| 1. |
- Zhang, Shunming, et al.
(author)
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Inflammatory potential of diet and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease : a prospective cohort study
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0954-3007 .- 1476-5640. ; 76:8, s. 1125-1132
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background/objectives: Diet is an important factor that can exacerbate or ameliorate chronic inflammation, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no prospective study has yet investigated the relation between the inflammatory potential of diet and NAFLD. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and the risk of NAFLD. Subject/methods: The study included 12,877 participants aged over 18 years (mean [standard deviation]: 39.4 [11.5] years). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline through food frequency questionnaires. Using white blood cell count as the inflammatory marker, we newly created a dietary inflammatory potential score by reduced rank regression and stepwise linear regression. NAFLD was identified by abdominal ultrasound during yearly health checkups. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between the dietary inflammatory potential score and the risk of NAFLD. Results: During a median follow-up period of 4.2 years, 2744 first incident cases of NAFLD occurred. After adjustment for potential confounders, the multivariable hazards ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD across increasing quartiles of the dietary inflammatory potential score were 1.00 (reference), 1.01 (0.90, 1.13), 1.15 (1.03, 1.29), and 1.26 (1.13, 1.41), with P for trend <0.0001. This positive association appeared greater in men than in women (P for interaction = 0.02). Conclusions: Our results indicate that a dietary pattern with high inflammatory potential is associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. Such findings provide the support that inflammation may be a potential mechanism linking diet to the risk of NAFLD.
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| 2. |
- Guan, Tianfu, et al.
(author)
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Decoding the Self-Assembly Plasmonic Interface Structure in a PbS Colloidal Quantum Dot Solid for a Photodetector
- 2023
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In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 17:22, s. 23010-23019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hybrid plasmonic nanostructures have gained enormous attention in a variety of optoelectronic devices due to their surface plasmon resonance properties. Self-assembled hybrid metal/quantum dot (QD) architectures offer a means of coupling the properties of plasmonics and QDs to photodetectors, thereby modifying their functionality. The arrangement and localization of hybrid nanostructures have an impact on exciton trapping and light harvesting. Here, we present a hybrid structure consisting of self-assembled gold nanospheres (Au NSs) embedded in a solid matrix of PbS QDs for mapping the interface structures and the motion of charge carriers. Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering is utilized to analyze the localization and spacing of the Au NSs within the hybrid structure. Furthermore, by correlating the morphology of the Au NSs in the hybrid structure with the corresponding differences observed in the performance of photodetectors, we are able to determine the impact of interface charge carrier dynamics in the coupling structure. From the perspective of architecture, our study provides insights into the performance improvement of optoelectronic devices.
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| 3. |
- Wu, H., et al.
(author)
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Methylammonium Bromide Assisted Crystallization for Enhanced Lead-Free Double Perovskite Photovoltaic Performance
- 2022
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In: Advanced Functional Materials. - : Wiley. - 1616-301X .- 1616-3028. ; 32:14, s. 2109402-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cs2AgBiBr6, has recently gained wide attention as a possible alternative to lead-halide perovskites, considering the nontoxicity and improved stability. However, this double perovskite suffers from defects, especially deep electron traps, severely hampering the photovoltaic performance. This work reports a simple method to control the double perovskite crystallization by adding volatile salts into the precursor solution. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the organic cation with suitable radius (such as methylammonium, MA+) is introduced into the perovskite lattice, forming an organic/inorganic mixed double perovskite intermediate phase. The organic salt is thereafter fully evaporated during high temperature annealing, and the all-inorganic double perovskite is obtained with dense surface and less pin-holes. From optical and electrical characterization, it is concluded that the Cs2AgBiBr6 film exhibits high quality, with higher light absorptance and emission. Reduced trap density and longer carrier lifetime are also observed. The improved Cs2AgBiBr6 film is beneficial for efficient carrier collection with suppressed defect-assisted recombination. With this strategy, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.53% is achieved for the champion Cs2AgBiBr6-based solar cell device, which is significantly higher compared to the control device with 1.43% PCE. This work is therefore helpful for further improvement of inorganic lead-free perovskite materials for optoelectronic applications.
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| 4. |
- Yu, Xin, et al.
