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Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 8892

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Low-Carbon Technology & Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory, College of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Interests: nano environmental materials; adsorption; CO2 capture; supercapacitor; supwetting surfaces for oil/water separation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to announce a Special Issue entitled “Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition”. This is a collection of important high-quality papers (original research articles or comprehensive review papers) published in an open access format by Editorial Board Members or prominent scholars invited by the Editorial Office and the Guest Editors. This Special Issue aims to discuss new knowledge or cutting-edge developments in the applied chemistry research field through selected works, in the hopes of making a great contribution to the community. We aim for this Special Issue to be the best forum for disseminating research findings and sharing innovative ideas in the field.

Prof. Dr. Shaojun Yuan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • applied chemistry
  • new molecules/materials
  • analytical methods and techniques
  • electrochemistry and catalysis
  • new materials and medicines

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3676 KiB  
Article
Thermo- and pH-Responsible Gels for Efficient Protein Adsorption and Desorption
by Izabela Poplewska, Beata Strachota, Adam Strachota, Grzegorz Poplewski and Dorota Antos
Molecules 2024, 29(20), 4858; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29204858 - 13 Oct 2024
Viewed by 880
Abstract
Protein adsorption behavior was examined on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sodium methacrylate)-based hydrogels at different temperatures: 5, 20, and 37 °C, and pH: 4.5, 7, and 9.2. The hydrogels, whose covalent skeleton contains pendant anionic units due to the presence of the sodium methacrylate co-monomer, [...] Read more.
Protein adsorption behavior was examined on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sodium methacrylate)-based hydrogels at different temperatures: 5, 20, and 37 °C, and pH: 4.5, 7, and 9.2. The hydrogels, whose covalent skeleton contains pendant anionic units due to the presence of the sodium methacrylate co-monomer, exhibited both thermo- and pH-sensitivity with different extents, which depended on the content of ionizable moieties and the cross-linker density. The hydrogel composition, temperature, and pH influenced the zeta potential of the hydrogels and their swelling properties. The proteins selected for the study, i.e., bovine serum albumin (BSA), ovalbumin (OVA), lysozyme (LYZ), and a monoclonal antibody (mAb2), differed in their aminoacidic composition and conformation, thus in isoelectric point, molecular weight, electrostatic charge, and hydrophobicity. Therefore, the response of their adsorption behavior to changes in the solution properties and the hydrogel composition was different. LYZ exhibited the strongest adsorption of all proteins with a maximum at pH 7 (189.5 mg ggel1); adsorption of BSA and OVA reached maximum at pH 4.5 (24.4 and 23.5 mg ggel1), whereas mAb2 was strongly adsorbed at 9.2 (21.7 mg ggel1). This indicated the possibility of using the hydrogels for pH-mediated separation of proteins differing in charge under mild conditions in a water-rich environment of both the liquid solution and the adsorbed phase. The adsorption affinity of all proteins increased with temperature, which was attributed to the synergistic effects of attractive electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. That effect was particularly marked for mAb2, for which the temperature change from 5 to 37 °C caused a twentyfold increase in adsorption. In all cases, the proteins could be released from the hydrogel surface by a reduction in temperature, an increase in pH, or a combination of both. This allows for the elimination of the use of salt solution as a desorbing agent, whose presence renders the recycling of buffering solutions difficult. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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15 pages, 2274 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Immobilization of Enzymes on Plasma Micro-Nanotextured Surfaces and Microfluidics: Application to HRP
by Stefania Vorvi, Katerina Tsougeni, Angeliki Tserepi, Sotirios Kakabakos, Panagiota Petrou and Evangelos Gogolides
Molecules 2024, 29(19), 4736; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29194736 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 614
Abstract
The enhanced and direct immobilization of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microchannel surfaces to create a miniaturized enzymatic reactor for the biocatalytic oxidation of phenols is demonstrated. Enzyme immobilization occurs by physical adsorption after oxygen plasma treatment, which micro-nanotextures the [...] Read more.
