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Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been widely acknowledged as a highly effective photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants. In this study, we presented silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded ZnO foam photocatalyst (Ag−ZnO) on glass substrates by the chemical bath in‐situ co‐deposition method. Our findings demonstrat that at low Ag‐loading content, metallic Ag0 NPs are embedded within the ZnO foam, while at high Ag‐loading content, they accumulates increasingly from inside to the surface of the foam. With the increase of AgNPs loading from 0.1 mM to 1.5 mM, the absorption of Ag−ZnO foams in the visible light region gradually enhances. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of rhodamine B (RhB) is the highest in Ag−ZnO foams when the Ag loading concentration reaches 0.8 mM, suggesting an optimal content of Ag for enhanced performance. This trend is attributed to the photo‐induced charge transfer behavior of Ag−ZnO samples. The AgNPs embedded inside the ZnO foam enhance the separation of photo‐induced charges and prevent their recombination. As a result, Ag−ZnO(0.8 mM) foam with more photo‐induced holes participate in the photocatalytic reaction, leading to a remarkably high photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ceramsite was successfully produced using solid waste including MSWI fly ash. • The raw material ratio and sintering condition of ceramsite was optimized. • The heavy metals (HMs) were well immobilized in ceramsite. • HMs immobilization was mainly due to glass phase and formation of new crystal phases. With an increase in municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash and its dangerous characteristics, the manner of its disposal has caused widespread concerns. In this study, ceramsite was prepared by using MSWI fly ash, civil sludge, and contaminated soil as the main raw materials; then, a certain proportion of clay was added as an additive. The optimum MSWI fly ash content and sintering conditions were investigated, and the immobilization mechanisms of heavy metals were explored. Based on the obtained results, the optimum preparation conditions were a preheating temperature of 400 °C, a preheating time of 10 min, a sintering temperature of 1150 °C, and a sintering time of 20 min. Moreover, the optimal raw material ratio of MSWI fly ash, civil sludge, contaminated soil, and flint clay was 30%:40%:15%:15%. Under these optimum preparation conditions, the obtained ceramsite showed the following excellent performance parameters: a 1-h water absorption of 0.97%, bulk density of 998.7 kg/m3, and cylindrical compressive strength of 37.84 MPa. Furthermore, the leaching of heavy metals was far less than the standard GB5085.3-2007. The immobilization of heavy metals in the ceramsite was mainly caused by the glass phase encapsulation and the formation of new crystal phase with the heavy metals. In addition, the generation of aluminosilicates played a positive role in the immobilization of heavy metals. Thus, the reuse of MSWI fly ash by preparing fly ash-based ceramsite is one of the effective methods for reducing solid wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. An in-silico screen identified mebendazole with potential antiviral activity that could be a repurposed drug against SARS-CoV-2. Mebendazole is a well-tolerated and cheap antihelminthic agent that is readily available worldwide and thus could be a therapeutic tool in the fight against COVID-19. Methods. This is an observational retrospective study of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients who received mebendazole with the intention-to-treat. The study included an inpatient cohort (157 inpatients) and an outpatient cohort (185 outpatients). Of the 157 inpatients and 185 outpatients, 68 (43.3%) and 94 (50.8%) received mebendazole, respectively. Patients who presented within the same timeframe but did not receive mebendazole were used as controls. Patients received standard-of-care treatment including remdesivir, dexamethasone, and anticoagulants as deemed necessary by the treating physician. The following clinical outcomes were evaluated: for the inpatient cohort, length of stay (LOS) at the hospital, need for ventilation (combined invasive and noninvasive), and mortality; for the outpatient cohort, time to symptom resolution, need for hospitalization, and mortality. Results. For the inpatient cohort, the median age did not differ between the treatment and control groups; 62 (56, 67) vs. 62 (56, 68), P , and there was a comparable proportion of males in both groups; 43 (63%) vs. 55 (62%), P = 0.85. The hospital LOS was 