Interfacial Li Diffusion Booster Accelerated by Enhanced Metal-Organic Framework Sieving and Wettability for High-Voltage Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are promising for realizing higher energy density. However, the poor interfacial Li transport kinetics and Li dendrite growth inhibit SSLMBs, leading to sluggish interfacial ion diffusion and depressive lifespan, which is attributed to high barriers blocked by anions or interface space in solid-state electrolytes. Herein, a flexible solid-state polymer skeleton employed with ionic liquid and metal-organic frameworks (PIM) electrolyte is proposed to strengthen interfacial Li ion exchange by improving the Li sieving effect and interfacial wettability.

Effect of temperature and relative humidity on the effectiveness of graphene on stored product insects.

This investigation assessed the insecticidal efficacy of two graphene formulations (Gr1 and Gr2) on wheat kernels against adults of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in relation to temperature and relative humidity (RH) at concentrations of 500 and 1000 ppm.

Electroconductive Antibacterial Bioinks Enable Electrical Stimulation Enhancement of Proliferation and Elongation of Human Skin Fibroblasts.

The limited electrical conductivity and poor antibacterial performance of many existing bioinks hinder their effectiveness in wound healing applications, where mimicking the native electrical properties of skin and preventing infection are critical. In this study, we developed multifunctional electroconductive and antibacterial bioinks designed to work synergistically with electrical stimulation (ES) therapy to overcome these limitations. These new bioinks are formulated by integrating the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) into a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and alginate (ALG) biopolymer matrix, followed by ionic cross-linking using Ga ions.

Machine Learning-Enhanced Chemiresistive Sensors for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Methanol Adulteration in Alcoholic Beverages.

Methanol poisoning poses significant health risks, particularly in less developed countries, where adulterated alcoholic beverages often lead to severe morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic methods, such as gas-liquid chromatography and blood gas analysis, are complex and prohibitively expensive, making them inaccessible in resource-constrained settings. To address this issue, we present a novel, simple, low-cost chemiresistive sensor for the rapid, selective, and ultrasensitive detection of methanol at ultralow concentrations in the presence of high ethanol concentrations.

Combined Effects of Dual-Scale Modified Surface with Micro- and Nanostructures on the Cellular Biocompatibility, Osteoinduction, and Antibacterial Properties of Titanium Implants.

Titanium implants are widely used in biomedical applications due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, implant-associated bacterial infections and suboptimal osseointegration remain significant challenges. Recent studies have demonstrated that the interplay between micro- and nanostructures can enhance both biocompatibility and antibacterial properties.

Affinity enrichment of placental extracellular vesicles from minimally processed maternal plasma with magnetic nanowires.

Affinity based enrichment of cell/tissue specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) with magnetic materials and analysis of their molecular cargo has the potential to improve assay sensitivity/specificity compared to whole plasma analysis. For example, syncytiotrophoblast EVs (STBEVs) shed from the placenta during pregnancy carry placental diagnostic markers relevant to pregnancy complications linked to placental insufficiency such as placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), Neprilysin (NEP) and Placental Protein 13 (PP13). However, the need for sample pre-enrichment of EVs from plasma adds significant complexity, time and cost.

Harnessing mixed-phase MoS for efficient room-temperature ammonia sensing.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS), a notable two-dimensional (2D) material, has attracted considerable interest for its potential applications in gas sensing, despite its typically insulating characteristics, which have limited its practical use. In this study, we present the use of mixed phase MoS (1T@2H-MoS) to overcome sensing limitations of MoS material by enhancing its conductivity and demonstrating its high-performance characteristics for sensing ammonia (NH) at room temperature (20 °C). The 1T@2H-MoS was synthesized a hydrothermal process, and the coexistence of two different phases (the 1T and 2H phases) was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy.

Quantifying the Epoxide Group and Epoxide Index in Graphene Oxide by Catalyst-Assisted Acid Titration.

Graphene oxide (GO), having diverse oxygen functional groups, including carboxyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl, and epoxy groups, is a significant graphene-related 2D material (GR2M) essential for various applications. The quantification of these functional groups traditionally utilizes Boehm acid titration, which, however, does not account for epoxy groups crucial for these applications. Presently, there exists no analytical method enabling quantitative assessment of the concentration of epoxy groups in GO available in the market in different forms such as powders, pastes, and dispersions.

Graphene powders as new contact nanopesticides: Revealing key parameters on their insecticidal activity for stored product insects.

The overuse and reliance on pesticides has caused insects to develop resistance with global concerns. To address this problem extensive research is directed to find new and sustainable alternatives using chemical-free and resistance-free solutions for pest control. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the insecticidal properties of several types of industrially produced graphene powder materials such as graphene and graphene oxide (GO) with micro- and nano size and different structural and chemical properties as new contact nanopesticides against three major stored grain insects: the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.

Development of novel iron(III) crosslinked bioinks comprising carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, and hyaluronic acid for soft tissue engineering applications.

The advent of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting offers a feasible approach to construct complex structures for soft tissue regeneration. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has been emerging as a very promising biomaterial for 3D bioprinting. However, due to the inability to maintain the post-printed stability, CMC needs to be physically blended and/or chemically crosslinked with other polymers.

Graphene and metal-organic framework hybrids for high-performance sensors for lung cancer biomarker detection supported by machine learning augmentation.

