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Fang H, Thakur A, Zahmatkeshsaredorahi A, Fang Z, Rad V, Shamsabadi AA, Pereyra C, Soroush M, Rappe AM, Xu XG, Anasori B, Fakhraai Z. Stabilizing Ti 3C 2T x MXene flakes in air by removing confined water. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400084121. [PMID: 38968114 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400084121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
MXenes have demonstrated potential for various applications owing to their tunable surface chemistry and metallic conductivity. However, high temperatures can accelerate MXene film oxidation in air. Understanding the mechanisms of MXene oxidation at elevated temperatures, which is still limited, is critical in improving their thermal stability for high-temperature applications. Here, we demonstrate that Ti[Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]T[Formula: see text] MXene monoflakes have exceptional thermal stability at temperatures up to 600[Formula: see text]C in air, while multiflakes readily oxidize in air at 300[Formula: see text]C. Density functional theory calculations indicate that confined water between Ti[Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]T[Formula: see text] flakes has higher removal energy than surface water and can thus persist to higher temperatures, leading to oxidation. We demonstrate that the amount of confined water correlates with the degree of oxidation in stacked flakes. Confined water can be fully removed by vacuum annealing Ti[Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]T[Formula: see text] films at 600[Formula: see text]C, resulting in substantial stability improvement in multiflake films (can withstand 600[Formula: see text]C in air). These findings provide fundamental insights into the kinetics of confined water and its role in Ti[Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]T[Formula: see text] oxidation. This work enables the use of stable monoflake MXenes in high-temperature applications and provides guidelines for proper vacuum annealing of multiflake films to enhance their stability.
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Teenakul K, Ahmad Alem SA, Gond R, Thakur A, Anasori B, Khataee A. Treatment of carbon electrodes with Ti 3C 2T x MXene coating and thermal method for vanadium redox flow batteries: a comparative study. RSC Adv 2024; 14:12807-12816. [PMID: 38645525 PMCID: PMC11027479 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01380h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the significant challenges of vanadium redox flow batteries is connected to the negative electrode where the main reaction of V(ii)/V(iii) and the side reaction of hydrogen evolution compete. To address this issue, we used titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene coating via drop-casting to introduce oxygen functional groups and metals on the carbon electrode surface. Characterization through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the even distribution of Ti3C2Tx MXene on the electrodes and the presence of titanium and termination groups (-O, -Cl, and -F). The cyclic voltammetry analysis of MXene-coated electrodes showed more sharp electrochemical peaks for the V(ii)/V(iii) reaction than thermal-treated electrodes, even at relatively high scan rates. Notably, a relatively high reaction rate of 5.61 × 10-4 cm s-1 was achieved for the V(ii)/V(iii) reaction on MXene-coated electrodes, which shows the competitiveness of the method compared to thermal treatment (4.17 × 10-4 cm s-1). The flow battery tests, at a current density of 130 mA cm-2, using MXene-coated electrodes showed pretty stable discharge capacity for over 100 cycles. In addition, the voltage and energy efficiency were significantly higher than those of the system using untreated electrodes. Overall, this work highlights the potential application of MXene coating in carbon electrode treatment for vanadium redox flow batteries due to remarkable electrocatalytic activity and battery performance, providing a competitive method for thermal treatment.
