Applied Nanoscience最新文献

In recent years, there has been an exponential increase in the production of silver bionanoparticles due to their widespread commercialization and technological applications. However, there is limited understanding of the impact of silver bionanoparticles on biological agents commonly used in wastewater treatment, particularly in waste stabilization ponds (WSPs). This study aimed to synthesize new silver nanoparticles (sg-AgNPs) from Synadenium glaucescens root using an environmentally friendly method and optimized biosynthesis parameters, and evaluate their antimicrobial activity and ecotoxicological impact on WSPs using standardized approaches. The average primary sizes of the sg-AgNPs in the five samples were not significantly different (P > 0.05), indicating the effectiveness of the eco-friendly method and the importance of optimal biosynthesis conditions. Analysis from UV–Vis spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that sg-AgNPs exhibited typical characteristics of green silver nanoparticles. Furthermore, sg-AgNPs showed strong antimicrobial activity (MIC, 0.012–0.094 mg/ml) against gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli), gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), non-filamentous fungi (Candida albicans) and filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger). While the Synadenium glaucescens root proved to be a valuable precursor for producing effective antimicrobial sg-AgNPs, the introduction of sg-AgNPs into WSPs significantly impacted algal chlorophyll-a production and survival of ostracod population. These results shed light on the ecotoxicological risks of sg-AgNPs for WSPs organisms and highlight the suitability of algae and ostracods as model organisms for ecotoxicological studies in WSPs.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been extensively used in areas such as optoelectronics, solar cells, and photocatalysis, among others. Modifying the optical properties of ZnO through different processes can potentially improve the performance of devices based on this material. This work presents the biosynthesis of ZnO by Beaucarnea gracilis leaf extract. The natural extract was mixed with zinc nitrate hexahydrate, Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O resulting in a precipitate. Then the precipitate was calcined for 2 h at 400 °C, resulting in a yellowish-ZnO powder. Diffraction laser measurements showed a particle size average of 419 nm. The material exhibited high absorption in the UVA region with photoluminescence at 530 nm. Moreover, from the Tauc plot, a 2.7 eV band gap was obtained. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results confirmed the ZnO synthesis through 550 cm⁻¹ and 667 cm⁻¹ absorption peaks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that ZnO has been synthesized by the endemic plant Beaucarnea gracilis. A major difference with conventional ZnO is significant reduction in the band gap from 3.3 eV to 2.7 eV. Moreover, the material exhibited photoluminescence at 530 nm by exposure to UV light which is attributed to oxygen vacancies. The increase in the optical absorbance in the UV–Visible region and the reduction in the optical band gap could enhance the performance in solar cells based on ZnO and in photocatalysis processes, allowing the use of visible light sources in addition to UV light.

Producing biomechanical energy from waste polymer has attracted lot of interest in this digital era as a number of benefits can be accounted for this including: (i) addressing challenges in the disposal of waste materials, and pollution (air, water, soil) caused by their presence in the atmosphere (ii) ensuring clean and affordable energy at low cost (iii) avoiding the hassle of constant battery replacement, charging, and long wires for charging, and so on. Here, the authors aim at the recycling of waste materials, especially polymers, keeping the 4R’s of effective waste management in mind. Energy harvesters based on triboelectric/piezoelectric effects convert energy from vibrational waves and material deformations into electricity. A hybrid energy harvester is constructed, with waste polymer to act as the tribo-active layer, nanomaterial coating is applied to induce piezoelectricity and Al as the electrode. The energy harvester demonstrated an output voltage enhancement of 266.166% for qualitative input conditions and 375.374%, 337.33%, and 287.308% for quantized input conditions (1 N, 1.5 N, 3 N respectively) when compared with the performance of raw waste polymer-based energy harvester. The developed device could drive low-power portable electronic devices, such as LEDs, calculator, digital watch, thermometer and pedometer.

