Chemical Reduction Method Research Articles

Anticancer potential of folic acid functionalized Ag-Zn bimetallic nanoparticles

In the current study, silver-zinc bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) have been synthesized using folic acid (FA) for investigating their potential against HepG-2 cancer cell lines. These FA-Ag/Zn BNPs were prepared and characterized using different techniques. UV/Vis analysis indicated absorbance peaks at 360 nm and 440 nm confirming the presence of BNPs. FTIR analyses confirmed the formation of FA-Ag/Zn BNPs and SEM images revealed a grain-like morphology which is uniformly distributed throughout with a particle size of 65.22 nm. The XRD diffractogram revealed crystal structure of the said BNP’s as face-centered cubic (FCC) having a crystallite size of 23.29 nm. Synthesized nanoparticles (FA-Ag/Zn BNPs) were then tested for their anticancer potential i.e. cellular mitochondrial activity was measured using MTT assay with varied concentration of the synthesized BNPs from 10 to 400 µg/mL. Maximum cytotoxicity (CTY) was recorded for 400 µg/mL of BNPs showing a significant cytotoxicity against HepG-2 cells as compared to the control. The current study may be considered as a significant in providing alternative route for chemotherapy. This route would be much safer, cost-effective and feasible due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which eventually result in death of cancerous cells.

A critical overview on impact of different nano-catalytic assemblies for photodegradation of tetracycline

Abstract Recently, the removal of tetracycline, a toxic material, from aquatic medium has been a trending subject of research. Several different technologies including adsorption, biological removal method, solvent extraction, coagulation, chemical reduction, photocatalysis and ion exchange method for removal of tetracyclines from wastewater have been reported. However, photocatalysis of tetracyclines (TC) has gained huge interest because of more efficient mineralization of TC into CO2 and water. Several different nanomaterial based photocatalytic assemblies for the removal of tetracyclines have been widely reported for the removal of tetracyclines which have not been critically reviewed in the literature. This study provides an overview of recent progress of classification, synthesis, characterizations, mechanism of inorganic and metal organic framework nanocatalytic assemblies on photocatalysis of tetracyclines in aquatic medium. Additionally, kinetics and factors affecting the photocatalysis of tetracyclines have been discussed briefly. Future perspectives have also been presented for further advancement in this area.

Xanthan gum-capped Chromia Nanoparticles (XG-CrNPs): A promising nanoprobe for the detection of heavy metal ions

The present study reports on the selective and sensitive detection of metals using xanthan gum-capped chromia nanoparticles (XG-CrNPs). The nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical reduction method using sodium borohydride and xanthan gum as the reducing and capping agents, respectively. The synthesis of XG-CrNPs was confirmed by the appearance of the two absorption peaks at 272 nm and 371 nm in the UV–visible region. The nanoparticles have been extensively characterized by FTIR, TEM-EDX, XRD, and TGA analyses. The well-dispersed XG-CrNPs exhibited a quasi-spherical structure with an average particle size of 3 nm. A significantly low amount (2 μg/L) of XG-CrNPs was used for selective and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions. It showed excellent metal detecting properties by quenching its band gap signal which was extraordinarily conspicuous for Co(II), Hg(II), and Cd(II) in comparison to other metal ions like Ag(I), Ba(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II). The limit of detection of Co(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) with this nanoprobe was found to be 2.167 μM, 1.065 μM, and 0.601 μM respectively. The nanoparticles manifested higher shelf-life and can be reused up to three consecutive cycles where most of its activity was conserved even after being used. Thus, it may find use in metal sensor devices for the detection of hazardous metals.

