Qun Zhou , Fengyu Guo , Changhao Bian , Xinting Liu , Xingning Xiao , Ruibin Hu , Jianhan Lin , Wen Wang , Hua Lei , Xiaoping Dong
{"title":"Porous Na-doped g-C3N4 via supramolecular self-assembly for enhanced photocatalytic antibiotic removal and bacterial inactivation","authors":"Qun Zhou , Fengyu Guo , Changhao Bian , Xinting Liu , Xingning Xiao , Ruibin Hu , Jianhan Lin , Wen Wang , Hua Lei , Xiaoping Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study synthesizes dual-modified graphitic carbon nitride (CN) through morphological engineering and Na doping, synergistically enhancing visible-light absorption and charge carrier dynamics. A coral-like Na-doped CN (NaCCN) was fabricated via one-step calcination method, leveraging the self-assembly of melamine and cyanuric acid in NaCl solution. This strategy simultaneously improved the electronic structure of the catalyst skeleton, increasing active sites and boosting electron transfer efficiency. Characterization revealed that NaCCN exhibits broadened visible-light utilization, lower photogenerated carrier coincidence rate, and higher electron transfer rate. NaCCN achieved complete tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) degradation in 18 min, with a rate constant of 0.224 min<sup>‐</sup><sup>1</sup>, which is 32 times faster than CN. It maintained high efficiency across TC concentrations (25–200 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) and pH (1.6–11), with universal efficacy against multiple antibiotics. Structural integrity and reactivity were preserved over 10 cycles. Additionally, NaCCN inactivated ∼100 % of <em>Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> within 60 min. Mechanistic studies combining band structure analysis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) trapping, and Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS) identified superoxide radical and photoexcited hole as dominant species, with TC degradation proceeding through hydroxylation, demethylation, and ring-opening steps. The dual modification strategy provides a scalable approach to design robust g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138529"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fakhr uz Zaman , Karim Harrath , Felix Ofori Boakye , Fuhai Zhang , Wenbin Zhang , Fekadu Tsegaye Dajan , Sikandar Iqbal , Fereja Shemsu Ligani , Wei Zhao
{"title":"In-situ formed metal borates enable industrial-level seawater splitting via corrosion-resistant CoFe-Boride nanocatalysts","authors":"Fakhr uz Zaman , Karim Harrath , Felix Ofori Boakye , Fuhai Zhang , Wenbin Zhang , Fekadu Tsegaye Dajan , Sikandar Iqbal , Fereja Shemsu Ligani , Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138519","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138519","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Seawater electrolysis offers a sustainable route to green hydrogen production, but chloride-induced corrosion and competing reactions hinder its practical implementation. Here, we report a CoFe-Boride nanocatalyst that <em>in-situ</em> transforms into active borate phases, enabling industrially relevant seawater oxidation with exceptional stability. The catalyst achieves ultralow overpotentials of 394 mV (0.5 A cm<sup>−2</sup>) and 420 mV (1.0 A cm<sup>−2</sup>) in alkaline seawater, outperforming benchmark RuO<sub>2</sub>. Notably, it exhibits 100 h stability in an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer at 0.5 A cm<sup>−2</sup>, with negligible hypochlorite formation due to its selective OER pathway. Combined experimental and theoretical analysis reveal that boron incorporation modulates the electronic structure of Co/Fe sites, while <em>in-situ</em> formed borates shield against chloride corrosion. This work provides a design strategy for durable, high-current-density seawater electrolysis catalysts, bridging the gap between lab-scale innovation and industrial demand.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138519"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ying Tang , Hao Kong , Xiaoying Hao , Min Gao , Wenbi Feng , Xueluer Mu , Yingxi Lu , Xianfeng Zhou
{"title":"Click, assemble, destroy: Bioorthogonal surface programming of nanophotosensitizers for precision cancer therapy","authors":"Ying Tang , Hao Kong , Xiaoying Hao , Min Gao , Wenbi Feng , Xueluer Mu , Yingxi Lu , Xianfeng Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phototherapy, a cutting-edge non-invasive cancer treatment, excels in precision and safety but suffers from poor tumor targeting. Bioorthogonal chemistry revolutionizes this field by enabling artificial molecular targets with unparalleled specificity to overcome these limitations and unlock its full therapeutic potential. Leveraging this unique capability, we designed a novel single-component phototherapeutic agent (C-SS-D) that integrates bioorthogonal reactivity to enhance tumor-specific delivery. This system self-assembles into nanoparticles, utilizing the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect alongside a two-step targeting strategy –metabolic glycolabeling and bioorthogonal click chemistry – to achieve precise tumor accumulation of photosensitizers (PSs). Additionally, the disulfide bond in C-SS-D responds to elevated glutathione (GSH) levels in the tumor microenvironment, triggering a structural