Conventional diagnostic methods for lung cancer, based on breath analysis using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, have limitations for fast screening due to their limited availability, operational complexity, and high cost. As potential replacement, among several low-cost and portable methods, chemoresistive sensors for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that represent biomarkers of lung cancer were explored as promising solutions, which unfortunately still face challenges. To address the key problems of these sensors, such as low sensitivity, high response time, and poor selectivity, this study presents the design of new chemoresistive sensors based on hybridised porous zeolitic imidazolate (ZIF-8) based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and laser-scribed graphene (LSG) structures, inspired by the architecture of the human lung.

Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity by curcumin loaded on ZnO@rGO nanocarrier for potential treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Curcumin (Cur) is an acidic polyphenol with some effects on α-glucosidase (α-Glu), but Cur has disadvantages such as being a weak target, lacking passing the blood-brain barrier and having low bioavailability. To enhance the curative effect of Cur, the hybrid composed of ZnO nanoparticles decorated on rGO was used to load Cur (ZnO@rGO-Cur). The use of the multispectral method and enzyme inhibition kinetics analysis certify the inhibitory effect and interaction mechanism of ZnO@rGO-Cur with α-Glu.

Ionic Liquid Boosting the Electrochemical Stability of a Poly(1,3-dioxolane) Gel Electrolyte for High-voltage Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

Poor interfacial contact between solid-state electrolytes and electrodes limits high-voltage performance of solid-state lithium batteries. A new gel electrolyte is proposed via in-situ polymerization, incorporating fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) solvent and ionic liquid1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (PP TFSI). This combination synergistically enhances Li ion transport, achieving a transfer number of 0.

Direct Atomic-Scale Insight into the Precipitation Formation at the Lanthanum Hydroxide Nanoparticle/Solution Interface.

Understanding precipitation formation at lanthanum hydroxide (La(OH)) nanoparticle-solution interfaces plays a crucial role in catalysis, adsorption, and electrochemical energy storage applications. Liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy enables powerful visualization with high resolution. However, direct atomic-scale imaging of the interfacial metal (hydro)oxide nanostructure in solutions has been a major challenge due to their beam-driven dissolution.

International Interlaboratory Comparison of Thermogravimetric Analysis of Graphene-Related Two-Dimensional Materials.

Research on graphene-related two-dimensional (2D) materials (GR2Ms) in recent years is strongly moving from academia to industrial sectors with many new developed products and devices on the market. Characterization and quality control of the GR2Ms and their properties are critical for growing industrial translation, which requires the development of appropriate and reliable analytical methods. These challenges are recognized by International Organization for Standardization (ISO 229) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 113) committees to facilitate the development of these methods and standards which are currently in progress.

Modulation of MG-63 Osteogenic Response on Mechano-Bactericidal Micronanostructured Titanium Surfaces.

Despite recent advances in the development of orthopedic devices, implant-related failures that occur as a result of poor osseointegration and nosocomial infection are frequent. In this study, we developed a multiscale titanium (Ti) surface topography that promotes both osteogenic and mechano-bactericidal activity using a simple two-step fabrication approach. The response of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells and antibacterial activity toward and bacteria was compared for two distinct micronanoarchitectures of differing surface roughness created by acid etching, using either hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sulfuric acid (HSO), followed by hydrothermal treatment, henceforth referred to as either MN-HCl or MN-HSO.

From Biowaste to Lab-Bench: Low-Cost Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for RNA Extraction and SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostics.

The gold standard for diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus is based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using centralized PCR facilities and commercial viral RNA extraction kits. One of the key components of these kits are magnetic beads composed of silica coated magnetic iron oxide (FeO or FeO) nanoparticles, needed for the selective extraction of RNA. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2019, due to a high demand across the world there were severe shortages of many reagents and consumables, including these magnetic beads required for testing for SARS-CoV-2.

Magnetic enrichment of immuno-specific extracellular vesicles for mass spectrometry using biofilm-derived iron oxide nanowires.

Immuno-specific enrichment of extracellular vesicles (EVs) can provide important information into cellular pathways underpinning various pathologies and for non-invasive diagnostics, including mass spectrometry-based analyses. Herein, we report an optimised protocol for immuno-magnetic enrichment of specific EV subtypes and their subsequent processing with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Specifically, we conjugated placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) antibodies to magnetic iron oxide nanowires (NWs) derived from bacterial biofilms and demonstrated the utility of this approach by enriching placenta-specific EVs (containing PLAP) from cell culture media.

Graphene woven fabric-polydimethylsiloxane piezoresistive films for smart multi-stimuli responses.

The outstanding properties of graphene, including its electromechanical property, could be engineered for wearable electronic sensor platforms. The tubular graphene weaved into a mesh or graphene woven fabrics (GWF) has been reported as one of the most sensitive materials for deformation detection, as well as a promising temperature sensor. Herein, we present the performance of our developed flexible, stretchable, and multiple sensitive sensors fabricated from GWF embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film substrate.

Converting Chrysotile Nanotubes into Magnesium Oxide and Hydroxide Using Lanthanum Oxycarbonate Hybridization and Alkaline Treatment for Efficient Phosphate Adsorption.

Magnesium oxide and hydroxide nanomaterials comprise a class of promising advanced functional metal nanomaterials whose use in environmental and material applications is increasing. Several strategies to synthesize these nanomaterials have been described but are unsustainable and uneconomic. This work reports on a processing strategy that turns natural magnesium-rich chrysotile into magnesium oxide and hydroxide nanoparticles via nanoparticle hybridization and an alkaline process while enabling La-based nanoparticles to coat the chrysotile nanotube surfaces.