Journal of Cluster Science最新文献

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles with honey (H-AgNPs) has advanced by avoiding toxic reagents and harmful by products. Unlike other natural products, honey stands out for its practicality, eliminating the need for complex extraction processes and preservation steps. H-AgNPs possess distinct physicochemical properties, including optical and functional characteristics that can be enhanced by the presence of honey, making them promising candidates for applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and materials industries. This review begins with an examination of the synthesis parameters of H-AgNPs and the direct impact of variations in conditions on nanoparticle size, absorption spectra, and the main physicochemical characterization techniques employed to study these nanometals. Subsequently, the main applications of H-AgNPs were demonstrated in terms of their functional evaluations in biomedical fields and their contributions to materials engineering, thus demonstrating their promising potential observed in various in vitro and in vivo studies. The discussion also covers integration and the main challen ges encountered in scaling up production and advancing to clinical methods. However, there are still advantages to their use over other biosyntheses. Although H-AgNPs possess remarkable properties that make them suitable for a variety of applications, their synthesis continues to be hampered by limitations that go beyond current knowledge.

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Metal-doped endohedral borospherenes M@B₄₀ have attracted considerable attention since the discovery of the first boroshphenes B₄₀^−/0 in 2014. Systematical density functional theory investigations performed herein unveil the ground-state structures and coordination bonding patterns of a series of lanthanide-doped endohedral borospherenes Ln@B₄₀^0/+, including the doublet C_2v Ce@B₄₀⁺ (1, ²B₁), triplet C_2v Ce@B₄₀ (2, ³A₂), quartet C_2v Pr@B₄₀ (3, ⁴B₁), quintet C_2v Nd@B₄₀ (4, ⁵A₁), sextet C₂ Pm@B₄₀ (5, ⁶A), septet C_2v Sm@B₄₀ (6, ⁷A₂), octet D_2d Eu@B₄₀ (7, ⁸B₁), and octet C_2v Gd@B₄₀⁺ (8, ⁸A₂). Detailed principal interaction spin orbital (PISO) and adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) bonding pattern analyses indicate that, with the number of unpaired α-electrons changing from n_α = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, to 7 in the series, their coordination bonding energies decrease monotonically from E_c = 7.22, 6.93, 5.67, 4.85, 4.67, 4.29, 4.02, to 2.07 eV, respectively, with the dominating percentage contributions of the Ln 5d-involved PISOs to the overall E_c increasing almost monotonically from 66 to 83%, while the minor contributions of the Ln 4f-involved PISOs varying between 0.3% and 12.1% and that of Ln 6s-involved PISO pairs remaining basically unchanged in a narrow range between 6% and 8%. In average, the dominating 5d-invloved PISOs in Ln@B₄₀ contribute about 72.8% to the overall E_c, 19.3% higher than that (53.4%) of the 6d-involved PISOs in the newly reported actinide-doped An@B₄₀^+/0/−, while the minor 4f-involved PISOs in Ln@B₄₀ contribute about 6.1% to E_c, 15.7% lower than that (21.8%) of the 5f-invloved PISOs in An@B₄₀^+/0/−, quantitatively unveiling the differences in coordination bonding patterns between Ln@B₄₀^+/0 and An@B₄₀^+/0/−.

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Two novel Cu(I) complexes, [Cu(tdt)] (1) and [Cu₆(mtt)₆] (2), were synthesized using the solvothermal method with CuI and 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (Htdt) or 4-methylthiazole-2-thiol (Hmtt). In 1, Cu(I) coordinates with the tdt ligand to form a new two-dimensional copper-sulfur based coordination polymer; tdt links binuclear copper clusters into a graphite-like layered structure. In 2, Cu(I) coordinates with the mtt ligand to form a copper-sulfur cluster-based compound; six mtt surround six copper atoms to construct an inverted triangular prismatic [Cu₆S₆] cluster molecule. Sulfur-sulfur interactions were observed in the structures of both compounds. We also tested the luminescent properties of the compounds: complex 1 emits red light at 632 nm under excitation, while complex 2 emits near-infrared photoluminescence at 833 nm in its solid-state photoluminescence spectrum.

The synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles using eco-friendly and sustainable methods has garnered significant attention in recent years due to their potential in diverse catalytic and biomedical applications. This study reports, for the first time, the green synthesis of Ag/CuO bimetallic nanoparticles using Artemisia pallens extract as a biogenic reducing and stabilizing agent, and demonstrates their superior catalytic performance in an eco-friendly Petasis reaction. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, and FTIR. The XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline Ag/CuO phases with peaks at 38.1° and 44.3° with an average size of 14.51 nm ± 1.00 nm, while SEM showed have flower-like morphology, EDX confirmed Ag, Mg, Si, Ca, C, O, and Cu presence, and FTIR indicated successful capping by Artemisia pallens phytochemicals. The Ag/CuO nanoparticles exhibited high catalytic efficiency under mild aqueous hydrotropic conditions, as reflected by excellent Reaction Mass Efficiency (RME) values (up to 79%) and notably low Process Mass Intensity (PMI) values (as Low as 14 g/g), clearly outperforming traditional methods that use organic solvents and mineral acids. The Turnover Number (TON) and Turnover Frequency (TOF) further emphasize their effectiveness and reusability for green organic synthesis. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of Ag/CuO nanoparticles was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar disk diffusion method. The nanoparticles showed significant inhibition zones ranging from 14 to 20 mm, indicating strong antibacterial efficacy. Furthermore, molecular docking studies of indoline-derived arylglycine derivatives revealed strong binding interactions with the 5GS4 target protein, with Molecule 4f showing the highest affinity (MolDock Score: -114.278, Rerank Score: 90.5965), comparable to the standard drug spironolactone. This work highlights a sustainable approach for synthesizing functional bimetallic nanoparticles with dual applications in green catalysis and antimicrobial activity, contributing to advancements in environmentally friendly nanotechnology and synthetic methodologies.

This work describes a biomimetic approach for synthesizing multi-doped calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP NPs) that closely mimic the structure and composition of bone mineral. Inspired by bone remodeling, hydroxyapatite (HAp), used as a combined calcium and phosphorus source, was first dissolved in an acidic medium and then re-precipitated in simulated body fluid (SBF), serving as a physiologically relevant source of trace elements. The results showed that multi-doped amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) formed within the first few minutes and gradually transformed into poorly crystalline carbonated hydroxyapatite over a 21-day maturation period. This extended observation provides valuable insights into the incorporation of trace elements and their role in the maturation of bone-like mineral phases. The resulting nanoparticles exhibited low crystallinity and nanometric dimensions, along with increased surface area and porosity. They also demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with MG63 osteoblasts and effectively promoted osteogenic responses in human mesenchymal stromal cells. Overall, this strategy offers valuable insights for designing biomimetic CaP NPs inspired by living tissue to support future applications in hard tissue regeneration.

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The photoelectrochemical (PEC) and stability performance of CuO nanotapers (CuO NT) sensitized with nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQD) has been investigated. NGQDs and CuO NTs were synthesized using facile, low-cost, and scalable solvothermal and hydrothermal methods, respectively. Morphological characterization of the CuO NTs and NGQDs was achieved through the analysis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images. The CuO NTs are about 500 nm in length, and the NGQDs have diameters ranging from 2.5 nm to 6 nm. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed nitrogen doping in GQDs and the attachment of NGQDs to CuO NTs. Photoluminescence (PL) and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy were used to study the optical properties of NGQDs. Linear sweep voltammetry, amperometric i-t measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the photoelectrochemical properties of the photoanodes. Sensitization with NGQDs significantly enhanced the performance of the CuO NT photoanode, yielding a two-fold increase in short-circuit photocurrent density and a 13.35-fold enhancement in the photocurrent-to-dark current ratio. A photostability study using extended amperometric i-t measurements demonstrated that NGQD sensitization significantly enhanced the CuO NT photoanode’s ability to retain photocurrent.