The enhanced and direct immobilization of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microchannel surfaces to create a miniaturized enzymatic reactor for the biocatalytic oxidation of phenols is demonstrated. Enzyme immobilization occurs by physical adsorption after oxygen plasma treatment, which micro-nanotextures the PMMA surfaces. A five-fold enhancement in immobilized enzyme activity was observed, attributed to the increased surface area and, therefore, to a higher quantity of immobilized enzymes compared to an untreated PMMA surface. The enzymatic reaction yield reached 75% using a flow rate of 2.0 μL/min for the reaction mixture. Additionally, the developed microreactor was reused more than 16 times without affecting the enzymatic conversion yield. These results demonstrate the potential of microchannels with plasma micro/nanotextured surfaces for the rapid and facile fabrication of microfluidic enzymatic microreactors with enhanced catalytic activity and stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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18 pages, 2425 KiB  
Article
Isothiocyanate-Based Microemulsions Loaded into Biocompatible Hydrogels as Innovative Biofumigants for Agricultural Soils
by Michele Baglioni, Ilaria Clemente, Gabriella Tamasi, Flavia Bisozzi, Sara Costantini, Giacomo Fattori, Mariangela Gentile and Claudio Rossi
Molecules 2024, 29(16), 3935; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29163935 - 21 Aug 2024
Viewed by 761
Abstract
Biofumigation was proposed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides for the disinfection of agricultural soils, in view of the biocidal effect of isothiocyanates (ITCs) released by some vegetal species, like Brassicaceae. However, biofumigation also presents limitations; thus, a novel and viable alternative [...] Read more.
Biofumigation was proposed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides for the disinfection of agricultural soils, in view of the biocidal effect of isothiocyanates (ITCs) released by some vegetal species, like Brassicaceae. However, biofumigation also presents limitations; thus, a novel and viable alternative could be the direct introduction of ITCs into agricultural soils as components loaded into biodegradable hydrogels. Thus, in this work, ITCs-based microemulsions were developed, which can be loaded into porous polymer-based hydrogel beads based on sodium alginate (ALG) or sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Three ITCs (ethyl, phenyl, and allyl isothiocyanate) and three different surfactants (sodium dodecylsulfate, Brij 35, and Tween 80) were considered. The optimal system was characterized with attenuated ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry to study how the microemulsion/gels interaction affects the gel properties, such as the equilibrium water content or free water index. Finally, loading and release profiles were studied by means of UV–Vis spectrophotometry. It was found that CMC hydrogel beads showed a slightly more efficient profile of micelles’ release in water with respect to ALG beads. For this reason, and due to the enhanced contribution of Fe(III) to their biocidal properties, CMC-based hydrogels are the most promising in view of the application on real agricultural soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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18 pages, 4285 KiB  
Article
Surface Charge-Modulated Toxicity of Cysteine-Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles
by Magdalena Oćwieja, Anna Barbasz, Monika Wasilewska, Piotr Smoleń, Dorota Duraczyńska, Bogna D. Napruszewska, Mikołaj Kozak and Adam Węgrzynowicz
Molecules 2024, 29(15), 3629; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29153629 - 31 Jul 2024
Viewed by 850
Abstract
The toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) depends on their physicochemical properties. The ongoing research aims to develop effective methods for modifying AgNPs using molecules that enable control over the processes induced by nanoparticles in both normal and cancerous cells. Application of amino acid-stabilized [...] Read more.
The toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) depends on their physicochemical properties. The ongoing research aims to develop effective methods for modifying AgNPs using molecules that enable control over the processes induced by nanoparticles in both normal and cancerous cells. Application of amino acid-stabilized nanoparticles appears promising, exhibiting tunable electrokinetic properties. Therefore, this study focused on determining the influence of the surface charge of cysteine (CYS)-stabilized AgNPs on their toxicity towards human normal B (COLO-720L) and T (HUT-78) lymphocyte cell lines. CYS-AgNPs were synthesized via the chemical reduction. Transmission electron microcopy (TEM) imaging revealed that they exhibited a quasi-spherical shape with an average size of 18 ± 3 nm. CYS-AgNPs remained stable under mild acidic (pH 4.0) and alkaline (7.4 and 9.0) conditions, with an isoelectric point observed at pH 5.1. Following a 24 h treatment of lymphocytes with CYS-AgNPs, concentration-dependent alterations in cell morphology were observed. Positively charged CYS-AgNPs notably decreased lymphocyte viability. Furthermore, they exhibited grater genotoxicity and more pronounced disruption of biological membranes compared to negatively charged CYZ-AgNPs. Despite both types of AgNPs interacting similarly with fetal bovine serum (FBS) and showing comparable profiles of silver ion release, the biological assays consistently revealed that the positively charged CYS-AgNPs exerted stronger effects at all investigated cellular levels. Although both types of CYS-AgNPs have the same chemical structure in their stabilizing layers, the pH-induced alterations in their surface charge significantly affect their biological activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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12 pages, 3609 KiB  
Article
Reverse Osmosis with Intermediate Chemical Demineralization: Scale Inhibitor Selection, Degradation, and Seeded Precipitation
by Shichang Xu, Ping Wang, Lixin Xie, Yawei Du and Wen Zhang
Molecules 2024, 29(10), 2163; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29102163 - 7 May 2024
Viewed by 909
Abstract
Two-stage reverse osmosis (RO) processes with intermediate concentrate demineralization (ICD) provide an efficient strategy to treat brines with high CaSO4 contents and reduce concentrate discharge. In this paper, an SRO concentrate is treated using ICD to remove CaSO4 and then mixed [...] Read more.
