Reusable graphene oxide-based composite membranes for highly efficient and fast removal of pesticides from real water matrixes.

Water contamination caused by the excessive use pesticides is a growing concern, as these chemicals threaten both human health and ecosystems biodiversity. Current remediation methods are often ineffective in addressing these contaminants, highlighting the need for new solutions. This work reports on graphene oxide (GO)-based composite membranes developed through different strategies for the adsorption of thiacloprid (THI) from wastewater.

Sustainable soft actuators based on chitosan and choline containing ionic liquids with high bending response.

The implementation of smart and multifunctional materials for sensor and actuator applications in the framework of the Internet of Things represents an increasing trend. Thus, it is relevant that those materials, together with increased functional response, comply with sustainability standards, being the use of natural polymers for their development and excellent opportunity. So, this work reports the development of sustainable bending actuators based on chitosan blended with different ionic liquids (ILs) sharing the same cation [Choline].

Validated metabolomic biomarkers in psychiatric disorders: a narrative review.

Schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder are severe and profoundly debilitating mental illnesses. Due to their heterogeneity and polygenic nature, the metabolic pathways and biological mechanisms underlying these conditions remain elusive. Consequently, diagnosing psychiatric disorders is a complex and multifaceted process, relying on clinical assessment and standardized diagnostic criteria.

Sustainable Fully Inkjet-Printed Humidity Sensor Based on Ionic Liquid and Hydroxypropyl Cellulose.

The increasing number of sensors contributing to the Internet of Things (IoT) aggravates the e-waste generated globally. Thus, it is an urgent necessity to develop more sustainable sensors. This paper presents a fully inkjet-printed dual-response (electrical and visual) humidity sensor based on hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and the ionic liquid bis(1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) tetrachloronickelate ([Bmim][NiCl]).

Sustainable Power Generation with an All-Silk Electronics-Based Yeast Wearable Biobattery.

Transient electronics, designed to disintegrate in a controlled manner after their useful life, have been proposed as a solution to mitigate the ecological and health impacts of electronic waste (e-waste). Despite this innovative approach, which has seen significant application in biologically integrated sensors and therapeutic devices, it still results in the accumulation of different materials and nanomaterials for the powering systems often based on batteries, which themselves contribute to the e-waste problem. Here, we explore the use of the silk cocoon from as a key component in the development of environmentally friendly all-silk electronics-based biobatteries.

Piezoelectric properties of collagen films: Insights into their potential for electroactive biomedical applications.

Electroactive biomaterials and, in particular, piezoelectric ones are gaining insight into tissue engineering and biomedical applications. Collagen is one of the most available biomaterials found in nature, and the present study focus on the evaluation of its piezoelectric response. Collagen extracted from bovine skin was used and the piezoelectric response was correlated to the physicochemical, thermal, morphological and mechanical properties.

Hydrogel In-Tape Electronic Tongue.

An electronic tongue is a sensor-based system designed to mimic human taste by detecting and analyzing the chemical properties of liquids through electrochemical methods. Here, we introduce the HITS concept, an electronic tongue system that enables rapid and sequential classification of various beverages. This system utilizes a single, cost-effective platform with interdigital electrodes made of carbon printed on recyclable poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), significantly reducing the need for multiple electrodes.

Sustainable Electrochemical-Magnetic Biosensor Fabricated from Recycled Materials for Label-Free Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Human Saliva.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need for scalable, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic solutions, especially in resource-limited settings. In this study, we developed a sustainable magnetic electrochemical biosensor for the mass testing of SARS-CoV-2, emphasizing affordability, environmental impact reduction, and clinical applicability. By leveraging recycled materials from spent batteries and plastics, we achieved a circular economy-based fabrication process with a recyclability rate of 98.

Expanding the Applicability of Electroactive Polymers for Tissue Engineering Through Surface Biofunctionalization.

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a synthetic semicrystalline fluoropolymer with great potential for tissue engineering applications. In addition to its excellent mechanical strength, thermal stability, biocompatibility and simple processability into different morphologies, the relevance of PVDF-based materials for tissue engineering applications comes for its electroactive properties, which include piezo-, pyro- and ferroelectricity. Nevertheless, its synthetic nature and inherent hydrophobicity strongly limit the applicability of this polymer for certain purposes, particularly those involving cell attachment.

Environmentally Friendly Photoluminescent Coatings for Corrosion Sensing.

Although an increasing number of studies are being devoted to the field of corrosion, with topics from protection to sensing strategies, there is still a lack of research based on environmentally eco-friendly materials, which is essential in the transition to sustainable technologies. Herein, environmentally friendly composites, based on photoluminescent salts dispersed in vegetable oil-based resins, are prepared and investigated as corrosion sensing coatings. Two salts NaA, where A- is a lanthanide complex anion (with Ln = Nd, and Yb), are incorporated into the resins as active functional fillers and different coatings are prepared on carbon steel substrates to assess their functional properties.

Wireless Stimulation of Barium Titanate@PEDOT Nanoparticles Toward Bioelectrical Modulation in Cancer.

Cancer cells possess distinct bioelectrical properties, yet therapies leveraging these characteristics remain underexplored. Herein, we introduce an innovative nanobioelectronic system combining a piezoelectric barium titanate nanoparticle core with a conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) shell (BTO@PEDOT NPs), designed to modulate cancer cell bioelectricity through noninvasive, wireless stimulation. Our hypothesis is that acting as nanoantennas, BTO@PEDOT NPs convert mechanical inputs provided by ultrasound (US) into electrical signals, capable of interfering with the bioelectronic circuitry of two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.