Palladium‐Boride Nanoflowers with Controllable Boron Content for Formic Acid Electrooxidation

AbstractThe rational design of the electronic structure and elemental compositions of anode electrocatalysts for formic acid electrooxidation reaction (FAOR) is paramount for realizing high‐performance direct formic acid fuel cells. Herein, palladium‐boride nanoflowers (Pd‐B NFs) with controllable boron content are rationally designed via a simple wet chemical reduction method, utilizing PdII‐dimethylglyoxime as precursor and NaBH4 as both reductant and boron source. The boron content of Pd‐B NFs can be regulated through manipulation of reaction time, accompanying with the crystal phase transition from face‐centered cubic to hexagonal close‐packed within the parent Pd lattice. The obtained Pd‐B NFs exhibit increased FAOR mass and specific activity with increasing boron content, showcasing remarkable inherent stability and anti‐poisoning capability compare to commercial Pd and platinum (Pt) nanocrystals. Notably, the sample reacted for 12 h reveals high FAOR specific activity (31.5 A m−2), which is approximately two times higher than the commercial Pd nanocrystals. Density functional theory calculations disclose that the d‐sp orbital hybridization between Pd and B modifies surface d‐band properties of Pd, thereby optimizing the adsorption of key intermediates and facilitating FAOR kinetics on the Pd surface. This study paves the way toward the utilization of metal boride‐based materials with simple synthesis methods for various electrocatalysis applications.

FeCoNiMgB high-entropy boride powder with a fluffy cotton structure and enhanced activity in the oxygen evolution reaction

Exploring efficient, low-cost electrocatalysts is critical for improving the efficiency of water splitting reactions. Noble-metal-based oxides exhibit high activities in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, their high cost and the lack of natural resources hinder their practical application. Therefore, in this study, we successfully synthesized an FeCoNiMgB high-entropy boride powder via a facile chemical reduction method for use as an OER catalyst in an alkaline medium. The FeCoNiMgB powder, with an ultrathin fluffy cotton structure, exhibited an excellent OER catalytic performance, affording an overpotential of 268 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and a low Tafel slope of 42.9 mV/dec; this performance was superior to those of FeCoNiB, FeNiMgB, CoNiMgB, FeCoMgB, and commercial RuO2. The FeCoNiMgB powder also displayed remarkably stable catalytic properties for >72 h with no clear evidence of degradation. Finally, using theoretical calculations, the excellent OER performance of FeCoNiMgB was verified in terms of its adsorption and charge transfer energies and covalence. The performance and stability of FeCoNiMgB were equivalent or superior to those of several nanostructured catalysts, and thus, this study provided valuable insight into the design of efficient high-entropy boride materials.

Synthesis of an innovative SF/NZVI catalyst and investigation of its effectiveness on bio-oil production in liquefaction process alongside other parameters

Today, new energy sources alternative to fossil fuels are needed to meet the increasing energy demand. It is becoming increasingly important to constitute new energy sources from waste biomass through the liquefaction process. In this study, walnut shells (WS) were liquefied catalytically and non-catalytically under different parameters using the liquefaction method. In this process, the effect of silica fume/nano zero-valent iron (SF/NZVI) catalysts on the conversion rates was investigated. The catalyst was synthesized by reducing NZVI using a liquid phase chemical reduction method on SF. The SF/NZVI catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The effect of various process parameters on the liquefaction process was investigated. In this context, the reaction temperature ranged from 300 to 400 °C, the solid/solvent ratio ranged from 1/1 to 1/3, the reaction time ranged from 30 to 90 min, and the catalyst concentration ranged from 1 to 6%. According to the results obtained, the most suitable operating conditions for non-catalytic experiments in liquefaction of WS were found to be temperature of 400 °C, reaction time of 60 min, and solid/solvent of 1/3. In catalytic conditions, the optimum values were obtained as temperature of 375 °C, reaction time of 60 min, solid/solvent ratio of 1/3, and catalyst concentration of 6%. The highest total conversion and (oil + gas) % conversion were 90.4% and 46.7% under non-catalytic conditions and 90.7% and 62.3% under catalytic conditions, respectively. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed the bio-oil was mainly composed of aromatic compounds (benzene, butyl-, indane and their derivatives,) and polyaromatic compounds (naphthalene, decahydro-, cis-, naphthalene, 1-methyl-.). The aim of increasing the quantity and quality of the light liquid product in the study has been achieved.

