02000nas a2200301 4500008004100000022001400041245009700055210006900152260000900221300000900230490000800239520101400247653001501261653004401276653000701320653001701327653003501344653001701379100001701396700001701413700002601430700002201456700002101478700003501499700001701534700002101551856012601572 2018 eng d a0254-058400apH dependent sophorolipid assemblies and their influence on gelation of silk fibroin protein0 apH dependent sophorolipid assemblies and their influence on gela cJAN  a9-160 v2033 a

Sophorolipid (SL), a bio-derived surfactant is an excellent gelling agent for natural fibrous protein, silk fibroin (SF) leading to potential biomedical applications. Interaction of SF with SL has been shown to accelerate the formation of hydrogel with the rate being dependent on the form of SL used. Here, we examine the effect of pH on SL-SF interaction and gel formation by employing rheology, fluorescence spectroscopy, SANS and NMR. The results indicate that the size of SL assemblies decrease as pH increases from acidic to alkaline and significantly impacts the association of SL and SF. The association of SF and SL is mainly via hydrophobic interactions, with the SL molecules forming bead like structures along the SF chain. The increased charge on the acidic form of SL at higher pH results in greater repulsion between acidic SL molecules, which are bound to the hydrophobic sites of SF, leading to rapid chain unfolding and subsequent gelation. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

10aAssemblies10aNuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy10apH10aSilk fibroin10aSmall angle neutron scattering10aSophorolipid1 aDubey, Parul1 aKumar, Sugam1 aRavindranathan, Sapna1 aVasudevan, Sahana1 aAswal, Vinod, K.1 aRajamohanan, Pattuparambil, R.1 aNisal, Anuya1 aPrabhune, Asmita uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/ph-dependent-sophorolipid-assemblies-and-their-influence-gelation-silk-fibroin-protein02838nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245013200055210006900187260000800256300001400264490000600278520194300284653003702227653002602264653002802290653002002318653001202338653002902350100002102379700001602400700002602416700001702442856012502459 2020 eng d a2379-369400aPolymer nanorings with uranium specific clefts for selective recovery of uranium from acidic effluents via reductive adsorption0 aPolymer nanorings with uranium specific clefts for selective rec cOCT a3254-32630 v53 a

Nanostructured polymeric materials, functionalized with an appropriate receptor, have opened up newer possibilities for designing a reagent that shows analyte-specific recognition and efficient scavenging of an analyte that has either a detrimental influence on human physiology and environment or on its recovery for further value addition. Higher active surface area, morphological diversity, synthetic tunability for desired surface functionalization, and the ease of regeneration of a nanostructured material for further use have provided such materials with a distinct edge over conventional reagents. The use of a biodegradable polymeric backbone has an added significance owing to the recent concern over the impact of polymers on the environment. Functionalization of biodegradable sodium alginate with AENA (6.85% grafting) as the receptor functionality led to a unique open framework nanoring (NNRG) morphology with a favorable spatial orientation for specific recognition and efficient binding to uranyl ions (U) in an aqueous medium over a varied pH range. Nanoring morphology was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images. The nanoscale design maximizes the surface area for the molecular scavenger. A combination of all these features along with the reversible binding phenomenon has made NNRG a superior reagent for specific, efficient uptake of UO22+ species from an acidic (pH 3-4) solution and compares better than all existing UO22+-scavengers reported till date. This could be utilized for the recovery of uranyl species from a synthetic acidic effluent of the nuclear power. The results of the U uptake experiments reveal a maximum adsorption capacity of 268 mg of U per g of NNRG in a synthetic nuclear effluent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies revealed a reductive complexation process and stabilization of U(IV)-species in adsorbed uranium species (U@NNRG).