Insights into the electroactive impact of magnetic nanostructures in PVDF composites small-angle neutron scattering.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is technologically relevant due to its thermal stability; chemical, mechanical and radiation resistance; transparency; biocompatibility; and ease of processing. Several of those applications are related to its high electroactivity, for which the β-phase of the polymer is its most renowned protagonist. In this context, extensive research has been conducted on the crystallization of PVDF in the β-phase, when processed from melt and from solution.

Low-Impedance Hybrid Carbon Structures on SiO: A Sequential Gas-Phase Coating Approach.

Carbon coating on SiO surface is crucial for enhancing initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and cycling performance in batteries, while also buffering volume expansion. Despite its market prevalence, the effects of the carbon layer's quality and structure on the electrochemical properties of SiO remain underexplored. This study compares carbon layers produced via gas-phase and solid-phase coating methods, introducing an innovative technique that sequentially uses two gases to develop a low-impedance hybrid carbon structure.

Tailoring poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) membrane microstructure for lithium-ion battery separator applications.

Novel battery separators based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene)- P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)- were produced by different processing techniques (non-solvent and thermally induced phase separation, salt leaching and electrospinning), in order to evaluate their effect on separator morphology, degree of porosity and pore size, electrochemical parameters and battery cycling behavior. It has been demonstrated that the different processing techniques have a significant influence on the morphology and mechanical properties of membranes. The degree of porosity varies between 23 % and 66 %, for membranes obtained by salt leaching and thermally induced phase separation, respectively.

Biodegradable Natural Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering, Controlled Release, and Soil Remediation.

This article provides insights into hydrogels of the most promising biodegradable natural polymers and their mechanisms of degradation, highlighting the different possibilities of controlling hydrogel degradation rates. Since biodegradable hydrogels can be designed as scaffolding materials to mimic the physical and biochemical properties of natural tissues, these hydrogels have found widespread application in the field of tissue engineering and controlled release. In the same manner, their potential as water reservoirs, macro- and microelement carriers, or matrixes for the selective adsorption of pollutants make them excellent candidates for sustainable soil amendment solutions.

Cu-Assisted Synthesis of Ultrasharp and Sub-10 nm Gold Nanostars. Applications in Catalysis, Sensing, and Photothermia.

Gold nanostars have shown enormous potential as the main enablers of advanced applications ranging from biomedicine to sensing or catalysis. Their unique anisotropic structure featuring sharp spikes that grow from a central core offers enhanced optical capabilities and spectral tunability. Although several synthesis methods yield NSs of different morphologies and sizes up to several hundred nanometers, obtaining small NSs, while maintaining their plasmonic properties in the near-infrared, has proven challenging and elusive.

AC/DC Magnetic Field Sensing Based on a Piezoelectric Polymer and a Fully Printed Planar Spiral Coil.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is emerging as an eco-friendly method for minimizing waste, as the demand for responsive materials in IoT and Industry 4.0 is on the rise. Magnetoactive composites, which are manufactured through AM, facilitate nonintrusive remote sensing and actuation.

Self-sensing magnetic actuator based on sustainable collagen hybrid nanocomposites.

Taking into account that natural polymers are renewable and biodegradable, hybrid materials based on natural polymers are required for advanced technological applications with reduced environmental footprint. In this work, sustainable composites have been developed based on collagen as a polymeric matrix and different magnetic fillers, in order to tailor magnetic response. The composites were prepared by solution casting with 30 wt% of magnetite nanoparticles (FeO NPs), magnetite nanorods (FeO NRs) or cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFeO NPs).

Enhanced Electrochemiluminescence at the Gas/Liquid Interface of Bubbles Propelled into Solution.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is typically confined to a micrometric region from the electrode surface. This study demonstrates that ECL emission can extend up to several millimeters away from the electrode employing electrogenerated chlorine bubbles. The mechanism behind this bubble-enhanced ECL was investigated using an Au microelectrode in chloride-containing and chloride-free electrolyte solutions.

Inkjet-Printed Bio-Based Melanin Composite Humidity Sensor for Sustainable Electronics.

A lack of sustainability in the design of electronic components contributes to the current challenges of electronic waste and material sourcing. Common materials for electronics are prone to environmental, economic, and ethical problems in their sourcing, and at the end of their life often contribute to toxic and nonrecyclable waste. This study investigates the inkjet printing of flexible humidity sensors and includes biosourced and biodegradable materials to improve the sustainability of the process.

Towards Sustainable Temperature Sensor Production through CO-Derived Polycarbonate-Based Composites.

The steep increase in carbon dioxide (CO) emissions has created great concern due to its role in the greenhouse effect and global warming. One approach to mitigate CO levels involves its application in specific technologies. In this context, CO can be used for a more sustainable synthesis of polycarbonates (CO-PCs).

Sustainable Lignin-Reinforced Chitosan Membranes for Efficient Cr(VI) Water Remediation.

The pollution of aquatic environments is a growing problem linked to population growth and intense anthropogenic activities. Because of their potential impact on human health and the environment, special attention is paid to contaminants of emerging concern, namely heavy metals. Thus, this work proposes the use of naturally derived materials capable of adsorbing chromium (VI) (Cr(VI)), a contaminant known for its potential toxicity and carcinogenic effects, providing a sustainable alternative for water remediation.

The surface charge of electroactive materials governs cell behaviour through its effect on protein deposition.

The precise mechanisms underlying the cellular response to static electric cues remain unclear, limiting the design and development of biomaterials that utilize this parameter to enhance specific biological behaviours. To gather information on this matter we have explored the interaction of collagen type-I, the most abundant mammalian extracellular protein, with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), an electroactive polymer with great potential for tissue engineering applications. Our results reveal significant differences in collagen affinity, conformation, and interaction strength depending on the electric charge of the PVDF surface, which subsequently affects the behaviour of mesenchymal stem cells seeded on them.