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Cobalt-free LiNiO

Spinel cathode materials (e.g., LiMn

Stabilization of the atomic-level surface structure of LiMn

Distorted surface regions (5-6 nm) with an unusual layered-like structure on LiMn

Zein protein has been of scientific interest in the development of biodegradable functional food packaging. This study aimed at developing a novel zein-based biopolymer film with ice nucleation activity through layer-by-layer deposition of biogenic ice nucleators, that is, extracellular ice nucleators (ECINs) isolated from Erwinia herbicola , onto zein film surface. The adsorption behaviors and mechanisms were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). On unmodified zein surface, the highest ECINs adsorption occurred at pH 5.0; on UV/ozone treated zein surface followed by deposition of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) layer, the optimum condition for ECINs adsorption occurred at pH 7.0 and I 0.05 M, where the amount of ECINs adsorbed was also higher than that on unmodified zein surface. QCM-D analyses further revealed a two-step adsorption process on unmodified zein surfaces, compared to a one-step adsorption process on PDADMAC-modified zein surface. Also, significantly, in order to quantify the ice nucleation activity of ECINs-coated zein films, an empirical method was developed to correlate the number of ice nucleators with the ice nucleation temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Calculated using this empirical method, the highest ice nucleation activity of ECINs on ECINs-modified zein film reached 64.1 units/mm(2), which was able to elevate the ice nucleation temperature of distilled water from -15.5 °C to -7.3 °C.

The paper describes for the first time the successful synthesis of Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2) tube-like nanostructures, in which TiO(2) shell is of quasi-single crystalline characteristic and its thickness can be controlled through adjusting the added amount of aqueous Ti(SO(4))(2) solution. The characterization of samples obtained at different stages using transmission electron microscope indicates that the outer TiO(2) shell is changed gradually from amorphous and polycrystalline phase into quasi-single crystal under thermal actions through the Ostwald ripening process, accompanying the corrosion of the central parts of Fe(2)O(3) nanorods, and the formation of small particles separating each other, leading to the special core/shell nanorods. Furthermore, Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2) tube-like nanostructures can be transformed into Fe(2)TiO(5) nanostructures after they are thermally treated at higher temperatures. Those nanostructures exhibit enhanced ethanol sensing properties with respect to the monocomponent. Our results imply that not only hollow nanostructures, but also a novel type of nanostructures can be fabricated by the present method for nanodevices.