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Toxic pharmaceutical compounds are released into aquatic environments, posing risk to ecological sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate these toxic compounds. In this study, we synthesized a triethanolamine ionic liquid immobilized on magnetic mesoporous silica and assessed its effectiveness as a magnetic nanoadsorbent for removing acetaminophen from different water samples. The successful synthesis of the nanoadsorbent was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermal gravimetric (TG) analyses. FT-IR analysis revealed characteristic bands for the functional groups of nanoadsorbent, while XRD confirmed the cubic spinel structure of magnetic nanoparticles, showing reduced crystallinity after modification. FE-SEM images showed spherical nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 40 to 72 nm, EDX verified the elemental composition, VSM indicated superparamagnetism, and TG analysis demonstrated thermal stability with approximately 40% total weight loss. Under optimal conditions-specifically a concentration of 20 mg L⁻¹, pH 6, a contact time of 45 min, and a temperature of 298 K, about 92% of the drug was removed. The isotherm and kinetic data confirm the applicability of the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models, respectively, with a maximum monolayer sorption capacity of 97.67 mg g⁻¹ derived from the Langmuir model. Additionally, the data analysis indicated that adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous. The nanoadsorbent maintained its removal efficiency after six reuse cycles. Across a concentration range of 0.01 to 500 mg L⁻¹, a linear calibration curve was obtained (R² = 0.9981), with limits of detection and quantification calculated at 3 µg mL⁻¹ and 30 µg mL⁻¹, respectively. Consequently, the nanoadsorbent can effectively remove the drug from various water samples obtained from medical plants achieving analyte recovery values between 91.30% and 91.70%, with a precision indicated by a relative standard deviation of less than 1.12%.

The hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include a gradual deterioration in cognitive abilities, hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins, and the aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ). Riluzole, a neuroprotective agent, shows promise in mitigating glutamate-induced excitotoxicity; however, its poor solubility (BCS Class II) limits its therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to develop and optimize a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) to enhance Riluzole’s solubility, bioavailability, and therapeutic effects in AD. The formulation was optimized using Design Expert (BBD), with independent variables including oil (2–5%), surfactant mixture (Smix, 5–20%), and sonication time (30–60 s). The optimized SNEDDS were subjected to physicochemical characterization, a drug release study, gut permeation, and in vivo pharmacokinetic and behavioral assessments in scopolamine-induced AD rats. The optimized Riluzole SNEDDS showed a particle size of 136.5 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.264, zeta potential of − 26.13 mV, and transmittance of 91.3%, indicating nanoscale dispersion. In vitro drug release was significantly higher (84.65% in 12 h) than Riluzole suspension (34.94%). Gut permeation studies revealed 2.08-fold higher drug permeability with SNEDDS. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed 2.21-fold increased bioavailability (AUC₀₋ₜ 6437.92 ± 34.76 ng·h/ml) and 1.7-fold increased half-life compared to suspension. Behavioral assessments demonstrated significant memory improvement (p < 0.0001) in AD rats treated with Riluzole SNEDDS. The optimized Riluzole SNEDDS formulation significantly improved drug solubility, bioavailability, and cognitive function in AD rats, demonstrating its potential as an effective therapeutic strategy for AD.

Given the urgent global health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and the limitations of conventional antibiotics, this research explores the simultaneous effects of silver (Ag) decoration and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) combined with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures as a promising alternative with enhanced antibacterial efficiency. The Ag-decorated nanocomposites were hydrothermally synthesized with varying MWCNT concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%). Versatile techniques were applied to characterize the morphological, elemental composition, optical, and structural characteristics of the prepared samples. A significant band gap reduction from 3.17 eV for pristine ZnO to 2.97 eV for 5% MWCNT sample and enhanced visible light absorption were observed, indicating improved optical properties. Antibacterial tests revealed that Ag-decorated ZnO (ZA) and 1% MWCNT (ZAC 1) samples showed the highest activity against Escherichia coli (zone of inhibition diameter (ZOI) = 10.0 mm at 25 mg/mL, MIC = 1.56 mg/mL, MBC = 3.12 mg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (ZOI = 10.0 mm at 25 mg/mL, MIC = 1.56 mg/mL, MBC = 3.12 mg/mL), respectively, using disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Higher CNT concentrations caused nanotube aggregation, thereby decreasing antibacterial efficacy. The results of this study emphasize the potential use of synthesized nanocomposites in biomedical disinfection technologies and other related applications.