Novel short Agave americana based biocomposite and nanobiocomposites for automotive applications

Short fibers of Agave Americana (AA) was extracted from its plant leaf, was chemically treated with Ac2O, HCOOH, H2O2, KMnO4 and NaOH, and then characterized by Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermo-gravimetric/differential thermo-gravimetric (TGA/DTG), and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). PVA stabilized copper nanoparticles from chemical reduction method was characterized using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermogravimetry (TGA/DTG). Bio-composites (AA + Polyester Resin (PE) and hybrid nano bio-composites (AA + Polyester Resin (PE) + Cu) were prepared from the untreated and treated AA fibers and further characterized. The synergistic effect of chemical treatment on morphological (SEM), thermal (TGA/DTG), mechanical properties (flexural, tensile, impact and compressive strength) followed by % water absorption were examined. The average surface roughness values (Ra) of chemical treated fiber was identified to be in decreasing manner along with compression strength of biocomposite in the order of untreated (10.74 μm, 44.01 MPa) > NaOH (8.55 μm, 45.07 MPa) > HCOOH (3.49 μm, 24.10 MPa) Ac2O (3.24 μm, 22.10 MPa) > H2O2 (2.51um, 17.9 MPa) > KMnO4 (1.52 μm, 15.1 MPa) treated fibers. Subsequently, the addition of 2s@PVA led to reverse the order namely, the compressive strength of the bionanocomposites were Untreated (10.74 μm, 9.0 MPa) < NaOH (8.55 μm, 0.1 MPa) < HCOOH (3.49 μm, 3.6 MPa) < Ac2O (3.24 μm, 7.6 MPa) < H2O2 (2.51um, 13.3 MPa) < KMnO4 (1.52 μm, 44.1 MPa) treated fibers. Similarly, the biocomposite where the fibres were treated with NaOH, HCOOH were more rough and had, good interconnection between fiber/PE matrix along with enhanced mechanical properties. On addition of nanobiocomposite, only KMnO4 treated fiber composite possed significant mechanical properties. Therefore, mixing CuNPs@PVA with KMnO4 treated fibers led to significant boost to the mechanical properties and minimised the % water absorption properties when compared to the untreated AA/PE biocomposites. The KMnO4 treatment of the AA fiber and addition of copper nanoparticles caused the enhancement of thermal properties, tensile strength and flexural strength. But, these nanobiocomposites were observed to have low impact strength; while, H2O2 treated nanobiocomposites had highest impact strength. The chemical treatment of the AA fiber with NaOH, Ac2O and KMnO4 developed the water resistance of the respective biocomposites. All the nanobiocomposites with chemically treated AA fibers (except Ac2O) were found to have high water resistance. So, they can be used in automotive industry for non-structural applications.

Preparation, Characterization, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharide-Nano-Selenium and Selenized Polysaccharides from Acanthopanax senticosus.

Acanthopanax senticosus polysaccharide-nano-selenium (ASPS-SENPS) and A. selenopanax selenized polysaccharides (Se-ASPS) were synthesized, and their characterization and biological properties were compared. The acid extraction method was used to extract the polysaccharides of A. selenopanax, followed by decolorization using the hydrogen peroxide method and deproteinization based on the Sevage method, and the purification of A. senticosus polysaccharides (ASPS) was carried out using the cellulose DEAE-52 ion column layer analysis method. An A. senticosus polysaccharide-nano-selenium complex was synthesized by a chemical reduction method using ASPS as dispersants. The selenization of polysaccharides from A. selenopanax was carried out using the HNO3-Na2SeO3 method. The chemical compositions, scanning electron microscopy images, infrared spectra, and antioxidant properties of ASPS-SENPS and Se-ASPS were studied, and they were also subjected to thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicated that the optimal conditions for the synthesis of ASPS-SENPS include the following: when ASPS accounts for 10%, the ratio of ascorbic acid and sodium selenium should be 4:1, the response time should be 4 h, and the reaction temperature should be 50 °C. The most favorable conditions for the synthesis of Se-ASPS were as follows: m (Na2SeO3):m (ASPS) = 4:5, response temperature = 50 °C, and response time = 11.0 h. In the in vitro antioxidant assay, when the mass concentration of Se-ASPS and ASPS-SENPS was 5 mg/mL, the removal rates for DPPH free radicals were 88.44 ± 2.83% and 98.89 ± 3.57%, respectively, and the removal rates for ABTS free radicals were 90.11 ± 3.43% and 98.99 ± 1.73%, respectively, stronger than those for ASPS. The current study compares the physiological and bioactivity effects of ASPS-SENPS and Se-ASPS, providing a basis for future studies on polysaccharides.

