Summary In this study, a 4% (w/w) dispersion of a commercial patatin‐rich potato protein isolate (Po‐PI) was pressurised at 400 MPa up to 48 h at 20 °C. Protein aggregation induced by high‐pressure processing (HHP) was followed by dynamic light scattering, intrinsic fluorescence ( in‐situ or ex‐situ ) or SAXS analysis. Surface properties (surface hydrophobicity and interfacial properties) of the HHP‐induced aggregates were also investigated. A gradual dimer dissociation/protein unfolding was observed under pressure. Po‐PI exhibited a slow relaxation time under pressure. Long‐time HHP (>4 h) induced significant modification of the Po‐PI protein structure with partial non‐reversible unfolding. After 48 h of pressurisation at 400 MPa, large aggregates (160 nm) were obtained and a monomodal distribution in intensity and in number frequency was observed indicating a controlled aggregation. Up to 24 h of pressurisation at 400 MPa, intermediate states were obtained after high‐pressure release. SDS‐PAGE profiles showed that HHP‐induced aggregation of Po‐PI was driven by non‐covalent interactions. All high‐pressure processed dispersions displayed a higher surface hydrophobicity as compared to non‐treated Po‐PI. Po‐PI dispersion treated for 8 h at 400 MPa presented the lowest adsorption rate, the highest final surface tension and formed the most rigid interfacial film. Po‐PI showed resistance to moderate pressure levels (400 MPa) and long pressure application times were required to induce significant protein denaturation/aggregation (≥24 h) and to optimally modify its interfacial properties (8 h).

Photoredox catalysis is becoming more and more prevalent in the 21st century as a new tool for organic and polymer synthesis. In addition, this domain clearly fits the expectations of the twelve principles of green chemistry. However, access to metal containing photosensitizers is not always straightforward and can require long reaction times, the use of toxic solvents and multi-step synthesis. These are definitely drawbacks that could be overcome with the use of novel technologies. In this report, we develop a one-pot two-step synthesis of iron(II) photosensitizers using ball-milling. Overall reaction times were drastically reduced, no solvent was needed during the reaction, and ten complexes could be isolated in high yields (73–99%). Using a transparent milling jar, the formation of the complexes could be followed using in situ Raman spectroscopy.

The addition of water to native cellulose/1-ethyl-3methylimidazolium acetate solutions catalyzes the formation of gels, where polymer chain-chain intermolecular associations act as cross-links. However, the relationship between water content (Wc), polymer concentration (Cp), and gel strength is still missing. This study provides the fundamentals to design water-induced gels. First, the sol-gel transition occurs exclusively in entangled solutions, while in unentangled ones, intramolecular associations hamper interchain cross-linking, preventing the gel formation. In entangled systems, the addition of water has a dual impact: at low water concentrations, the gel modulus is water-independent and controlled by entanglements. As water increases, more cross-links per chain than entanglements emerge, causing the modulus of the gel to scale as Gp ∼ C p^2 Wc^3.0±0.2. Immersing the solutions in water yields hydrogels with noncrystalline, aggregate-rich structures. Such water-ionic liquid exchange is examined via Raman, FTIR, and WAXS. Our findings provide avenues for designing biogels with desired rheological properties.

Nanofluidics has a very promising future owing to its numerous applications in many domains. It remains, however, very difficult to understand the basic physico-chemical principles that control the behavior of solvents confined in nanometric channels. Here, water and ion transport in carbon nanotubes is investigated using classical force field molecular dynamics simulations. By combining one single walled carbon nanotube (uniformly charged or not) with two perforated graphene sheets, we mimic single nanopore devices similar to experimental ones. The graphitic edges delimit two reservoirs of water and ions in the simulation cell from which a voltage is imposed through the application of an external electric field. By analyzing the evolution of the electrolyte conductivity, the role of the carbon nanotube geometric parameters (radius and chirality) and of the functionalization of the carbon nanotube entrances with OH or COO− groups is investigated for different concentrations of group functions.

Carbon-based dots (CDs) are a novel class of luminescent carbon nanomaterials that have attracted much attention as promising alternatives for cadmium-based quantum dots and fluorescent organic dyes. Although different strategies have been proposed to produce CDs with intense and tuneable one-photon excited fluorescence (OPEF), the case of analogous two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) has not been fully explored yet. By varying the synthesis conditions, we produced three types of phloroglucinol-based carbon nanodots (PG CNDs). Their remarkable OPEF and TPEF properties can be tuned by (Ia) the conjugated aromatic domains and (Ib) the content of oxygenous moieties. In addition, the emission colour of the PG CNDs is strongly responsive to (II) the hydrogen-bonding network, enabling colour-switching while maintaining excellent fluorescence yields (both OPEF and TPEF). These three factors were evaluated for their suitability for the tuning of the emission colour. Our studies point out the advantages of the tuneable PG CNDs to be used in optoelectronics and biological application domains.

In recent experiments, unprecedentedly large values for the conductivity of electrolytes through carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been measured, possibly owing to flow slip and a high pore surface charge density whose origin is still unknown. By accounting for the coupling between the {quantum} CNT and the {classical} electrolyte-filled pore capacitances, we study the case where a gate voltage is applied to the CNT. The computed surface charge and conductivity dependence on reservoir salt concentration and gate voltage are intimately connected to the CNT electronic density of states. This approach provides key insight into why metallic CNTs have larger conductivities than semi-conducting ones.