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Irwin RE, Scullion C, Thursby SJ, Sun M, Thakur A, Hilman L, Callaghan B, Thompson PD, McKenna DJ, Rothbart SB, Xu G, Walsh CP. The UHRF1 protein is a key regulator of retrotransposable elements and innate immune response to viral RNA in human cells. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2216005. [PMID: 37246786 PMCID: PMC10228402 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2216005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
While epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification are known to be important for gene suppression, relatively little is still understood about the interplay between these systems. The UHRF1 protein can interact with both DNA methylation and repressive chromatin marks, but its primary function in humans has been unclear. To determine what that was, we first established stable UHRF1 knockdowns (KD) in normal, immortalized human fibroblasts using targeting shRNA, since CRISPR knockouts (KO) were lethal. Although these showed a loss of DNA methylation across the whole genome, transcriptional changes were dominated by the activation of genes involved in innate immune signalling, consistent with the presence of viral RNA from retrotransposable elements (REs). We confirmed using mechanistic approaches that 1) REs were demethylated and transcriptionally activated; 2) this was accompanied by activation of interferons and interferon-stimulated genes and 3) the pathway was conserved across other adult cell types. Restoring UHRF1 in either transient or stable KD systems could abrogate RE reactivation and the interferon response. Notably, UHRF1 itself could also re-impose RE suppression independent of DNA methylation, but not if the protein contained point mutations affecting histone 3 with trimethylated lysine 9 (H3K9me3) binding. Our results therefore show for the first time that UHRF1 can act as a key regulator of retrotransposon silencing independent of DNA methylation.
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Sharma A, Thakur A, Rangra VS. Excitonic effects on the optical spectra of TiB 2nanosheets. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2023; 36. [PMID: 37832563 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ad0353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal borides, have recently attracted tremendous interest and become an emerging class of 2D materials due to their intriguing properties. We report systematic investigation of stability, electronic properties and optical activity of 2D-TiB2nanosheets using first-principles calculations. By combining elastic and phonon-dispersion calculations, we substantiated the mechanical and dynamic stability of 2D-TiB2nanosheets. Our results of elastic calculations reveal that addition of an extra layer destroys the auxetic behaviour of monolayer (ML) 2D-TiB2with significant reduction in the brittleness. Further, based on the spin-polarised electronic structure calculations, we find that a low-dimensional metallic state of ML can be achieved by tuning the distance between the titanium and boron layers. The calculations clearly reveal that metallic nature does not destroys the auxetic behaviour of ML. Subsequently, we investigated the optical response of 2D-TiB2nanosheets (ML and bilayer (BL)) at the level of density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory. The results obtained by solving Bethe-Salpeter equation (GW+BSE formalism) shows that excitonic effects causes a slight blue-shift in the absorption spectra of the nanosheets with ML being optically active with sharp peaks in infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) regions while BL shows the reduced optical activity across wide range of photon energies spanning the near-IR to UV region. In addition, electronic polarisability of the nanosheet decreases with addition of another layer in ML 2D-TiB2. Further investigation of transition probabilities clearly indicates that the response of ML at Dirac point is tunable by spin-orbital coupling effects which makes these nanosheets promising for spintronic applications. The BL exhibits distinct electronic, and optical properties compared to ML. Our study unravels the structural, elastic, electronic, and optical properties of 2D-TiB2nanosheets and suggests them as promising candidate for variety of optoelectronic and spintronic applications.
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Shamsabadi AA, Fang H, Zhang D, Thakur A, Chen CY, Zhang A, Wang H, Anasori B, Soroush M, Gogotsi Y, Fakhraai Z. The Evolution of MXenes Conductivity and Optical Properties Upon Heating in Air. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300568. [PMID: 37454348 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
MXenes, a family of 2D transition-metal carbides and nitrides, have excellent electrical conductivity and unique optical properties. However, MXenes oxidize in ambient conditions, which is accelerated upon heating. Intercalation of water also causes hydrolysis accelerating oxidation. Developing new tools to readily characterize MXenes' thermal stability can enable deeper insights into their structure-property relationships. Here, in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is employed to characterize the optical properties of three types of MXenes (Ti3 C2 Tx , Mo2 TiC2 Tx , and Ti2 CTx ) with varied composition and atomistic structures to investigate their thermal degradation upon heating under ambient environment. It is demonstrated that changes in MXene extinction and optical conductivity in the visible and near-IR regions correlate well with the amount of intercalated water and hydroxyl termination groups and the degree of oxidation, measured using thermogravimetric analysis. Among the three MXenes, Ti3 C2 Tx and Ti2 CTx , respectively, have the highest and lowest thermal stability, indicating the role of transition-metal type, synthesis route, and the number of atomic layers in MXene flakes. These findings demonstrate the utility of SE as a powerful in situ technique for rapid structure-property relationship studies paving the way for the further design, fabrication, and property optimization of novel MXene materials.
