Oxidation of Ethanol to Acetic Acid by Supported PtCu Nanoparticles Stabilized by a Diamine Ligand.

Diamine-capped PtCu nanoparticles have been synthesized by the simultaneous reduction of the corresponding bis-imine metal complexes with hydrogen and supported onto a high-surface-area carbon. The obtained heterogeneous catalyst was tested in thermally conducted aerobic oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid in water as well as in the electrochemical oxidation of ethanol. Both types of catalyses mediated by the PtCu alloy confirmed a notable increase in catalytic activity compared to the pure Pt- and Cu-based counterparts due to a clear bimetallic effect.

Waste Face Surgical Mask Transformation into Crude Oil and Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers.

A novel route for the valorization of waste into valuable products was developed. Surgical masks commonly used for COVID 19 protection by stopping aerosol and droplets have been widely used, and their disposal is critical and often not properly pursued. This work intended to transform surgical masks into platinum group metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as well as into crude oil. Surgical masks were subjected to controlled-temperature and -atmosphere pyrolysis, and the produced char was then converted into electrocatalysts by functionalizing it with metal phthalocyanine of interest. The electrocatalytic performance characterization towards ORR and HER was carried out highlighting promising activity. At different temperatures, condensable oil fractions were acquired and thoroughly analyzed. Transformation of waste surgical masks into electrocatalysts and crude oil can open new routes for the conversion of waste into valuable products within the core of the circular economy.

Morpho-mechanics of human collagen superstructures revealed by all-optical correlative micro-spectroscopies.

In every biological tissue, morphological and topological properties strongly affect its mechanical features and behaviour, so that ultrastructure, composition and mechanical parameters are intimately connected. Overall, it is their correct interplay that guarantees the tissue functionality. The development of experimental methods able to correlate these properties would open new opportunities both in the biological and the biomedical fields. Here, we report a correlative study intended to map supramolecular morphology, biochemical composition and viscoelastic parameters of collagen by all-optical microscopies. In particular, using human corneal tissue as a benchmark, we correlate Second-Harmonic Generation maps with mechanical and biochemical imaging obtained by Brillouin and Raman micro-spectroscopy. The study highlights how subtle variations in supramolecular organization originate the peculiar mechanical behavior of different subtypes of corneal lamellae. The presented methodology paves the way to the non-invasive assessment of tissue morpho-mechanics in biological as well as synthetic materials.

Observation of eight ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.) growing in the Garden of Gethsemane.

For thousands of years, olive trees (Olea europaea L.) have been a significant presence and a symbol in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, remembered for the agony of Jesus Christ before his arrest. This investigation comprises the first morphological and genetic characterization of eight olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. Pomological traits, morphometric, and ultrastructural observations as well as SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) analysis were performed to identify the olive trees. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate their morphological variability. The study revealed a low morphological variability and minimal dissimilarity among the olive trees. According to molecular analysis, these trees showed the same allelic profile at all microsatellite loci analyzed. Combining the results of the different analyses carried out in the frame of the present work, we could conclude that the eight olive trees of the Gethsemane Garden have been propagated from a single genotype.