Journal of Nanoparticle Research最新文献

This study investigates the efficiency of silica-supported NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles as a magnetically recoverable photocatalyst for degrading basic fuchsin pollutants. Ni–Fe/SiO₂ nanocomposites were easily synthesized by wet impregnation followed by calcination (T = 350–700 °C). The structural and optical study of Ni–Fe/SiO₂ calcined at 700 °C (Ni–Fe(700)) revealed the formation of nanosized spinel phase NiFe₂O₄ with an average size of 12 nm, a high specific surface area (147 m²g⁻¹), and a narrow band gap of 1.67 eV. Moreover, NiFe₂O₄/SiO₂ nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic behavior with a magnetic susceptibility of 1.9 × 10⁻² and a high saturation magnetization (47 emu g⁻¹). These unique properties enable superior photocatalytic performances and easy magnetic separation. Under optimized conditions (dye concentration: 10 ppm, catalyst concentration: 0.1 g L⁻¹, pH = 6), the nanoparticles achieved a remarkable 99% degradation efficiency of basic fuchsin within 40 min, with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.1198 min⁻¹ and a substantial reduction in total organic carbon from 134 to 11 mg L⁻¹ (92%). This high effectiveness, combined with demonstrated recyclability over four cycles, highlights the nanoparticles’ strength and durability. Furthermore, NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles are effective across a wide range of pH levels, making them highly adaptable for various environmental conditions. Oxidant radical scavenger experiments permit to identify the superoxide anion radical (^●O₂⁻) as crucial in the oxidative degradation process, indicating that NiFe₂O₄/SiO₂ acts as reduction photocatalyst. This work highlighted the primordial role of silica, not only as dispersing and stabilizing agent, but also as an actor in the photocatalytic process. Due to its negative electric charge, the adsorption of. cationic dye molecules and the charge separation are improved, while the electron–hole recombination is reduced. The synthesis of stable, highly photoactive, recyclable NiFe₂O₄/SiO₂ offers a sustainable solution for treating dye-polluted wastewater, thereby eco-friendly practices in industrial applications.

Graphical Abstract

Photothermal therapy (PTT), as a non-invasive and selective treatment strategy, has garnered extensive research interest. Photothermal agents (PTAs) are critical components of PTT, whose light-absorbing and thermosensitive properties enable effective conversion of light energy into heat, creating localized high-temperature regions. However, PTAs often face challenges with degradation in vivo, and standalone PTT is insufficient for complete tumor cell ablation. In this study, we successfully developed a biodegradable nanoplatform for synergistic photothermal-photodynamic therapy. This platform is based on degradable antimonene nanosheets, further functionalized with a chitosan coating, and loaded with the photosensitizer Ce6. In vitro experiments demonstrated that this nanoplatform exhibits excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Upon laser excitation, the platform induces localized thermal effects for cell ablation and promotes reactive oxygen species generation, leading to superior anti-tumor efficacy compared to monotherapies. These findings suggest that this multifunctional nanoplatform can significantly enhance the therapeutic efficiency of synergistic phototherapy, presenting a promising candidate for cancer treatment.

Understanding the interaction of hemoglobin (Hb) with various nanomaterials and nanoparticles (NPs) is of considerable interest for the design of enhanced oxygen carriers for therapeutic applications. In this report, we undertake an iterative study of the role of the capping ligand in determining the nature of Hb binding to the surface of spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 5 nm diameter). We show that AuNPs capped with citrate and thioctic acid TA-SO₃ ligands show robust assembly of Hb to the AuNP surface while NPs capped with TA-CL4 ligands (short, zwitterionic ligands) exhibit minimal assembly of Hb to the NP surface. Citrate on the AuNP facilitates the efficient assembly of Hb to the NP surface through the formation of an Au–S bond between Au and free thiols on cysteine residues. Conversely, TA-SO₃-capped AuNPs mediate the electrostatic assembly of Hb to the ligand coating. Hb assembly on the citrate and TA-SO₃ AuNPs significantly changes the AuNP physical properties (e.g., hydrodynamic diameter, surface charge, and colloidal stability). Hb assembly on the citrate-AuNPs alters its spectral properties, while Hb assembly to TA-SO₃-AuNPs shows minimal changes in AuNP spectral properties. More importantly, Hb undergoes different degrees of spectral and interstitial structural alterations, including changes to the heme absorption peak and modification in the secondary structure, upon being assembled with the AuNP. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy data confirms a significant (50%) loss of Hb α-helix structure when assembled on the citrate-AuNP compared with TA-SO₃-AuNP. Our results demonstrate the important consideration that must be given to the ligand coating when interfacing Hb (and other proteins) with NP materials for bioconjugate formation.