Two-stage reverse osmosis (RO) processes with intermediate concentrate demineralization (ICD) provide an efficient strategy to treat brines with high CaSO4 contents and reduce concentrate discharge. In this paper, an SRO concentrate is treated using ICD to remove CaSO4 and then mixed with a PRO concentrate for further desalination in SRO, thereby reducing the discharge of the concentrate. We investigate the selection and degradation of scale inhibitors, as well as seeded precipitation in the two-stage RO process with ICD, to achieve a high water recovery rate. A scale inhibitor is added to restrain CaSO4 crystallization on the membrane surface, and the optimized scale inhibitor, RO-400, is found to inhibit calcium sulfate scaling effectively across a wide range of the saturation index of gypsum (SIg) from 2.3 to 6. Under the optimized parameters of 40 W UV light and 70 mg/L H2O2, UV/H2O2 can degrade RO-400 completely in 15 min to destroy the scale inhibitor in the SRO concentrate. After scale inhibitor degradation, the SRO concentrate is desaturated by seeded precipitation, and the reaction degree of CaSO4 reaches 97.12%, leading to a concentrate with a low SIg (1.07) for cyclic desalination. Three UVD-GSP cycle tests show that the reused gypsum seeds can also ensure the effect of the CaSO4 precipitation process. This paper provides a combined UVD-GSP strategy in two-stage RO processes to improve the water recovery rate for CaSO4-contained concentrate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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14 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Carbon Dots Anchoring Single-Atom Pt on C3N4 Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
by Jing Wang, Jiayu Song, Xin Kang, Dongxu Wang, Chungui Tian, Qin Zhang, Hui Zhao and Jiancong Liu
Molecules 2024, 29(8), 1890; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29081890 - 21 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1409
Abstract
Carbon nitride (C3N4) has gained considerable attention and has been regarded as an ideal candidate for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. However, its photocatalytic efficiency is still unsatisfactory due to the rapid recombination rate of photo-generated carriers and restricted surface area [...] Read more.
Carbon nitride (C3N4) has gained considerable attention and has been regarded as an ideal candidate for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. However, its photocatalytic efficiency is still unsatisfactory due to the rapid recombination rate of photo-generated carriers and restricted surface area with few active sites. Herein, we successfully synthesized a single-atom Pt cocatalyst-loaded photocatalyst by utilizing the anchoring effect of carbon dots (CDs) on C3N4. The introduction of CDs onto the porous C3N4 matrix can greatly enhance the specific surface area of C3N4 to provide more surface-active sites, increase light absorption capabilities, as well as improve the charge separation efficiency. Notably, the functional groups of CDs can efficiently anchor the single-atom Pt, thus improving the atomic utilization efficiency of Pt cocatalysts. A strong interaction is formed via the connection of Pt-N bonds, which enhances the efficiency of photogenerated electron separation. This unique structure remarkably improves its H2 evolution performance under visible light irradiation with a rate of 15.09 mmol h−1 g−1. This work provides a new approach to constructing efficient photocatalysts by using CDs for sustainable hydrogen generation, offering a practical approach to utilizing solar energy for clean fuel production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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21 pages, 6181 KiB  
Article
Emulsion Liquid Membranes Based on Os–NP/n–Decanol or n–Dodecanol Nanodispersions for p–Nitrophenol Reduction
by Andreia Pîrțac, Aurelia Cristina Nechifor, Szidonia-Katalin Tanczos, Ovidiu Cristian Oprea, Alexandra Raluca Grosu, Cristian Matei, Vlad-Alexandru Grosu, Bogdan Ștefan Vasile, Paul Constantin Albu and Gheorghe Nechifor
Molecules 2024, 29(8), 1842; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29081842 - 18 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 849
Abstract
Membrane materials with osmium nanoparticles have been recently reported for bulk membranes and supported composite membrane systems. In the present paper, a catalytic material based on osmium dispersed in n–decanol (nD) or n–dodecanol (nDD) is presented, which also works as an emulsion membrane. [...] Read more.
