Search

In this study, a Ni-Co-Mn-Cd-based precursor was synthesized using a solvothermal method and the Li(Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2)xCd1-xO2 cathode materials were prepared using a high-temperature solid-phase method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to determine the morphology, structure, elemental composition, and electronic state of the pristine and Cd-doped cathode materials. The electrochemical tests indicated that the Cd-doped samples exhibited better electrochemical performance than the pristine material; specifically, at a doping amount of 0.01 mol, the initial discharge capacity was 186.3 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 87.49% after 200 cycles at a current rate of 0.5 C and a capacity retention of 72.43% after 300 cycles at a current rate of 2 C, whereas the pristine material only had an initial capacity of 173.2 mAh g−1 and a capacity retention of 61.25% and 41.09% for the same current rate and cycle number, respectively. In addition, at 8 C, the discharge capacity was 129.8 mAh g−1 for the Cd-doped samples but only 119.6 mAh g−1 for the pristine material. The enhanced electrochemical performance was attributed to the in situ doping modification during the synthesis process of the precursor. This approach effectively stabilized the crystal structure, improved the electronic conductivity of the material, and reduced the impact of the hydrofluoric acid (HF) on the electrode surface due to the generation of CdF2 during the cycle process.

Background: Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is an important staple food crop in southwest China, where drought stress is one of the largest limiting factors that lead to decreased crop production. To reveal the molecular mechanism of common buckwheat in response to drought stress, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomics study to evaluate gene expression profiles of common buckwheat during PEG-mediated drought treatment. Results: In total, 45 million clean reads were assembled into 53,404 unigenes with an average length of 749 bp and N50 length of 1296 bp. A total of 1329 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing well-watered and drought-treated plants, out of which 666 were upregulated and 663 were downregulated. Furthermore, we defined the functional characteristics of DEGs using GO and KEGG classifications. GO enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were significantly overrepresented in four categories, namely, “oxidoreductase activity,” “oxidation–reduction process,” “xyloglucan:xyloglucosyl transferase activity,” and “apoplast.” Using KEGG pathway analysis, a large number of annotated genes were overrepresented in terms such as “plant hormone signal transduction,” “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,” “photosynthesis,” and “carbon metabolism.” Conclusions: These results can be further exploited to investigate the molecular mechanism of common buckwheat in response to drought treatment and could supply with valuable molecular sources for abiotic-tolerant elite breeding programs in the future.How to cite: Wu Q, Zhao G, Bai X et al. Characterization of the transcriptional profiles in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) under PEG-mediated drought stress. Electron J Biotechnol 2019;39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2019.03.005. Keywords: Abiotic stress, Aluminum, Chlorophyll-binding proteins, Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Drought stress, RNA sequencing, Transcription factor, Transferase, Triticum

Taking the importance and significance of wastewater treatment into consideration, mono-dispersed Mn2O3 powders with sphere-like morphology and mesopore features has been firstly synthesized from the thermal decomposition of MnCO3 which is prepared via a modified carbonization method using CO2 gas as the sole carbonate source. The measured isoelectric point, the pH value at which the ζ-potential is zero, of uniformly dispersed Mn2O3 particles is 9.13. Benefiting from the surface electrostatic interaction, as-prepared Mn2O3 microparticles has high adsorption capacity up to 135.5 mg/g toward Congo red dye in aqueous solution. Accordingly, the adsorption process of Congo red by Mn2O3 microspheres could be explained by Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Especially, it is necessary to point out that the removal efficiency of Mn2O3 toward Congo red dye still be well maintained at about 90.78% even after five cycles. Therefore, as-prepared Mn2O3 powders has potential application in large-scale wastewater treatment.