This study investigates the dielectric properties of bismuthene-like nanosheets using Monte Carlo simulations, focusing on the effects of external electric fields (Ez), linear coupling (J_σ), biquadratic coupling (K), crystal field (D), and vacancy (V) parameters. The results show that increasing the crystal field strength (|D|) and vacancy parameter (V) reduces the blocking temperature, while higher values of Ez, J_σ, and K lead to an approximately linear increase in the blocking temperature. These findings offer valuable insights into the complex interactions affecting the thermal and dielectric behavior of the nanosheets, providing new directions for future research in nanoscale materials.

Delivery of agrochemicals into soil presents a challenge, as the active ingredients are often hydrophobic and do not possess adequate soil mobility to reach their target pest. Previously, plant virus nanoparticles have been shown to penetrate soil and deliver agrochemicals for the treatment of plant parasitic nematodes. For example, tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) can be functionalized with agrochemicals through bioconjugation, infusion at the coat protein interface, or encapsulation through thermal shapeshifting (rod-to-sphere). There continues to be a need to expand approaches for agrochemical display and delivery with a need for plug-and-play technology to be applicable for multiple nanoparticle platforms and agrochemicals. Toward this goal, we turned toward a bio-specific coupling strategy making use of the biotin-(strept)avidin system. Herein, we conjugated TMGMV with either avidin or biotin using azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The avidin/biotin-functionalized TMGMV nanoparticles were then characterized by gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy to confirm cargo loading and the nanoparticle’s structural integrity. Soil column assays confirmed that soil mobility was maintained upon chemical modification. Ivermectin modified with biotin or streptavidin linkers was then introduced to the TMGMV-avidin/biotin nanoparticles and binding propensity and loading were validated by QCM-D and a competitive ELISA. Finally, the ivermectin-loaded TMGMV nanoparticles were used to treat C. elegans in a gel burrowing assay, demonstrating that either pesticide loading strategy resulted in active TMGMV nanoparticle formulation that significantly reduced the mobility of nematodes, even after passing through soil. In stark contrast, free ivermectin only exhibited efficacy when applied directly to nematodes; the free pesticide was lost in the soil column—highlighting the need for a delivery system. The presented approach provides a facile plug-and-play approach for pesticide loading onto TMGMV nanoparticles. In particular, biotinylated TMGMV with streptavidin-conjugated ivermectin served as the most effective formulation. Importantly this method does not require heat, which contrasts our previous method of thermal reshaping that requires sample and pesticide exposure to temperatures > 96 °C. We envision the bio-specific loading strategy could be extended to other protein or inorganic nanoparticles to advance soil treatment strategies.