Silver Nanoparticles as Antiviral and Antibacterial Agents: A Comprehensive Review of Synthesis Methods and Therapeutic Application

AbstractSilver nanoparticles have shown inhibitory capabilities and its use in battling viral infections are strengthened by its potent antibacterial activity. Notably, since it directly affects antiviral efficacy, the proper choice of synthesis process for making silver nanoparticles is a vital element to be taken into consideration. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles for the treatment of viral and bacterial infections involves creating silver particles at the nanoscale with unique antimicrobial properties. Various methods exist for synthesizing silver nanoparticles, including chemical reduction, green synthesis, and physical methods. Chemical reduction involves using reducing agents to convert silver ions into silver nanoparticles. Green synthesis employs reducing agents in an environmentally friendly manner. Physical methods rely on techniques such as laser ablation or thermal evaporation to produce silver nanoparticles. In order to provide technological guidance for choosing antiviral silver nanoparticle manufacturing methods, this paper introduces and explores alternative synthesis methods for creating silver nanoparticles.

Highly active polyethylene glycol grafted cellulose supported Pd nanoparticles for glucose electrooxidation

In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafted cellulose (CE) composite catalyst support material (PEG-CE) was obtained by chemically cross-linking PEG at varying molecular weight and CE with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 2,4-toluylene diisocyanate (TDI). PEG-CE supported Pd (Pd/PEG-CE) catalyst was prepared by the chemical reduction method. The crystal size of the Pd/PEG-CE catalyst is 4.79 nm and its crystal structure has been determined to be face-centered cubic Pd. Elemental mapping results indicate that Pd was reduced onto PEG-CE successfully and uniformly. Pd exists in the elemental and Pd-O form in the catalyst system. The Pd loading rate of Pd/PEG-C_IPDI catalyst was determined as 18.8% by mass. Among the PEG-CEs prepared with TDI and IPDI, PEG4000-CE_TDI and PEG6000-CE_IPDI displayed the highest specific activities of 1.03 and 1.50 mA cm−2 for glucose electrooxidation. With Pd reduction on PEG4000-CE_TDI and PEG6000-CE_IPDI, the specific activities increased to 1.62 mA cm−2 and 6.97 mA cm‐2. Pd/PEG6000-CE_IPDI has the highest electrocatalytic activity and stability in this study for glucose electrooxidation and is an encouraging anode catalyst for direct glucose fuel cells.

Highly active Pd nanoparticles decorated on benzene‐ring doped g‐C3N4 as catalyst in methylene Blue degradation and Cr (VI) ions reduction

The development of simply prepared, highly active and reusable nanocatalysts for methylene blue degradation (MB) or Cr (VI) ions reduction under sunlight conditions in wastewater remains a challenge in the field of green chemistry. Addressed herein is the catalyst of Pd(0) nanoparticles supported on benzene ring doped graphitic carbon nitride (Pd@BD‐g‐C3N4) for MB degradation or Cr (VI) ions reduction under visible light irradiation. Pd@BD‐g‐C3N4 nanocatalyst has been synthesized using the facile wet impregnation–chemical reduction method to boost the catalytic efficiency of BD‐g‐C3N4. The MB degradation or Cr (VI) ions reduction proceeded efficiently in the presence of Pd@BD‐g‐C3N4. Compared with pure BD‐g‐C3N4 in both studies, the hybrid photocatalyst Pd@BD‐g‐C3N4‐exhibited enhanced visible light photoactivity was higher than of pure BD‐g‐C3N4. In addition, in the reusability tests, it was observed that the Pd@BD‐g‐C3N4 photocatalyst has good stability and repeated cycle performance. The electronic and morphologic structure of support material and nanocatalyst were characterized by several techniques such as FT‐IR, DR/UV‐Vis, BET, SEM‐EDX, HR‐TEM, P‐XRD, and XPS analyses.

