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[Display omitted] • The fermented and unfermented goji berry juices attenuated dextran sodium sulfate induced colitis. • The probiotics-fermented goji berry juice treatment (FGJ, 20 mL/kg/d) prevented histological damage. • FGJ enhanced intestinal integrity and modulated inflammatory cytokines in serum and colon. • The key gut bacteria at the phylums, family and genus level were regulated by FGJ. This study administered the goji juice (20 mL/kg/d) fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus reuteri and Streptococcus thermophilus or unfermented juice for male mice for 30 days, then the effects on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis were investigated. The results shown that intaking fermented or unfermented goji juice decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in serum and colon, while increased the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH). Additionally, intaking fermented or unfermented goji juices decreased intestinal permeability, and modulated gut microbiota at the phylums, family and genus level in ulcerative colitis mice. It is worth noting that the probiotics-fermented goji juice showed better anti-inflammatory effects than unfermented goji juice. These results demonstrated that probiotics-fermentation enhanced the anti-ulcerative colitis function of goji berry juice by regulating oxidative stress and inflammation markers and modulating gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density is the most important parameter determining the performance of indium-tin oxide (ITO) targets. However, the full densification of ITO ceramics is extremely difficult. Previously reported strategies are based on the addition of components such as sintering aids or significant process adjustments. In this study, we aimed to realise the full densification of an ITO target by the fine regulation of parameters involved in the conventional pressure-less sintering process. The phase transitions, BET surface area, and particle size changes of indium-tin co-precipitated nanoprecursors sintered at different temperatures were studied. Moreover, the effects of the ITO powder state and sintering temperature on the density, resistivity, and microstructural uniformity of the ITO target were investigated. The results showed that the existence of rhombohedral In 2 O 3 in the ITO powder and ceramic sintering temperature are vital to the full densification of the ITO target. Density was found to dominate ITO-target resistivity when the sintering temperature was <1585 °C. In this study, an extraordinary high-density (99.81 %), low-resistivity (1.707 × 10−4 Ω cm), and uniform-microstructured ITO target is prepared under optimised operation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper oxide nanoparticles were prepared by the solvothermal method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The as-prepared CuO nanoparticles functionalized QCM resonators were fabricated and explored for HCN sensing under varied humidity conditions. When the humidity of air containing HCN is the same as that of environmental air, a characteristic positive frequency shift of CuO nanoparticles functionalized QCM resonator is always observed towards HCN because of a reversible surface redox reaction between CuO and HCN. The sensitivity of CuO nanoparticles functionalized QCM resonators increases with increase of relative humidity in the range of 9-51%. These results provide an important guidance for further developing HCN gas sensors towards practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This study developed a new strategy for the utilization of the zinc oxide dust resource. • Preparation of spinel zinc ferrite by conversion of the insoluble zinc and iron components in zinc oxide dust by roasting. • After ball milling for 2 h, the roasted product showed excellent activity for organic pollutants degradation and magnetic separation and recycling. • The mechanisms of solid phase reaction and modification of roasted product by ball milling were investigated. The resource utilization of zinc oxide dust (ZOD) is mainly focused on the efficient recovery of zinc by acid leaching at present. Because of a large amount of iron in ZOD and zinc components existing in multi-phase, the problems of low zinc recovery and the separation of zinc and iron ions in the leaching solution are unavoidable. Considering the characteristics of ZOD and the advantages of spinel zinc ferrite (ZnFe 2 O 4) in the advanced oxidation degradation of organic wastewater, a new strategy for clean utilization of ZOD is proposed. The leaching efficiency of soluble zinc components in ZOD reached 96.7 % by selective dissolution with low concentration sulfuric acid solution, and the leaching solution without iron ions can be directly used for electrolytic zinc recovery. The insoluble components of zinc and iron in the leaching residue were converted into ZnFe 2 O 4 by solid phase roasting. By adjusting the roasting temperature, time and molar ratio of Fe/Zn in roasting process, the proportion of zinc elements in the form of ZnFe 2 O 4 reached 99.56 % and a single spinel zinc ferrite product was obtained. Zinc ferrite product activated by ball milling for 2 h (ZFO-2) showed very high catalytic activity in the treatment of organic wastewater by peroxonosulfate (PMS). In the presence of 1 mM PMS and 1 g/L ZFO-2 at 20 °C, the ZFO-2/PMS system achieved a removal rate of over 90 % within 40 min for wastewater containing RhB, MO and MG (10 mg/L). In addition, ZFO-2 is ferromagnetic and easily recovered by magnetic separation. The new strategy proposed in this paper takes into account the efficient recovery of soluble zinc components and the cooperative high-value utilization of insoluble components of zinc and iron in ZOD, which is a comprehensive utilization method with more sustainable resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DL adsorption on sphalerite surfaces with different Fe substitutions is analyzed. • Fe substitution enhances the overall acidity and improves the reactivity. • PDOS and charge transfer analyses confirm space matching and orbital matching. • The micro-flotation and contact angle show strong adsorption of DL on marmatite. • DL is a feasible green selective depressant. Conventional flotation processes often employ cyanide as a depressant for sphalerite, posing environmental concerns. This study investigates the adsorption of 2-Amino-3-mercaptopropionic acid (also known as DL-Cysteine) on sphalerite surfaces with varying degrees of Fe substitution using density functional theory calculations. The focus encompasses electronic properties, charge transfer, and orbital coordination. The potential of DL-cysteine as a sphalerite depressant was assessed and subsequently confirmed