PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Guanine synthesis yields new insights into nitrogen’s role in nanocarbon catalysis

Guanine synthesis yields new insights into nitrogen’s role in nanocarbon catalysis
2024-02-06
(Press-News.org)

In recent years, carbon-based catalysts — especially nitrogen-doped nanocarbons — have emerged as sustainable, reliable alternatives to the metal catalysts that have traditionally been used to support chemical reactions. Researchers from the Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon-Based Functional Materials (Fujian Province University) at Fuzhou University synthesized nanocarbons from guanine molecules to better understand the precise role nitrogen plays in the carbon-based materials and explore the reaction mechanisms of these catalytic systems.

 

In a recently published study, the research team clarified how different types of nitrogen can modulate oxidative dehydrogenation activity — a critical process involved in converting inert compounds into reactive nanocarbons.

 

The study was published in the journal Carbon Future on February 4.

 

“The study offers theoretical guidance for creating highly effective carbon catalysts, which could advance clean energies converted from renewable resources in industries like plastics, medicine and rubber,” said study author Zailai Xie from Fuzhou University.

 

Doping carbon materials with heteroatoms such as nitrogen can change the carbon's properties. This practice has gained significant interest, driving researchers to investigate possible benefits. Nitrogen doping, in particular, has been shown to be a highly effective strategy in creating advanced materials for carbon-dioxide capture, energy conversion, energy storage and other applications.

 

Despite the strides being taken in the field of nitrogen-doping, there are still some key questions that remain unanswered. For instance, the performance of nanocarbon materials is significantly influenced by functional groups of atoms on the surface — but, so far, nanocarbon materials exhibit uncontrollable surface functional groups, which complicates the identification of active sites for different types of reactions.  

 

“This behavior hinders our understanding of the intrinsic role that nitrogen dopants play in improving catalytic activity and determining the catalytic mechanism,” Xie said.

 

To further advance the field of nitrogen-doped nanocarbon catalysis, researchers need more controlled and better-characterized catalysts, according to Xie. This would allow researchers to isolate the effects of specific nitrogen species on catalytic performance.

 

In pursuit of this goal, the Fuzhou University research team developed a method to precisely control surface functional groups, particularly oxygen and nitrogen groups, during nanocarbon catalyst generation.

 

The team obtained a set of nanocarbons through self-assembling guanine molecules — a compound found in guano or fish scales — and exposed the resulting material to heat in the absence of oxygen. Drawing inspiration from the supramolecular self-assembly of biological components like guanine and related nucleobases such as guanosine, this synthetic approach offers an intriguing means of generating ordered nanomaterials. These molecules possess π-stacked, H-bonded, and other multiplex binding sites that facilitate the formation of functional supramolecular assemblies. Guanine, being widely present in the biogenic photonic structures of various living organisms, exhibits diverse shapes and sizes, including hexagonal plates, square plates, irregular polygons, and prisms. The subtle variations in the morphology of guanine crystals contribute to the colorful optical phenomena observed in animals, such as fish scales, spider bodies, and animal eyes. However, the precise control of the morphology of biogenic guanine crystals in organisms remains poorly understood. Despite the remarkable properties of guanine crystals, the artificial production of regular guanine crystals that closely mimic biological conditions and their subsequent transformation into functional carbon materials has not yet been achieved in chemical synthesis approach.

 

“The synthesized carbons exhibited unique and intriguing properties, including relatively stable surface oxygen groups and high nitrogen content,” Xie said.

 

In addition, the presence of multiple hydrogen bonds in guanine enabled the formation of a two-dimensional nanosheet with controllable types of nitrogen dopants. The nitrogen content can be finely tuned from approximately 5% to 30 at%, while the oxygen content can be kept at a consistent 4%.

 

“This unique property makes guanine an ideal proof-of-concept precursor for construction model catalysts that can lead to in-depth understanding of the role of high nitrogen dopants in nanocarbon catalysis,” Xie said.

 

To further probe the structure-function relationships, the team tested with dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions, in which hydrogen molecules are stripped off or added to a larger molecule. The tests demonstrated that different types of nitrogen in the nanocarbons, namely graphitic nitrogen and pyridinic nitrogen, serve as electron-donating and electron-withdrawing modulators, respectively, which can tailor the oxidative dehydrogenation activity of the nanocarbons.

 

“As an efficient, metal-free catalyst, we have unraveled the roles of nitrogen dopants in both dehydrogenation and hydrogenation for the first time,” said Xie. “We believe that our findings provide valuable insights into the physical-chemical reaction mechanisms of nitrogen-doped carbon catalytic systems and offer theoretical guidance for the synthesis of highly effective carbon catalysts.”

