Solvothermally reduced graphene oxide/polyimide composites: Structures and thermal and mechanical properties

A comprehensive review of chitosan-based functional materials: From history to specific applications

Chitosan (CTS), a natural biopolymer derived from chitin, has garnered significant attention owing to its potential chemical, biological, and physical properties, such as biocompatibility, bioactivity, and biosafety. This comprehensive review traces the historical development of CTS-based materials and delves into their specific applications across various fields. The study highlights the evolution of CTS from its initial discovery to its current state, emphasizing key milestones and technological advancements that have expanded its utility. Despite the extensive research, the synthesis and functionalization of CTS to achieve desired properties for targeted applications remain a challenge. This review addresses current problems such as the scalability of production, consistency in quality, and the environmental impact of extraction and modification processes. Additionally, it explores the novel applications of CTS-based materials in biomedicine, agriculture, environmental protection, and food industry, showcasing innovative solutions and future potentials. By providing a detailed analysis of the current state of CTS research and identifying gaps in knowledge, this review offers a valuable resource for researchers and industry professionals. The novelty of this work lies in its holistic approach, combining historical context with a forward-looking perspective on emerging trends and potential breakthroughs in the field of CTS-based functional materials. Therefore, this review will be helpful for readers by summarizing recent advances and discussing prospects in CTS-based functional materials.

Mechanistic insights for efficient inactivation of antibiotic resistance genes: a synergistic interfacial adsorption and photocatalytic-oxidation process

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been applied to address multiple environmental concerns including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). ARGs have shown an increasing threat to human health, and they are either harbored by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) or free in the environment. However, the control of ARGs has been substantially limited by their low concentration and the limited knowledge about their interfacial behavior. Herein, a novel AOP catalyst, Ag/TiO₂/graphene oxide (GO), combined with a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane was designed with a synergistic interfacial adsorption and oxidation function to inactivate ARGs with high efficiency in both model solutions and in secondary wastewater effluent, especially when the residue concentration was low. Further analysis showed that the mineralization of bases and phosphodiesters mainly caused the inactivation of ARGs. Moreover, the interfacial adsorption and oxidation processes of ARGs were studied at the molecular level. The results showed that GO was rich in sp² backbones and functional oxygen groups, which efficiently captured and enriched the ARGs via π-π interactions and hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the photogenerated active oxygen species attack the ARGs by partially overcoming the kinetic problems in this process. The Ag/TiO₂/GO catalyst was further combined with a PVDF membrane to test its potential in wastewater treatment applications. This work offers an efficient method and a corresponding material for the inactivation and mineralization of intra/extracellular ARGs. Moreover, the molecular-level understanding of ARG behaviors on a solid-liquid interface will inspire further control strategies of ARGs in the future.