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Wijesooriya K, Larner JM, Read PW, Showalter TN, Lum L, Conaway M, Nguyen C, Lain D, Thakur A, Romano K, McLaughlin C, Jr EMJ, Luminais C, Wood S, Cousins DF, Chen J, Muller DA, Dutta SW, Nesbit EA, Ward KA, Sanders J, Chavis Y, Asare E. Initial Report of a Randomized Trial Comparing Conventional vs. Novel Treatment Planning Technique to Ameliorate Immunosuppression from Lung SBRT. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023; 117:e73-e74. [PMID: 37786124 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) SBRT is highly effective against early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Radiation Therapy (RT) is known to modulate the immune system and contribute to the generation of anti-tumor T cells and stimulate T cell infiltration into tumors. However, this anti-tumor activity is offset by radiation-induced immunosuppression (RIIS) which results in lower tumor control and survival. Lymphocytes are highly radiosensitive and RIIS means destroying existing as well as newly created cytotoxic and helper T lymphocytes. We hypothesized that optimizing RT treatment planning by considering circulating blood and lymphatics as a critical Organ at Risk (OAR) may mitigate RIIS. MATERIALS/METHODS We conducted an IRB approved NCI funded clinical trial for 50 early-stage lung cancer patients treated with SBRT alone, from 2020 to 2023, to investigate the ability to reduce RIIS by reducing dose to circulating blood and lymphatics with the aid of a predictive algorithm. All SBRT plans adhered to treatment parameters from RTOG 0813 (central) or RTOG 0915 (peripheral). Patients were randomized to two arms: experimental optimization for RIIS (to reduce dose to blood and lymphatic rich organs) versus standard SBRT planning (without optimization for RIIS). Peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline, end of Tx, 4 weeks and 6 months post Tx. Patients with baseline absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) less than 0.5x109 cells/L were ineligible for the trial. Data acquired for all blood cell types as well as lymphocyte sub populations CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD56+. Two sample t-test was used to determine the statistical significance between the cohorts at the time points. RESULTS The standard arm had an ALC reduction of 28% at one week post Tx and a nadir at 4 weeks with a 34% reduction. Absolute percentage reductions in ALC from baseline in the optimized arm compared to the standard arm are: end of treatment point (13%, p = 0.03), 4 weeks (12%, p = 0.08), 6 months (15%, p = 0.1), and all three time points together 13% (p = 0.001). ALC recovery appears to be faster in the optimized arm. Radiation induced suppression of all blood cell types are also reduced in the optimized arm with respect to standard arm (relative percentages): ALC (34%), WBC (47%), RBC (46%), platelets (40%), monocytes (100%), and neutrophils (62%) at 4-week mark. Average percentage reductions on integral doses, and V5 (volume receiving a 5 Gy dose) of optimized compared to standard plans are: aorta: 26%, 41% heart: 8%, 33%, vena cava: 32%, 52%, T spine: 51%, 81%, lymph nodes: 35%, 57%, total lung- ITV: 1.6%, 1%, body: 10%, 14%. CONCLUSION For the first time, we have shown that it is possible to reduce RIIS in a statistically significant manner, compared to standard of care, via optimized RT planning using a predictive model. This has implications in increasing the efficacy of immunotherapy by preserving the existing tumor reactive T cells in the immune system to enhance anti-tumor activity, and in reducing hospitalizations and improving survival.
