Catalytic oxygen evolution from hydrogen peroxide by trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]@InBTB metal-organic framework catalytic system.

The diethylammonium counter-cations of the [Et2NH2]3[In3(BTB)4] metal-organic framework (InBTB MOF, BTB = 1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate) with an anionic framework can be effectively exchanged with cationic trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]+ complex ions through a simple cation-exchange process. The heterogenized trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]+-encapsulated InBTB MOF (trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]@InBTB) catalytic system maintained the activity of the captured trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]+ complex ion for hydrogen peroxide decomposition in aqueous solution under mild reaction conditions. The captured trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]+ complex also exhibited trans-cis isomerization to produce either cis-[Co(en)2Cl2]@InBTB or cis-[Co(en)2(H2O)Cl]@InBTB based on IR spectroscopic investigation. The trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]@InBTB catalytic system showed high recyclability for oxygen evolution from hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic ability of trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]@InBTB was maintained up to seven times of recycling.

Immunosecurity: immunomodulants enhance immune responses in chickens.

The global population has increased with swift urbanization in developing countries, and it is likely to result in a high demand for animal-derived protein-rich foods. Animal farming has been constantly affected by various stressful conditions, which can be categorized into physical, environmental, nutritional, and biological factors. Such conditions could be exacerbated by banning on the use of antibiotics as a growth promoter together with a pandemic situation including, but not limited to, African swine fever, avian influenza, and foot-and-mouth disease. To alleviate these pervasive tension, various immunomodulants have been suggested as alternatives for antibiotics. Various studies have investigated how stressors (i.e., imbalanced nutrition, dysbiosis, and disease) could negatively affect nutritional physiology in chickens. Importantly, the immune system is critical for host protective activity against pathogens, but at the same time excessive immune responses negatively affect its productivity. Yet, comprehensive review articles addressing the impact of such stress factors on the immune system of chickens are scarce. In this review, we categorize these stressors and their effects on the immune system of chickens and attempt to provide immunomodulants which can be a solution to the aforementioned problems facing the chicken industry.

Photophysical Properties and Heterogeneous Photoredox Catalytic Activities of Ru(bpy)3 @InBTB Metal-Organic Framework (MOF).

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with negatively charged frameworks are suitable for selectively encapsulating cationic guest ions via a cation-exchange process. Encapsulating photoactive [RuL3 ]2+ polypyridine complexes into the preorganized mesoscale channels of a MOF is a good method for stabilizing the excited states of the complexes. Three new RuL3 @InBTB MOFs were prepared by encapsulating cationic [Ru(bpy)3 ]2+ (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine), [Ru(phen)3 ]2+ (phen=1,10-phenanthroline), and [Ru(bpz)3 ]2+ (bpz=2,2'-bipyrazine) into the mesopores of a three-dimensional (3D) InBTB MOF (H3 BTB=1,3,5-benzenetribenzoic acid). The photophysical properties of the resulting materials were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The photoredox catalytic activities were also investigated for the aza-Henry reaction, hydrogenation of dimethyl maleate, and decomposition of methyl orange under visible light irradiation at room temperature. RuL3 @InBTB MOFs were found to be very stable and highly recyclable photoredox catalytic systems.

Remarkable Conductivity of a Self-Healing Single-Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolyte, Poly(ethylene-co-acrylic lithium (fluoro sulfonyl)imide), for All-Solid-State Li-Ion Batteries.

Single-ion conducting polymer electrolyte (SICPE) is a safer alternative to the conventional high-performance liquid electrolyte for Li-ion batteries. The performance of SICPEs-based Li-ion batteries is limited due to the low Li+ conductivities of SICPEs at room temperature. Herein, we demonstrated the synthesis of a novel SICPE, poly(ethylene-co-acrylic lithium (fluoro sulfonyl)imide) (PEALiFSI), with acrylic (fluoro sulfonyl)imide anion (AFSI). The solvent- and plasticizer-free PEALiFSI electrolyte, which was assembled at 90 °C under pressure, exhibited self-healing properties with remarkably high Li+ conductivity (5.84 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 25 °C). This is mainly due to the self-healing behavior of this electrolyte, which induced to increase the proportion of the amorphous phase. Additionally, the weak interaction of Li+ with the resonance-stabilized AFSI anion is also responsible for high Li+ conductivity. This self-healed SICPE showed high Li+ transference number (ca. 0.91), flame and heat retardancy, and good thermal stability, which concurrently delivered ca. 88.25% (150 mAh g-1 at 0.1C) of the theoretical capacitance of LiFePO4 cathode material at 25 °C with the full-cell configuration of LiFePO4/PEALiFSI/graphite. Furthermore, the self-healed PEALiFSI-based all-solid-state Li battery showed high electrochemical cycling stability with the capacity retention of 95% after 500 charge-discharge cycles.

Photophysical properties of cationic dyes captured in the mesoscale channels of micron-sized metal-organic framework crystals.

The optical properties of dye molecules in confined spaces can differ from the solution phase due to confinement effects. Pre-organized mesoscale channels of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are very suited for hosting various dyes, and the robust frameworks often render the encapsulated dyes with certain preferential geometries, which are different from those found in solution. Furthermore, pre-organized open channels can efficiently guide the uniform and unique spatial distribution of dye molecules in a controlled manner, which are otherwise difficult to achieve. Thus, sufficiently large dye molecules can avoid the formation of complex aggregates when captured inside open channels. In contrast, small dye molecules can form well-defined dimers or aggregates. The resulting dye-encapsulated MOFs can display unusual photophysical properties of the captured dyes. An anionic framework of In-BTB with mesoscale 3D channels is utilized for the efficient encapsulation of various cationic dyes through cation-exchange processes. Six different cationic dyes are encapsulated in the anionic framework of In-BTB, and their crystal structures are completely solved. Novel photophysical properties of these spatially distributed dye molecules in dye@In-BTBs are investigated.

In6S7 nanoparticle-embedded and sulfur and nitrogen co-doped microporous carbons derived from In(tdc)2 metal-organic framework.

Indium sulfide nanoparticle (NP)-embedded microporous carbons co-doped with S- and N-dopants are easily prepared by a direct carbonization of the as-prepared In(iii)-based metal-organic framework (In-MOF), [Et2NH2][In(tdc)2]·DEF, containing ditopic S-containing 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate (tdc2-) bridging linkers as a potential source of S-dopant. The charge on the anionic framework of [In(tdc)2]- is balanced by Et2NH2+, which is also a potential N-dopant. Simultaneous embedding of In-based NPs, S-, and N-co-doping is achieved in a simple single step carbonization of In-MOF. Three porous carbon materials (PCMs), PCM-700, PCM-800, and PCM-900, are obtained from the carbonization of In-MOF at 700, 800, and 900 °C, respectively. The gas sorption analysis indicates them as good CO2 sorbents. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange by PCMs under visible light irradiation is also effectively operable owing to the photocatalytically active semiconducting indium sulfide NP with a small bandgap. The main component of indium sulfide NPs is revealed as In6S7 based on the powder X-ray diffraction pattern. Small amounts of metallic In and In2S3 are also observed. The specific capacitances of PCMs are also estimated from the galvanostatic charge/discharge curves. PCM-900 exhibits the highest gravimetric specific capacitance of 99.0 F g-1 at a current density of 0.05 A g-1.