Responding to the pressing need to mitigate climate change effects due to fossil fuel consumption, there is a collective push to transition towards renewable and clean energy sources. However, the effectiveness of this move depends on an efficient energy storage system that surpasses current lithium-ion battery technology. The lithium-oxygen battery, having significantly high theoretical specific capacity compared to other systems, has emerged as a promising solution. However, the issues of poor cathode electrode conductivity and slow kinetics during discharge product formation have limited its practical applications. In this work, the first principles-based density functional theory was used to investigate the electrocatalytic properties of β₁₂-borophene as a cathode electrode material for a high-performance lithium-oxygen battery. The adsorption energy, charge density distributions, Gibbs free energy changes, and diffusion energy barriers of lithium superoxide (LiO₂) on β₁₂-borophene were calculated. Our findings revealed several important insights: The adsorption energy was found to be − 3.70 eV, suggesting a strong tendency for the LiO₂ to remain anchored to the material during the discharging process. The dynamics in the charge density distributions between LiO₂ and the β₁₂-borophene substrate exhibited complex behavior. The analysis of the Gibbs free energy changes of the reactions yielded an overpotential of − 1.87 V, this moderate value suggests spontaneous reactions during the formation of the discharge products. Most interestingly, the density of states and band structure analysis suggested the preservation of metallic properties and improved electrical conductivity of the material after the adsorption of LiO₂. Additionally, β₁₂-borophene has a relatively low diffusion energy barrier of 1.08 eV, implying effortless diffusion of the LiO₂ and an increase in the rate of discharging process. Ultimately, the predicted electronic properties of β₁₂-borophene, make it a strong candidate as a cathode electrode material for an efficient lithium-oxygen battery.

Random lasers operate without a traditional resonator cavity compared with traditional lasers, instead relying on multiple scattering events within a disordered medium to amplify light. Their emission spectrum and spatial characteristics are determined by the disorder within the medium rather than by specific resonant modes. ZnO nanostructures are ideal for random lasers due to their strong light emission properties and high refractive index, facilitating efficient light scattering and amplification within the disordered medium. Additionally, their wide bandgap and ability to support both optical and electrical pumping make them versatile for various laser applications. ZnO-based random lasers unlock a future beyond high-resolution displays and foldable phones due to their speckle-free emission and a knack for scattering. In medicine, they promise label-free cellular insights, targeted cancer treatments, and miniaturized diagnostics. However, the future of ZnO-based random lasers demands careful crafting. Scalability, cost, and longevity remain hurdles. This review first addresses the synthesis parameters controlling ZnO nanostructures as gain media in random lasers. Then, recent advances in random laser design and performance are discussed, followed by an explanation of the pumping mechanisms. The review concludes by addressing the potential applications of ZnO-based random lasers, including sensors, imaging, medical and display technologies.

High-performance and room-temperature gas sensors are ideal for industrial production and environmental detection. Enhancing gas-detection capability by the use of highly conductive MXene in conjunction with metal oxide materials is a potential approach. In this work, we have prepared a gas-sensing composite device based on SnO₂/V₂CT_x nanocomposites, which can be used to detect the concentration of SO₂ gas at room temperature (~ 20 ℃). This paper modified two-dimensional (2D) V₂CT_x MXene with SnO₂ nanoparticles by electrostatic binding method to synthesize SnO₂/V₂CT_x composite nanomaterials. The experimental results show that at room temperature, the addition of SnO₂ nanoparticles can markedly improve the gas-sensing response (from 66 to 83%) characteristics of pure V₂CT_x to SO₂. The gas sensitivity of SnO₂/V₂CT_x MXene nanocomposites can reach 83%, and its response/recovery time is 98 s/81 s under 10 ppm SO₂. The gas-sensing composite devices made of SnO₂/V₂CT_x composite nanomaterials also show good selectivity and application prospects.

Recently, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have emerged as a promising approach for sewage treatment because of their high efficiency in removing contaminants. However, they are prone to membrane-fouling and computational loading. To resolve these issues, this research article presents an innovative control strategy combining both artificial bee colony optimization (ABC) and recurrent neural network (RNN) to regulate the performance of MBR in sewage treatment. Initially, the influent wastewater data were collected and pre-processed using the regression imputation approach. RNN architecture was designed and trained using the pre-processed data to forecast the performance of the MBN system. Further, the ABC algorithm was applied to optimize the function of MBR by adjusting the control variables. The developed model was validated with the publically available wastewater treatment plan dataset and the effectiveness of the developed model was validated by performing intensive performance and comparative assessment. The performance evaluation demonstrates that the proposed methodology attained greater results of 98.59% effluent quality, 98.70% of nutrient removal efficiency, less computational time of 2.87 s, and a low membrane-fouling index of 1.23%. The comparative analysis illustrates that the presented approach achieved improved performances than the existing methodologies.

