Al-doped SrTiO3 loaded with a rhodium–chromium mixed oxide (RhCrO x /STO:Al) efficiently promotes photocatalytic overall water splitting with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 56% under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) light. Further increasing this AQY is of vital importance, because this value determines the maximum solar to hydrogen energy conversion efficiency that can be achieved. Herein, we demonstrate that the AQY during overall water splitting by RhCrO x /STO:Al is improved by 20% (to 69% at 365 nm) by coloading of molybdenum oxide (MoO y , 0.03 wt % as Mo) followed by calcination. Reductively photodeposited MoO y modifies the chemical state of the RhCrO x cocatalyst and likely promotes photocatalytic H2 evolution, whereas MoO y loaded onto STO:Al does not catalyze either photocatalytic H2 or O2 evolution. The present study indicates a means of further enhancing the water-splitting activity of highly efficient cocatalyst/photocatalyst composites by loading small amounts of promoters in a facile manner.

The development of robust and efficient water splitting photocatalysts overcomes a long-standing barrier to sustainable large-scale solar hydrogen evolution systems.

No abstract

Single‐cell analysis has shown great potential to fully quantify the distribution of cellular behaviors among a population of individuals. Through isolation and preservation of single cells in the aqueous phase, droplet encapsulation followed by gelation enables high‐throughput analysis in biocompatible microgels. However, the lack of control over the number of cells encapsulated and complicated gelation processes significantly limit its efficiency. Here, a microfluidic system for one‐chip harvesting of single‐cell‐laden microgels is presented. Through ultraviolet irradiation, an on‐chip gelation technique is seamlessly combined with droplet generation to realize high‐throughput fabrication of microscale hydrogels in microfluidic channel. Moreover, a sorting module is introduced to simultaneously complete cell‐laden microgel selection and transfer into culture medium. To demonstrate the efficiency of this method, two types of single cells are respectively encapsulated and collected, showing desirable single‐cell encapsulation and cell viability. This technique realizes integrated droplet gelation, microgel sorting, and transfer into culture medium, allowing high‐throughput analysis of single cells and comprehensive understanding of the cellular specificity.

Zinc (Zn) material has recently become a rising biodegradable metal in orthopedic applications owing to its critical physiological functions and degradation characteristics. However, the unsatisfactory cytocompatibility due to the locally high concentration of Zn ions liberated during degradation accompanied with a lack of antibacterial property and osteogenesis severely obstruct the clinical adoption of pure Zn implants. To address these challenges, we construct hierarchical ZnO nanotube/graphene oxide (GO) nanostructures (GO-An-Zn) on the pure Zn substrates via anodic oxidation followed by silk fibroin/GO self-assembly in the present study. The resultant surface displays superior bacteria-killing performances against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, osteoblasts on the dexamethasone (Dex)-laden hierarchical microstructured/nanostructured Zn (GO-Dex-An-Zn) show the enhanced cell compatibility and osteogenicity, outperforming these on pure Zn substrates. It is mainly attributed to the synergistic delivery of Zn ions and Dex from bulk materials during degradation, forming a favorable microenvironment for cell survival and bone tissue remodeling. Accordingly, such work provides a novel solution to simultaneously improve the bactericidal activity and osteogenic potential of Zn-based biomaterials, bode well for their orthopedic use.