| 1. |
- Gladisch, Johannes, et al.
(författare)
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An Electroactive Filter with Tunable Porosity Based on Glycolated Polythiophene
- 2022
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Ingår i: Small Science. - : Wiley. - 2688-4046. ; 2:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The porosity of filters is typically fixed; thus, complex purification processes require application of multiple specialized filters. In contrast, smart filters with controllable and tunable properties enable dynamic separation in a single setup. Herein, an electroactive filter with controllable pore size is demonstrated. The electroactive filter is based on a metal mesh coated with a polythiophene polymer with ethylene glycol sidechains (p(g3T2)) that exhibit unprecedented voltage-driven volume changes. By optimizing the polymer coating on the mesh, controllable porosity during electrochemical addressing is achieved. The pores reversibly open and close, with a dynamic range of more than 95%, corresponding to over 30 mu m change of pores widths. Furthermore, the pores widths could be defined by applied potential with a 10 mu m resolution. From among hundreds of pores from different samples, about 90% of the pores could be closed completely, while only less than 1% are inactive. Finally, the electroactive filter is used to control the flow of a dye, highlighting the potential for flow control and smart filtration applications.
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| 2. |
- Hanczyc, Piotr, et al.
(författare)
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Photonics of Hydrothermally Treated ß-Lactoglobulin Amyloids
- 2024
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Ingår i: SMALL SCIENCE. - : WILEY. - 2688-4046.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased temperature and high pressure are applied to beta-lactoglobulin fibrils in the autoclave, resulting in the acquisition of a composite material comprised of partially disassembled amyloid fibrils and carbon dots. Confirmation of the preservation of the beta-sheet motif attributed to amyloids in the hydrothermally treated fibrils is obtained through wide-angle X-ray scattering and ThT assay. Z-scan analysis reveals a two-photon absorption (2PA) enhancement in the low-lying transition band (La) of tyrosine, while quantum chemical calculations demonstrate a correlation between the yield of 2PA and the interspace distance between aromatic residues. Overall, the intrinsic optical properties of amyloid fibrils treated in a subcritical water environment are found to be linked with the pi-conjugation of tyrosine units and their through-space coupling. The resulting composite material is employed as a coating for a commercial ultraviolet light-emitting diode lamp, showcasing the potential utility of sustainable biomaterials with improved optical properties for photonics applications. By subjecting beta-lactoglobulin fibrils to elevated temperature and pressure in autoclave, partially disassembled fibrils are generated. The study reveals a correlation between fluorescence and two-photon absorption and the spacing of aromatic residues, shedding light on the mechanism behind the improved optical properties of amyloid fibrils. Furthermore, the hydrothermally treated beta-lactoglobulin fibrils are utilized to coat ultraviolet light-emitting diode lamps. image (c) 2024 WILEY-VCH GmbH
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| 3. |
- Huang, Zhehao, et al.
(författare)
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Quantum Metal-Organic Frameworks
- 2024
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Ingår i: Small Science. - 2688-4046. ; In Press
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Quantum materials and metal-organic framework (MOFs) materials describe two attractive research areas in physics and chemistry. Yet, with very few exceptions, these fields have been developed with little overlap. This review aims to summarize these efforts and outline the huge potential of considering MOFs as quantum materials, called quantum MOFs. Quantum MOFs exhibit macroscopic quantum states over wide energy and lengths scales. Examples are topological materials and superconductors, to name but a few. In contrast to conventional quantum materials, MOFs exhibit promising unconventional degrees of freedom such as buckling, interpenetration, porosity, and rotations, stimulating the design of novel quantum phases of matter.
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| 4. |
- Li, Changbai, et al.
(författare)
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Engineering Conductive Hydrogels with Tissue-like Properties: A 3D Bioprinting and Enzymatic Polymerization Approach
- 2024
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Ingår i: Small Science. - : WILEY. - 2688-4046. ; In Press
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hydrogels are promising materials for medical devices interfacing with neural tissues due to their similar mechanical properties. Traditional hydrogel-based bio-interfaces lack sufficient electrical conductivity, relying on low ionic conductivity, which limits signal transduction distance. Conducting polymer hydrogels offer enhanced ionic and electronic conductivities and biocompatibility but often face challenges in processability and require aggressive polymerization methods. Herein, we demonstrate in situ enzymatic polymerization of π-conjugated monomers in a hyaluronan (HA)-based hydrogel bioink to create cell-compatible, electrically conductive hydrogel structures. These structures were fabricated using 3D bioprinting of HA-based bioinks loaded with conjugated monomers, followed by enzymatic polymerization via horseradish peroxidase. This process increased the hydrogels’ stiffness from about 0.6 to 1.5 kPa and modified their electroactivity. The components and polymerization process were well-tolerated by human primary dermal fibroblasts and PC12 cells. This work presents a novel method to fabricate cytocompatible and conductive hydrogels suitable for bioprinting. These hybrid materials combine tissue-like mechanical properties with mixed ionic and electronic conductivity, providing new ways to use electricity to influence cell behavior in a native-like microenvironment.
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| 5. |
- Liccardo, Letizia, et al.