In this study, we have successfully coated the CeO2 nanoparticles (CeONPs) layer onto the surface of the Ni-rich layered LiNi0.7Co0.2Mn0.1O2 cathode materials by a wet chemical method, which can effectively improve the structural stability of electrode. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to determine the structure, morphology, elemental composition and electronic state of pristine and surface modified LiNi0.7Co0.2Mn0.1O2. The electrochemical testing indicates that the 0.3 mol% CeO2-coated LiNi0.7Co0.2Mn0.1O2 demonstrates excellent cycling capability and rate performance, the discharge specific capacity is 161.7 mA h g−1 with the capacity retention of 86.42% after 100 cycles at a current rate of 0.5 C, compared to 135.7 mA h g−1 and 70.64% for bare LiNi0.7Co0.2Mn0.1O2, respectively. Even at 5 C, the discharge specific capacity is still up to 137.1 mA h g−1 with the capacity retention of 69.0%, while the NCM only delivers 95.5 mA h g−1 with the capacity retention of 46.6%. The outstanding electrochemical performance is assigned to the excellent oxidation capacity of CeO2 which can oxidize Ni2+ to Ni3+ and Mn3+ to Mn4+ with the result that suppress the occurrence of Li+/Ni2+ mixing and phase transmission. Furthermore, CeO2 coating layer can protect the structure to avoid the occurrence of side reaction. The CeO2-coated composite with enhanced structural stability, cycling capability and rate performance is a promising cathode material candidate for lithium-ion battery.

This paper systematically studied the extraction process of total flavonoids from quinoa and the kinetics of macroporous resin purification. On the basis of single-factor experiments, the optimum extraction and purification process of total flavonoids from quinoa was studied by orthogonal experiments. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions were as follows: ultrasonic time 25 min, temperature 200 °F, solid-liquid ratio 1:10 (g/mL), reflux time 2 h, and ethanol concentration 90%. Under this condition, the total flavonoids extracted from quinoa was 3.859 mg/g. Fifteen percent NaCl was added to salt out protein from flavonoid solution. The best macroporous resin purification process was as follows: pH 2, flow rate 2 BV/h, 0.3 mg/mL flavonoid solution loading, 8 BV water wash with acetone elution. Under this condition, the adsorption rate of purified flavonoids was 80.89%. The purity can be increased from 7.09% of the initial extract to 28.48%.

The relationship between ζ-potential and surface defects of micro-nano sized hexagram-like α-Al2O3 particles was investigated in this paper. The 2D α-Al2O3 particles was prepared by the phase transformation of gibbsite precursor by the following steps during calcination in air: Al(OH)3 → AlOOH→a-Al2O3 → θ-Al2O3 → α-Al2O3. Resulting from the varied intensities of surface defects, as-prepared α-Al2O3 samples have different Eg values around 4.5 eV, which is much narrower than that of bulk α-Al2O3. While benefiting from the interface reaction between surface > AlOH0 and water (>AlOH0 + OH−⇋ > AlO− + H2O), as-prepared α-Al2O3 suspensions can reach their specific pHE values after stirring for 8 h at room temperature. And the measured IEP values of Al2O3-1250°C-2 h, Al2O3-1250°C-3 h, and Al2O3–1300 °C-3 h, which remain 2D morphology, are 7.96, 8.67, and 8.86, respectively. This study is significant and useful for making the industrial applications of α-Al2O3 valid.

Herein, we present the use of lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4) as an electrolyte salt for wide-temperature electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. The research focused on the application of blend salts to exhibit their synergistic effect especially in a wide temperature range. In the study, LiCoO2 was employed as the cathode material; LiBF4 and lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiODFB) were added to an electrolyte consisting of ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC). The electrochemical performance of the resulting electrolyte was evaluated through various analytical techniques. Analysis of the electrical conductivity showed the relationship among solution conductivity, the electrolyte composition, and temperature. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge cycling, and AC impedance measurements were used to investigate the capacity and cycling stability of the LiCoO2 cathode in different electrolyte systems and at different temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to analyze the surface properties of the LiCoO2 cathode after cycling. The results indicated that the addition of a small amount of LiODFB into the LiBF4-based electrolyte system (LiBF4/LiODFB of 8:2) may enhance the electrochemical performance of the LiCoO2 cell over a relatively wide temperature range and improve the cyclability of the LiCoO2 cell at 60 °C.

