Nanoscale Research Letters最新文献

Carbon-based nanomaterials have garnered significant interest as efficient adsorbents for removing organic dyes from wastewater due to their unique physicochemical properties. Carbon nanotubes, graphite, graphene, and activated carbon are among the most studied carbon-based nanomaterials, owing to their large surface areas and high adsorption capacities. These nanoparticles’ surface functionalization and modification can improve their adsorption capabilities, allowing for the selective removal of dyes from complicated wastewater matrices. Several synthesis approaches have been used to modify the characteristics of carbon-based nanomaterials to address specific dye removal needs. The usage of carbon-based nanomaterials for dye removal yields favourable results, providing a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and long-term solution to wastewater treatment. Nonetheless, scale-up, regeneration, and long-term stability issues must be overcome to facilitate industrial-scale adoption. Despite significant advantages, including high adsorption capacity, photodegradation efficiency, reusability, and environmental compatibility, challenges persist in industrial implementation. Production costs, scalability limitations, and economic viability constraints hinder large-scale adoption. Synthesis methods require optimization for cost-effectiveness while maintaining treatment efficiency. Future research should prioritize developing economical synthesis routes, optimizing material properties for specific applications, and establishing standardized evaluation protocols. The integration of waste-derived precursors offers promising opportunities for sustainable treatment solutions. This review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding current capabilities and future directions in carbon-based wastewater treatment, emphasizing both the substantial potential and existing challenges that must be addressed for successful industrial implementation.

Graphical abstract

Electromagnetic pollution has intensified with the rapid expansion of wireless technologies and compact electronics. This has created a high demand for lightweight materials that can absorb microwaves (MA) and shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI). Foam-based structures are promising options because their porous designs naturally match impedance, promote internal reflections, and enable various loss mechanisms. These structures are also very light. Recent fabrication methods, such as freeze casting, space-holder replication, 3D printing, sol–gel foaming, and bio-templating, allow precise control over pore size, anisotropy, and the formation of conductive or magnetic networks. This enables customization of shielding performance. This review offers an integrated assessment of various foams, including metal, carbon, polymer, composite, and hybrid types. It examines how pore shape, interfacial properties, and filler connectivity influence conduction loss, interfacial polarization, magnetic interactions, and absorption-based attenuation. A major contribution is the systematic comparison of specific shielding effectiveness—measured as SE per density and SE per density-times-thickness—across representative systems. These comparisons show that optimized foam structures can outperform dense materials on a weight basis. This advantage is especially important for aerospace, wearable electronics, and portable devices. The review also highlights persisting challenges, including limited structure–property models, thermochemical instability, and measurement artefacts in ultralight foams. Finally, it outlines three promising research paths; biodegradable foams, magnetically tunable hybrids, and impedance-graded architectures, positioning foam-based materials as strong candidates for next-generation, sustainable EMI shielding.

Polyelectrolyte capsules (PEC) are hollow polymer particles fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of subsequently deposited polyelectrolytes of alternating charge. PECs, valued for their tunability and cargo encapsulation capabilities, are interesting for biomedical applications, underscoring the need for standardized fabrication and characterization techniques to optimize it for specific biomedical tasks. Here common protocols on how to synthesize and characterize such capsules are summarized. The fabrication of both, biodegradable and non-biodegradable capsules ranging in size from 800 nm to 5 μm is outlined. The entire preparation process—from the synthesis of sacrificial templates with diverse sizes and morphologies, to the controlled LbL deposition of polyelectrolyte shells and subsequent core dissolution is detailed. Here, calcium carbonate is selected as the sacrificial template of focus, owing to its high biocompatibility and loading capacity. Particular emphasis is placed on strategies for cargo loading, including co-precipitation and post-loading methods. Furthermore, the key characterization methods essential for confirming PEC formation—including size and zeta potential measurements (via dynamic light scattering), capsule concentration analysis (using optical or fluorescence microscopy), cargo encapsulation quantification (by UV-Vis spectroscopy or fluorescence analysis), and structural analysis (using transmission electron microscopy, TEM)—are highlighted and discussed. Finally, the review addresses current advantages and limitations in PEC fabrication, such as scalability and uniformity, and proposes future directions involving microfluidics, automation, and template design for the next generation of advanced biomedical applications.

