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M13 bacteriophages serve as a versatile foundation for nanobiotechnology due to their unique biological and chemical properties. The polypeptides that comprise their coat proteins, specifically pVIII, can be precisely tailored through genetic engineering. This enables the customized integration of various functional elements through specific interactions, leading to the development of innovative hybrid materials for applications such as energy storage, biosensing, and catalysis. Notably, a certain genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage variant, referred to as DSPH, features a pVIII with a repeating DSPHTELP peptide sequence. This sequence facilitates specific adhesion to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), primarily through π–π and hydrophobic interactions, though the exact mechanism remains unconfirmed. In this study, we synthesized the DSPHTELP peptide (an 8-mer peptide) and analyzed its interaction forces with different functional groups across various pH levels using surface forces apparatus (SFA). Our findings indicate that the 8-mer peptide binds most strongly to CH3 groups (Wad = 13.74 ± 1.04 mJ m−2 at pH 3.0), suggesting that hydrophobic interactions are indeed the predominant mechanism. These insights offer both quantitative and qualitative understanding of the molecular interaction mechanisms of the 8-mer peptide and clarify the basis of its specific interaction with SWCNTs through the DSPHTELP M13 bacteriophage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin–lead halide perovskites (TLHPs) are promising photoactive materials for photovoltaics (PVs) due to reduced toxicity and broad light absorption. However, their inherent ionic vacancies facilitate inward metal diffusion, accelerating device degradation. Here, efficient, stable TLHP‐based PV and photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices are reported containing a chemically protective cathode interlayer—amine‐functionalized perylene diimide (PDINN). Solution‐processed PDINN effectively extract electrons and suppress inward‐metal diffusion by forming tridentate metal complexes with its nucleophilic sites. The PV device achieved an efficiency of 23.21% (>81% retention after 750 h at 60 °C and >90% retention after 3100 h at 23 ± 4 °C), and the first demonstration of TLHP‐based PEC devices exhibit a record‐high bias‐free solar hydrogen production rate (33.0 mA cm−2; ≈3.42 × 10−6 kg s−1 m−2) when coupled with biomass oxidation, which is ≈1.7‐fold higher than the ultimate target set by the U.S. Department of Energy for one‐sun hydrogen production. These findings demonstrate the potential of TLHPs for efficient, stable photoconversion by the molecular design of the cathode interlayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facile removal of adsorbed gas bubbles from electrode surfaces is crucial to realize efficient and stable energy conversion devices based on electrochemical gas evolution reactions. Conventional studies on bubble removal have limited applicability and scalability due to their reliance on complex and energy/time‐intensive processes. In this study, a simple and versatile method is reported to fabricate large‐area superaerophobic electrodes (up to 100 cm2) for diverse gas evolution reactions using the gel‐like aerophobic surface system (GLASS). GLASS electrodes are readily and uniformly fabricated by simple spin‐coating and cross‐linking of polyallylamine on virtually any kinds of electrodes within 5 min under ambient conditions. Intrinsically hydrophilic gel overlayers with interconnected open pores allow the physical separation of bubble adhesion and catalytic active sites, reducing bubble adhesion strength, and promoting the removal of gas bubbles. As a result, GLASS electrodes exhibit greatly enhanced efficiency and stability for diverse gas evolution reactions, such as hydrogen evolution, hydrazine oxidation, and oxygen evolution reactions. This study provides deeper insights into understanding the effect of the hydrophilic microenvironment on gas evolution reactions and designing practical electrochemical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation is a highly challenging task that acts as a bottleneck for efficient solar hydrogen production. It is because each cycle of water oxidation is composed of four proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes and conventional photoanodes and cocatalysts have limited roles in enhancing the charge separation and storage rather than in enhancing catalytic activity. In this study, a simple and generally applicable strategy to improve the PEC performance of water oxidation photoanodes through their modification with polyethyleneimine (PEI) hydrogel is reported. The rich amine groups of PEI not only allow the facile and stable modification