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• Divalent copper ion serves as both a cross-linking agent for gel formation and a precursor for the synthesis of CuET in the presence of DSF. • DSF helps create therapeutic CuET and reduces M2 macrophage expression, ameliorating the immunosuppressive microenvironment. • The hydrogel can regulate the release of therapeutic agents and provide Cu2+ via ion exchange, leading to enhancing anti-tumor immune response. • Combining chemotherapy and immunity using aPD-L1/DSF@Cu(II)-SA-Gel resulted in enhanced immune response and reduced tumor growth. The development of smart therapeutic scaffolds to improve chemotherapeutic efficacy and enhance antitumor immunity remains a considerable challenge. In this study, we engineered a therapeutic copper ion-crosslinked gel depot based on alginate to enhance disulfiram (DSF)-mediated cancer chemoimmunotherapy. This gel depot maintained structural stability through ion coordination exchange with the calcium ions in body fluids and continuously created an antitumor diethyldithiocarbamate-copper complex (CuET), which led to the sustained release of various therapeutic agents in vivo. The generated CuET not only had a direct antitumor effect due to its cytotoxicity but also effectively induced the immunogenic death of cancer cells. These factors coregulated the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment with the released DSF, thus sensitizing the systemic immune response and improving the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 antibody (aPD-L1)-mediated immune checkpoint blockade. The results indicated that this endogenous calcium-supported therapeutic copper(II)-crosslinked gel depot could effectively improve the tumor immune microenvironment, leading to enhanced synergistic antitumor efficacy in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interestingly, the Nd3+ ions are incorporated into the crystal lattice and migrate to the CdS/Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 interface after the doping process, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the device in terms of providing a preferential crystal orientation and lower defect density. [Display omitted] • Nd3+ doping for Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 is carried out via modified hydrothermal deposition. • These ions can be incorporated into the crystal lattice. • Most of the ions migrate to the CdS/Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 interface after doping. • Photoelectrical parameters and device stability are both improved after doping. • We provide an effective doping strategy for Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells. Doping the light absorber layer of antimony chalcogenides with extrinsic ions is an effective approach for improving their photovoltaic quality. These dopant ions generally reside at positions other than the crystal lattice or form an alloy (e.g., AgSb(S,Se) 3) with a poor device performance. Therefore, incorporating such ions into an antimony chalcogenide lattice such that there is a positive influence on device quality would be highly useful. Herein, doping of Nd3+ for Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 is carried out via a modified hydrothermal deposition process. Notably, these ions are incorporated into the crystal lattice and migrate to the CdS/Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 interface after doping, which are characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Nd3+ doping produces benign effects on the crystal orientation, film morphology, optoelectronic properties, and defect passivation of the Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 films. Consequently, all the photoelectrical parameters of Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells doped with Nd3+ are enhanced, delivering a remarkable efficiency of 8.24 %. Furthermore, the best device stored in air only shows a slight decrease in efficiency in the 2400-h aging test. Overall, this study provides an effective doping strategy to improve the photovoltaic quality of Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of ultra-low resistance interface by the Ohmic contact (Pd nanocubes/In 2 O 3) and the built-in electric field enhanced by the metal–carbon (Pd nanocubes/HMC) interaction significantly inhibits the recombination of electron-hole pairs, facilitates the migration of charge carriers, and greatly enhances photoredcution activity of CO 2 -to-CO. [Display omitted] • An Ohmic contact-structured Pd/In 2 O 3 /C (PIC) photocatalyst is designed with an ultra-low interfacial resistance. • The enhanced built-in electric field in PIC significantly accelerates photogenerated charge transfer. • The PIC achieves a high CO yield of 99.4 μmol∙g−1∙h−1 under full spectrum irradiation. The utilization of CO 2 photoreduction into valuable hydrocarbon fuels presents a promising avenue for mitigating climate change and providing a sustainable energy source. However, photogenerated carriers are highly prone to recombination, which adversely affects photocatalytic activity. In our study, we introduce a novel photocatalyst synthesis method, featuring an Ohmic contact (OC) structure that incorporates biomass-derived hollow carbon microspheres (HCM), Pd nanocubes (NC), and Indium Oxide (In 2 O 3) through a simple yet effective thermal reduction method. This modification significantly enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the Pd NC/In 2 O 3 /HCM (donated as PIC) system, achieving an optimal value of 496.89 μmol∙g−1 over 5 h without the need for additional additives, 8.7-fold higher than that of the pristine In 2 O 3. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the substantial enhancement in CO 2 photoreduction performance can be attributed to the ultra-low resistance (122 Ω) interfaces within the PIC system, facilitating accelerated transfer of photogenerated electrons. This work provides a strategy for boosting CO 2 photoreduction efficiency by the reduction of interface resistance to promote rapid photogenerated electron migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Porous RuSe 2 electrocatalysts with abundant amorphous-crystal interfaces were synthesized. • The amorphous structure is conducive to the adsorption of H 2 O molecules. • The crystalline structure provides an optimal the free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔG H*). • RuSe 2 -400 °C featuring coexistence of crystal and amorphous structures, exhibited an overpotential of 27 mV superior to Pt/C at 10 mA cm-2. Transition metal chalcogenides have garnered considerable attention as high-performance electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Enriching their structural properties through constructing a porous architecture and creating crystalline-amorphous interfaces holds promise for enhancing HER performance. In this study, porous RuSe 2 electrocatalysts with varying crystallinities (i.e., amorphous, amorphous-crystal, and crystal) were synthesized using a straightforward hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent annealing process. Comparable experiments indicate that porous RuSe 2 -400°C, featuring a crystalline-amorphous structure, exhibited enhanced catalytic activity compared to its amorphous and crystalline counterparts. The porous architecture and interfacial sites between crystalline and amorphous phases in RuSe 2 -400°C not only integrate the critical factors of abundant unsaturated coordination sites and good electrical conductivity but also modify its surface electronic state, which can optimize the adsorption energies of reaction intermediates. As a result, the optimized samples displayed remarkable HER activity in an alkaline medium, showcasing an extremely low overpotential of 27 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 39.8 mV dec-1. This study provides a platform for rationalizing high-perform porous electrocatalysts with rich amorphous/crystalline interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Green utilization strategy of sludge with cost-effectiveness and availability. • In situ Ca-doped CDs prepared from paper mill sludge for solar-thermal conversion. • Ultra-high solar-thermal conversion efficiency up to 137.58% was achieved. • Achieved highly efficient (2.94 kg m-2h−1) and recyclable (20-cycles) evaporation. • Exact role of Ca-doping for solar-thermal conversion enhancement was revealed. Solar interface water evaporator (SIWE) based on waste-derived carbon dots (CDs) are highly promising for large-scale production applications in the future, due to their low-cost, eco-friendly, and tunable structure and properties. However, there are still obstacles, including limited performance, blind selection of waste materials, and unknown underlying mechanisms between waste properties and the physicochemical properties of derived CDs. In this study, a novel CDs-based wooden SIWE derived from paper mill sludge (PMS) was constructed (called ESCDs-wood). Under 1 sun, ESCDs rapidly heated up from 15.6 °C to 53.5 °C and reached stability within 10 mins. The solar-thermal conversion efficiency of ESCDs was as high as 137.58 %, and the ESCDs-wood achieved a high evaporation rate of 2.94 kg m-2h−1. Moreover, the ESCDs-wood cost about $9 to complete 1 m2 evaporation. Meanwhile, the ESCDs-wood exhibited long-term stability, after 20 cycles, its solar-thermal conversion efficiency and water evaporation rate remained at 84.21 % and 85.03 % of the initial test, respectively. Moreover, the Ca-doping was found to be a key factor in effectively enhancing the solar-thermal conversion and the thermal stability of ESCDs, and the exact role of Ca-doping on the solar-thermal conversion performance enhancement of CDs was validated and revealed. Therefore, this study not only constructed a cost-effectiveness, high performance, sustainability, chemical-free, and eco-friendly SIWE, but also innovatively proposed the functionalization mechanism of Ca-doping for CDs and thus provided a new sight for the targeted regulation and design of CDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Degradable photosensitive acrylate monomer for DLP 3D printing. • Fast and controlled hydrogel degradation under mild conditions. • Degradable hydrogel networks are used as sacrificial templates. • Potential applications in the fields of microfluidics and flexible electronics. Digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing of hydrogels with sophisticated structures has been widely