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A liquid-core (LiCo) dye laser was demonstrated using Rhodamine B (RhB) dissolved in glycerol as the gain medium and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) tubing as the waveguide. Photoluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission studies identified optimal RhB concentrations of 0.1 wt.% and 0.3 wt.% for low-threshold laser operation. Laser emission was achieved in LiCo rods with 1/16″ and 1/32″ inner diameter FEP tubing, with narrower tubing providing enhanced mode confinement and spectral narrowing. The addition of cavity mirrors improved emission coherence, revealing a distinct laser mode at low pump energies with mode spacing inconsistent with a simple Fabry-Pérot cavity, indicating complex mode coupling and internal reflections. Limitations include spectral broadening and scattering-induced parasitic feedback, which suggest avenues for further optimization in waveguide materials and output coupling. 

An apparatus that records the optical spectrum of emissive materials as a function of polar coordinate angles is reported. The ability of the device to characterize the directive gain of a light source over the optical spectrum is demonstrated. The angular emission profile of an electrically driven LED with a hemispherical diffuser cap was measured. In addition, the device was used to characterize optically pumped materials exhibiting both fluorescence and amplified spontaneous emission, demonstrating its versatility for diverse emissive systems. 

Iridophore networks in the skin of neon tetra fish are investigated for use as biologically sourced, tunable, Bragg reflector arrays. This paper reports on a method for immediate and fast post-processing of tissue to modify the structural color of iridophores found in the lateral color stripe. Conditions for fixation, as well as the environment post-fixation to improve longevity of the structural color, are also presented. Recent results from attempts to further increase the lifetime of post-mortem iridophore color through infiltration and embedding in low-acid glycol methacrylate are also discussed. 

Electrocatalytic oxidative dehydrogenation (EOD) of aldehydes enables ultra-low voltage, bipolar H2 production with co-generation of carboxylic acid. Herein, we reported a simple galvanic replacement method to prepare CuM (M = Pt, Pd, Au, and Ag) bimetallic catalysts to improve the EOD of furfural to reach industrially relevant current densities. The redox potential difference between Cu/Cu2+ and a noble metal M/My+ can incorporate the noble metal on the Cu surface and enlarge its surface area. Particularly, dispersing Pt in Cu (CuPt) achieved a record-high current density of 498 mA cm–2 for bipolar H2 production at a low cell voltage of 0.6 V and a Faradaic efficiency of >80% to H2. Future research is needed to deeply understand the synergistic effects of Cu–M toward EOD of furfural, and improve the Cu–M catalyst stability, thus offering great opportunities for future distributed manufacturing of green hydrogen and carbon chemicals with practical rates and low-carbon footprints. 

Ethylene oxide (EO) is one of the most crucial materials in plastic industries. The traditional catalytic process requires high temperature and pressure to produce EO. A chlorine-assisted system has been reported to produce EO, but it required noble metal catalysts, which significantly increased the cost. In this work, a MOF-derived Co 3 O 4 /nitrogen-doped carbon composite (Co 3 O 4 /NC) prepared through a two-step calcination method exhibited remarkable chlorine evolution reaction (ClER) activity as compared with a commercial RuO 2 catalyst, which can be attributed to the higher specific surface area and lower resistance of its porous structure and nitrogen-doped carbon. Furthermore, the Co 3 O 4 /NC maintained a stable potential and a high faradaic efficiency throughout the 10-hour electrolysis test. 

Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is an essential nutrient to life on earth, but its mismanagement in waste has emerged as a major problem in water pollution to our ecosystems, causing severe eutrophication and health concerns. Sustainably recovering Nr [such as nitrate (NO3−)–N] and converting it into ammonia (NH3) could mitigate the environmental impacts of Nr, while reducing the NH3 demand from the carbon-intensive Haber–Bosch process. In this work, high-performance NO3−-to-NH3 conversion was achieved in a scalable, versatile, and cost-effective membrane-free alkaline electrolyzer (MFAEL): a remarkable NH3partial current density of 4.22 ± 0.25 A cm−2 with a faradaic efficiency of 84.5 ± 4.9%. The unique configuration of MFAEL allows for the continuous production of pure NH3-based chemicals (NH3 solution and solid NH4HCO3) without the need for additional separation procedures. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) revealed the economic competitiveness of upcycling waste N from dilute sources by combining NO3− reduction in MFAEL and a low-energy cost electrodialysis process for efficient NO3− concentration. In addition, pairing NO3− reduction with the oxidation of organic Nr compounds in MFAEL enables the convergent transformation of N–O and C–N bonds into NH3 as the sole N-containing product. Such an electricity-driven process offers an economically viable solution to the growing trend of regional and seasonal Nr buildup and increasing demand for sustainable NH3 with a reduced carbon footprint. 

Here, low-energy poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) chemical recycling in water: PET copolymers with diethyl 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate (DHTE) undergo selective hydrolysis at DHTE sites, autocatalyzed by neighboring group participation, is demonstrated. Liberated oligomeric subchains further hydrolyze until only small molecules remain. Poly(ethylene terephthalate-stat-2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate) copolymers were synthesized via melt polycondensation and then hydrolyzed in 150–200 °C water with 0–1 wt% ZnCl2, or alternatively in simulated sea water. Degradation progress follows pseudo-first order kinetics. With increasing DHTE loading, the rate constant increases monotonically while the thermal activation barrier decreases. The depolymerization products are ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid, and bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate dimer, which could be used to regenerate virgin polymer. Composition-optimized copolymers show a decrease of nearly 50% in the Arrhenius activation energy, suggesting a 6-order reduction in depolymerization time under ambient conditions compared to that of PET homopolymer. This study provides new insight to the design of polymers for end-of-life while maintaining key properties like service temperature and mechanical properties. Moreover, this chemical recycling procedure is more environmentally friendly compared to traditional approaches since water is the only needed material, which is green, sustainable, and cheap.