Bi/BiVO4 tailoring molecular oxygen activation for SPR-promoted photocatalytic contaminant removal

In recent years, photocatalytic technology has been gained widespread attention in contaminants removal due to its green, low-carbon, sustainable properties. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) with decahedral shapes has emerged as a promising photocatalyst with unique photoinduced charges directional transfer. In this study, a simple wet chemical reduction method was used to load stable Bi0 nanoparticles in situ on the surface of decahedral BiVO4 to enhance the charges movement for molecular oxygen activation and tetracycline photodegradation. The formed Bi0 nanoparticles induced abundant oxygen vacancy defect states and surface plasmon resonance effects on BiVO4 nanoparticles surface. In aid of the special function of a surface heterojunction, decahedral BiVO4 can be photoexcited to produce more photogenerated carriers, and its separation efficiency is greatly improved, thus enhancing both the oxidative activity and photocatalytic activity. In the photocatalytic degradation process, superoxide radicals (∙O2−) showed the most significant contribution, and singlet oxygen (1O2) played junior role in tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) removal. 1O2 is obtained by ∙O2− and hole energy conversion, and some of it is produced by tetracycline photodecomposition under alkaline conditions. The BBV0.4 photocatalytic system has the best catalytic activity under weakly alkaline conditions, and the synergistic effect of photocatalysis and photodecomposition greatly improves the mineralization rate of TC. The large numbers of ∙O2− and 1O2 reactive oxygen species produced by BBV0.4 activation of oxygen play a crucial role in the photodegradation of TC via demethylation, deoxidation, deamination, ring-opening, and carbonylation to complete mineralization. This work studies in depth the change in the decahedral BiVO4 photocatalytic mechanism caused by the in situ introduce of bismuth metal, providing an efficient and environmentally friendly reference method for the rapid removal of tetracycline hydrochloride under alkaline conditions.

Hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride hydrolysis using a heterogeneous biocatalyst prepared with Zabrus tenebrionides Goeze 1777 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) chitin

Co–B/Chi, which is made up of highly distributed Co–B particles, was synthesized by impregnation and chemical reduction methods. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller adsorption and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were used to describe the morphology and microstructure of Co–B/Chi. The synthesized catalyst showed high catalytic activity in the hydrolysis reaction of NaBH4. The unsupported Co–B samples were compared with the chitin-supported Co–B catalyst, and the result showed that higher catalytic activity and good cycling stability for NaBH4 hydrolysis were obtained with the chitin-supported catalyst. The reaction conditions were investigated to achieve high hydrogen production. The maximum rate of hydrogen production was obtained at 40 °C and 20 mg catalyst amount. At ideal conditions, the hydrolysis reaction’s activation energy was determined to be 51.65 kJ mol−1. It is indicate that Co–B/Chi is a viable low-cost catalyst for the hydrolysis of NaBH4 for hydrogen production.

Effect of physicochemical properties of carbons on the performance of bead-type Pd/C catalysts for furfural hydrogenation

In green heterogeneous catalytic systems, alginate has emerged as a promising material for transforming powder catalysts into solid forms because of its sustainability and non-toxicity. Herein, the effect of carbon supports, including activated carbon (AC), carbon black (CB), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and carbon nanofibers (CNF), on a bead-type Pd/alginate-carbon catalyst was studied. Bead-type supports were synthesized by alginate gelation, and Pd-supported bead-type catalysts were prepared by a chemical reduction method. The catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of furfural was evaluated. Physical properties such as the specific surface area and pore volume of the carbon support greatly influenced the properties of the bead-type Pd/C catalyst. Pd/CB-alginate bead (AB), which had the highest specific surface area and pore volume, exhibited the smallest Pd particle size and dispersion, resulting in the highest catalytic performance. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited the highest FF conversion of 99 % and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol selectivity of 92 % under 20 bar of H2 at 35 ℃ for 4 h.