transformation that enhances in situ phototherapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects, thereby broadening the therapeutic window. In vivo studies using a mouse model pretreated with tetraacetylated <em>N</em>-azidoacetyl-D-mannosamine (Ac<sub>4</sub>ManNAz) demonstrated that C-SS-D exhibits remarkable tumor selectivity and potent phototherapeutic performance. This tumor-specific supramolecular phototherapy strategy, powered by bioorthogonal reactions, offers a versatile and broadly applicable platform with transformative potential – particularly for tumors lacking endogenous targeting receptors – paving the way for next-generation precision cancer therapies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138521"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qi Feng , Penghui Zhu , Donghua Fan , Mark C. Williams , Gang Huang , Jing Zhao
{"title":"Engineering metal-oxide interfaces via controlled exsolution in Ir-doped Y2Ru2O7 pyrochlore for superior hydrogen evolution reaction","authors":"Qi Feng , Penghui Zhu , Donghua Fan , Mark C. Williams , Gang Huang , Jing Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Developing efficient and durable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for advancing sustainable energy technologies. Pyrochlore oxides show promise due to their structural versatility, but their application in HER is limited by weak hydrogen binding, poor conductivity, and insufficient active site exposure. Here, we demonstrate a controlled in-situ exsolution approach to create optimized RuIr/Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> heterointerfaces from Ir-doped Y<sub>2</sub>Ru<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub> pyrochlore oxide. Through systematic tuning of reduction parameters, we achieve precise control over size and distribution of exsolved RuIr nanoparticles, forming intimate metal-oxide heterojunctions with enhanced charge transfer properties. The optimized YRIO-450-8H (Y<sub>2</sub>Ru<sub>1.7</sub>Ir<sub>0.3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> reduced at 450 °C for 8 h) catalyst exhibits exceptional HER performance, requiring only 20 and 30 mV overpotential to deliver 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> in alkaline and acidic media, respectively, outperforming commercial Pt/C. Mechanistic investigations combining advanced characterizations and DFT calculations reveal that the remarkable activity stems from synergistic effects: (1) optimized hydrogen binding energy (−0.13 eV) at RuIr sites, (2) electronic structure modulation at the metal-oxide interface, and (3) abundant oxygen vacancies facilitating water dissociation. The catalyst maintains activity over 120 h in alkaline and 55 h in acidic conditions, providing fundamental insights into exsolution mechanisms and design principles for high-performance heterogeneous electrocatalysts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138517"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhijie Bi , Tengfei Wang , Xiaotong Chang, Mengyang Jia, Xiangxin Guo
{"title":"Cathode coated by partially cyclized polyacrylonitrile with hybrid conductivity for long-lifespan solid-state garnet batteries","authors":"Zhijie Bi , Tengfei Wang , Xiaotong Chang, Mengyang Jia, Xiangxin Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The garnet Li<sub>7</sub>La<sub>3</sub>Zr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>12</sub> solid electrolyte presents promising potential in application of solid-state lithium batteries because of its high ionic conductivity and stability. However, the critical interfacial issues between cathodes and garnet electrolytes severely restrict capacity and cycling stability of solid batteries. In this work, the partially cyclized polyacrylonitrile (cPAN) nanolayer is coated on high-voltage LiNi<sub>0.6</sub>Co<sub>0.2</sub>Mn<sub>0.2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NCM) cathode particles enabling interface-friendly solid-state garnet batteries. Through controlling cyclized temperature and time, the cyclized part of polyacrylonitrile equipped with delocalized sp<sup>2</sup> <em>π</em> bond presents good capability for electronic transfer, while the residual part not involved in cyclization leaves the coating with certain feature for ionic transfer. In this way, such hybrid-conductivity coating facilitates the transport of both ions and electrons inside the cathode. In addition, the moderate cyclization condition retains the elasticity of polymers, contributing to protection of NCM cathode and suppression of side reactions at NCM/garnet interface during cycling. Therefore, the resultant solid NCM/garnet/Li cell based on the proposed interface engineering strategy delivers a discharge capacity of 176 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> with a capacity retention of 82.4 % after 400 cycles. This work puts forwards an attractive strategy to modulate the cathodic interfaces toward solid-state garnet batteries <em>via</em> introducing partially cyclized polyacrylonitrile protective layer with hybrid conductivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138492"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"N/S co-doping engineered flattened hollow carbon anode for high-performance sodium ion batteries","authors":"Yingjuan Sun , Yangyang Tang , Hongyan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138516","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Structurally-engineered hollow carbon nanomaterials have emerged as frontier materials for advanced energy storage technologies, because of their inherent architectural merits, including expansive specific surface area and interconnected porosity, which enable efficient sodium ion storage mechanisms. Hollow carbon shells with flattened circular shapes were prepared using Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> as templates. By precisely tuning the N/S doping ratios, the electronic structure and surface properties of hollow carbon nanomaterials can be effectively modified. The regulatory mechanisms of nitrogen and sulfur synergistic doping on electron/ion transport, structural stability, and sodium ion diffusion kinetics were revealed. Specifically, it reveals that as a sodium-ion half-cell anode, the materials deliver 368.4 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at 200 mA g<sup>−1</sup>. Importantly, the full cell battery (Mg-NaVO//NSC-21) achieves 348.9 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at 500 mA g<sup>−1</sup>, demonstrating remarkable rate capability which sustains 101.7 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> even at 5000 mA g<sup>−1</sup>. Characterization studies attribute these improvements to an optimized N/S-doped ratio of 12 can substantially boost sodium storage capabilities via coordinated enhancements in charge transport efficiency, ionic mobility and electrode integrity. This study establishes fundamental guidelines for designing architecturally controlled N/S-coordinated carbon matrices, directly propelling the engineering of high-efficiency sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), opening up new avenues for the development of advanced energy storage systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138516"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recent progress of poly (vinylidene fluoride) based solid-state ionogel electrolytes in improving electrochemical performance","authors":"Jian-Xi Liu , Jia-Yi Yin , Yan-Fei Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ionic liquids (ILs)-incorporated solid-state polymer electrolytes (iono-SPEs) have high ionic conductivities and can address the safety issues caused by the flammable liquid electrolytes. However, when assembled into lithium metal batteries (LMBs), most iono-SPEs displayed limited cycling durations due to the much poorer lithium ions (Li<sup>+</sup>) transportation in polymer phase than in IL phase and polymer-IL interphase. Therefore, it is of great significance to reduce the phase-dependent differences in Li<sup>+</sup> transport. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its based co−/ter− polymers with good electrochemical stability and high mechanical strength show great promise to improve the ionic conductivity of the polymer phase of iono-SPEs. However, there is no review to summarize the recent progress of PVDF based iono-SPEs in improving their electrochemical performance. In this review, we summarize the modifications on PVDF based iono-SPEs in terms of four aspects, namely, PVDF matrix modification, introduction of fillers, ILs modification, and interface modififaction. In particular, a recent work conducted by our group by employing a unique poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)] as the matrix of ILs to uniform the Li<sup>+</sup> transportation in different phases of iono-SPEs is reviewed in detail. Moreover, future developments of high-performance PVDF-based iono-SPEs are outlooked. This review can bring effective insights into the future development of iono-SPEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138495"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jibo Jiang, Jiaqian Guan, Shilong Wang, Wentao Ding, Lei Li, Kairan Hu, Yu Zhu, Yun Zhao, Sheng Han
{"title":"Selenium vacancy-regulated (Ni,Co)Se2 nanosheets with accelerated carrier separation for high electrochemical performance supercapacitors","authors":"Jibo Jiang, Jiaqian Guan, Shilong Wang, Wentao Ding, Lei Li, Kairan Hu, Yu Zhu, Yun Zhao, Sheng Han","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The design of porous nanosheets using vacancy engineering together with structural modulation engineering is an effective way to realize high energy density supercapacitors. However, the effects of vacancies on electronic structure, carrier density, and electrochemical activity have not yet been fully explored and elucidated. Herein, we used ZIF-L as a precursor to prepare triangular pyramid-shaped (Ni,Co)Se₂ nanosheets rich in selenium vacancies. This method involved the utilization of the ZIF-L transformation technique. Porous nanosheets have been demonstrated to facilitate electrolyte ion transport and ensure efficient redox processes even at higher currents. The BET analysis indicates that the presence of selenium vacancies leads to an increase in the specific surface area, thereby facilitating the exposure of active sites. