Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), Life and Health

Light has profoundly impacted modern medicine and healthcare, with numerous luminescent agents and imaging techniques currently being used to assess health and treat diseases. As an emerging concept in luminescence, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has shown great potential in biological applications due to its advantages in terms of brightness, biocompatibility, photostability, and positive correlation with concentration. This review provides a comprehensive summary of AIE luminogens applied in imaging of biological structure and dynamic physiological processes, disease diagnosis and treatment, and detection and monitoring of specific analytes, followed by representative works. Discussions on critical issues and perspectives on future directions are also included. This review aims to stimulate the interest of researchers from different fields, including chemistry, biology, materials science, medicine, etc., thus promoting the development of AIE in the fields of life and health

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Aggregation-induced emission in luminescent metal nanoclusters

10.1093/nsr/nwaa208National Science Review86nwaa20

Programmable kernel structures of atomically precise metal nanoclusters for tailoring catalytic properties

Abstract The unclear structures and polydispersity of metal nanoparticles (NPs) seriously hamper the identification of the active sites and the construction of structure‐reactivity relationships. Fortunately, ligand‐protected metal nanoclusters (NCs) with atomically precise structures and monodispersity have become an ideal candidate for understanding the well‐defined correlations between structure and catalytic property at an atomic level. The programmable kernel structures of atomically precise metal NCs provide a fantastic chance to modulate their size, shape, atomic arrangement, and electron state by the precise modulating of the number, type, and location of metal atoms. Thus, the special focus of this review highlights the most recent process in tailoring the catalytic activity and selectivity over metal NCs by precisely controlling their kernel structures. This review is expected to shed light on the in‐depth understanding of metal NCs’ kernel structures and reactivity relationships

Sulfonic Acids Supported on UiO-66 as Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Esterification of Fatty Acids for Biodiesel Production

Zr-MOF (UiO-66) catalysts PTSA/UiO-66 and MSA/UiO-66 bearing supported sulfonic acids (p-toluenesulfonic acid and methanesulfonic acid, respectively) were prepared through a simple impregnation approach. The UiO-66-supported sulfonic acid catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and elemental analysis. The prepared heterogeneous acid catalysts had excellent stability since their crystalline structure was not changed compared with that of the original UiO-66. Zr-MOF MSA/UiO-66 and PTSA/UiO-66 were next successfully used as heterogeneous acid catalysts for the esterification of biomass-derived fatty acids (e.g., palmitic acid, oleic acid) with various alcohols (e.g., methanol, n-butanol). The results demonstrated that both of them had high activity and excellent reusability (more than nine successive cycles) in esterification reactions. Alcohols with higher polarity (e.g., methanol) affected the solid catalyst reusability slightly, while alcohols with moderate or lower polarity (e.g., n-butanol, n-decanol) had no influence. Thus, these developed sulfonic acids-supported metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) have the potential for use in biodiesel production with excellent reusability

Hierarchical hollow heterostructures for photocatalytic CO2 reduction and water splitting

Using solar-driven photocatalytic systems based on semiconductor photocatalysts to produce valuable energetic fuels is attracting massive research attention due to global energy and environmental challenges. Developing highly efficient and stable photocatalysts is of decisive importance for this promising technology. Hierarchical hollow heterostructures with ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet subunits hold multiple intrinsic advantages for heterogeneous photocatalysis, in terms of increasing light harvesting, expediting charge separation and transfer, and boosting surface redox reactions. This review summarizes the recent developments of rationally designed hierarchical hollow heterostructures for photocatalytic CO2 reduction and water splitting in suspension systems. The advantages and progress of hierarchical hollow heterostructured photocatalysts for the solar-fuel-producing applications are highlighted. The challenges of further developments of hierarchical hollow heterostructures and their use in the photocatalytic applications are discussed. Some outlooks on the potential solutions are also proposed.NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore)Accepted versio

A pyrolysis-free Ni/Fe bimetallic electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

A well-defined catalyst with dual Ni/Fe atomic active sites was created using a pyrolysis-free approach. The as-made catalyst was used for overall electrochemical water splitting in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes with low overpotentials

Non-noble-metal-based electrocatalysts toward the oxygen evolution reaction

The development of low-cost, high-efficiency, and robust electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is urgently needed to address the energy crisis. In recent years, non-noble-metal-based OER electrocatalysts have attracted tremendous research attention. Beginning with the introduction of some evaluation criteria for the OER, the current OER electrocatalysts are reviewed, with the classification of metals/alloys, oxides, hydroxides, chalcogenides, phosphides, phosphates/borates, and other compounds, along with their advantages and shortcomings. The current knowledge of the reaction mechanisms and practical applications of the OER is also summarized for developing more efficient OER electrocatalysts. Finally, the current states, challenges, and some perspectives for non-noble-metal-based OER electrocatalysts are discussed.NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore)Accepted versio

Metal-organic frameworks based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

In view of the clean and sustainable energy, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based materials, including pristine MOFs, MOF composites, and their derivatives are emerging as unique electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Thanks to their tunable compositions and diverse structures, efficient MOF-based materials provide new opportunities to accelerate the sluggish ORR at the cathode in fuel cells and metal-air batteries. This Minireview first provides some introduction of ORR and MOFs, followed by the classification of MOF-based electrocatalysts towards ORR. Recent breakthroughs in engineering MOF-based ORR electrocatalysts are highlighted with an emphasis on synthesis strategy, component, morphology, structure, electrocatalytic performance, and reaction mechanism. Finally, some current challenges and future perspectives for MOF-based ORR electrocatalysts are also discussed.NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore)Accepted versio