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Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England... Jul 2024Due to their distinctive security characteristics, all-solid-state batteries are seen as a potential technology for the upcoming era of energy storage. The flexibility... (Review)
Review
Due to their distinctive security characteristics, all-solid-state batteries are seen as a potential technology for the upcoming era of energy storage. The flexibility of nanomaterials shows enormous potential for the advancement of all-solid-state batteries' exceptional power and energy storage capacities. These batteries might be applied in many areas such as large-scale energy storage for power grids, as well as in the creation of foldable and flexible electronics, and portable gadgets. The most difficult aspect of creating a comprehensive nanoscale all-solid-state battery assembly is the task of decreasing the particle size of the solid electrolyte while maintaining its excellent ionic conductivity. Materials possessing nanoscale structural features and a substantial electrochemically active surface area have the potential to significantly enhance power characteristics and the cycle life. This might bring about substantial changes to existing energy storage models. The primary objective of this research is to summarize the latest advancements in utilizing nanomaterials for energy harvesting in various all-solid-state battery assemblies. This study examines the most complex solid-solid interfaces of all-solid-state batteries, as well as feasible methods for implementing nanomaterials in such interfaces. Currently, there is significant attention on the necessity to develop electrode-solid electrolyte interfaces that exhibit nanoscale particle articulation and other characteristics related to the behavior of lithium ions.
PubMed: 38952249
DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01133c -
Drug Delivery Dec 2024In this study, chitosan low molecular weight (LCH) and chitosan medium molecular weight (MCH) were employed to encapsulate a yarrow extract rich in chlorogenic acid and...
In this study, chitosan low molecular weight (LCH) and chitosan medium molecular weight (MCH) were employed to encapsulate a yarrow extract rich in chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acids (DCQAs) that showed antiproliferative activity against colon adenocarcinoma cells. The design of CH micro/nanoparticles to increase the extract colon delivery was carried out by using two different techniques: ionic gelation and spray drying. Ionic gelation nanoparticles obtained were smaller and presented higher yields values than spray-drying microparticles, but spray-drying microparticles showed the best performance in terms of encapsulation efficiency (EE) (> 94%), also allowing the inclusion of a higher quantity of extract. Spray-drying microparticles designed using LCH with an LCH:extract ratio of 6:1 (1.25 mg/mL) showed a mean diameter of 1.31 ± 0.21 µm and EE values > 93%, for all phenolic compounds studied. The release profile of phenolic compounds included in this formulation, at gastrointestinal pHs (2 and 7.4), showed for most of them a small initial release, followed by an increase at 1 h, with a constant release up to 3 h. Chlorogenic acid presented the higher release values at 3 h (56.91% at pH 2; 44.45% at pH 7.4). DCQAs release at 3 h ranged between 9.01- 40.73%, being higher for 1,5- and 3,4-DCQAs. After gastrointestinal digestion, 67.65% of chlorogenic and most DCQAs remained encapsulated. Therefore, spray-drying microparticles can be proposed as a promising vehicle to increase the colon delivery of yarrow phenolics compounds (mainly chlorogenic acid and DCQAs) previously described as potential agents against colorectal cancer.
Topics: Chitosan; Humans; Plant Extracts; Achillea; Chlorogenic Acid; Nanoparticles; Cell Proliferation; Colorectal Neoplasms; Particle Size; Cell Line, Tumor; Quinic Acid; Drug Liberation; Drug Delivery Systems; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Colon; Drug Carriers; Molecular Weight
PubMed: 38952133
DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2024.2372285 -
Drug Delivery Dec 2024Skin melanoma is considered the most dangerous form of skin cancer due to its association with high risk of metastasis, high mortality rate and high resistance to...
Skin melanoma is considered the most dangerous form of skin cancer due to its association with high risk of metastasis, high mortality rate and high resistance to different treatment options. Genistein is a natural isoflavonoid with known chemotherapeutic activity. Unfortunately, it has low bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility and excessive metabolism. In the current study, genistein was incorporated into transferosomal hydrogel to improve its bioavailability. The prepared transferosomal formulations were characterized regarding: particle size; polydispersity index; zeta potential; encapsulation efficiency; TEM; FTIR; DSC; XRD; drug release; viscosity; pH; anti-tumor activity on 3D skin melanoma spheroids and 1-year stability study at different storage temperatures. The optimized formulation has high encapsulation efficiency with an excellent particle size that will facilitate its penetration through the skin. The transfersomes have a spherical shape with sustained drug release profile. The anti-tumor activity evaluation of genistein transfersome revealed that genistein is a potent chemotherapeutic agent with enhanced penetration ability through the melanoma spheroids when incorporated into transfersomes. Stability study results demonstrate the high physical and chemical stability of our formulations. All these outcomes provide evidence that our genistein transferosomal hydrogel is a promising treatment option for skin melanoma.