Electrospinning has emerged as a powerful nanofabrication technique for producing continuous polymer nanofibers with diameters ranging from sub-micrometers to nanometers. This technique is important in several discipline areas which are able to make high-surface-area materials with tunable properties that will allow applications for biomedicine, filtration, and tissue engineering. This review explores both needle-based and needleless electrospinning methods, including their sub-techniques, advantages, limitations, and influencing process parameters. Particular attention is given to how electric field strength, solution properties, and environmental factors affect nanofiber morphology and performance. In parallel, the review delves into the physicochemical characteristics and structural dynamics of starch, a biodegradable and renewable polysaccharide with vast potential in nanotechnology and food science. The phenomena of starch gelatinization and retrogradation are examined with respect to their functional implications in fiber formation and food applications. By integrating insights from electrospinning and starch science, this study highlights the prospects for developing starch-based nanofibers, offering sustainable solutions for biomedical, packaging, and dietary applications. This paper, in contrast to the most recent reviews describing electrospinning principles or the properties of starch independently, does provide a meaningful comparison of needle-based versus needleless techniques, and evaluate the effects of starch’s physicochemical transitions on nanofiber performance. This comparative analysis can identify existing gaps, and show where starch-based systems were stronger than synthetic polymers with regards to sustainability, but weaker in mechanical strength and scalability. The paper concludes with future research directions that bridge nanotechnology and biopolymer engineering.

Viral infections during pregnancy can lead to several adverse outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine growth restriction, and neonatal complications, which may manifest congenital malformations and organ dysfunction. Infants who exhibit symptoms following maternal infection tend to have poorer health outcomes compared to their asymptomatic counterparts. Various viruses are known to cause birth defects, with the most common being cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella virus, hepatitis B and C viruses, herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), Zika virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. In this review article, we examined the most prevalent maternal viral infections that can cross the placental barrier and affect the fetus, potentially resulting in severe damage. Nanomedicine emerges as a promising candidate capable of traversing the placenta to mitigate viral infections in the fetus, thereby minimizing damage. We explored several classes of nanoparticle-based clinical approaches, along with their associated complications and success rates in various trials targeting different types of maternal viral infections. Additionally, we discussed several nanomedicines that can effectively combat viral infections during pregnancy, serving as potential safeguards for both the mother and the fetus.

The current–voltage behavior of three DNA nanowire models, which consist of a fishbone structure and two separate double-chain setups, alongside an RNA model illustrated by a half-ladder configuration, is examined using zigzag carbon nanotubes and associated metallic armchair graphene nanoribbon electrodes. This study utilizes the tight-binding Hamiltonian technique within the Landauer–Büttiker theory. The different DNA and RNA nanowire models exhibit nonlinear current–voltage characteristics, which are calculated and analyzed based on the corresponding transmission probability. The findings show that the current–voltage properties are affected by the type of leads and their working temperature, with zigzag nanotubes producing somewhat greater currents than nanoribbon electrodes. With a near-zero bias at the electrodes, the current–voltage characteristics are influenced by the dimerization effects of longitudinal hopping in the devices. Due to the expected strong connection between electronic transport characteristics and the structures of DNA and RNA, these results might stimulate additional investigation into their biological importance for nanoelectronic devices.

In this research, aluminum/cobalt oxy-hydroxide (CoAl) thin films were successfully deposited using the layer-by-layer (LbL) method at RT. CoAl nanocomposites were grown on a stainless-steel substrate for 10, 20, and 30 LbL cycles. The structural analysis of CoAl was performed using X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The FESEM analysis revealed a three-dimensional flower-like porous nanostructure of the composite. A three-electrode system was employed for electrochemical testing, with the produced AlOOH/CoO(OH) binary composite acting as the working electrode. The electrochemical characteristics of the CoAl samples were analysed in a 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Among 10, 20, and 30 LbL cycles, the 20 LbL cycles nanocomposite exhibited the outstanding specific capacity of 2421 C g⁻¹@ 5 mV s⁻¹ within a potential range of 1.4 V. The nanocomposite exhibits pseudocapacitive battery-type behaviour. The remarkable electrochemical activity of the 20 LbL nanocomposite can be ascribed to the lower resistances identified in the sample through EIS analysis and the high surface area of the interconnected nanosheets that form a porous, nano flower-like structure. The combination of AlOOH with CoO(OH) contributes to an improvement in its charge storage capability.