(författare)
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Nanoscale ZnO/α-Fe2O3 Heterostructures: Toward Efficient and Low-Cost Photoanodes for Water Splitting
- 2022
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Ingår i: Small Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2688-4046. ; 2:3
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Composite metal oxide semiconductors are promising candidates for photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC WS) toward environmentally friendly hydrogen production. Among them, ZnO and α-Fe2O3 hold great potential thanks to a series of benefits, including fast charge transport in single-crystalline structures, large surface area and tunable shapes (ZnO), and energy bandgap falling in the visible spectral range (α-Fe2O3). However, both materials present significant drawbacks, which hinder their successful application in high-efficiency PEC WS: the wide bandgap of ZnO limits its absorption in the UV range, while the low charge carrier mobility results in heavy recombination losses in α-Fe2O3 during charge collection. The synthesis of ZnO/hematite composites has recently proven to be an effective approach to improve the overall WS performances. In this review, the recent developments on the application of different morphologies (0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D structures) for PEC WS are illustrated, analyzing the role of the shape and morphology in boosting the functional properties, both in single systems and in composite nanostructures. Complex networks show higher photocatalytic efficiency than the single building blocks and, consequently, composite materials exhibit higher performances. Possible paths for the development of an effective lab-to-fab transition based on application of ZnO/α-Fe2O3 composite structures are also suggested.
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| 6. |
- Mayer, Florian, et al.
(författare)
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Best of Both Worlds: Adsorptive Ultrafiltration Nanocellulose-Hypercrosslinked Polymer Hybrid Membranes for Metal Ion Removal
- 2024
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Ingår i: Small Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2688-4046.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Efficient water treatment ideally combines ion exchange for the removal of hardness elements and toxic trace metals as well as ultrafiltration for the removal of particulate matter. Although promising for adsorption, many high-surface-area polymer materials cannot be easily processed into freestanding membranes or packed bed columns, due to poor solution processability and high back pressures, respectively. The preparation of hybrid membranes comprising sulfonated hypercrosslinked polymers entrapped in nanocellulose papers is described. The hybrid membranes are effective for simultaneous ultrafiltration and ion exchange. Increasing the polymer loading of the hybrid membrane produces synergy by increasing the permeance of the membranes while enhancing the ion adsorption capacity to values exceeding those of bulk hypercrosslinked polymers. The maximum ion adsorption capacity for copper is determined to be ≈100 mg g−1 outperforming that of pure polymer (71 mg g−1) and commercially available ion exchange resins. Competitive adsorption is tested in samples containing water hardness elements and trace toxic metal ions showing high ion-exchange capacities. Even when fully loaded with water hardness elements, Ba2+ and Sr2+ are still removed from solution.
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| 7. |
- Ronchi, Rodrigo, et al.
(författare)
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Defect Engineering: Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Two-Dimensional Mo1.74CTz MXene
- 2024
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Ingår i: SMALL SCIENCE. - : WILEY. - 2688-4046.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The creation of vacancies and/or pores into two-dimensional materials, like graphene and MXenes, has shown to increase their performance for sustainable applications. However, a simple and affordable method with controlled and tailorable vacancy concentration and/or pores size remains challenging. Herein, a simple and reproducible method is presented for controlled synthesis of Mo1.74CTz MXene with randomly distributed vacancies and pores, obtained from selective etching of both Ga and Cr in the Cr-alloyed MAX-phase like precursor Mo1.74Cr0.26Ga2C. Structural and compositional analysis of the 3D alloy show approximate to 13% Cr on the metal site, homogeneously distributed between different particles and within the atomic structure. After etching, it translates to Mo1.74CTz MXene, exhibiting defect-rich sheets. Notably, the incorporation of Cr facilitates a shorter etching time with an improved yield compared to Mo2CTz. The Mo1.74CTz MXene displays excellent electrochemical properties, almost doubling the capacitance values (1152 F cm(-3) and 297 F g(-1) at 2 mV s(-1) scan rate), compared to its pristine counterpart Mo2CTz. The presented method and obtained results suggest defect engineering of MXenes through precursor alloying as a pathway that can be generalized to other phases, to further improve their properties for various applications.
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| 8. |
- Wang, Maoze, et al.
(författare)
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Iontophoresis-Driven Microneedle Arrays Delivering Transgenic Outer Membrane Vesicles in Program that Stimulates Transcutaneous Vaccination for Cancer Immunotherapy
- 2023
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Ingår i: SMALL SCIENCE. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 2688-4046. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transdermal delivery of antigen and chemokine proteins that activates the maturation of skin dendritic cells (DCs) and direct the migration of activated DCs to lymph and spleen is an important alternative to conventional vaccines. However, stratum corneum forms a barrier to skin penetration. The poor cellular uptake of free antigens and chemokines also limits transcutaneous immunization efficacy. In this work, a pair of iontophoresis-driven microneedle patches is constructed, of which, two kinds of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Escherichia coli transformed by plasmid encoding gp100 (IPMN-G) and chemokine ligand 21 (IPMN-C) are incorporated within microneedles, respectively. The topical application of IPMN-G and IPMN-C shows the effectiveness of transdermally delivering gp100 and CCL21 secreting vesicles to skin DCs. With iontophoresis as a driving generator, the release and uptake of transgenic OMVs in target cells are significantly enhanced, with transcutaneous immunization initiated. The in vivo applications of IPMN-G and IPMN-C with a 12 h interval retard the progression and prevent the occurrence of tumor spheroids. IPMN-GC is shown as a promising triplatform in engineering transgenic OMV-incorporated microneedles, driven by iontophoresis into a transcutaneous vaccine, providing a noninvasive system for the transdermal delivery of antigen and chemokine proteins for transcutaneous vaccination-meditated immunotherapy.
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