Paleoclimatic changes during the penultimate interglacial period archived by multiple proxies of Xiashu Loess in the Chaohu Lake Basin, East China

The interglacial periods of the Pleistocene (MIS 5) and Holocene have been widely studied as analogs, whereas the records of the penultimate interglacial complex (MIS 7) are relatively sparse. In this study, based on a multitude of proxies, such as magnetic susceptibility, geochemical elements and their ratios, and grain size spanning MIS 7 of Xiashu Loess, the paleoclimatic changes that are synchronous with the five episodes during MIS 7 are reconstructed in the Chaohu Lake Basin, East China. It is proposed that the paleoclimate change in the Chaohu Lake Basin during MIS 7, on orbital time scale, might be controlled by low-latitude insolation; on millennium scales, might be directly driven by the global ice volume variations

Imparting amphiphobicity on single-crystalline porous materials.

The sophisticated control of surface wettability for target-specific applications has attracted widespread interest for use in a plethora of applications. Despite the recent advances in modification of non-porous materials, surface wettability control of porous materials, particularly single crystalline, remains undeveloped. Here we contribute a general method to impart amphiphobicity on single-crystalline porous materials as demonstrated by chemically coating the exterior of metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals with an amphiphobic surface. As amphiphobic porous materials, the resultant MOF crystals exhibit both superhydrophobicity and oleophobicity in addition to retaining high crystallinity and intact porosity. The chemical shielding effect resulting from the amphiphobicity of the MOFs is illustrated by their performances in water/organic vapour adsorption, as well as long-term ultrastability under highly humidified C

Imparting amphiphobicity on single-crystalline porous materials.

The sophisticated control of surface wettability for target-specific applications has attracted widespread interest for use in a plethora of applications. Despite the recent advances in modification of non-porous materials, surface wettability control of porous materials, particularly single crystalline, remains undeveloped. Here we contribute a general method to impart amphiphobicity on single-crystalline porous materials as demonstrated by chemically coating the exterior of metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals with an amphiphobic surface. As amphiphobic porous materials, the resultant MOF crystals exhibit both superhydrophobicity and oleophobicity in addition to retaining high crystallinity and intact porosity. The chemical shielding effect resulting from the amphiphobicity of the MOFs is illustrated by their performances in water/organic vapour adsorption, as well as long-term ultrastability under highly humidified C

Siderophore-inspired chelator hijacks uranium from aqueous medium.

Over millennia, nature has evolved an ability to selectively recognize and sequester specific metal ions by employing a wide variety of supramolecular chelators. Iron-specific molecular carriers-siderophores-are noteworthy for their structural elegance, while exhibiting some of the strongest and most selective binding towards a specific metal ion. Development of simple uranyl (UO22+) recognition motifs possessing siderophore-like selectivity, however, presents a challenge. Herein we report a comprehensive theoretical, crystallographic and spectroscopic studies on the UO22+ binding with a non-toxic siderophore-inspired chelator, 2,6-bis[hydroxy(methyl)amino]-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazine (H2BHT). The optimal pKa values and structural preorganization endow H2BHT with one of the highest uranyl binding affinity and selectivity among molecular chelators. The results of small-molecule standards are validated by a proof-of-principle development of the H2BHT-functionalized polymeric adsorbent material that affords high uranium uptake capacity even in the presence of competing vanadium (V) ions in aqueous medium