Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology最新文献

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing pharmaceutical industry and drug development by providing significant advantages in controlling drug release, enhancing stability, and reducing adverse effects. Concurrently, natural products are being extensively researched for their anticancer and immunomodulatory properties. This patent review aims to analyze publications that integrate nanotechnology with natural products to develop cancer treatments and immunotherapies. In this context, 17 patents were identified through the free online databases of the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The review discusses various types of nanotechnology, including nanoparticles, nanocarriers, and nanocapsules, as well as bioactive compounds primarily extracted from plants. Among the most frequently identified natural products were ursolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and catechins. These bioactive compounds have been shown to promote cell cycle arrest, reduce tumor size, and exhibit synergistic effects with other anticancer agents. Consequently, the combination of natural products with nanotechnology holds significant therapeutic potential.

Reported accidents involving scorpion poisoning by Tityus serrulatus are the most frequent in Brazil. The only specific treatment for envenomation is the administration of antivenoms associated with traditional adjuvants. Novel adjuvants are studied to reduce or avoid side effects and potentialize the efficacy of conventional serum. In this study, poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles were functionalized with polyethylenimine for loading peptides and proteins of T. serrulatus venom, and their use as a potential immunoadjuvant was evaluated. The protein loading efficiency of about 100% and the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis assay confirmed the success of venom loading. Dynamic light scattering and zeta potential analysis supported small and narrow-sized cationic functionalized nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images showed nanoparticles with a spherical and smooth shape. The stability of tested formulations was accessed for six weeks, and the sustained release of proteins controlled by diffusion mechanism was also measured. Finally, in vivo immunization in BALB/c mice showed superior efficacy of the T. serrulatus venom protein-loaded nanoparticles compared to the traditional aluminum hydroxide immunoadjuvant. Thus, the formulations shown are promising nanocarriers to be used as a biotechnological approach to immunotherapy against scorpion envenomation.

The increasing prevalence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments has raised significant concerns due to their persistence, potential for bioaccumulation, and adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are largely inadequate for effectively removing MPs, especially those in the nanosize range. This review presents a detail analysis of the sources, pathways, detection methods, and health impact of MPs, while emphasizing the emerging role of nanotechnology in their remediation. Nanomaterials, including nanoadsorbents, photocatalysts, and advanced membrane materials, exhibit unique properties such as high surface area, enhanced reactivity, and tunable surface chemistry, which offer promising avenues for the selective and efficient removal of MPs from water. This paper also explores the mechanism, performance and limitations of various nanoenabled treatment strategies such as adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane filtration using materials like metal-organic frameworks, carbon-based nanomaterials, MXenes, and metal oxides. It also highlights recent innovations such as microrobotic systems and AI-assisted detection frameworks for MP monitoring. Despite high laboratory scale efficiencies, there are several challenges such as material scalability, environmental safety, regulatory frameworks, and real water applicability. This study proposes future directions for sustainable nanotechnology deployment, including green synthesis, hybrid system integration, and machine learning optimization. Together, these approaches aim to establish a comprehensive, scalable, and environmentally safe solution for the remediation of MPs in wastewater systems.

Biological systems and their structural and functional adaptations provide valuable insights into increasing the longevity of engineered materials. A striking example is the hemiparasitic European mistletoe (Viscum album), which forms a lifelong (over 20 years) connection with its host tree, providing physiological supply and mechanical anchorage. The V-shaped interface between mistletoe and host is characterized by a lignification and cell wall gradient that bridges the mechanical differences between the adjacent tissues. These characteristics of the mistletoe-host interface can be transferred to functionally graded polymeric materials. Using extrusion molding and hot pressing, we developed a material system that combines pure and glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene and exhibits a continuously graded mistletoe-inspired V-shaped interface. Microtomographic analyses quantified the gradual transition of the glass fiber content along one specimen from 0 to 30%, further revealing the random fiber orientation in the polymer matrix. Tensile tests showed that both Young's modulus (by 38%) and ultimate tensile strength (by 62%) could be increased by introducing V-shaped interfaces. Digital image correlation analysis and the fracture images showed that the positioning of the area with the highest glass fiber content can lead to spatial control over local strain behavior and the failure point. Moreover, this phenomenon was transferred to metamaterial structures where the material gradient counteracts the geometric gradient (beam thickness). The results highlight the effective anchoring method of mistletoe through graded structuring of the interface with the host branch and provide a framework for creating bioinspired functionally graded material systems with programmable local strain and failure behavior.

Increasing the efficiency of quantum processors is possible by moving from two-level qubits to elements with a larger computational base. An example would be a transmon-based superconducting atom, but the new basic elements require new approaches to control. To solve the control problem, we propose the use of nonclassical fields in which the number of photons is comparable to the number of levels in the computational basis. Using theoretical analysis, we have shown that (i) our approach makes it possible to efficiently populate on demand even relatively high energy levels of the qudit starting from the ground state; (ii) by changing the difference between the characteristic frequencies of the superconducting atom and a single field mode, we can choose which level to populate; and (iii) even the highest levels can be effectively populated on a sub-nanosecond time scale. We also propose the quantum circuit design of a real superconducting system in which the predicted rapid control of the transmon-based qudit can be demonstrated.