Topics: Genistein; Melanoma; Skin Neoplasms; Humans; Particle Size; Drug Liberation; Hydrogels; Drug Delivery Systems; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Stability; Antineoplastic Agents; Solubility; Drug Carriers; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Viscosity; Biological Availability; Administration, Cutaneous; Spheroids, Cellular
PubMed: 38952058
DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2024.2372277 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2024In this study, composite electrodes with metal-organic framework (MOF) for brackish water desalination via capacitive deionization (CDI) were developed. The electrodes...
In this study, composite electrodes with metal-organic framework (MOF) for brackish water desalination via capacitive deionization (CDI) were developed. The electrodes contained activated carbon (AC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and zinc-benzene tricarboxylic acid (Zn-BTC) MOF in varying proportions, improving their electrochemical performance. Among them, the E4 electrode with 6% Zn-BTC MOF exhibited the best performance in terms of CV and EIS analyses, with a specific capacity of 88 F g and low ion charge transfer resistance of 4.9 Ω. The E4 electrode showed a 46.7% increase in specific capacitance compared to the E1 electrode, which did not include the MOF. Physicochemical analyses, including XRD, FTIR, FESEM, BET, EDS, elemental mapping, and contact angle measurements, verified the superior properties of the E4 electrode compared to E1, showcasing successful MOF synthesis, desirable pore size, elemental and particle-size distribution of materials, and the superior hydrophilicity enhancement. By evaluating salt removal capacity (SRC) in various setups using an initially 100.0 mg L NaCl feed solution, the asymmetric arrangement of E1 and E4 electrodes outperformed symmetric arrangements, achieving a 21.1% increase in SRC to 6.3 mg g. This study demonstrates the potential of MOF-incorporated electrodes for efficient CDI desalination processes.
PubMed: 38951566
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66023-y -
ACS Nano Jul 2024Terbium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide (GdOS:Tb), commonly referred to as Gadox, is a widely used scintillator material due to its exceptional X-ray attenuation efficiency...
Terbium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide (GdOS:Tb), commonly referred to as Gadox, is a widely used scintillator material due to its exceptional X-ray attenuation efficiency and high light yield. However, Gadox-based scintillators suffer from low X-ray spatial resolution due to their large particle size, which causes significant light scattering. To address this limitation, we report the synthesis of terbium-doped colloidal Gadox nanoplatelets (NPLs) with near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and high radioluminescence light yield (LY). In particular, our investigation reveals a strong correlation between PLQY, LY, particle size, and Tbconcentration. Our synthetic approach allows precise control over the lateral size and thickness of the Gadox NPLs, resulting in a LY of 50,000 photons/MeV. Flexible scintillating screens fabricated with the solution-processable Gadox NPLs exhibited a 20 lp/mm X-ray spatial resolution, surpassing commercial Gadox scintillators. These high-performance and flexible Gadox NPL-based scintillators enable enhanced X-ray imaging capabilities in medicine and security. Our work provides a framework for designing nanomaterial scintillators with superior spatial resolution and efficiency through precise control of dimensions and dopant concentration.
PubMed: 38951541
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01652 -
Mikrochimica Acta Jun 2024An enhanced lateral flow assay (LFA) is presented for rapid and highly sensitive detection of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigens with gold...
An enhanced lateral flow assay (LFA) is presented for rapid and highly sensitive detection of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigens with gold nanoflowers (Au NFs) as signaling markers and gold enhancement to amplify the signal intensities. First, the effect of the morphology of gold nanomaterials on the sensitivity of LFA detection was investigated. The results showed that Au NFs prepared by the seed growth method showed a 5-fold higher detection sensitivity than gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of the same particle size, which may benefit from the higher extinction coefficient and larger specific surface area of Au NFs. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the Au NFs-based LFA exhibited a detection limit (LOD) of 25 pg mL for N protein using 135 nm Au NFs as the signaling probes. The signal was further amplified by using a gold enhancement strategy, and the LOD for the detection of N protein achieved was 5 pg mL. The established LFA also exhibited good repeatability and stability and showed applicability in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Topics: Gold; SARS-CoV-2; Limit of Detection; Metal Nanoparticles; Humans; Antigens, Viral; Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; Phosphoproteins; COVID-19; Immunoassay; COVID-19 Serological Testing
PubMed: 38951317
DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06502-1 -
Biomedical Microdevices Jul 2024Janus particles are popular in recent years due to their anisotropic physical and chemical properties. Even though there are several established synthesis methods for...
Janus particles are popular in recent years due to their anisotropic physical and chemical properties. Even though there are several established synthesis methods for Janus particles, microfluidics-based methods are convenient and reliable due to low reagent consumption, monodispersity of the resultant particles and efficient control over reaction conditions. In this work a simple droplet-based microfluidic technique is utilized to synthesize magnetically anisotropic TiO2-Fe2O3 Janus microparticles. Two droplets containing reagents for Janus particle were merged by using an asymmetric device such that the resulting droplet contained the constituents within its two hemispheres distinct from each other. The synthesized Janus particles were observed under the optical microscope and the scanning electron microscope. Moreover, a detailed in vitro characterization of these particles was completed, and it was shown that these particles have a potential use for biomedical applications.
