent anti-hepatocarcinoma activity.

Chitosan is considered an excellent carrier material with great potential due to its good biocompatibility, abundant reserves, and high chemical reactivity. However, chitosan's chemical instability and low mechanical strength limit its applications. In this study, quaternized magnetic chitosan (QMCS) was prepared by modifying magnetic chitosan microspheres (MCS) with quaternary ammonium. The obtained adsorbent was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of pH value and adsorbent dosage on the adsorbent's performance was investigated. The experimental results indicated that QMCS exhibited superior adsorption performance for methyl orange (MO) compared to MCS. At 298 K and pH 4, the adsorption capacity of QMCS for a 125 mg L⁻¹ methyl orange (MO) solution reached 486.13 mg g⁻¹, with a removal efficiency of 99.38%. The adsorption behavior of the adsorbent towards MO was in good agreement with the Langmuir isothermal model and the quasi-second-order kinetics model. The mechanism of adsorption may be attributed to electrostatic interactions and ion exchange. The synthesis of QMCS was simple, environmentally friendly, and has significant potential for water pollution treatment.

Plastic waste, particularly microplastics, is a concerning environmental problem caused by the rapidly increasing production and use of plastic products as well as their improper handling. Therefore, this review presents a comprehensive critical discussion on plastic waste conversion into value-added fuels, specifically hydrogen (H₂). This review particularly focuses on the catalytic materials employed in the catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of waste plastic into H₂. Moreover, the advances in catalytic pyrolysis reactors are extensively discussed. Furthermore, this review considers the circular economy aspect of the pyrolysis of plastic waste in terms of the generated liquid, solid, and gas products. Lastly, the review summarizes the topic with a conclusion and future perspectives. This review offers insights into the prevailing status of plastic waste management under the circular economy framework in light of the increasing plastic waste pollution, supporting long-term sustainability.

Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations, we explore the gas-sensing capabilities of the sawtooth penta-SiC₂ nanoribbon (p-SiC₂-SS) for CO₂ and CO molecules under varying concentrations. Our findings reveal that CO₂ is significantly more difficult to capture than CO. Free CO₂ adsorption occurs only when its initial distance from the adsorbent is less than 1.80 Å, and the molecule should be positioned parallel to the adsorbent. Under these conditions, the material’s electric field bends CO₂ to an angle of around 135°, inducing polarity and enabling adsorption. At low concentrations (one molecule per approximately 54 × 10⁻⁶ cm³), p-SiC₂-SS selectively adsorbs CO₂ via strong chemisorption, with an adsorption energy of approximately −1.60 eV. When the molecular concentration triples, p-SiC₂-SS sequentially adsorbs both CO₂ and CO, with the adsorption energies decreasing to approximately −0.33 eV and −0.36 eV, respectively. Additionally, the electronic properties of p-SiC₂-SS undergo distinct modifications depending on the type of adsorbed molecule. In all cases, the p orbitals of carbon and silicon atoms predominantly contribute to the energy levels near the Fermi level, with the p orbitals of carbon atoms playing a dominant role at the CBM. Our study highlights the potential of p-SiC₂-SS as an effective gas sensor, capable of detecting and distinguishing CO₂ and CO molecules, especially across different molecular concentrations.

A mild and efficient one-pot procedure was developed for the synthesis of substituted N-aryl glycines from 2-chloro-N-aryl acetamides by intermolecular cyclization in the presence of CuCl₂·2H₂O and KOH under reflux condition in acetonitrile medium. The reaction mechanism substantiates the formation of the intermediate 1,4-diarylpiperazine-2,5-dione, which on cleaving with ethanolic KOH afforded the desired products in high yields and in short durations. Both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents on the aromatic rings were well tolerated.