Inhibition of Hydrogen Evolution without Debilitating Electrochemical CO2 Reduction via the Local Suppression of Proton Concentration and Blocking of Step-edges by Pyridine Functionalization on Cu Electrocatalysts

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) to chemicals can store renewable electricity and simultaneously control global warming. Albeit inexpensive copper electro-catalyzing CO2 to hydrocarbons at reasonable rates, it suffers from...

Structural Properties and Water Uptake of SrTi1−xFexO3−x/2−δ

In this work, Fe-doped strontium titanate SrTi1−xFexO3−x/2−δ, for x = 0–1 (STFx), has been fabricated and studied. The structure and microstructure analysis showed that the Fe amount in SrTi1−xFexO3−x/2−δ has a great influence on the lattice parameter and microstructure, including the porosity and grain size. Oxygen nonstoichiometry studies performed by thermogravimetry at different atmospheres showed that the Fe-rich compositions (x > 0.3) exhibit higher oxygen vacancies concentration of the order of magnitude 1022–1023 cm−3. The proton uptake investigations have been done using thermogravimetry in wet conditions, and the results showed that the compositions with x < 0.5 exhibit hydrogenation redox reactions. Proton concentration at 400 °C depends on the Fe content and was estimated to be 1.0 × 10−2 mol/mol for SrTi0.9Fe0.1O2.95 and 1.8 × 10−5 mol/mol for SrTi0.5Fe0.5O2.75. Above 20 mol% of iron content, a significant drop of proton molar concentrations at 400 °C was observed. This is related to the stronger overlapping of Fe and O orbitals after reaching the percolation level of approximately 30 mol% of the iron in SrTi1−xFexO3−x/2−δ. The relation between the proton concentration and Fe dopant content has been discussed in relation to the B-site average electronegativity, oxygen nonstoichiometry, and electronic structure.

Bench-scale demonstration of CO2 capture with an electrochemically driven proton concentration process

A bench-scale demonstration of CO2 capture from industrial flue gas with an electrochemically driven proton concentration process was demonstrated.

Structural and molecular insight into the pH-induced low-permeability of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.2 through dewetting of the water cavity

Understanding the gating mechanism of ion channel proteins is key to understanding the regulation of cell signaling through these channels. Channel opening and closing are regulated by diverse environmental factors that include temperature, electrical voltage across the channel, and proton concentration. Low permeability in voltage-gated potassium ion channels (Kv) is intimately correlated with the prolonged action potential duration observed in many acidosis diseases. The Kv channels consist of voltage-sensing domains (S1–S4 helices) and central pore domains (S5–S6 helices) that include a selectivity filter and water-filled cavity. The voltage-sensing domain is responsible for the voltage-gating of Kv channels. While the low permeability of Kv channels to potassium ion is highly correlated with the cellular proton concentration, it is unclear how an intracellular acidic condition drives their closure, which may indicate an additional pH-dependent gating mechanism of the Kv family. Here, we show that two residues E327 and H418 in the proximity of the water cavity of Kv1.2 play crucial roles as a pH switch. In addition, we present a structural and molecular concept of the pH-dependent gating of Kv1.2 in atomic detail, showing that the protonation of E327 and H418 disrupts the electrostatic balance around the S6 helices, which leads to a straightening transition in the shape of their axes and causes dewetting of the water-filled cavity and closure of the channel. Our work offers a conceptual advancement to the regulation of the pH-dependent gating of various voltage-gated ion channels and their related biological functions.Author SummaryThe acid sensing ion channels are a biological machinery for maintaining the cell functional under the acidic or basic cellular environment. Understanding the pH-dependent gating mechanism of such channels provides the structural insight to design the molecular strategy in regulating the acidosis. Here, we studied the voltage-gated potassium ion channel Kv1.2 which senses not only the electrical voltage across the channels but also the cellular acidity. We uncovered that two key residues E327 and H418 in the pore domain of Kv1.2 channel play a role as pH-switch in that their protonation control the gating of the pore in Kv1.2 channel. It offered a molecular insight how the acidity reduces the ion permeability in voltage-gated potassium channels.

Ethylene-glycol ligand environment facilitates highly efficient hydrogen evolution of Pt/CoP through proton concentration and hydrogen spillover

Unique ethylene glycol ligand environments are utilized to overcome the HER kinetic limitation of CoP modified by a low Pt loading via local proton concentration and subsequent hydrogen spillover.