used in myriads of fields. However, the inherent covalently crosslinked network of hydrogels limits their further applications, such as working as sacrificial molds. In this work, a photocurable hydrogel system with labile covalent bonds suitable for DLP based printing to fabricate 3D complex hydrogel structures with fast- and controlled degradation ability is reported. The hydrogel precursor is composed of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), a water soluble photoinitiator, and PEGDA575-Do, a degradable photocurable diacrylate monomer that can be degraded in aqueous condition via reversable aza-Michael addition reaction. The mechanical properties of formed hydrogels can be regulated by changing the PEG content and water content, and the degradation rate can be regulated by changing parameters such as PEG400 content, water content and the treating temperature. Moreover, the DLP printed degradable hydrogels networks can be used as sacrificial molds to fabricate structures from materials that cannot be directly used for DLP 3D printing (e.g. thermoplastic polycaprolactone (PCL), epoxy-based resin, and chocolate). As proofs-of-concept, a microfluidic chip is fabricated by using the biocompatible 3D printed hydrogel as a sacrificial template. Similarly, a flexible RFID tag and a flexible self-powered device are also prepared, demonstrating the potential applications in the field of flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ALE-based electrode for P removal was prepared by dual crosslinking and calcination. • ALE provided porous carbon network and CaCO 3 regulated the hierarchical structure. • High P electrosorption capacity and low energy consumption were achieved at 1.2 V. • ZHPC-1-Ca had high stability in a wide pH range of 4–10 and 20 cyclic tests. Electrosorption is considered a promising technology to remove charged pollutants in an efficient and green way, wherein the electrode materials are crucial for achieving its high performance. In this study, a Zr-containing hierarchically porous carbon electrode (ZHPC-1-Ca) tailored for phosphate removal was synthesized based on alginate-like exopolysaccharides (ALE), a biomass extract of excess sludge. The gel-forming ability of ALE provided a basis for obtaining a conductive carbon matrix with well-dispersed metal active sites, and the pore structure of ALE-derived electrodes was simply regulated via a dual-crosslinking strategy. In the synthesis, CaCO 3 acted as both the hard template and the crosslinker, while Zr facilitated pore formation during the secondary crosslinking process. ZHPC-1-Ca exhibited a maximum electrosorption capacity of 12.40 mg g−1 at 1.2 V, with a low energy consumption of 3.166 kWh kg−1-P. The electrosorption behavior was well fitted with the pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model. Moreover, ZHPC-1-Ca maintained stable electrosorption performance under pH 4–10 and during twenty capture-release cycles (85.2%). The electrosorption mechanisms were primarily elucidated as electrostatic attraction, ligand exchange, and Lewis acid-base interaction, contributing to the enhanced and selective phosphate removal. This study achieves a simple and controllable synthesis of hierarchically porous carbon electrodes using sludge biopolymers, which extends the application of sludge-derived carbon in phosphate electrosorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enhance FeN 4 active sites using tunable curved surfaces from mesoporous MOFs. • Show higher activity of lc-Fe-N 4 on low-curvature surfaces. • Exceptional ORR catalytic activity and stability in acidic electrolytes (0.82 V vs. RHE), comparable to commercial Pt/C. • Boost FeN 4 catalyst activity, unlocking the potential for broader electrocatalysis and energy storage applications. Iron-based single-atom catalysts (Fe-SACs) containing Fe–N 4 active sites have shown immense potential in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the limited ability to adsorb O 2 and catalyze subsequent O–O bond breaking on Fe–N 4 sites has hindered their full potential, especially in acidic electrolytes. Here, we present an approach by utilizing a tunable curved surface to enhance the activity of Fe–N 4 active sites, with theoretical calculations, demonstrating that Fe–N 4 sites anchored on low–curvature surfaces (lc-Fe-N 4) is favirable for ORR. Experimental results show that the catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity and stability for ORR in acidic electrolytes, with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V vs. RHE, approaching that of commercial Pt/C. This work develops an approach for promoting the catalytic activity by anchoring atomically dispersed Fe–N 4 sites, unlocking their potential for extended use in electrocatalytic and energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Efficient 1O 2 nanogenerator was precisely constructed by regulating Fe spin state. • Low spin-state Fe induced nonradical conversion from H 2 O 2 to 1O 2. • The 1O 2 -dominated system selectively removed low ionization potential contaminants. • Stable Fh/BiOI transformed high-toxic contaminant into low-toxic products. • Fh/BiOI exhibited excellent mineralization performance towards secondary effluent. The hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2)-based photo-Fenton-like was a promising technology for the generation of singlet oxygen (1O 2), which was highly desirable in water purification. However, the yield of 1O 2 in traditional radical system was low due to the radical competition. Targeted construction of the non-radical system could solve the above issue, but it has been a challenge. In this study, we targetedly regulated the Fe spin state to efficiently generate 1O 2 in a nonradical path. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrated that low-spin FeIII enhanced H 2 O 2 adsorption, directly extracted electrons from H 2 O 2 to Fe center, and rapidly cleaved O–H bond to accelerate the recombination of *OOH with H 2 O 2 for efficient 1O 2 generation. This unique nonradical process differed obviously from the traditional radical pathway for 1O 2 generation. The developed 1O 2 -dominant 50Fh/BiOI/H 2 O 2 /vis system degraded 98.4% of TCH, which was higher than that in •OH-dominant Fh/H 2 O 2 /vis system (84.2%) and it had excellent resistance to various substances, including inorganic ions, dissolved organic matter and real water matrix (tap water and secondary effluent). This study enhanced our understanding of spin-state-dependent photo-Fenton-like reaction and inspired the targeted development of a new-generation selective wastewater treatment technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel PHBV- b -PHBV- b -PHBV block copolymer was synthesised using isocyanate chemistry. • A high 3HV content (63 mol% HV) PHBV of narrow compositional distribution was used as one block. • Both blocks were of high initial starting molecular weight leading to a high molecular weight product. • The resulting block copolymer showed very significantly improved toughness and elasticity. • Microphase separation of the block copolymer was evident. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are attractive alternatives to commodity petroleum derived plastics, being bacterially derived, thermoprocessible and truly biodegradable under ambient conditions. However, the common short chain length PHAs - poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) - are relatively stiff and brittle, and P3HB in particular has a narrow processing window. Block copolymer synthesis offers an opportunity to produce novel PHA materials comprised of different PHA phases, delivering a potential step-change improvement in PHA properties due to microphase separation. Therefore, this work demonstrates the synthesis and characterisation of novel high molecular weight PHBV- b -PHBV- b -PHBV block copolymers using isocyanate chemistry. High molecular weight, narrow compositional distribution, hydroxy-functionalised PHBV blocks of low (1 mol%) 3HV and high (67 mol%) 3HV contents were used as building blocks. The resulting block copolymers showed a very significant increase in elongation at break (to 76.0 %), as well as improved tensile toughness (to 15.0 MJ/m3) and tensile strength (to 18.5 MPa) compared to the starting materials or comparable blends. Based on the similarity in properties between the 1 mol% 3HV block copolymer products and their counterpart random copolymers, it is also shown that the introduction of urethane linkages had minimal effect on polymer properties. The morphologies of these novel PHBV materials were investigated, supporting the concept that the microphase separation of the different PHBV phases delivered these improved mechanical properties. This approach to PHA- b -PHA block copolymer synthesis offers an attractive generic platform for the production of novel biodegradable PHA materials for film and other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Uniform micro-porous structure was constructed via self-assembly of IL. • Continuous IL phases among PBI chains with inter-molecular distances less than 5 Å. • The PBI porous membranes display remarkable mechanical properties. • The power density of the proposed PBI porous membrane reaches 718 mW cm−2 at 160 °C. Abundant proton transport channels in polybenzimidazole proton exchange membranes (PBI-PEMs) has been considered as the guarantee of high electrochemical performances for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Porous structures are widely employed to create the channels. However, low mechanical properties of membranes results from chaotic aggregated pores hinders the application. In this study, the membrane of continuous micro-porous structure was innovatively fabricated via self-assembly of 1-Allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AmIm]Cl) in PBIs. The ionic liquid (IL) form continuous phases among PBI chains with inter-molecular distances less than 5 Å. The uniform porous structure enables tighter segment packing of polymer, creating uninterrupted PA channels that significantly enhanced proton transport efficiency without undermining the mechanical properties. The resulting micro-porous membrane displayed exceptional power density of 717.7 mW cm−2 at 160 °C, with 0.6 mg cm−2 Pt loading, accompanied by remarkable tensile strength of 12.4 MPa. Moreover, the catalyst layer exhibited superior oxygen diffusivity by optimizing the PA uptake. These results indicate that the micro-porous structure driven by the imidazole-philic dispersible ionic liquid is an effective strategy for designing high-performance PEMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A facile-oriented self-assembly for synthesizing 2D-on-3D CoNi-LDHs nanoflowers. • The unique 2D-on-3D structure manifests excellent energy-storage performance. • The formation mechanism was oriented to self-assembly and Ostwald ripening. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been the subject of increasing research due to their unique 2D or 3D structures and promising applications. However, achieving precise control over their morphology and architecture has proven to be a significant challenge. In this work, we present an oriented self-assembly strategy for the synthesis of ultrathin 2D-on-3D CoNi-LDHs nanoflowers (NFs) at ambient temperature. Ex situ and in situ characterization techniques were employed to elucidate the formation process of the 2D-on-3D CoNi-LDHs hierarchical structure. The 2D nanosheets are composed of CoNi(OH) 2 seeds that undergo rapid nucleation and growth. Under the influence of oriented attachment and Ostwald ripening, the 2D nanosheets continue to crystallize along the axial and radial directions, resulting in the formation of 2D-on-3D CoNi-LDH NFs. This unique 2D-on-3D LDHs structure possesses an ultrathin thickness of approximately 1.5 nm, nanopores with a diameter of approximately 3.8 nm, and a large surface area of approximately 154 m2/g. These properties manifest excellent energy-storage performance in supercapacitors. Our approach provides important insights into the precise synthesis of LDHs with a 2D-on-3D hierarchical structure. The synthesis of LDHs with well-defined structures is a significant challenge in materials science. Our work contributes to the advancement of this field and has the potential to facilitate the development of new, high-performance energy-storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Photocatalytic technology was first introduced for seawater uranium extraction. • Uranium could be efficiently extracted from aqueous solution by photocatalytic method under various environmental factors. • U(VI) was reduced to U(IV), existing as UO 2 during photocatalytic process by TiO 2. • The uranium extraction capacity can achieve as high as >3960 mg/g by photocatalytic method. • The extracted uranium could be easily diluted by stirring in air followed by adding Na 2 CO 3 solution. Abstract Uranium extraction from seawater is of significant importance for the sustainable utilization of uranium in the near future; however, several challenges remain owing to the low uranium concentration and high salinity of seawater. In this work, for the first time, photocatalysis by TiO 2 was introduced for U(VI) extraction from seawater. The photocatalysis method achieved a high uranium extraction capacity of 3960 mg/g without saturation. To evaluate the performance of the photocatalysis in the potential real applications, the influence of environmental factors was systematically studied. The results showed that H+ in solution competed with U(VI) ions for the photogenerated e −, inhibiting U(VI) photoreduction. Inversely, U(VI) photoreduction was facilitated at pH > 6.0 and was adequate for U(VI) extraction from seawater. The efficiency of U(VI) photoreduction can also be inhibited by the high initial U(VI) concentration, high salinity, and high TiO 2 dose. Methanol can accelerate U(VI) photoreduction by consuming photogenerated holes. Similarly, humic acid can promote U(VI) photoreduction at acidic conditions, and the reaction efficiency was slightly hindered over pH ∼ 6.5. Although the photoactivity was inhibited to some extent under specific conditions, it was proven that U(VI) could be completely extracted in all systems by increasing the irradiation time. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption near edge structure confirmed that U(VI) was transformed into U(IV) during photocatalysis and that UO 2 was mainly formed on the TiO 2 surface. The extraction of uranium in real seawater is also feasible and the deposited uranium could be easily recovered using a Na 2 CO 3 solution after standing in air for several hours. Therefore, photocatalysis is demonstrated to be an eco-friendly, facile, economical and sustainable approach for uranium extraction from seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Carbamate functional group was grafted onto carbon black surface. • Hierarchical PACs with 3D reticular architectures were fabricated. • PACs showed superior high-temperature particulate matter filtration. Abstract Porous ceramics with high porosity and extensive interconnected pores have great application potential in fields ranging from dye removal to high-temperature particulate matter (PM) capture. However, constructing these materials to achieve efficient filtration is extremely challenging. Herein, a novel strategy to create hierarchical-structured porous alumina ceramics (PACs) with three-dimensional (3D) reticular architecture is reported based on polyurethane (PU) foaming method. To ensure the efficient flow-through filtration, carbamate-grafted carbon black is used as the pore-forming agent and assembled into the porous PU framework. Submicron and micron-sized pores on the cell walls are observed in hierarchical-structured PACs. This unique structure enables a high PM removal efficiency (94.1%) at an ultralow pressure drop (20 Pa). Our work has demonstrated great application potentials of as-prepared PACs as an efficient high-temperature PM filter and provided new insights to develop highly effective filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Facet engineering is performed on the interface of BiOCl-PbS heterostructures. • BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS and BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS are fabricated via selective deposition of PbS. • Electron accumulation in BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS interface disfavors the charge separation. • BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS interface achieves the smooth charge transfer and separation. • BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS exhibits superior broad-spectrum photocatalytic H 2 production. Abstract The construction of semiconductor heterostructure photocatalysts is a promising strategy to extend the light absorption region and promote the electron-hole separation for improved solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency. The photocatalytic activity of the heterostructure is greatly determined by the efficiency of interfacial charge transfer. In this work, we demonstrate the facet engineered interface design of BiOCl-PbS photocatalytic structures. The PbS nanocrystals are selectively deposited on the (0 0 1) and (1 1 0) facets of BiOCl nanoplates to form BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS and BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS, respectively. It is found that the average H 2 production rate of BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS photocatalyst is 2.5 times higher than that of BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS under broad-spectrum irradiation. This enhancement is mainly ascribed to the different interfacial charge transfer efficiencies. Owing to the different band energies between BiOCl(0 0 1) and (1 1 0) facets, a V-shaped band alignment is formed in the BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS sample, which results in the accumulation of photogenerated electrons in BiOCl(0 0 1)-PbS interface and prevents the further charge transfer and separation between BiOCl and PbS, while a ladder-shaped band alignment of BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS achieves the smooth charge transfer and high-efficient charge separation without electron accumulation in the BiOCl(1 1 0)-PbS interface. This work represents a step toward the interface design of high-performance hybrid photocatalyst through facet engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leakage of the liquid phase above the melting point and the low thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs), are the major barriers that currently prevent the practical applications of organic PCMs. In this work, a novel supporting material with mutual interpenetrating network structure was developed by the heterogeneous decorations of Cr-MIL-101-NH 2 metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) nanoparticles on the surfaces of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). PCMs, absorbed by capillary force of porous structure and anchored by hydrogen bond interaction of amino groups, were stabilized by the MOFs nanoparticles. The close integration between CNTs and MOFs nanoparticles was conductive to the construction of three-dimensional (3D) and mutual interpenetrating network structured supporting material, which provided continuous heat transfer paths, increased mean free paths for phonons transmission and promoted effectively the reduction of interfacial thermal resistance between the PCM molecules and supporting materials. The thermal conductivity of PEG2000/CNT@Cr-MIL-101-NH 2 shape-stabilized PCM composite was improved by 100.9% over PEG2000/Cr-MIL-101-NH 2 PCM composite. Furthermore, the obtained PEG/CNT@Cr-MIL-101-NH 2 PCM composite showed large phase change enthalpy, good chemical stability and excellent thermal cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Engineering crystal growth and surface modification regulate the electron/ion transport behavior in anatase TiO 2. • Pseudocapacitive behavior are essential for fast charging with p-TiO 2 @NC anode. • Three-in-one strategy on TiO 2 surfaces enables robust interface chemistry. • Revealing sodium battery gas generation for safer practical applications. Sodium-ion batteries are a potential candidate for next-generation energy storage devices. Unfortunately, developing an anode with improved long-term cycling stability and high-rate performance remains a substantial problem. In this work, we develop that the Na+ intercalation pseudocapacitance in faceted titanium dioxide endows extreme fast charging and long cycle life in a sodium-ion battery. Theoretical calculations and comprehensive characterization exhibit that high ionic conductivity, stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and pseudocapacitive behavior are essential for fast charging. This well-designed electrode demonstrates a significantly high reversible capacity of about 135 