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Zucker CP, Cirrincione PM, Hillstrom HJ, Thakur A, Wisch JL, Groisser BN, Mintz DN, Cunningham ME, Hresko MT, Haddas R, Heyer JH, Widmann RF. The relationship between physical activity, structural deformity, and spinal mobility in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Spine Deform 2023; 11:1093-1100. [PMID: 37219815 DOI: 10.1007/s43390-023-00702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients experience structural spinal deformity, but the impact of AIS on physical activity is not widely studied. Reports of physical activity levels between children with AIS and their peers are mixed. This study sought to characterize the relationship between spinal deformity, spinal range of motion, and self-reported physical activity in AIS patients. METHODS Patients aged 11-21 completed self-reported measures of physical activity using the HSS Pedi-FABS and PROMIS Physical Activity questionnaires. Radiographic measures were obtained from standing biplanar radiographic imaging. Surface topographic (ST) imaging data was obtained using a whole-body ST scanning system. Hierarchical linear regression models analyzed the relationship between physical activity, ST, and radiographic deformity while controlling for age and BMI. RESULTS 149 patients with AIS (mean age 14.5 ± 2.0 years, mean Cobb angle 39.7° ± 18.9°) were included. In the hierarchical regression predicting physical activity from Cobb angle, no factors were significant predictors of physical activity. When predicting physical activity from ST ROM measurements, age and BMI served as covariates. No covariates or ST ROM measurements were significant predictors of physical activity levels for either activity measure. CONCLUSIONS Physical activity levels of patients with AIS were not predicted by levels of radiographic deformity or surface topographic range of motion. Although patients may experience severe structural deformity and range of motion limitations, these factors do not appear to be associated with decreased physical activity level utilizing validated patient activity questionnaires. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II.
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Li Y, Lieu WY, Ghosh T, Fu L, Feng X, Wong AJY, Thakur A, Wyatt BC, Anasori B, Zhang Q, Yang HY, Seh ZW. Double-Transition-Metal MXene Films Promoting Deeply Rechargeable Magnesium Metal Batteries. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2201598. [PMID: 36807580 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Magnesium metal batteries are promising candidates for next-generation high-energy-density and low-cost energy storage systems. Their application, however, is precluded by infinite relative volume changes and inevitable side reactions of Mg metal anodes. These issues become more pronounced at large areal capacities that are required for practical batteries. Herein, for the first time, double-transition-metal MXene films are developed to promote deeply rechargeable magnesium metal batteries using Mo2 Ti2 C3 as a representative example. The freestanding Mo2 Ti2 C3 films, which are prepared using a simple vacuum filtration method, possess good electronic conductivity, unique surface chemistry, and high mechanical modulus. These superior electro-chemo-mechanical merits of Mo2 Ti2 C3 films help to accelerate electrons/ions transfer, suppress electrolyte decomposition and dead Mg formation, as well as maintain electrode structural integrity during long-term and large-capacity operation. As a result, the as-developed Mo2 Ti2 C3 films exhibit reversible Mg plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiency of 99.3% at a record-high capacity of 15 mAh cm-2 . This work not only sheds innovative insights into current collector design for deeply cyclable Mg metal anodes, but also paves the way for the application of double-transition-metal MXene materials in other alkali and alkaline earth metal batteries.
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Thakur A, Chandran B S N, Davidson K, Bedford A, Fang H, Im Y, Kanduri V, Wyatt BC, Nemani SK, Poliukhova V, Kumar R, Fakhraai Z, Anasori B. Step-by-Step Guide for Synthesis and Delamination of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300030. [PMID: 37150839 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
To advance the MXene field, it is crucial to optimize each step of the synthesis process and create a detailed, systematic guide for synthesizing high-quality MXene that can be consistently reproduced. In this study, a detailed guide is provided for an optimized synthesis of titanium carbide (Ti3 C2 Tx ) MXene using a mixture of hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acids for the selective etching of the stoichimetric-Ti3 AlC2 MAX phase and delamination of the etched multilayered Ti3 C2 Tx MXene using lithium chloride at 65 °C for 1 h with argon bubbling. The effect of different synthesis variables is investigated, including the stoichiometry of the mixed powders to synthesize Ti3 AlC2 , pre-etch impurity removal conditions, selective etching, storage, and drying of MXene multilayer powder, and the subsequent delamination conditions. The synthesis yield and the MXene film electrical conductivity are used as the two parameters to evaluate the MXene quality. Also the MXenes are characterized with scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and ellipsometry. The Ti3 C2 Tx film made via the optimized method shows electrical conductivity as high as ≈21,000 S/cm with a synthesis yield of up to 38 %. A detailed protocol is also provided for the Ti3 C2 Tx MXene synthesis as the supporting information for this study.
