Wounds are highly prone to infection, which can delay healing and lead to severe complications such as gangrene and sepsis. Non-healing wounds significantly impact patients' physical and mental well-being and place a substantial financial burden on healthcare systems. Timely and effective treatment of wound infections is critical, but the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens complicates this process. In this study, we investigate a potent protease resistant antimicrobial peptide (AMP), PLNC8 αβ, for the treatment of wound infections and present a strategy for localized AMP delivery using functionalized advanced nanocellulose (NC) wound dressings. Two types of NC dressings were explored: bacterial cellulose (BC) and TEMPO-oxidized nanocellulose derived from wood powder (TC). In a porcine wound infection model, PLNC8 αβ exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, successfully eradicating the infection while promoting wound re-epithelialization. To achieve controlled release of PLNC8 αβ from the NC dressings, the peptides were either physisorbed directly onto the nanofibrils or encapsulated within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that were incorporated into the dressings. The PLNC8 αβ functionalized dressings demonstrated low cytotoxicity toward human primary fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Both BC and TC dressings showed efficient contact inhibition of bacteria but were less effective in inhibiting bacteria in suspension. In contrast, MSN-functionalized dressings, displayed significantly enhanced peptide-loading and sustained release capacities, resulting in improved antimicrobial efficacy. These findings highlight the potential of PLNC8 αβ and PLNC8 αβ-functionalized nanocellulose wound dressings for the treatment of infected wounds, offering an effective alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.

Electrocatalysis enables the industrial transition to sustainable production of chemicals using abundant precursors and electricity from renewable sources. De-centralized production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from water and oxygen of air is highly desirable for daily life and industry. We report an effective electrochemical refinery (e-refinery) for H2O2 by means of electrocatalysis-controlled comproportionation reaction (2(H)O + O -> 2(HO)), feeding pure water and oxygen only. Mesoporous nickel (II) oxide (NiO) was used as electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), producing oxygen at the anode. Conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) drove the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), forming H2O2 on the cathode. The reactions were evaluated in both half-cell and device configurations. The performance of the H2O2 e-refinery, assembled on anion-exchange solid electrolyte and fed with pure water, was limited by the unbalanced ionic transport. Optimization of the operation conditions allowed a conversion efficiency of 80%.

In order to address energy and environmental challenges effectively, there is a need to promote renewable energy-driven electrochemical conversion technologies, particularly electrosynthesis. Electrosynthesis has the potential to convert abundant molecules into valuable chemicals and fuels. However, the widespread adoption of electrosynthesis is often hindered by the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER). To overcome this limitation, we can employ the more efficient alcohol electrooxidation reaction (AOR), utilizing renewable biomass-derived alcohols as an alternative to OER for producing high-value chemicals. Consequently, the development of efficient AOR catalysts, in conjunction with cathodic reduction reactions (hydrogen evolution, oxygen, and nitrogen electroreduction, etc.), is crucial for sustainable and environmentally-friendly advancements. A thorough understanding of AOR mechanisms is essential for catalyst design and can be achieved through the utilization of in situ characterization techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This review summarizes recent progress in AOR catalysts, with a particular focus on the electrooxidation of monohydric alcohols, polyols, and associated studies on reaction mechanisms. Additionally, the review identifies key factors impeding AOR development and provides insights into future prospects. This article reviews recent advancements in AOR catalysts, emphasizing mechanistic studies through in situ characterization and DFT calculations to unravel the structure-performance correlation.

The transition to green and sustainable catalysts necessitates efficient and safe preparation techniques using abundant and renewable resources. Many metal nanoparticles (NPs) are excellent catalysts but suffer from poor colloidal stability. NP immobilization or fabrication of metal nanostructures on solid supports can avoid issues with NP aggregation and facilitate the reuse of catalysts, but it may result in a decrease in the catalytic performance of the NPs. Here, we show that well-defined colloidal silver, gold, and platinum NPs can be self-assembled in bacterial nanocellulose (BC) membranes, yielding BC-NP nanocomposites that are highly catalytically active using the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) as a model reaction. The large effective surface area of BC enables the assembly of large quantities of NPs, resulting in materials with excellent catalytic performance. To address the mass transport limitations of reactants through the 3D nanofibrillar BC network, the membranes were dissociated using sonication to produce dispersed nanocellulose fibrils. This process dramatically reduced the time required for the adsorption of the NPs from days to minutes. Moreover, the catalytic performance of the nanofibril-supported NPs was drastically improved. A turnover frequency above 21,000 h(-1) was demonstrated, which is more than one order of magnitude higher than that for previously reported soft substrate-supported AuNP-based catalytic materials. The ease of fabrication, abundance, and low environmental footprint of the support material, along with reusability, stability, and unprecedented catalytic performance, make BC-NP nanocomposites a compelling option for green and sustainable catalysis.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Wounds disrupt the functions of the skin and can have catastrophic consequences for an individual resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Wound infections are common and can substantially delay healing and can result in non-healing wounds and sepsis. Early diagnosis and treatment of infection reduce risk of complications and support wound healing. Methods for monitoring of wound pH can facilitate early detection of infection. Here we show a novel strategy for integrating pH sensing capabilities in state-of-the-art hydrogel-based wound dressings fabricated from bacterial nanocellulose (BC). A high surface area material was developed by self-assembly of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in BC. By encapsulating a pH-responsive dye in the MSNs, wound dressings for continuous pH sensing with spatiotemporal resolution were developed. The pH responsive BC-based nanocomposites demonstrated excellent wound dressing properties, with respect to conformability, mechanical properties, and water vapor transmission rate. In addition to facilitating rapid colorimetric assessment of wound pH, this strategy for generating functional BC-MSN nanocomposites can be further be adapted for encapsulation and release of bioactive compounds for treatment of hard-to-heal wounds, enabling development of novel wound care materials.

