Search

A novel synthesis protocol for fabrication of micron-sized multi-compartmentalized mesoporous silica spheres is developed, which is exemplified by successful synthesis of a family of unprecedented multi-compartmentalized mesoporous silica microspheres (MSMs) including hollow MSMs, hollow nanosphere-containing MSMs, nanosphere-containing MSMs, yolk-shell-structured MSMs, and “solid” MSMs. These microspheres exhibit not only significantly enhanced performances in CO₂ capture and catalysis but also the superiority in technical applications.

A Pickering-emulsion-droplet-integrated electrode is designed to facilitate the continuous-flow electrocatalytic synthesis of cyclohexanone oxime. The emulsion droplets provide an ideal localized interfacial microenvironment for electrocatalysis, enhancing the oximation efficiency.

The practical uses of enzymes often require their immobilization for long-term running, but efficient immobilization methods are lacking. Here, the authors develop an enzyme immobilization approach that allows stable continuous-flow olefin epoxidations, through the design of an interphase system immobilizing enzymes by combining hydrophobic pores and a water‒oil microenvironment.

It is challenging to regulate the interfacial motifs of Cu⁰-Cu⁺ sites to understand roles of Cu⁰ and Cu⁺ for nitrate electrochemical reduction reaction. Here, the authors report a tunable construction of Cu⁰-Cu⁺ interfacial structure by modulating the size-effect of Cu₂O electrocatalysts.

Chemoenzymatic cascade reactions are often hindered by catalyst incompatibility. Now, the co-packing of catalyst-loaded Pickering emulsion droplets and solid microspheres into a continuous-flow column reactor leads to efficient combination of homogeneous, heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysts.

The engineering of an enzyme’s structural conformation and dynamic properties to promote its catalytic activity and stability outside cellular environments is challenging. Here, the authors combine the rationally designed liquid-solid hybrid microreactor with a tailor-made polyethylene glycol functional ionic liquid microenvironment to obtain a high level of control over the configuration of confined enzymes for practical continuous-flow biocatalysis.

The cell-like structures and the ability of assembling catalytic species are interesting features of bioinspired multicompartment architectures but it remains a challenge to build them. Here, the authors describe a Pickering double emulsion-directed interfacial synthesis to fabricate multi-compartmented metal-organic framework microreactors. The cell-like structures and the ability of assembling catalytic species are interesting features of bioinspired multicompartment architectures but it remains a challenge to build them. Here, the authors describe a Pickering double emulsion-directed interfacial synthesis to fabricate multi-compartmented metal-organic framework microreactors.

Robust millimeter-sized spherical particles with controlled compositions and microstructures hold promises of important practical applications. Here the authors develop a liquid marble method to facilely fabricate robust millimeter-sized supraparticles with controlled microstructures through the bottom-up assembly of silica nanoparticles.

A continuous flow cascade of multi-step catalytic reactions would provide significant advantages in faster reaction times, waste reduction, and lowered step-count of syntheses, yet this ideal remains challenging in practical applications. Here the authors describe continuous flow cascade catalysis through co-localization of two catalytically active subcompartments within Pickering emulsion droplets.

Controlling localization of multiple metal nanoparticles on a single support is at the cutting edge of designing innovatory cascade catalysts. Here, the authors report a multicompartmentalized mesoporous organosilica to spatially position different metal nanoparticles in intimate proximity for efficient sequential hydrogenation reactions.

Carbon capture is increasingly important to address current environmental challenges but developing effective carbon capture materials is challenging. Here, the authors report liquid marble-derived superparticles which overcome current limitations associated with both liquid and solid carbon capture materials.