3.5 days shorter in the treatment group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). There were fewer patients who required invasive or noninvasive ventilation in the treatment group, 2 (2.9%) vs. 7 (7.9%), and the mortality rate is lower in the treatment group, 3 (4.4%) vs. 8 (9.0%), though the differences did not reach statistical significance. For the outpatient cohort, the median age was lower in the treatment group compared with the control group; 40 (34, 48) vs. 48 (41, 54), P < 0.001. There was a comparable proportion of males between both groups; 50 (53%) vs. 52 (57%), P = 0.59. Patients in the treatment group were 3.3 days closer to symptom resolution (P < 0.001). There were numerically fewer patients requiring hospitalization in the treatment group compared with the control group, 3 (3.2%) vs. 6 (6.6%), though this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.33). Conclusion. In this retrospective observational study, the use of mebendazole in COVID-19 patients was associated with shorter hospitalizations in the inpatient cohort and shorter durations of symptom resolution in the outpatient cohort. The findings from this small observational study are hypothesis-generating and preclude drawing conclusions about clinical efficacy. Further studies are needed to examine the role of mebendazole in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acid–base bifunctional mesoporous material SO3H-SBA-15-NH2 was successfully synthesized under low acidic medium through protection of amino groups. X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption, transmission electron micrographs (TEM), back titration, 13C magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR and 29Si magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR were employed to characterize the synthesized materials. The obtained bifunctional material was tested for aldol condensation reaction between acetone and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde. Compared with monofunctional catalysts of SO3H-SBA-15 and SBA-15-NH2, the bifunctional sample of SO3H-SBA-15-NH2 containing amine and sulfonic acid groups exhibited excellent acid–basic properties, which make it possess high activity for the aldol condensation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two acid–base bifunctional mesoporous materials Benzyl-APS-S-SBA-15 and Anthracyl-APS-S-SBA-15 (APS: (3-trimethoxysilanyl-propyl)-amine) were successfully synthesized by a direct synthesis method. The influence of steric hindrance upon prevention of interaction between acid and base was investigated by using two different secondary amines, benzyl-(3-trimethoxysilanyl-propyl)-amine and anthracyl methyl-(3-trimethoxysilanyl-propyl)-amine. X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron micrographs (SEM), transmission electron micrographs (TEM), elemental analysis, back titration, and 29Si magic-anglespinning (MAS) NMR were employed to characterize the synthesized mesoporous bifunctional materials. The experimental results indicate that the guests can be well dispersed in the channel of SBA-15, and the obtained materials exhibit excellent acid–basic properties, which make it possess high activity for the aldol condensation of acetone with 4-nitrobenzaldehyde. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising blocks for building advanced yarns with unique structural and functional attributes. However, the complexity of fabrication and high cost has hindered the widespread adoption of CNT yarns. In this study, a rapid and continuous twisting wet spun yarn strategy to produce highly densified CNT yarns is presented. The method involves effectively dispersing CNTs in the surfactant dispersion, swiftly removing the surfactant in the coagulation bath and twisting treatment to effectively improve the density of yarn and the orientation of CNT. Detailed characterizations on the influence of each spinning conditions reveal that twisting treatment significantly enhances the packing density of yarns, improves the orientation of CNTs, and mitigates the impact of impurities on conductivity. The resulting CNT yarns exhibit a remarkable tensile strength of 600 MPa, a Young's modulus of ≈40 GPa, and a high conductivity of 8990 S cm−1. When utilized as a yarn heater, the CNT yarn demonstrates an ultra‐fast electrothermal response of over 1000 °C s−1 at a low operating voltage of 5 V. Impressively, the mechanical properties of CNT yarns show good stability during heating. This study provides a perspective of structural engineering for the large‐scale preparation of high‐performance CNT yarns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ● The ceramsite was successfully produced using MSWI fly ash and granite sawing mud. • ● The raw material ratio and sintering condition of ceramsite was optimized. • ● Chlorine in MG ceramsite mainly enters into the tail gas and secondary fly ash. • ● Chlorine salts are the main chlorine speciation after sintering. Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is a hazardous waste containing high chlorine and harmful substances generated during the waste incineration disposal, and its resource utilization has a positive effect on reducing environmental pollution. In this study, the feasibility of preparing lightweight MSWI fly ash/granite sawing mud ceramsite (MG ceramsite) was investigated by evaluating the influence of Al 2 O 3 addition, MSWI fly ash content and sintering temperature on the ceramsite properties. The microstructure of MG ceramsite was investigated by using SEM, the chlorine morphological transformation and migration behaviors were simultaneously explored by using the tube furnace experiment, XRD and XRF analyses. The experimental results show that the maximum MSWI fly ash content is about 30 wt%∼35 wt%, with the Al 2 O 3 addition of at least 10 %. By controlling the MSWI fly ash content of 30 wt%, MG ceramsite can be obtained with bulk density of 986 kg/m3, cylindrical compressive strength of 19.67 MPa, 1 h water absorption of 0.31 %, and chlorine content of 0 after sintering at 1150 °C for 20 min. Chlorine in MG ceramsite enters into the tail gas or secondary fly ash in the form of chlorine salts and chlorine-containing gas when the sintering temperature is above 800 °C. The MG ceramsite prepared from MSWI fly ash meets the lightweight aggregate standard and are environmentally friendly. However, the disposal of tail gas and secondary fly ash needs attention when the MSWI fly ash is used as one of the main raw materials to prepare ceramsite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRIM33 is a chromatin reader required for mammalian mesendoderm differentiation after activation of Nodal signaling, while its role in mESCs is still elusive. Here, we report that TRIM33 co‐localizes with promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML‐NBs) specifically in mESCs, to mediate Nodal signaling‐directed transcription of Lefty1/2. We show that TRIM33 puncta formation in mESCs depends on PML and on specific assembly of PML‐NBs. Moreover, TRIM33 and PML co‐regulate Lefty1/2 expression in mESCs, with both PML protein and formation of mESCs‐specific PML‐NBs being required for TRIM33 recruitment to these loci, and PML‐NBs directly associating with the Lefty1/2 loci. Finally, a TurboID proximity‐labeling experiment confirmed that TRIM33 is highly enriched only in mESCs‐specific PML‐NBs. Thus, our study supports a model in which TRIM33 condensates regulate Nodal signaling‐directed transcription in mESCs and shows that PML‐NBs can recruit distinct sets of client proteins in a cell‐context‐dependent manner. Synopsis: The chromatin reader TRIM33 is involved in cell fate decisions under different cell contexts, but the molecular details are still elusive. Here, TRIM33 is found to co‐condense with PML nuclear bodies (PML‐NBs) in mESCs to transcriptionally regulate Lefty1/2 expression upon Nodal signaling. TRIM33 is recruited into PML‐NBs selectively in mESCs, but not in differentiated cells.PML‐NB client protein composition differs between mESCs, oxidative stress‐treated mESCs, and differentiated cells.PML‐NBs regulate expression of gene clusters, including Lefty1/2 loci in mESCs.PML‐NBs form a regulatory hub for TRIM33 control of Lefty1/2 expression upon Nodal signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, high strength ceramsite was sintered by zinc contaminated soil and red mud. In addition, the influence of sintering temperature and red mud addition on ceramsite properties and Zn immobilization were investigated, and the Zn immobilization mechanisms were determined. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), and BCR sequential extraction technique were used to determine the crystal phases, microstructures, and Zn immobilization. Under the optimum synthesis conditions (sintering temperature of 1150 °C and the red mud addition of 5%), the sintered ceramsite exhibited a Zn loss rate of 10.31%, Zn leaching concentration of 0.13 mg/L (performed by rotating vibration device), bulk density of 1052.6 kg/m3, 1 h water absorption of 1.06%, and cylindrical compressive strength of 27.06 MPa, implying that the ceramsite obtained under this conditions not only meets the Chinese National Standards and has no environmental risk. High temperature and the addition of red mud were beneficial to the immobilization of Zn in ceramsite. The main immobilization mechanism of Zn in