Soft synthesis and analysis of structural parameters upon photoactivity of visible-active BiVO4-based ternary heterojunctions

Cu2O/Pt–BiVO4 and Cu2O/Au–BiVO4 photocatalysts are synthesized using a mild reducing agent (ascorbic acid) by an in-situ chemical reduction method at 25 °C. Pt and Au nanoparticles with an approximate size from 15 to 25 nm were incorporated onto BiVO4 powders. Crystalline phases are refined with the Rietveld method to evidence whether structural parameters contribute to enhance the photoactivity of the composites. The influences of structural defects and deposited metal are investigated to establish a relationship with their photoactivities. The as-synthesized BiVO4-based ternary photocatalysts displayed a strong optical absorption from UV to visible light shorter than 514 nm, with a blue-shift compared to that of pure BiVO4, resulting from the addition of the Au and Pt nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activities of the as-synthesized materials are evaluated under visible-light irradiation using the mineralization of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and dicloxacillin (DCX). The mineralization percentages achieved with Cu2O/Pt-BVO4 and Cu2O/Au–BiVO4 after 240 min of irradiation were 85% for 4-CP and 33% for DCX. It is assumed that those levels of TOC removal are due to the lowest content of oxygen vacancies in the photocatalysts, decreasing hole trapping, and subsequently hindering their recombination with the photoexcited electrons. Under this premise, structural defects (i.e. oxygen deficiency) present a more important effect on the photoactivity of the BiVO4-based materials than crystallite size, or other structural parameters. Moreover, the activity can also be ascribed to the Z-scheme Cu2O/BiVO4 heterojunction enhancing redox potentials of charge carriers, the incorporation of Pt and Au nanoparticles, enhancing charge separation either by trapping photo-generated electrons, generating the electron sink effect.

Magnetoviscous properties of Fe-based amorphous magnetic fluids

Fe-Zr-B amorphous magnetic fluid has been prepared by a chemical reduction method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope and vibrating sample magnetometer have been utilized for the characterization of the structure, morphology, and magnetic property of Fe-based amorphous magnetic fluids. Besides, the magnetoviscous properties were also investigated. The results indicate that the Fe-Zr-B particles possess a non-crystalline structure with a particle size below 30 nm. The saturation magnetization of the amorphous particles is approximately 55 emu/g, exhibiting extremely low remanent magnetization and coercivity. We also investigated a parameter named Δη*=ηup-ηdown/ηdown, which characterizes the hysteresis effect between viscosity vs magnetic field. The results show that the relatively reduced viscosity △η* is negative below 124 mT, and becomes positive when the magnetic field is higher than 124 mT. We reveal the inverse associations between viscosity and magnetic fields, which can be attributed to the combined influence of thixotropy and magnetic fields. These discoveries present a fresh perspective on the magnetoviscous behavior of magnetic fluids.

ZSM‐5‐Promoted Co‐Based Light‐Assisted Thermocatalytic Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Catalyst for Production of Liquid Fuel

Light‐assisted thermocatalytic Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) provides a more efficient and sustainable approach to synthesizing high‐value chemicals compared to the thermal‐driven FTS. However, producing liquid fuel via cobalt‐based light‐assisted thermocatalytic FTS catalyst poses a challenge since photogenerated electrons increase CO conversion simultaneously with a significant reduction in the selectivity of C5+ product. Herein, a cobalt‐based light‐assisted thermocatalytic FTS catalyst containing ZSM‐5 molecular sieve promoter is prepared by a unique wet chemical reduction method, and the constructed 15%Co/Ta3N5‐ZSM‐5 catalyst exhibits nearly 90% C5+ product selectivity and 63% CO conversion under photothermal condition. Further characterization indicates that the simultaneous increase in the number of active sites and the density of acidic sites in the catalyst is crucial to achieve a simultaneous increase in CO conversion and C5+ product selectivity, which enables the catalyst to produce liquid fuel via light‐assisted thermocatalytic FTS reaction. This work provides an approach to introduce solar energy into the process of liquid fuel production, which can improve the sustainability of the liquid fuel production process.