 

The research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province.

 

Other contributors include Xinying Lin, Xiaoyan Huang, Yiquan Chen, Sen Lin, Xing Huang and Xuefei Zhang from Fuzhou University.

 

About Carbon Future

Carbon Future is an open access, peer-reviewed and international interdisciplinary journal that reports carbon-related materials and processes, including catalysis, energy conversion and storage, as well as low carbon emission process and engineering. Carbon Future will publish Research Articles, Reviews, Minireviews, Highlights, Perspectives, and News and Views from all aspects concerned with carbon. Carbon Future will publish articles that focus on, but not limited to, the following areas: carbon-related or -derived materials, carbon-related catalysis and fundamentals, low carbon-related energy conversion and storage, low carbon emission chemical processes.

 

About SciOpen 

SciOpen is a professional open access resource for discovery of scientific and technical content published by the Tsinghua University Press and its publishing partners, providing the scholarly publishing community with innovative technology and market-leading capabilities. SciOpen provides end-to-end services across manuscript submission, peer review, content hosting, analytics, and identity management and expert advice to ensure each journal’s development by offering a range of options across all functions as Journal Layout, Production Services, Editorial Services, Marketing and Promotions, Online Functionality, etc. By digitalizing the publishing process, SciOpen widens the reach, deepens the impact, and accelerates the exchange of ideas.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Guanine synthesis yields new insights into nitrogen’s role in nanocarbon catalysis

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Baseline findings among hospitalized mucormycosis patients —— A multicentric ambispective cohort study in India

Baseline findings among hospitalized mucormycosis patients —— A multicentric ambispective cohort study in India
2024-02-06
Mucormycosis is a relatively rare but serious fungal infection increasingly recognised for its poor prognosis and high mortality. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of mucormycosis reached high levels during 2021–2022 in India.   This study led by Dr. Rizwan Suliankatchi Abdulkader (Indian Council of Medical Research) established a multicentric ambispective cohort of patients hospitalised with mucormycosis across India and reported their baseline profile, clinical characteristics, and outcomes at discharge.   Mucormycosis was diagnosed based on mycological confirmation on direct microscopy (KOH/Calcofluor white stain), ...

New DNA methylation-based method for precise assessment of pancreas cell composition

New DNA methylation-based method for precise assessment of pancreas cell composition
2024-02-06
Research introduces new DNA methylation-based method for accurately assessing cell composition in the human pancreas, addressing a critical gap in diabetes research. By overcoming limitations of traditional protein marker-based approaches, the study provides a more precise means to identify specific cell types. The findings offer insights into beta-cell dysfunction across diabetes types and have direct clinical implications, enhancing our understanding of diabetes development and potentially guiding more tailored treatment ...

Remarkable cellular architecture and phylogenetic position of the mysterious arm-swinging protist meteora sporadica

Remarkable cellular architecture and phylogenetic position of the mysterious arm-swinging protist meteora sporadica
2024-02-06
Tsukuba, Japan—Meteora sporadica is a small, unicellular eukaryote (protist) that was discovered in deep Mediterranean sea sediments in 2002. It differs from known protists by the presence of two lateral arms that swing back and forth. However, the ultrastructure and phylogenetic position of M. sporadica remain unknown. In this study, researchers successfully cultured and analyzed two strains of M. sporadica from marine sediments in detail. Ultratructural observations revealed ...

Mechanism of plants obtain nitrogen by supplying iron to symbiotic bacteria

2024-02-06
Tsukuba, Japan—Leguminous plants have a mechanism (rhizobial symbiosis) to efficiently acquire nitrogen, which is an essential macronutrient for growth, through the nitrogen-fixing bacteria rhizobia. Root nodules are organs on plant roots that facilitate the symbiotic relationship. Rhizobia coloniza these nodules and fix nitrogen by converting nitrogen from air into ammonia. Iron is needed for the enzymes that catalyze nitrogen fixation; however, where and how iron is transported to the nodule and used for nitrogen fixation is largely unknown. In this study, using the legume model plant Lotus japonicus, a transcriptome ...

11 leading stroke scientists to receive American Stroke Association honors

2024-02-06
PHOENIX, Feb. 6, 2024 – Eleven scientists leading the way in stroke research will be recognized during the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2024 for their exceptional professional achievements. The meeting will be held in Phoenix, Feb. 7-9, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. The illustrious group of awardees includes four groundbreaking scientists who have devoted their careers to stroke research and six scientists will be recognized for their notable new research. The awards include the Ralph L. Sacco Outstanding Stroke Research ...

