Facile Synthesis of Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks Nanotubes for Ultrahigh-Performance Flexible NO Sensors

Microfluidic-Aerosol Hyphenated Synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Hybrid Catalysts for CO2 Utilization

A new and efficient technique is developed by combining the hyphenated microfluidic- and aerosol-based synthesis with the coupled differential mobility analysis for the effective and continuous synthesis and simultaneous analysis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived hybrid nanostructured products. HKUST-1, a copper-based MOF, is chosen as the representative to fabricate Cu-based hybrid catalysts for reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction, an effective route for CO2 utilization. The effect of precursor concentration and carrier selection on the properties of the resulting products, including mobility size distribution, crystallization degree, surface area, and metal dispersion are investigated, as well as the correlation between the material properties of the synthesized catalysts and their catalytic performance in RWGS reaction in terms of conversion ratio/rate, selectivity, and operational stability. The results indicate that the continuous microfluidic droplet system can successfully synthesize MOF colloids, followed by the continuous production of MOF-derived hybrid materials through the tandem aerosol spray-drying-reaction system. High catalytic activity and low initiate temperature toward RWGS (turnover frequency = 0.0074 s-1; 450 °C) are achievable. The work facilitates the production and the designed concept of relevant MOF-derived hybrid nanostructured catalysts in the continuous synthesis system and the enhancement of applications in CO2 capture and utilization.

An ultra-sensitive electrochemical biosensor for the detection of procalcitonin in sepsis patients' serum, using a Cu-BHT-based thin film

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a polypeptide produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland and serves as a vital marker for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis and other infectious diseases, as well as multiple organ failure, due to its high expression levels in affected patients. This article reports on a highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor based on MOF composite materials, based on Cu-BHT, for detecting PCT levels. The surface of the glassy carbon electrode may have better charge transfer resistance owing to the nano-composite material made of Cu-BHT, chitosan, and AuNPs. At the same time, the anti-PCT antibody may also be covalently bonded to the composite material and measure PCT concentration using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results of the investigation demonstrate that the sensor's response has excellent linear conjunction with the logarithm of PCT concentration under optimum circumstances. The detection limit (LOD) is 14.579 × 10-9 μg/mL, and the linear range of detection is 10-7 μg/mL to 10-1 μg/mL. Simultaneously, we successfully applied this method to detect serum PCT before and after treatment in different sepsis patients and compared it with chemiluminescence immunoassay. The findings indicate that the proposed method holds promising potential for timely diagnosis and treatment of sepsis patients.

Chemical Vapor Deposition and High-Resolution Patterning of a Highly Conductive Two-Dimensional Coordination Polymer Film

Crystalline coordination polymers with high electrical conductivities and charge carrier mobilities might open new opportunities for electronic devices. However, current solvent-based synthesis methods hinder compatibility with microfabrication standards. Here, we describe a solvent-free chemical vapor deposition method to prepare high-quality films of the two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymer Cu-BHT (BHT = benzenehexanothiolate). This approach involves the conversion of a metal oxide precursor into Cu-BHT nanofilms with a controllable thickness (20-85 nm) and low roughness (<10 nm) through exposure to the vaporized organic linker. Moreover, the restricted metal ion mobility during the vapor-solid reaction enables high-resolution patterning via both bottom-up lithography, including the fabrication of micron-sized Hall bar and electrode patterns to accurately evaluate the conductivity and mobility values of the Cu-BHT films.