Gold nanoparticle-based paper sensor for ultrasensitive and multiple detection of 32 (fluoro)quinolones by one monoclonal antibody

For rapid and simultaneous detection of (fluoro)quinolones, a broadly specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes 32 (fluoro)quinolone antibiotics was prepared using a mixture of a norfloxacin derivative and a sarfloxacin derivative as the hapten. An immunochromatographic strip based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was then assembled with goat anti-mouse antibody and antigen (sarfloxacin coupled to ovalbumin), used to form the C line and T line, respectively. This antigen competes with the (fluoro)quinolones in a sample incubated with mAbs labeled with AuNPs. The strip can detect 32 (fluoro)quinolones including oxolinic acid, nalidixic acid, miloxacin, pipemidic acid, piromidic acid, rosoxacin, cinoxacin, norfloxacin, pefloxacin, lomfloxacin, enofloxacin, fleroxacin, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, dafloxacin, orbifloxacin, sparfloxacin, gemifloxacin, besifloxacin, balofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, nadifloxacin, ofloxacin, marbofloxacin, flumequine, pazufloxacin, prulifloxacin, sarafloxacin, difloxacin, trovafloxacin, and tosufloxacin in milk within 10 min with the naked eye. The cut-off values of the strip range from 1 to 100 ng/mL and the limits of detection are 0.1–10 ng/mL. The strip does not cross-react with antibiotics including tetracycline, sulfamethazine, ampicillin, erythromycin, aflatoxin B1, or gentamicin. In short, this immunochromatographic strip is a very useful tool for the primary screening of (fluoro)quinolones in milk.

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Tuning the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency for 8-layer twinned hexagonal perovskite Ba<Subscript>8</Subscript>ZnTa<Subscript>6</Subscript>O<Subscript>24</Subscript> ceramics

High-Q dielectric materials ilmenite MgTiO₃, columbite MgNb₂O₆ and cubic perovskite Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ with negative temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ _f ) were selected as candidates for compensating the τ _f of hexagonal perovskite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄. X-ray diffraction data shows that Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄ coexists with Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ but is not compatible with MgTiO₃ and MgNb₂O₆ at high temperature. The τ _f for the mixed hexagonal/cubic perovskite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄–Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ system is tunable via the temperature compensation effect and its quality factor may be improved via annealing the ceramics at high temperature to enhance the cation ordering in the cubic component. Permittivity ε _r  ~ 22–25, Q×f > 30,000 GHz and tunable τ _f within ±10 ppm/°C were achieved in the range of about 50–80 wt% Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ for the hexagonal/cubic perovskite composite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄–Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ ceramics, which is suitable for the application as dielectric resonators and filters.     

Effects of microstructure on fatigue crack propagation behavior in a bi-modal TC11 titanium alloy fabricated via laser additive manufacturing

In this study, the crack propagation behaviors in the equiaxed and equiaxed-columnar grain regions of a heat-treated laser additive manufacturing (LAM) TC11 alloy with a special bi-modal microstructure are investigated. The results indicate that the alloy presents a special bi-modal microstructure that comprises a fork-like primary α (α_p) phase surrounded by a secondary α colony (α_s) in the β phase matrix after the heat treatment is completed. The samples demonstrate a fast crack growth rate with larger da/dN values through the equiaxed grain sample versus across the equiaxed-columnar grain sample at low ΔK values (<13.8). The differences that are observed between the crack propagation behaviors (in the crack initiation stage) of the samples can be mostly attributed to the different size and morphology of the α_p lamellae and α_s colony within the grains in the equiaxed and columnar grain regions rather than the grain boundaries. The cracks prefer to grow along the α/β boundary with a smooth propagation route and a fast propagation rate in the equiaxed grain region, where the α_p and α clusters have a large size. However, in the columnar grain region, small and randomly distributed α_p lamellae generate a zigzag-shaped propagation path with a reduction in the da/dN value. Additionally, the change in the size of the α_p lamellae in the equiaxed grains (heat affected bands, HAB) is also observed to influence the propagation behavior of the crack during the crack initiation stage.     

Effects of redox-active interlayer anions on the oxygen evolution reactivity of NiFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheets

Nickel-iron layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) nanosheets have shown optimal oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance; however, the role of the intercalated ions in the OER activity remains unclear. In this work, we show that the activity of the NiFe-LDHs can be tailored by the intercalated anions with different redox potentials. The intercalation of anions with low redox potential (high reducing ability), such as hypophosphites, leads to NiFe-LDHs with low OER overpotential of 240 mV and a small Tafel slope of 36.9 mV/dec, whereas NiFe-LDHs intercalated with anions of high redox potential (low reducing ability), such as fluorion, show a high overpotential of 370 mV and a Tafel slope of 80.8 mV/dec. The OER activity shows a surprising linear correlation with the standard redox potential. Density functional theory calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicate that the intercalated anions alter the electronic structure of metal atoms which exposed at the surface. Anions with low standard redox potential and strong reducing ability transfer more electrons to the hydroxide layers. This increases the electron density of the surface metal sites and stabilizes their high-valence states, whose formation is known as the critical step prior to the OER process.

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Layered double hydroxides with atomic-scale defects for superior electrocatalysis

Atomic composition tuning and defect engineering are effective strategies toenhance the catalytic performance of multicomponent catalysts by improvingthe synergetic effect; however, it remains challenging to dramatically tune the active sites on multicomponent materials through simultaneous defect engineeringat the atomic scale because of the similarities of the local environment. Herein,using the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as a probe reaction, we deliberatelyintroduced base-soluble Zn(II) or Al(III) sites into NiFe layered double hydroxides(LDHs), which are one of the best OER catalysts. Then, the Zn(II) or Al(III) siteswere selectively etched to create atomic M(II)/M(III) defects, which dramaticallyenhanced the OER activity. At a current density of 20 mA·cm^?2, only 200 mV overpotential was required to generate M(II) defect-rich NiFe LDHs, which is the best NiFe-based OER catalyst reported to date. Density functional theory(DFT) calculations revealed that the creation of dangling Ni–Fe sites (i.e., unsaturated coordinated Ni–Fe sites) by defect engineering of a Ni–O–Fe site at the atomic scale efficiently lowers the Gibbs free energy of the oxygen evolutionprocess. This defect engineering strategy provides new insights into catalysts atthe atomic scale and should be beneficial for the design of a variety of catalysts.

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