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Intrinsic ethanol/water separation capability of ZIF-8 is characterized by a detailed study of adsorption and diffusion of ethanol and water vapor in dodecahedral crystals with principle axis dimension of 324, 15.8, and 0.4 μm. ZIF-8 exhibits extremely low water uptakes. At 35 °C and a relative pressure (P/P o ) of 0.95, the water uptakes for 324, 15.8, and 0.4 μm ZIF-8 are 0.184, 0.197, and 0.503 mmol/g, respectively, all of which are less than 1 wt % increase relative to original sorbent mass (0.33, 0.35, 0.91 wt %). For ethanol adsorption, ZIF-8 exhibits an S-shape isotherm with low ethanol uptakes at P/P o up to 0.08 and the cage filling phenomenon occurs at P/P o higher than 0.08. The ethanol saturation uptake in ZIF-8 is as high as 30% of the sorbent weight. Because of the existence of the hydrophilic −N−H functionality introduced by the terminating imidazolate (Im) linker and the overall hydrophobicity of the inner network, the effect of outer surface area of ZIF-8 crystals is proved to be non-negligible as ZIF-8 crystals becomes smaller despite the extremely large inner surface area and pore volume, especially for water sorption. The variation of isosteric heats of adsorption for water reveals the existence of structural defect of ZIF-8 framework. Transport diffusivity and corrected diffusivity for water and ethanol in ZIF-8 are determined within the entire P/P o range. The ethanol/water separation performance in ZIF-8 is evaluated in terms of vaporphase sorption selectivity and permselectivity. While ZIF-8 exhibits ample ethanol/water sorption selectivity, it is not effective for ethanol extraction as a membrane material from dilute ethanol aqueous solutions due to the unfavorable diffusion selectivity and the competitive water uptakes in the adsorbed ethanol phase.

The complexation between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sugar beet pectin (SBP) was studied in situ by coupling glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) induced acidification with dynamic light scattering and turbidity measurements. Individual measurements at specific pHs and mixing ratios were also carried out using zeta potentiometry, gel permeation chromatography-multiangle laser light scattering (GPC-MALLS), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). These investigations together enabled the establishment of a phase diagram of BSA/SBP and the identification of the molecular events during protein/polysaccharide complexation in relation to the phase diagram, which showed five regions: (I) a stable region of mixed individual soluble polymers, (II) a stable region of intramolecular soluble complexes, (III) a quasi-stable region of intermolecular soluble complexes, (IV) an unstable region of intermolecular insoluble complexes, and (V) a second stable region of mixed individual soluble polymers, on lowering pH. We found for the first time that the complexation could take place well above the critical pH(c), the value that most previous studies had regarded as the onset occurrence of complexation. A model of structural transitions between the regions was proposed. The borderline between region II and region III represents the BSA/SBP stoichiometry for intramolecular soluble complex at a specific pH, while that between region III and region IV identifies the composition of the intermolecular insoluble complex. Also studied was the effect of NaCl and CaCl(2) on the phase diagram and structural transitions.

Adaptive infrared (IR) electrochromic devices driven by electrical energy have considerable potential use in intelligent IR thermal management application in the future.

Precise optical and thermal regulatory systems are found in nature, specifically in the microstructures on organisms’ surfaces. In fact, the interaction between light and matter through these microstructures is of great significance to the evolution and survival of organisms. Furthermore, the optical regulation by these biological microstructures is engineered owing to natural selection. Herein, the role that microstructures play in enhancing optical performance or creating new optical properties in nature is summarized, with a focus on the regulation mechanisms of the solar and infrared spectra emanating from the microstructures and their role in the field of thermal radiation. The causes of the unique optical phenomena are discussed, focusing on prevailing characteristics such as high absorption, high transmission, adjustable reflection, adjustable absorption, and dynamic infrared radiative design. On this basis, the comprehensive control performance of light and heat integrated by this bioinspired microstructure is introduced in detail and a solution strategy for the development of low‐energy, environmentally friendly, intelligent thermal control instruments is discussed. In order to develop such an instrument, a microstructural design foundation is provided.