The present study introduces a facile triethanolamine-assisted combustion method, wherein stoichiometric hydrate transition metal acetate with and without the addition of triethanolamine (TEA) were dissolved and mixed uniformly in deionized water and heated to burn. The ashes were then grinded and calcinated to synthesize layered LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode materials. The structure, morphology, and electrochemical performance of two kinds of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 materials were investigated and compared systematically. The results indicate that the sample with TEA possesses smaller particles and exhibits less aggregation and a better hexagonal layered structure. On the contrary, the sample with TEA exhibits lower polarization, a better cycling ability, a significantly improved rate performance, and better electronic conductivity. The enhanced electronic conductivity and electrochemical performance may be ascribed to a higher combustion enthalpy and better dispersion in the solvent following the introduction of TEA. This simple synthetic strategy presents a promising synthetic model for the enhancement of electrochemical performance cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

In this study, Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 cathode materials for lithium-ion battery have been successfully synthesized by triethanolamine(TEA) and ethylene glycol solution assisted co-precipitation technology and solid-state sintering method. Relevant tests (XRD, ICP, SEM) were used to determine the structure, composition and morphology of the Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 cathode materials. The electrochemical tests were performed to evaluate the electrochemical performance of the materials. The results show that the initial discharge capacity is 263.8 mAh g −1 at 0.1C rate in a half battery. Furthermore, this cathode material retains a final capacity of 186 mAh g −1 at 0.5C after 200 cycles and displays an outstanding capacity retention of 98.5%. And all tests prove that the Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 lithium-rich materials synthesized with TEA and ethylene glycol solution assisted co-precipitation method have excellent electrochemical properties.

Gold as a precious metal resource has high recycling significance. However, the current extraction methods cannot achieve the both efficiency and environmental friendliness. In this paper, we propose a new gold leaching agent, which can leach gold under light condition by mixing iodoform (CHI3) with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (BmimN(CN)2) ionic liquid. Under 25 °C and 13 W incandescent lamp irradiation, the leaching yield of gold can achieve 100 wt%, and the average leaching rate is 945 mg Au/(h·mol·CHI3) (18.9 times of that of the cyanidation method). Through the analysis of the results of radical inhibition experiment, UV-Vis and XPS, a possible leaching mechanism is proposed: the iodine radical generated by light oxidizes Au0 to Au+, and then forms AuN(CN)2 by coordinating with N(CN)2−. Subsequently, the ionic liquid and Au N(CN)2 form a stable [Bmim]·[Au(N(CN)2)2] ion pair structure, further promoting the dissolution reaction. The leaching yield of gold can reach 81.9 wt% and 100 wt%, respectively, when applied to ore and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), the leaching yield of gold can also reach 100 wt% when applied to a waste catalyst by adding a Soxhlet extraction. The results show that this method is not only efficient, mild, and environmentally friendly, but also has strong adaptability and wide application prospects.

Scanning polarization force microscopy (SPFM) is a useful surface characterization technique to visually characterize and distinguish nanomaterial with different local dielectric properties at nanometer scale. In this paper, taking the individual one-atom-thick graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets on mica as examples, we described the influences of environmental humidity on SPFM imaging. We found that the apparent heights (AHs) or contrast of SPFM imaging was influenced significantly by relative humidity (RH) at a response time of a few seconds. And this influence rooted in the sensitive dielectric constant of mica surface to the RH change. While dielectric properties of GO and rGO sheets were almost immune to the humidity change. In addition, we gave the method to determine the critical humidity at which the contrast conversion happened under different conditions. And this is important to the contrast control and repeatable imaging of SPFM through RH adjusting. These findings suggest a strategy of controllable and repeatable imaging the local dielectric properties of nanomaterials with SPFM, which is critically important for further distinguishment, manipulation, electronic applications, etc.

A facile, convenient, and mild method has been developed for large-scale synthesis of uniformly dispersed 2D six-pointed star-like gibbsite micro–nano crystals with lateral size around 2.5 μm and thickness around 100 nm, through a replacement reaction between Al powder and water. Investigation of the influence of solvent in a series allows for conclusion that replacing the reactant solvent water with ethylene glycol not only effectively moderates the reaction, but also benefits control of shape, crystal structure, and dispersibility. In contrast, besides decreasing the reaction speed, the same function cannot be attributed to another inorganic solvent candidate absolute ethanol. This conclusion was supported by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, FT-IR, TGA and PSD measurements. Moreover, the band gap of as-prepared gibbsite powder in EG–H2O mixture is 5.78 eV, which is mainly attributed to its surface low coordinated O2−. Theoretically, scale-up of this simple synthetic procedure for large-scale production of gibbsite powder with high crystallinity and purity should be very easy.