Current chemotherapeutic treatments have severely limited effectiveness against tumors. Co-delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and small interfering RNA (siRNA) in a nanoliposomal drug delivery system is known to selectively improve cytotoxicity against tumors. The current study aimed to achieve augmented combination therapy (Dasatinib-DST and siRNA targeting COL11A1 gene) against lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in vitro. The microbubble liposome (MB-LP)-based codelivery system (DST and COL11A1) used in this study was prepared using the thin film hydration method. The resulting codelivery system (MB-LP/DST/siRNA) average size and zeta potential were about 1611.5 nm and − 10.35 mV, respectively. Nevertheless, the average size of the MB-LP drug delivery system alone was 530 nm. The percentage encapsulation efficiency (% EE) of the combination drug (DST and COL11A1^siRNA) in the MB-LP nanodelivery system was 62.9%. The surface morphology of the codelivery system (MB-LP/DST/siRNA) was analysed using a High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (HR-SEM) and a High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). Both confirmed the spherical shape of the MB-LP system. MTT-based proliferation analysis in vitro revealed that DST and COL11A1^siRNA containing MB-LP codelivery system caused significant inhibition of cell proliferation against LUAD. This is the first study that suggests the co-delivery of the chemotherapeutic drug (DST) and COL11A1^siRNA using the MB-LP drug delivery system facilitates an anti-proliferative effect against LUAD cells. Additionally, we also conclude that these prospective results strengthen the evidence on the potential of combination therapy (DST and COL11A1^siRNA) against LUAD.

In this study, we address the critical need for advanced theranostic drug delivery systems by synthesizing and characterizing surface-functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). Acyclovir is an effective antiviral drug with poor water solubility leading to limitations in its administrations and effectivity. Our investigation into the drug-loading capacity of acyclovir reveals that surface-functionalized SPIONs with an average size of 8.1 nm exhibit a notable increase in drug-loading capacity proportional to drug concentration. Specifically, at drug concentrations of 752.21 μg, 1774.32 μg, and 3799.09 μg, we achieved loading efficiencies and capacities of 40.89%, 51.62%, and 50.14% respectively. Alongside, they have high biocompatibility as observed from the hemolysis assay and MTT assay. Moreover, the multifunctionality of these SPIONs extends beyond drug delivery, as they demonstrate high relaxivity suitable for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies at remarkably low concentrations in the micromolar range. Specifically, the relaxivity value (r2) for the said SPIONs was calculated to 10.99 L/mmol^−s which is higher than many commercially used iron oxide-based contrast agents. The multifunctional attributes of these SPIONs position them as versatile and easily customisable platform for diverse therapeutic molecules. This study not only underscores the feasibility of utilizing surface-modified SPIONs as efficient carriers for acyclovir or other therapeutic molecules but also paves the way for evaluating the feasibility of next-generation theranostic materials for biomedical applications.

The present study focuses on a facile phytosynthesis to develop C. amada-coated ZnO nanoparticles from zinc acetate dihydrate solution by using Talinum fructicosum leaf as reducing agent. The phenolic content of C. amada along with curcuminoid compounds (such as de- and bis-methoxy curcumin), function as a surface-active source to produce high-quality ZnO nanostructures. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET Surface area analysis (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–Visible spectral analysis (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), antimicrobial, antidiabetic, bovin serum albumin denaturation assay, electrochemical analysis (ES), photocatalytic degradation and catalytic reduction potential evaluation were used to characterize the phyto-synthesised ZnO nanoparticles. The XRD pattern exhibited a good nanocrystallinity with hexagonal wurtzite structure and an efficient band gap of 3.33 eV which further proved the ZnO nanoparticles to be a good semiconductor. FTIR analysis and XPS studies mutually prove the Zn–O bond formation; BET analysis confirmed the configuration of ZnO, with the surface area of 11.488 m²/g, which is mesoporous in nature and highlighted the significance of the porous morphology in SEM findings. The study specially focuses on illustrating the symmetric supercapacitor electrode based on ZnO nanoparticles with a superior specific capacitance value of 457 F g⁻¹ (1 A g⁻¹). The photodegradation of methylene blue and methyl orange dyes demonstrated a maximum degradation efficiency of 97 and 91%, respectively, achieved after 90 minutes of irradiation, emphasizing the influence of an increased concentration of biomolecules. Additionally, ZnO nanoparticles exhibited effective catalytic reduction potential on highly toxicious 4-nitrophenol to get reduced into less hazardious 4-aminophenol. The broad range of functionalities enhances the utility of biogenic ZnO nanoparticles and widens its scope for energy and environmental applications.