Antibacterial hierarchical surface fabricated using nanoimprint lithography

AbstractAntibacterial materials and surfaces play an important role in various applications, including healthcare, food packaging, and environmental protection. This study investigated the use of nanoimprint lithography for the fabrication of antibacterial hierarchical polymer film. The hierarchical structures were produced on poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) films incorporated with silver (Ag) particles. The fabrication process involved an in situ chemical reduction method to synthesize the PVDF‐HFP/Ag film. Subsequently, a two‐step nanoimprint lithography technique was employed to create the hierarchical structures. Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the uniform distribution of these structures across the surface of the PVDF‐HFP/Ag film. The antibacterial properties of the produced samples were assessed using two model bacterial species, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli as representative bacteria models. Results demonstrated a significant improvement in antibacterial behavior, which is attributed to the presence of hierarchical structures on the surface of PVDF‐HFP/Ag films. This study offers insights into the development of antibacterial surfaces using nanoimprint lithography. These materials can be potentially used in various biomedical applications.

In vitro and In vivo Characterization of Laurus nobilis Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles as a Potential Treatment for Gastric Cancer Using SEM Images, PCR and Histopathology

In the current study, Laurus nobilis extract (ethanolic) was loaded into chitosan nanoparticles and studied for their potential anticancer activity against GC1436 cells using SEM images of LNECHNPs and CHNPs. In vitro studies showed that gastric cancer cells cultured with the nanoparticle system suppressed the proliferation and migration activity of cancer cells through suppressing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. The SEM images display that both LNECHNPs and CHNPs are round and possess a smooth surface. The smooth surface is a probable outcome of the manufacturing process used to create the nanoparticles, which can employ procedures like sol–gel or chemical reduction methods. Gene expression studies showed that the expression levels of PI3K and Akt genes were significantly reduced in GC1436 cells cultured with LNECHNPs Nephrotoxicity of the nanoparticles was studied in a rat model. In vivo study showed that the intravenous administration of the nanoparticle system did not impart significant nephrotoxicity in the animals 7 days post-injection. These results provide important insights into the safety of these nanocarrier systems, which could be beneficial in their potential application in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Optimization of Organic Capping Material on Silver Nanoparticles by Chemical Reduction and Its Functionalization for Plasmonic Sensor Application

The application of metal nanoparticles in medicine and optoelectronic devices recently has shown remarkable results. In the application of biosensor, metal nanoparticles are functionalized by the used of organic materials such as thiol-derivatives and citrate because of their high affinity to metal such as gold and silver also those organic material is dispersed in water that can be applied directly to bio-materials. Herein, we present the optimization study of capping molecules Trisodium citrate and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) on silver nanoparticles (AgNP) by used of modified chemical reduction and exchange ligand methods to form stable AgNP. The optimization of AgNP was done by varying the ratio among the concentration of the precursor (AgNO3), reducing agent and capping materials. Our colloidal AgNP products show bright yellow to yellow-brownish colour with the plasmonic peak for citrate capped AgNP (Ag-Citrate) at 410-424 nm, 3-MPA capped AgNP (Ag-MPA) by direct method at 428-440 nm, and 3-MPA capped AgNP (Ag-MPA) by ligand exchange method at 436-462 nm. The chemical characteristics of our Ag-citrate and Ag-MPA show the differences coordination of COO- between free citrate or 3-MPA and after citrate or 3-MPA capped on Ag. In our experiment, the TEM images for both samples of AgNPs show the spherical shape with the range of diameter size 5-38 nm which depends on the given ratio of material concentration in the synthesis process. Our AgNP solution results with the open capping of citrate or 3-MPA then can be applied as probe sensor for plasmonic sensor application.