Photosynthesis is the basis for plant productivity, and improvement of photosynthetic efficiency is an important way to improve crop yield. However, the relationship between photosynthetic parameters and the yield of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) under rainfed conditions is unclear. A two-year field trial was conducted during 2016 and 2017 to assess the photosynthetic capacity of different leaves, dry matter accumulation, and yield of four Tartary buckwheat cultivars from flowering to maturity. The leaves of all cultivars aged gradually after flowering, and the leaf chlorophyll (Chl) and soluble protein (SP) contents, net photosynthetic rates (Pn), transpiration rates (Tr), and stomatal conductance (Gs) tended to decline. The Chl, SP, Pn, Tr, and Gs of cultivars (cvs.) XiQiao2 and QianKu3 were significantly higher than those of LiuKu3 and JiuJiang at each sampling time from 18 days after anthesis to maturity, but the intercellular CO2 content (Ci) showed the opposite trend. Cultivars XiQiao2 and QianKu3 produced more total dry matter (mean 17.1% higher), had higher harvest index (HI, mean 16.4% higher), and yield (mean 29.0% higher) than cvs. LiuKu3 and JiuJiang at maturity, and the difference was remarkably consistent. The yield of all the cultivars was positively correlated with leaf Chl, SP, Pn, Tr, and Gs, but negatively correlated with Ci. At late growth stages, the high-yielding cultivars maintained higher Chl, SP contents, Pn, Tr, and Gs, and showed higher dry matter accumulation and lower Ci than the low-yielding cultivars, consistent with their higher leaf photosynthetic capacity. The important factors determining the yield of Tartary buckwheat were maintaining higher leaf Chl and SP content and photosynthetic capacity and delaying aging during the grain formation stage. Enhanced rates of photosynthesis and dry matter accumulation led to higher post-anthesis accumulation of biomass with a positive impact on grain number and higher yield.

Background Inflorescence architecture is denoted by the spatial arrangement of various lateral branches and florets formed on them, which is shaped by a complex of regulators. Unveiling of the regulatory mechanisms underlying inflorescence architecture is pivotal for improving crop yield potential. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), a pseudo cereal originated from Andean region of South America, has been widely recognized as a functional super food due to its excellent nutritional elements. Increasing worldwide consumption of this crop urgently calls for its yield improvement. However, dissection of the regulatory networks underlying quinoa inflorescence patterning is lacking. Results In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis on quinoa inflorescence samples collected from six developmental stages, yielding a total of 138.8 GB data. We screened 21,610 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among all the stages through comparative analysis. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was performed to categorize the DEGs into ten different modules. Subsequently, we placed emphasis on investigating the modules associated with none branched and branched inflorescence samples. We manually refined the coexpression networks with stringent edge weight cutoffs, and generated core networks using transcription factors and key inflorescence architecture related genes as seed nodes. The core networks were visualized and analyzed by Cytoscape to obtain hub genes in each network. Our finding indicates that the specific occurrence of B3, TALE, WOX, LSH, LFY, GRAS, bHLH, EIL, DOF, G2-like and YABBY family members in early reproductive stage modules, and of TFL, ERF, bZIP, HD-ZIP, C2H2, LBD, NAC, C3H, Nin-like and FAR1 family members in late reproductive stage modules, as well as the several different MADS subfamily members identified in both stages may account for shaping quinoa inflorescence architecture. Conclusion In this study we carried out comparative transcriptome analysis of six different stages quinoa inflorescences, and using WGCNA we obtained the most highly potential central hubs for shaping inflorescence. The data obtained from this study will enhance our understanding of the gene network regulating quinoa inflorescence architecture, as well will supply with valuable genetic resources for high-yield elite breeding in the future. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-6027-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Solid-phase reactions were used for the synthetization of the spinel Li1.6Mn1.6O4 powder and the lithium ion-sieve MnO2·0.5H2O was subsequently obtained by the leaching of the lithium. The physical characterization showed that the polycrystalline precursor and the MnO2·0.5H2O were nearly pure spinel, as well as that during the process of the adsorption-desorption, the structural stability was high. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetics model showed consistency with the adsorption behavior, which indicated the presence of homogeneous adsorption sites for the lithium adsorption and that its process was chemisorption. Adsorbents were found to remain being characterized with a relatively high Li+ uptake (26.13 ​mg ​g−1) with low manganese extracted (1.71%) after the circulation experiment was performed up to 5 times, proving a significant repeatability and stability for the lithium ion-sieve. The concentration factors exhibited the highly selective adsorption capacity for absorbent from Qarhan raw brine with high concentrations of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+. The adsorbents could be efficiently used for Li+ recovery from Salt Lake brine as well as its excellent potential for further application.