Topics: Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Titanium; Biocompatible Materials; Ferric Compounds; Equipment Design; Particle Size
PubMed: 38951313
DOI: 10.1007/s10544-024-00711-4 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jun 2024Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a powerful biotechnological tool capable of treating multiple pollutants simultaneously. However, the granulation process and pollutant...
Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a powerful biotechnological tool capable of treating multiple pollutants simultaneously. However, the granulation process and pollutant removal efficiency still need to be further improved. In this study, FeO- and MnO-surface-modified straw foam-based AGS (FeO@SF-AGS and MnO@SF-AGS), with an average particle size of 3 mm, were developed and evaluated. The results showed that surface modification reduced the hydrophobic groups of carriers, facilitating the attachment and proliferation of microorganisms. Notably, MnO@SF-AGS showed excellent granulation performance, reaching a stable state about one week earlier than the unmodified SF-AGS. The polymeric substance content of MnO@SF-AGS was found to be 1.28 times higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, the removal rates for NH-N, TN, and TP were enhanced by 27.28%, 12.8%, and 32.14%, respectively. The bacterial communities exhibited significant variations in response to different surface modifications of AGS, with genera such as Saprospiraceae, Terrimonas, and Ferruginibacter playing a crucial role in the formation of AGS and the removal of pollutants specifically in MnO@SF-AGS. The charge transfer of metal ions of MnO@SF promotes the granulation process and pollutant removal. These results highlight that MnO@SF-AGS is an effective strategy for improving nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency from wastewater.
PubMed: 38950844
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124476 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024To optimize the stability of oil-based inks and ensure their wide application in freshness indication, new natural indicator inks were prepared using a stable...
To optimize the stability of oil-based inks and ensure their wide application in freshness indication, new natural indicator inks were prepared using a stable oil-in-water structure. This study selected natural Lycium ruthenicum anthocyanin as the dye and glucose as the pigment carrier. Soybean oil was introduced as a linker and xanthan gum as a thickener, and an oil-in-water ink with the function of freshness indication was successfully developed. In ensuring the safety of ink labels for use on food packaging, particular attention is paid to the origin and properties of the materials used. All ingredients are of food-grade or bio-friendly provenance, thereby ensuring the safety of the product when in direct contact with food. We measured the viscosity, particle size and fineness of the ink for micro characterization and evaluated its macro printing performance by its printing effect on A4 paper. According to the experimental results, when the water-oil ratio of the ink is 10:5, the average particle size of the emulsion system is 822.83 nm, and the fineness reaches 5 μm. These values are relatively low, which indicates that the stability of the ink system is high at this time, and the ink shows excellent rheological and printing characteristics. With this water-to-oil ratio, the ink can show the best results when printed on A4 paper, clearly displaying image details. In addition, in fresh pork applications, inks with a 10: 5 water-to-oil ratio provide an accurate and highly sensitive indication of the freshness of pork. When the freshness of the pork changes, the ink color responds promptly. This high sensitivity makes the ink ideal for use as a food freshness indication tool, providing consumers with an intuitive and reliable reference for pork freshness. As a further innovation, combining this ink-printed label with a WeChat app not only allows consumers to know the freshness of the food in real-time but also tracks the supply chain information of the food, providing a more comprehensive application prospect for freshness-indicating products.
PubMed: 38950802
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133576 -
Chemosphere Jun 2024Industrial wastewater containing heavy metal Cr(VI) seriously affects the health of organisms and may even lead to cancer. Developing efficient adsorbents that can...
Industrial wastewater containing heavy metal Cr(VI) seriously affects the health of organisms and may even lead to cancer. Developing efficient adsorbents that can quickly separate heavy metals is crucial for treating wastewater. In this study, magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNTs) with moderate particle size and abundant surface active sites were prepared by coating multiwalled carbon nanotubes with magnetic nanoparticles. The results of FTIR, XRD, TG, VSM, BET, and EDS showed MWCNTs completely encapsulated on the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles, with a particle size of approximately 30 nm. Oxygenated groups provided abundant surface active sites and formed numerous mesopores. The response surface methodology was used to optimize the adsorbent dose, adsorption contact time and adsorption temperature, and the removal rate of Cr(VI) was more than 95%. The quasi-second order kinetics and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model explained the adsorption process to Cr(VI). MMWCNTs interacted with Cr(VI) through electrostatic attraction, reduction reactions, complexation, and other means. The extensive hydrogen bonding of the green solvent deep eutectic solvent (DES) was employed to desorb the MMWCNTs and desorption rate exceed 90%. Even after five adsorption-regeneration cycles, the adsorbent maintained a high capacity. In conclusion, these novel MMWCNTs, as efficient adsorbents paired with DES desorption, hold broad potential for application in the treatment of Cr(VI)-contaminated wastewater.
PubMed: 38950746
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142732