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with limited clinical treatment options. Nanoparticle technology offers promising new strategies for innovative diagnosis and therapy of AD. However, the rapid development of this field has not been accompanied by a systematic bibliometric analysis. This study applies bibliometric methods to comprehensively evaluate the development trends and prospects of nanoparticle applications in AD research.

Materials and methods

Publications related to nanomaterials in AD were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Visualization and analysis were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the Bibliometrix package in R to identify research hotspots in the field.

Results

A total of 2837 publications were included, involving 92 countries/regions, 2953 institutions, and 13,294 authors. China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Xiao-Gang Qu were the most productive country, institution, and author, respectively. The Journal of Controlled Release was the most influential. Among them, Saraiva et al. (J Control Release 235:34–47, 2016) ranked first with 1069 citations, and their research highlights the great potential of nanoparticle drug delivery technology to cross the blood–brain barrier. Emerging keyword trends indicate a shift in research focus toward nasal delivery, extracellular vesicles, graphene quantum dots for diagnostics, and nanostructured lipid carriers for therapy.

Conclusion

Nanomaterial-based AD research is expanding rapidly. Current focus involves developing targeted nanoparticle systems to overcome the blood–brain barrier, mitigate Aβ pathology, and enable early diagnosis. Future work should prioritize mechanistic studies and clinical trials to translate potential into practical applications.

The persistent challenge of gel instability and inadequate performance under harsh reservoir conditions limits the efficiency of polymer-based systems in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and water shutoff operations. This study addresses these limitations by introducing Fe₃O₄@Saponin/Ni nanocomposites as synergistic reinforcing agents within a standard HPAM/Cr(III) acetate gel system. Distinct from earlier nanocomposite additives, the specific incorporation of Nickel ions into the saponin-functionalized magnetite lattice provides a novel advantage: the formation of thermally durable Ni–O–Fe bonds and additional coordination sites that significantly enhance the gel’s resistance to thermal degradation and syneresis. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized and sequentially functionalized to ensure optimal dispersion and secondary crosslinking efficiency. Comprehensive characterization was performed using FT-IR, TGA, SEM, and DLS, followed by evaluation of gelation kinetics, dispersion stability, rheology, syneresis resistance, and core flooding performance under reservoir-mimicking conditions. Results revealed that the unique Ni-doped structure improved thermal stability, ensured uniform nanoparticle size (20–50 nm), and promoted stable dispersion up to 500 ppm. The addition of these nanocomposites accelerated gelation rates at optimal concentrations (≤ 250 ppm), enhanced storage modulus, and dramatically reduced syneresis, exhibiting only 12% weight loss after two months at 110 °C and 3000 psi. Core flooding tests confirmed the superior plugging efficiency, higher resistance factors, and long-term durability of the nanocomposite-reinforced gels compared to conventional formulations. These findings demonstrate that Fe₃O₄@Saponin/Ni nanocomposites provide a robust, multifunctional platform for advanced EOR, offering sustained mechanical and thermal resilience in demanding environments.

Nanogels are hydrogels embedded with nanoparticles. They have been increasingly applied in drug delivery, biomedical engineering and environmental remediation. At present, no bibliometric study has provided a comprehensive analysis of nanogels. This study aims to summarize the current development and future trends of nanogels publications through bibliometric analysis. Publications on nanogels from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2024, were retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection for further bibliometric analysis. We used VOSviewer and Bibliometrix to conduct the co-authorship analysis of countries/regions, institutions and authors, summarized the most productive contributors, and keywords co-occurrence analysis to identify research hotspots and future trends on nanogels. A total of 9,569 publications were included in this study. This study revealed an overall growth trend of nanogels, peaking in 2022 (n = 948). China was the most contributive country (n = 3785). The most productive institution was the Chinese Academy of Sciences (n = 335). Kazunari Akiyoshi (n = 112) was the most prolific author. A total of 230 keywords were grouped into five clusters: nanogels and drug delivery; crosslinking chemistry of nanogels; nanogels in water treatment and biodegradation; nanogels and scaffolds; and temperature and pH-responsive nanogels. Emerging research directions included the application of novel nanogels in drug delivery and biomedical fields. This study reveals the research trends, collaboration patterns, research hotspots, and emerging frontiers in nanogels research. These findings can provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of nanogels research and offer guidance for future research directions.