Powerful answers to energy questions may be blowing in the wind

2024-02-06
While wind farms have become a widely popular method of generating energy, researchers are now looking at the impact of these large farms on wind patterns and the surrounding environment. Using large-scale simulations to better understand the way air moves across and within wind farms, researchers from UBC Okanagan and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands have developed a modelling framework that will help improve wind energy forecasts and productivity. The researchers also hope to learn how large wind farms can alter natural wind patterns. “Wind farms are getting so large that ...

Discover BMB announces exciting lineup of speakers

2024-02-06
Be front and center for the hottest research findings in the molecular life sciences at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, to be held March 23–26 in San Antonio. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the top minds in the field. Reporters are invited to register for a complimentary press pass to attend #DiscoverBMB in San Antonio or access press materials electronically. Please note that only a limited number of complementary on-site press passes will be issued, so advance registration is recommended. Find more information in the #DiscoverBMB newsroom. As part of an exciting program spotlighting the ...

Study finds strongest evidence to date of brain’s ability to compensate for age-related cognitive decline

Study finds strongest evidence to date of brain’s ability to compensate for age-related cognitive decline
2024-02-06
Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that our brains can compensate for age-related deterioration by recruiting other areas to help with brain function and maintain cognitive performance. As we age, our brain gradually atrophies, losing nerve cells and connections and this can lead to a decline in brain function. It’s not fully understood why some people appear to maintain better brain function than others, and how we can protect ourselves from cognitive decline. A widely accepted notion is that some people’s brains are able to compensate ...

How T cells combat tuberculosis

How T cells combat tuberculosis
2024-02-06
LA JOLLA, CA—La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is working to guide the development of new tuberculosis vaccines and drug therapies.  Now a team of LJI scientists has uncovered important clues to how human T cells combat Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. Their findings were published recently in Nature Communications. "This research gives us a better understanding of T cell responses to different stages in tuberculosis infection and helps us figure out is there are additional diagnostic ...

Drug could protect brains from damage after concussions

Drug could protect brains from damage after concussions
2024-02-06
Repeat concussions, also referred to as repetitive mild traumatic brain injury, can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, some people who experience repetitive mild traumatic brain injury never develop major disease. Onder Albayram and colleagues investigated the role of a protein known as p17 in protecting brains from long-term pathologies. In stressed neurons, p17 initiates production of C18-Ceramide, a bioactive sphingolipid that acts as a label of damaged mitochondria in neuronal axons. Labelled mitochondria are then detected and removed by autophagosomes. The authors knocked out p17 in mice.  Some p17-knockout ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study outlines key role of national and EU policy to control emissions from German hydrogen economy

Beloved Disney classics convey an idealized image of fatherhood

Sensitive ceramics for soft robotics

Trends in hospitalizations and liver transplants associated with alcohol-induced liver disease

Spinal cord stimulation vs medical management for chronic back and leg pain

Engineered receptors help the immune system home in on cancer

How conflicting memories of sex and starvation compete to drive behavior

Scientists discover ‘entirely unanticipated’ role of protein netrin1 in spinal cord development

Novel SOURCE study examining development of early COPD in ages 30 to 55

NRL completes development of robotics capable of servicing satellites, enabling resilience for the U.S. space infrastructure

Clinical trial shows positive results for potential treatment to combat a challenging rare disease

New research shows relationship between heart shape and risk of cardiovascular disease

Increase in crisis coverage, but not the number of crisis news events

New study provides first evidence of African children with severe malaria experiencing partial resistance to world’s most powerful malaria drug

Texting abbreviations makes senders seem insincere, study finds

Living microbes discovered in Earth’s driest desert

Artemisinin partial resistance in Ugandan children with complicated malaria

When is a hole not a hole? Researchers investigate the mystery of 'latent pores'

ETRI, demonstration of 8-photon qubit chip for quantum computation

Remote telemedicine tool found highly accurate in diagnosing melanoma

New roles in infectious process for molecule that inhibits flu

Transforming anion exchange membranes in water electrolysis for green hydrogen production

AI method can spot potential disease faster, better than humans

A development by Graz University of Technology makes concreting more reliable, safer and more economical

Pinpointing hydrogen isotopes in titanium hydride nanofilms

Political abuse on X is a global, widespread, and cross-partisan phenomenon, suggests new study

Reintroduction of resistant frogs facilitates landscape-scale recovery in the presence of a lethal fungal disease

Scientists compile library for evaluating exoplanet water

Updated first aid guidelines enhance care for opioid overdose, bleeding, other emergencies

Revolutionizing biology education: Scientists film ‘giant’ mimivirus in action

[Press-News.org] Guanine synthesis yields new insights into nitrogen’s role in nanocarbon catalysis