A new hierarchical micro/mesoporous composite is synthesized via direct growth of microporous zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on siliceous mesocellular foams (MCF). Depending on different synthetic conditions, ZIF-8 with two different particle sizes, i.e., ZIF-8 microparticles and ZIF-8 nanoparticles, were successfully formed on the external surface of amine-functionalized MCF (denoted as microZIF-8@MCF and nanoZIF-8@MCF, respectively). The synthesized hierarchical micro/mesoporous ZIF-8@MCF structures were characterized with several spectroscopic techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state NMR, and FT-IR and electron microscopic techniques (scanning electron microscope, SEM, and transmission electron microscopy, TEM). In addition, the pervaporation measurements of the liquid water/ethanol mixture show that nanoZIF-8@MCF/PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol) mixed-matrix membrane exhibits enhanced performance both on the permeability and separation factor. Compared to conventional routes for chemical etching, this study demonstrates a promising and simple strategy for synthesizing novel hierarchical porous composites exhibiting both advantages of mesoporous materials and microporous materials, which is expected to be useful for gas adsorption, separation, and catalysis.

Background: Shewanella genus is famous for applications like electron transfer in microbe fuel cells and bioremediation of heavy metals through the Mtr pathway. A potential way to enhance the electron genesis ability of Shewanella is to express exogenous mtr genes via recombinant DNA technology. Thus, to design and develop expression vectors capable of replicating in Shewanella and enhance the genetic toolbox of the same is important. Result: In this study, a plasmid construct with a replication origin, repB, and pLacI promoter is reported for the first time to drive the expression of green fluorescent protein in S. oneidensis MR-1. Based on the same vector, the Mtr pathway genes mtrA, mtrC, and mtrCAB were also successfully expressed in MR-1. The recombinant strains had higher ferric reductase activity compared to the wild type. The highest enzymatic activity of 508.33 U/L in genetic Shewanella with mtrC gene is obtained, which is 1.53-fold higher than that of wild strain. The plasmids were stable up to 90 generations. Conclusion: We have demonstrated an expression system based on pLacI promoter and repB ori in Shewanella. Consequently, the combination of repB and pLacI will have great potential in Shewanella to turn on expression of different genes constitutively.