of photoanodes by crosslinking but also contribute to improving the kinetics of PEC water oxidation by boosting the PCET. Consequently, the PEC performance of various photoanodes, such as BiVO4, Fe2O3, and TiO2, is significantly enhanced in terms of photocurrent densities and onset potentials even in the presence of notable cocatalyst, cobalt phosphate. The present study provides new insights into and strategies for the design of efficient photoelectrodes and PEC devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar hydrogen production is one of the ultimate technologies needed to realize a carbon-neutral, sustainable society. However, an energy-intensive water oxidation half-reaction together with the poor performance of conventional inorganic photocatalysts have been big hurdles for practical solar hydrogen production. Here we present a photoelectrochemical cell with a record high photocurrent density of 19.8 mA cm−2 for hydrogen production by utilizing a high-performance organic–inorganic halide perovskite as a panchromatic absorber and lignocellulosic biomass as an alternative source of electrons working at lower potentials. In addition, value-added chemicals such as vanillin and acetovanillone are produced via the selective depolymerization of lignin in lignocellulosic biomass while cellulose remains close to intact for further utilization. This study paves the way to improve solar hydrogen productivity and simultaneously realize the effective use of lignocellulosic biomass. While light-driven water splitting offers a means to produce renewable H2 fuel, water oxidation limits performances and yields low-value products. Here, authors demonstrate a photoelectrochemical cell that converts lignocellulosic biomass into valuable products alongside H2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal histopathological feature of Alzheimer's disease is the presence of [beta]-amyloid (A[beta]) aggregates in the gray matter of the brain, and researchers believe that various environmental factors play significant roles in the conformational change and self-assembly of A[beta] peptides. Therefore, discovering a rapid and convenient analytical method of evaluating the environmental factors on A[beta] aggregation would have a considerable impact. Herein we report our development of a novel microfluidic screening system enabling high-throughput analysis, low-consumption of reagents, and short analytical time. Microchannels with a cross-sectional dimension of 100 [micro]m x 100 [micro]m were immobilized with A[beta] monomers via N-hydroxysuccinimide ester activation of the internal surfaces, and then a fresh A[beta] monomer solution mixed with different small molecules or metal ions was continuously introduced into the microchannels to induce A[beta] aggregation. In this work, we investigated (1) the temporal evolution of A[beta] aggregation within microchannels, (2) the high-throughput screening of the inhibitory effect of 12 small molecules against A[beta] aggregation, and (3) the effect of different metal ions ([Fe.sup.3+], [Cu.sup.2+], [Zn.sup.2+], and [A1.sup.3+]) on A[beta] aggregation by using thioflavin T (ThT)-induced fluorescence microscopy and ex situ atomic force microscopy. The microfluidic system should contribute to a simultaneous analysis of multiple environmental factors affecting amyloid aggregates in a parallel manner and to screen therapeutic small molecules prior to their in vivo evaluation.

We analyzed the aggregation of Alzheimer's [beta]-amyloid (1-42) (A[beta]42) peptides from fresh monomers to fully grown fibrils by using in situ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectrometry and ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). To immobilize A[beta]42 peptide on an SPR chip surface, different carboxy-terminated surfaces were investigated: (1) self-assembled monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and (2) carboxylated dextran-modified surface. It was found that the carboxylated dextran surface was more appropriate due to a much lower degree of nonspecific binding. By using the carboxylated dextran surface, we further investigated effects of key environmental factors, such as the density of surface-bound A[beta]42, the concentration of A[beta]42 in solution phase, and the presence of [Fe.sup.3+] ions on A[beta]42 fibrillation. The increase in either the surface density of A[beta]42 or its concentration in incubation solution highly accelerated the formation of amyloid fibrils on the chip surface. The presence of [Fe.sup.3-] ions in the incubation solution induced significantly denser aggregates, resulting in a nearly 6-fold increase of SPR angle shift. This work shows that SPR analysis coupled with AFM can be effectively used for analyzing amyloid aggregation and deposition on a solid surface from the very beginning to fully grown fibrils.