ceramsite was the formation of ZnFe x Al 2−x O 4 spinel and the encapsulation of glass phase. Thus, Zn can be immobilized effectively by ceramsite prepared from zinc contaminated soil and red mud at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 :Eu3+ phosphors were obtained by co-doping with Eu3+ ions and a LED lamp including the obtained phosphors was designed and packaged. To balance the colour combination and improve the Ra value of the LED, small quantities of commercial (Ba, Sr) 2 SiO 4 :Eu2+ green phosphor and BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu2+ blue phosphor were added. The LED device emitted light changed from red to white, with CIE coordinates of (0.3068, 0.3491). These results demonstrate that the as-prepared phosphors are promising red-emitting phosphors for indoor solid-state illumination. [Display omitted] The fabrication and luminescent properties of novel Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 :Eu3+ phosphors, obtained by a conventional solid-state reaction, were investigated. The self-activated emission of the Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 host exhibits a broad emission band ranging from 400 to 700 nm with a maximum peak at 530 nm, ascribed to the d-d transition (3T 2 , 3T 1 → 1A 1) of V5+ ions in the (VO 4)3− groups. On excitation with near-UV (365 nm) light, the Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 :Eu3+ phosphors emit bright red light, including both the broad emission band of the (VO 4)3− groups and the sharp emission peaks of Eu3+ ions. At a quenching concentration of 0.20 mol, the Eu3+ ion emission peaks were located at 597, 613, 654 and 710 nm. The thermal stability of the as-prepared Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 :Eu3+ phosphor was studied and the thermal quenching activation energy (△ E) was calculated to be 0.33 eV. Furthermore, a designed and packaged white-light-emitting diode (WLED) lamp, fabricated with the obtained phosphors, commercial (Ba, Sr) 2 SiO 4 :Eu2+ green phosphors, BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu2+ blue phosphors and a near-ultraviolet (n -UV) chip, emitted bright white light with a CIE coordinate of (0.3068, 0.3491), CRI of 88.20 and CCT of 4460 K. These results indicate the potential of the as-prepared Na 2 YMg 2 V 3 O 12 :Eu3+ phosphor as a red-emitting phosphor for solid-state illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid developments in livestock and poultry farming, antibiotics and heavy metals are entering the soil environment as feed additives. However, their relationships with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), microorganisms, and environmental factors are unclear. In this study, cadmium (Cd) and sulfadiazine (SD) were selected as representative heavy metal and antibiotic substances, respectively, to investigate the relationships among environmental factors, microorganisms, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and ARGs. Addition of Cd and SD, both individually and in combination, increased the abundances of total ARGs and MGEs. The abundance of total ARGs increased by 0.89-fold and 1.06-fold in C2 and C8 (only-Cd-added groups), 1.61-fold and 6.53-fold in S10 and S100 (only-SD-added groups), and 7.29-fold, 7.62-fold, 2.32-fold, and 6.80-fold in C2S10, C2S100, C8S10, and C8S100 (groups with Cd and SD in combinations), respectively. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacterial phyla. MGEs (especially intI1) had the greatest impact on ARGs and played a crucial role in their propagation and expression. Exploring the effects of heavy metals and antibiotics in soil on ARGs is important for comprehensively assessing their ecological and environmental risks to ARGs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple genetic loci have been reported for progeroid syndromes. However, the molecular defects in some extremely rare forms of progeria have yet to be elucidated. Here, we report a 21-year-old man of Chinese ancestry who has an autosomal recessive form of progeria, characterized by severe dwarfism, mandibular hypoplasia, hyperopia, and partial lipodystrophy. Analyses of exome sequencing data from the entire family revealed only 1 rare homozygous missense variant (c.86C>T; p.Pro29Leu) in TOMM7 in the proband, while the parents and 2 unaffected siblings were heterozygous for the variant. TOMM7, a nuclear gene, encodes a translocase in the outer mitochondrial membrane. The TOMM complex makes up the outer membrane pore, which is responsible for importing many preproteins into the mitochondria. A proteomic comparison of mitochondria from control and proband-derived cultured fibroblasts revealed an increase in abundance of several proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation, as well as a reduction in abundance of proteins involved in phospholipid metabolism. We also observed elevated basal and maximal oxygen consumption rates in the fibroblasts from the proband as compared with control fibroblasts. We concluded that altered mitochondrial protein import due to biallelic loss-of-function TOMM7 can cause severe growth retardation and progeroid features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically strong and electrically conducting fibers, particularly those with high specific capacitances, are promising fiber-shaped electrodes for fiber- and textile-based energy storage devices like fiber-shaped supercapacitors (FSCs). However, a high loading of fillers or bridging agents is commonly required to fabricate fiber electrodes with good mechanical strength, which compromises electrical conductivity and energy storage performance. Herein, an easily scalable wet-spinning strategy is reported to fabricate multifunctional Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/carbon nanotubes (MXene/CNT) hybrid fibers from a harmonious mixture of MXene and CNT in water and using acetic acid as a coagulation bath. The hybrid fiber achieved high strength (61 ± 7 MPa), good conductivity (1142.08 ± 40.04 S cm−1) and excellent energy storage performance (∼295 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1) at a very low CNT content of ∼1 wt%. When CNT loading increased to ∼9 wt%, the maximum strain at broken reached 161 ± 19 MPa and conductivity further increased to 1715 ± 22 S cm−1. The excellent mechanical performance allows hybrid fibers to be knitted into textiles for energy storage textiles. The assembled FSCs exhibit energy and power densities of ∼6.08 mW h cm−3 and ∼6440 mW cm−3, respectively. The excellent performance of MXene/CNT fiber and good feasibility for scalable production will open up new opportunities for the development of wearable and textile-based devices in the near future. [Display omitted] • Large scale wet-spinning of MXene/CNT fibers with great fiber performance. • CNTs infiltrated between MXene flakes and constructed good connection between MXene flakes. • The excellent mechanical properties allow hybrid fibers to be weave into fabrics for energy storge applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic components in atmospheric fine particulate matter have attracted much attention and several scientific studies have been performed, although most of the sample extraction methods are time consuming and laborious. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) is a new sample extraction method offering number of advantages, such as low extraction cost, reduced solvent and time consumption, and simplified extraction protocols. In order to optimize ASE methods to determine the concentrations of organic compounds in atmospheric fine particulate matter, different parameters were set out for the experiment, and the optimal method was selected according to the recoveries of the standard (i.e., n−alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)). This study also involves a comparison of the optimal method with the traditional method of ultrasonic extraction (USE). In addition, the optimized method was applied to measure the mass concentrations of organic compounds (n−alkanes and PAHs) in fine particulate matter samples collected in Beijing. The findings showed that the average recovery of target compounds using ASE was 96%, with the majority of compounds falling within the confidence levels, and the ASE recoveries and precision were consistent with the USE method tested. Furthermore, ASE combines the advantages of high extraction efficiency, automation, and reduced solvent use. In conclusion, the optimal ASE methods can be used to extract organic components in atmospheric particulate matter and serve as a point of reference for the development of analytical methodologies for assessing organic compounds in atmospheric particulate matter in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanitary landfill persists as a predominant sludge disposal method in particular in China. In this study, successive subsurface sludge samples (0.3 m deep) were collected from a bioreactor landfill unit where an anaerobic process took place during a 500 d period. The sludge samples were analyzed for total concentrations of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and their species distributions, together with selected sludge chemical properties. In addition, the sludge samples were subjected to phytotoxicity testing. The results showed that the mobilities of Cd and Ni were decreased with landfill time, while the mobilities of Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn remained consistently low over the landfill period. The residual amounts of all these heavy metals were increased with landfill time, suggesting that the anaerobic sanitary landfill is an effective sludge stabilization method to reduce the ecological risk of these heavy metals. The increase in the sludge pH value with landfill time tended to promote the precipitation of heavy metals. Moreover, the sludge stabilization was found to be indicated by the formation of humic substance (HS) and volatilization of volatile matter (VM). The germination index (GI) values of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) and Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa chinensis ) seeds grown in the 500 d anaerobically stabilized sludge were approximately 5.2- and 4.1-times higher than the values of those grown in the fresh sludge. The final sludge extract did not cause any significant inhibitory effect on the germination of the two types of seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vanadium phosphorus oxide (VPO) was prepared by using dodecyl amine as surfactant and tested for the oxidation of isobutane and isobutene. Characterization results (BET, XRD, EPR, and XPS) showed that the structure and property of the VPO catalyst prepared by using dodecyl amine as surfactant is considerably different in comparison with the VPO catalyst synthesized without dodecyl amine. Catalytic tests showed that relatively high isobutane conversion and desired product selectivity can be achieved over dodecyl amine doping VPO catalyst. It is also found that proper surface V5+/V4+ ratio may be propitious to obtain high selectivity to methacrylic acid for the selective oxidation of isobutane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sewage treatment plants are known as repositories of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Adding biochar and inoculating with exogenous microbial agents are common ways to improve the quality of compost. However, little is known about the effects of these exogenous additives on the fate of ARGs during composting and the related mechanisms. In this study, municipal sludge was taken as the research object to study the ARG-removal effects of four composting methods: ordinary compost (CT), compost with hyperthermophiles (HT), compost with hyperthermophiles and 2.0% biochar (HT2C) and compost with hyperthermophiles and 5.0% biochar (HT5C). Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing were conducted to analyze the ARGs, MGEs and bacterial community. After composting, the abundance of ARGs in CT was reduced by 72.7%, while HT, HT2C and HT5C were reduced by 80.7%, 84.3% and 84.8%, respectively. Treatments with different proportions of biochar added (HT2C, HT5C) had no significant effect on the abundance of ARGs. Network analysis showed that Firmicutes and Nitrospirae were positively associated with most ARGs and may be potential hosts for them. In addition, redundancy analysis further showed that the class 1 integrase gene (intI1), pH and organic carbon had a greater effect on ARGs. Our findings suggested that the combination of hyperthermophiles and biochar during the composting process was an effective way to control ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), thus inhibiting the spread and diffusion of ARGs in the environment and improving the efficiency of treating human and animal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a type of alkaline solid polyelectrolyte (ASPE) membrane was developed via the introduction of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and its modified product (QMCC) into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. In this process, green NaOH/urea-based solvent was used to achieve a good dispersion of MCC in the PVA matrix; meanwhile, the OH− groups in the NaOH/urea-based solvent provided an alkaline environment for good ion conductivity. Compared to the MCC-incorporated ASPE, further improved conductivity was achieved when the MCC was modified with quantitative quaternary ammonium salt. TGA showed that the addition of QMCC improved the water retention of the matrix, which was beneficial to the OH− conduction in the system. Compared to the control (50 mS cm−1), a maximum conductivity of 238 mS cm−1 was obtained after the incorporation of QMCC in the PVA matrix. Moreover, the tensile strength of the polymer electrolyte were also significantly increased with the addition of QMCC. Finally, this developed ASPE membrane was used in assembling a flexible Zn–air battery and showed a promising potential in the development of flexible electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]