The 'Fuji' line includes many varieties with a similar genetic background and consistent inducement factors with epigenetic occurrence, thus it may be considered an ideal candidate for epigenetic research. In this study, 91 bud mutations of 'Fuji' apple were used as the test materials. Using the genetic variation within 'Fuji' as the control, the characteristics of epigenetic variation at different levels in both varieties and mutant groups were examined. The results showed that: (1) the global genomic DNA methylation level of the 91 bud mutants of 'Fuji' ranged from 29.120%-45.084%, with an average of 35.910%. Internal cytosine methylation was the main DNA methylation pattern. Regarding the variation of methylation patterns of 'Fuji' mutants, the vast majority of loci maintained the original methylation pattern existed in 'Fuji'. CHG methylation variation was the main type of variation; (2) the variation in methylation patterns between the mutant groups was greater than that of methylation levels. Among these patterns, the variation in CHG methylation patterns (including CHG hypermethylation and CHG demethylation) was expected to be dominant. The observed variation in methylation levels was more important in the Color mutant group; however, the variation in methylation patterns was more obvious in both the early maturation and Spur mutant groups. Moreover, the range of variation in the Early-maturation group was much wider than that in the Spur mutant group; (3) epigenetic diversity and genetic diversity were both low between the mutant groups. In the 'Fuji' mutant groups, there was few correlation between genetic and epigenetic variation, and epigenetic differentiation resulted in more loci with moderate or greater differentiation; (4) the purifying selection seemed to play a major role in the differentiation of different groups of 'Fuji' mutants (65.618%), but epigenetic diversity selection still occurred at nearly 35% of loci. Sixteen epigenetic outlier loci were detected.

This study synthesizes pristine and Nb-doped lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials by solvothermal and high-temperature solid-phase methods. Analysis by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates successful Nb doping into the material's bulk structure. Electrochemical evaluation reveals that electrochemical performance is significantly enhanced by Nb doping. The discharge capacity of Nb-0.02 can maintain 271.7 mAh·g−1, and its cycle retention rate is up to 98.50% after 300 cycles at 0.2C; however, under the same parameters, the pristine material's discharge capacity and cycle retention rate are 212.8 mAh·g−1 and 86.68%. The initial coulombic efficiency and initial discharge capacity of Nb-0.02 is 86.94% and 287.5 mAh·g−1, while that of the pristine material is 73.59% and 234.2 mAh·g−1. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that Nb doping accelerates Li-ion diffusion and stabilizes material structure due to stronger Nb–O bonds from reduced Li-ion migration barrier energy. Thus, the proposed modification strategy for Nb doping can illuminate the structural design of lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials.

The extraction of precious metals is of significant importance for recycling valuable precious metal resources, however, most of the current methods for extraction are inefficient, energy-intensive, or environmentally unfriendly. Herein, we report a new chemical dissolution system for precious metals employing the trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) as an oxidant and tributyl monomethyl ammonium chloride (N4441Cl) as a complexant. The leaching yield was achieving 100 wt% for the metals of Au, Pd, Cu, and Ag at 25 &deg, C, and the average dissolution rate of gold was reaching 375 mg/h, 107.1 times higher than that of traditional cyanide method. Based on the analysis of UV-Vis and XPS results, a possible reaction mechanism was proposed: the precious metals were probably oxidized by TCCA, then the formed precious metal ions coordinate with N4441Cl strongly to promote the dissolution process. Applied to gold dissolution from ores, waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) and waste catalysts, the leaching yield of the TCCA-N4441Cl coordinative composite reached 97, 100, and 100 wt%, respectively, demonstrating that this method is not only efficient and environmentally friendly, but also with great adaptability and high potential for real applications.