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Rasyotra A, Thakur A, Mandalia R, Ranganathan R, Jasuja K. Nitrogen adsorption via charge transfer on vacancies created during surfactant assisted exfoliation of TiB 2. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:8204-8216. [PMID: 36967617 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr06676a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Titanium diboride (TiB2), a layered ceramic material, comprised of titanium atoms sandwiched in between honeycomb planes of boron atoms, exhibits a promising structure to utilize the rich chemistry offered by the synergy of titanium and boron. TiB2 has been primarily investigated and applied in its bulk form. This perspective is, however, fast evolving with a number of efforts aimed at exfoliating TiB2. Here, we show that it is possible to delaminate TiB2 into ultrathin, minimally functionalized nanosheets with the aid of surfactants. These nanosheets exhibit crystalline nature and their chemical analysis reveals vacant sites within the nanosheets. These vacancies facilitate the chemisorption of N2 onto the TiB2 nanosheets under ambient conditions without the aid of any energy, this finding was unexpected. This remarkable activity of TiB2 nanosheets is attributed to vacancies and the Ti-B synergy, which enhance the adsorption and activation of N2. We obtained supplemental insights into the N2 adsorption by Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies, which reveal how charge transfer among Ti, B, and N2 results in N2 adsorption. The DFT studies also show that nanosheets having more vacancies result in increased adsorption when compared with nanosheets having less vacancies and bulk TiB2.
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Wyatt BC, Thakur A, Nykiel K, Hood ZD, Adhikari SP, Pulley KK, Highland WJ, Strachan A, Anasori B. Design of Atomic Ordering in Mo 2Nb 2C 3T x MXenes for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:931-938. [PMID: 36700844 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c04287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The need for novel materials for energy storage and generation calls for chemical control at the atomic scale in nanomaterials. Ordered double-transition-metal MXenes expanded the chemical diversity of the family of atomically layered 2D materials since their discovery in 2015. However, atomistic tunability of ordered MXenes to achieve ideal composition-property relationships has not been yet possible. In this study, we demonstrate the synthesis of Mo2+αNb2-αAlC3 MAX phases (0 ≤ α ≤ 0.3) and confirm the preferential ordering behavior of Mo and Nb in the outer and inner M layers, respectively, using density functional theory, Rietveld refinement, and electron microscopy methods. We also synthesize their 2D derivative Mo2+αNb2-αC3Tx MXenes and exemplify the effect of preferential ordering on their hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalytic behavior. This study seeks to inspire further exploration of the ordered double-transition-metal MXene family and contribute composition-behavior tools toward application-driven design of 2D materials.
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Thakur A, Maitra S, Sinha RK, Devi P. Plasmonic Copper-activated ZnO Microarrays for Efficient Photoelectrocatalytic Applications. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202201155. [PMID: 36519348 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202201155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In the present work, green synthesized plasmonic copper nanostructures derived from carbon quantum dots (PCQDs) activated ZnO microarrays (MAs) based catalyst system is developed and studied for photocatalytic activity and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting. CQDs are synthesized from pharmaceutical waste and used as a reducing agent to synthesize PCQDs of an average size of 10±2 nm. PCQDs decorated ZnO (PCQDs/ZnO) MAs exhibited enhanced photocurrent density of ∼7.1 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), which is ∼11 fold to ZnO MAs alone (0.65 mA/cm2 ). The catalyst exhibits an ABPE of 1.07% at 0.7 V (vs. RHE), IPEC of 8.8% for 450 nm, and hydrogen production rate of 435 μmol/h. The enhanced PEC characteristics are assigned to the improved photons collection and better charge transfer for their participation in oxidation/reduction reaction. The same is well supported with DFT studies for the PCQDs/ZnO MAs catalyst for the first time.