10abiodegradable polymeric backbone10amolecular recognition10ananostructured material10asodium alginate10auranium10auranyl-specific receptor1 aKushwaha, Shilpi1 aMane, Manoj1 aRavindranathan, Sapna1 aDas, Amitava uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/polymer-nanorings-uranium-specific-clefts-selective-recovery-uranium-acidic-effluents01901nas a2200181 4500008004100000022001400041245011500055210006900170260000800239300001100247490000800258520123800266100002101504700002001525700002601545700001801571856013001589 2025 eng d a0021-960600aProbing solvent fluctuations in deep eutectic solvents: Influence of probe charge and nano-domain localization0 aProbing solvent fluctuations in deep eutectic solvents Influence cJUL a0445060 v1633 a

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) segregate into hydrogen bond acceptor or hydrogen bond donor (HBD) rich nano-domains, leading to molecular heterogeneity. Understanding how this heterogeneity affects the DES structure and dynamics is essential. In this study, we used two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) and two dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopies, combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to investigate solvation structure and dynamics in two choline chloride-based DESs with different HBDs-levulinic acid and glycolic acid. We introduced two thiocyanate vibrational probes, methyl thiocyanate (CH3SCN, neutral) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN, anionic), which selectively localize in specific nano-domains. 2D NMR provided insights into solvent structure and probe location, while 2D IR captured solvation dynamics. Our results show that these small probes do not alter the solvent structure, regardless of charge. However, solvation dynamics depend on long-range electrostatic ordering in the DES and the local shielding effects of the nano-domain where the probe resides. MD simulations complement experimental findings, providing a molecular-level understanding of solvation in DESs.

1 aChowdhury, Tubai1 aPathania, Akhil1 aRavindranathan, Sapna1 aBagchi, Sayan uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/probing-solvent-fluctuations-deep-eutectic-solvents-influence-probe-charge-and-nano-domain02989nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245016400055210006900219260000800288300001100296490000800307520198800315653002502303653002102328653002202349653001902371100002302390700002802413700002902441700002102470700001802491700001802509700002602527700003002553856012802583 2026 eng d a1385-894700aPotential tuneable glucose oxidation to selective C6 molecules and CC cleavage, and parallel green H2 production: sustainable high current density electrolysis0 aPotential tuneable glucose oxidation to selective C6 molecules a cFEB a1726330 v5293 a

Current study elucidates the electrocatalytic efficacy of palladium-nanocubes (Pd-NCs) for the selective oxidation of glucose to value-added chemicals with concomitant hydrogen evolution. The Pd-NC catalyst demonstrated exceptional activity and product selectivity, achieving nearly quantitative glucose conversion (>99 %) with high gluconic and glucaric acid yield at low anodic overpotential (0.6 V vs. RHE) in alkaline electrolyte. At not-so-high elevated potentials (1.2 V vs. RHE), oxidative CC scission prevails, yielding shorter-chain carboxylates along with C6-acids. Reaction products are thoroughly characterized and quantitatively estimated by NMR spectral methods; NMR methods also provide CC cleavage and mechanistic pathways of glucose to various products. Complementary DFT calculations delineate the thermodynamic favorability of glucose adsorption on Pd-NC surfaces (-1.83 eV) and the exergonic oxidation pathway under applied bias, corroborating experimental product distributions. In a two-electrode electrolyzer, Pd-NC anode paired with Pt/C and Ni2P cathode demonstrates 100 mA/cm(2) at 0.99 V and 1.37 V, respectively, with 48 % reduction in energy input (26.6 kWh/kg H-2) compared to conventional alkaline electrolysis; critically, H-2 production energy is lower than the usable energy (33.3 kWh/kg H-2). Sustainable chronopotentiometric assays confirm sustainability (similar to 140 h) in alkaline as well as saline electrolytes, underscoring the system's resilience against chloride-mediated corrosion. Present work establishes a proof of concept for integrated biomass-component valorization and carbon-negative green hydrogen production, merging atomic-level mechanistic insights with scalable reactor design. Optimization of reaction parameters, including potential tuning, reaction temperature and electrolyte engineering, offers a compelling strategy to further enhance C6 and fragmented product selectivity and overall system efficiency.

10abiomass valorization10aelectrocatalysis10aenergy conversion10aSustainability1 aChauhan, Inderjeet1 aPatra, Kshirodra, Kumar1 aVijay, Pothoppurathu, M.1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aMehta, Shweta1 aJoshi, Kavita1 aRavindranathan, Sapna1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/potential-tuneable-glucose-oxidation-selective-c6-molecules-and-cc-cleavage-and-parallel