Lignin, a byproduct from the pulp industry, is one of the redox active biopolymers being investigated as a component in the electrodes for sustainable energy storage applications. Due to its insulating nature, it needs to be combined with a conductor such as carbon or conducting polymer for efficient charge storage. Here, the lignin/carbon composite electrodes manufactured via mechanical milling (ball milling) are reported. The composite formation, correlation between performance and morphology is studied by comparison with manual mixing and jet milling. Superior charge storage capacity with approximate to 70% of the total contribution from the Faradaic process involving the redox functionality of lignin is observed in a mechanically milled composite. In comparison, manual mix shows only approximate to 30% from the lignin storage participation while the rest is due to the electric double layer at the carbon-electrolyte interface. The significant participation of lignin in the ball milled composite is attributed to the homogeneous, intimate mixing of the carbon and the lignin leading the electronic carrier transported in the carbon phase to reach most of the redox group of lignin. A maximum capacity of 49 mAh g(-1) is obtained at charge/discharge rate of 0.25 A g(-1) for the sample milled for 60 min.

Zn-ion batteries are one of the hot candidates for low-cost and sustainable secondary batteries. The hydrogen evolution and dendritic growth upon zinc deposition are todays challenges for that technology. One of the new strategies to cope with these issues is to use "water-in-salt" electrolyte (WISE), that is, super concentrated aqueous electrolytes, to broaden its electrochemical stability window (ESW), suppressing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and perturbing the dendritic growth. Herein, this work proposes to use "water-in-polymer salt" electrolyte (WIPSE) concept to mitigate the challenges with Zn ion batteries and bring this technology toward one of the cheapest, greenest, and most sustainable electrodes: Lignin-carbon (L-C) electrode. Potassium polyacrylate (PAAK) as WISE bears out as better electrolyte for L-C electrodes in terms of self-discharge, cyclic stability, and specific capacity compared to conventional electrolyte based on chemically cousin molecule potassium acetate. Zinc bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (Zn(TFSI)(2)) added into WIPSE shows deposition and dissolution of Zn in Zn//Zn symmetric cell suggesting that Zn2+ are moving into the polyanionic network. Furthermore, the added bis (trifluor omethanesul fonyl) imide (TFSI-) metal salts trigger a approximate to 40% enhancement of the capacity of L-C electrode. These results show a new promising direction toward the development of cost-effective and sustainable Zn-lignin batteries.

Bifunctional electrocatalysts with both accelerated oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) enable high-power density electricity storage and decentralized extraction of pure oxygen from air for usage in health care. Herein, a hydrothermal synthesis employing the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate as structure-directing agent is developed to fabricate a family of crystalline mesoporous metal oxides (meso-MO X , M = Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Ce). The pore size and specific surface area depend on the metal used and they range from 3 to 6 nm and 60 to 200 m(2) g(-1), respectively. NiO and Co3O4 show a higher catalytic efficiency in alkaline media in comparison with the other oxides studied, and their activities are comparable with the values reported for platinum group metal (PGM)-based electrocatalysts. This stems from lower voltage losses and by the presence of specific hydroxide adsorbates on the surface. Both ORR and OER driven on Co3O4 show the unified rate-determining chemical step (|OO-|(center dot) (ads) + H2O <-> |OOH|(center dot) (ads) + OH-, where | X | ads are the species adsorbed on active sites). The bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysis obtained on mesoporous NiO is utilized for the first symmetrical PGM-free oxygen pump fed by air and water only.

A green, though black, sustainable and low-cost carbon material-charcoal produced from wood-is developed for electricity storage. Charcoal electrodes are fabricated by ball-milling charcoal and adding protein nanofibril binders. The charcoal electrode presents a capacitance of 360 F g(-1) and a conductivity of 0.2 S m(-1). A pair of redox peaks is observed in the cyclic voltammetry and assigned to originate from quinone groups. Compared with other wooden electrodes, these charcoal electrodes display better cycling stability with 88% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. Their discharge capacity is 2.5 times that of lignosulfonate/graphite hybrid electrodes.

Corrosion resistance and catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an alkaline environment are two key properties for water recombination applications. In this work, CoCrFexNi (0 <= x <= 0.7) thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering on polished steel substrates. The native passive layer was 2-4 nm thick and coherent to the columnar grains determined by transmission electron microscopy. The effect of Fe on the corrosion properties in 0.1 M NaCl and 1 M KOH and the catalytic activity of the films toward ORR were investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization measurements indicate that CoCrFe0.7Ni and CoCrFe0.3Ni have the highest corrosion resistance of the studied films in NaCl and KOH, respectively. The high corrosion resistance of the CoCrFe0.7Ni film in NaCl was attributed to the smaller overall grain size, which leads to a more homogeneous film with a stronger passive layer. For CoCrFe0.3Ni in KOH, it was attributed to a lower Fe dissolution into the electrolyte and the build-up of a thick and protective hydroxide layer. Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy showed no potential differences globally in any of the films, but locally, a potential gradient between the top of the columns and grain boundaries was observed. Corrosion of the films was likely initiated at the top of the columns where the potential was lowest. It was concluded that Fe is essential for the electrochemical activation of the surfaces and the catalytic activity toward ORR in an alkaline medium. The highest catalytic activity was recorded for high Fe-content films (x >= 0.5) and was attributed to the formation of platelet-like oxide particles on the film surface upon anodization. The study showed that the combination of corrosion resistance and catalytic activity toward ORR is possible for CoCrFexNi, making this material system a suitable candidate for water recombination in an alkaline environment.