mAh g−1 at 90 C (∼30 A g−1) for 10,000 cycles with an 87.8% retension. Coupled with a vanadium phosphate sodium Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 cathode, and this full cell displays a specific capacity of 310 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 for 100 cycles. This study unveils the key mechanisms for fast-charging sodium storage, and can also facilitate the improvement of other titanium-based anodes secondary batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a promising candidate for the removal of nitrate (NO 3 − ) from water, but the concentrated waste water inevitably produced in the electrode regeneration process would cause secondary pollution. In the present study, a Pd/NiAl-LMO film electrode was successfully prepared and used as an innovative NO 3 − electro-sorption/reduction electrode. Metallic Pd nanoparticles were uniformly doped into NiAl-LMO nanosheets, which created a loose porous nanostructure for NO 3 − electro-sorption and enabled catalytic activity for NO 3 − electro-reduction. Doping Pd nanoparticles into NiAl-LMO improved electron transport in the film electrode. The Pd/NiAl-LMO film electrode possessed larger specific capacitance and lower ion diffusion resistance than the pristine NiAl-LMO electrode. NO 3 − was electro-adsorbed by the Pd/NiAl-LMO electrode with concomitant reconstruction of the original hydrotalcite structure by the intercalation of NO 3 − , then the adsorbed NO 3 − was electro-reduced to N 2 by atomic H∗ during the electrode regeneration process. Our study provides not only a novel CDI electrode but also a new concept for a CDI process to achieve a more environmentally friendly outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 microplatelets as precursors, we developed a facile etching strategy for three-dimensional porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 microspheres with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) multilayered sheets for high-performance electromagnetic (EM) absorbing material. In a solution of N,N dimenthyl formamide (DMF), hydrazine and methyl mercaptoacetate, the precursors synchronously were subjected to a dissolution-recrystallization/reduction process to obtain a hybrid of numerous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 fragments and graphene to form the rGO/porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 composite. The porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 microspheres with an mean diameter of 500 nm were uniformly assembled on the graphene multilayered sheets without obvious aggregation. Such three-dimensional structure rGO/porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 composite not only utilize efficiently the high conductivity and specific surface area of graphene, but only the hierarchical architectures of porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 microspheres. The results show that the rGO/porous Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 composite exhibits a maximum reflection coefficient of −71.88 dB at 13.8 GHz with a sample thickness of only 2.0 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (reflection loss below −10 dB) of 4.24 GHz, greatly superior to the present graphene-based metallic oxide composite. The strategy paves an efficient way for designing new candidate for lightweight electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are major high-molecular-weight secretions from microorganisms, binding with cells to form a vast net-like structure for protecting cells against external stress. In this study, the level and function of EPS during the granulation of aerobic sludge used to treat p -chloroaniline ( p -ClA) wastewater were investigated. The content of extracellular proteins (PN) increased relative to the exopolysaccharides (PS) content during the sludge granulation (Stage I), implying that PN contributed significantly to the formation of aerobic granular sludge (AGS). Under the condition of high p -ClA shock loading (Stage II), the PS content increased from 122.7 ± 22.0 mg g −1 VSS to 482.6 ± 5.4 mg g −1 VSS, which might be a regulating mechanism of AGS to address high p -ClA loading. The results of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) demonstrated that PN bands increased with the development of sludge granulation, particularly the proteins with molecular weight located at 44.3–97.2 kDa. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of inoculated activated sludge and matured granular sludge indicated that microorganisms appeared to aggregate in the presence of tyrosine protein, aspartic acid protein and proteins with secondary structures including 3-turn helix and β-sheets. Five types of proteins were identified by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), and these proteins were related to the granulation of aerobic sludge and EPS secretion. Furthermore, the analysis of sludge microbial community revealed that the enrichment of Zoogloea spp. and Thauera spp. as p -ClA degrading and EPS secreting microbes was conducive to the formation of granular sludge and degradation of p -ClA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Glutathione (GSH)-imprinted thermosensitive SiO 2 microspheres with high specific surface have been successfully fabricated via a precipitation copolymerization, in which functional monomers N -isopropyl acrylamide and methacrylic acid polymerize on the surface of fibrous SiO 2 microspheres with N,N ′-methylene bisacrylamide as cross-linking agent. Detailed characterization demonstrates that the SiO 2 microspheres not only possess fiber sphere-shaped structure with the pores radially extending outwards from the center, but also have outstanding surface area (521 m 2 /g) and relatively narrow pore size distribution ranging from 15 to 100 nm. Owing to this fibrous structure, the saturation adsorption capacity of the GSH-molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) microspheres reach up to 85 mg/g within 2 h, which is much higher than other the MIPs that have been reported. In addition, these microspheres also display an excellent selective adsorption of GSH (IF = 3.22). These results revealed that the fibrous SiO 2 microspheres could be expected as MIP carriers to separate and purify biomacromolecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The polyaniline/glucose oxidase-based nanoconverter was designed and constructed. • The nanoconverter re-established tumor microenvironment towards acidity aggravation. • The nanoconverter can differentiate normal and cancerous tissues bidirectionally. • Tumor elimination was achieved through Matthew effect photoimmunotheranostics. The construction of novel photothermal agents (PTAs) with near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive capacity that can differentiate normal and abnormal tissues bidirectionally to minimize adverse effects of photothermal therapy (PTT) is of great importance yet a huge challenge. We are developing "Matthew Effect Photoimmunotheranostics (MEP)", demonstrated using an intelligent proton-driven enhanced nanoconverter (PEN) with self-refueling capacity by a facile polymerization method to form biocompatible photothermal agent polyaniline (PANI) with glucose oxidase (GOx) as the enhancer. PEN accumulates in the tumor region selectively after intravenous injection and GOx depletes glucose to re-establish the tumor microenvironment towards energy shortage and acidity aggravation, suppressing the expression of heat shock proteins to disturb the thermoresistance mechanism of tumor cells and promoting the proton-driven conversion of PANI to activated state synergistically. Strikingly, the PEN can differentiate normal and cancerous tissues bidirectionally with an "OFF-ON-OFF" mode to minimize adverse effects due to the enormous difference in glucose consumption between normal cells and tumor cells. PEN-mediated hyperthermia can induce immunogenic cell death. Under photoacoustic imaging and NIR-II light irradiation, PEN achieves tumor elimination with high specificity with synergistic mild hyperthermia/immune response by MEP. PEN-induced adaptive antitumor immunity is effective for eliminating distant tumors and suppressing tumor metastasis and recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Liquid monomers enable bulk polymerization via one-pot parallel reactions. • The new strategy readily affords novel interpenetrating polymer networks. • The resin fluctuates with hardeners showing a twist-stacked or planar weave matrix. • The viscoelastic, dielectric, mechanical behaviors and flame retardancy are enhanced. • Aerobic or anaerobic pyrolysis selectively favors the IPN upcycling into graphene. The 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, honokiol, and magnolol are converted into sustainable epoxy monomers, i.e. , 5,5′-(((3′,5-diallyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,4′-diyl)bis(oxy))bis- (methyl-ene))bis(2-((oxiran-2-ylmethoxy)methyl)furan) (MGHF) and 5,5′-(((5,5′-diallyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-diyl)bis(oxy))bis(methylene))bis(2-((oxiran-2-ylmethoxy)- methyl)furan) (MGMF), and they are finally cured by 3,3′-diamino diphenylsulfone (33DDS) and 4,4′-diamino diphenylsulfone (44DDS), thus affording novel interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN). Interestingly, 33DDS induces a twist-stacked structure, whereas 44DDS provides a planar weave matrix. As to the twist-stacked layout MGMF/33DDS, it behaves a superhigh storage modulus (∼5.04 GPa), a high phase transition temperature (T g , 222.7 °C), and an elevated onset temperature (T d5 , 362.8 °C). For planar weave arrays, MGHF/44DDS shows the highest values in T g (224.9 °C), lap shear strength (∼20.4 MPa), hardness (∼508 MPa), and reduced Young's modulus (∼6.06 GPa). Furthermore, MGMF/44DDS shows an excellent dielectric property (11.15, 0.02) (∼1 kHz, 25 °C) and a moderate thermal conductivity (0.355 W (m·K)−1) alonging with increased flame retardancy. Besides, those biobased epoxy resin wastes are reclaimable through aerobic or anaerobic pyrolysis. Anaerobic pyrolysis of planar weave networks selectively yields more doped graphene, whereas similar event readily happens to the aerobic pyrolysis of the twist-stacked polymers. In view of these reported advantages, this novel strategy opens new avenues for multifunctional epoxy resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• POM microfiber (PMF) and its membrane (PMFM) possessed outstanding hydrophobicity and