High Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries Using Layered 2H‐MoTe2 as Anode

The major challenges faced by candidate electrode materials in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) include their low electronic and ionic conductivities. 2D van der Waals materials with good electronic conductivity and weak interlayer interaction have been intensively studied in the electrochemical processes involving ion migrations. In particular, molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) has emerged as a new material for energy storage applications. Though 2H‐MoTe₂ with hexagonal semiconducting phase is expected to facilitate more efficient ion insertion/deinsertion than the monoclinic semi‐metallic phase, its application as an anode in LIB has been elusive. Here, 2H‐MoTe₂, prepared by a solid‐state synthesis route, has been employed as an efficient anode with remarkable Li⁺ storage capacity. The as‐prepared 2H‐MoTe₂ electrodes exhibit an initial specific capacity of 432 mAh g^?1 and retain a high reversible specific capacity of 291 mAh g^?1 after 260 cycles at 1.0 A g^?1. Further, a full‐cell prototype is demonstrated by using 2H‐MoTe₂ anode with lithium cobalt oxide cathode, showing a high energy density of 454 Wh kg^?1 (based on the MoTe₂ mass) and capacity retention of 80% over 100 cycles. Synchrotron‐based in situ X‐ray absorption near‐edge structures have revealed the unique lithium reaction pathway and storage mechanism, which is supported by density functional theory based calculations.     

Machine learning technique for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Microsystem Technologies - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is non-repairable brain disorder which impacts a person’s thinking along with shrinking the size of the brain, ultimately resulting...     

The Eyes Absent Proteins: Unusual HAD Family Tyrosine Phosphatases

Here, we review the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) class of protein phosphatases, with a particular emphasis on an unusual group of enzymes, the eyes absent (EYA) family. EYA proteins have the unique distinction of being structurally and mechanistically classified as HAD enzymes, yet, unlike other HAD phosphatases, they are protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Further, the EYA proteins are unique among the 107 classical PTPs in the human genome because they do not use a Cysteine residue as a nucleophile in the dephosphorylation reaction. We will provide an overview of HAD phosphatase structure-function, describe unique features of the EYA family and their tyrosine phosphatase activity, provide a brief summary of the known substrates and cellular functions of the EYA proteins, and speculate about the evolutionary origins of the EYA family of proteins.     

Copolymerization of N‐(4‐carboxyphenyl) itaconimide or N‐(4‐carboxyphenyl) itaconamic acid with methyl methacrylate

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of N‐(4‐carboxyphenyl) itaconamic acid (CPA) and N‐(4‐carboxyphenyl) itaconimide (CPI) obtained by reacting itaconic anhydride with p‐aminobenzoic acid. Structural and thermal characterization of CPA and CPI was done using ¹H‐NMR, FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Copolymerization of CPA or CPI with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in solution was carried out at 60 °C using azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator and dimethyl acetamide or THF as solvent. Feed compositions having varying mole fractions of CPA or CPI ranging from 0.05–0.20 or 0.1–0.5 were taken to prepare copolymers. Copolymerizations were terminated at low percentage conversion. Structural characterization of copolymers was done by ¹H‐NMR and elemental analysis. Copolymer composition was determined using percentage nitrogen content. The reactivity ratios were r₁ (MMA) = 0.68 ± 0.06 and r₂ (CPI) = 0.46 ± 0.06. The intrinsic viscosity [η] was determined using an Ubbelohde suspension level viscometer. [η] decreased with increasing mole fraction of N‐(p‐carboxyphenyl) itaconimide or N‐(p‐carboxyphenyl) itaconamic acid in copolymers. Glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the copolymers were determined using DSC and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The glass transition temperature (T_g) as determined from DSC scans increased with increasing amounts of CPA or CPI in copolymers. A significant improvement in the char yield was observed upon copolymerization. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 1909–1915, 2005     

Development of water‐blown bio‐based thermoplastic polyurethane foams using bio‐derived chain extender

