Enhancing Efficiency and High-Value Chemicals Generation through Coupling Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with Propane Oxidation.

Conversion of CO2 into high-value chemicals using solar energy is one of promising approaches to achieve carbon neutrality. However, the oxidation of water in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction is kinetically unfavorable due to multi-electron and proton transfer processes, along with the difficulty in generating O-O bonds. To tackle these challenges, this study investigated the coupling reaction of photocatalytic CO2 reduction and selective propane oxidation using the Pd/P25 (1 wt%) catalyst. Our findings reveal a significant improvement in CO2 reduction, nearly fivefold higher, achieved by substituting water oxidation with selective propane oxidation. This substitution not only accelerates the process of CO2 reduction but also yields valuable propylene. The relative ease of propane oxidation, compared to water, appears to increase the density of photogenerated electrons, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of CO2 reduction. We further found that hydroxyl radicals and reduced intermediate (carboxylate species) played important roles in the photocatalytic reaction. These findings not only propose a potential approach for the efficient utilization of CO2 through the coupling of selective propane oxidation into propylene, but also provide insights into the mechanistic understanding of the coupling reaction.

Shape-Dependent Performance of Cu/Cu2 O for Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2.

The photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into solar fuels or chemicals is a sustainable approach to relieve the immediate problems related to global warming and the energy crisis. This study concerns the effects of morphological control on a Cu/Cu2 O-based photocatalyst for CO2 reduction. The as-synthesized spherical Cu/Cu2 O photocatalyst exhibits higher activity than the octahedral one under visible light irradiation. The difference in photocatalytic performance between these two catalysts could be attributed to the following two factors: (1) The multifaceted structure of spherical Cu/Cu2 O favors charge separation; (2) octahedral Cu/Cu2 O only contains more positively charged (111) facets, which are unfavorable for CO2 photoreduction. The results further highlight the importance of utilizing crystal facet engineering to further improve the performance of CO2 reduction photocatalysts.

Influence of Non-Structural Parameters on Dual Parallel Jet Characteristics of Porous Nozzles.

As an important actuator of the dual parallel jet, the porous nozzle has some non-structural parameters (such as inlet pressure, nozzle spacing ratio, etc.) which have a significant influence on energy transport, chemical combustion and pollutant generation. The research on the microfluidic state of the porous nozzle dual parallel jet, however, remains insufficient because of its microjet pattern and complex intersection process. In this paper, the authors used numerical simulation and an experimental method to clarify the influence of porous nozzles' non-structural parameters on dual parallel jet characteristics. The results show that the inlet pressure only changes the pressure peak value on the parallel jet axis; the starting point (SP) and peak point (PP) on the parallel jet axis, which are located at Xsp = 22 mm and Xpp = 75 mm, respectively, are not changed; and with the increase in the nozzle spacing ratio, the merging points (MPs) on the parallel jet axis are Xmp = 25 mm, 32 mm and 59 mm, respectively. The merging point and the combined point move to a farther distance and the inner deflection angle of the jet is weakened.

Functional analysis of prv-miR-LLT11a encoded by pseudorabies virus.

Viral-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) have vital roles in the regulation of virus replications and host immune responses. The results of previous studies have indicated that miRNA clusters are involved in the replication and virulence of the pseudorabies virus (PRV), which may potentially lead to immune escape or facilitation of PRV replication. This study's previous research revealed that prv-miR-LLT11a was differentially expressed during PRV infection. The present study's results have demonstrated that prv-miR-LLT11a could significantly inhibit PRV replication. It was further determined that SLA-1 was the target gene of prv-miR-LLT11a, and simultaneously, that overexpression of prv-miR-LLT11a could downregulate the mRNA and protein levels of SLA-1 in a dose-independent manner. Furthermore, the present study also observed that prv-miR-LLT11a can downregulate TAP1 expression. Our findings provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanism involved in the effects of prv-miR-LLT11a on SLA-1 and TAP1 as well as its involvement in immune system evasion of PRV.

Dynamic Raman imaging system with high spatial and temporal resolution.

There is an increasing need to study dynamic changing systems with significantly high spatial and temporal resolutions. In this work, we integrated point-scanning, line-scanning, and wide-field Raman imaging techniques into a single system. By using an Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD) with a high gain and high frame rate, we significantly reduced the time required for wide-field imaging, making it possible to monitor the electrochemical reactions in situ. The highest frame rate of EMCDD was ∼50 fps, and the Raman images for a specific Raman peak can be obtained by passing the signal from the sample through the Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter. The spatial resolutions of scanning imaging and wide-field imaging with a 100× objective (NA = 0.9) are 0.5 × 0.5 µm2 and 0.36 × 0.36 µm2, respectively. The system was used to study the surface plasmon resonance of Au nanorods, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering signal distribution for Au Nanoparticle aggregates, and dynamic Raman imaging of an electrochemical reacting system.