The development of pH-sensitive charge-reversing nanodrug delivery systems often requires complex chemical modifications that can be difficult to control, limiting their scalability and clinical use. We directly incorporated varying ratios of the cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (EPC) and the anionic lipid dioleoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) into liposomes to simplify the creation of pH-sensitive charge-reversible liposomes. Paclitaxel (PTX) was encapsulated in these liposomes as a model chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. The liposomes composed of DOPG and EPC at a ratio of 1:1.2 (1:1.2 DE) presented an extended half-life, increased area under the curve, prolonged mean residence time, and reduced clearance rate, along with a uniform distribution within tumors. These results indicated that the liposomes with 1:1.2 DE not only exhibited prolonged circulation but also enhanced tumor penetration. Moreover, the liposomes with 1:1.2 DE showed significant in vivo antitumor effects, including the highest tumor inhibition rates, largest necrotic area, highest apoptosis index, lowest proliferation index, and longest survival of mice, while maintaining excellent biosafety. This method represents a straightforward way to create pH-sensitive charge-reversible liposomes without chemical modification, providing an effective system to optimize chemotherapy drug pharmacokinetics, enhance intratumoral penetration, improve therapeutic efficacy, and reduce toxicity.

To meet the demands of the contemporary world, lead-free and non-toxic materials must be found in the pursuit of sustainable energy. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on FAMASnI₃ appear to be a promising alternative because they are non-toxic and inexpensive. Computational modeling enables efficient analysis of perovskite solar cell performance, optimizing materials, interfaces, and device architectures without extensive experimental trials. It accelerates innovation by providing insights into mechanisms like charge transport, recombination, and defect dynamics, saving time and costs. In the present study, the evaluation of FAMASnI₃-based PSCs with organic electron transport layers (ETLs), such as FNiPc, BrNiPc, and C₆₀, has been presented with SCAPS-1D software. Optimizing the absorber layer thickness ((300 nm)) and defect density ((1times {10}^{13} c{m}^{-3})), the performance of these PSCs has been enhanced. Furthermore, the effect of ETL thickness on solar cell efficiency is also studied. The results shows that the maximum power conversion efficiency of the PSCs is 22.89%, with a ({V}_{OC}) of 0.94 V, ({J}_{SC}) of 28.54 mA/cm², and FF of 85.06%, is achieved by utilizing BrNiPc as the ETL material and FAMASnI₃ as the absorber layer. These results show that great efficiency may be achieved at cheaper manufacturing costs and with little environmental impact when tin-based lead-free PSCs are produced.

Graphical abstract

Colorectal cancer, a common cancer affecting the colon or rectum, poses a significant global health risk, often leading to severe complications and mortality. The likelihood of developing colorectal cancer rises with age, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50. To investigate the role of RELL1 in colon cancer progression, we analyzed the colon adenoma dataset GSE41657 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and identified RELL1 as a key target for this study. We developed an innovative drug-loaded polymer fluorescent nanoparticle system, PEG-CS-FITC, which combines chitosan (CS) nanoparticles, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). This nanoparticle platform encapsulated compound CP1 and was designed to deliver a newly synthesized therapeutic compound, resulting in the composite nanoparticle PEG-CS-FITC@CP1@1. Through biological testing, we assessed the impact of PEG-CS-FITC@CP1@1 on RELL1 expression in colorectal cancer cells. These findings establish a foundation for developing targeted therapies for colorectal cancer.

Lanthanide-based nanophosphors are finding significant applicability in various fields such as LED, solar spectral convertors, lasers, and biological sensors, owing to their superior stability and luminescence properties. However, their function as a UV protector has not evolved, possibly because of their limited absorption cross-section in the UV spectral region. Hence, to overcome this limitation, in this work, a strategy to utilize Bi³⁺ ion as a co-dopant in LaF₃:Tb³⁺ nanophosphor has been devised. These nanophosphors with an uniform morphology and narrow particle size distribution were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. Luminescence mechanism involving energy transfer from Bi³⁺ to Tb³⁺ was investigated. The excitation spectrum of a LaF₃ nanophosphor, co-doped with Bi and Tb, reveals distinct absorption bands. Absorption ascribed to Bi³⁺ characterizes the UV range between 220 and 275 nm, whereas Tb³⁺ is associated with absorption in another UV range spanning 280 to 380 nm. This shows the potential applicability of the Bi and Tb co-doped LaF₃ nanophosphors as a UV absorber. The cytotoxicity of these nanophosphors was tested on HaCaT cells, indicating their potential applicability in the healthcare field.