lipophilicity. • PMF can absorb oil spontaneously in oil–water mixture to form an aggregation. • PMF has excellent chemical stability for various oils and organic solvents. • PMF has recyclability and maintains excellent hydrophobicity and lipophilicity. • PMF can be constructed to self-standing continuous oil–water separation cup with deformability. With the rapid development of marine transportation, frequent oil leakage will inevitably occur. Therefore, oil–water separation had become an important research topic. The polyoxymethylene (POM) microfiber is a potential oil–water separation material with very good chemical stability, hydrophobicity, and lipophilicity, as well as unique microfiber recyclability and deformability. In this paper, the POM microfiber (PMF) was prepared using a method inspired by natural bamboo cellulose. PMF can be directly used for oil adsorption with a maximum of 19.5 times of oil adsorption capacity (OAC). The water contact angle (WCA) in oil of POM microfiber membrane (PMFM) can reach 160° and the oil–water separation efficiency was more than 99%. In addition, the recyclability allowed the PMF to repeatedly separate the oil–water mixture, and the deformability ensured that it can be used in various oil–water separation situations with different shapes. Moreover, only deionized water was used in the top-bottom preparation strategy of PMF without any chemical reagents. Therefore, this eco-friendly strategy had important implications for the preparation of microfiber materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High-valence Zr-incorporated Ni 2 P is fabricated through the hydrothermal and subsequently phosphorization method. • Zr 0.1 Ni 1.9 P exhibits remarkable HER and OER performances with the excellent long-term durability more than 100 h. • DFT results confirm that the incorporation of Zr effectively regulates the electronic state and boosts the intrinsic activity of catalyst. Expediting the kinetics of electrochemical hydrogen (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical segment in water electrolysis, however, it remains a great challenge. Here, we address this issue via incorporating high valence Zr into Ni 2 P (Zr x Ni 2-x P) to lower the energy barrier of reaction intermediates. The as-prepared Zr 0.1 Ni 1.9 P catalyst exhibits unexceptionable catalytic activities for both HER and OER. It possesses low overpotential of 68 and 239 mV for the HER and OER at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 (j 10), respectively, with the excellent long-term durability more than 100 h. Particularly, the catalytic activity of Zr 0.1 Ni 1.9 P is superior to that of noble metal catalysts (Pt/C and RuO 2) at high current density (> j 300). Furthermore, the electrolytic cell achieves a low potential of only 1.54 V at j 10 to drive overall water splitting in alkaline medium. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that high-valence Zr incorporating promotes the adsorption and dissociation processes of H 2 O to boost alkaline HER and decreases the free energy change of the potential-determining step (O*→OOH*) to facilitate the OER process. This strategy of incorporating high valence Zr to boost reaction kinetics provides a new avenue for designing high performance electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ALE was firstly used as biotemplate for fabricating nanostructures to remove P. • In-situ growth of well-dispersed nanoparticles in ALE-Fe 5 -Zr composites was achieved. • ALE-Fe 5 -Zr composites maintained stable performance over a wide pH range of 4–8. • P in the real wastewater was removed below 0.5 mg/L within 20 min. • The spent composites can be magnetically separated, regenerated and reused. Resource recovery of excess sludge has been important to achieve the sustainability of wastewater treatment, thereinto alginate-like exopolysaccharides (ALE) are considered as valuable bio-products with broad application potential. In this study, ALE were firstly employed as the biotemplates for fabricating controllable nanostructures to remove phosphate, the binding ability of ALE to metal ions (Fe3+ and Zr4+) effectively confined the in-situ growth of metal nanoparticles under calcination. The ALE-metal composites with a Fe/Zr molar ratio of 5 (ALE-Fe 5 -Zr) showed high phosphate removal efficiencies of 96.1% and 98.1% at 1 and 10 mg-P L−1, respectively, which was largely attributed to its homogeneity, high specific surface area, and mesoporous structure. The phosphate adsorption by ALE-Fe 5 -Zr composites fitted well with pseudo-second-order kinetics and Freundlich isotherm model. Meanwhile, the composites achieved stable phosphate removal performance under a wide pH range of 4–8, and showed a high selectivity to phosphate in the presence of Cl−, SO 4 2−, NO 3 −, HCO 3 −, and F−. Moreover, ALE-Fe 5 -Zr composites maintained the favorable performance in treating real wastewater containing 2.47 mg-P L−1, and the phosphate concentration reached target discharge limit of 0.5 mg-P L−1 within 20 min. The reusability tests demonstrated that ALE-Fe 5 -Zr composites could be recovered by magnetic separation and kept 83.8% of original adsorption capacity after five cycles. The possible adsorption mechanisms involving electrostatic interaction, ligand exchange, and Lewis acid-base interaction were supported by batch experiments, FTIR, and XPS analyses. This work provided a facile route for synthesizing ALE-mediated magnetic composites with high efficiency, selectivity, and stability for phosphate removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel bipolar polyimide COF with imide active units and quaternary nitrogen active center was designed and synthesized. • Redox of anionic and cationic radicals domate the storage of Li+ ions and PF 6 − groups, respectively. • Electrolyte additives VC and FEC resulted in the inactivation of imide units and the poor electrochemical performance. • Optimizing the electrolyte enables the COF electrodes with high capacity and excellent stability. Bipolar organic materials for dual-ion batteries have attracted immense attention due to the low cost, high theoretical capacity, and potential sustainability. However, the bipolar organic batteries are plagued by low reversible capacity and poor stability. Herein, a novel bipolar polyimide COF with n -type imide units and p-type quaternary nitrogen centers exhibits unique topology structure and is used for dual-ion organic batteries. Detailed analyses reveal that the redox of anionic imide radicals and cationic nitrogen-center radicals was triggered to store the Li+ ions and PF 6 − anions, respectively, during the charge/discharge processes. Electrolyte engineering demonstrates that the electrolyte additives vinylene carbonate (VC) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) would inactivate the imide units and result in low capacities and poor reversibility of the COF electrodes. With the unique structure and optimized electrolyte, the bipolar COF exhibits high capacity of 165 mAh/g at 30 mA/g and high capacity retention of 91 % after 4000 cycles at 1 A/g, surpassing most of the bipolar electrodes. This work not only expands the palette to design bipolar materials for rechargeable batteries but also emphasizes the importance of the matching strategy of electrolytes and organic electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel 3D multi-layered CNIS heterostructure is prepared via a self-assemble process. • The sheet-to-sheet 3D structure accelerates exciton dissociation and diffusion. • Incorporation of In-5s, S-3p orbitals into heterostructure suppresses charge recombination. • Improved charge carrier utilization and light absorption benefit O 2 − generation. • The degradation rate of novel multi-layered CNIS is 34 times higher than bulk CN. Superoxide anion radical (O 2 −) plays an important role in the selective photocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants in a complex aquatic environment. However, the yield of O 2 − is low due to the low charge utilization and limited visible light absorption. Here, we built a novel there-dimension (3D) multi-layered CNIS (carbon nitride/indium sulfide) heterostructure via a facile molecular self-assembly route, in which morphological engineering and heterostructure construction were synergistically used. Results showed that the formation of the type-II heterojunction between CN and In 2 S 3 via In-N bonds significantly shifted the band positions and increased the density of band tail, facilitating high absorption of visible light and suppressing the charge carrier recombination. Additionally, the ordered sheet-to-sheet architecture of 3D multi-layered CNIS heterostructure with strong anisotropy accelerated exciton dissociation and provided abundant diffusion channels. Therefore, the novel 3D multi-layered CNIS heterostructure exhibited effective photocatalytic activity towards O 2 − generation (11.54 μmol/L min−1), causing 83 % removal of tetracycline (TC) in 10 min under visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite of MnO and carbon pyrolysis from PTCDA (named as MnO/C p ) has been synthesized via a facile adsorption of Mn 2+ on 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA), followed by thermal annealing process. PTCDA is employed as a precursor of carbon and forms a tube shape via calcination. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), this interesting and novel construction promotes electron transport and cycling stability. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap of conjugated polymers by the B3LYP/6-31g(d), genecp/lanl2dz functional and basis set, demonstrates the wonderful potential of electronic transmission, resulting in the high electron transport efficiency and great conductivity of the MnO/C p composite. The favorable reversible capacity of 1066 mAh g −1 is maintained after 100 cycles under a current density of 100 mA g −1 . The tube shape carbon from PTCDA pyrolysis optimizes the stability and electroconductivity of the framework, thereby, obtaining the extraordinary electrochemical properties. The interesting synthesis process and structure provide a new approach for anode materials of LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a facile two-step method, the researchers synthesized a pH-responsive double-network (DN) hydrogel with high strength and toughness, consisting of a B(OH) 4 − linked hydroxypropyl guar gum (HPG) network and a covalently cross-linked polyacrylamide (PAAm) network. The mechanical strength of HPG/PAAm DN gel was investigated as a function of synthesis conditions, HPG content, sodium borate concentration and soaking time. The resulting DN gel exhibited unique pH-responsive properties and excellent mechanical properties, with a fracture stress of 843 kPa, and an excellent extensibility of 1400% (12−14 times its initial length). The relationship between mechanical property and the synergy of HPG and PAAm networks was discussed systematically. The DN gel possessed self-recovery under small deformation, but displayed self-reinforcement under large deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A finite reaction zone model was proposed for single large char particle combustion. • A relative resistance of reaction to internal diffusion was analyzed quantitatively. • The relative resistance varies much with both particle size and bulk flow temperature. • The internal diffusion dominates global reactivity in the middle stage of reaction. • An external effectiveness factor was defined to be integrated into CFD simulation. Understanding apparent kinetics of single large fuel particle combustion is of significance to the design and optimization of grate-firing and circulating fluidized bed boilers. Based on the concept of finite reaction zone approximation, a simple heterogeneous single particle model was formulated to consider the effects of external gas film, ash layer and chemical reaction simultaneously. To validate the proposed model and gain insight into the prevailing rate-controlling mechanism during the single particle combustion process at different combustion temperatures and particle sizes, the experiments on the combustion of coal char powder and single large char particles were carried out in a thermal gravimetric analyzer and a bench scale fixed-bed reactor, respectively. The intrinsic and apparent kinetics as well as the effective reacting zone thickness of single large particle combustion were quantified by combining theoretical analyses and experimental data. Both the bulk flow temperature and particle size have a remarkable influence on the global reactivity. The rate-controlling process was found to shift from the intrinsic chemical reaction to ash layer diffusion and return again to the intrinsic kinetics at the burnout stage. Particularly, an external effectiveness factor was defined as a function of conversion degree to better describe the ash diffusion effect on the apparent reactivity of large particles. The proposed model is physically general but simple enough to be incorporated into the computational fluid dynamic simulation of large-scale grate-firing and fluidized bed boilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new cationic imidazolium and porphyrin cross-linked POP was prepared by the bottom-up method. • The Imi-PPOPs-Br exhibited considerable Au (III) adsorption capacity (1543 mg g−1). • The mechanism was ascribed to the electrostatic interaction, strong binding and reduction. • The Imi-PPOPs-Br owns superior selectivity towards gold for the CPU leaching solution. • The Imi-PPOPs-Br possesses great recyclability and practical application potential. Developing ionic porous organic polymers (i-POPs) to retrieve gold from electronic waste is still in its infancy. Herein, for the first time, a cationic imidazolium and porphyrin cross-linked POPs, Imi-PPOPs-Br, was constructed by combining pyrrole and imidazolium-functionalized trialdehydes via the bottom-up method. As expected, the introduction of cationic imidazolium and porphyrin rings has endowed material high adsorption capacity (1543 mg/g), preferable reusability (more than eight times), and specific selectivity to Au (III). Multiple characterization results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the adsorption mechanism of Au (III) by Imi-PPOPs-Br could be due to the electrostatic interaction between cationic Imi-PPOPs-Br and AuCl 4 − anions, strong bind of Au and N active sites, and reductive immobilization of Au (III) to Au (0). This study may put forward a new and facile strategy for constructing stable i-POPs that can be used as desirable absorbents in environmental fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Desulfurization was carried out by catalytic alkylation of gasoline with imidazole-methanesulfonic acid ionic liquid. • The relationship between alkylation effect and acid strength of ionic liquid was studied. • The mechanism of alkylation desulfurization with ionic liquid was studied. • A microchannel reactor was designed to enhance the reaction and evaluate the optimum reaction conditions. Imidazole-methane sulfonic ionic liquids (C 4 (MIM)-MSA) were synthesized and used for catalytic alkylation of thiophene. The determination of sulfur content in alkylated desulfurized oil shows that the ionic liquid has excellent alkylation desulfurization effect. Compared with pure acid catalyst, ILs catalytic reaction has higher selectivity. The alkylation desulfurization mechanism of ionic liquid was proved by the determination of oil component changes before and after desulfurization and the characterization of ionic liquid structure. Microchannel technology is used to enhance alkylation reaction, and the optimum reaction conditions are experimentally selected. The microchannel reactor can shorten the alkylation desulfurization reaction time significantly and only need 2 min to complete the reaction, which is much lower than the conventional stirring reaction time of 30 min. The desulfurization rate of model oil is 93.8% and FCC desulfurization rate is 96.3% (final distillation point is 160 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zero-valent iron with phosphate group-modified titanium dioxide was produced. • PTO-3nZVI and PTO-nZVI showed impressive adsorption properties for Cd(Ⅱ). • Pb(Ⅱ) and Cu(Ⅱ) had competitive effects for the removal of Cd(Ⅱ) on adsorbents. • Different zero-valent iron content of adsorbent showed different adsorption order. • XPS analysis and DFT calculation explain the adsorption behaviors together. In order to treat heavy metal pollutants in acid mine drainage, zero-valent iron/phosphoric titanium dioxide (PTO-3nZVI and PTO-nZVI) was developed with phosphoric acid treatment and loading of zero valent iron and showed excellent adsorption of heavy metals. PTO-3nZVI and PTO-nZVI greatly improved the adsorption capacity for the targeted heavy metal Cd(II) (308 mg·g−1 for PTO-3nZVI and 206 mg·g−1 for PTO-nZVI) through complexation and coprecipitation. Additionally, competitive adsorption occurred between Cd(II) and coexisting heavy metal ions (Pb(II) and Cu(II)), resulting in different adsorption effects for PTO-3nZVI and PTO-nZVI, and their adsorption efficiencies decreased in the order Cu(II) > Pb(II) > Cd(II) for PTO-3nZVI and Pb(II) > Cu(II) > Cd(II) for PTO-nZVI. Based on these two aspects, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) analyses and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were used to characterize the adsorption behaviors of PTO-3nZVI and PTO-nZVI. In particular, competitive relationships for different heavy metals were clearly revealed by binding energies, Frontier Molecular Orbitals (FMOs) analyses, electrostatic potentials, and total potential and differential charge analyses of adsorption sites, binding sites and binding strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This review provides a summary of recent development of single component SOFCs. • Criteria of materials selection for the single component SOFCs have been discussed. • The descriptions on charge separation mechanism at particle level are reviewed. • This review includes studies on built-in electric fields of junctions. • The junction effect on electronic and ionic transport is reviewed. Despite the high capabilities to replace combustion systems and produce sustainable energy, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) still have not yet been successfully commercialized. In this context, single component SOFC has been developed as a new oriented fuel cell R&D strategy in the past decades, providing great promise to commercialization. This paper presents a mini review on recent studies with respect to the development of the state-of-the-art single component SOFC to overcome the constraints of high operating temperatures. Different from conventional three-component SOFC, the single component SOFC is featured of containing a homogeneous layer with hybrid dual ions (O2–/H+) conduction based on semiconductor-ion hetero-structure materials. The Schottky or p-n junction built-in electric field evidence the cell operation even at low-temperature up to (300–600 °C), which brings a new overwhelming framework for research and development of fuel cell. The functionality of the single component is principally determined by the interface kinetics, which has dimensions of super-fast (hybrid) ionic transport. Therefore, innovative design of semiconducting-ionic materials is systematically reviewed in terms of inter-facial properties/mechanisms, and transition from non-functional to functional materials with potential of dual ions conduction. Further, it is followed by weighted the potential of this new device as compared with conventional SOFCs. Finally, the future framework, advancement, and bright perspectives of this innovative device have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw-supported ion imprinted polymer sorbent was prepared by surface imprinting technique combined with activators generated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP). The ability of the imprinted sorbent to adsorb La 3+ ions was assessed by batch adsorption technique. The crosslinking density of the ion imprinted polymer (IIP) on the surface of straw exerted great influence on the sorption property. The IIP with appropriate crosslinking density displayed the highest sorption capacity, fastest sorption rate and best selective sorption ability. The maximum sorption amount was 125 mg/g, and the sorption equilibrium could be reached within several minutes. The adsorption mechanism studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the sorption of La 3+ ions was realized mainly through interactions with the C N, C O and C O groups. The imprinted sorbent could be repeatedly used for ten times without any significant loss in the initial binding affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, blue–red synchronous emitting Ba 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ , Mn 2+ nanocrystals matched well the photosynthetic