Water‐blown bio‐based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) formulations were developed to fulfill the requirements of the reactive rotational molding/foaming process. They were prepared using synthetic and bio‐based chain extenders. Foams were prepared by stirring polyether polyol (macrodiol), chain extender (diol), surfactant (silicone oil), chemical blowing agent (distilled water), catalyst, and diisocyanate. The concentration of chain extender, blowing agent, and surfactant were varied and their effects on foaming kinetics, physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of foams were investigated. Density, compressive strength, and modulus of foams decrease with increasing blowing agent concentration and increase with increasing chain extender concentration, but are not significantly affected by changes in surfactant concentration. The foam glass‐transition temperatures increase with increasing blowing agent and chain extender concentrations. The foam cell size slightly increases with increasing blowing agent content and decreases upon surfactant addition (without any dependence on concentration), whereas chain extender concentration has no effect on cell size. Bio‐based 1,3‐propanediol can be used successfully for the preparation TPU foams without sacrificing any properties. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Recoil tritium-C60 interaction: a channel for endohedral encapsulation of tritium in C60

The introduction of tritium (T), with an initial kinetic energy of 2.7 MeV into the cavity of C₆₀ using recoil implantation is studied in a ⁶Li(n,α)T activated homogenized compound matrix of Li₂CO₃ and C_60. Radioactive endohedral T@C₆₀ could be detected through the liquid scintillation spectrometry coupled with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry provided evidence for the retainment of C₆₀ cage as against radiation damage. Solid state temperature-programmed desorption based on evolved gas showed the desorption of ³He gas (as a β⁻ decay product from T) from the endohedral C₆₀ cage at a higher temperature than the T₂ and T₂O trapped species at the defect sites and from the ordered crystallographic network of Li₂CO₃, respectively. The non-isothermal kinetics of the helium desorption, as a function of temperature evidenced a diffusion controlled process.     

Process development of a chocolate-flavoured peanut–soy beverage

A new beverage product was developed utilising two protein‐rich oilseed sources, namely peanut and soy. Medium‐roasted peanut flour and chocolate flavour were incorporated to offer pleasant flavour profile. The peanut–soy combination would also improve essential amino acid profile, especially that of lysine, compared with an all‐peanut product. A pilot‐plant scale beverage‐processing protocol involved filtration, homogenisation and pasteurisation as the major operating steps. Beverage formulation employed a three‐component constrained mixture design. The low‐ and high‐bound constraints were determined for peanut (30.6–58.7%), soy (28.3–43.5%) and chocolate syrup (13.0–25.9%) based on lysine content, viscosity and visual stability index values of 51‐mg g^?1 protein, 36.9 mPa s and 1.00, respectively. The beverage formulation and processing protocol thus developed were the basis for further study on consumer acceptability of the new chocolate‐flavoured peanut–soy beverage.     

Evaluation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic softening in low salt cucumber fermentations

Retention of a firm, crisp fruit texture is a major consideration for pickled vegetables including pickles made from fermented cucumbers. It is known that cucumbers soften rapidly when fermented at low salt concentrations (<0.5 M) without added calcium. This study has shown that there is non-enzymatic softening in low salt fermentations because cucumbers soften even when heated sufficiently to inactivate pectinesterase and several glycosidases that can hydrolyse glycosidic linkages that are present in cell wall polysaccharides. Though pectinesterase activity declines and these glycosidases lose activity within the first week of fermentation there is generally greater loss of cucumber tissue firmness when enzymes are not inactivated by heat. While heating cucumbers prior to fermentation reduces softening during subsequent storage, a heat treatment after 2 weeks of fermentation does not reduce softening. This result suggested that the enzymatic reactions responsible for softening occur early in the fermentation process even though the softening does not become evident until later in the storage period. Despite the evidence of an enzymatic component of tissue softening in low salt cucumbers, softening could not be associated with specific enzymes.     

Optimisation of enzymatic liquefaction of mango pulp by response surface methodology

 Enzymatic liquefaction of the Neelam variety of mango pulp has been optimised by response surface methodology. The effect of enzyme concentration and incubation time and their complex interaction on juice yield, clarity of the juice, alcohol-insoluble solids and viscosity of the mango pulp have been studied using a central composite rotatable design of experiments. The results showed that at the optimum condition (enzyme concentration and incubation time of 0.14% and 46.67 min, respectively) the yield was ≥64%, clarity ≥71%, alcohol-insoluble solids ≤2.0% and viscosity ≤1850 cP. Received: 28 May 1998