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Lieu WY, Fang D, Li Y, Li XL, Lin C, Thakur A, Wyatt BC, Sun S, Ghosh T, Anasori B, Ng MF, Yang HY, Seh ZW. Spherical Templating of CoSe 2 Nanoparticle-Decorated MXenes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:8679-8687. [PMID: 36315106 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional MXenes produce competitive performances when incorporated into lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs), solving key problems such as the poor electronic conductivity of sulfur and dissolution of its polysulfide intermediates. However, MXene nanosheets are known to easily aggregate and restack during electrode fabrication, filtration, or water removal, limiting their practical applicability. Furthermore, in complex electrocatalytic reactions like the multistep sulfur reduction process in LSBs, MXene alone is insufficient to ensure an optimal reaction pathway. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time a loose templating of sulfur spheres using Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets decorated with polymorphic CoSe2 nanoparticles. This work shows that the templating of sulfur spheres using nanoparticle-decorated MXene nanosheets can prevent nanosheet aggregation and exert a strong electrocatalytic effect, thereby enabling improved reaction kinetics and battery performance. The S@MXene-CoSe2 cathode demonstrated a long cycle life of 1000 cycles and a low capacity decay rate of 0.06% per cycle in LSBs.
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Thakur A. POS-117 Spectrum of Tuberculosis in Chronic Kidney Disease patient experience from tertiary care hospital in South India. Kidney Int Rep 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2022.07.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
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Lake JK, Volpe T, St. John L, Thakur A, Steel L, Baskin A, Durbin A, Chacra MA, Lunsky Y. Mental health and COVID-19: The impact of a virtual course for family caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2022; 66:677-689. [PMID: 35915874 PMCID: PMC9539047 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted family caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This study evaluated a virtual course for family caregivers from across Canada, focused on supporting the mental health and well-being of adults with IDD and their families. The evaluation examined the feasibility and acceptability of the course, as well as the impact of the intervention on participants' overall health and well-being. METHODS The 6-week virtual course, informed by a parallel Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) course for service providers, combined didactic instruction with applied activities. A total of 126 family caregiver course participants consented to be part of the research evaluation delivered over three cycles between October 2020 and April 2021. Attendance was measured at each weekly session. Satisfaction was assessed weekly and post-program. Learning, self-efficacy, and well-being were assessed pre- and post-course, and again at follow-up (8 weeks post-course). Mixed-effects models assessed changes between and within individuals across time. RESULTS Participants had consistent attendance, low-dropout rates, and reported high satisfaction, with 93% of participants reporting that their expectations for the course were met. Compared with pre-course, participants reported improved self-efficacy and well-being post-course, which were maintained at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS An interactive and applied virtual education course delivered to a large group of family caregivers of adults with IDD was both feasible and acceptable. It positively impacted participants' well-being by offering much needed mental health support and creating a peer-led community of practice.