Vertically aligned TiO₂ nanowires demonstrate exceptional photoactivity owing to their high specific surface area and improved charge separation; however, their unsatisfactory interaction with target contaminants diminishes photocatalytic degradation efficiency in water. Here, we present a mild solution method to precipitate anatase TiO₂ nanowire arrays, measuring 1.5 μm in thickness, over carbon cloth to ensure substantial interactions with target pollutants and, in turn, a superior photoactivity. Compared to TiO₂ nanowire arrays grown on metallic Ti substrates, TiO₂ nanowires supported on carbon cloth substrates demonstrate markedly superior efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin (OFL) molecules in water when exposed to UV light. The TiO₂ nanowires remove 90-97% OFL in water with a high initial concentration of 50 ppm in 6 h under UV light irradiation for up to six cycles. The contributions of the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) additive were also studied. An enhanced efficiency could be achieved only when the H₂O₂ in water reaches a critical amount, below which a negative effect is noted. This investigation demonstrates the potential of improving the photoactivity of one-dimensional TiO₂ nanostructures by utilizing a highly adsorptive substrate, which can help mitigate the effects of hazardous materials in water.

The paper presents a mathematical model for studying the magnetic behavior of atoms, which takes into account spin and interatomic interactions. Two problems were solved by means of mathematical modeling. At the first stage, the problem of modeling a small nanoscale system (500 atoms) consisting of cobalt atoms was solved. The purpose of this stage of computational experiment was to check the convergence of the solution and compare the obtained data with the results of other studies. The performed calculations and satisfactory correspondence to the previously obtained data confirmed the adequacy of the applied mathematical model. The second stage of numerical studies was devoted to the analysis of the magnetic behavior of cobalt nanofilms of different thicknesses. It was shown that the film thickness has a significant influence on the magnetic parameters of the modeled nanoscale systems. It was found that the magnetic energy and magnetization norm of the system change in a nonlinear manner with increasing number of crystalline layers of the nanofilm. The peaks found on the graph of the magnetization rate change can be caused by surface effects in thin films and the formation of Neel domain walls.

In this study, silicon nanoparticles (NPs) were produced by pulsed laser ablation in a liquid, aiming to investigate the influence of a laser beam profile on the properties of the resultant NPs. Morphology, inner structure, and phase composition of the formed NPs were characterized by means of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies, and the correlation of the NP properties with the laser beam profile was studied. Three different beam profiles were selected, namely, a Bessel beam produced using an axicon, an annular profile formed using a combination of an axicon and a converging lens, and a Gaussian beam focused on the surface of a Si target using the same converging lens. In all the schemes, a nanosecond Nd³⁺:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 10 ns operating at its fundamental harmonic (1064 nm) was used as an ablation source. The beam profile has been shown to be a crucial factor significantly influencing morphology and composition of the nanostructures produced. Namely, the conditions generated using a Bessel beam profile favored the production of nanostructures having elongated filament-like morphology. The synthesized colloidal Si NPs are suggested for applications as a component of electrode materials in supercapacitors and batteries.

Transient electronics are emerging as a promising class of devices designed to disappear after a defined operational period, addressing growing concerns over sustainability and long-term biocompatibility. Built from biodegradable materials that undergo hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation, these systems are particularly well suited for temporary implantable applications, such as neural monitors, wireless stimulators, and drug delivery vehicles, as well as environmentally benign electronics for soil or aquatic disposal. Despite their potential, key challenges remain in expanding the material set for diverse functionalities, achieving high-density integration for advanced operations, and enabling precise lifetime control through strategies such as protective encapsulation. This Perspective outlines critical opportunities and technical directions to guide the development of next-generation transient electronic systems.

Effective removal of trace heavy metal ions from aqueous bodies is a pressing problem and requires significant improvement in the area of absorbent material in terms of removal efficiency and sustainability. We propose an efficient strategy to enhance the adsorption efficiency of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by growing dendrimers on their surface. First, CNTs were pre-functionalized with maleic acid (MA) via Diels-Alder reaction in presence of a deep eutectic solvent under ultrasonication. Subsequently, dendrimers of varying length were grown by the repeated reaction of ethylene diamine and MA. Raman spectroscopy was specifically used to confirm the Diels-Alder reaction on the surface of CNTs, and other characterization techniques (SEM, EDX, XRD, TGA, and FTIR) were applied to confirm the successive growth of the dendrimers. Highly dendrimerized CNTs were found to be more effective in removing heavy metal ions (Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺) from aqueous solutions with enhanced recyclability than less dendrimerized CNTs. Kinetic studies have revealed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model, and the rate-limiting step was mainly chemisorption. This study has not only excluded the involvement of harmful chemicals to pre-functionalize the CNTs with high loading but also provided an effective way to enhance the adsorption of heavy metal ions.