action spectrum (PAS) of plant chlorophylls was fabricated on green emitting Sr 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ emitter covered entirely the photopic vision function (PVF) of human eyes, to construct Sr 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ -Ba 3 MgSi 2 O 8 :Eu 2+ , Mn 2+ dual-responsive composite phosphor. The micro-structure and blue–green–red tri-bands photoluminescence for the obtained composite phosphor were investigated in detail. White light emission with excellent dual-response characters to PAS of plant chlorophylls and PVF of human eyes was obtained, indicating the potential applications in both of general lighting and plant lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D heterostructured nanochannel induces molecule stratification, where asymmetric transfer rate of ordered acetonitrile aggregate and disordered water molecule achieves enhanced molecular separation than homostructured nanochannel. [Display omitted] • Hydrophilic/hydrophobic heterostructured nanochannels are constructed via dual-needle electrostatic atomization. • Asymmetric channel wall-molecule interactions induce molecule stratification for acetonitrile/water mixture. • Orderly aligned acetonitrile aggregates transfer quickly, while randomly distributed water molecules transfer slowly. • A high acetonitrile permeance of 38.9 L m–2h−1 bar−1 and separation factor of acetonitrile/water up to 4.8 are obtained. Here, lamellar membranes with hydrophilic/hydrophobic heterostructured nanochannels are constructed by alternately stacking graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets via dual-needle electrostatic atomization. This technology exhibits facile controllability over membrane nanostructure, where the dual-needle device can compel active reactants to contact in confined space. Through subtly designing spraying parameters, GO and RGO nanosheets can be alternately deposited on the substrate to construct heterostructured nanochannels. And we demonstrate that the asymmetric channel wall-molecule interactions can induce molecule stratification for acetonitrile/water mixture, where hydrophilic GO layer exerts strong attraction to acetonitrile, whereas water molecules are pushed to hydrophobic RGO layer. Then, the strong attraction further induces acetonitrile molecules to form orderly aligned aggregates and transfer quickly, while water molecules are randomly distributed and transfer slowly. The pre-determined different transfer rates afford a high acetonitrile permeance of 38.9 L m–2h−1 bar−1 and separation factor of acetonitrile/water up to 4.8, surpassing that of homostructured lamellar membranes. Furthermore, this stratification and hence separation performance can be enhanced by channel length, acetonitrile amount in feed, operation temperature and pressure. The first discovery of molecule stratification in heterostructured nanochannels facilitates the sustainable development of advanced separation membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Highly dispersed Co atoms anchored in porous N-doped carbon is synthesized. • The p –Co–N–C exhibits excellent activity and selectivity for H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis. • The p –Co–N–C shows promising application for the degradation of organic pollutants. Cobalt–nitrogen–carbon (Co–N–C) materials exhibit great potential for H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the encapsulated Co nanoparticles reduce the Faradic efficiency of H 2 O 2 production. Herein, highly dispersed cobalt atoms anchored in porous N-doped carbon (p –Co–N–C) via a carbonization-alkalization-acidification strategy are prepared and prove to be efficient for H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis in acidic media. The H 2 O 2 selectivity on the p –Co–N–C is over 90%, which is three times higher than that of Co nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon. Notably, the p –Co–N–C displays a H 2 O 2 production rate of 2,460.8 mg L−1h−1 and a malachite green degradation rate of 90% within 8 min when employed in a flow cell. The enhanced performance of p –Co–N–C for H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis originates from the highly dispersed Co–N x species and hierarchical porous architecture. The Co–N x species can provide active sites for O 2 and reaction intermediate adsorption and the hierarchical porous architecture can promote the diffusion of H 2 O 2 into the bulk solution. This work provides a facile synthesis strategy for non-precious metal materials in various energy-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CoFe-LDH/MXene membrane was used as the Cl- storage electrode in CDI; • The electron transport of the CoFe-LDH layer was improved by MXene; • CoFe-LDH/MXene membrane has enough toughness to be self-supporting; • The desalination capacity of the membrane reached 149.25 ± 6.17 mg g−1. Excessive chloride ions (Cl-) are undesirable in water. However, most of the research on the application of capacitive deionization in desalination has focused on cation storage electrode materials, whereas less on the equally important Cl- storage electrode materials. Herein, the CoFe-Layered Double Hydroxide (CoFe-LDH) prepared by chemical co-precipitation was composited with MXene through simple vacuum filtration to form a self-supporting CoFe-LDH/Ti 3 C 2 T x film electrode, and used as the anode material to store Cl- in the hybrid capacitive deionization system. The CoFe-LDH/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite film has a hierarchical micro-mesoporous architecture, larger electrochemical capacity, and desalination capacity, reaching 149.25 ± 6.17 mg g−1 at a current density of 50 mA g−1 and desalination rate of 3.86 mg g−1 min−1 at 100 mA g−1. This work provides potential inspiration for the Cl- storage electrode for capacitive deionization technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Amorphous/crystalline H-NiMoS 4 /NiS 2 hollow sphere was successfully constructed. • A high specific capacitance and good cycling performance was obtained. • The capacity retention of HSC was 83.7% after 20,000 cycles. • The HSC displayed a high energy density of 38.6 Wh kg−1 at 958.6 W kg−1. Phase engineering offers a promising strategy to tailor the physiochemical properties to further improve their electrochemical performance toward energy storage. However, it remains a challenge to fabricate well-defined amorphous/crystalline hetero-phase metal sulfides with high-density heterointerfaces. Herein, the synthesis of hetero-phase combination of amorphous NiMoS 4 and crystalline NiS 2 that possesses hollow nanosphere structure decorated by nanosheets (named as H-NiMoS 4 /NiS 2) is reported. Benefiting from the construction of the hollow nanosphere coated by nanosheets, amorphous/crystalline hetero-phase junction, and strong Ni-S hybridization, H-NiMoS 4 /NiS 2 electrode exhibits high specific capacity, outstanding rate capability and excellent cycling stability. Moreover, an all-solid-state supercapacitor was assembled with H-NiMoS 4 /NiS 2 as cathode and needle coke oxide (NCO) as anode, which can achieve remarkably high energy density of 38.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 958.6 W kg−1 and outstanding capacity retention of 83.7% after 20,000 cycling. The preparation of novel H-NiMoS 4 /NiS 2 nanomaterial with a hetero-phase of amorphous and crystalline provides a new solution for improving the structural stability and capacitor storage performance as electrodes for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Fine grained ZrB2–SiC–hBN composite were reactively densified from coarse precursors. [•] Employ the SHS ignited in ZrN–Si–B4C systems to improve microstructure homogeneity. [•] Strength reliability and strain tolerance of obtained ceramics were much improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D Janus face graphene (JFG) substrate is prepared in large scale by facile process. • Distinct Janus face comes from different aperture size and N-doping on both sides. • Dendrite growth is suppressed when lithiophilic layer is as Li deposition interface. • Li@JFG composite anode achieves efficient Li electro-plating/stripping. • Li@JFG anode has high coulomb efficiency, small polarization and stable cycle. The dendrite growth and irreversibility of lithium (Li) metal anode seriously hinders the wide-scale application of high-energy–density rechargeable batteries. Here, we report a thin Janus-faced graphene substrate, consisting of lithiophilic-lithiophobic faces separately, for Li plating/stripping. The visualized analysis demonstrates that the unique Janus-faced graphene structure provides different lithiophilic sites and pore channels to steer the Li electrodeposition and suppress the dendrite growth. As expected, the Janus-faced graphene anode achieves long-term Li plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiency, small polarization and stable cycling throughout the symmetry, asymmetry and LiFePO 4 full cells. Such an encouraging strategy for reversible Li plating/stripping provides a promising way to design long-life carbon-base anode materials for Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An effective strategy has been established by doping Ce into Cu NPs to tune the electronic state of Cu. • It attains the faradaic efficiency of C 2 H 4 as high as 53% with a current density of 150 mA/cm2. • Such performance is about 2.8-fold increase when compared with Cu NPs. • The electronic structure regulation and defective sites facilitate highly efficient C 2 H 4 production from CO 2 electroreduction. Coupling another metal element tends to produce catalytic controls of high activity and selectivity. However, this action is still poorly explored to improve the selectivity of the electroreduction of CO 2 to C 2 H 4 with high energy density. Herein, Ce-doped Cu nanoparticles (Ce-Cu NPs) are synthesized by one-step co-reduction method and presented a preferable example that promotes selective transformation of CO 2 to C 2 H 4 in a flow-cell configuration. Thereinto, high faradaic efficiency (FE) of C 2 H 4 for Ce-Cu-2 NPs could reach 53% with the current density of 150 mA cm−2, which is 2.8 times higher than that of Cu NPs. The outstanding performance mainly stems from tailoring the doped-Ce content shrinks particle sizes and forms oxygen defects due to the electron effect of nearby Ce atoms, boosting local electronic re-distribution of Cu. Meanwhile, in-situ Raman spectroscopies evidenced that the doping