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Thakur A, Devi P. A Comprehensive Review on Water Quality Monitoring Devices: Materials Advances, Current Status, and Future Perspective. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2022; 54:193-218. [PMID: 35522585 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2022.2070838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Water quality monitoring has become more critical in recent years to ensure the availability of clean and safe water from natural aquifers and to understand the evolution of water contaminants across time and space. The conventional water monitoring techniques comprise of sample collection, preservation, preparation, tailed by laboratory testing and analysis with cumbersome wet chemical routes and expensive instrumentation. Despite the high accuracy of these methods, the high testing costs, laborious procedures, and maintenance associated with them don't make them lucrative for end end-users and field testing. As the participation of ultimate stakeholders, that is, common man for water quality and quantity can play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of our aquifers, thus it is essential to develop and deploy portable and user-friendly technical systems for monitoring water sources in real-time or on-site. The present review emphasizes here on possible approaches including optical (absorbance, fluorescence, colorimetric, X-ray fluorescence, chemiluminescence), electrochemical (ASV, CSV, CV, EIS, and chronoamperometry), electrical, biological, and surface-sensing (SPR and SERS), as candidates for developing such platforms. The existing developments, their success, and bottlenecks are discussed in terms of various attributes of water to escalate the essentiality of water quality devices development meeting ASSURED criterion for societal usage. These platforms are also analyzed in terms of their market potential, advancements required from material science aspects, and possible integration with IoT solutions in alignment with Industry 4.0 for environmental application.
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Gupta B, Thakur A, Limbu S, Malhotra C, Gupta A, Jain AK. Nocardia keratitis. QJM 2022; 115:111-112. [PMID: 34931685 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcab324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Thakur A, Agarwal S, Gupta B, Snehi S, Limbu S, Jain AK. Rosette cataract with intraocular foreign body. QJM 2022; 115:39-40. [PMID: 34694404 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcab270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Thakur A, Kaul R, Lin M, Lo S. Trastuzumab Induced Left Atrial Inflammation Confirmed on PET Presenting With Perimyocarditis With Pericardial Effusion and Atrial Fibrillation. Heart Lung Circ 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.06.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Thakur A, Huang J, Badie T, Premawardhana U, Kadappu K, Shafransky A. Anomalous Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Arising From Pulmonary Trunk Causing Demand Ischaemia in Adulthood. Heart Lung Circ 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.06.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Khanna S, Wen I, Thakur A, Bhat A, Chen H, Gan G, Tan T. Prognostic Implications of Traditional and Emerging Risk Factor Profiles in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis. Heart Lung Circ 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.06.369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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22
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Khanna S, Wen I, Thakur A, Bhat A, Chen H, Gan G, Tan T. Prognostic Impact of Traditional and Emerging Risk Factor Profiles in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Heart Lung Circ 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.06.368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Hamid H, Thakur NS, Rana N, Thakur A. Effect of Different Solvents on Extraction of Phenolic Antioxidants by Reflux Method from Wild Pomegranate Flavedo, their Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties. Indian J Pharm Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.36468/pharmaceutical-sciences.979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Thakur A, Sharma S, Qanungo K. A Study on the Effect of Soil and Sediment Types on the Fugacity Based Multimedia Partitioning of a Contact Fungicide Fluopyram: An Equilibrium Quality Criterion (EQC) Level 1 Approach. NATURE ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION TECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.46488/nept.2021.v20i04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Equilibrium Quality Criterion (EQC) Level I calculations have been performed with Standard Equilibrium Quality Criterion (EQC) environment to study the environmental partitioning of a fungicide Fluopyram. Equilibrium Quality Criterion (EQC) Level I calculation assumes no degradation of the chemical, steady-state, and equilibrium conditions between the environmental compartments. The results reveal that the concentration of Fluopyram is expected to be maximum in the sediment compartment, followed by soil and water compartments. The effect of soil and sediment types on partitioning has been studied by systematically varying the densities of these two compartments. In the sediment compartment, the Fluopyram concentration is predicted to be highest if the sediment type is ‘sandy’ and the soil type is ‘clay’.
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Verma VN, Ghai S, Ansari S, Saini S, Thakur A, Kumar A, Kumar S, Malakar D. 158 Umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSC) used for the prevention of metritis in cattle. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 34:317. [PMID: 35231366 DOI: 10.1071/rdv34n2ab158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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