experimentally. Our findings indicate that Fe substitution increases the acidity of the mineral surface, thereby enhancing its reactivity to readily interact with the S, O, and N atoms abundant in lone-pair electrons. The Fe-substituted sphalerite surface primarily adsorbs DL-cysteine through interactions with -SH and –NH 2 groups on Fe ions, in contrast to those on Zn ions. Analyses of the partial density of states and charge transfer confirm the spatial and orbital compatibility in the system. Moreover, micro-flotation tests, contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy substantiate that DL-cysteine efficaciously adsorbs onto marmatite surfaces, thereby reducing their hydrophobicity. On the contrary, the adsorption strength of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate on the mineral surface is significantly weaker. Overall, the potent adsorption capability of DL-cysteine makes it a viable, eco-friendly depressant alternative for marmatite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SA selectively depressed marmatite and achieves excellent Pb-Zn separation. • SA strongly chemically complexes with metal ions on the surface of marmatite. • Fe2+ easily forms π-backbonding with SA and dominates the adsorption of SA. • SA is a low toxicity and effective alternative to traditional marmatite depressants. In this study, sodium alginate (SA) is proposed as a flotation depressant for the selective separation of galena and marmatite. The effect of SA on the flotation performance of galena and marmatite was investigated using sodium butyl xanthate (SBX) as the collector. The adsorption behavior of SA on the mineral surface was theoretically analyzed. The micro-flotation results demonstrated that the flotation of marmatite could be selectively depressed through the addition of SA before SBX at pH = 11. The contact angle, FTIR, XPS, and zeta potential results demonstrated that SA could be selectively adsorbed on the marmatite surface, thereby hindering the subsequent adsorption of the collector and affecting its flotation. A coordination theory analysis further confirmed that Fe2+ was the active site on the marmatite surface. SA can form π-backbonding with Fe2+ on the surface of the marmatite, resulting in strong adsorption but weaker interactions with Zn2+ and Pb2+. Overall, the high selectivity and environmental compatibility of SA make it an effective green depressant for the flotation separation of marmatite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The method of promoting ilmenite flotation involves adding BHA to the mill was proposed. • The BHA synergistic mechanical activation can promote ilmenite flotation significantly. • The mechanism of BHA synergistic mechanical activation on ilmenite flotation was revealed. In this paper, the effect of the benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) synergistic mechanical activation on ilmenite flotation was systematically investigated. Flotation results revealed that the flotation recovery of ilmenite significantly increased with the addition of BHA before grinding as compared to the conventional process flow. Similar trend was observed in the flotation test of artificial mixed mineral. The addition of BHA to the mill has little effect on the size distribution of ilmenite, but it can increase the content of crystal surface (1 0 4) with the lowest surface energy of ilmenite. The results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis showed that the addition of BHA before grinding resulted in improving the intensity and kinds of characteristic absorption peaks of BHA on the ilmenite surface. The addition of BHA to the mill effectively facilitated the interaction between ilmenite and BHA. Besides, the result of flotation kinetics demonstrated that the flotation kinetics of ilmenite could be well evaluated with the first-order kinetic model. And the flotation kinetic constant was improved by adding BHA before grinding, which was conducive and beneficial for enhancing the ilmenite flotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The visible-light-induced In2O3/rectorite was prepared by a facile sol–gel method. [•] The specific surface area of the In2O3/rectorite was larger than that of pure In2O3. [•] The photocatalyst shows excellent photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oxygen vacancy-enriched Co 3 O 4 nanowire arrays decorated on nickel foam is used for a dendrite-free Li metal anode. • The O vacancy -enriched metal oxides meet the ionic/electronic diffusion kinetics at the initial stage of lithium deposition. • The lithium utilization rate of red-Co 3 O 4 /NF at the current density of 1 mA cm−2 is 98.5%. [Display omitted] Lithium metal as a promising anode material has been widely applied in many advanced high-energy density batteries. However, uncontrollable Li dendrite formation and infinite volume expansion in lithium anode result in short lifespan and severe safety hazards. In this contribution, we report that utilization of oxygen vacancy-enriched Co 3 O 4 nanowire arrays as lithiophilic material is an effective strategy to obtain ultra-long stable lithium metal anode. The oxygen vacancy can serve as electronic charge carrier to facilitate electron transfer. Moreover, it can induce the generation of local electric field to accelerate lithium ions migration and enable uniform Li+ distribution, which are beneficial for homogeneous lithium nucleation. Combining the excellent ionic/electronic diffusion and the volume buffer offered by the nanowire arrays, the obtained electrode shows high coulombic efficiency of 98.5% at 1 mA cm−2 for 230 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, designing new catalysts based on topological quantum materials has attracted much research interest. Here, we have explored WTe 2 , a type-II Weyl semimetal, as an effective electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). New nanostructure am -WPO@WTe 2 has been constructed based on WTe 2 , in which the crystalline P-doped WTe 2 core is covered by amorphous phosphate species. Due to the unique core-shell structure, the HER catalytic performance of am -WPO@WTe 2 has been greatly enhanced, delivering a low overpotential of 220 mV and 280 mV at the current density of 10 mA/cm2 in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, respectively, with outstanding durability. The improved HER electrocatalytic performance could be attributed to the abundant active sites provided by the amorphous phosphate on the surface of the catalyst and the enhanced electron transfer due to the crystalline P-doped WTe 2 core. This strategy of surface modification of Weyl semimetal may open new opportunities in utilizing topological quantum materials for application in catalysis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]