of Ce can enhance Cu site to bond *CO, which were beneficial to C–C coupling and thus endowed the catalyst with the superior catalytic performance in CO 2 electroreduction toward C 2 H 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A toughened, self-healing, anti-freezing, anti-drying, and anti-swelling hydrogel is prepared. • Hydrogel sensors exhibit excellent self-healing capability and multi-environmental stability. • Hydrogel sensors display an attracting feature on distinguishing the direction of human motion. • Hydrogels possess significant shape memory and information storage functions even at −40 °C. Conductive hydrogels have considered as promising materials to revolutionize flexible electronics, biomedical devices and soft robotics. Despite significant progress has been made in the design of hydrogels, simultaneous realization of outstanding mechanical properties, self-healing capability, multi-environmental tolerance (e.g., freezing, drying, water, and oil), and multiple stimuli-responsiveness in a single hydrogel still remains a tremendous challenge. Herein, an extraordinary stretchable (1769%), toughened (0.46 MPa), self-healing, water-retaining (78% after 8 days), anti-freezing (below −40 °C), and anti-swelling (in water/organic solvents) conductive hydrogel is designed and prepared by simultaneously introducing zwitterionic proline, metal ions, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) into vinyl hybrid silica nanoparticles cross-linked polyacrylic acid networks. Based on this hydrogel, the fabricated strain sensor exhibits excellent strain sensitivity (GF = 3.07), wide sensing range (from 5 to 700%), reliable stability (800 cycles at 200% strain), and accurate human motion detection along two opposite directions (bend down or bend up). In particular, it can not only withstand outstanding mechanical damages but also maintain stable sensing performances in water/organic solvent environments and freezing condition of −40 °C. More interestingly, under FeCl 3 -EG (ethylene glycol) and ascorbic acid-EG solution external stimuli, the resultant hydrogels also display the significant shape memory behaviors and repeated information recording/erasing capabilities even at an extremely cold temperature (−40 °C). These remarkable performances greatly expand the application fields of hydrogels in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• M x WO y -rGO/Al nanothermites were fabricated by in situ and self-assembly methods. • The M x WO y -rGO/Al nanothermites present a dense layer stacked structure. • The energy release of the nanothermites can reach about 3000 J·g−1. • The nanothermites present outstanding combustion and catalytic performance. The development of nanothermites with high energy release rate is an important direction to the combustion catalysts in solid propellants. Herein, the bimetallic composite oxides (MgWO 4 , CoWO 4 and Bi 2 WO 6) were compounded with GO through an in situ solvothermal method, followed by self-assembly with Al nanoparticles in an organic solvent to obtain a new type of nanothermites. The structure, heat release and ignition performance of MgWO 4 -rGO/Al, CoWO 4 -rGO/Al and Bi 2 WO 6 -rGO/Al and their catalytic performances on several energetic materials were investigated. All prepared samples present a dense layer stacked structure. The heat outputs of MgWO 4 -rGO/Al, CoWO 4 -rGO/Al and Bi 2 WO 6 -rGO/Al nanothermites reach 2763.8, 3094.1 and 2853.6 J·g−1 respectively, which are significantly larger than those of Al/CuO (2070.0 J·g−1), Al/Fe 2 O 3 (2088.0 J·g−1), GO/Al/Bi 2 O 3 (1421.0 ± 12.0 J·g−1) and M x WO y /Al without GO. The enhanced performance may be ascribed to the unique structure of bimetallic composite oxides and GO, and uniform compact structure of nanothermites. CoWO 4 -rGO/Al exhibits a higher combustion heat release (3094.1 J·g−1), shorter ignition delay time (11.0 ms) and burning time (50.0 ± 2.0 ms), the minimum time of reaching the maximum flame area (20.0 ± 2.0 ms) and the maximum flame propagation speed (7.3 ± 0.7 m·s−1), demonstrating outstanding exothermic and combustion properties. The DSC results show that MgWO 4 -rGO/Al, CoWO 4 -rGO/Al and Bi 2 WO 6 -rGO/Al nanothermites reduce the peak temperature of AP (406.5 °C) by 23.8, 62.2 and 25.5 °C, and RDX by 3.2, 4.5 and 3.3 °C, respectively. This study will provide a new strategy of combustion catalysts utilizing the synergistic effects of energization and nanometerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-reporting superhydrophobic coatings were facilely fabricated with eco-friendly formula. • The isotropic co-crosslinked interlocking networks enhanced the mechanical durability of as-prepared coating. • The as-prepared coating exhibited a significant PL response of the damage-related structural changes. • The as-prepared coating could autonomously indicate internal damages/failures at early stages. Polymer-based superhydrophobic coatings have attracted tremendous attention as promising multi-functional materials. Nevertheless, the practical applications of superhydrophobic coatings are seriously restricted by the well-known drawbacks of the pollution-carrying fabrication methods (e.g. , harmful fluorinated compounds and organic solvents employed) and the fragile mechanical durability. Meanwhile, the absence of the smart response to external stimulus is another restricted factor for application as a promising smart multifunctional material. It is highly challenging to synthesize desirable self-reporting robust superhydrophobic coatings for autonomously indicating internal damages or failure development in early stages with the eco-friendly method. In this paper, the self-reporting robust superhydrophobic coatings with damage-sensitive photoluminescence (PL) were prepared by the facile, non-fluorinated, and eco-friendly method. Both the surface superhydrophobic modification of tetrapod-shaped ZnO (T-ZnO) and preparation of superhydrophobic coating were implemented with the waterborne formula. Benefited from the isotropic co-crosslinked interlocking networks constructed by covalent bonding the methacrylate copolymers onto the surface of T-ZnO and crosslinked with the methacrylate copolymers matrix, the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating showed excellent mechanical durability. The coating can still maintain high water-repellent (Contact angle (CA) = 150°) after 1000 cycles of severe mechanical abrasion. More importantly, the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating exhibited a significant PL response to the damage-related structural changes under mechanical abrasion. Furthermore, the anti-corrosion and self-cleaning properties of the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating were also evaluated. Under the merits in the synthesis method and the damage-related PL characteristics, the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating has a promising application in non-destructive detection and opens up the new possible application in engineering scopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First systematic review on the stimuli‐responsive luminescent MOFs for anticounterfeiting. • The responsive mechanisms toward various stimulus are discussed. • The implementation strategies for advanced anti‐counterfeiting are presented. • Challenges and prospects of anticounterfeiting based on responsive luminescent MOFs are discussed. Smart stimuli-responsive luminescent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), combining the unique advantages and exciting application prospects, have gained booming development in recent years. The powerful capability to respond the external chemical or physical stimuli through various manners makes them particularly attractive in anti-counterfeiting technologies. This review aims at the recent progress of the stimuli-responsive luminescent MOF materials for advanced anti-counterfeiting technologies. The representative types of stimuli, such as light, temperature, solvent, pH, ion are summarized. In addition, the responsive luminescence and mechanisms, and the implementation strategies for advanced anti-counterfeiting are discussed. We also briefly present the current challenges and future perspectives of stimuli-responsive luminescent MOF materials for anticounterfeiting application. We hope this review would provide some new insights and guidelines for the design and engineering of novel stimuli-responsive luminescent MOF materials for advanced anticounterfeiting and information encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Site-selective Li deposition is achieved with insulative OPANF/ZIF-8 frameworks. • The OPAN/ZIF-8 homogenizes Li ion flux from both nano- and micro-levels. • The composite anode brings better electrochemical performances for LMBs. The growth of lithium dendrites and the huge volume change are the critical issues for the practical application of lithium metal anodes. In this work, a novel strategy is proposed to address the above challenges using oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers anchored with well-distributed metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as the lithium metal anode host. The obtained hybrid structure possesses integrated multiple lithium ion affinities to regulate the lithium ion flux inside the three-dimensional scaffold. On the one hand, the strong chemical lithophilicity is achieved with the abundant surface polar groups from oxidized PAN nanofibers and MOFs. On the other hand, the high capillary force from the microporous structure of MOFs serves them as electrolyte nanoreservoirs enabling improved lithium adsorption. Site-selective lithium nucleation and deposition via nanoscale surface modification of oxidized PAN nanofibers regulates the Li plating/stripping behavior and effectively suppresses dendrite growth. As a result, the symmetrical cell based on the composite anode delivers a prolonged cycling life of 5 times longer than that of bare Cu at a high current density of 3 mA cm−2. Moreover, when paired with the LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 (NCM) cathode, the assembled full cell also exhibits outstanding rate capability and improved cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Cd2+-imprinted IPN sorbent was prepared by hybrid photopolymerization. [•] The Cd2+-imprinted gel showed excellent selectivity for Cd2+. [•] The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of trace Cd2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]