Membrane materials with osmium nanoparticles have been recently reported for bulk membranes and supported composite membrane systems. In the present paper, a catalytic material based on osmium dispersed in n–decanol (nD) or n–dodecanol (nDD) is presented, which also works as an emulsion membrane. The hydrogenation of p–nitrophenol (PNP) is carried out in a reaction and separation column in which an emulsion in the acid-receiving phase is dispersed in an osmium nanodispersion in n–alcohols. The variables of the PNP conversion process and p–aminophenol (PAP) transport are as follows: the nature of the membrane alcohol, the flow regime, the pH difference between the source and receiving phases and the number of operating cycles. The conversion results are in all cases better for nD than nDD. The counter-current flow regime is superior to the co-current flow. Increasing the pH difference between the source and receiving phases amplifies the process. The number of operating cycles is limited to five, after which the regeneration of the membrane dispersion is required. The apparent catalytic rate constant (kapp) of the new catalytic material based on the emulsion membrane with the nanodispersion of osmium nanoparticles (0.1 × 10−3 s−1 for n–dodecanol and 0.9 × 10−3 s−1 for n–decanol) is lower by an order of magnitude compared to those based on adsorption on catalysts from the platinum metal group. The advantage of the tested membrane catalytic material is that it extracts p–aminophenol in the acid-receiving phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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Review

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25 pages, 5270 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in the Conversion of Methylfuran into Value-Added Chemicals and Fuels
by Wei Wang, Jiamin Yan, Mengze Sun, Xiufeng Li, Yanqing Li, Ling An, Chi Qian, Xing Zhang, Xianzhao Shao, Yanping Duan and Guangyi Li
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 2976; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29132976 - 22 Jun 2024
Viewed by 857
Abstract
2-methylfuran is a significant organic chemical raw material which can be produced by hydrolysis, dehydration, and selective hydrogenation of biomass hemicellulose. 2-methylfuran can be converted into value-added chemicals and liquid fuels. This article reviews the latest progress in the synthesis of liquid fuel [...] Read more.
2-methylfuran is a significant organic chemical raw material which can be produced by hydrolysis, dehydration, and selective hydrogenation of biomass hemicellulose. 2-methylfuran can be converted into value-added chemicals and liquid fuels. This article reviews the latest progress in the synthesis of liquid fuel precursors through hydroxyalkylation/alkylation reactions of 2-methylfuran and biomass-derived carbonyl compounds in recent years. 2-methylfuran reacts with olefins through Diels–Alder reactions to produce chemicals, and 2-methylfuran reacts with anhydrides (or carboxylic acids) to produce acylated products. In the future application of 2-methylfuran, developing high value-added chemicals and high-density liquid fuels are two good research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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30 pages, 8167 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in the Nickel-Catalyzed Alkylation of C-H Bonds
by Franc Požgan, Uroš Grošelj, Jurij Svete, Bogdan Štefane and Hamad H. Al Mamari
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 1917; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29091917 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1061
Abstract
Functionalization of C-H bonds has emerged as a powerful strategy for converting inert, nonfunctional C-H bonds into their reactive counterparts. A wide range of C-H bond functionalization reactions has become possible by the catalysis of metals, typically from the second row of transition [...] Read more.
Functionalization of C-H bonds has emerged as a powerful strategy for converting inert, nonfunctional C-H bonds into their reactive counterparts. A wide range of C-H bond functionalization reactions has become possible by the catalysis of metals, typically from the second row of transition metals. First-row transition metals can also catalyze C-H functionalization, and they have the merits of greater earth-abundance, lower cost and better environmental friendliness in comparison to their second-row counterparts. C-H bond alkylation is a particularly important C-H functionalization reaction due to its chemical significance and its applications in natural product synthesis. This review covers Ni-catalyzed C-H bond alkylation reactions using alkyl halides and olefins as alkyl sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Applied Chemistry: 3rd Edition)
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