(author)
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Recent Development of Copper-Based Nanozymes for Biomedical Applications
- 2024
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In: Advanced healthcare materials. - 2192-2640 .- 2192-2659. ; 13:1
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Copper (Cu), an indispensable trace element within the human body, serving as an intrinsic constituent of numerous natural enzymes, carrying out vital biological functions. Furthermore, nanomaterials exhibiting enzyme-mimicking properties, commonly known as nanozymes, possess distinct advantages over their natural enzyme counterparts, including cost-effectiveness, enhanced stability, and adjustable performance. These advantageous attributes have captivated the attention of researchers, inspiring them to devise various Cu-based nanomaterials, such as copper oxide, Cu metal-organic framework, and CuS, and explore their potential in enzymatic catalysis. This comprehensive review encapsulates the most recent advancements in Cu-based nanozymes, illuminating their applications in the realm of biochemistry. Initially, it is delved into the emulation of typical enzyme types achieved by Cu-based nanomaterials. Subsequently, the latest breakthroughs concerning Cu-based nanozymes in biochemical sensing, bacterial inhibition, cancer therapy, and neurodegenerative diseases treatment is discussed. Within this segment, it is also explored the modulation of Cu-based nanozyme activity. Finally, a visionary outlook for the future development of Cu-based nanozymes is presented.
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| 5. |
- Huang, He, et al.
(author)
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Material informatics for uranium-bearing equiatomic disordered solid solution alloys
- 2021
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In: Materials Today Communications. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-4928. ; 29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Near-equiatomic, multi-component alloys with disordered solid solution phase (DSSP) are associated with outstanding performance in phase stability, mechanical properties and irradiation resistance, and may provide a feasible solution for developing novel uranium-based alloys with better fuel capacity. In this work, we build a machine learning (ML) model of disordered solid solution alloys (DSSAs) based on about 6000 known multicomponent alloys and several materials descriptors to efficiently predict the DSSAs formation ability. To fully optimize the ML model, we develop a multi-algorithm cross-verification approach in combination with the SHapley Additive exPlanations value (SHAP value). We find that the Delta S-C, Lambda, Phi(s), gamma and 1/Omega, corresponding to the former two Hume - Rothery (H - R) rules, are the most important materials descriptors affecting DSSAs formation ability. When the ML model is applied to the 375 uranium-bearing DSSAs, 190 of them are predicted to be the DSSAs never known before. 20 of these alloys were randomly synthesized and characterized. Our predictions are in-line with experiments with 3 inconsistent cases, suggesting that our strategy offers a fast and accurate way to predict novel multi-component alloys with high DSSAs formation ability. These findings shed considerable light on the mapping between the material descriptors and DSSAs formation ability.
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| 6. |
- Liu, Aijie, et al.
(author)
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Excited-state and charge-carrier dynamics in binary conjugated polymer dots towards efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
- 2023
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In: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 25:4, s. 2935-2945
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aqueous dispersed conjugated polymer dots (Pdots) have shown promising application in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. To efficiently extract photogenerated charges from type-II heterojunction Pdots for hydrogen evolution, the mechanistic study of photophysical processes is essential for Pdot optimization. Within this work, we use a PFODTBT donor (D) polymer and an ITIC small molecule acceptor (A) as a donor/acceptor (D/A) model system to study their excited states and charge/energy transfer dynamics via steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. Charge-carrier generation and the recombination dynamics of binary Pdots with different D/A ratios were followed using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. A significant spectral relaxation of photoluminescence was observed for individual D Pdots, implying an energetic disorder by nature. However, this was not seen for charge carriers in binary Pdots, probably due to the ultrafast charge generation process at an early time (<200 fs). The results showed slower charge recombination upon increasing the ratio of ITIC in binary Pdots, which further resulted in an enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, twice that as compared to individual D Pdots. Although binary Pdots prepared via the nanoprecipitation method exhibit a large interfacial area that allows high charge generation efficiencies, it also provides a high possibility for charge recombination and limits the further utilization of free charges. Therefore, for the future design of type-II heterojunction Pdots, suppressing the charge carrier recombination via increasing the crystallinity and proper phase segregation is necessary for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.
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| 7. |
- Lu, Jian, et al.
(author)
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Surplus energy utilization of spent lithium-ion batteries for high-profit organolithiums
- 2022
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In: Carbon Energy. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2637-9368. ; 5:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It is challenging to efficiently and economically recycle many lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of the low valuation of commodity metals and materials, such as LiFePO4. There are millions of tons of spent LIBs where the barrier to recycling is economical, and to make recycling more feasible, it is required that the value of the processed recycled material exceeds the value of raw commodity materials. The presented research illustrates improved profitability and economics for recycling spent LIBs by utilizing the surplus energy in lithiated graphite to drive the preparation of organolithiums to add value to the recycled lithium materials. This study methodology demonstrates that the surplus energy of lithiated graphite obtained from spent LIBs can be utilized to prepare high-value organolithiums, thereby significantly improving the economic profitability of LIB recycling. Organolithiums (R–O–Li and R–Li) were prepared using alkyl alcohol (R–OH) and alkyl bromide (R–Br) as substrates, where R includes varying hindered alkyl hydrocarbons. The organolithiums extracted from per kilogram of recycled LIBs can increase the economic value between $29.5 and $226.5 kg−1 cell. The value of the organolithiums is at least 5.4 times the total theoretical value of spent materials, improving the profitability of recycling LIBs over traditional pyrometallurgical ($0.86 kg−1 cell), hydrometallurgical ($1.00 kg−1 cell), and physical direct recycling methods ($5.40 kg−1 cell).