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations, UV–vis spectroscopy, and Mott-Schottky plots demonstrate that selenium vacancies narrow the bandgap of (Ni,Co)Se₂ and enhance carrier density. Furthermore, the results of DOS suggest that the presence of vacancies contributes to improved material conductivity. As a result, V<sub>Se</sub>-(Ni,Co)Se<sub>2</sub> possesses an extraordinarily high specific capacity of 1011C g<sup>−1</sup> at 1 A g<sup>−1</sup><sub>,</sub> together with a capacity decay of only 25.8 % even at 10 A g<sup>−1</sup>. In particular, a hybrid supercapacitor assembled using activated carbon and V<sub>Se</sub>-(Ni,Co)Se<sub>2</sub> possess excellent energy density (68.13 Wh kg<sup>−1</sup>) at a power density of 750 W kg<sup>−1</sup>. This work opens a new way to obtain hybrid supercapacitor cell-based materials based on ZIF conversion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138503"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ruiyu Zhu, Xi Ren, Liyan Tian, Xiangyue Yan, Hua Zhang, Yewen Meng, Jun Zhou
{"title":"Orienting dendrite resistant behavior via heteroatom regulation toward high areal capacity zinc metal anode","authors":"Ruiyu Zhu, Xi Ren, Liyan Tian, Xiangyue Yan, Hua Zhang, Yewen Meng, Jun Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered significant attention in energy storage fields due to their inherent advantages of abundant reserves, intrinsic safety, and high volumetric energy density. However, their practical implementation is significantly hindered by persistent challenges, including uncontrolled dendrite proliferation and detrimental interfacial side reactions. To address these issues, the phosphorus-doped strategy to construct a multifunctional host scaffold comprising three-dimensional super‑zincophilic and conductive phosphorus-doped SiO<sub>2</sub> coupled nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (PSNC) is proposed, systematically revealing the dual regulation mechanism of phosphorus-mediated interface engineering on zinc deposition behavior. Experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that the introduction of phosphorus provides sufficient nucleation and zincophilic sites for homogeneous nucleation and deposition of Zn metal, reduces the nucleation barrier and accelerates ion transfer. Moreover, the unique fiber network structure provides ample space to accommodate Zn<sup>2+</sup> flux regulation and uniform deposition, ensuring structural stability during repeated plating/stripping processes and contributing to more stable cycling under high current densities. Consequently, the PSNC@Zn symmetric cell achieves an ultralong cycling lifespan of 1230 h with low voltage polarization under high current densities of 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>/5 mAh cm<sup>−2</sup>. The successful fabrication of this PSNC multifunctional interface layer provides valuable insights for developing more efficient and advanced next-generation energy storage technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138491"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiyang Cai , Yang Liu , Lulu Ma , Sili Liu , Zhili Wan , Xiaoquan Yang
{"title":"pH-responsive self-assembly of natural saponin glycyrrhizic acid","authors":"Jiyang Cai , Yang Liu , Lulu Ma , Sili Liu , Zhili Wan , Xiaoquan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138511","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcis.2025.138511","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), as a naturally occurring saponin biosurfactant, has been widely used to construct supramolecular functional materials, derived from its hierarchical self-assembly behavior and advantages like bioavailability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, the underlying mechanisms of its stimuli-responsive self-assembly in solution, which is crucial for designing advanced structures, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the self-assembly behavior of GA in aqueous solution across a pH range of 2–8, using the combination of a range of microscopy techniques, small-angle X-ray scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, isothermal titration calorimetry, and molecular dynamics simulations. We propose a comprehensive model of GA assembly: (1) Around pH 4, where one carboxyl group is deprotonated, GA forms nanofibrils stabilized by lateral hydrophobic interactions between triterpene moieties, wherein diglucuronic units form the outer shell and provide electrostatic repulsion that contributes to fibril stabilization; (2) At pH below 4, complete protonation of carboxyl groups neutralizes the shell, leading to reduced electrostatic repulsion and enhanced hydrogen-bond aggregation of GA nanofibrils into thicker fibril bundles; (3) At pH above 5, as two or three carboxyl groups deprotonate, GA nanofibrils disintegrate and re-assemble into spherical aggregates. In this stage, electrostatic repulsion weakens lateral hydrophobic interactions, resulting in loosely packed triterpene cores with diglucuronic shells exposed to water. Especially at pH above 8, GA exists primarily as monomers. These findings indicate that GA self-assembly is controlled by a pH-tuned interplay of hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, modulated through the degree of its carboxyl group dissociation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":351,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Colloid and Interface Science","volume":"700 ","pages":"Article 138511"},"PeriodicalIF":9.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}