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| 8. |
- Yang, Hao, et al.
(author)
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Intramolecular hydroxyl nucleophilic attack pathway by a polymeric water oxidation catalyst with single cobalt sites
- 2022
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In: Nature Catalysis. - : Springer Nature. - 2520-1158. ; 5:5, s. 414-429
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exploration of efficient water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) is the primary challenge in conversion of renewable energy into fuels. Here we report a molecularly well-defined heterogeneous WOC with Aza-fused, pi-conjugated, microporous polymer (Aza-CMP) coordinated single cobalt sites (Aza-CMP-Co). The single cobalt sites in Aza-CMP-Co exhibited superior activity under alkaline and near-neutral conditions. Moreover, the molecular nature of the isolated catalytic sites makes Aza-CMP-Co a reliable model for studying the heterogeneous water oxidation mechanism. By a combination of experimental and theoretical results, a pH-dependent nucleophilic attack pathway for O-O bond formation was proposed. Under alkaline conditions, the intramolecular hydroxyl nucleophilic attack (IHNA) process with which the adjacent -OH group nucleophilically attacks Co4+=O was identified as the rate-determining step. This process leads to lower activation energy and accelerated kinetics than those of the intermolecular water nucleophilic attack (WNA) pathway. This study provides significant insights into the crucial function of electrolyte pH in water oxidation catalysis and enhancement of water oxidation activity by regulation of the IHNA pathway.
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| 9. |
- Yang, Hao, et al.
(author)
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Monolithic FAPbBr3 Photoanode for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with Ultralow-Onset-Potential
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Despite considerable research efforts on photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting over the past few decades, its practical application is still impeded by the lack of efficient, stable, and scalable photoelectrodes. Herein, we demonstrate the facile fabrication of a metal-halide perovskite-based photoanode for PEC water oxidation. A hole transport material-free and precious metal-free FAPbBr3 photovoltaic (PV) device is fabricated for the first time to examine the charge separation performance of the FAPbBr3 absorber. With a planar structure using mesoporous carbon as a hole-conducting layer, the device achieved a solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiency of 9.2% and a Voc of 1.4 V. The solar cell architecture is successfully applied to build a monolithic photoanode with the FAPbBr3 absorber, carbon/graphite conductive protection layer, and NiFe catalyst layers for direct photo-driven water oxidation. With suitable energy band alignment and minimal contact loss, the photoanode delivers an ultralow onset potential below 0 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode and a high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 8.5%. Stable operation exceeding 100 h under constant solar illumination is successfully reached by the application of UV filter protection. A detailed photothermal investigation confirms that the photothermal effect can improve the overall performance of the perovskite photoanode. The results in this report are of great significance in guiding the further development of PV material-based photoelectrodes for solar fuel applications.
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| 10. |
- Yang, Hao, et al.
(author)
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Monolithic FAPbBr3 photoanode for photoelectrochemical water oxidation with low onset-potential and enhanced stability
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite considerable research efforts on photoelectrochemical water splitting over the past decades, practical application faces challenges by the absence of efficient, stable, and scalable photoelectrodes. Herein, we report a metal-halide perovskite-based photoanode for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. With a planar structure using mesoporous carbon as a hole-conducting layer, the precious metal-free FAPbBr3 photovoltaic device achieves 9.2% solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiency and 1.4 V open-circuit voltage. The photovoltaic architecture successfully applies to build a monolithic photoanode with the FAPbBr3 absorber, carbon/graphite conductive protection layers, and NiFe catalyst layers for water oxidation. The photoanode delivers ultralow onset potential below 0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode and high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 8.5%. Stable operation exceeding 100 h under solar illumination by applying ultraviolet-filter protection. The photothermal investigation verifies the performance boost in perovskite photoanode by photothermal effect. This study is significant in guiding the development of photovoltaic material-based photoelectrodes for solar fuel applications.
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